Spouse Call: Military Spouse CEO, Military Disney Tips and more

September 25, 2013 by Wendy Leave a Comment

Online Military Radio at Blog Talk Radio with Navy Wife Radio on BlogTalkRadio

On this show:

The Military Spouse CEO Experience is now seeking applications. Founders and organizers, Lori Volkman, Adrianna Domingos-Lupher, along with co-host Wendy share the details on how this new effort will showcase 10 military spouse business owners at the 2013 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition. www.militaryspouseceo.com

Authors Kathie Hightower and Holly Scherer stop by to talk about their new book: Military Spouse Journey: Discover the Possibilities & Live Your Dreams

http://www.amazon.com/Military-Spouse-Journey-Discover-Possibilities/dp/1934617172

We round out the show with tips on preparing for your next vacation to Disney World. Steve Bell, founder of Military Disney Tips stops by to talk about his must know insider tips for discovering Disney World and his new book The Essential Guide to Shades of Green. www.militarydisneytips.com

Join the conversation!

So pour that iced cold drink and join the conversation. We are in this crazy, amazing military life together! Laugh, Learn, Relate

Click to listen:

Show link:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/navywiferadio/2013/09/25/spouse-call-milspouse-ceo-military-disney-tips-and-more

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NOW YOU TELL ME! 12 Army Wives Give the Best Advice They Never Got – Book Review

December 10, 2012 by Tara 2 Comments

My Military Life is going to start doing some book reviews. This book came up first, and after a busy month of running around I finally sat down to read it.

After 17 years as an Army spouse, you would think I would have read my fair share of books written for military spouses. I haven’t; I have probably read three while I sat in the PX waiting for customer service to call my number. So when I had the chance to review Now You Tell Me, 12 Army Wives Give the Best Advice They Never Got, I was interested but not sure I could learn anything new. It was not the best attitude to go into it, I admit.

I was pleasantly surprised. This book was an easy read, filled with great information, and I did get a lot out of it. The twelve chapters are written by twelve spouses speaking on different topics. The most interesting parts to me were spouses speaking about things on which I had no experience – imagine that! I thought the dual military spouse had fantastic information on family care plans and deploying with kids. I will also take the advice about what room to unpack first the next time I PCS; it is not what you might think. At the end of the book they have some great charts with commonly used abbreviations, ranks, units, military time, and 16 ways to help military families feel appreciated.

I would recommend this book, especially to new spouses, though any Army spouse would get something out of it. I think this would also make a great gift to a friend or a family member who wants to understand what you’re talking about! Check it out if you’re looking for information from different perspectives and not just one chick telling you how she does it. Then send me your favorite mil spouse book to read! I have some catching up to do.

*I received a copy of this book to review and the opinions are my own.

To order the book on Amazon.com visit:
http://www.amazon.com/Tell-Army-Wives-Advice-Never/dp/1933608315

For additional information visit:

Arundel Publishing – Now You Tell Me – 12 Army Wives Give the Best Advice They Never Got

Bonnie Amos, the First Lady of the Marine Corps, Launches Book List for Spouses

October 19, 2012 by Wendy 2 Comments

In a first of its kind of initiative, Bonnie Amos the First Lady of the Marine Corps, has announced a book list just for spouses. This list is comprised of 17 books for spouses and 5 for children. There are some of my favorites on this list and some new ones I can’t wait to check out.

Below is the complete list.

Update:
Be sure to tune into our interview with Mrs. Amos as she discusses the list, her reason for creating this resource and her partnership with the Marine Corps Exchange book stores to bring many of these books directly to the place where spouses shop most.

Original Show Date: 23 Oct 2012, 9pm Central

Show Link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/navywiferadio/2012/10/24/first-lady-of-the-marine-corps-shares-her-reading-list <<—–Click here to LISTEN

10/12/12

MCX to offer First Lady of the Marine Corps Recommended Reading List Titles

HQMC (MR), QUANTICO, VA – Military spouses now have a new resource for learning how to overcome the challenges of military Service. Bonnie Amos, spouse of the Commandant of Marine Corps, Gen. James Amos has established “The First Lady of the Marine Corps Recommended Reading List.”

To make finding this first of its kind in any Service collection easier, a new section in Marine Corps Exchange (MCX) main store book departments will feature the books. The official launch date for this initiative is Oct 15. But due to the limited availability of some titles and limited space at some locations, not all titles will be available at all locations. Requests for large quantities of books for clubs or organizations should be addressed with the local MCX store manager. Marine Corps libraries will also be adding the books to their collections.

Many of the books on the reading list are written by military spouses who share their experiences and offer tips on how to find military resources and avoid learning things the hard way. The reading list contains books for new spouses, for those facing their first move or deployment, about understanding the effects of post traumatic stress and living a healthy lifestyle, as well as ideas on how to follow your own dreams while you follow the military. The collection also has books for military children.

According to Karen Macdonald, MCX buyer for Stationery, Books & Magazines, “ this new collection is similar to the Commandant’s Professional Reading List which features books that are recommended reading for Marines in order to help them progress through their careers. In the same way, Mrs. Amos hopes that The First Lady of the Marine Corps Recommended Reading List will help military spouses be successful regardless of the challenges they may face living a military lifestyle.”

Macdonald added that there are several special events scheduled during October. On Oct 20 at 11:00 A.M. to 1 P.M., Mrs. Amos will be at the MCB Quantico MCX main store along with authors Holly Scherer (1001 Things to Love about Military Life and Help I’m a Military Spouse), and Shannon Maxwell (Big Brain Boss and Our Daddy Is Invincible). On Oct 26, 10:00 A.M. to 12:00P.M, Mrs. Amos will be at the MCRD San Diego MCX main store along with Mollie Gross (Confessions of a Military Wife) and Shellie Vandevoorde (Separated By Duty, United By Love). On Oct 26 at 2 P.M. to 4 P.M, Mrs. Amos will again be at MCAS Miramar MCX main store with Gross and Vandevoorde.

Connecting to the community and being a support arm to Commanders is at the heart of the MCX mission. In 2011, MCX returned a dividend of $47.5M to support MWR programs. The MCX also employs many military family members, 29% of MCX employees are family members. MCX supports the community everyday with programs like “Our Cost is Your Cost” where we sell items important to the military family at MCX cost, like bread, milk, diapers, baby food and baby formula as well as provide an overall market basket savings of 24% compared to retailers outside the gate.

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First Lady of the Marine Corps Recommended Reading List

(10/15/12)

For Spouses:

Separated by Duty, United in Love

1001 Things to Love about Military Life

Help! I’m a Military Spouse–I Get a Life Too,

Confessions of a Military Wife

The Military Spouse’s Employment Guide: Smart Job Choices for Mobile Lifestyles

The Road Home: Again. Smoothing the Transition Back from Deployment

Transformation: The Mindset You Need. The Body You Want. The Life You Deserve

Faith Deployed Again

Courage After Fire: Coping Strategies for Troops Returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and Their Families

Wounded Warrior – Wounded Home

The 17 Day Diet

Service Etiquette, 5th Edition

A Families Guide to the Military for Dummies

The Day After He Left for Iraq

Eating For Life

Dream Giver

Heroes at Home: Help and Hope for America’s Military Families

For Children:

Don’t Forget, God Bless our Troops

A Salute to Our Heroes: The U.S. Marines (A Marine Corps children’s book)

Our Daddy is Invincible

Big Brain Boss

Uncle Sams Kids: Moving Again Mom

For more information, contact Bryan Driver in the Plans, Policy & Analysis Directorate at (703) 432-2272 or e-mail: driverbr(at)usmc-mccs.org

First Lady of the Marine Corps Recommended Reading List’ Book Signing – DVIDS

The Lucky One review, I was the lucky one…

April 20, 2012 by TrevsNavyWife 1 Comment

I have to admit as I begin this review that I have a love hate relationship with the books of Nicholas Sparks. I love them but then throw them at the end when the ending is different than what I thought.

As the theater lights lowered I could already feel my heart pumping anxiously to watch Zac Efron in a role where he is not a singing and dancing as a high schooler but a man, not just a man, A Marine! As a military spouse I love my military romance, and love watching military romances. I have to admit, it was one of the major reasons why I was excited to see this film. Even better I was able to take my recently returned home Sailor to join me. Here is a picture of us waiting for the movie to begin!!

I was really concerned with how well Zac Efron could channel the combat seasoned marine. Logan, a marine who had seen the dirtiest of war and was saved by a simple photograph dropped in the sand. Efron is amazing, he gained over 30 pounds for this role and no boy was present, but a real man. I was in awe of seeing how much I believed him as Marine. One thing I found surreally accurate was how well Efron played the aspect of that silently cautious Marine fresh from the sandbox. Logan had a commanding presence in his scenes, but there is also a softness to him. Taylor Schilling was awesome! She made me believe she was Beth, the strong and gentle mom who was holding herself together yet is just moments away from dissolving. Schilling was outstanding and made you want her to get everything and heal the broken parts of herself. You really do attach yourself to the characters and feel that lucky charm that brought the two together.

I could go on and on but I don’t want to deliver spoilers, it’s plain and simple, go see it! This film was chalk full of everything you would ever want. You will laugh, a lot, you will tear up and you will find yourself applauding with a theatre full of people. The Lucky One is a film that will touch you to your core, and the movie had just enough explosion mixed with girlieness to make it a great film!

Fair Winds & Following Seas

Marla ~TrevsNavyWife~

New Book Features 1001 Things to Love About Military Life

November 2, 2011 by Wendy Leave a Comment

It’s not often a book is written by a group of military spouses, much less a group I call friends.

Today, November 2nd, is the official launch of 1001 Things to Love about Military Life.

Through my military life walk I’ve gotten to know each of the authors personally starting with “meeting online” to in person. They are each remarkable women. Holly and Kathy are the trailblazers and have brought their workshop, “Follow Your Dreams While You Follow the Military” to military installations around the globe, training thousands of spouses and their signature book, “Help, I’m a Military Spouse! I Get a Life Too!” has inspired thousands more. Tara and Star and have changed the face of how us military spouses connect, first with Army Wife Talk Radio, their Field Exercise events and now with Army Wife Network. They have each left a lasting legacy on the military spouse world and frankly, they’ve only just begun. I am proud and honored to call them each a friend.

1001 Things to Love About Military Life tells the military life story from many angles, the personal accounts and resources are rich. The book is layed out in such a way you will find yourself smiling and remembering what you love about military life, especially on days when living that life might feel like you cannot take another step. For the new spouse it will be a valuable guide behind the curtain of military life and service. You can flip to any page and learn something new or have a chuckle. You’ll stand a little taller and have new insights into the importance of your role of supporting your service member.

I’m honored to have our site, MyMilitaryLife.com and Navy Wife Radio | Military Life Radio listed in the book as #501. What a treat!!

This book should be on every coffee table and certainly in every Kindle!

Here’s how to get your copy and while you’re at, pick up a copy to give!

I’m happy to report you can order via Amazon.com – http://www.amazon.com/1001-Things-Love-About-Military/dp/1455502839

Thank you Amazon.com for carrying this book. It’s available via Hardcover (whoo-hoo) and Kindle.

For more information on the book and each of the authors visit: www.lovemilitarylife.com

Introduction to 1001 Things to Love About Military Life

When we first told people we were writing this book, responses ranged from “How can you talk about things to love with a war going on and military members being horribly wounded or killed?” to “Thank you for reminding us of all the good in the military and military life.”

There are certainly a lot of things to not love right now about our military reality, as we continue into our 10th year at war. Military members and their families only make up 1% of the population but they are bearing 100% of the sacrifice of war. The horrors of war, death, physical wounding, stress disorders and emotional suffering, and repeated separations, will impact our military families and society for a long time to come. War is hell. Even in peacetime, military life is constantly challenging.

However, research continues to show focusing only on the negatives can pull you into a downward spiral of despair and loss of hope. So, we decided to count the positives. The fact is, there are many things to love about military life. We really did not have trouble getting to 1001.

Our desire is that those of you who are or were in the military will read this—keeping in mind families and children serve too—and find yourself nodding in agreement at many of the items. Of course we know every example won’t apply to every military member. Our military experiences differ as much as we do as individuals. We trust the examples we include will trigger your own memories and encourage you to share your favorites with your family and friends.

For those of you who are not in the military, we are confident this book will give you some insight into this military life and help you see why we have such pride in our military and lifestyle. Why we have not lost hope.

There is no greater love than a love that is willing to sacrifice or die, paying the ultimate sacrifice, for another. Our service members love their brothers-at-arms and at-large, their country. Freely and selflessly, wanting very little in return. In a perfect world, that love is returned. Our aim is to help the country love back, without holding back for lack of introduction to, knowledge of, and insight into our military way of life.
Ask any of us, “Knowing what we know now, would we choose this lifestyle again?’”

“ABSOLUTELY!”

Mostly because of the other amazing people we’ve come to know in our Military Family and because of whom we’ve become as a result of this lifestyle.

There are indeed 1001 things to love about military life or more.

Spouse Call: Military Spouse CEO, Military Disney Tips and more

NOW YOU TELL ME! 12 Army Wives Give the Best Advice They Never Got – Book Review

Bonnie Amos, the First Lady of the Marine Corps, Launches Book List for Spouses

10/12/12

The Lucky One review, I was the lucky one…

New Book Features 1001 Things to Love About Military Life

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