If he attended college on an rotc scholarship, he would have some kind of college degree, likely technical, and would have served as an officer, not enlisted, as a very junior leader during his time in service. You may want to search for info about medically retired vs discharged. https://www.thebalance.com/military-disability-medical-separations-and-retirements-3356969 I have no idea how accurate that link is! If he is medically retired, he may receive care at a military base rather than (or along with) the VA, though I’m not sure how that works? As a college graduate and having served a tour in combat, there would likely have been an assignment and training before the deployment, so don’t make him too young! Sounds like a fun book!

I have 3 different gmail accounts. I am able to toggle through them through the gmail app on my phone. For a long time, I just used my personal email on my phone and did work emails at the computer, but I feel like I need to check my work email more often now, so I added it to my phone's gmail app. I don't think you have to set up a new email account for your phone you can just use one you already have. I think you can decide if you want to access all of your current emails on your phone or just have access to one on your phone. I shut off notifications on my work email over the weekends so I don't get those notifications when I don't want them, but I can open it up and check it if I feel like it. I am also able to switch between gmail accounts for google docs and sheets. I keep my work calendar separate from my home calendar... I have an older yahoo account that I am also able to access on my phone, but I don't check it often... My husband and I share facebook. He doesn't have messenger on his phone, so if we get a message that is meant for him, I'll make sure he sees it when he's at home.

A box of brown sugar is also 2 cups (packed). Now I need some blondies!

I bought a lovely oval table a few years ago - it was for a breakfast nook, and was really cute. It came with a very nice table cover, made of like a faux leather one the top and felt on the bottom, with something really hard inside - heavy cardboard or something. It folded up nicely into storage and was expandable for with or without the leaf. Something like this: http://diningroomdid.com/dining-room/dining-room-tables/dining-room-table-pads-maximum-protection-safety-elegant-look/ The table was in near perfect condition when I bought it, and the owner told me that she had raised her kids with the table. I'm sure she kept the cover on it with a table cloth at all time. I never used the cover, and you could tell! Just regular plates could scratch the table finish! So, get a cover and some table cloths and use them all the time!! My dh built our regular dining table almost 20 years ago. It is made of oak and is a very basic farm table. He finished it with a varathane finish that is super strong - I think it is used to finish floors. That finish has put up with all sorts of abuse and still looks good. It is not shiny, it is more of a matte finish. Maybe you can "pre-finish" the table with a couple coats of varnish - you probably can't just brush on something new without sanding off the old, though. https://woodgears.ca/table/refinish.html

My dd’s team did a box of your favorite cereal. Or a favorite candy. It seemed to get bigger and bigger each tournament. Not sad that when we moved, her new team does not do team spirit swaps.

Event or Activity Coordinator?

The spouse club and the FRG (or Key Spouse program in the AF) are actually different things. I think if you are not into the goody bags and parties, you don’t have to sign up for those. The calling and emailing part is actually important, in my opinion. It is often not used until a deployment, so that’s probably why you haven’t been asked to be involved with that yet, though you have heard about in the training. Each commander decides how the program should be run in that unit, so it will not be the same everywhere. Those calls and emails are how you can reach out and support other spouses through the deployment. You are lucky enough to have a lot of outside support and the experience and strength to know that you can get through a deployment. There are other spouses (younger or older) who may not have that support or experience and if you are willing to be involved, you can make a real difference in the life of someone who may be struggling with real concerns and issues. By involved, I don’t mean Halloween parties, I mean, reaching out to say hello, checking in to see if they are okay, offering a listening ear, etc. (plus, those arranging silly goodie bags are just trying to find a way to make connections - as an experienced spouse, you may have other ideas to create meaningful connections - if you want to be involved in that way, you can bring your own ideas to the table.) I’m bad a social situations, but so thankful for kind spouses who have been there for me through difficult deployments. I am okay on my own, and I work hard to find a support system in whatever place we are assigned, and I’m still overwhelmed with gratitude when someone invites us over for Sunday dinner during a deployment and is just a nice human! I think the era of ladies teas are over, but military spouses can still support and lift each other up. Even if it is an assigned friendship. You certainly don’t have to be involved, but if you do want to support other spouses, you can find a way to do that that is comfortable and meaningful for you. I’m looking at a year deployment starting in July. I don’t want to need any help. I’m fine. I got this. But if I can help a younger spouse feel confident in her first deployment, that will help both me and her, because even though I don’t really need the help, and I certainly don’t need an Easter egg hunt, (this is totally cliche, but still true:) being part of a strong community strengthens all of us. (Go Air Force)

We only have laptops and we really love them. Easy to hold, portable, no desk needed, take it to give a presentation, take it when you move, take it to college, etc. Last year, after 8years as laptop owners we learned the #1 disadvantage of laptops. They are not waterproof! If you spill on the laptop keyboard, your laptop will very likely be dead. Spilling near your desktop is much less dangerous! After we killed our favorite MacBook Pro, we bought a laptop to replace it, but we probably should have gone with a desktop.... but so far we’ve kept the “no hot cocoa near the laptop†rule!

I keep my phone within arms reach. I tend to wake up at about 2am, and my phone allows me to read something to help my brain shut off and help me get back to sleep. I used to have to get up, go to the couch, turn on a lamp and read. Now I can just click on my book and get back to sleep within just a few minutes...

I read her theories in Better Than Before and it really helped me understand my husband and difficult teenage daughter better (somewhere between Rebel and Questioner). I think the idea that knowing your tendencies can help you make lasting changes is awesome. That you can work with your tendencies to find solutions for you, rather than get frustrated and give up when someone else’s perfect answer to ____ problem just doesn’t work for you. No guilt! No universal “right wayâ€.

I think it was something like she was headed to the dentist or something and there was no time to come by, since my house was 2 blocks in the opposite direction from the school/dentist. I was able to call another friend to help me out, but it really made me feel used...

I hate carpooling because of exactly what you have written. People who start off sharing the driving and then end up dropping it all on me. And people who I've driven forever who aren't thoughtful about helping me out when the need arises. side story - I drove a friend's daughter to school for two years. No swapping. One day my car wouldn't start. One day in two entire school years of driving! I called to let the mom know and she said "no problem, I'll just take her to school." No offer to come pick up my stranded kids. When I asked her if she could help she was not able to come the two blocks to my house to help me when I needed it... That still makes me mad! That kind of thing ruins friendships and leaves a bad taste in your mouth... After a few irritating kids and unhelpful friends, i decided I would do my best to always drive my own kids to practice. I would not offer to do any kind of carpool, but I would be available if a friend needed help, once or twice, not forever. It seemed like as soon as I set those personal boundaries for myself, I never (or rarely) had another problem with mooches! So rude! I can't believe she didn't offer to bring your kids home!

High school JROTC and college ROTC kids are not the same thing at all. Most rotc kids did not do jrotc in high school. Not really even related. Jock/academics is exactly how I would describe college ROTC kids. My dd did not do JROTC in high school - she was a 4.0+ student who placed in state track events and was recruited to pole vault in college. These are highly motivated, smart kids who work out more than you can imagine, at 6am...

I don't know anything about the reserves, but my husband is in the Air Force and my dd and her husband are both doing Air Force ROTC - Most people don't realize that most of the kids in ROTC do NOT have college paid for by the military. ROTC scholarships are highly competitive. Second year cadets' scholarships are even tougher to get than high school scholarships, and he would be up against those who have been participating in the program all year. If he thinks this is something that interests him he needs to look into it asap - it may already be too late to apply for fall tuition scholarships, and it is a whole big process involving interviews, PT test, and a physical. Also, Air Force ROTC scholarships generally just cover tuition and a tiny stipend. Room and board can be more expensive than tuition. (Army ROTC generally covers either room/board or tuition, not both.) College is not cheap. If a student is serious about medical school, ROTC is often NOT the best path to take. It is usually easier to get into the military medical school without doing ROTC. ROTC students have to apply for a waiver to even apply for medical school, and then also get in to medical school, and then hope that there are medical slots available to your ROTC graduation group... There are lots of discussion about ROTC and medical school if you have time to google it. Sorry to be a downer! Just really help him research the fine print before he makes any commitment to the reserves. The military can be an excellent way to pay for an education, but the details change frequently based on the needs of the military - just because a neighbor's grandchild got his school paid for two years ago doesn't mean the same benefits are currently available... Off we go...

I'm keeping my exercise goals to tiny = basically do something, and instead focusing on healthy eating habits - for about the next 2 weeks. Yesterday we went on a short but very steep hike to a frozen waterfall and cave. I think the distance was less than 2 miles but it was straight up, following a frozen stream to a frozen waterfalls. As we got to the top (and it got steeper) I decided not to go all the way up. The kids all made it to the caves, but I was scared i would slip... after a few minutes, I got brave and made it all the way up!! There were guys up there climbing the ice - so cool! We slid all the way back down (luckily we were all wearing snow pants!) Today we went ice skating. It was warmer, in the 30's but the wind was blowing and I was not dressed as warm - I was colder today than I was yesterday!! Today I drank more than 2 L of water and did not eat any of the cookies we baked. Stayed on plan all day! Tomorrow I'm planning to do some sledding on our hill...

This is funny, because I've been contemplating starting getting my nails done monthly as part of my "take care of myself" goals for this year. I have a tiny violin studio with just 4 students. The little money that I make from that just gets absorbed into the family budget - it's not a huge amount, but it is a nice little bit of pocket money. I've been thinking I could use some of that to have my nails done each month. Just a little something to show that I am taking care of myself... My nails are short (violin teacher) but I love the way they look when they have the lacquer paint. May look into the Butter London polishes! All this to say - cut the nail polishes if you feel it, but if you decide to keep doing it, I say do it with no guilt!!

I really enjoy this thread but sometimes feel guilty silly about participating when my exercise is so much less than everyone else's... but small is good for me! Small goals: water every day no sugar track my eating get a tiny bit of exercise (to start) Last year I did big exercise and it was so fun! It faded through the year and I'm going to stick with small exercise goals and focus on eating for the next 2 weeks. So far today: I've had 3 big glasses of water and have my meals planned out. Meat thawing for a nice stew dinner (I'll skip the potatoes) Planning to go out on a little hike with the kids. Yay for the New Year!

Happy New Year! And Happy Monday!! We were up very late last night and are getting a slow start. College kids are here and I need to make sure they get out and do something fun today, even though temps are scary cold.... too much time inside is making all of us a little crabby. Get moving Get dressed Tidy up my room Tidy up the kitchen And the living room Get someone to dust And vacuum Go on a hike Or bowling or something... Consider cleaning up Christmas decorations Pull out some meat for: Stew for dinner Sew a little play some games get ready to head back to work tomorrow Laundry x3 x x pay bills Healthy goals: Drink all my water x x x x Stay on plan all day Keep food log Do something active I love these posts, Jean! I’m out of the habit of participating, but I love to “see†what everyone is up to. New Zealand!! Horses! -25 degrees!!

One good thing about marrying early is that they can fill out the fafsa with their own financial info and will qualify for financial aid, grants, etc. :) My daughter married this summer at 19 years old. I was sad when they first became serious and I could tell that they would likely marry quickly. It's not terribly unusual for kids at BYU to marry young, but I was not prepared for this daughter to be one to fall in love so quickly. He's a great young man and we think of marriage as a wonderful thing. It was just not on my radar! I had many uncomfortable conversations with my non-mormon friends. It is weird for kids to marry young. On the other hand, college age is a time of transition for many kids. Being in love and marrying is far from the worst mess that these kids can make! She is home for the holidays with her new husband and they are really cute together. I'm happy for their joy. Best wishes to your daughter and her fiancé. If you feel comfortable with their relationship, then I say celebrate with them and ignore they poo poo-ers in your life.

I use this recipe for taco meat - scroll down to see the recipe. I like it better than the packets. https://food-hacks.wonderhowto.com/how-to/clone-taco-bells-meat-aka-taco-meat-filling-0124399/ It's easy, and does taste a lot like taco bell. I have also made it without the flour and it is still good.

My kids are older now, but this is what worked for us for years when they were younger. I use two paper plates, one cut smaller than the other. Names of our 4 kids on one circle, dinner chores on the other circle. Wash Dishes, Dinner Prep, Clear and Wipe Table, Sweep. Each child was assigned one item for the week, and it rotated at the end of the week. Something similar to this: https://www.kennolyncamps.com/2017/02/24/how-to-make-a-chore-wheel-the-summer-camp-way/ I can't keep up with elaborate chore charts. Dinner chores is really where it's at for me, I get really resentful if I'm stuck in the kitchen doing all the clean up. I don't mind doing general tidy up through the week myself or reminding others, but fixing dinner and having everyone disappear before dishes are done turns me into the wicked witch of the west!! I think I'll set up the chore circle again for the 4 of us left at home... For our Saturday clean up, I write chores on post it notes and let everyone know they need to do 2 or 3 chores, depending on how messy things are or how many people are available to help. I leave it up to them which chores to do, which makes it motivating to get your chores done fast before you get stuck cleaning all the bathrooms. General items for Saturday: sweep/mop, dust, vacuum, bathroom, windows, shoe delivery, etc. I guess I never really do deep cleaning. Is that bad? We move every few years and that seems to help take care of it...

This year I helped set up a gift wish list for teens in crisis who live in a group home. It made me so emotional to see the things the kids asked for and hearing their comments: “ can I really ask for that?†“Do you think someone will really buy a gift for me?†“I’ve never had Christmas beforeâ€... If you are looking for an organization to give a gift to, find a group home for foster kids or teen addiction recovery in your area. I’m planning to purchase tickets for an adventure they can do after the holidays: bowling or jumping place or something.

We make a simple egg and biscuit baked in a muffin tin. You will need a roll of refrigerator biscuits (the small “value†kind that come in a 4pack, 10 small biscuits in each tube. Not the Grands) And 10 large eggs. Spray your muffin tin really well with Pam. Use your fingers to smoosh each biscuit into a flat circle. Place one smooshed biscuit in each muffin tin and press it to the bottom and around the sides. Crack one large egg into each biscuit. Bake at 425 for about 15 min. the edges of the biscuit will be browned and when you wiggle the pan, the eggs don’t slosh around.... sounds strange, but it makes sense when you see them. Pop out each biscuit by running a butter knife around the edge. Add a little salt and pepper and enjoy! I like them best when I time it right and the yoke is still runny. You could freeze and warm in the microwave.

I try to run outside most days. We live in South Dakota, so we have some wind and snow. The wind is the worst part! I like to wear a hat that covers my ears and/or an ear cover headband thing. If it's really windy and below 15* I might need both. I also like to wear a fleece neck gator. I can pull it up over my nose when I need to. I usually start off thinking I'm freezing and that I'll wear the gator pulled over my nose the whole way, but after a few minutes, I generally warm up and don't need it as much. I tend to pull it up and down over my chin as I get cold.... Gloves - I wear the stretchy knit gloves until temps are below about 20, then I need something warmer. I don't have anything particularly made for running, but a warm pair from Sam's works for me. I wear leggings, a long sleeve shirt, and a wind-breaking, fleece lined jacket. My legs warm up fine (long john's under are an over kill, but I have worn sweats over if I'm just walking), and I don't usually need to wear anything warmer if I'm going to be moving. The dark is what gets me down. Dark until almost 7am and getting dark near 4pm. I have a headlamp, and I sort of hate it. I often wear it wrapped around my hand. I saw some glove-light options that I think I may get for my stocking... Watch for ice! Our city walking path is often cleaner than the streets, so that's my favorite place to go, but even the roads near my home get cleared pretty quick.

tidy up clean up fall decorations pull out Christmas things church missionaries over for dinner after church - Fajitas