Live, Laugh, Love...Our Way: July 2010

Another Wednesday

27 July, 2010

Which means that I have another AMAZING Military Spouse Blogger.

This week We’re featuring Leanne from Trying Our Best. Here what Leanne has for y’all today:

"Awww snap!"

I told my 3 1/2 year old last week I was writing a guest post and that's what he said to me. That would be reason #893 that I love him.

And thing #347 that I've taught my kids to do or say that annoy my husband. {In case your curious thing #188 is "Holla back" while snapping their fingers and rocking back on one foot and thing #224 is raising the roof while making the WooWoo sound.}

Your probably wondering why I do these things and why I'm sharing it with you. Honestly? Good old fashion entertainment, that's why we had kids isn't it?

That and my husband is a way a lot, which is why I'm here. It's Wednesday which is around these parts means a milwife blogger is featured annnnd today is me!

Come on if that doesn't deserve an "awwwwwww snap" what does?
Here's the backstory for those of you whom I haven't had the pleasure of meeting in the blogoworld yet:

Flyboy is a Marine, one of those few good men who flies around in the big blue sky. He keeps a strange schedule, here one day, gone the next, home for a week, gone for a couple, to say our house is in need of a revolving door would be a vast understatement.

I am a very proud Marine wife, but just so you know, I don't iron cammies, I don't sew on patches, I don't tailor uniforms, and I've been known to miss a pocket or two when sending flightsuits thru the wash. But I do hold the home fort down quite well so I like to think that makes up for my other Marine wife slackings.

More defining then being a Marine wife is being a mom to our three adorable little boys. Dash-1, 2, and 3 who are {respectfully} 5 1/2, 3 1/2, and just about 11 mths. And yes, all boys. Hence why I teach them weird things when flyboys gone, cause no one wants to play Barbies with me so I have to do something to pass the time.

I've been blogging for years now, really I started just before dash-2's 1st birthday and here I am {well really I'm over at Trying Our Best} still chronicling motherhood, military {wife} life, my kids growing up, and all sorts of other randomness.

Stop by and say hi!

And in the meantime.... Hollla back!

How cool is this??

23 July, 2010

This is a really neat website called Giveaway Scout it posts your giveaways for you! Now you can search giveaways in all kinds of categories. So, be sure and check them out and add your blog if you haven't done so already!

Feature Wednesday...Allyssa @ My Loves...My Life

21 July, 2010

It's Wednesday...and here at LLLOurWay, that means I Support My Troop Day. This week, we are featuring Allyssa @ My Loves...My Life
Here's what Allyssa has for us today!

I’ve never guest blogged before. . . I am a new face to the blogging world and am still getting on my feet in this great big world. I have a 4.5 month old little girl that keeps me busy during the days and exhausted by the time night rolls around. Therefore, I am not blogging as much as I’d like. I try, and am hoping to get a chance to do it more!

I love blogging though. I write about our day to day life, and mostly my daughter and the things she does as she [quickly] grows into an amazing little girl. My husband is in the Navy and has been for 4 years now (as of July 17^th, wow!). He has another year left on this contract, but will be doing at least another 4 years. I have met some great woman thanks to his carrier. I love photography and take many pictures, practically daily, of my little miss. And now as she’s starting to get older and get more interactive, we’re looking for some more things to do and getting out and about more. I am sure as she continues to grow, and my husband’s time in the Navy continues to increase, I’ll have much more to write about.

We’ve gone through 2 deployments in 3 years. And lots of training. He’s currently in the process of cross-rating – So I foresee a whole new adventure ahead of us in the coming year!

Thanks Amy for the opportunity to get my blog out there!

-Allyssa @ My Loves. . . My Life

Are you a Military Spouse Blogger? Want to be featured? Drop us an email: munchkin(dot)amy(at)gmail(dot)com

Much Love

Vintage Pearl Review/Giveaway

20 July, 2010

So about a week ago, I received my necklace from The Vintage Pearl to review. Let me just tell you…I’m in LOVE. After looking over the site to decide what necklace I wanted, I picked this one. I wanted the flower to say Amy, and the circle to say Nick. It took all of about a week for the necklace to arrive. And like I said…I’m in love!!

(the teddy bear is one that Fire Husband gave me the Valentines Day before our first deployment)

Can you see why I love it?? It more then amazed me! I love the ladies at The Vintage Pearl, and can absolutely tell you that I WILL be ordering from them again soon! My necklace came quickly, and was packaged in an adorable little bag, with a card in it that had their website, email, and blog address on it. It also came with a polishing cloth (which works AMAZINGLY) that I’m going to ask if I can buy more of!!

So, here’s your chance. The ladies at The Vintage Pearl have graciously given us a $25 gift certificate to giveaway to one lucky reader!!! How cool, right?

So, here’s the rules:

MANDITORY ENTRY

Visit The Vintage Pearl and tell me what you would use the $25 dollars on.

Other entries:

Follow Live, Laugh, Love…Our Way on GFC

(one entry)

Follow The Vintage Pearl on GFC

(one entry)

(one entry, leave a comment with your twitter name)

Follow The Vintage Pearl on twitter (can be found on their blog)

(one entry, leave comment with your twitter name)

Grab our button

(5 entries, please leave 5 comments at least one with a link to where the button is)

Grab The Vintage Pearls button

(5 entries, please leave 5 comments at least one with a link to where the button is)

Tweet about this giveaway

I want to win a $25 gift cert. to the vintage pearl, with @LLLOurWay and @thevintagepearl http://ow.ly/2efXw

(3 entries, 3 separate comments, one with your twitter name)

Blog about this giveaway

(5 entries, 5 separate comments, at least one with a link to the post)

Good Luck and MUCH LOVE!!

CONTEST WILL END ON AUGUST 18th!

Day 2…my list

101 in 1001 challenge

March 14, 2008

The Challenge:

Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:

Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on your part).

Why 1001 Days?

Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple challenges such as New Year's resolutions or a 'Bucket List'. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips, study semesters, or outdoor activities.
So here's my 101 in 1001 (in no particular order):

1. ~~Raise $100 for the MS walk~~ Completed 15march2010

2. ~~Complete the 6.2 mile MS walk~~ Completed 18april2010

3. ~~Get 100 followers on Live, Laugh, Love...Our Way~~ Complete

4. Get 100 followers on Amy Brown Photography

5. Read 10,000 pages (3,000 read)

6. Remain smoke free!

7. Launch Amy Brown Photography as a "real" business

8. Make Presidents Club for Avon

9. Grow my hair to the middle of my back

10. Take a photography class

11. Walk at least 3 times a week

12. Get in touch with an old teacher

13. Start my photography portfolio

14. Reapply and get accepted to OpLove ReUnited

15. Move my mom to RI!

16. Buy our first house

17. Start a family

18. Go on a honeymoon

19. Go camping as much as we can

20. Learn to knit

21. Learn to crochet

22. Learn to quilt

23. Improve my photography skills

24. Get my head on "right." Get the Dx's that I need and the Meds that I need to keep me balanced

25. ~~Become a Chef again~~ Complete! I'm cooking again!

26. Visit at least 5 new states. (0/5)

27. Become a mentor {maybe a big sister?}

28. Loose 25 pounds

29. Blog every day for 30 days (0/30)

30. Visit 10 new places (1/10)

31. Send 30 postcards (5/30)

32. Watch a sunrise and sunset with my husband

33. Plant a garden at a fore mentioned first house

34. Read the Bible

35. Attend Church as much as possible

36. Create "family cook book" Give to family for Christmas gifts

37. Clean and moisturize face everyday for 60 days (0/60)

38. Set up craft room in a fore mentioned first house

39. Complete the 365 photo challenge

40. Really celebrate our 2 year anniversary

41. Put away $50 a month for duration

42. See 10 movies in the theater (1/10)

43. Color a whole coloring book..yup I'm that kid :-)

44. Fill the wedding frame FireHusband got me for Christmas...hang in a fore mentioned first house

45. Donate 50,000 grains of rice on FreeRice (700/10,000)

46. Mail 5 postcards to Post Secret (0/5)

47. Go on a cruise

48.Post to Amy Brown Photography once a week, separate from 365

49. Find unfinished furniture and finish it to match dinning table or cedar chest

50. Kiss in the rain

51. Go camping

52. Find out my blood type

53. Build a snowman

54. Go horse back riding

55. Tie a note to a balloon, and let it go

56.Go to PWOC conference!!!

57. Find a personally inspirational quote and work it into a piece of art or home decor

58. Send a message in a bottle

59. Write a letter to myself to open in 10 years

60. Write a letter to FireHusband to open in 10 years

61. Get a passport

62. Have a dinner party in a fore mentioned new house

63. Make ice cream once a month for a year

64. Plant a tree

65. Go to Niagara Falls

66. Go apple picking

67. Go skinny dipping

68. Meet a FB or blog friend in person

69. Maintain a normal eating schedule

70. Blog about the things I have accomplished from this list (separate post for each)

71. Learn how to play golf

72. Buy a macro lens

73. Make a photo book of flowers and other such outdoor stuff with said macro lens

74. Make a quilt for our bed

75. Complete a NaBloPoMo

76. Send birthday cards to everyone on my Birthday calendar every month for one year

77. Send Christmas cards to everyone in our address book

78. Go to a drive in movie

79. Make soap

80. Make candles

81. Start an Esty shop with mom

82. Have our own live Christmas tree each year (0/3)

83. Update and maintain our scrapbook

84. Go to the batting cages

85. Watch a meteor shower with FireHusband

86. Go whale watching

87. Go deep sea fishing

88. Send/receive 50 postcards via postcrossing.com (6/50)

89. Go Country Line Dancing

90. Make someone’s day

91. ~~Pay for a strangers meal~~ (complete 19july10)

92. subscribe to milspouse magazine

93. Be a guest blogger on Wives of Faith

94. rake up a big pile of leaves and jump in 'em

95. ~~Play in the rain!~~ (complete 14july10 with Hannah)

96. get GOOD pictures of lightning

97. Make snow angels :-)

98. ~~buy lemonade from a kids lemonade stand~~ (complete april 10)

99. Build a snow fort with our nephews

100. Enter a cooking/recipe contest

101. Start a new list of 101 goals to accomplish within a new 1,001 days, starting with the goals that were not achieved from this list.

So there it is…it took FOREVER to finish, but I did…now to complete it!

Much love

Elevator Pitch revisited

Ok…so I briefly talked about the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog. If you would like more information click on the button below!

This was the Day 1 challenge:

Today’s task is to develop an Elevator Pitch for your Blog. Let me explain why it’s important.

What is an Elevator Pitch?

“An elevator pitch is an overview of an idea for a product, service, or project. The name reflects the fact that an elevator pitch can be delivered in the time span of an elevator ride (for example, thirty seconds or 100–150 words).” —Wikipedia

So…after reading this from Nirvana Mamma, I knew I had to redo my tag line and elevator pitch. I’m totally and completely inspired by her.

SO, here goes nothing.

This is my new tag line:

Live passionately,

Laugh until your belly hurts,

Love unconditionally.

These have been the things that Fire Husband and I live by for quite some time. I knew that they had to be incorporated into our blog somehow.

The elevator pitch…that’s a bit harder. I’ve thought about this, and written it down a million times…ok, not really a million, but you get the idea.

I’m still not really sold on it…but I guess it’s like our blog…a work in progress…any feed back is MORE then appreciated. I’ve read some of the other pitches, and am BLOWN AWAY…I know that the pitch isn’t supposed to be in the first person…but I’m having trouble with that…I mean, I know that I’m not the blog…but…the blog is me…make sense? It’s about our life, us, me.

So…here goes nothing {and again…PLEASE tell me what you HONESTLY think}

Welcome to Live, Laugh, Love…Our way. This is a place to come and be YOU. Grab a cup of coffee {or wine} and pull up a seat. Make yourselves at home, and read about the crazy life or an Air Force family. We’ll share our lives with you, from being a military family, to being a firefighting family. Sharing our journey in Faith, to our journey as newlyweds. It’s by no means a perfect life, but it’s OUR life. The good, the bad, and the ugly, we share it all. We also do reviews and hold giveaways from some amazing companies! So sit back and enjoy the ride!

~Much Love~

Ok…so there it is…what do you think? I can’t wait to see some feedback, so I can make it better, and our own! Thanks for stopping by!

Much Love

Day 1: 31 Days to Build a Better Blog

18 July, 2010

So tomorrow marks the first of 31 days to make Live, Laugh, Love…Our Way a better blog.

First task: write an “elevator pitch”…I’m not really sure where to start…so I just will. I’m going to update my “about me” with my new elevator pitch…stay tuned to see what comes in the next 31 days.

The one where I tell my story. Pt 2

17 July, 2010

Soooo, last time…we ended with me learning some colorful language as a 3 year old…

Moving on…things were pretty tame from then on…for awhile…sure there was the occasional call from my “dad” where my mom and him would fight, she’d hang up…he’d call back and I’d hang up after telling him what a jerk he was for making my mommy cry.

Fast forward…it’s junior high now…7th grade to be exact…I’m playing softball, and field hockey…like them ok…softball better then field hockey, but whose counting? About half way through the year, I started taking figure skating lessons…That was it…I was in LOVE…all other sports took a backseat.

So, yeah…that was pretty much it…I went to school, I skated, and I was also finding my love for cooking. I was ~~loving~~ HATING school, other then during chorus…I LOVED chorus…and my love for singing got me to try out for the school musical in 9th grade. And lo and behold…I MADE IT…My Fair Lady…

You can imagine that I didn’t really have a whole lot of free time…School, Skating 3 days a week (sometimes 4 if it was close to a competition) play practice a few times a week…cooking for me and mom…staying at my grandparents when mom was working…days and weeks began to blur into one…I had a few friends, and the few friends that I did have were really close friends…or so I thought…

I had this one friend…we’ll call him Z…Z was one grade ahead of me. He was in chorus with me, the play…and we were really getting along..JUST FRIENDS…NOTHING more then that. Being older then me Z had his license, and a job. We hung out during play practice, he’d bring me home if mom was working.

Things went on like this for months…It was almost time for the play…we’d been rehearsing FOREVER!! One afternoon there was no skating, no play practice…nothing. (At that point I sometimes looked forward to days like that..it was all alot to take on, but I loved it all). Z asked if I wanted to ride with him to get his paycheck, and then we’d do homework at his house. I asked mom and she was ok with it. No big deal right? I’d been hanging out with him for months, had known him most of my life.

So, off we went. First order of business, the next town over to get said paycheck. Done. Next order of business, Z’s house to study/do homework. No big deal, right? Z had told my mom that his dad would be home. When we got there there was no one there. That should have sent up atleast 1 red flag right there. Me being the trusting person that I ~~was~~ am, I didn’t think anything of it. We settled in in Z’s room (as we’d done a million times before). That’s when things changed, and a million red flags were flying FULL ON.

Z starts playing with my hair…I move away. Then he’s rubbing my shoulders, I move farther away. I’m sure you get the idea of where I’m going with this…and where he went…I screamed, I hit, I did everything I could to get away. I was way too far from home to try to run…it was before everyone and their grandmother had a cell phone…and he was twice my size…and he took FULL advantage of it…

He was supposed to be my friend, he was supposed to protect me, not rape me…he took away my innocence, and my childhood…I was never the same…

I didn’t tell anyone for years…not until I was almost 19. And even then, I couldn’t tell my mom to her face. I was ashamed, I thought it was my fault…I was convinced that I had done something that made this happen to me. My first year of college, I wrote an essay in creative writing about what Z had done to me. I left a copy of it on my moms table where I knew she’d find it. I went to work.

When I got home that night, my mom was there (I don’t really remember if it was her night off or if she stayed home for me, I had been staying home at night since I was 16). I just remember her telling me that she remembered the day it happened…She said it was the day she lost her little girl, I had changed…I had withdrawn…I had shut everything out. She was right, I had…we sat, and we talked, and we cried…and slowly…I began to heal…

It’s 10 years later, and there are still days where I can’t take a hot enough shower to make the memories go away. There are still days when I feel like I did something wrong. There are still nights that I have nightmares

It will never go away, but it gets better…This post is not only for me to “get the demons out” it’s also to show others that, it’s NOT your fault, you CAN overcome, and you WILL heal

I think that all for tonight…if you read this…thank you…if you know someone who can benefit from this, please pass it on…leave comments, leave questions…whatever you are compelled to do…and THANK YOU for getting this far

Much, Much LOVE

Winner of Whimsical Lo Paci Clip!

15 July, 2010

DRUM ROOOOLLLLL, Please!!!

And the winner of an AMAZING paci clip from Ashley @Whimsical Lo isssss:

#4- Brittany Ciara!!!

Brittany Ciara said: And I definitely follow you on Twitter! (:

Congrats Brittany!!

I'm emailing you now

Thank you so much to everyone that entered.

Make sure to check back, and enter the other giveaways! I've got one going now, and a TON coming up!!

~Much Love~

The one where I share my story...part 1...

13 July, 2010

Well...maybe not all of it... we'll see where it goes...

So...long ago and far away...I was a normal tween...I went to school, ~~loved~~ hated every minute of it. What kid doesn't? Not to mention that I went to school with the same 50ish kids from the time we were 3 until we graduated high school...and all 4 schools (pre school, elementary, middle and high school) were with in about 3 blocks of each other.

All the girls and I were in Girl Scouts together, until we went to 7th grade. (my mom was even one of our leaders.) I was never the most popular kid, but I was ok with that. At least until about 7th grade when I realized, not only was I not popular...I was pretty much invisible. Maybe I was better off that way...maybe not. So...you get the idea right?

Moving right along. I started going to church before I can remember. I have pictures of my mom and "dad" holding me as an infant outside our church, after I had been baptized. I went to preschool at our church. I grew up going to fish fry's and Mother/Daughter dinners, and bazaars. It was just a part of my life. (You may be wondering why I have "dad"...I'll get to that part in a bit...)

Ok so...you kinda see a bit into my world right? Good.

And over here...oh, wait this isn't a tour is it?

Ok, so...lets back track a bit ok? I'm my moms only child...I'm the oldest of my "dads"..I'll explain that in a hot second. So...I don't ever remember my parents being together. As long as I can remember, I went somewhere else to see my "dad". My parents divorced when I was 3. I really for thought for a while that it was normal for a mommy and daddy to live separately...didn't everyone's?

So..on to the I'm my "dads" oldest thing...See...my father wasn't much of a father to me. I found out later (around 7th grade I guess) that my father wasn't a good man at all. He was married before my mom. He divorced his first wife, "because she cheated on him." Married my mom...cheated on my mom with his 3rd wife (My first step ~~monster~~ mother). Cheated on her with his 4th wife (my second step ~~monster~~ mother). My dad and his 3rd wife had 2 little boys, my half brothers. My dad and his 4th wife had at least one little girl (my dad also had 2 step sons from 4th wife)...are you still with me? As far as I know, that's as many times as he's been married, and that's all the siblings I have...but I haven't spoken to my father in 10 years so...who knows what's happened since then...

Ok...backing up a bit farther...Before me...my mom and dad were married. I don't know that they were ever happily married, but they were married non the less. My mom was an RN, and my father was a fire fighter...Chief in the town we lived as a matter of fact. So...what was my fathers idea of watching me? yup...lets take the 3yo to the fire station...although I guess that was better then when I was an infant, and my baby sitter (Aunt Marge...I love her) knew that if the tones dropped, she had to come to our apartment to get me cause my father was already gone, and I was alone if my mom was at work...

So...do any of you know what happens when you take a little girl to the fire house? She hears things she shouldn't...and then starts to repeat them. One weekend my father was supposed to have me for the weekend...he called my mom right about the time that he was supposed to pick me up, and told her he wasn't coming to get me...she said fine, but you have to tell her...now I'm 3 at the time remember...I get on the phone with him, and he tells me he's not coming...and I proceed to say to him (sorry for the language) NO...you come get me RIGHT NOW, you hasshole...yes, I called my father an asshole for the first time when I was 3...I don't remember it...but, My mom likes to tell that story...that same summer (just remember the firehouse, mmmkay?) It's like 90 some odd degrees out, and mom and I are getting gas...windows all down, my tiny little butt (hey...I'm only 4'11" how tall do you think I was at 3??) is in the back seat in my booster seat, when low and behold, the tones drop (I don't know about where y'all are, but where I come from, the tones drop, and it also sets off the local air raid sirens, so that the fire fighters in the area know there's a fire (cause their 45 pagers and scanners aren't enough)...Ok, back to topic...tones drop...sirens go off...and then you hear...(sorry language again) ooohhh, f**k fire!!...yup...that was alll me!! And my father just COULDN'T figure out where I learned such language...

I think I'll leave it at that for tonight...I think this is going to be a multi-part post...

If you made it this far...you are a SAINT...leave me a comment, questions, anything..I love getting love...

Much Love!

1st Annual Blog Bash!!

11 July, 2010

Hi everyone! If you're visiting from the 1st Annual Blog Bash from Not Your Average Teen, WELCOME!

I'm Amy! (a.k.a. Éimí) I'm a Military Wife and a Fire Fighters wife all at the same time! I'm Christian, and try my best to live my best life. I have Fibromyalgia, and Von Willebrands Disease. Yup, and I still work in a kitchen, lol. We've been married for almost 1.5 years (eekkk). Fire Husband and I are in the process of buying our first house, so be sure to keep checking back to see our progress! I'm a chef, and a photographer...I love books, and music, and the outdoors...if you want to know more, email me, or take a look around!

This is our Air Force life...welcome to it!

Without further delay, the Blog Bash Questions!

1.) Why do you blog?

I blog as an escape. Things around here can get pretty crazy, and this is my place to let it out. I blog as a way to show other people that you never know how strong you are until you have no other choice. I love connecting with other bloggers, and Mil Spouses...

2.) What do you blog about?

I blog about everything. What ever comes into my head, is going to end up here. I blog about the good, the bad, and the ugly. Life as a fire fighters wife, life as a Air Force wife. The ups and downs of being 'newly weds' trying to buy our first house. Oh, yeah...I do reviews and giveaways too.

3.) What do you find to be the biggest reward you get from blogging?

Being able to meet new people, and connecting with them.

4.) How long have you been blogging?

On and off for about 4 years now. This blog is just over a year old, I also have a photography blog.

5.) Let's hear the story behind your blog title! :)

I've always loved the saying "Live well, love much, laugh often" so that was the basis. The Our Way part is...just that...we don't have a "normal" life...so we're doing it our way!

Ashley’s Trinkets review/giveaway

01 July, 2010

I was recently given the privilege of receiving a beautiful key fob from Ashley’s Trinkets. I received the cutest key fob! Connie was right, it’s totally me. I love, love, love how strong and durable the key fob is. Let’s face it, I’m a tom-boy. Things that hold my keys need to be able to hold up to all that I dish out. That is so NOT a problem here! The key fobs are made from awesomely strong canvas, with gorgeous ribbon over them. Mine is red canvas, with patriotic ribbon (surprised?? I told you it was me!) {I’ll get a picture of mine later}

Here are some of the other awesome Key Fobs available at Ashley’s Trinkets

You can Buy these and many other awesome key fobs..OR, you can enter here to win not 1 but 2 key fobs! That’s right, Connie, from Ashley’s Trinkets had sent me a full size, and mini Breast Cancer Awareness key fobs to give to one lucky reader!

Check them out!!