Discipline

I'm a little lost when hear a friend say that they had a difficult time disciplining their child...not that they couldn't do it or didn't know what to do but that they didn't want to do it. Unfortunately (or thankfully-depending on how you look at it) for my children, we don't have that problem. It doesn't break our hearts to send our sweet angels to time out...throw out their toys...restrict them from TV or take away whatever thing they have most recently fallen in love with when they're being anything but sweet angels.

*Let me clarify...we do not discipline the 4 month old...I write "they" more out of habit because it's "they" now instead of just him and also because I fully expect the princess will get the same exact level of discipline that her big brother has come to know...though tactics may have to be adjusted based on personality*

It might sound odd given what you've read so far but I wouldn't necessarily call my husband and I strict. Pizza for breakfast from time to time-according to public schools it counts as healthy food now, the boy playing loudly while his sister sleeps-he's three and she has adapted well, not having a formal bedtime-they're stay-at-home kids who can (and hopefully will) sleep as late as they want...none of that will be the death of society. However, the rules we have are absolute. There is no breaking them. They all revolve around respect. Respect our family, Joshua and I's authority, others' belongings and bodies and we'll be great. Our children are being raised with the idea that there will not be a 3-2-1 count down. What we say to do is what we expect to happen. First time. Every time. 

When that doesn't happen-when we don't have first time obedience, there's a consequence. It doesn't have to be big but it does have to happen every time. So far, it's been great. The older the boy gets, the less we've had to discipline him because he's learning that what we say, we mean. We're proving ourselves to him just as he's proving himself to us. There was a time when time out was a daily occurrence-sometimes multiple times a day, now it's closer to once or twice a week and we've had to adjust. We started with time out as a place to sit and get control of himself but the boy's a people watcher. He's content to sit for hours just watching the world go bye so we changed the time out location to "find a corner." It's the same concept of separate yourself from the situation, get control of yourself and miss a little bit of playtime. Of course, at home he knows what corners are readily available in each room but I have to admit it's kind of funny when we're at a friend's house or shopping and a time out is necessary. There's always a moment after I say "find a corner" where the boy is lost and has an "oh man, where do I go now" look. 

Putting the sometimes humorous search for a corner aside, we like disciplining our children. We don't find anything about it to be heartbreaking. I wouldn't be heartbroken if my son learned any other new skill...when he started to crawl, we celebrated...when he walked, we celebrated more...when he spoke, we were ecstatic. Our joy at his learning didn't stop just because he fell or misspoke unless he was physically hurt from a fall but even then, it was a lesson. Besides, he's not physically harmed with discipline (spanking doesn't work for us-no judgement, just our choice) and in the end, being self-disciplined is just another skill that takes time to learn and we're happy to teach our children the lessons they need to grow.

Disney World's Pirate's League

Disney World is full of tons of "extras" you can do on top of all the great rides, shows and of course the yummy food. Two of our favorites are The Pirate's League and The Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique. This week we're going to cover The Pirate's League...next week, we'll tackle every princess's dream, The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.

THE PIRATE'S LEAGUE

WHERE: The Pirate's League is located inside the Magic Kingdom, nestled between the Pirate's of the Caribbean ride and the attraction's gift shop. When you enter the park go straight back toward the castle and take you're first left into Adventureland...it's on the left, just past the Jungle Cruise attraction.

WHO: Kids (and adults) 3 yrs and up

WHAT YOU GET: 

(photo credit: http://www.friendsandinspirations.com)

Mermaid: shiny makeup, hairstyle with color changing hair clip and matching necklace, nail polish, mermaid sash

Jake and the Neverland Pirates: Jake bandanna with fake hair, facepaint-eyebrows and side burns, sword with sheath and a Pirate's League coin purse and neclace

Pirate: one of five face paint options, pirate bandanna, temporary tattoo (we found it lasted quiet a while compared to most temporary tattoos but is still easily removable with an alcohol swab) medallion, eye patch, pirate teeth, sword and sheath. 

Pirate Empress: eye patch, sword and sheath, shiny make-up instead of the more masculine pirate face paint, a face jewel instead of a pretend scar, nail polish and instead of leaving with the gnarly pirate teeth, she will leave with lip gloss and nail polish.

WHAT HAPPENS: The pirates in your party will start out with a roll of the dice using a giant ship's wheel to determine their new pirate name. From there, they will go to the Muster Stations (aka make-over room) and wait for their new pirate name to be called (don't worry, if you're little pirate forgets his or her new name and doesn't respond to the first call, they will also call him or her by their land-loving name). This is when you can change your pirate into his or her pirate clothes if you didn't arrive with them already on. Pirate costumes are available for purchase when you select the facial package but you are free to bring them from home instead. The pirate trainers (aka make-over technicians) will speak only as a pirate and will transform you into the perfect pirate and then give you the Pirate Oath and watch as you pledge your allegiance to Capt Jack. From there you are given a sword and sheath and ushered into an ultra secret Booty Room...what happens in there is a mystery (for me in part because I had stepped outside to sit on a bench and nurse while Joshua went on with the boy)...but...it's rumored that it's a great room where pirates have their photo taken and are permitted to get some booty (the medallion). As your pirate leaves, they will receive a packet containing a very official looking document with their new pirate name and the Pirate's Oath. 

HOW MUCH: 

Pirate/Pirate Empress options starts at $34.95+tax. Additional items like a second dagger, hook or the like can be added on. 

Mermaid makeover is $39.95+tax.

Jake makeover is $29.95+tax.

Costumes can also be added on and average $65-although many visitors opt to bring their own costume from home.

Additionally, inside the secret treasure room, family is not permitted to take pictures but there is a PhotoPass photographer so you may purchase those pics or add them to your PhotoPass+ CD.

HOW TO BOOK: Call 407-WDW-CREW 180 days in advance and make a reservation. There are times of the year when you might be able to do a walk in appointment but it's rare. If you're already at Disney World and have decided it's something you MUST do but don't have a reservation, go straight to the Pirate's League check-in podium as soon as they open (9am) and IF they've had a cancellation for later in the day and IF they don't already have a wait list, you MIGHT be able to get in...but really just call and book it in advance. Pre-payment is not required but they will take a credit card to confirm your reservation and a $10 fee will be taken if you don't show up and don't cancel at least 24 hours in advance.

Thanksgiving...?

I'm probably the only one not feeling the nostalgic holiday...we just got back from Florida, the weather has been so much warmer than usual and Joshua's not home. It just doesn't feel right. I made the mistake of telling my mother that I just wasn't feeling it this year and ended up having to convince her that I'm not depressed. For the record, I'm not depressed. 

It just feels off. Don't get me wrong, I have more to be thankful for than any other year. Our baby girl is here (woohoo, not pregnant) and our boy is doing great even with the deployment.

In the end, what I'm thankful for most, is Joshua. Without him, I wouldn't have most of the greatest things in my life...our kids, our home, the ability to stay at home with our kids, many of our friends, almost everything that really matters. Holidays are not the same without him so I'm not feeling it. I'll still bake and have a big meal but I'm thankful that next year, we'll all be together again.

Waiting for my phone to ring...

Days like today remind me how different my life is during deployment. When Joshua's home I see everything in a different light. If I miss a call from my husband it's no big deal...sometimes (shh, don't tell Joshua) if things are chaotic with the house, kids, dog, whatever, I might even hit the ignore button when he calls. It's not that I don't want to talk to him, I'm just "too busy." Now, if I miss a call, it ruins my day...or week. 

When he's home and says he'll call but doesn't, I get annoyed and roll my eyes when he walks in the door. Now, if he says he'll call or text or email and doesn't, I worry. Hours that feels like days and days that feel like years of holding my phone and wishing it to ring. I'm terrified when someone knocks on my door. My stomach drops when I watch the news...somehow those stories come on at precisely the wrong moment. You know, the tear jerking human interest stories the local news stations love to show. It's worse when I know he's traveling or in the field. 

I don't think I'm supposed to admit any of this. There's this image of military wives as stoic and strong (and many are both) and although I try hard to keep issues of the home, at home...meaning I try not to let the day to day junk here become an issue for Joshua over there...underneath it all, I'm pathetic. I'm one Hallmark commercial away from falling apart. So, for tonight, I'm going to avoid the news, avoid Hallmark commercials and do something...anything to stay busy...thankfully, I have two kids so that shouldn't be a problem.

Disney Dining Plan

***If you're already familiar with the way the Disney Dining Plans work, scroll down to the bottom for tips on how to make the most of your dining plan credits or go HERE for information on the 2013 FREE DINING OFFER***

2013 UPDATE:
The biggest change in the dining plan (other than cost which we have updated below) is that the popular Epcot restaurant, Le Cellier is a full time signature restaurant. No longer just a table service at lunch...if these terms confuse you...keep reading, we break it all down.

When you start planning a Disney World vacation, especially your first, one of the biggest questions that you will need to answer is how and where you'll eat. IF you stay at a Disney-owned resort (not just at a resort/hotel which is on or near Disney property) AND you purchase a vacation package with a resort stay and park tickets, you'll also have the option to purchase a Disney Dining Plan. The dining plan (actually there's three different plans) is one of several benefits to being a Disney Resort guest but I'll cover the resorts and their benefits in another post.

As I mentioned, there are technically three different plans and it can be a bit confusing so I'm going to attempt to break it down as succinctly as possible. They are the QUICK SERVICE PLAN, the BASIC DINING PLAN, and the DELUXE DINING PLAN. I'll go into the differences and details of each plan and approximately how much they cost (Disney prices are always subject to change and usually if there's a change, it's upward) but first an overall explanation of dining at Disney World.

Disney World offers three different meal options (plus, all the snack opportunities...can't forget the Dole Whips and Mickey Ice Cream Bars) and all three (as of 2012) include a complementary refillable resort mug (for ALL dining plan participants).

The first type of meal is what's called a QUICK SERVICE MEAL. It's essentially a fast food style restaurant...sometimes with seating inside, sometimes outside...with much better quality food. Quick service (sometimes referred to as "counter service" because you order at a counter) restaurants don't require or accept reservations. Each of the four main theme parks, both water parks and Downtown Disney all have several Quick service restaurants.

The second type of meal is what's called a TABLE SERVICE MEAL. It's a sit down meal with servers like you'd have at home with any normal restaurant except with Disney World's table service meals sometimes have characters like Mickey and Minnie (Chef Mickey's, Donald's Safari Breakfast, Garden Grill to name a few) or the Princesses (such as Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Epcot's Norway) and RESERVATIONS ARE A MUST. I cannot emphasize this enough. Currently, Disney World will take reservations 180 days in advance for the general public and if you're a Disney Resort guests you can call 180 days before your check-in date to make reservations for your entire stay. You can now make a reservation either online at Disney Dining Reservations or by calling Disney World's direct line for dining at 407-WDW-DINE between 7am and 10pm EST. It cannot be overstated how important reservations are at some of Disney World's more popular table service restaurants. I've known people who have waited just a couple days to call and make their reservation but the restaurant they wanted on the day and time they wanted was already booked up so be sure to call as soon as you can.


The last type of meal is a variation of the table service meals called a SIGNATURE MEAL. A signature meal is an extra special meal...either a higher end restaurant (such as California Grill or dinner at Le Cellier) or has something extra about it like a special character experience (for example, a special photo package and dining inside Cinderella's Castle at Cinderella's Royal Table with several of the Princesses in the dining room going from table to table) or a dinner show (like our personal favorite the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue). Signature meals absolutely require advanced reservations and if you are not planning on using a dining plan to pay for your meal, expect to pre-pay with a credit or debit card when you book the reservation.


Ok...still with me?


Now that you understand how Disney World categorizes the various meals they offer...here's how the dining plans work...


Adults are considered anyone 10 yrs and up for dining purposes
Children are 3-9 yrs
Children under 3 may share off anyone else in the party's plate


All credits are per person and are based on the number of nights in your reservation NOT THE NUMBER OF DAYS


Credits can be used all at once or spread out and do not need to be used up on a daily/nightly basis


Credits are kept on your "Key to the World" card which is also your room key AND your park ticket


Tax is included but gratuity is not included (except for some specialty meals such as a dinner show like Hoop Dee Doo Musical Review). An 18% gratuity is automatically placed on any party of 6 or more at all table service restaurants


Everyone in a resort room must be on the same dining plan


The QUICK SERVICE PLAN:
(per person 3 yrs and up per night of stay)
2 Quick Service Meals (either a complete combo meal OR an entree, dessert  and a non-alcoholic drink)
1 Snack credit (ice cream, chips, veggie dish, etc...generally anything under $4 is the rule)


Each person on the quick service dining plan will also receive a free refillable resort mug.


Current pricing for the quick service plan:
Adults (10yrs and up) $37.58/night of stay
Children (3-9yrs) $14.32/night of stay


The BASIC DINING PLAN:
(per person 3 yrs and up per night of stay)
1 Table Service Meal*  (entree, dessert and a non-alcoholic drink...unless otherwise noted on the menu, appetizers are NOT included on the dining plan)
1 Quick Service Meal
1 Snack credit


*Guests with either the Basic Dining Plan or Deluxe Dining Plan (details below) can exchange 2 Table
Service Meal credits for 1 Signature Meal per person.


Current pricing for the basic dining plan:

Off-Peak Season:
Adults (10yrs and up) $55.59/night of stay
Children (3-9yrs) $17.16/night of stay

Peak Season:
Adults (10yrs and up) $56.94/night of stay
Children (3-9yrs) $18.16/night of stay




The DELUXE DINING PLAN:
(per person 3yrs and up per night of stay)
3 Meals (EITHER quick service OR table service)
2 Snack Credits


Adults (10yrs and up) $85.52 off peak season or $89.52 peak season

Children (3-9) $23.79 off peak season or $25.79 peak season


Extras:
Pizza Delivery (not offered at all resorts):
2 Table service credits are required for each meal and includes the gratuity. Included is: 2 non-alcoholic drinks, a pizza and 2 desserts




Room service (not offered at all resorts):
2 Table service credits are required for each meal (just like a meal at a signature restaurant) and includes the gratuity. Each meal includes an entree, dessert and drink (children 3-9 also receive an appetizer)


Wine & Dine Plan (optional add-on that can be added to any package plan):
$39.99 per night per room and must be added for the entire length of stay
1 bottle of wine per room per night from a select wine list. Locations and wine lists are subject to change and wine is subject to availability.
2 wine credits may be exchanged for one bottle of wine with in-room dining or one bottle of wine at a signature restaurant.




********


If you are visiting Disney World during the Food and Wine Festival (generally the very end of Sept through the first week of Nov), having a dining plan is great. You can use snack credits at the various extra country pavilions-often for small meal samples normally higher than the typical $4 limit. (You cannot, however, use a snack credit  for the wine samples).


Don't waste snack credits just to get water...all the snack vedors will give you a free cup of water and there are water fountains all over the parks (although many would say and I would agree that the tap water doesn't taste very good so consider bringing flavor packets).


Call to make dining reservations at the 180 day mark...it cannot be said too many times.


Be sure to keep your restaurant reservation confirmation numbers...either jot them down or just store them in your phone...it doesn't happen often, but sometimes Disney loses a reservation or gets the number of guests wrong.


Don't let food allergies keep you away from dining at Disney World. All of the table service restaurants will accommodate you and most of the quick service restaurants have large binders full of food allergy alternatives that they can offer.


Vegetarian and kosher meals are also not hard to find at most Disney World restaurants.


At the end of your vacation, if you still have snack credits available (as we always do), you can go to your resort's gift shop and exchange them for great little souvenirs for kids in your life...like a large (approx 5") lollipop or a box of Minnie's Cookies.


Whichever dining plan works for your family and whether or not you get it as a free package inclusion, you'll love all the great dining opportunities found all over Disney World. We've loved everything from having steak at Le Cellier to watching fireworks from California Grill to seeing our son dance with Mickey and the gang at Mickey's Backyard BBQ.

Disney World with Infants/Young Children

We've decided to start writing a weekly Disney World post...mostly because we're starting to get emails from people we've never met asking all sorts of great questions.

The question we get most frequently is...

"Why and how do you go with such small children?"

The why is easy. We go because we want to. Joshua and I love Disney World. We love that it's such a unique vacation spot with thematic elements that envelope you and take you back to a more simple time. People are friendly. The customer service is extraordinary. The food and drinks are second to none. 

Also, we bring our children because we want to. We enjoy their company and to be honest, as a military family, we're separated enough. Plus, until they're three, they're free so why not bring the little boogers along? 

Our son's first trip was when he was 14 months old, our princess first went at only 2 1/2 months (more due to the Army and Joshua's schedule than anything else) but both trips were great and we wouldn't have changed a thing.

The how takes a little more work. The first thing you need to do when considering a trip to Disney World with an infant and/or small children is ask yourself what sort of temperament your child/ren have. Both of our kids sleep well and have had no problem sleeping in their strollers even with lots of activity going on. Even if your kids aren't sleepers, don't count a Disney World trip out-you'll just have to expect and plan more breaks into the schedule. Staying at a resort on Disney property will really help because you can hop on a bus, monorail, ferry boat or drive your own vehicle back to the resort for a quick nap.

The next big thing you need to know is that Disney is designed to make your trip as easy as possible if you plan ahead. There are "Baby Care Centers" in all four parks that make a trip with little ones so much easier.

Each baby care center has the following...

*air conditioning/heat for a nice break from the weather

*a nursing room-a group room where ONLY nursing mothers are allowed (except in Animal Kingdom where the nursing rooms are private individual rooms-my favorite because I prefer to use a nursing cover even with just other nursing mothers)

*a tv room with Disney movies playing for toddlers who need a break or who are waiting with one parent while the other is taking care of baby

*ALMOST everything you could need for baby and toddlers...baby food, medicine, extra clothes, diapers, wipes (the only thing they didn't seem to have available was mylicon so be sure to bring some from home)...also, the prices are really reasonable-they could charge anything but it's fair and even comparable to what you might pay at Target or Walmart

*a changing room...basically just a room FULL of changing tables...they have paper disposable covers so if you forget your portable changing pad, don't worry, they got you covered

*a feeding room...basically just a room FULL of high chairs...they have microwaves and sinks so you can prepare the food or bottle and then clean up so you're not stuck having to carry dirty bottles and dishes around

All of the baby care centers are staffed by really kind, loving, grandmotherly types. The kind of ladies that just love to be around babies.

As great as the baby care centers are, there's only one in each park. They're clearly marked on all the maps and any of the park cast members can direct you to the fastest route. If you're on the opposite side of the park from the baby care center, don't worry, all the bathrooms have changing tables...most have diapers and wipes in a vending machine and you can always hop into a store if you need a break from the weather. 

The only real disappointment to the baby care centers is that because of their size, strollers are not allowed inside. As a result and because I'm a minimalist and didn't want to have to pull out the whole diaper bag from the stroller basket every time we changed a diaper, we became pros at keeping diapers, wipes, butt paste and my cover in a detachable fabric parent console which came with our stroller. My husband and son either stayed with the stroller/camera bag/extra clothes or Joshua grabbed everything and followed me inside to let the boy have some down time with a Disney movie.

Speaking of strollers...having the right stroller at Disney World can make or break your vacation when you have little ones. We always opt to bring our own stroller...we have the Britax B-Ready which can be a single or double stroller. I cannot recommend this stroller highly enough! We have used the infant car seat in conjunction with a toddler seat, just a toddler seat or two seats...depending on the year and our family's needs that trip.

If you're worried about flying with your own stroller or just don't have one that you think would work well in the parks, you have two rental options...

The first: rent from Disney World either just for a day or at a discounted daily rate. Personally, we don't recommend renting the Disney strollers if you have very young children. 

A-they're expensive $15 for a single $31 for a double for one day ($13 & $27/day respectively if you opt for a multi-day rate)

B-they're hard plastic...no padding whatsoever and a baby or small toddler just can't sit in them

C-you pick them up at guest services and so if you park hop to another park midway through the day, that park may or may not have any strollers still available (though it is one price per day and hops with you if you park hop)

D-you have to leave it at guest services so if you have a sleeping child at the end of the night, you get to carry said sleeping child from the park to either the bus line or to your own vehicle to go back to your resort rather than letting them sleep up until the last possible moment

The second rental option is the one I recommend: rent from a local company like Orlando Stroller Rentals where they offer high end single and double strollers delivered directly to your resort for a reasonable rate (you're still in a tourist hot spot so it's not exactly cheap). They have different packages up to 14 nights of stay and also rent out rain covers. At the end of your vacation, you just drop it off at the luggage room/baggage claim area of your hotel/resort.

There are some people who recommend just bringing an umbrella stroller because they're easier to fold down for the internal Disney bus system. We don't agree...at least not for a family with very small children. You'll see parents hunched over with the front wheels of the umbrella stroller kicked up so the baby/toddler can lay back and sleep easier...meanwhile Mom and Dad are lugging the diaper bag because it doesn't fit under the stroller. 

The next big thing you should know about Disney World with Infants/Young Toddlers is Disney's Rider Swap option...often just called the baby swap but it is applicable to any member of your party who either is unable or unwilling to go on an attraction. 

Here's the big secret...having a baby doesn't slow you down...actually, if you're smart about it and use the Rider Swap, you can do MORE with a baby than without. Here's how it works...

(side note: fast passes are a great way to skip over the long stand by lines and unlike other theme parks, Disney doesn't charge for them. They are tickets which enable you to return at a specific time-a one hour window and go through a faster line rather than wait in the stand by line. You may only have one fast pass at a time per person, so...if you have a fast pass for Splash Mountain which has a window of return from 10:10-11:10...you can't get another fast pass for it or any other ride until after 11:10. You get a fast pass by inserting your park entrance ticket into a fast pass booth, it will spit out your park entrance and your fast pass tickets. The fast pass booths are usually located just to the side of the attraction...not all attractions have a fast pass line but most of the popular ones do)

When you get to an attraction which doesn't allow infants or your toddler isn't tall enough or brave enough to ride, you go up to a cast member (usually at the fast pass line) and request a rider swap. The cast member will ask you who is staying with the baby/toddler and who is riding first...the parent/adult who is staying with the kid/dos will be given the rider swap and those who can and want to ride can get in the stand by or fast pass (if they have fast passes) line and enjoy the attraction. When the first rider/s get off, the adult or parent who stayed with the little one/s uses their rider swap ticket to go through the fast pass line. The rider swap is actually good for up to three people so if an older sibling or two rode with Dad and then wants to go again, he or she can ride with Mom using the one rider swap. But if it's just Mom, Dad and little one/s the trick is to split the fast passes. For example, in Magic Kingdom Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Railroad are right next to each other so what Joshua and I do is simple. He gets a fast pass for Splash Mountain and I get one for Big Thunder Railroad and then we eat, shop or do an attraction we can take the kids on like Haunted Mansion while we wait for the fast pass windows to open up. Then, we'll go to one...say, Splash Mtn and I'll get the Rider Swap from the cast member and wait with the kids while Joshua jumps into the fast pass line. He gets off and I go through the same fast pass line with the rider swap and then we do the same thing with Big Thunder. So we've both ridden both rides in the amount of time you would normally only be able to do one. Granted, you're not riding together but that's what happens when you want to ride roller coasters and you have small children...unless, of course, you bring a nanny (or Grandma).

The last tip I want to give you is to be aware of rides that offer a single rider line option. In Epcot, Test Track has a single rider line. In Hollywood Studios, Rock N Roller Coaster has a single rider line. In Animal Kingdom, Expedition Everest has a single rider line. Whether or not you have small children, the single rider line can cut your wait time from 75 minutes by stand by to nearly walk on but with small children, it's the only way to go. You're going to go on separately anyway so take advantage of it.

In the end, a trip to Disney World with small children and babies takes more planning and will require you to be more flexible but it can be a great trip. We've loved it. 

I need rehab.

My drug of choice is shopping...specifically bargain shopping...all the Black Friday and leading up to Black Friday insanity is overkill for me right now. It's not healthy how much joy I get by buying something for significantly less than it was originally marked. Like REALLY not healthy. I could literally spend hours searching the internet for deals...what am I saying, could? I HAVE spent hours looking up the best deal on this or that.

I heard it said once that a man would spend $2 on a $1 item if it meant he didn't have to shop around and a woman would spend $1 on a $2 item she didn't need just because it was on sale.

That is me. And my husband.

I have absolutely NO need for anything right now...sure, I'd like a new living room couch and a flat screen 60" Plasma 3D TV and a few new camera lenses and...and...and...that's the problem. The list of "ands" never ends...and it never will. Because there's always going to be a newest, latest this or that. It's one reason I've avoided the iphone like it was the black death (nothing against the phones themselves or any of my wonderful friends who have them) but it's one more step into a world I'm already far too tempted to join. Don't misunderstand, there's nothing wrong with stuff or bargain shopping but I've realized lately that the "stuff" and the "pursuit" of the stuff have taken much too important roles in my life. So, this is me putting myself in retail rehab. I'm sure I'll still buy Joshua and the kids' Christmas gifts on or around Black Friday but this year, I'm going to try and remember that it's not about the stuff...it's not about how much money I save or spend...it's about what we need. We need each other. We need Christ. That's it.

HH6 bag

I've been distracting myself from deployment blues with lots of projects...here's the latest...

The front. (I took the name tape off for the pic and I'm not sure how clear it is but the rank is HH6)

I used some of one of my hubby's old uniforms...obviously the digicam ACUs and if you want to be technical, he's in multicams now but personally I think they're ugly...yes, they provide more camouflage and all that but they're brown and always look dirty so I didn't want a bag made out of that print.

The inside...I used a couple of the pockets from his cover too.

It was fun. I wish I could do a tutorial post but I really stink at that sort of thing (I could never show my work in 6th grade math either)-I usually just wing it on stuff like this. Anyway, I'll probably take a couple days off from craft type stuff but my next project is a dress for baby girl.