Friday, February 18, 2011

Post with the Most...Making the Most of your Post

One of my biggest issues prior to coming here was all the negative feedback I was getting about our soon to be post and pretty much life on any Post in Germany. Nothing to do but beer drinking, domestic issues and cheating husbands so once I got here I was pleasantly surprised when things to me were not as described so I started blogging about my experiences and life on my post.
First thing about our post I noticed was that it is more of a little community which makes up a large family making life here so much more enjoyable. So I jumped right in and made it my home I joined our Spouse & Civilians Club, FRG, Battalion Coffees & PWOC. I made it a point to try to attend as many events, activities & get togethers as I can I truly believe that having good friends makes life better no matter where you are.
My biggest goal was that my daughters would make friends and really feel like this was home since this is their first time being Army Bratz. I think that it's important to research your post and see what it offers for yourself, your children and your family. In my case our post is small however they do have bowling alley, movie theater and a teen center all of these are really important for your pre-teen and teenagers. One of the biggest gripes that I noticed here was not enough activities, classes, events being offered at our post all of them were offered at our sister post 30 mins away ugh who wants to have to make that drive all the time, gas, time, ugh bad weather plus why should we have to go to another post when it could just as easily be offered at our post?
Something I advocate very vocally is if you want something offered on your post speak up attend your community meetings, grass roots meetings, fill out an Ice Comment for your post, inquire on your posts facebook page without people saying what's on their minds and asking for changes to be made nothing will happen. I truly believe that it's up to us to better what community we are in.  YES you might just be one little Army Wife in the cog of the Army Wife wheel but it only takes one voice, one idea, one dream to create a change...YOU COULD BE THE ONE TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE.
Well we are now in the process of making our post a Post with the Most SKIES, EDGE, MWR, BOSS, CYS have heard our roar and they are working hard to get us all the classes, activities and events we've asked for. Me personally I am working on bringing AWANA to our post I truly believe our kids should be able to enjoy all the activities just like they would if we were civilians. My challenge to you is to make the most of your post what can you do to better your experience and your families experience at your post..

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

From Germany to Franfurt to Germany in 96 hours...all to get Jello

The title is a little misleading I didn't fly on multiple planes, across an ocean and all the way across the great Ole US of A to Washington State just to get Jello...No this Jello is also known as my daughter mini me AKA Julianna Grace. The trip was planned quickly with a weeks notice and honestly I could of gone quicker heck I could of made the trip to and from faster if I wasn't coordinating her flights too. So I got ready to pack I pull out the big suitcase undo the zipper and yank out my back pack yep a back pack lol in goes my jeans, jeans, shirt, shirt, undies, undies, bra, bra lol you get the picture ....
Now flying here to Germany originally I was traveling with 5 kids, 5 suitcases, 5 carry-on's all by myself so me flying solo was sorta exciting ..I only had to toss my backpack on and grab my passport and it was liberating lol...I was excited and nervous at the same time since this is only my second time flying...now just an FYI I was repeatedly questioned by security people for not having luggage ...even though I explained I was only flying there and flying right back they couldn't grasp that I wasn't up to no good and OMG a women without too much baggage ...no way I blew their minds....
I was all about snapping photos of everything on this trip....I flew from Germany to Philly PA my only regrets are I wish that I had some layover time there I would of loved to be able to see my nana & aunt dee...and damn I wasn't hungry but I should of snagged a philly steak sandwich ...if you haven't fallen in love with one and then moved to another country you wouldn't understand the OH CRAP I SHOULD OF EATEN THAT EXTRA 2000 cal sandwich ...going back to the States is not when one should worry about there diet ..it's not like we can swing back by and grab one next time we are in the neighborhood...
From Philly I was off to Seattle...it was raining when I left to go to Germany and it was raining when I returned sorta felt like nothing changed lol
I left Germany Friday afternoon and landed in Seattle Washington Friday night...that always amazes me lol I dragged myself to the hotel and was off to slumber land...
I planned Julianna's flight as coming in Saturday afternoon so I wouldn't have to get up at the break of dawn to pick her up ....Jello has been retrieved :D it was wonderful seeing her face...we managed to grab her luggage and Salem our fat cat and made our way back to the hotel where we ordered dinner and I went back to sleep...this photo here represents what Julianna did all the way up until take off Sunday morning lol text text text.." BUT MOMMY MOMMA I HAVE TO TEXT NOW YOU CAN'T TEXT FROM GERMANY SO I GOTTA TEXT NOW" Our flight flew out Sunday morning from Seattle Washington to Las Vegas BABY..just an FYI Vegas is Vegas means nothing to me but we had a 7 hour layover there which wasn't too bad because it took about 4 hours for us to finally get pointed to the right spot to stand to catch the shuttle to the terminal for international flights...there are slot machines in the airport...craziness lol
I left alot of other little details out this is more a quick over view on the fact that I went and got my Jello and she is home with her sisters where she belongs...now my family is whole and complete ...I couldn't be happier and I am very thankful for all my friends whose prayers kept us safe and sane during this trip....