Army Life: PCS - Part One: ORDERS

So, we FINALLY got our Orders the Tuesday before Holiday Block Leave.  As we've come to find out, it wasn't the best timing.  Of course, everything has been closed most of the time we've been trying to figure stuff out and Ryan had absolutely no time that week before leave to visit Transportation.  Rather than rehashing the rather frustrating experience so far, I want to share with you what I have found out that I think will be helpful. 

This is our first move and it's straight out of AIT so I'm sure other experiences are different but this is what I've found for our situation:

1.  SHIPPING HHG (home goods): Your solider has to be the one to handle the move, at least shipping.  He or she must go to their Transportation Office in person with their orders and only then will they be helped. 

- Long story short we were filling out the shipping information on Move.mil (self-counseling) but came across a question so when Ryan found a business day to call them they told him they couldn't tell him anything until he came in.  So, we pretty much spent two weeks worrying and trying to figure this out when we could have just been relaxing and enjoying the holidays.  Ugh.

2.  SHIPPING CAR: Shipping your car is relatively easy.  First, the Army will not pay for this if your move is CONUS (in the continental US) so if you want to ship your car and fly to your destination, as we are, then you're bearing the cost yourself.  I just googled "car shipping" or something like that and came across a website where you can type in your info and tons of people call and email you with quotes.  It's a little annoying but you get a good idea of what a reasonable price is. 

- Here's what the broker I went with told me: 1) if they offer you a military discount it's actually the exact same price another person without the discount would charge you, they're just starting higher (may or may not be true), 2) don't go with the cheapest person - it's like anything, there's usually a catch or they'll take your money and then deliver you car three weeks late.  Just do a little research and chatting with the brokers and find someone you trust.  We're shipping our Pathfinder from Oregon to North Carolina for $1125.  Cheaper than some, more than others.  Door to door, $100,000 in insurance, no hidden costs and fees.  You give them a three-day window to pick it up and then it's delivered between 7-10 later.  Only annoying thing is they don't take personal check or credit/debit so we have to have cash or money order. Not terrible, just somewhat inconvenient.  I understand why.  We're scheduling it so Ryan will have it as early as a day after landing in NC. 

It took me about 2 weeks to get to the point of accepting that first fact about not having any control and having to wait until the last minute to do anything.  I'm a huge planner (I'm told the Army will teach me to be flexible) and I like things scheduled and orderly.  Doing things short notice with a two-year-old sucks but obviously that's what I have to do.  I'm hoping it all goes smoothly and quickly once Ryan heads back to AIT in a couple days.  My military friends said a cross country shipment could take about three weeks so if we get a house quickly we'll definitely be borrowing some items. 

3.  PACKING/PLANNING: I hadn't been put a lot of thought into packing.  But, with shipping the car I get to put about 100 pounds of stuff into the car as long as it's lower than the windows.  So, I'm approaching packing like this: 1) what I want on the plane, 2) what I want upon arrival (i.e. checked at the airport), 3) what I need/want immediately or soon after I get there, 4) what I can live without until our HHG's arrive.  It's been helpful to work backwards and also to know what baggage I'm willing to check and what I can realistically put in the car.  The car has actually been a real blessing because I can put diapers, a few toys, and clothes in there and only check a couple bags at the airport.  Definitely give yourself a few days to do this process, even if you're having packers pack all of your belongings. 

I think that's about it for now.  Our next big question is about shipping our HHGs.  Our stuff is in two locations.  A storage unit at our Home of Record and where I'm currently living at Ryan's mom's house.  They're more than 50 miles apart.  We were never told this would be a problem but apparently there's a fine involved if your second pick up (if you have one) is far away. 

Worst case scenario we pack up the house, rent a U-Haul, and drive it down to the storage unit.  It's just frustrating when recruiters say it'll be fine.  I'm coming to find out recruiters tell you anything is fine to get you to sign on the line.  Ugh. 

I'm looking forward to keeping you up-to-date on the whole process.  On a side note, Ryan's HOME!!!!! and it's been wonderful.  I'll make sure to post about that too because there's been an adjustment period that he didn't expect (but I did) so it's good to prepare your soldier if you have kids.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

~Laura

Living Simply: New Use for Toilet Paper Rolls

You know those long cords attached to your hair dryer, curling iron, and other small appliances?  What do you do with them?  Wrap them around the appliance and hope they stay put? 

There's a better way!!!

TOILET PAPER ROLLS.

It's such a simple idea but one that escaped me until I read about it on this post from iheartorganizing.com.  

You just take the toilet paper roll, cleaning off any remaining toilet paper:

Gather your cords together so that they make a thick, long bundle and stuff them in.  Voila!

I glued some wrapping paper to the outside to make it prettier.  Now, every time I pull out my blow dryer I smile.  I love that it's an easy, costless fix that also re-purposed something rather than just recycling it.

What little organizing tips have you discovered that make life easier?

~Laura

Fitness: Turbo Jam

So, I'm pretty much a exercise video junky.  Collagevideo.com is one of my favorite websites.  It's a site that has tons of video previews from all different kinds of workout types from yoga to cardio to strength to pilates and more. You can purchase DVDS from the site too but I typically check around for better prices first. 

But, more likely than not, it's the infomercial that grabs my attention.  First it was Winsor Pilates, then Turbo Jam, then P90x, and most recently the Fluidity Bar.  I have to say, I've never been disappointed.

Overall though, Turbo Jam is my go-to workout.  It's so fun!!  The 20 minute video flies by but you still get a great workout and are plenty sweaty by the end.  It really is all about how hard you push yourself.  The music is very upbeat and motivating and Charlene has great energy. 

The other three videos are also good.  I just don't do them as much.

Cardio Party 1:  This is a killer workout!  It's 45 minutes long and you move the whole time.  When you get to the side lateral squats with jumps it's kind of painful (but in a good way).

Turbo Sculpt:  This is a pretty good strength video.  It's different because you're moving while you lift weights but as long as you don't use too heavy of weights, it's still comfortable and you finish feeling you got a good overall workout.  Maybe I'll revisit this one tonight . . . .

Ab Jam:  This video is in two parts: 10 minutes standing work and 10 minutes floor.  She has some unique moves and it's a good ab routine.  It's mostly different types of crunches and sit ups once you hit the floor but your abs are already tired from the first 10 minutes.

What a love most about Turbo Jam is how I feel afterwards.  I feel like I got a great workout, my abs feel tighter, I'm tired but in a good way, with a bright red face that says my heart was getting a good hammering, and yet I'm also energized.  I never feel like I wasted time when I do Turbo Jam, and I can't say that for every exercise dvd.

~Laura

Army Life: Our Experience of Basic Training, From MEPS through Graduation

The process of going from civilian . . .

 to soldier.

Here it is.  My experience of what can be collectively called the Army's Basic" but what in actuality has quite a few steps: 1) MEPS, 2) Reception, 3) Basic, and 4) Graduation.


MEPS

On Monday, the day before MEPS, I had to drive Ryan to the hotel so he could check in. The Army puts the future soldiers in a hotel near the airport and once checked in the soldier is pretty much property of the Army.  I dropped him off around noon that day and I think he was released around 1500.  Then we had a few hours together before he had to be back.  I remember this originally surprised me.  I had had it in my head that I wouldn't have to start letting go until the day he was scheduled to swear in.  But, that's the life of an Army wife.

Tuesday, the day he was scheduled to enlist on his original MEPS contact, was a busy day.  We didn't see him much.  He had stayed at the hotel the night before and we showed up at the MEPS office around 1100, thinking he'd be sworn in soon.  Well, this was our first taste of "hurry up and wait".  A "soon" estimate turned into a 1-2 hour wait.  Word of advice: bring lots of snacks and plan on at least a 2 hour wait, if not more.  When it was finally his turn to be sworn in the NCO allowed me to be on stage so that I could take photos of Ryan.  Unfortunately the camera died but it was still fun being able to watch him.  We were the only family present out of the 18 or so being sworn in at that moment.

After the swearing in Ryan had some more instructions and processing to do before he could be released.  He was also required to ride the bus back to the hotel and THEN I could pick him up.  I did a lot of driving that day back and forth.  I think we only got about 2 hours together alone that day.  It was really rough.

I still remember the goodbye like it was yesterday.  We stood outside, next to our car, trying to find a private space but there was a lot of in and out traffic from other families.  We hadn't been apart in over 9 years.  There were lots of tears and I probably shouldn't have driven home.  It was like a piece of my heart had been removed and was carried off as he walked away.

The next day he his flight was at about 6am.  Had I been alone, I would have met him there to see him off.  The airport gives special passes to family to accompany the soldier to the gate.  You still have to go through security but you're not required to have a ticket.  Well, with a 1-year-old we decided it would be too much.  He was able to call from the airports though - some had special phones available to soldiers.  Ryan didn't take his cell phone with him.


RECEPTION

Turns out a cell phone wouldn't have been a bad idea.  Cell phones were allowed for most of Reception.  Luckily, he was able to borrow one once in a while and his bunk mate ended up being quite generous with it.  I'd say during that week of Reception I got a phone call almost every day.  They weren't long but it was definitely nice hearing his voice because once he joined his Basic unit, that was over.


BCT

I think I went well over a week without any contact.  I knew this might happen but it was still a shock.  A Facebook page was started by his commanders and in the beginning we were kept pretty well updated on what our soldiers was up to.  I remember I found out about the Facebook page from a letter, either from the sergeant or from Ryan.  The Facebook page had a mailing address but didn't list the specific platoon so in order to mail letters I had to wait until Ryan sent me one with a return address on it before I could get a letter to him.  I had written letters every day since he had left so once I finally was able to send them, I'd send two or three at a time.  It took a few weeks to catch up.

Ryan looking studly in his full combat gear.

There was huge delay between when I would mail a letter and when Ryan would receive it because mail was only collected on certain days.  He'd write back over a couple days and then I'd get it a few days after that so it was hard to stay current - everything was backlogged.

My first phone call came about 3 weeks after he started Basic.  They had to earn their phone privileges.  Actually, they hadn't even earned them yet since one soldier lost it for everyone but Ryan was able to make a special call because we were having issues with his MyPay account.  I still remember the call so well.  I was in RiteAid (not where I wanted to be when he called) and when we both heard each others' voice, it was instant tears.  I started shaking.  It's crazy how emotional and visceral the response is of hearing your husband's voice after so long.  Just knowing he was okay and able to talk and that we could communicate in real time was amazing.

I think the phone call lasted about 5 minutes.  After that he had to go.  They were supposed to be able to call every Sunday once they started the White Phase (Red, White, and Blue were the phases of Basic) but unfortunately there were more screw ups and one soldier can really lose it for everyone.  I maybe got 4 or 5 calls the whole time he was in Basic and the longest one was 30 minutes.  The shortest phone call was about a minute.  All of a sudden a sergeant was yelling and Ryan hurriedly said goodbye.  That happened a few times.

So, Basic consisted of writing letters every night.  I started out handwriting and switched to typing so I could include more.  I also took 1-2 photos of Chloe every day and would print those and send them along.  She grew up so much in those 10 weeks.

Another action shot.

That was the hardest part of Basic: Chloe.  She was only 20 months when he left and there's not much you can explain to a one-year-old.  I did my best to talk about him every day and she had her Daddy Doll but I could tell she was sad.  There's no way to get a toddler to understand time and for all she knew, she'd never see him again.  She never wanted to talk on the phone and when she heard his voice, I don't think could tell that he was actually there.  We had Ryan read stories while being videotaped right before he left and I thanked God over and over that I had thought to do that because it was the only way that she had a visual of Ryan, of his mannerisms and of how he talked to her.

Chloe two weeks before we went to Graduation.

GRADUATION

Going to Oklahoma was the best part of this whole process!  Family Day was Thursday and Graduation was Friday so we had originally planned to leave for home Saturday.  However, Ryan found out he could get passes from his AIT unit for both Saturday and Sunday so we rescheduled to stay until Monday.  That was SO expensive to change our flight but SO worth it!

We left for Oklahoma Wednesday.  I was so nervous that something was going to happen to our flight.  Sure enough, it did.  We were originally scheduled for an 8am flight but there was a delay and we didn't leave until 10am.  Because our layover was so short they had to reschedule the second half of our flight as well and we ended up not getting into Oklahoma until around 1700 their time when we should have been there around noon.  At least we made it though!

The next day we headed over to the base for the first time.  I think Family Day started around 11am with some demonstrations.  It was SO hot!  Ryan wasn't in a demonstration so he marched out with others from his class.  Thanks to my poor eyesight I totally pegged the wrong guy and was waving to him and smiling the whole time.  Whoops!  When they finally released the family and soldiers I started making my way to where I thought Ryan was only to have him call my name from the completely other side.  Either way, there he was!  I ran to him and we embraced.  It was so strange and amazing hugging and kissing after over 10 weeks apart.

Family Day.  Right after we were first reunited.

The feel of pride is indescribable.  There he is.  The same person but not, now embodying this greater cause, a cause of freedom and liberty and justice.  You just feel so proud to be a part of it, serving your country.  

Chloe took a little time warming back up to Ryan.  After about 30 minutes or so she allowed him to hold her.  They had been incredibly close before he left so it was a bummer but also we expected it could happen since she was so young.

I think Ryan was release on Family Day from about 1300-1800.  We took him out to eat and then hung out at the hotel.  His mom, dad, and stepmom were also in Oklahoma with us.

Here's Ryan relaxing for the first time in quite a while.

Graduation Day was really just that: Graduation.  We headed over to the theater around noon and I think it started around 1300. Chloe kept yelling "Daddy!"during the whole ceremony but Ryan said he never heard her.  Unfortunately I didn't get very good photos with the lighting but it's in my mind.

Before the ceremony one of his fellow soldiers took this photo and sent it to my phone.  Ahh . . . technology!

After Graduation is was chaotic.  We had less than 5 minute to find him, take some photos and congratulate him before he was ordered to help and then head over to his AIT unit for in-processing.  He called around 1500 that day to say come pick him up and I sent his dad, not realizing there would be a family orientation.  Ugh!  Go to your soldier's orientation if you can!  He didn't get released until late that day and I think we had all of two hours with him.

The next two days were better.  On average he was released around 9am and had to be back around 1700.  It was never enough time but that Saturday was our 5-year anniversary so it was really special being able to celebrate that with him. The timing was perfect.  And on Sunday we went to Mass together, something we had missed doing for all of those weeks.

Here's our cutie trying on her Daddy's hat.

Hanging out by the pool.  He did get in and swim on other days.

Heading to Mass.

Sunday we had to say goodbye again.  I kept it together a little better than when he first left but it was still so hard.  I just wanted to hang on and never let go.

And that was that.  Now he's in AIT.  We Skype almost every day and talk and text and it's much better.  Only 20 days until we're in each others' arms again!

~Laura

Living Simply: Budgeting with Mint.com

 

  

I've been a member of Mint.com for at least 5 years and yet I've barely been scraping the surface of it's usefulness.  Recently my more-enlightened sister started telling me how she and her husband use it to budget.  A budget is something I've always strived for but have never been very successful at.  I listened to Dave Ramsey, I knew it was important, but still our money just went out without any real analysis or discipline.  But, that's all changed, now that I'm using Mint correctly.   

Here's the key: 

BUDGET EVERYTHING.  

Every dollar needs to be accounted for.  That means all bills: electricity, phone, student loans, credit cards, auto payment, all of those fixed monthly expenses.  Additionally, budget all of the "variable" items: gas, food, and, shopping.  

I use my "shopping" category as kind of a catch-all category.  Mint includes some automatic sub-categories of shopping like hobbies and clothing but to keep track of Ryan's expenses while in AIT, I created a new sub-category so all of those little shoppette runs could be tracked.  By giving shopping an overall budget but also budgeting subcategories, I'm able to get a more specific picture of where the money is going during the month.  

LOG IN.

Now comes the fun part: you have to actually log in every few days to make sure every expense is being categorized correctly.  Recently I had a pharmacy purchased listed as "Macy's" and clothing.  No idea how that happened but that's why I love the "details" category.  Typically lists who the store is with location information.

It actually becomes kind of a fun task, going in every few days, relabeling transactions and checking on your money. 

The biggest change for me is that it motivates me to NOT spend.  I see those budget lines grow and it's a great visual reminder that money is not limitless and there's an end.  I purchase more thoughtfully now. 

You also want to enter an amount of "income" and then make sure those transactions are labeled correctly. It's a number you enter so if you have variable income, you can just estimate.  Including income allows you to see what, if any, is left over after all of the budgeted items.  It gives you a more complete picture while doing the math for you. 

Finally, you can exclude transactions from Mint.  This has been crucial for certain transactions.  For example, if I get birthday money, I don't want it included as "income" because that will throw my monthly budget off.  I just keep track of the amount and what I spend it on and exclude all of the relevant transactions.

MOTIVATING.

Budgeting this way has helped me feel much more in control of our finances.  No more scribbling budget items on paper only to never keep track of what actually happens.  Now everything is tracked automatically and easily viewed as money is spent. 

I recommend everyone utilize Mint.com.  There's so much you can do with it.  Budgeting is only one aspect, but for me it's been the key. 

~Laura