The Last One

I'm really not sure how this post is supposed to start. I'm really not sure what to say.

It's been almost 8 weeks since Joe passed away.

I'm not going to go into details. I'm only going to say that some people do not have the families they deserve. And sometimes PTSD (from the military or otherwise) is very overwhelming.

And sometimes love isn't strong enough to overcome your past.

As for this blog, it was about my life as an Army wife, which I am not anymore. Joe ETSed in December 2012. We started our civilian life in Arkansas by finding a great job, buying a house, and moving. The dream we had worked so hard for had come true. Please know that we were happy. Everything had fallen into place. Joe left me knowing that I could support myself and had the support of family and friends.

I have been shown an amazing amount of love and support from those around me. I will forever be thankful for my friends, IRL and online. You all are so thoughtful and generous with your time and words.

I do plan on blogging when I have the time, which is not a whole lot right now. But when I do, you can find me over at http://saraandrigel.blogspot.com/.

But this will be the last post on this blog. Thank you to everyone who has supported my Army wife journey. I have made many wonderful friends in this community. And had some amazing experiences that I will never forget.

VA Home Loan

Hi everyone. I know it's been a while since I posted here. I cant say much now, but I wanted to just post a short note to let everyone know that the VA home loan is not guaranteed to every service member. We were under the impression that if you met the basic criteria, like time in service and honorable discharge, you were eligible. Well, it's based on much more than that. Much more they don't tell you until you want a home loan. I will tell you that we are having problems getting the home loan, but we are fighting for the benefits that Joe earned after 8 years in the Army and a year in a war zone.

I will keep you posted.

Onward and Upward

Long time, no see. 

But I hate to say, I don't miss it. 

The term "Army wife" has almost left my vocabulary. 

College is discussed more than deployments.

The transition is almost over.

A career will start. 

An education will begin.

A family will emerge.

Roots will be planted.

Tribal Hollywood Review

Have you heard about Tribal Hollywood? They contacted me for a review last week. Perfect timing since Valentine's Day is right around the corner. What are you getting your husband?



The pic from the website



After perusing the website, Joe and I decided to order the MAXIM Stainless Steel Tri-Color Men's Link Bracelet. I honestly didn't know what to expect. It's hard to judge weight from a picture online. I received the beautiful bracelet yesterday. Let me just add here, I made my decision Friday morning. SUPER FAST SHIPPING!! Anyway, I always assume men's bracelets will be really thick and heavy. This one isnt at all. It's lighter than expected, but still heavy enough to be worn comfortably on a man. The craftsmanship is beautiful. There are three different metals/finishes on this bracelet. The linking joints are brushed silver while the three tri-color links are polished.

Tribal Hollywood did all of you ladies a favor! They put together a men's jewelry gift buying guide for Valentines Day. The men's jewelry gift buying guide can be found at:

http://www.tribalhollywood.com/top-jewelry-gift-ideas-for-men. I greatly suggest that you check out this website if you're stumped on what to get your sweetie. There are so many great lines and looks to choose from. And there's something for every price point. There's even a lady's line!


My pic with the included black storage bag



I stole the bracelet to wear to work today. I have on all black, my uniform, and the tri-colors are a nice addition. It's light enough for me to wear.

I will get a picture of it on Joe when I have decent lighting (my apartment is a black hole). He wore it around the house last night and really liked it.

Origami Owl

Have you heard about Origami Owl? This is my newest obsession! Checkout http://lovetheowl.origamiowl.com/ to see this amazing new line of jewelry!

I'm so glad I get to have an online party and share this new line with all of you. Some people who ordered from my party are already getting their Loving Lockets delivered. They are so in love and excited to tell their personal story in a beautiful locket. You can learn more about my party and see more pictures at the Facebook event I created.

http://www.facebook.com/events/518118384887921/?ref=2

My party ends the last day of January. But more importantly, the military charms are being discontinued. I'm still not sure why. There are rumors of course. But if you want a military charm to include in your living locket, you need to order it before the end of January. I would greatly enjoy if you ordered from my party. For some reason the ID# for my party isnt working. But if you do order, just let me know and I will tell my designer so I can get credit for your order.

Love this line? Want to earn some of your own? You can have your own online party! Feel free to ask me any questions you have.

One month out

Well, sorta. "Out" is a relative term. Joe started terminal leave a month ago. But his ETS date is in February. But he's already settling into civilian life. He hasn't shaved his face in a month... literally. The man has a pretty awesome beard at the moment. I didn't realize he hated shaving so much. At least we're saving money on razors, right?

We're finding a new pace. I'm going to work daily and Joe is taking care of the house. And I must say, I am so happy he was the one at home when the movers came. This move was HORRIBLE!! They broke or busted so much of our stuff. He's handling all the aftermath too - the submitting of pics and replacement values - and I couldn't be more thrilled about it. I would have sat down and cried about half of the furniture they busted (the foot board to my beautiful bed and 4 sets of shelves and my awesome coffee table... ugh, the list could go on). And I know if this was just a PCS, I would be the one dealing with this daily. HA! I just have to go to work!

But it wouldn't have been just a PCS. Joe's next duty station was Korea - the orders had come down before his terminal leave started. I could be packing for Korea. The idea just stuns me. Strangely enough, I have a good friend who is about to move to Korea in basically just days. I just cant imagine. I cant imagine leaving the states. I cant imagine living so close to NORTH Korea. I cant imagine leaving Rigel behind (there's NO way I would put him through the quarantine process). I just wouldn't do it. I'd be in Colorado Springs anyway. Or I guess move home to well, here, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

I'm finding it harder to ditch the Army than I thought it would be. Little things will happen and I will almost forget that Joe's no longer enlisted. I still want to RT the Army stuff. I want to like the Yellow Ribbon stuff on Facebook. I want that Army charm in my Origami Owl party. It's been our life for quite a while. So I guess I will slowly figure out how to transition from Army wife as well. I was so sick and tired of the crap that I wanted to just throw up my hands and walk away. Well, even this cynical snarky ass is finding that hard. I have make so many wonderful friends because of Joe's job. And I have been places and experienced things that I never would have even come close to otherwise. It's just hard to throw it all away.

It's also weird living so far away from a military community. People talk about Soldiers in both positive and negative ways, not even thinking that they could be talking to a milspouse. I get protective of my guys (and girls). I've had some weird convos because of it. Someone told me they could never be married to a Soldier because Soldiers are known for "freaking out and murdering everyone." Um... what? LOL! She got a quick lesson about making such large generalizations about a whole group of people. Well, Joe would only freak out if someone was trying to hurt me.. or Rigel. Then all bets are off and you better watch your ass. LOL! We were walking home just last night and I made a comment about someone jumping out of the bushes to attack us. Joe just laughs. He told me to make sure I called the cops while he beat that ass. I, personally, enjoy being married to someone I know can protect me (which is basically what I told the big mouth with the unplesent generalization). Not like, oh yeah, guys are big and can fight - our Soldier husbands are trained in hand to hand combat. I've become the Army liaison in the office.

But being home is wonderful. I leave my parents' farm knowing I will see them next week, not next year. I know Arkansas. I know the backroads of Fayetteville. I know my favorite hole-in-the-wall resturants. I know that 45* is COLD in Arkansas and smirk when people complain about the wind chill of 40*. I love the thunder I grew up with. And the HUMIDITY!! And the Southern accent. And people who call me hun and say britches.

Anthem Tracks HD On-Ear Headphones GIVEAWAY!

Hello everyone!! I am beyond excited to get this giveaway started! I have been such a bad giveaway host! I agreed to do this giveaway TWO moves ago! So now that I am settled and have internet access again, I can get this started! Have you heard about Anthem Tracks from Sol Republic?

Be one of the first to own the headphones inspired by Michael Phelps' passion for music. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these headphones will go to benefit the Michael Phelps Foundation so make sure you tell your friends about them!

A little background - Anthem headphones combine stunning jewel-toned red and dark blue accents over a pearl white foundation, and deliver the deep bass and emotional power of music that SOL REPUBLIC headphones are known for.

In honor of Michael's passion to grow the sport of swimming and promote healthy and active lives, a portion of the proceeds from sales of the Tracks HD Anthem headphone will benefit the Michael Phelps Foundation.

Like all SOL REPUBLIC Tracks HD headphones, the new Michael Phelps inspired version features interchangeable pieces that work with the entire Tracks Remix system, which all feature nearly indestructible FlexTech Sound Track headbands and interchangeable color cables with a remote and microphone. Their leading-edge V10 HD Sound Engines provide listeners with deeper bass, higher clarity and crisp vocals.

In this giveaway you will receive:

- V10 HD Sound Engines with SonicSoft™ Speaker Pads
- Interchangeable Cable with Mic + Music Control
- Interchangeable and Virtually Indestructible Headband
- Slim-Fit Carrying Case

I was given a pair and I must say, these are by far the best headphones I have ever had. You need to trust me on this, I'm not just saying it. The first time I tried them was when I was staying with my Aunt & Uncle and their 3 kids. I was in my room listening to music with these headphones and all of their daily activities just melted away. Music sounds wonderful. And they are amazing with streaming videos. I honestly cannot believe I was so lucky to be contacted by Sol Republic to do this giveaway. I already have the boxed set, I just need a winner to send them to! :-)

You DEFINITELY want to enter this!!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b315596/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

Another Giveaway!?!

Hi everyone! Just wanted to post here that there is another giveaway going on on my other blog, Sara&Rigel. I am giving away a MyMemories Digital Software Suite worth $39.97!! Head over to Sara&Rigel and check it out!

http://saraandrigel.blogspot.com/2012/11/my-memories-suite-review-giveaway.html

Patriot Surplus Review & Giveaway!

Hi everyone!! I am so excited to announce that I was once again contacted by Patriot Surplus to do a review & giveaway!!

I love this store! Anyone with a man in their lives needs to enter this giveaway! This is perfect timing for Christmas and there are loads of items in their store perfect for that man who has it all. Last time I was offered a review, I made the mistake of telling Joe about it. He decided that he needed something. Well, this time I didn't tell him so I could pick something out (and get him a Christmas present).

For my review, I picked the Rothco black sniper gloves. Since I have moved home, I've been helping my parents on their farm. It's been very nice here in Arkansas, until the cold snap. I got these gloves just in time! When you need the dexterity of your bare fingers you have it. But when the wind starts up and you're just feeding the sheep, the mitten part comes in VERY handy! I wish I had had these gloves in Colorado Springs. It gets so cold there in the Winter and the gloves I had were either too thin or too bulky. These would have been a perfect combination of usefulness and warmth.

Do you know how hard it is to take detailed pictures of gloves on your own hands? I hope you can tell how awesome these gloves are. When Joe is home hunting, I fully intend for these to end up in his hunting supplies. These would be great for hunting at 0400! The mitten part has a small piece of Velcro on the back to keep it out of your way. There are also small suede-like patches on the palms and thumbs for extra grip ability. The website says they are made from "breathable & windstopper polyester fleece." So like anyone who has owned a fleece jacket, you know some makes of fleece are definitely not able to stop the wind. But I seriously didn't have that problem with these gloves. I was actually curious about that part when I read the description. But the wind was not a problem.

This was taken on the cold cold day I had to help tend to the sheep.

 

And this is Joe's present. Shhhh!! No one tell him about it!

This Colt Mk IV Spring Powered Airsoft Gun is a full scale replica with a 66' range, and includes a 14 round magazine, laser, holographic sight, a target with net and .20 gram BBs. And ALL OF THAT is $24.95. I mean, do you see why I had to get this for Joe?? He's had other airsoft guns, but none of them came with all those accessories. And the net! This is how I know I'm the girl - fewer BBs rolling all over my house! LOL!

Anyway, Patriot Surplus has everything a person could need - OUTDOORS GEAR, MILITARY EQUIPMENT, WEAPON ACCESSORIES, ETC -  so you definitely want to enter this giveaway!!

 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b315593/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

Veteran's Day Olive Garden Gift Card Giveaway!

Darden Salutes the Military this Veterans Day

 

Hey everyone!! I was just contacted by Darden Restaurants.

 

I wanted to pass along some exciting news from three of America’s favorite restaurants. This Veterans Day (Sunday, Nov. 11), Olive Garden, Red Lobster and LongHorn Steakhouse are honoring veterans and active-duty military with special offers at all locations across the country:

• Olive Garden – Complimentary entrée from a special menu featuring five unique dishes
• Red Lobster – Complimentary appetizer from nine available options
• LongHorn Steakhouse – Complimentary Texas Tonion and non-alcoholic beverage

 

(Fine Print)

How to Redeem the complimentary service:

Veterans and active-duty military can simply show proof of service for dining specials, which includes U.S. Uniform Service Identification Card, U.S. Uniform Service Retired Identification Card, Current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), Veteran’s Organization Card (i.e., American Legion and VFW), DD214 Certificate, Veteran’s Identification Card (VIC), photographed in uniform or wearing uniform or their Canadian equivalents.

For more information on participating restaurants, please visit www.OliveGarden.com; www.RedLobster.com; www.LongHornSteakhouse.com. Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter at the following: Facebook.com/OliveGarden, @OliveGarden, Facebook.com/RedLobster, @RedLobster and Facebook.com/LongHornSteakhouse.

 

So to the GIVEAWAY -- How about I host a giveaway for a $25 Olive Garden gift card so the WHOLE family can enjoy a complementary Veterans Day meal together! What a great idea, right??

 

Also, this gives me a great reason to try out Rafflecopter!

 

Since Veteran's Day is coming up so soon, this will be a quick giveaway so we have time to get the gift card to the winner!

 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b315591/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Just know, I will need the mailing address of the winner when I email them.

 

GOOD LUCK!!!

Jewel Kade Party Time!!

Have you heard of Jewel Kade? Yeah, me neither, until a fellow Army wife started selling it. Do you know Megan from Megan Dub-Yuh?

 

We've all been invited to the usual jewelry party. And they have some very nice things. But it's just not my style, ya know?

 

So I was kinda curious about Jewel Kade. With one glance at the website, I knew I was in trouble. Jewel Kade isn't like the usual jewelry. Their products are artsy and unique. There's an Old World twist on these beautiful charms and necklaces and bracelets and rings.

 

My very first order from Megan's website (my pic as well)

I am all about personalization so I was thrilled when I found these two charms!! I have my initial on everything I buy (probably more true that it should be) and the Eiffel Tower? Did you know I'm from Paris (Arkansas, that is)? I found this combo on the website and LOVED it, so I personalized it and it became mine. I think the next charm I order will be the "key" charms that are in style right now.

This is just ONE of the key charm / styles they have in the shop. (pic from website)

Can I also tell you how happy I am that there are loooong chains available?!? I'm fairly tall and it's hard to find long chains for the right look. But not at JK!

I also have this charm, but it's not in my possession yet. (pic from website)

There are so many different types of charms!! And HELLO!! Double-sided!! So the butterfly (Golden Wings in the shop) is unique in my life too for a couple of reasons. One is fairly personal, but the other reason is because of where I live. We have a special butterfly on our local mountain, Mount Magazine. So this charm is a perfect pairing with the Eiffel Tower.



 

I WANT for my future house! (pic from website)

And finally, the CANVASES!! Okay, I cannot get enough of this create-your-own website. You type it in and they let you preview it all. There are so many different styles and templates to choose from. They come in different sizes and prices as well. And while they are a tad pricy, this would be the PERFECT gift for a special occasion - weddings, birthdays, baby gifts, Christmas, housewarming, etc. I really really really want this one!!

But anyway, the point of all of this is that I am hosting a party through Megan and I wanted to share this awesome jewelry line with you all.

View the online catalog at https://megandubyuh.jewelkade.com/Shop. When you are ready to checkout make sure to click on the ATTACH MY ORDER TO A PARTY button and select my name! If you have any questions, feel free to ask and I will hunt the answer down for you!

Online Scentsy Party!

It's September 1st!! And what does that mean?

THE NEW FALL/WINTER SCENTSY CATALOG IS OUT!!!

Plus yours truly is hosting an online scentsy party through my good friend, Patty, you might know her as @mommytaco on Twitter. So here's the link to my party.
https://mommytaco.scentsy.us/Scentsy/Buy?partyId=100953726

I cannot even express the delight I have about the new products! I must admit, I enjoy the Fall/Winter scents more than the Spring/Summer collection. I'm a sucker for Fall scents, making my house smell all holiday-ish!

Speaking of holidays, I have a HUGE family and we do a gift swap where we all have a price point so no one over or under spends for the holidays. Tell me where you can get something for that cousin you see three times a year....? Or your mother in law? SCENTSY!! Everyone loves Scentsy. I have gotten so many family members a Scentsy system for Christmas and they are always thrilled to be in the Scentsy family!

The one new scent I am excited about? APPLE PRESS!! "The smell of crisp fall days: crunchy apples, juicy pears, and just a hint of the last full roses of the summer." Can you just imagine!?!?

 

I am also excited about some new warmers! 

 

 

 

 



And Scentsy is bulking up their Silhouette Collection! I personally think this is a great idea. You only have to buy one "glowing core" and then there are all these differed "wraps" that you can buy for only $12! Check them out HERE. So instead of buying different full priced warmers for each season, you can just swap out these super cute wraps! And this season, there are holiday wraps!!

 

AND, as if that wasnt enough reason to check out the new catalog, Scentsy greatly expanded their personal care fragrance line! Click HERE to see if your favorite scent is now a body care product! My favorite is there now and I am SO excited!!

 

There are really just too many new fun things to list and show so please go to the site to see what's new!

Have you heard?

Have you heard about the Erin Condren giveaway on my other blog??
http://saraandrigel.blogspot.com/2012/08/erin-condren-2500-giveaway.html

Head on over and enter to win a $25 GC from this womderful company!!