Military Spouse Appreciation Day Link-Up

Every year the Friday before Mother's Day is Military Spouse Appreciation Day. This day was enacted on May 23, 1984 by President Ronald Reagan as a way to honor those amazing spouses who give so much to their service members and to the military community.

Military spouses are some of most resilient people and I am honored to be part of such a wonderful group that is supportive of each other and willing to give of themselves so selflessly especially when times get tough. We are all in this together and we all can learn something from each other. This is such a special group to be a part of and I am grateful every day for this community.

  Amanda and I are so excited to host this link up today! We hope that you all enjoy getting to know fellow milspouses, this is such a wonderful community and I am always so proud to be a part of it! I have learned a lot in my almost 9 years and I know there is so much more to learn and so many more amazing people to meet.

Here are a few questions to answer for the link-up. Don't forget to use the hashtag #2017MilSpoDayLinkUp 

//Tell us about yourself and your blog.

//What branch of military are you affiliated with?

//What is one thing you enjoy about the military lifestyle?

//What advice would you give other spouses who are new?

//Where have you been stationed?

//Do you work, go to school, volunteer, or stay home?

 

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 My name is Jen and I am the resident blogger here at Marathons and Dog Tags. My husband is Kyle is a Captain in the United States Army and has been proudly serving this great country for the last 10 years. He is a military intelligence officer so his jobs are pretty interesting haha. We have been married for 9 of those years and boy has it been an amazing and crazy adventure. I started this blog as a way to connect with family right after we got married but I never expected to meet some of the most amazing people through this endeavor.

We have called Fort Bragg, Fort Huachuca, Fort Bliss, Fort Polk, and soon to be Fort Leavenworth home. Each place has been amazing in its own way and we grew so much in each situation.

We are the proud parents of a precious 8 1/2 month old little girl, Emersyn and 2 sweet furbabies, Emma and Fishy. We both have Masters degrees in Psychology which makes life in our house both funny and interesting. How does that make you feel?! I am an avid runner and have completely over 70 races in the last 4 years, there is nothing quite like lacing up my shoes and hitting the pavement. I recently finished school and would love to get back into the workforce once our daughter is school so for right now I will focus on volunteering and being a SAHM.

One of things that I love the most about this lifestyle are all the amazing people we have met and interesting places we have been able to see. While of course it is not easy moving around every 2-3 years but the friends I have made have become family and that is something that doesn't happen very often in civilian life. I have also been able to volunteer with organizations and work with families and to me that is incredibly fulfilling. It really is hard to choose just one thing that I enjoy the most, it has been better than I ever expected it to be. People often complain about tricare but we are so grateful because they were tremendous to us during our fertility struggles. 

I would tell new spouses to embrace the journey. Don't dwell on the things that you cannot change because there will be things that are out of your control. Accepting that you don't have control is honestly one of the most freeing feelings, because it forces you to be flexible. Find something that you are passionate about, whether that be running, school, or volunteering. When you have something to focus on when your service member is gone it can make all the difference. Most off all, enjoy this life! It really is an amazing experience to include the good, the bad, and the ugly.
 

The saying "Bloom Where You Are Planted" is so true and so important in this life. Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day to each and every one of you!

Life With E

I figured it was about time for an update on little Miss E. She turned 8 months old on May 1st and we can hardly believe it. At her doctors appointment last week she weighed 17lbs 10oz and is 27 inches long. She has grown 2 inches in two months which we are really happy about.

This was my attempt at taking a picture of her with her 8 month sticker, this is the only way I can take a photo successfully without her trying to eat it haha. She clearly was not amused by my tactics, oh well I win.

One of her new favorite things to do is crawl. Oh my goodness she is ALL over the place. When she gets going there is no stopping her. She makes a beeline for Emma's food bowl or the trash can (which is really odd but okay). You definitely have to keep your eyes on her because she is a fast one.

She is becoming more vocal which makes attending events for Kyle's work a little tricky. However, if I wear her in the Ergo she is a happy camper. People were cracking up at the little noises she was making during a few promotion ceremonies last week.

She still only has the 2 bottom teeth but we know she is working on a top one because of a wicked bump on her gum and she gets pretty ticked when you try to touch her gums. Even though her gums are sensitive it does not stop her from eating. She wants anything we have and her favorite foods are rice, chicken, mashed potatoes, apples, pumpkin, and bananas. She is slowly warming up to yogurt but it's a work in progress.

She still loves being in the stroller. She will now grab a hold of the tray and pull herself forward so she can see what is going on. She has become a champ at participating in races, I'm pretty sure she has the best seat in the house. :)

She is not a morning person at all!! She hates being woken up as is evident in this photo I took Monday morning. I had to get her up at 6am to head to the car dealership and she fell back asleep sitting up haha. Despite not being a morning person sleep is not an issue, she is just like her parents and loves sleep.

We couldn't be more thankful for this precious girl and we love watching her grow and learn. Her sass is definitely coming out and it's fun to experience.

**To all my awesome fellow milspouses don't forget to link-up with me and Amanda on Friday! Here are the questions to answer. Link-Up

Our Favorite Items: Baby Edition

A few days ago I commented on a post by the lovely Erica at Whimsical September about strollers and how there are so many different types to choose from. This led to her mentioning that I should write a post about how we made the decision to use a convertible car seat from Day 1. Instead of designating an entire post to that, I thought I would share some gadgets that have worked for us on this new journey of parenthood.

1. Chicco NextFit Convertible Car Seat. 

Target 

I did a lot of research when I was pregnant and talked to a few different moms (particularly my sister) about car seats and what they enjoyed. I ultimately made the decision that a convertible seat was for us. I personally did not like the idea of lugging an infant seat around everywhere. I also knew that I was going to wear her as much as I could and therefore negated the need to lug a car seat around. Another potential obstacle was going out to eat, well we selected a stroller that was perfect for newborns, problem solved. 

Erica was curious if it was a problem with a baby that falls asleep a lot in the car. Well, thankfully we haven't had that problem. E would fall asleep in her car seat and we would transfer her successfully to her rock n play. However, this might not work for others. Ultimately, we would do it again for a variety of reasons the biggest being able to have this seat until she is 65 pounds. It is rear facing from 5-40 pounds and forward facing from 22-65 pounds. E has always seemed comfortable in this seat, I don't feel like she is being squished. It has 9 different recline settings that change as she gets older and bigger. It is easy to install and very easy to transfer into different vehicles. We have been really happy with it. 

2. Evenflo ProComfort Victory Jogger and Summer Infant 3D lite stroller

Target and Target

 We knew from the start that we wanted a jogging stroller because of how much we run. Since we would not be using a travel system (it can accommodate an infant seat) I needed one that worked for newborns and I found this stroller. It's perfect! E seems comfortable in it and sleeps like a champ. We were using this for everyday errands as well but it became a little bulky for quick trips to the store. 

I found the Summer Infant 3D lite stroller at Target. It was reasonably priced and is small and lightweight. I am happy with the 2 strollers that we have, they are exactly what we need. I do also wear her when I'm grocery shopping and for that I have an Ergo 360 (it's amazing!).

3.Summer Infant Pop N Play Portable Playard.
Amazon 

All parents know that when a baby becomes mobile it becomes challenging to get anything done. I was on the hunt for something to "contain" our on the go girl. I found this playard on Amazon and knew it was perfect. It can be used in any situation, inside or outside. It has mesh sides to it's breathable and E can see what is going on around her. You can buy it with or without the sun shade, we chose with and it's great for sunny days. It's been a win from the start.

4. Baby Brezza

Target

So this gadget may seem silly to a lot of people but to new parents who are exhausted in the middle of the night it is AMAZING!!! It is basically a keurig for formula. It heats the water to the right temperature and mixes it with the formula and dispenses it. My sister purchased this for us and wow. I would recommend it to anyone!

 

These are just some of the things that have helped us on the journey of parenthood. I am sure we will continue to find things that work. Of course what works for one family and baby may not work for others. :)

What baby items worked for you?

Life Lately

How is it Friday already!? I feel like this week just started. 

1. My Dad was admitted to the hospital on Monday due to an infection in his hand (word of advice: always wear gloves when working outside), he poked his finger on a sheet metal screw and chaos ensued from there. He had surgery on his hand to remove the infection and I'm so thankful that he was released from the hospital late yesterday and is doing better.

*Huge shout out to my sister for being awesome and taking care of him during this and to my niece and nephew for being flexible. :)

2. E had her check-up with her cardiologist yesterday for her heart murmur. She still has a small hole leading into her right atrium but it is nothing that is causing concern. She is not showing signs of problems and the doctor is convinced that it will be closed by the time she is 3. We will follow up with a new cardiologist when she is 2. We are so relieved.

3. We got our official pack dates from the movers! Woo! They will pack on June 5th and 6th, and load the truck on the 7th. I can't believe that we are 1 month away from that happening. I ordered a ton of bubble wrap to start wrapping pictures and things that are sentimental. Do you think I ordered enough?! Haha.

4. I am 1 week away from hopping on a plane to Disneyland with my sister! I feel like time flew by and I can't believe it's already so close. We both have finished our costumes and we can't wait to run through Disneyland/Anaheim. My MIL is flying in the day before I leave to help Kyle out while I am gone since he still has to work.

5. Now let's talk about this guy! Yesterday, he celebrated 10 years in the Army! I am so proud of him for all he has accomplished over the years. Not only did he celebrate that milestone but today is his birthday!! He isn't a huge fan of birthdays so we usually keep it pretty low key at home. I ordered a golf themed cake for him and he wants homemade chicken fingers and fries. I love how simple he is to please when it comes to food haha. 

Happy Birthday, my love! Here is to another awesome year! <3 br="">

We are running a 5k tomorrow morning, can't think of a better way to spend the morning.

OH!!! I also now have a FB page for this ole' blog of mine. It only took me 9 years to do that haha.

Marathons and Dog Tags

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Let's Link-Up!

Well, it's that time of year again! Every year the Friday before Mother's Day is Military Spouse Appreciation Day. This day was enacted on May 23, 1984 by President Ronald Reagan as a way to honor those amazing spouses who give so much to their service members and to the military community.

For the last few years Amanda from Somewhere Over The Camo and I have hosted this link up. It's a great way to meet other military spouses and expand friendships within this incredible community.

So please share this, grab the button below and link up with us on Friday, May 12th!

Also, use the hashtag #2017MilSpoDayLinkUp on social media.

Here are a few questions to answer for the link up:

//Tell us about yourself and your blog.

//What branch of military are you affiliated with?

//What is one thing you enjoy about the military lifestyle?

//What advice would you give other spouses who are new?

//Where have you been stationed?

//Do you work, go to school, volunteer, or stay home? 

 We look forward to everyone linking up with us!

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Watercolor

A few weeks ago I came across a fellow military spouse that specializes in creating watercolor paintings of animals. I knew instantly that I wanted her to create artwork of Emma and Fishy. 

She happens to live in my neighborhood which made things really easy in terms of picking up the finished product. I had a lot of reasons why I wanted this done. They are our first babies and they are such a special part of our family. I wanted a way to commemorate what they mean to us. I sent her a few photos and it only took her a few days to complete them.

When I received the finished products I was blown away. I couldn't believe how beautiful they were. I can't wait to get them framed and hang them up in our new home.

Ashley is so incredibly talented! If you are wanting work done please contact her at pawfully cute designs. She will ship and her prices are very reasonable. You won't be disappointed!

Giving Back

Since I have made the decision to hold off on going back to work until E is school age, I've decided that I want to get back into volunteering. When we were at Bliss, I was heavily involved with our FRG (Family Readiness Group) as both a company FRG leader as well as the Battalion Senior Advisor. It was exhausting but so worth it. I opted to take time off while we were in Louisiana and I am glad I did, it was nice to just recharge. 

Kyle received his in-processing paperwork for school and in it were a variety of volunteer opportunities for me to consider while we are in Kansas. Don't get me wrong I absolutely love being home with E but Kyle reminded me that it's important for me to do something that I'm passionate about and volunteering for a few hours a week doesn't seem unreasonable.

One that I am considering being part of is the Parent Advisory Council for CYS (Child and Youth Services). This is a group that meets quarterly to discuss ways in which to enhance the youth programs offered as well as working on the Parent Participation Program which encourages parents to be active and volunteer within the program. With my background and desire to work in a field that relates to kids I figured this would be a great fit for me.

Another is being the secretary for the individual small group that my husband will be a part of. For ILE (or CGSC as it's also known as) there is the entire class of service members but they are also broken down into small groups. The spouses get together and plan events, essentially forming their own small FRG. 

However, there is one volunteer opportunity that I have been researching on my own for a while. I am looking into becoming a coach with Girls on the Run. It is an organization that works with girls (3rd-5th grade and 6th-8th grade) that utilizes a experience-based curriculum that encourages them to be healthy and confident, but the best part is that they also incorporate running. They have a chapter in the Leavenworth area and it sounds like it would be a perfect fit. I have reached out to the director and am waiting to hear back from her. 

I love volunteering and being able to give back to the community is a huge blessing. I know this year is going to be awesome for so many reasons. Between having more time together as a family and being able to volunteer, it's going to be wonderful. I want to teach E that it is important to give back, I hope I can lead by example for her.

Do you volunteer? If so, what do you do?