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How to Plant a Victorious Deployment Garden

04/18/2014 By Julie Provost

Did you plant your deployment garden? It is already the middle of April and time to start planting those easy-to-grow vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, carrots, peas, and herbs. I have found peas to be one of the easiest vegetables to grow in my past deployment gardens.

Plant this month to eat tomatoes off the vine this summer.

The first step to planting a garden is research. You need to know what zone you live in. Different parts of the country should start their seeds at different times during the spring. You want to make sure you are doing what is best for where you live. Then you are more likely have success and enjoy the bounty of your work this summer.

Don’t know when’s the best time to plant? Consult the USDA’s Hardiness Zone Map.

I live in Tennessee, which is located in zone 6B. I already planted my sugar snap peas, carrots, and radishes. With the carrots I am planting a few every week. That way they will not all be ready for harvest at the same time. We can munch on a steady stream of home-grown carrots throughout summer.

Some plants are able to be put in the ground before your last frost date while others need to wait. Each vegetable is different and can handle different types of weather.

I am anxiously waiting to plant my corn until nighttime temperatures are consistently above 55 degrees. Unfortunately our temperatures are expected to hover around 30 degrees this week. Although by the calendar I can plant around the 15th of this month, I decided to wait until it warms up a little more.

I am also growing tomatoes and peppers which I started from seed back in February. These will not go into the garden until the first week in May. Right now I have eight tomato plants and two pepper plants in a small greenhouse.

A lot of the success of your garden will hinge on when you start your seeds or put your transplants in the ground. You want to make sure you know when is the right time to plant your vegetable seeds. Different types of seeds also require different planting depths. (Use your ruler to avoid planting too deeply or too shallow.)

If you are unsure about planting depth or plant spacing, read the vegetable’s seed packet. It gives you all the information you need.

What’s your favorite vegetable to grow at home?

You also want to use your best judgement when deciding what day to plant your seeds. If there is a windstorm predicted the day you were going to plant your garden, hold off until it passes. If you are having colder weather longer than you normally do, wait an extra few days.

Your plants will thank you.

What vegetables are you planting this spring?

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?

Commissary Specials Answer the Question: What’s for Dinner?

04/16/2014 By Julie Provost

At least once a week, the majority of military spouses are shopping for groceries at our military commissary. We are the ones who do most of the cooking. We are the ones facing the daily question: What’s for dinner?

The answer is found in the weekly commissary specials.

It’s hard to figure out what to make for dinner every night. Meal planning is best and can save money when you plan meals based on what’s on sale.

Slow cooker meals can be very easy and convenient to make, especially with our busy lives. The hardest part is to remember to turn it on at the right time. Start it too early and dinner will be done in the middle of the afternoon. Start it too late and you will be ordering pizza for dinner. I admit I have done that a time or two.

For a savory slow cooker dinner, I like to take a chicken breast, add water or chicken broth and some spices. I might do something simple like salt or pepper. You can also add in some convenient slow cooker sauces for flavor. There is a lot you can do to create different meals.

Save time and money by making dinner in your slow cooker.

I also like making deli sandwiches at home. They taste great and you can customize them the way that you want. Plus they are a lot cheaper than buying them from a store or eating out. Studies show that families on average spend less than $2 a day packing a sandwich for lunch. It is a good idea to have two types of deli meat in your refrigerator. Add cheese, veggies, and your favorite sauce or dressing and you are good to go.

Sandwiches are a healthy and affordable lunch.

Making your own desserts is a lot cheaper than buying them baked and packaged at the grocery store. You just need a little time to prepare. Cake and brownie mixes (where you only need to add oil, water, eggs, or butter) are basically foolproof.

I like to stock my pantry with cake and brownie mixes and have them on hand. Then I am ready to bring a yummy dessert to an FRG meeting, Bunco social, or a neighborhood barbecue on a moment’s notice.

The items I mentioned in this post are on sale at your military commissary this month. Did I spark some ideas for meal plans? I hope so. Happy cooking!

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7 Ways You Sabotage Your Morning – And 1 Way To Stop

04/14/2014 By Military Shoppers

I think we all know about the benefits of breakfast – but sometimes the benefit of those extra 15 minutes of sleep are so easy to put higher on the morning priority list. So, for this list post, I decided to write about the bad things that happen when I don’t have breakfast, instead of the good things that can happen to you if you do have breakfast. Maybe that will have more of an impact…

When I don’t eat breakfast…

1…I get a massive headache and it is always a surprise…always.

2….The small things bother me…like dog kibble on the ground or long lines at the grocery store.

3…Small tasks seem insurmountable. The pile of dishes, the mountain of laundry, the pages of e-mails, and long list of voicemails I have to sift through.

4…The kids are louder – exponential decibels louder.

5…I don’t have enough energy to work out.

6…I eat more at dinner.

7…I can’t make up my workout because I ate too much at dinner.

Stop Chasing the Ideal Breakfast

Not having breakfast in the morning messes with my entire day, and yet it is still really hard for me to learn my lesson. I want so desperately to have that picturesque breakfast in the morning where the family is gathered around the table with steamy eggs, bacon, maybe a muffin or two.

But that breakfast is not realistic for most of us crazy busy Americans…and honestly, bacon and muffins aren’t that great for us either.

What IS manageable is cereal. Cereal with some extra nutritional boosts:

Start Your Day With A Smile

Honey Nut Cheerios or Cinnamon Toast Crunch with a spoonful of milled flaxseed and milk. I’m a little addicted to my Cheerios (I’m eating a bowl now…it #mustbethehoney). I like adding milled flaxseed to food wherever I can since it adds extra fiber, iron, and omega-3 acids…and it’s easy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drC2fA86Nc4

You can get the big boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios and Cinnamon Toast Crunch at the commissary for cheap. Plus cereal doubles as breakfast and late-night snack.

Want to know what else you can do with Honey Nut Cheerios? Check out the cheerios recipes page and get inspired.

8 Ways to Simplify Your Bedrooms

04/11/2014 By Julie Provost

If you are like me, you are always looking for ways to simplify your life and your home. Moving every few years as we Military spouses do makes it a little easier to sort though our stuff and get a little bit more organized. However, we still might need some good ideas on how to simplify spaces in our homes. I know bedrooms can be a challenging area to keep clean and organized. Here are some ideas on how to simplify your bedrooms.

1. Bins, bins, bins.

For children’s rooms, use bins to hold toys. Go through the toys and categorize them. If your children are old enough they can help you with this project.

2. Plan to purge.

Make plans to sort through toys once every few weeks. Get rid of the broken ones as well as the ones your kids no longer play with. Make sure you to do this right before birthdays and Christmas when you know your kids will get new ones anyway.

3. Does that go there?

Don’t use your room as a storage area. This can be tempting. You tell yourself it doesn’t matter because no one but you and your spouse go into the room. But the reality is you want to create a clear space in there. You want it to feel nice and simple so you can easily relax. Clutter won’t help you do that.

4. Habits make clutter die hard.

Get in the habit of making the bed right away. I have a routine where I make the bed as soon as I get dressed. A bed that is made makes the room feel so much better than a bed that isn’t.

5. Use end tables.

Find some coordinating end tables to put on each side of the bed. Not only do these look nice but they can hold things you might need. You can put your alarm, books, light and cell phone on the table so it is close to you while you sleep.

6. Get into a regular sheet changing routine.

Sheets are like shirts that you wear everyday. Pick a day where you will go through the house and replace and wash everyone’s sheets. Wash them as soon as possible to help simplify the process. Don’t forget to change the pillow cases as well.

7. Closets need love too.

Keep your closets organized. You will feel much better about your bedroom is your closet is organized and you can find what you need. Take an afternoon to go through it and get rid of anything you don’t use or wear.

8. Be nice to your future self.

Every night before bed, walk through your rooms and make sure everything is picked up off the floor, clothes are in the hamper and everything looks great for the next day. You will thank yourself in the morning.

Photo Credit

I hope that these 8 tips have helped you create a more simple place in your home. We all deserve to have a stress free zone in our homes where we can truly relax. Do you have any tips to share?

Rainy Day Pinterest Activities

04/10/2014 By Amiyrah Martin

It’s time for April showers, which means we may be stuck inside during a few of our upcoming lazy weekends. There’s no reason to turn to couch surfing or playing video games to keep the kids occupied. When all else fails, turn to Pinterest. Below are some of the most interesting and creative rainy day Pinterest activities that we’ve added to the Military Shoppers Pinterest account.

Make an Indoor Spider Web

This pin is one of the most popular rainy day activities on pinterest. It’s really easy: use painter’s tape to make “webs” and have your kids throw lightweight, soft objects at it. I suggest crumbled up paper for the best results.

Microwave your Ivory Soap

Have you ever microwaved a bar of ivory soap? Well, you should! This activity not only shows you how to microwave the soap, but the blogger gives you a cool idea of what to do with the soap once the experiment is done. There’s also a video tutorial for visual learners.

Homemade Flubber

Do you have extra bottle of white glue hanging around? Have your kids make their own homemade flubber. This will provide hours of fun, and they can make many difference colors. I think some parents will be excited to do this craft as well.

Cup Racing

As if we needed another use for red solo cups, this cup racing pin provides a fast-paced activity for your energetic children. I love how this blogger changed up the usual “blow cup” activity and even provided an alternate game for the kids to play with this set-up.

Follow MilitaryShoppers’s board Rainy Day Activities on Pinterest.

Looking for even more activities? Check out our Rainy Day Activities Pinterest board. While you’re there, be sure to follow the Military Shoppers Pinterest account for even more cool and resourceful pins.

What are some of your family’s favorite rainy day activities?

5 Ways To Prepare For Commissary Closures

04/03/2014 By Amiyrah Martin

It’s been all over the news for months. Commissary closures have been the big discussion throughout the country, and military families have been feeling the stress and suffering already. With an average of 30% savings at the commissary, how can military families set themselves up to ease into this big change that may be on the horizon? Here are some tips that will help protect your family from feeling the effects of commissary closures and pay-cuts.

Create the ultra stockpile. While stockpiling can already help a family stretch their grocery budget, making a game plan to stock up on 6 months of your essential non-perishables will create a cushion to help you get used to the sales cycles of other stores. Items tend to go on deep discount every 6 to 8 weeks, so you’ll be able to see when your favorite pasta, brown rice or olive oil will be at it’s best price. Until then, take advantage of the commissary’s coupon deals, and the manufacturer coupons available in your local sunday paper to fill up the pantry.
Use alternative food sources. Now is a good time to find out if a small garden is allowed at your base housing. Planting just a few items like tomatoes, sweet peas and lettuce will help to offset your grocery budget. Also, search for CSAs in your area, or even local farms that may allow you to buy half a cow or other proteins. These memberships can be split with other military families, which will help the whole community save.
Contact your favorite brands. In the age of emails, texts and apps, we tend to forget how important a letter can be, especially when you are a loyal customer. Look for addresses for your favorite grocery brands and write them about our current situation. Most brands will send you coupons for free product, while others may mail you a small stockpile of actual product. The good news is that companies will send you coupons once every 6 months. All you have to do is ask.
Win your financial cushion. Did you know that at any given time, a blog or website will be giving away gift cards to your local grocery store, or even regular Visa or Amex gift cards? Why not win these to help stretch your budget? This is a bit unorthodox, but it has helped my family when we need a little extra funds to stock up on proteins and special dietary items. One easy way to keep up with these giveaways and contests is to create a Facebook group with a few fellow military families, and you’ll alert each other of any new contests you may come across. Make sure to follow all rules and regulations, which are usually very simple, and you’ll be surprised at how much you can win. Also, pay attention to the hashtag #giveaway and #contest on twitter for up to the minute giveaways.
Have a talk with the whole family. When times like these are given to families like ours, it’s time for a talk with all members. Explain to your kids how the closures will cause changes within your family, and ask them for their input on how you can handle it as a team. You’ll be surprised by the inventive and useful ideas they will come up with, mostly because they appreciate you including them in the game plan. Make this a monthly meeting, just in case a family member may have new ideas of how the grocery budget can be stretched even further.

Celebrate the “Month of the Military Child” Photo Contest

04/02/2014 By Military Shoppers

Nobody’s lives are affected more by the intricacies of military life than military kids. They grow up in this subculture of society that makes them so resilient, yet so fragile to experiences that other children might never have to face until they move away from home to start their adult lives.

Loss is something that military children experience continuously, whether it is the loss of friends, loss of teachers, or the temporary and sometimes permanent loss of parents. They go through more in their childhood than most adults go through in a lifetime.

MilitaryShoppers.com wants to celebrate the military child this April and give one child the chance to win a $100 gift certificate to Toys R Us.

It is very simple to enter. Military parents, families, or friends, just send a photo of your military child(ren) to bschmalz@militarymedia.com and a random winner will be selected for the prize of a $100 Toys R Us gift card.

Submissions need to include:

Name of person submitting photo
Installation
Branch of service
Age(s) of child(ren)

Rules:

Children must be between the ages of newborn-18 years
Pictures must be received by May 1st, 2014.
Winner will be selected at random on May 5th, 2014
Winner will be posted to MilitaryShoppers Facebook page, MilitaryShoppers Blog and MilitaryShoppers.com
One photo per entrant
Multiple entrants will not be accepted
Photo must be submitted by entrant who possesses a valid military ID card (Active Duty, Veteran, Retiree, Reserve, Guard or family member of the aforementioned categories)
Entrant (not those within the photo) must be 18 years of age or older
Winner will be notified by e-mail
No purchase necessary to win

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?

Frugal Tips for Planning a Homecoming Trip

03/28/2014 By Amiyrah Martin

It’s a celebration! Your family member is home from deployment and all you want to do is make them as comfortable as possible. With all the sacrifices they had made, and the work you’ve done to keep things running at the home front, everyone needs a break. But, how to we plan a homecoming vacation without using up all of that hazard pay? Here are a few frugal tips for planning a homecoming trip that will be memorable and affordable.

Staycations are Key
One of the last things your service member will want to do is get on yet another plane and travel for half a day, or more. Look for local vacation gems to visit, preferably ones that your family hasn’t experienced in a while or at all. These could be driving distance or just a quick plane trip. The point is to make the experience as simple and memorable as possible, and staying nearby would ensure that you don’t pay an outrageous amount for plane tickets or gas.

Hit the Festival Circuit
One of the best ways to create a unique yet inexpensive homecoming vacation is to search for conventions, trade shows or festivals that may be coming to your area. Look for events that revolve around your hero’s favorite hobbies, or whatever new hobby they may have picked up while deployed. If the are big into fishing, look for the next fishing or boating expo in the surrounding area, and make a weekend out of visiting it. A car ride, booked expo tickets and a 2 night hotel stay nearby will yield big savings compared to a trip out of state.

Accommodations on the Cheap
One of the best amenities that we military families can take advantage of are military discounts at hotels. Hotel and resort accommodations can eat up a budget, but using that discount really helps us to allot more money to planning fun excursions during our trip, or extending our trip. Luxurious yet affordable hotels like La Quinta will provide you with a one-stop vacation destination within every location. Be sure to not only ask about military discounts when booking, but also mention that your service member is returning from deployment and it’s a celebration. They just may be able to provides some surprises once you check into your room.

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