Fireworks & Pets

Please remember that as much as you and the kids love fireworks, doggies and some kitties are not big fans! Please do not take your dogs to go see the fireworks! This is very scary for them! Shelters are overrun with "runaways" trying to get away from the big bad booms this holiday weekend, don't let your doggie or kitty be one of them!

Happy 4th of July ~

As we approach Independence Day, remember. The American flag does not fly because the wind moves past it. The American flag flies from the last breath of each military member who has died protecting it. American soldiers don't fight because they hate what's in front of them, they fight because they love what's behind them.

OPSEC Rules...please read

As a Military Wife, I have learned through my husband and through other wives about OPSEC, BUT there are still some that either do not care, do not want to care, or are just...you know, I do not know how to explain them...lol.

SO...if you don't know about OPSEC, here's a little information to help...if you just DON'T CARE...I have nothing more to say, except...get off my page please, and thank you. OPSEC is for the safety of ALL of our SOLDIERS, so please understand how important these rules are. Thank you to the spouses who helped and taught me as well in regards to learning more.


OPSEC Rules for blogs, forums and chat

Operations Security can’t be summed up in a brief list of rules and regulations and be expected to cover every possible situation. However, many forum, blogs and chat rooms need to set certain standards and guidelines in order to promote good OPSEC practices. These guidelines are often referred to as “OPSEC Rules”, and must be acknowledged before an account is created.

This article will provide a basic set of OPSEC rules for free, unrestricted use on any site or forum. Please note that this is not an inclusive list, and should be modified to fit the requirements on the medium.


OPSEC Rules:

1-Do not post exact deployment dates or redeployment dates

2-Do not reveal camp locations, including nearby cities. After the deployment is officially announced by Military officials, you may discuss locations that have been released, normally on the Country level.

3-Do not discuss convoy routes (“we travelled through Takrit on our way to X”)

4-Detailed information on the mission, capabilities or morale of a unit

5-Specific names or actual nicknames

6-Personnel transactions that occur in large numbers (Example: pay information, powers of attorney, wills, etc)

7-Details concerning security procedures, response times, tactics

8-Don’t discuss equipment or lack thereof, to include training equipment

9-Don’t speculate about future operations

10-If posting pictures, don’t post anything that could be misconstrued or used for propaganda purposes. A good rule of thumb is to look at your picture without your caption or explanation and consider if it could be re-captioned to reflect poorly on coalition forces. For example, your image might show your Soldier rescuing a child from a blast site, but could be re-captioned to insinuate that the child being captured or harmed. (it’s happened!)

11- Avoid the use of count-up or count-down tickers for the same reason as rule #1

12-Be very careful if posting pictures of your loved one
.
13-Avoid images that show significant landmarks near their base of operations, and black out last names and unit affiliations

14-Do not, ever, post information about casualties (coalition or enemy) before the official release of the information.

15-Do not pass on rumors (“I heard they’re coming home early”, etc)


If you have any questions, contact your (or your sponsor’s) unit OPSEC manager.

These OSPEC rules aren’t meant to limit your free speech or restrict your liberties- that’s exactly what our Men and Women fight to protect. However, they are designed to help ensure the safety and security of the Service Members in your life.

Remember, no matter your affiliation, status, rank or age- you have a part in the security of your Soldier!!!

**THIS INFORMATION WAS GATHERED AND RE-POSTED FROM  http://www.opsecprofessionals.org/articles/OPSEC_Rules.html

Can You Ship A Cake Overseas To Your Soldier ???

Can you ship your hubby a cake overseas???  Does a BEAR, POOP in the woods??!! Okay, ewwww, gross...LOL!!! Why YES!!! I love baking, I love cooking, and anyone that truly knows my husband, knows this because apparently he dotes on this gift I have. Baking is my most fond thing to do,(well, ONLY when he's away...hahaha), BUT we all know baking can be BAD!!!! LOL!!! I collect Cookbooks, so that can make it worse...BUT I don't let it. I love sending him care packages, AND he sent one to me!!! It takes about 5-7 days for it to arrive there or here, and even though I wish I could afford to send him one every day or every week, I think bi-weekly or once monthly, he appreciates it more. PLUS, I am not sure if the other soldiers get care packages, and I wouldn't want to make them feel bad.

Oh back to the can you ship a cake overseas? YES...and I am sharing the recipe, that was shared with me!!!

ITEMS YOU NEED:
1 package-WIDE mouth canning jars with lids(make sure you sterilize them, and boil the lids prior to usage)
2-ANY FLAVOR Cake mix ( I used three boxes, and it made 10 jars)
3-COOKIE SHEET to place the jars on to bake in the oven!


*****GREASE the JARS liberally with any NON-STICK SPRAY*****

INSTRUCTIONS:
1-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2- Mix the cake mix according to the directions on the box
3- POUR mix into jars ONLY HALF WAY!!!! (this allows the cake to rise within properly)
4-Bake approximately 30-35 minutes in the jars placed onto a cookie sheet, use a toothpick to check if ready, comes out clean, READY!)
5-Remove the jars from the oven and immediately and carefully place the lids/rings onto the
jars tightly
6-AS the cake COOLS  in the jars, you will see moisture and the lids will self seal, making a "PING" sound
7-once cooled, and sealed, your cakes are ready to ship.
FYI~USE BUBBLE WRAP when placing them into your shipping box!!!
8-SEND FROSTING!!!! I send one can per 4 jars...and probably some utensils!!!

So, YES, you CAN ship a cake overseas!!!

I am a Mom, Strong & Proud...

Happy Mother's Day to all of my family and friends. It is a blessing to be given the opportunity to be a mom. From the first hearing of the heartbeat in the doctor's office, the first glimpse in the ultrasound, the first kick, and now, to where I stand with my FIRST BORN about to graduate high school, and his brother is not far behind! It's not that I feel old, but I sometimes wonder, was I the best mom? Did I make his childhood great? What could I have done better? Was being a single parent bad? Have I guided them properly? I have tried so hard.....

Since March 21, 1996, I have raised my boys in Alabama, pretty much on my own. Their dad was great with them, until the Summer of 2000. That was the WORST summer of my life. I never imagined or fathomed that my boy's dad, would not want to return them home to me, their mom. After finally having them released to my dad and step dad, they missed the first week of school, I promised nothing like that would happen again. We went to court a little over a month later, and he was immediately ordered visitation to be supervised ONLY. I couldn't trust him anymore, and it hurt. It hurt our boys most of all. It was a year later before he even exercised his visitation rights, then within a month he stopped visiting again because it did not work with his schedule, nor his wife, according to him, as he told this to me and our sons on his last visit after an orthodontist appointment where he agreed to keep up his end of the divorce decree and pay for half of the braces for BOTH boys.( Yeah, I AM PAYING for the braces, NOT him, nor has he EVER paid for 1/2 of ANY medical, co-pays, extra curricular wants or needs...NOTHING!!!)  I tried and have tried over the years to keep the lines of communication open with him and the boys, BUT as year after year went on, he did not come around, the phone calls became less, and less, the bridge was burned. IT IS ALL MY FAULT!!! (apparently) I am blamed, NOT by my sons, they know I have tried, I have NEVER lied nor kept him from them. Do I have evidence that it is NOT my fault???? Why YES I do...in writing. The harassment, the threats, the rude, hurtful, statements made, not only to me, BUT also to my sons by their biological father, his mother, and his wife, about me...against the divorce decree...nice.

My sons are 16 & 18, they are not stupid, but yet I think some feel that they do not know the entire truth of the matter, story, whatever you want to call it. THEY KNOW THE TRUTH! They are great boys, they do not hate, because I have taught them not to hate, I have taught them to forgive, but never forget, and to try to be open minded and realize everyone has a reason for the things that they do. Their reasoning may not always be agreed upon, but we are not to judge. Someday, they will know his reasons, and I pray that they can forgive.

The boys LOVE their step daddy, what a horrible word to describe such an amazing man. The love and strength that he has instilled in them is beyond anything I ever imagined. He has helped them set goals, helped me raise them even better than I have been. Chaz has his first job, and starts within the next few weeks...Colt is weighing his options for college or military career...my boys are growing up!!

The cool thing is that my boys still have a lot of "firsts" ahead of them, and I cannot wait to share more with them.

I love you Chaz & Colt!!! You are the best sons a mom could ask for. I am so proud to have you call me mom.

Jumping off my soap box now =)