Thursday, December 20, 2012
Gift Packages for the Wives and Mothers at home!
Today I got a lovely surprise from my husband via Full Circle Home. Deployed Soldiers can go online and request a package be sent to their wives or mothers if they aren't married for Christmas. It was filled with love and 12 days of Christmas themed! It was so nice to see the love and care they took to wrap each individual package. I almost didn't want to open it! I especially loved the bracelet from Things Remembered that was engraved with "Love from (duty location)"! Its those little touches that make it extra special! Not sure if they have any left for your men to order, but definitely worth keeping in mind for next year!
Monday, December 10, 2012
Professional Photos by local photographers for deployed/deploying military!
Operation Love Reunited provides 2 photo sessions for families of deployed soldiers to a certain combat zones. The above photo was one taken shortly before my husband left for Afghanistan on his last deployment.
The two session consist of a pre-deployment or during deployment photo shoot (not both). They are to be patriotic in theme and if the service member is present in uniform. I actually really liked this requirement because my husband is VERY handsome in uniform yet I have hardly any good pictures of him in it. The second photo shoot is a homecoming shoot.
From the first shoot a small pocketbook will be made of the photos and sent to the service member directly. The program is meant to be a morale booster for them so the photographers are NOT allowed to give you the photo books. Many do optionally offer discounts and these vary from photographer to photographer. Mine at the time offered a 50% discount off her hefty fee, the CD still cost me $250 dollars, but the pictures were amazing and priceless, I think she may actually be more now.
I have not only been a participant in the program I have also been a photographer for it, and it truly is a very rewarding program!
Photo Quilts for children of Deployed Servicemembers
Operation Kid Comfort is a program through the Armed Services YMCA. They make the cutest quilts or pillows depending on the age of the child, 7 and above receive the pillows.
This is a lengthy process but it is well worth it! We requested our quilts in August and our name came up in October, so they are still being made now in December. So request it AS SOON as you can. When you get those orders and have the pictures ready! I knew it was coming for a few months ahead so I started collecting photos, and I even took the kids out and took some new ones with their dad right before he left to include with them. I also used photos from his previous deployment that Op Love Reunited took (more on that in the next post!).
These will be a true treasure for years to come, so I strongly encourage everyone to get the requests in. It doesn't take much time at all. IF for some reason your photos won't upload, email them right away! I had this issue during the last deployment and just let it go when I shouldn't have, but I tired again and had the same issue, but I was able to get an email response about it very quickly then was able to email in my photos.
SO what are you waiting for go request yours now! http://www.asymca.org/index.php/what-we-do-3/national-programs-services/operation-kid-comfort/okc-quilt-request/
The link takes you to the online request form for families NOT near any of these locations...
ASYMCA of Alaska
Camp Pendleton ASYMCA
Southeast Family ASYMCA
Fort Bragg/Pope AFB ASYMCA
Watertown Family YMCA
Killeen ASYMCA
ASYMCA of Missouri
Junction City ASYMCA
Honolulu ASYMCA
San Diego ASYMCA
If you are near one of them then you need to request your quilt from that location directly!
This is a lengthy process but it is well worth it! We requested our quilts in August and our name came up in October, so they are still being made now in December. So request it AS SOON as you can. When you get those orders and have the pictures ready! I knew it was coming for a few months ahead so I started collecting photos, and I even took the kids out and took some new ones with their dad right before he left to include with them. I also used photos from his previous deployment that Op Love Reunited took (more on that in the next post!).
These will be a true treasure for years to come, so I strongly encourage everyone to get the requests in. It doesn't take much time at all. IF for some reason your photos won't upload, email them right away! I had this issue during the last deployment and just let it go when I shouldn't have, but I tired again and had the same issue, but I was able to get an email response about it very quickly then was able to email in my photos.
SO what are you waiting for go request yours now! http://www.asymca.org/index.php/what-we-do-3/national-programs-services/operation-kid-comfort/okc-quilt-request/
The link takes you to the online request form for families NOT near any of these locations...
ASYMCA of Alaska
Camp Pendleton ASYMCA
Southeast Family ASYMCA
Fort Bragg/Pope AFB ASYMCA
Watertown Family YMCA
Killeen ASYMCA
ASYMCA of Missouri
Junction City ASYMCA
Honolulu ASYMCA
San Diego ASYMCA
If you are near one of them then you need to request your quilt from that location directly!
YMCA Memberships Free while on Title 10 orders!
The YMCA has an amazing program if it works for you! While your spouses is deployed/Title 10 orders you can get a free membership, they go for 6 months and then renew for 6 months if you hold up your end of the bargain. When you take the membership you agree to go at least 8 times a month (basically twice a week).
That doesn't seem like that much and it is amazing program. I signed up the last time my husband deployed but for us the nearest Y was 20 miles away (almost as close as the nearest gym that's 15 miles) so I figured no biggie. Unfortunately at 5 months postpartum it just didn't happen. I will say that it was a fabulous place to do my sons birthday party, they swam for an hour and then we had an hour in the room for a few games cake and presents, and there was no cleaning on my part, so that's an excellent resource to keep in mind!
You can get more information about the YMCA here and how to sign up. It was pretty easy!
http://www.asymca.org/index.php/what-we-do-3/national-programs-services/ymca-military-outreach-initiative/
That doesn't seem like that much and it is amazing program. I signed up the last time my husband deployed but for us the nearest Y was 20 miles away (almost as close as the nearest gym that's 15 miles) so I figured no biggie. Unfortunately at 5 months postpartum it just didn't happen. I will say that it was a fabulous place to do my sons birthday party, they swam for an hour and then we had an hour in the room for a few games cake and presents, and there was no cleaning on my part, so that's an excellent resource to keep in mind!
You can get more information about the YMCA here and how to sign up. It was pretty easy!
http://www.asymca.org/index.php/what-we-do-3/national-programs-services/ymca-military-outreach-initiative/
Free Doula while Spouses are Deployed!
There is a really neat program out there called Operation Special Delivery they provide No Cost doula services for delivery when spouses are deployed.
I haven't personally used this service but I know having support when you are delivering is crucial!
Check them out at:
http://www.operationspecialdelivery.com/
I haven't personally used this service but I know having support when you are delivering is crucial!
Check them out at:
http://www.operationspecialdelivery.com/
FREE Sittercity Membership!!!
SITTERCITY offers a free membership to their site for all Military families (reserves/national guard NOT on Title 10 orders too)!
I have never been entirely comfortable finding help off craigslist, I did it once for housekeeping and the girl worked hard but was very flaky. Then I tried once for daycare and that was a nightmare!
So I hopped at the chance to grab a free membership to sittercity, not everyone on there is background checked but it is very easy to see who is, and you can always offer to pay for one through their site. This is a resource I find invaluable, personally I only do the ones that already did it themselves, shows me they are more serious about it. However, if I ran across someone I liked I have that ability right there, I wouldn't even know how to do a background check on my own.
Its NOT just babysitters, it's housekeepers, it's pet care, it's Nanny services and babysitters of course too. So I highly encourage everyone to check it out, especially if you have GASP looked on craigslist before for help!
https://www.sittercity.com/register_corp_1.html?corp=dod&client=67
I have never been entirely comfortable finding help off craigslist, I did it once for housekeeping and the girl worked hard but was very flaky. Then I tried once for daycare and that was a nightmare!
So I hopped at the chance to grab a free membership to sittercity, not everyone on there is background checked but it is very easy to see who is, and you can always offer to pay for one through their site. This is a resource I find invaluable, personally I only do the ones that already did it themselves, shows me they are more serious about it. However, if I ran across someone I liked I have that ability right there, I wouldn't even know how to do a background check on my own.
Its NOT just babysitters, it's housekeepers, it's pet care, it's Nanny services and babysitters of course too. So I highly encourage everyone to check it out, especially if you have GASP looked on craigslist before for help!
https://www.sittercity.com/register_corp_1.html?corp=dod&client=67
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