Jessica Aycock MilitaryShoppers Page 2

Cats and Dogs Can Live in Harmony

05/19/2014 By Jessica Aycock

The biggest worry I had about moving in with my guy wasn’t which dishes to keep or where to put my (smaller) television. I was worried about how our pets would get along.

It doesn’t always have to be a fight with cats and dogs.

My cats (both male, 8 and 9 years old) had never met a dog before and are incredibly spoiled.

We tried introducing the cats to his dog –a 95-pound, 7-year-old female German shepherd– before the move and it did not go well. My cat, ironically named Lovie, bit my man after trying to attack his dog. Needless to say, I was convinced that our animals would be separated for life.

But our family, like any family needs time to blend and we found that time was all it took for our 3 “kids” to adjust to the change. (Or at least ignore each other, like good siblings.)

It took a few weeks of close supervision before they finally understood that they’re all here for good.

3 Tips for Cats and Dogs to Live in Harmony

How do your pets get along?

Here are 3 tips to get cats and dogs to cohabit without bloodshed.

Take it slow. Don’t force them to interact. Cats especially aren’t fond of being forced to do anything. Let them get used to the new space and new players on their own time. Use calming tools, if necessary. We used Bach Rescue Remedy and ComfortZone diffusers for both the cats and the dog.

Give them their own space. Cats need to feel like they have a safe haven in which to escape. We put a baby gate in an extra bedroom’s doorway so the cats could go in and out without worrying about the dog. The dog quickly learned that space wasn’t for her.

When they do interact, supervise but don’t interfere unless necessary. Just like siblings, they have to figure out what’s what on their own terms. Yes, our dog is about 5 times the size of the cats, but she won’t do much more than sniff them. If she’s too close, they let her know.

Honestly, the one with the biggest adjustment was me. Letting go of the worry and trusting that they would be OK was difficult for me. I wanted to hover all the time. But, the more I let them be, the faster they relaxed and got acquainted.

Maybe one day they will be best friends …

Or not. They are pretty set in their ways.

Love your pets? Enter to win a prize with Purina and Paw it Forward through June 3!

3 Superfoods You Should Eat Today

05/12/2014 By Jessica Aycock

Most of us don’t eat as healthy as we should (yeah, you know who you are), and that means we need to be looking for the items that will give us the biggest bang for our buck.

Enter superfoods. Fresh produce that packs a HUGE nutritional punch.

Now, these won’t get you healthy instantly–though I know we wish they would–but if you’re eating them on a regular basis, you’ll be doing your body a GIANT favor.

The key to superfoods is buying and eating them in season.

Here are 3 superfoods that are in season this month in the United States.

Apricots are in season from May to August in the United States.

Apricots

This small orange fruit is a relative of the peach and taste like a cross between it and a plum. These bad boys are super low in calories (only 17 per piece) and high in heart-healthy beta-carotene. They’re also high in vitamin A, a powerful antioxidant that helps battle free radicals. Try adding apricots to a hot or cold cereal or to a green salad.

Fun Fact: Both apricots and peaches are members of the rose family.

What’s your favorite apricots recipe? Share it with MilitaryShoppers.com for a chance to win a $50 commissary shopping spree. Winners are awarded each month on the MilitaryShoppers Facebook page.

Boysenberries pack a nutritional punch.

Boysenberries

These little berries look like like blackberries but they are actually a cross between raspberries and blackberries. Boysenberries are high in vitamin C and fiber and a great source of antioxidants to keep your brain healthy. Best part about these berries: They contain ellagic acid. What’s that? Oh, it’s just a little phytonutrient that has been found to kill cancer cells in a lab. Needless to say, they certainly won’t hurt your diet.

Fun Fact: Boysenberries were developed by a horticulturist who then turned them over to farmer Walter Knott of Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park in California.

Morels are difficult to find, but high in iron and vitamin D.

Morel Mushrooms

Morels, with their honeycomb-like top, are a unique fungi. They’re one of the few foods that contains a high-concentration of vitamin D, which helps your body absorb calcium and helps regulate blood pressure. Morels are also packed full of iron– containing 100% of the daily recommendation for men and 44% for women in 1 cup. A word of caution: morels can cause allergic reactions to some, so if you’ve never had them before, try a small amount the first time around.

Fun Fact: Since morels require very specific conditions to grow, they can be difficult to find in the wild. For some people, hunting morels is a sport. But you must be careful. “False morels” look like morel mushrooms, but are poisonous.

Which superfood will you eat this month?

14 Ways to Pamper Yourself for #Milspouse Appreciation Day

05/08/2014 By Jessica Aycock

Being a part of the silent ranks can be an amazing experience. We keep the home running while our service members are gone. We raise the greatest kids. We move every few years and keep complaints to a minimum (most of the time). Military spouses always did a lot in the name of love but they didn’t always get a lot of recognition.

That is, until President Reagan saw how important military spouses’ jobs were and created Military Spouse Appreciation Day in 1984. Since then, military spouses have taken the limelight on the Friday before Mother’s Day for a well-deserved day of thanks. This year, Military Spouse Appreciation Day falls on May 9.

Here are 15 ways you can pamper yourself on your special day without breaking the bank.

Get a spa treatment at home:

Complete with DIY face masks:

And pedicures:

Make a sugar scrub for everyday use:

Share a spa day with a friend:

Boost up your water:

Download a book (for free!):

Treat yourself to a cup – either out or at home:

Prefer tea? Make those tea bags do double duty:

Plant a flower garden so you’re always surrounded by beauty:

Treat yourself to something nice:

Make yourself an easy, but fancy dinner:

Plan a mini-staycation:

Still need more tips? Don't want your spouse to forget Military Spouse Appreciation Day. Email this post to them with a little hint to plan something special with the kids so you can relax! Follow MilitaryShoppers's board #MilSpouse Appreciation Day on Pinterest.

Give Gifts Teachers Will Appreciate

05/06/2014 By Jessica Aycock

Go beyond apples for teacher this year.

Teaching is a profession that deserves respect beyond measure. Teachers spend their days being role models and shaping the futures of children and young adults. Starting in preschool, our children spend the majority of their day with their teachers. Teachers can have a huge impact on our child’s self-image and attitudes about school.

Each of us has a teacher that we remember– someone who shaped us through a tough time or inspired us to reach our full potential.

One of my favorite teachers was my American Sign Language teacher in high school. I took classes from her during my junior and senior years. While she didn’t have any hearing problems herself, her sister was born deaf. It was inspiring to me to see how she advocated for the deaf through teaching high school students.

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week and today, May 6, is National Teacher Appreciation Day. Are you scrambling for a gift for your child’s teacher?

What’s your go-to gift for your kids’ teachers?

Top 3 Last-Minute Gift Ideas

Here are the top 3 gifts that teachers will appreciate, according to my friends who are teachers.

#3: Gift Cards

We all know teachers aren’t the most highly paid, though they should be. Gift cards are always great when you don’t know what to buy. You can pick up gift cards for local restaurants, coffee shops, movie theaters, office supply stores, Amazon, and iTunes. If your child’s teacher is also a military spouse, give her a gift card to her military commissary.

#2: Baked Goods/School Supplies

Another popular gift was food items or school supplies. Many teachers buy classroom supplies out of their own pockets, so pencils, crayons, notebooks, and paper will help ease their burden. A homemade baked treat is always popular for teachers, but if you don’t have time to bake, package a few spices together with a cute kitchen towel for an easy gift.

#1: Handwritten Thank You Note

There’s nothing more special than an old-fashioned thank-you note. Each teacher I polled said a handwritten note was the best gift they’ve ever gotten. One friend has kept all the notes and pulls them out whenever she’s having one of those days when she’s not sure if she is making a difference. Never underestimate a sincere thank-you note. If your children are too young to write their own notes, write one expressing your gratitude to their teachers for them.

Need more ideas? Browse these great ideas on our Pinterest board:

What’s your last-minute go-to gift for teachers?

Follow MilitaryShoppers’s board Teacher Appreciation Week Gifts on Pinterest.

10 Steps to Detox Your Mind

04/28/2014 By Jessica Aycock

Negative thoughts have a tendency to take over our brain. If we let them.

Don’t let negative thoughts consume your mind.

The bad news is that negative thoughts far outnumber the positive thoughts. Some say up to 95% of our thoughts are negative.

The good news is that you don’t have to listen to these inner Debbie Downers. You can stop, reverse, and reduce those negative thoughts. You can cleanse your mind with these 10 simple detox methods.

As Sir Mix-a-lot would say– let’s kick those nasty thoughts.

Write down your thoughts and feelings.

If you find negativity dominating your thoughts, try writing them down. Get them out of your head as soon as you can.

Count your blessings.

Make a list of all the positive things in your life. Keep this gratitude list handy when you need a reminder that life isn’t all bad.

Get moving.

Going for a walk or exercising will release endorphins that battle negative or depressive thoughts. You aren’t required to go running to get this natural high. Walking, swimming, Zumba, and yoga are all physical activities that trigger the release of endorphins.

Question your thoughts.

When you notice negativity creeping in, ask the following questions: Is it true? Can you absolutely know that it’s true?

Don’t judge others.

Many of our negative thoughts can be linked to our perception of others and how they may not live up to our expectations. Practice seeing the situation from their point of view. Realize that their lives are different than ours and that your beliefs may not be the same as their beliefs.

Seek out positive people.

Surround yourself with people who you want to be like: happy, positive, and enjoyable. Their optimism will rub off on you.

Stay busy doing activities you love.

Doing things you enjoy will keep you in a positive state. Still have to do things you don’t like? Do as much as you can to find the joy in whatever you have to do. Blast disco dance music while you wash dishes or watch “Mad Men” while folding laundry.

banish negative thoughts with positive activities

Doing things you love can help battle negative thoughts.

Be patient with yourself.

We’ve gotten so used to our negative thoughts that we don’t even realize they’re happening. Don’t get frustrated as you begin to change your thoughts and realize how much your thoughts have been running your life. Give yourself time to adjust and just keep moving forward.

Laugh. Laugh again.

Don’t take life so seriously. Find a way to laugh every day. Here is a corny joke: “What do you call a bear without teeth? A gummy bear.” Tell your friends, children, neighbors, and dentist. We can all use more laughter in our lives.

Help others.

Giving back allows you to focus on someone other than yourself. It occupies your thoughts and prevents them from reverting to negativity. You can volunteer at your local food bank, through national organizations, or even on your military installation. The Navy-Marine Relief Society is a volunteer-centered organization that will train you. No experience required.

Daily exercise is good for your mind and your body.

Daily exercise is good for your mind and body.

Remember: You are not your negative thoughts.

You can choose to cleanse your mind of those negative thoughts at any time. Today is the day you can begin to ditch those mental naysayers and start anew with positive thoughts.

How do you keep negative thoughts away?

Military Life & Depression: Part 2

04/23/2014 By Jessica Aycock

As a military spouse, you are familiar with the ups and downs that come with the military lifestyle. For some of you, the downs can dominate and seriously interfere with your life. Nearly 10% of the population suffers from depression– and 70% of them are women.

The stress of military life affects everyone differently.

While you may think that depression goes hand in hand with deployments, that’s not necessarily true. It’s something that is a constant mental health battle and each individual person is different. One military spouse may feel depressed only when major situations happen– an illness or death in the family, a baby’s birth, financial troubles, deployment, etc. Another may struggle to get out of bed in the morning and any disruption to a routine could make them feel inadequate or overwhelmed.

My depression diagnosis came after I realized I was sleeping nearly 15 hours a day and felt completely overwhelmed with my stressful job. I used medication in the beginning until I found natural ways to deal with depression for the long term.

Here are 4 ways I’ve naturally battled depression for the last 8 years.

(Remember: there’s no perfect way to deal with depression.)

Talking.

I spent a lot of time talking with a counselor or therapist about what was going in my head and how I was dealing with it. Friends can be a good option too, but for me, they were too close and lacked objectivity to tell me when I was blowing things out of proportion.

Exercise.

Any form of exercise will be beneficial to your mental health– try yoga or tai chi, volleyball, soccer, running, or swimming. Running became my form of therapy. Later I moved on to CrossFit, a high-intensity fitness regiment and I can honestly tell when I have been slacking on fitness. I don’t see it on the scale. I feel it in my brain. You may not want to do it, but I promise you will feel better when you incorporate exercise into your daily routine.

Yoga is a great way to battle depression naturally.

Evaluate your diet.

Sugar and processed foods can impact your mood. I crave sugar when I’m depressed and unfortunately, eating sugar makes me more depressed. Pay attention to what you eat and how you feel afterward. Make adjustments as necessary.

Befriend positive people.

Make the conscious choice to socialize with people who make you happy and are happy in general. Do what you can to foster happy thoughts. Laugh often. Don’t listen to sad music or watch depressing movies. Keep a gratitude journal.

Depression affects more than the military spouse with the diagnosis. It takes its toll on everyone close to them.

Military spouses, repeat after me: It’s okay to ask for help; it’s okay to offer help.

What’s your favorite way to naturally combat feelings of sadness?

Note: Please reach out to a professional if you feel sad, depressed, unhappy, or constantly worried. While common, depression is a serious condition and should be properly diagnosed. If you are currently taking medications, please consult your doctor before trying any additional remedies. Do not reduce or quit taking medication without your doctors’ oversight.

Military Life & Depression: Part 1

04/17/2014 By Jessica Aycock

Military life is different than civilian life. Military life comes with its own stressors and challenges.

Here is a not-so-fun fact: Service members and their spouses are at a higher risk for depression than the general public.

Being a new spouse to military life can be a shock to your system: Where do you fit in? How do you make friends when you move every few years? What do you do when you’re so far away from your family and/or friends? And let’s not even talk about the whole new language to learn (PCS. OPSEC. MOS. TDY. Say what?) It’s like living in a foreign country.

Throw a deployment into the mix and you may find yourself with increased responsibility– for the finances, children (if you have any) AND worrying about your spouse’s safety.

Too often, new spouses don’t realize that the stress of this lifestyle– while normal– may be indicators of something more. Namely, depression.

Before my depression diagnosis eight years ago, I thought I was going through a rough time. I blamed my job and figured once I left, things would get better. Only the problem was deeper and it took a little extra help from a doctor to get back on my feet.

Know the Signs of Depression

The signs of depression vary for each person. How do you know if you’re depressed? You may be experiencing one or more of the following:

change in sleeping pattern (either can’t sleep or sleeping too much)
not finding joy in things you once loved
no longer interested in hobbies
overeating or loss of appetite
trouble concentrating or remembering details
feelings of despair, guilt, or hopelessness
headaches
irritability, restlessness
thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts

Keep in mind that you may not have ALL of these symptoms– everyone is different. Personally, I slept close to 15 hours a day, had zero interest in anything outside of my home, felt completely hopeless, and suffered from migraines.

If you have any of these symptoms, please make an appointment with a mental health professional or your primary care doctor. You may also reach out to your Family Readiness Officer and a friend who is willing to listen.

Tell a friend if you are feeling depressed.

You shouldn’t be ashamed to admit that you’re feeling down, sad, or depressed. A large majority of people suffer from depression at some point in their lives. Some are able to pull themselves out of it and some of us need a little extra help.

Who do you talk to when you’re feeling down?

Memory Filled Care Packages

03/28/2014 By Jessica Aycock

Missing out on memorable moments at home is one of the hazards our military members face. It’s bound to happen and well, it sucks.

It’s hard to keep them in the loop when they’re so far away, but it’s not impossible. It just takes a little bit of creativity.

Here are some great ideas for boxes that will make them feel more connected, but include items that, if lost or destroyed, won’t be upsetting.

Care Packages To Keep Kids and Servicemembers Connected

Do a gender reveal box like this one:

Send a hug!

Make a box that reminds them of a fun time together – like a trip to the zoo:

Or the beach:

Make a photo book or calendar or keepsake item – Snapfish is great for this. If it gets lost, you can always reorder!

Remind them of home with little items like their favorite cereal & snacks, a toy replica of their car and their favorite tv show:

Commemorate the first day of school:

Sending gifts? Dress them up with copies of photos on the wrapping paper:

Looking for other ideas to keep them connected?

Collect items from your hometown to remind them of home.
Send boxes themed around the holidays – Thanksgiving and Christmas seem to be the toughest.
If you send photos or drawings by the kids, get copies made a Kinkos – keep the originals and send the copies.

What tips or ideas do you have for keeping your service member in the loop on important things going on at home?

Care package: For the Love of Music

03/12/2014 By Jessica Aycock

music care package, military care package, unique care package

Care packages are a strong link between me and my husband and I always want to make sure that the ones that I send are from the heart and entertaining. The best packages are the ones that are fun to make and fun to open – sometimes literally (once I made a puzzle care package, but I packed it in layers and layers of tape, boxes, and ribbon – making it a puzzle in itself just to get open!) If your servicemember’s favorite thing is music, you’re going to love this care package idea!

For the love of music

Compile a new CD (or use a USB drive) to include newer songs they have missed while overseas.
Include books or magazines featuring their favorite bands.
Pack a T-shirt with their favorite band or a music-theme on it (Bonus points if you spray it with your perfume/cologne).

Using Downtime to Play or Learn The Guitar

Send a cheap guitar or even a smaller kids guitar – like the little ones sold in toy stores – same frets, same things to learn.
Add Classical guitar music – either as CD or USB drive
Complete training system (like Fretlight, which includes everything you need to learn to play).

If they don’t have a lot of downtime – or you’re afraid to send an actual guitar or instrument for them to play on – try some of these apps that will keep their skills sharp or just allow a little bit of fun.

And maybe consider taking up the hobby yourself – how romantic would it be if YOU learned their favorite song while they were gone? *cue: awwww…*

Coach Guitar: This free app doesn’t require any equipment and can be used on an iphone or iPad.
Tunewiki: Turns any mobile device into a karaoke machine by providing lyrics to the songs playing.
Sir Sampleton: This $2.99 app allows you to mix beats and save recordings, making it something that’s fun for all ages and skill-levels.

As always, don’t forget to send a little love in whatever care package you decide to send. Best bets are chocolate chip cookies, photos, cards and letters.

photo credit

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