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How To Adopt A Soldier & What To Send – Family Service Project –
How To Adopt A Soldier & What To Send
Volunteering as a family is something that is really important in our household. We are truly grateful for what we have and also for where we have been. At one point, we prayed for the some of the things we have now. And some of the things we have now, we never even imagined we would accomplish. Funny how life works, isn’t it? While we consider ourselves far from where we started, we never want to forget the beginning of our journey. Which for us, gives us motivation to stay humble and make sure that our children grow up knowing how lucky they are, that giving back isn’t something you do for Instagram likes and that serving others is way of life.
Sometimes, finding places to volunteer with kids can be tricky. (You wouldn’t think it would be, but we were surprised – especially when the kids were younger!) But volunteering to send cheer to our military members is a way not only for even the smallest family members to help with, but it lets you volunteer at home and at your own pace. Sometimes, I would love to donate financially to organizations, but it’s not in the budget for that month. But we always have some room for postage or I can pick up a few things on sale for a care package! Plus, the kids always have so much fun with these projects!
(If you are looking for more great family service projects – check out this list of 16 ideas!)
How To Sign Up To Adopt A Soldier
There are so many organizations that you can sign up with! Here are a few to get you started:
- Operation Gratitude
- Operation Paperback (This organization allows you to donate books to be sent)
- Adopt a US Soldier
- Soldier’s Angels
- Any Soldier (Members of the military can post directly what they need. It’s kind of like an all year Angel Tree – you pick someone’s name to fulfill their list and mail it out.)
- Operation Shoebox
What do you do when you adopt a soldier?
Well, that answer depends on what you sign up for! Some sign ups are for just letters while others are for care packages. Some are even for handmade items (like baked goods, paracord bracelets, cool ties or hats and scarves)
This should go without saying, but I know life gets busy sometimes, but please, if you sign up to adopt a soldier…please, please, please be sure that you follow through! When you adopt one, they are taken off the list from someone else being able to adopt them. Sending things out in a timely matter is crucial! Some organizations that you can volunteer with may have you make a commitment such as one letter per month. Even with good intentions, make sure that the time commitment is something you can do.
What do you send when you adopt a soldier?
There are so many things that you can send! Letters (or for younger children, pictures or artwork) is always appreciated! Keep in mind the different kinds of weather that packages must travel through as well as time. Sometimes it can take a long time for your package to reach it’s final destination not only due to distance but also due to security screenings. If you are sending holiday specific items, they need to be sent early as well as edible items need to be things that won’t melt or expire. (Many places say food items need a 6 month shelf life.) If you are packing a care package, here are some general ideas:
- Hand sanitizer (travel size works best with a seal – Some places use port-o-potties so this is huge request for some troops!)
- Mouthwash (travel size)
- Cotton Swabs (travel size)
- Sunscreen (travel size – non aerosol)
- Tissues (individual packs)
- Lip balm
- Travel size toiletries – shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, body wash, etc
- Moist towelettes – individual or travel size
- Socks – not white – usually brown, black, green or tan are requested
- Batteries (4 packs – AA/AAA)
- Tide Pods
- Single serve drink mix packages (Kool-Aid, Crystal Light, Gatorade)
- Gum
- Coffee (K-Cups or ground)
- Protein powder and/or bars (I see this request a LOT!)
- Beef jerky (This is a HUGE request too!)
- Sunflower seeds
- Crossword puzzles
- Suduko puzzles
- Puzzles (in small boxes)
- Magazines
- Books
- DVD’s
- BLANK cards – birthday, general, or holiday cards (if you can send WAY in advance!) that service men and women can fill out and mail back home to loved ones
Shipping Tips For When You Adopt A Soldier:
- Use a durable, heavy duty box (the post office will help with free shipping supplies!)
- Put items into plastic baggies in case anything breaks or leaks
Other Things To Consider When You Adopt A Soldier:
- Try to get your neighborhood involved! Host a care package party and invite your neighbors to come and help package items to send out. Neighbors that can’t attend may still offer to donate items and/or money to help cover postage. You can Download a flyer here!
- Host a sock drive
- Don’t forget that while many care packages are made with the service men in mind, there are service women there too! FeminineHow To Adopt A Soldier And What To Send hygiene products and girly things are always in need!
I hope this helps you and your family while you adopt a soldier! Don’t forget to pin!
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2017 Bucket List : 35 Things I want Do, Learn and Visit
If you follow me on Instagram then you know that my resolution this year is to be more intentional. I feel as though I’ve been moving through life, but not actually living it. I want to start choosing to be present in every moment of life – physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. I want to start being deliberate with my time and choosing to use my time to do things that make me happy, not what other people want or even what other people expect. So 2017 is the year that I decide to live a purposeful life.
I was thinking the other night, “Awesome. I’m going to live an intentional life.” But intentionally do what? It’s easy to say to simply be happy. But what does that look like? So, I started doing what I do best. I made a list. 🙂
Things To Do
- Practice yoga….daily. I started doing yoga last year and it really helped me. I don’t do long yoga workouts or routines, but I usually just do 10-15 minutes here and there throughout the day. This year, I want to be more consistent and make sure I’m doing it daily!
- Read 100 books. (You can join our virtual book club here! While we won’t cover 100 books, we will read a new one each month!)
- Get outside more. Walking, baseball games, going to the dog park, visiting the farmer’s market…I don’t care. As long as it is outside.
- Go to the theater more often. I love the theater. There for a while we were going pretty often. This year I want to not only get back into the routine of going, but I want it to be a regular occurrence!
- Listen more. Stop talking. And just listen.
- Paint my nails. Ok, so this one might sound silly. But I feel better when they are painted. AND I joined Julep last year and I have tons of nail polish colors, 90% of which are still unopened.
- Get involved with local politics. I want to be informed, aware and part of the change that I would like my country to be. That starts at a local level and I want to get involved!
- Start waking up early. Or at least earlier. We homeschool and I work from home. Our schedules are pretty relaxed. I fully believe that if you are tired you should sleep, but I also would like to not feel like my whole morning is gone as soon as we get up.
- Develop a morning/night routine. I had a pretty good morning routine going for a while! But then for some reason, I wasn’t sleeping well and started sleeping later (see above) and so I stopped doing my morning routine. I need to get back into the morning routine and try to get one down for bedtime as well. And hopefully sleep better!
- Start a new peaks, pits, prayers & praise journal. This little thing made me so happy so I plan on doing another one!
- Eat healthier. Eat less carbs. Eat less soy (ok, so I should really just give soy up…) Eat less crap. Clean eating? Whole 30? I’m looking into it. 🙂
- Go back to college. I’ve been thinking about this one for a while now. When I went to college, I had no clue what I wanted to do. I stopped and became a stay at home mom. Now, I don’t need a degree for my job, but it is something that I would like to get just for myself. Plus, I’ve been telling Josh all about how he needs to go to college…lead by example right?
Things To Learn
- How to make candles. Why? I don’t know. I think it would be fun. 🙂
- French. I took French through high school and even knew a little before school from my father, but I’ve forgotten most of it over the years.
- All about herbs, holistic medicines and how the heck to grow them. We have a patio that would be perfect for some herb gardens! And I’ve been looking into getting a community garden spot this spring!
- How to do makeup. Because I’m 30. And because 12 year olds are running around with better contoured makeup then I could ever manage to do.
- Take a photography class. I take photos for my blog, but I’m still in auto. Even though I’ve had my DSLR for 8 years. Time to move on!
- Learn how to shoot and edit videos. And because I feel like if I don’t take the plunge (finally) to videos my little blog here will soon become a fossil…videos are in my future.
- How to use tools. After my divorce, I quickly realized that I don’t know how to do crap around the house. And that even includes the basics of tools. I bought a hammer. And probably a year and a half later I stopped using scissors as a screwdriver and bought a set of real ones. Please don’t judge.
- All about essential oils. I’m really into holistic and natural approaches. I actually thought oils were for the crazy and that there was no way that 2 drops of anything was going to make any difference for anything. But I tried it. And I was wrong. I can admit that. 🙂
- How to shoot and gun safety. Bet you didn’t think that this hippy list maker was going to say that huh? Haha! We went shooting once when I was younger and it was fun. We don’t shoot things – we shoot cans. I do think that everyone should know the basics of how to shoot and about gun safety. I want to take Josh with me. I want to know that heaven forbid he ever be at a friend’s house or in a situation where he see’s a gun he knows how to act and what to do.
- How to ride a horse. Here is another blast from the past! I took English riding lessons for about a year and my step-dad’s family had a pony named Mickey that I would ride bareback when I would visit. I loved it! What an amazing way to get some exercise, but relieve some stress.
- Get certified to scuba dive. Or at least how to snorkel and not breath in a bunch of water. I have big plans to travel over the next several years – I would love to explore the ocean too!
Places To Go:
- Iceland. Cold? Yes. Northern Lights? YES!! This is a major bucket list item. Fingers crossed it can happen in 2017!
- Go on a cruise. I’ve never been on a cruise! This one is already in the works. We leave in February!
- Indiana Dunes. I’ve lived in Indiana forever. And for some reason, I’ve never been to the dunes. I think it’s the perfect stay-cation.
- Kings Island. I used to go to Kings Island all the time as a kid. Josh has never been though. We’ve gone to Cedar Point several times, but not King’s Island. This year we will make it happen.
- Pine Lake. This is another Indiana place I’ve never been. And even weirder…never heard of! I actually saw it on Pinterest and had one of those ‘Are you kidding me? How have I never done this?’ moments.
- Chicago. This is one of my favorite cities. And it’s only a couple hours away. I don’t think I could ever get tired of the museums.
- St. Louis. I’ve heard good things, but it’s another place we just have never gone to. I don’t know why. It’s not too bad of a drive.
- Lollapalooza. Joshua is really into music. We wanted to go last year, but tickets were sold out. So this year we are trying to plan earlier!
- Salem. Josh says he is too old for dressing up and trick or treating now. So we need to find something else totally awesome for Halloween and I can’t think of a better place than Salem!
- New York City…in December. So I would REALLY love to be there for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or New Year’s Eve but those may not happen this year. But I do want to go at Christmas time and go ice skating and see the tree.
So….What is on your 2017 bucket list?
Healthy Habits Calendar – January 2017
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
I can’t believe 2017 is here. Are you ready? I’ve been working hard on getting things ready around here to help make sure that 2017 is the year that resolutions happen! I’m telling you….THIS.IS.THE.YEAR! 🙂
So if you are looking to get healthy in 2017 – I’ve totally got you covered! First, join our free Facebook group! Why?
- Healthy challenges (small things you can do each day)
- Monthly fitness challenges (January’s challenge is all about lunges)
- Recipes
- Tips, tricks, advice
- Giveaways just for that group
- Accountability
- Support
- Community
- It’s fun. This is a safe place for people of all starting points – whether you have 100 pounds to lose, you are working on better nutrition, or you have been living a healthy lifestyle for a while now but just want like minded friends. Whatever your reason, welcome!
Second, print out our healthy living challenge! The point of our healthy living challenge is to give you one small thing that you can do to improve your health each day. Sometimes it is a reminder to get some exercise, sometimes it is about learning, sometimes it is an easy habit that you can start doing. The point is that there are so many small things that we can do that really add up! On my journey to get healthy, I have found sometimes I have gotten overwhelmed. There is so much change that I want to do that it can be daunting. Hopefully, this helps you not feel that way. Being healthy is meant to be a journey…and a fun one! This month we are focusing a lot on hydration so you will see several days that talk about water! 🙂
Here are some posts and free printables that will help you this month! (We will be adding more so be sure to check back or to join our Facebook group for more!)
- The Lunge Challenge
- How to take proper body measurements and a free printable tracker
- Test your current fitness level and a free printable
- Meal planning printable and free printable grocery list
Here we go! You’ve got 2017! Don’t forget to pin!
Choosing The Right Planner For The New Year
Are you planning on 2017 to be your year of finally getting (and staying!) organized? I don’t know about you, but I thrive on order. I love lists. A lot. I like to have my house looking just so. I need a schedule.
One of the ways that I keep (or attempt to keep) everything together is with my planner. But there are different planners for different people. So, what are they? Which one will work best for you? Here are a few great options to help you decide!
(PS! Have you seen our organizing challenge for 2017? You will want to follow along! Each day has a small way that you can get yourself organized and prepared all year long!)
Paper Planners
I am 100% a pen and paper kind of lady. And stickers. And washi tape. 🙂
This is my planner. It’s from Erin Condren and I love it. It’s a great size and has plenty of room for my monthly calendar of events as well as more detailed weekly notes. And it’s pretty. Super pretty. There are plenty of accessories as well: stickers, snap ins, bands, notes, dividers, pens, etc.
The only drawback to my EC planner is that it is a little pricey. But, if you think of the fact that it gets daily use then that price isn’t bad. I like to call mine an investment.
A friend of mine introduced me to The Happy Planner. It’s very similar to Erin Condren planners, but not as expensive. They also have a ton of stickers and customizing items so no matter if you choose an EC or THP – they are a great solution!
Another option that has come highly recommended to me is Plum Paper. I really like how when you make your planner you can add sections like a blogging section or a sales section (perfect for people who sell things like LuLaRoe!) There are also sections for baby (tracking growth/milestones), wedding, and SO many more options! The price of this planner is midway between The Happy Planner and EC, with amazing details and quality!
If you are a lister then you might really love this option. It’s the Panda Planner. And I think I’m obsessed. After this year with my EC I may opt to try the Panda Planner. I told you I’m into lists so this set up just makes me happy. There are monthly, weekly and daily set ups with room to have everything written down. (There is a larger version available of the Panda Planner if you write big like me!) 🙂 I love that it also focuses on the positive!
Do you want a paper planner but not into all of the artsy, cutesy stickers? Or maybe you are super artsy and want to have space to doodle and paint. Maybe you like the simplicity. Whatever your reason, a bullet journal might be the solution for you. Right now bullet journals are super popular. Some people use them for keeping a list of their to do’s. (I love the key above!)
Some bullet journals are just that – journals, as opposed to planners. Some are extravagant with art, and color and calligraphy. Others are minimal and simple. Both are beautiful!
Digital Planners
If you are looking for an app that you can use to help plan your days here are a few that you may want to try!
- Planner Pro
- Fantastical 2
- Todoist
- Calendar 5
And don’t forget that Siri can schedule things on your phone calendar for you as well!
Don’t forget to pin!
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I am grateful for the dirty dishes
When I was at Walmart I found Palmolive Multi-Surface. I like the fact that one product can not only clean my dishes, but also tackle that marinara sauce on the stove and clean up the counters! (Plus, it smells good!) After a few weeks of testing it out, it’s tough on getting the mess gone! And Palmolive® Multi Surface eliminates 99.9% of bacteria (*staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica and E. coli ((157:H7)) from dishes and hard non porous kitchen surfaces.
THAT’S important stuff!
This is tough on all the messes I can dish out in my kitchen! Cleaning the counters? Check! Getting the stove top clean? Yep. And those dishes? They sparkle!
I get a clean kitchen and only have to use one product! Saving me time and money!
See? Even more things to be grateful for!
What things are you grateful for?
5 Things I Couldn’t Be Without
I thought it would be fun to do a weekly series on some of my favorite things. So welcome to I’m Totally Obsessed With…
So I know it might sound crazy – being obsessed with plastic containers. But I am. Completely! When I cook dinner we usually have leftovers. Now, I can pack them in these handy containers and I have my own freezer meals. Plus, they are great for cooking ahead of time! Delicious, portioned meals ready to go. It’s been helping my budget and my weight!
I’ve had this Yankee Red Raspberry Candle under our candle warmer non-stop this week. It smells so delicious. It smells like, well, summer.
I’ve been watching House of Cards since it came out. I just finished up the current season and now, I can.not.wait for the next season to start. (Come on Netflix, hurry!)
It has rained non-stop it seems like for the last week. Rain, mud and puddles are everywhere and when you have a puppy who needs to be at the dog park rain boots become a necessity. I’m beyond obsessed with these herringbone boots! There are tons of other prints available – pick your print!
I’m a huge Pandora fan, which is how I found Boyce Avenue. I listen to them ALL the time! Think your favorite songs redone to cool acoustic versions. Seriously. Love.
So you tell me. What are you loving this week?
This post contains affiliate links.
30 Before 30 List
Last week was my birthday. The big 2-8. It was one of those birthdays that had me saying that I could no longer claim I was in my early twenties or even mid twenties. (I know, last year was a stretch!) And in just 2 short years I would be 30. There is a lot that I wanted to do before then!
My twenties went by way to fast. A lot of growing up and self discovery. I used to have a bit of anxiety about getting older. But I honestly believe that this year will be better than the last and that my thirties will be better than my twenties.
A friend suggested that I write a 30 Before 30 list. I loved the idea of celebrating my 30th birthday in two years, but also the completion of 30 goals. I also loved the idea of going into my thirties feeling on track, confident and happy.
So here is my list! What would you put on yours?
Financial
– Pay off my debt. 95% of my debt is student loans, but student loans or not, I want them all gone. It would be amazing to go into my 30’s debt free!
– Make the 700 Club. My credit score, well, sucks. And that’s the nicest thing I can say about it. Stupid decisions made and now I’m paying the price. However, I don’t have that much debt other than my student loans. So, I’m working hard on doing things the right way and getting it cleaned up.
– Create a savings plan. I love my job. I really do! Blogging has some amazing perks – working from home, finding out about new products, doing what I love, etc. But one thing that it doesn’t have is a benefits package. I really need a savings plan in place.
– Learn about the different kinds of investments. I’m honestly not that knowledgeable in the different financial terms, investment opportunities and the best way to utilize them. I would love to learn more so I can start making the right decisions.
– Get a better Credit Card. The credit card I have now has a high interest rate, but I’m hoping that with my credit score improvements I can close this account and get a better one!
Here are some books that I’m planning on reading to help with my financial goals:
- Personal Finance For Dummies
- Why Didn’t They Teach Me This In School?
- Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance For Your Twenties and Thirties
- Financial Intelligence: A Manager’s Guide To What The Numbers Really Mean (This is more a book for my business rather than personal)
- The Total Money Makeover
Health
– Take my vitamins everyday. And stop forgetting to take my medicine! I’m so horrible about being consistent with it. You would think it wouldn’t be that hard, so I’m not sure how/why I keep forgetting!
– Give up Diet Coke. Ok. This is supposed to be a realistic list. 🙂 Drink 6 glasses of water and 2 glasses of green tea. Then, if I still want something then I can treat myself to a Diet Coke. And who knows, maybe my soda will be a good motivation!
– Eat real food. Get rid of junk and make foods myself instead of buying them.
– Get the body that I’ve been talking about getting. That means losing the extra pounds and working these muscles out! I want to go into my 30’s feeling good and confident!
– Run (yes, actually run) a 5K. I actually hate running. But that might have something to do with it being hard and me not being very good at it. 🙂
Places To Go
– Go to the Kentucky Derby
– Start an Annual Camping Trip
– Take a trip to the amusement park.
– Stay in a tree house hotel
– Take a cruise
Things To Do
– Complete a 365 Photo Challenge
– Decorate our home with cool antique pieces
– Find a place to volunteer regularly
– Be more active in our church
– Build a fantastic wardrobe and define my personal style
– Go tailgating
– Buy the perfect piece of art
Business
– Publish an E-Book
– Get professional head-shots taken.
– Get half a million page views in a month.
– Write for another publication.
– Speak at an event
– Reach 250,000 total social media followers
What is on your list?
Don’t forget to pin!
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Get Inspired! Birds of Hope: A story of girls changing the world!
Headbands of Hope
If you know of someone who loves wearing headbands I can’t encourage you enough to order through Headbands of Hope! I got to meet Jessica a few months ago and her organization is amazing! Not only does she have gorgeous headbands – but for every headband sold another one is donated to a girl with cancer, plus $1 to St. Baldrick’s Foundation to help find a cure.
Why headbands?
“Many girls fighting childhood cancer lose their hair during their rigorous chemotherapy treatments. Headbands are the perfect way for these girls to keep their feminine identity and have a constant reminder that they’re not alone.
For girls and women everywhere, their hair is a part of their feminine identity. Wigs can be uncomfortable and unappealing, especially to younger girls.
So why not wear a beautiful, fun, and comfortable headband instead?
Headbands of Hope provides a movement to spread hope in all girls and fight in the battle against childhood cancer, one headband at a time. ” – Headbands of Hope
I think these would make a wonderful gift – a beautiful headband with a little note tucked with it saying that a little girl also received this wonderful gift! Jessica’s story is so inspiring. The impact she has made on so many lives is amazing! She helps girls remember that they are beautiful and that cancer can’t take that away from them!
You find out more about Headbands of Hope – and purchase a headband – at their website here.
And make sure to like them on Facebook and share them on Pinterest to help everyone learn about Headbands of Hope!
Be inspired by this AMAZING 8 year old