Even if your soldier is fortunate enough to be in an FOB like Liberty or Victory, the PX's are seldom fully stocked, and the inventory evidently changes often. When our sons were deployed, they were constantly wanting new games, dvd's, snack food, their favorite toiletries and razors, sheets, and 'stuff from home'.

In the sidebar on the left, you will find links to American stores and businesses that actively support our military and their families.


And please, don't miss the Archived Section containing priceless information on shipping to your soldier! I will occasionally copy that post as new so that it will stay close to the top, as it contains valuable information.
______________________

Thursday, July 8, 2010

U.S. Forces Plan Direct Action Against American Citizens

From December 2009 U.S. Forces Plan Direct Action Against American Citizens As most of you know, the current leader of our nation signed a martial law provision executive order on January 11, 2010. http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/2010executive_order.pdf

Thursday, January 28, 2010

ICE STORM TIPS NO ONE WILL TELL YOU!!

Having lived too many winters in NW Arkansas and seeing the schools out for over a month, I've learned a few things. NO.1: You never know when or where a water line will break! Even though you leave your faucets dripping, the city's lines can have a break anywhere! FILL UP YOUR BATH TUB NOW for flushing toilets and emergencies!

NO.2: KEEP your stove ashes in a covered bucket -- get an extra 5 gal paint bucket for salvaging those ashes -- they are great for getting your vehicle out of a slick spot, for the sidewalks and driveway -- without the salt damage.

NO.3: PACK AS MUCH ICE & FROZEN FOOD as possible into your freezer and DO NOT OPEN IT! If our power stays out too long, the temps will be conducive to packing perishables into a big tote or cooler and setting it on the deck.

NO.4: MAKE YOUR COFFEE NOW and put it in thermoses and airpots. It will stay fresh because it's sealed, and is easily heated on sterno burners, wood stoves, etc.

NO.5: When the power does go out, unplug the televisions, computers, coffee makers so that the power surges don't knock them out when the power comes back on.

Everyone stay safe -- We Love You All!!!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Why I'll Move Heaven and Earth to Go Home For Christmas

As the rain turns to sleet and a blizzard coming later tonight, my mind travels back to an Oh, SO similar Christmas Eve 40 years ago tonight.

My parents left all they'd ever known and relative comfort of Central Texas, moving us to Arkansas in July 1967 so that I and my 3 brothers could grow up in an environment far removed from the growing racial and drug unrest of Austin. In May 1968, our home and everything we owned, all my parents had worked so hard for, burned to the ground. It's the first time I'd ever seen my father cry.

Thankful we were all alive, they began building a house on the land they'd purchased in Madison County before our journey here.

Then, through another unlikely series of events, we had to move into that unfinished house on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1969. Moving once again, with 4 children, in the rain and on Christmas Eve, into a gorgeous new home was a Christmas gift in itself. By late afternoon the snow started to fall, and Daddy scrambled to get beds set up, and the water pipes from the spring house covered as best he could.

I remember little of that day except the exhaustion of it all, and that it was Christmas Eve with not one utterance of when we'd put up a Christmas tree. Daddy always cut a cedar, and Lord only knew where the few decorations were that we'd been given after the house fire. My mom was overwhelmed with the basic logistics of moving and organizing, and as the oldest, it fell to me to get the boys bathed, fed and into bed. I remember how fabulous it felt to be sleeping in my own room again, freshly painted and with the snow splatting on my window.

Morning came, with probably a half foot of snow covering everything. Daddy was walking down the hall knocking on our doors and hollering that Santa must have been slowed down by the snow because he just saw him leave. I could hear the boys banging around and running and laughing. Mother opened my door to make sure I was coming.

Before I got to the living room I could smell the cedar. They had stayed up literally all night long, with Daddy cutting that tree in a snowstorm, and Mother decorating it with our little hand-me-down collection of lights and ornaments.

That's absolutely all I remember of that Christmas Day. The love, devotion, and yes, sense of obligation that my mom and dad showed that Christmas is etched into my heart and my brain.

This looks to be a Christmas so similar to that one 40 years ago -- (actually the Christmas '69 snow didn't let up much until February, and Huntsville Schools were literally closed for 6 weeks!). We're hoping that Shawn, Laura and Shapiro are able to make it up our hill here at the lake tomorrow, but if they can't it's okay.

I DO KNOW that come Saturday, our annual family "Saturday-after-Christmas" dinner at Daddy's and Mother's will go on. And I will move heaven and earth -- snow, ice, roads and all -- to be there with them.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Pearl Harbor Day, December 7

To All Our World War II Veterans and Families: WE REMEMBER Your Courage, Your Faith, Your WIllingness and Your Sacrifice, and WE THANK YOU From The Depths of Our Hearts.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Just $2.00 for a Cup of Coffee For A Soldier...

Any military family who has listened with half an ear to a returning soldier knows about Green Beans Coffee!

PLEASE join their "Cup O' Joe For A Joe". It's $2.00 a cup -- and if you can only afford one cup, that's great! They're Proud and Thankful for all $2.00 donations!

These young men and women are so thankful for that hot cup of coffee -- I know, as I've listened to both our sons talk about it!

To Donate, Go To: Green Beans Coffee Company's Cup O' Joe For A Joe.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Fabulous Video Tribute To Military Moms

If you haven't yet seen this video, you simply must! It's an incredible tribute to All Military Moms from milmoms.org.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

3 BIG Reasons to Stay Home On Black Friday!

Black Friday ... the biggest commercial shopping day of the year. I admit to having dragged out the front door before 4:00 am a couple of times to attend these hallowed events. Both times were extenuating circumstances -- the first time was mere days before our son deployed for Iraq, and we went together to finish out his laptop equipment and the gifts for our early Christmas. The next time was the following year, with Shawn still in Iraq, and his list of gifts for his fiance firmly grasped in my gloved hands.

Never again, I thought, and so far I've held fast. The economy has tanked many of us, and I firmly believe there is no better way to save money than to Not Spend it! I know all too well that when you allow yourself to go to these glorious sale events, you will always spend more than you planned. It's the unwritten law of retail. It happens and none of us are immune to it.


There are many, many reasons to stay home on Black Friday, and I'm going to outline 3 of them.

1. Most of you who beat a path to stand in mile-long lines have children at home. This is a day off for them, too, and is the perfect time for a special pancake breakfast, and the day spent pulling out the Christmas ornaments, or baking cookies. Those precious little ones are the very reason you use as an excuse to get wrapped up in the Black Friday madness to begin with, and I assure you they will remember a day spent with you doing 'holiday things' much longer than they will ever recall what you stood in line to purchase for them.


2. For those of us who are empty nesters, this is the perfect day to spend cleaning up after Thanksgiving, scrunging around for the Christmas card list, and catch up on our thoughts. This year, there's less than a month between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and there is plenty to prepare for ahead of the madness the next few weeks can bring. Rise early, savor your tea or coffee, pull out your notebook, and begin organizing your thoughts and to-do's.

3. Almost every single retail outlet you will frequent on this Black Friday has the exact same deals and bargains available online! And 9 times out of 10, those places offer FREE shipping right to your front door! Below is a short, tip of the iceberg listing of Black Friday deals that you can access Friday morning while you're sitting in your robe with that second cup of java.


I encourage you to do yourself, your family and your finances a favor: save the gas, go green, and do your shopping online this year!

BLACK FRIDAY DEALS!

Glory and Grace At HomeGLORY & GRACE AT HOME: Shop from Thousands of toys, books, apparel, electronics, Wii, Guitar Hero, cell phones, MP3 players, DVDs, videos, home goods, and gourmet foods! FREE 2 day Shipping with Prime Club Membership!

SEARS.com While you're on the Sears.com site, Please Check Out the Make A Wish page, honoring our Military Families!

125x125 uWantSavings bannerUWANTSAVINGS.com -- FREE SHIPPING! : Spend $50.00 or more at UWantSavings, and a $50.00 Gift Certificate to Restaurant.com* will automatically be sent to your eMail Address on the Friday following your purchase. This eMail will come directly from Restaurant.com with a link to Redeem Your Gift Certificate. Simply follow the easy step-by-step instructions from Restaurant.com and within minutes a $50 Gift Certificate to the restaurant of your choice will be printing!

 

ULTRA DIAMONDS.com: There are some fabulous trinkets here for moms, daughters, and spouses!

 

BUCKLE.com: Savings Up to 75% off at Buckle.com -- Fabulous Clothing for the Young Crowd! http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=T/ZAlsaooC8&offerid=98462.10000447&type=3&subid=0" >Mens Look of the Week from Bucklehttp://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=T/ZAlsaooC8&bids=98462.10000447&type=3&subid=0" >

 

Thursday, November 12, 2009

AWESOME Chldren's Tribute Video -

This video is fabulous! This is the REAL America -- no little obama singing robot children here -- if you haven't seen this, you must. Then please pass it on -- to ALL your Soldiers! What a boost it will be for your Soldier to see first hand there are still brave teachers willing to demonstrate patriotism to their second grade classes!
Linda Kirby-Alford-Croy Veteran's Day Tribute

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

FREE Blue Star Flag For Military Families

If your son or daughter is deployed, you should have a Blue Star Flag for your window or door! The Blue Star flag has a long history, and Grantham University sponsors Free Blue Star Flags for any military family with a deployed soldier. #MiltaryMon Get My Free Blue Star Flag

SEARS TOPS LIST IN HONORING OUR VETERANS & ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY

60% off Coats for the entire Family 1-Day Only Veterans Day 11/11


For years Sears has led the way in corporate support of our Veterans and Military Families through innovating and award-winning programs.  Through its Heros at Home project, Sears offers pay differential and benefits continuation up to 60 months, an incredible Army Spouse Employment Partnership, and grants to the National Military Family Association.  These are, however, just the tip of the iceberg of programs and benefits Sears offers to our military personnel and veterans. 

Added to Sears' business model of constant sales and promotional codes on name-brand merchandise enables all of us to support one of America's Oldest Companies in return.

Once again, Sears is running their Heros at Home Wish Registry, Heros at Home Wish Registry which allows anyone to leave a Holiday Message to our soldiers, and to donate a gift card to our military families.  I love Christmastime, and that helps make this one of my favorite Military Programs.

Whether you're buying for your soldier, children, parents, or yourself, please consider buying from an American company that has proven its salt in honoring our Military Heros and Families!

$10 in coupons just for signing up for Sears email promotions (scroll down to the bottom of the page and this link is in the left-hand sidebar)

60% off Coats for the entire Family 1-Day Only Veterans Day 11/11


$5 off $50

FREE SHIPPING on Toy Orders Over $49.00!

Need Gift Ideas? Visit Sears'DEALS OF THE DAY!