Good-Night Little Moon..

Oh and Good-Bye October. 

Until we meet again next year.. :)

I hope you liked the re-cap on the month. My computer is now slowing dieing while my stomach is hungry and I am enjoying this movie with my brother-in-law..

how could I not watch this movie.. it is based out of Wisconsin and took place in a lot of the area that my husband grew up within.. GREAT MOVIE..and the movie was EVEN FILMED HERE in WI!

Here is a little bit about the filming process...

Principal photography began in Columbus, Wisconsin on March 17, 2008^[21] and continued in the Illinois cities of Chicago, Aurora, Joliet and Lockport; and the Wisconsin cities of Oshkosh, Beaver Dam, Milwaukee, Madison and several other places in Wisconsin; including the Little Bohemia Lodge in Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin, the actual location of a 1934 gun fight between Dillinger and the FBI.^[22] Some parts of the film were shot in Crown Point, Indiana, the town where Dillinger was imprisoned and subsequently escaped from jail. The actual 1932 Studebaker used by Dillinger during a robbery in Greencastle, Indiana was also used during filming in Columbus, borrowed from the nearby Historic Auto Attractions museum.^[23]

The decision to shoot parts of the film in Wisconsin came about because of the number of high quality historic buildings. Mann, who had been a student at University of Wisconsin–Madison,^[24] scouted locations in Baraboo and Columbus as well as looking at 1930s-era cars from collectors in the Madison area.^[25] In addition, the film was shot on actual historical sites, including the Little Bohemia Lodge, and the old Lake County jail in Crown Point, Indiana, where Dillinger staged his most famous escape where legend has it he fooled jail officers with a wooden gun^[26] and escaped in the sheriff's car.^[20] Scenes were shot at places that he frequented in Oshkosh. The courthouse in Darlington is the location for the courthouse scenes. A bank robbery scene was shot inside the Milwaukee County Historical Society, a former bank in Milwaukee that still has much of the original period architecture.^[27]

In late March 2008 portions of the film were shot at Libertyville High School. Footage includes one of the school's science labs, an office, the school's front entrance, and the locker rooms.

In April 2008 the production filmed in Oshkosh.^[28] Filming occurred downtown and at Pioneer Airport, including scenes shot using a historic Ford Trimotor airliner owned by the Experimental Aircraft Association.^[29] Later that month, filming started at the Little Bohemia Lodge. In April and May 2008, film crews shot on the grounds of Ishnala, a historic restaurant in the Wisconsin Dells area.

The film became a flash point in the public debate about the "film tax credits" that are offered by many states.^[30] The state of Wisconsin gave NBC Universal $4.6 million in tax credits, while the film company spent just $5 million in Wisconsin during filming.^[31]

Michael Mann, the director, decided to shoot the movie in HD format instead of using the traditional 35 mm film.^[32]

^{Taken from Wikipedia.com}

Corn Maze In The Middle Of Nowhere!

Mike had weekend duty and I had a ECSA gathering that was about a 2 hour drive. I did not want to make the drive alone because it seemed so long that I asked my co-worker and  friend Jamie to join in and we had a BLAST! 

Corn maze, sushi and talking about life.

Here is a re-cap in pictures of our little adventure.

My Dad's Number!

Thank You...Jamie for coming along with me to keep my company!

Making Strides: Think Pink!

I am a SURVIVOR!

I say it loud and proud.. with the help and the awesome support of my family and friends I MAKE IT!

The month of Oct. is Breast Cancer Awareness month. The Heimes' "Think Pink" in a number of different ways and with a number of different friends and family. The month started with my mom and sister who traditionally send out a box filled with all things pink. I am thankful and excited to get a box every year from Michigan from them. I also got a cute little gift from two little ones at the school that I teach at... it was a note pad and tons of candy.. yummy!

On second week of Oct. my girl Holly and I got dressed to Zumba the night away. We were dancing and breaking a sweat for a cause. Mind you it was from 6-9 so we got tired nearing the last 20 min. however we did it and had tons of laughs. Mike came out to support us and get us anything that we needed for the night. He sat in his lawn chair and DRANK ha.. but HEY he was out there with us.

The last week we woke up early and drove to a Making Strides Breast Cancer Walk. It was COLD but we bared all and made it through the 5k. Which took place right along the water... I walked with the group M.Creu (where I Zumba), my "Florida Mom" and Mike! We started off my warming up with the Creu who did an awesome. We had a blast.. although it was cold.

Lastly my husband is amazing and so supportive in everything that takes place in my little life. I truly am thankful for him and all he does. He has a tradition where ever-year he gets me a SURVIVOR gift and this year it happen to be a few thinks that truly are special to me.

Mind me it was a long day of work and I needed to shower before I opened my gift.

I truly am thankful and blessed to have so many awesome people within my life. They help make my life what it is today AMAZING!

Halloween Time

Mike and I have been together for about 4 years and in that 4 years we have only been together for 2 H-Weens... thank you U.S Military for making me learn ways to make Halloween fun with a husband who needs to be away at work.

Our weekend was packed starting on Friday where we got geared up for the CPS H-Ween Parade! During the month of Oct. where I teach the teachers gear up by making art pieces and learning a song with their classrooms. We than as a tradition have all the children dress up and walk the red carpet and sing for the parents. The Mr. tagged along to help and give moral support to my classroom "The Big Kid Class" and all the little ones who attend the school.

   Can you tell I am supportive! I was a softball player!

Saturday, we headed to pick out pumpkins at one of our local churches. We went in and out of rows until we found one that was just right and a few smaller ones just to use for decor. After we grabbed lunch at our fav. Rivals and than headed home for a nap.

After our nap we dressed warm and drove off to our local zoo for a nigh of "Boo At The Zoo" where the animals were awake and we were COLD! Brrr..

Sunday, I was honored my CDA award from school..which allows me to be more qualified to teach VPK. We headed home baked, chicken buffalo nachos, cookies and carved our pumpkin!

Recipe From : Flip Flops and Combat Boots

Monday, this was the official day of H-Ween! Mike had to work the whole night because there are men in his shop that have children who they need to be with during H-Ween. Which is totally okay because if we were parents I would want Mike home with us passing out candy. So.. I passed out candy alone, made dinner and did homework. We made due and had an awesome fun filled weekend!

Our Apt. Home

October Here We Go..

You were so busy.. and a blur.. so the next few post will be small recaps on LIFE. Before me we move on to catching up on November!

Airfare Gone Wrong...

Starting our last vacation of the year.. was HELL! 

I will not state which airfare that we booked or traveled on but I will say that it was HORRIBLE.

HELL + HORRIBLE = (A Cranky Wife That CRIED).

Bless my husband and his patients for me. He comforted me ..gave me lots of coffee and talked! This helped me from not dieing because of our horrible experience. We org. were suppose to board our flight to GA at about 7:30 am and that was cancelled. That lead us to be re-booked for noon and that re-booking lead us to still sit until about 12:40. We than landed in GA by 2pm and sat until 7pm...in the middle of all of this I had homework that was due by the end of the night. Mind you the internet in GA was OUT! So I did what anyone else would have done.. freaked out and cried. We than FINALLY boarded our last plane and landed in WI at about 9pm..had about a 2 hour drive before we were in a warm bed.

I would like to think that airports will learn to start caring about flights and ect. Seeing that people spend good money on tickets to ensure that they will be home on time and safely. We were suppose to be in WI by noon and that went out of the window after our first flight was cancelled! I also did not mention the LOW to failing grades I received from the lack of internet that was suppose to be working because I paid a whole 10$ for it... 

Anyways were NOW ON VACATION! Well as I am writing this we are half way done with vacation. It has been so busy but I will keep you posted on a few events and past events seeing that I am going to RELAX ... with family time, reading, and blogging.

The Military Spouse!

Yesterday was Veterans Day.. and it truly was about the ones who gave and still give today. The men and women who sacrafice everyday for the freedom of others.

However throughout the day I was reciving random text messages that said "Happy Veterans Day to you and your husband". It was not until about 8pm when I recieved a facebook comment on my wall by my good friend Sara that read this ...

Military Wives

 Each one may look different and each is wonderfully unique, But this is what they
have in common:
...

Lots of moving...
Moving...
Moving...
Moving far from home...
Moving two cars, three kids and one dog...
all riding with HER of course.
Moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house; Moving curtains
that won't fit;
Moving jobs
Moving away from friends;
Moving toward new friends;
Moving her most important luggage: her trunk full of memories.

Often waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting for housing.
Waiting for orders.
Waiting for deployments.
Waiting for phone calls.
Waiting for reunions.
Waiting for the new curtains to arrive.
Waiting for him to come home, For dinner...AGAIN!

They call her 'Military Dependent', but she knows better:
She is fiercely In-Dependent.
She can balance a check book;
Handle the yard work;
Fix a noisy toilet;
Bury the family pet...
She is intimately familiar with drywall anchors and toggle bolts.
She can file the taxes;
Sell a house;
Buy a car;
Or set up a move...
....all with ONE Power of Attorney.

She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her.
She reinvents her career with every move; Locates a house in the east, west or out of country.
And learns to call them all 'home'.
She MAKES them all home.

Military Wives are somewhat hasty...
They leap into:
Decorating,
Leadership,
Volunteering,
Career alternatives,
Churches,
And friendships.
They don't have 15 years to get to know people.
Their roots are short but flexible.
They plant annuals for themselves
and perennials for those who come after them.

Military Wives quickly learn to value each other:
They connect over coffee,
Rely on the spouse network,
Accept offers of friendship and favors.
Record addresses in pencil...

Military Wives have a common bond:
The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands; his commitment is unique.
He doesn't have a 'JOB'
He has a 'MISSION' that he can't just decide to quit...
He's on-call for his country 24/7.
But for her, he's the most unreliable guy in town!
His language is foreign
NOK, PCS, OPR, SOS, ACC, BDU, ACU, BAR, CIB, BDF And so, a Military Wife is
a translator for her family and his.
She is the long- distance link to keep them informed; the glue that holds them together.

A Military Wife has her moments:
She wants to wring his neck;
Dye his uniform pink;
Refuse to move to Siberia;
But she pulls herself together.
Give her a few days,
A travel brochure,
A long hot bath,
A wedding picture,
And she goes.
She packs.
She moves.
She follows.

Why?
What for?
How come?

You may think it is because she has lost her mind.

But actually it is because she has lost her heart .
It was stolen from her by a man,
Who puts duty first,
Who longs to deploy,
Who salutes the flag,
And whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military Husband, she will remain his military wife.

And would have it no other way.

Author Unknown

After reading this I cryed because alot of this I have endured and alot of what is above I will endure. Every day a military spouse is doing this and at certain moments in life people tend to forget that we do sacrafice for our country in a different way and because it is our husbands path to be a soldier we help him to achieve and accomplish all that he can as he protects America!

I am so thanful to have a support system as a military spouse to have friend, family, and people within my community who remember me and my husband on a daily base.

 

      
  

11.11.11

Today.. I had the day off and it truly was nice to be home with the Mr. on a Friday FINALLY!

We spent the day exercising, eatting and just plan relaxing.

Mike went running while I headed to Zumba. We met after for grocery shopping and than came home where I made my first attempt at Beef Stew in the crock pot. I have this thing about crock pots! I love the idea but I hate to wait 8 hours for a good meal while I am sitting at home smelling how yummy it is as it is cooking. I tend to make it all in a pot on the stove and than I transfer into the crock pot for the last hour or so of the cooking process. It speeds the process up about 6 hours which is better for my tummy.

This was YUMMY and easyer than I thought!

 After we ate we than celebrated Veterans Day with a little treat!

The Mr's cookie cake for Veterans Day!



I also wanted to share this.. in July the school I work at collected items to make care-packages for the troops! The children learned all about the troops and how we should THANK them for their service. We live in a community that is surround by two Air Force bases! So many of the children tend to see men and women in uniform daily. It is a proud moment for many parents to see their children learning about America and the meaning of freedom. My Mr. known as Mr. Mike is often in the classroom droping in to say hello or read a quick book to the kids before work. One of the little ones in my classroom did this piece of art that was suppose to go into a box to send overseas to a troop but than he started to talk about Mr. Mike. He gave this to Mike in July and we proudly have it hang on our refrigerator.

 

Today I am not only remembering my husband but I am also remembering all of those who give and gave for my FREEDOM !

 

Happy Birthday ...

October, 17 is my dad's birthday..

 

The pain still sits..of how much I miss that man and all he did for my family and I. Today I took my lunch break and felt like a fool crying in a McDonald's eating a happy meal and telling my husband that it is just not fair... He has been gone since 2007 and you would think it would become easyer to deal with the pain of losing a parent but it is not. The pain becomes more real on certain dates... when I am 1000's of miles away from my father's stone and my family who are tending to dinner in honor of him. Today I went to work and was an awe... as I listened to my ten children talk about their daddy's and how much they loved the little things that they did for them. I remember my dad for his smile for the moments he would tell me that he loved me...because I MADE HIM A DAD! I will never forget his HOPE for me.. his dreams for me to have a education and to always strive for so much more in life. I will remember him for rubbing my back, clearing away my tears and always telling me he loved me. 

As I sit here with a glass of wine and tears running down my cheeks.. I understand that no matter how hard this journey gets with him being gone.. I will always have the little things to remember him... I will always understand that he is always watching over me and guiding me.

I truly am blessed to have a father in my life.. and one who CARED enough to show me the true meaning of living life!

To Be The Smile On A Childs Face

Mike and I have spent the last two weekends at Soccer Games!

I happen to have 4 little ones in my life that are playing soccer for our local youth soccer league. These little ones are the children that I spend Monday-Friday teaching. I have heard all about Soccer this and that for awhile now and decided since they are all playing on the same league to pay them a visit and cheer them on. I even made a t-shirt and was told that I am in fact their #1 fan!

I Love Soccer

And.. Grayson, Will, Campbell, Noah

 These little ones make me proud because over the last two weekends I have seen them grow into a little soccer players. A couple still have trouble hitting the field and tears still enter their eyes if a play goes wrong, but at the end of the game they are full of SMILES.

Here are a few more picture that a awesome mom let me use for my blog!

Mike and I with some of our favorite soccer players!

Look at his face! He is waving to me from the field!

At the end of the day.. I want these children to remember me.. for the teacher that I am.Also for the  values that I have helped them build within my time with them as young children. I will hope that they will gain a foundation for life-long learning and come back to me one day to THANK me for the adults that they are becoming because of the help I gave them. Teaching is a job that is about giving. The reciving comes from the smiles that they give you daily.

Top Military Family Blogs 2011

Who ME!? Yes Me!

I am overly proud to announce that

VeteransBenefitsGIBill.com

has named my little blog one of the "Top Military Family Blogs" for the year 2011! You can head on over to there site to view a full list of all the other blogs that they have listed. I am very excited for other bloggers and myself that are on the list!

Congraulations! 

Couponing 101

I always hear people say this to couponers..

"You tend to buy things that you do not need"

"You use a coupon because you have it.."

This is not true for me. I have been couponing for sometime now and have learned the method that works best for me and my family.

First, I gather my coupons from sunday papers, online, and ect. I cut them and place them in a binder that is divided to my liking. I cut them all because at the end of the month all expired and non used coupons go into a envalope that gets donated to the military overseas to use at their local BX, PX, Commisary or ect. Plus if you look at it you never know which coupon you might need and when you might need it.

Hey it is FREE money!

Secound, I get my Sunday ads and I start to match up with the items that I am going to buy. I also use online databases that help make my trips easyer! I do only buy what I can use within my home or what I can donate to others. If your going to get it for FREE or a good deal you should take it becasue you can always find someone who will need it.

Another idea is I put boxes together for my husbands friends that are overseas with the military. I also place boxes together for familiy members who are in college and might be straped for cash. Here are a few pictures of my "Coupon Haul's. I have prefected useing at CVS and try to stick to were I am comfortable useing my coupons.

The last picture is a Sunday night of TV, being sick and clipping! I would say all the items you see I got for less than $150.00 out of pocket. I want to stress that I do use coupons often but not ALL the time. I still eat out and pay regular price for a ton of items. However if I do have a coupon that will help me I do use it to get a deal.

If you would like to learn more about couponing just let me know I am more than willing to help and share a few tips. I taught my little sister a while back how to do it and she is becoming really good at getting deals now with coupons!