I just wanted to thank all of my super cool friends who’ve added my blog to their list of “buddies” or whatever that’s called.  If I ever figure out how to do it on mine, I will return the favor :)  And thanks for reading!  Don’t forget to check out Tyler’s blog too!

http://www.superplexor.com/blog/

I suppose that’s all I have to say about that, haha!  Oh, there is a little girl calling my name, that means I need to go!  Have a great weekend everyone!

A while ago Tyler and I started using this website, sparkpeople.com, to help us in our never ending quest to lose weight and be healthy.  It’s basically a way for you to keep track of all of your food intake for the day.  It keeps track of calories, fat and all of that fun stuff.  At the end of the day it gives you a tally of how much fiber, fat, protein and so on…that you’ve had.  And what you need to cut back on!  When you first start, you put in how much you weigh, how much you want to weigh, and by when.  You can also add things like your measurements, but I’m too afraid to do that!  From there it calculates how many pounds per week you should lose and how many calories per day you should consume.  There is also a recipe center.  I love that place!  I’ve actually found many great things to make for dinner, and the health information is all right there!   In theory, a terrific way to help you lose weight!  If  you actually follow the guidelines, haha!  Tyler can’t really log on to it much, so I kind of started to…..slack off.  Today I decided to jump back on the horse and give it another try!

So breakfast, I was doing great!  I needed a snack later, I had one, put it in sparkpeople and I was still headed in the right direction!  I had a cookie, but I already had my recipe saved in my favorites list, so that was easy to add.  Lunch was fine.  I made the huge mistake of deciding to take the kids to McDonald’s for dinner.  I was doing so well!!!  I was going to order a cheeseburger (pretty  much the only food there I can stand) and get a cup for water.  That was until we got there and the french fry smell over took me!  Curse you  McDonald’s, you made me order the 2 cheeseburger meal, with fries and a soda!!!  Of course that made my day go straight down the toilet.  But, tomorrow is blank, it’s a new fresh day and I will succeed!  I just have to avoid the bucket full o’cookies I have here on my counter.  And the boxes and boxes of Girl Scout cookies in my cabinet.  And the cake in the fridge……

This last Friday I had the chance to participate in a Town Hall style meeting with Admiral Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  He came and spoke with the soldiers on Thursday, the it was OUR turn on Friday.  Now, when we got there, there was a bomb sniffing dog and Secret Service-type people all over the place.  Exciting!!!  We were seated, and my friend Stefani and I were able to be in the front row!  Once Admiral Mullen and his wife came in the room, he promptly told all of the soldiers,  and Secret Service-type people to leave.  You don’t need to be here!  Spouses only!  He spoke with us for a few minutes, mostly on the concerns of the military today.  He admitted of course that nothing can be fixed over night, but the purpose of the meeting was to get an idea, a feel, for what we, as spouses, need.  Our concerns, and maybe even the things we like!

Once the Q & A portion started, things were smooth, at first.  Concerns about Tri Care (military insurance) and BACH (Ft. Campbell’s hospital) were brought up.  Then…..well, it just got plain embarrassing.  It really turned into a “my problem is bigger than your’s” thing.  We were there to highlight the troubles that we have, not to complain that “my FRG leader doesn’t call me” .  He’s an Admiral for crying out loud!  He did do a wonderful job of listening to all the complaints.  Granted, yes, there were some very valid issues brought up.  But that was the minority.  Stefani, my other friend Beth, and I, just sat and stared at eachother!  Do you have that problem?  No, do you?  I don’t know what that lady is even talking about!  It was unfortunate that so much time was wasted, when more problems could have been addressed.

I’ve just been thinking a lot about this these last few days.  So many of the things that were said made us all sound so petty and whiny.  I’m so glad that Admiral Mullen took the time to come and here us out.  And I’m sure he did glean the really important messages that were brought forth!

On a lighter note, I did try very hard to take a picture of him and his wife.  I was too shy to do it while they were actually speaking.  I was in the very front, jeez!  So, I’ll share with you the picture that never happened.  I love Stefani and her perfect timing!

Admiral and Mrs. Mullen, right behind her head!

Here are just a few more pictures of the day.  These were all before the bomb sniffing dog came in.  I wanted to take a picture of him too, but…..better not!

Screaming Eagles!!!

This is for you Teri, I told you!!

……..and humble too!  Tonight we had a Battalion FRG (family readiness group) meeting.  During this meeting they announced that they had some awards to give out to a few of the wonderful FRG Volunteers.  I hear a few names, not recognizing any of them.  Then I hear “Melissa Hardy”  What the what?  I’m a POC (point of contact) for the FRG.  That means I get told to call the spouses/parents of the soldiers Tyler works with.  To let them know of meetings or fundraisers, and to also check on them to make sure things are going smoothly while their soldier is deployed.  I am honored that I was given this award, presented to me by the wife of  Major General Schloesser.  Yep, the  man who runs the entire Post!  While up there (I was last) Mrs. Schloesser asked each person what they did for the FRG.  Most said, “ummm, I don’t know I’m just the_____”  So when she got to me and asked, I said “I’m a Point of Contact, and I’m awesome!”  Sigh…..Then she turned and said to everyone, “She’s awesome!!”  I was just called out by the General’s wife!  But everyone laughed and it was not a big deal.  I just didn’t want to stand up there and shrug!  I was given a coin, and a pin.  It was really cool, and coming right after I was thinking to myself,  I wish I never would have volunteered for this!  Thank you Lexie, if you happen to read this.  Because I’m pretty sure it was you who thinks, well, that I’m awesome!

Mrs. Schloesser presenting me with a pin

FRG Excellence coin

FRG Pin

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!  In our household, we don’t really do a big thing for Valentines day.  Since my husband is gone…2 years in a row….I just gave my little sweethearts here at home each a Chocolate Bear.  Good stuff!  Evan would laugh every time he ate a piece “Haha, I ate his ear!  Haha, I ate his little nose!”  And so on!  I mention a Valentine’s Virus, because everyone who has school age kids knows what happens at school on Valentine’s day.  There is a party, complete with cards, candy, cookies and maybe the occasional string cheese.  There’s always one parent out there…..

So, I have 3 kids in school.  I always know and expect at least one of them to over do it in some way and get sick.  This year, it was my sweet little Emma girl.  She was fine all day after school, until about 6am Saturday morning.  Sigh…I won’t gross you out, but it hit her good and hard!  Am I done cleaning up throw up today?  Maybe…..I did just spend $40 on Girl Scout cookies (sorry babe!  some are for you too!)  Only time will tell.  Good luck to all of you out there!  I hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s day.  Wether your sweetheart is sitting right next to you or on the other side of the world, we can still celebrate this day with lots and lots of  chocolate!  That always makes things better!

I love you Tyler, Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

Tyler and Melissa!

I have stage fright.  Not you’re usual case though.  I have blogging stage fright.  I have wanted a blog for a long time now.  Going about my every day life, I think “If I had a blog, I’d totally write about this!”  Now that I have one, I don’t know what to talk about!  Maybe it’s just because nothing too interesting or crazy has happened in my life since, oh, yesterday when I actually got this thing up and running.  Are there unwritten blog rules?  How far in the past can I talk about?  Is it worth posting if I have no picture to go along with my rant?  How many paragraphs is too many for one entry?  Sigh, so much to learn!  Or maybe I’m afraid that anyone who reads this will think I’m boring.  I’m sure I’ll get in the swing of things here very soon!  In the mean time, check back often!  I’ll post pictures and have all sorts of fun things to share.  I just have to wait for them to happen!

Well, I am very new to this blogging thing. Since EVERYONE is doing it (even my husband!) I thought I should too! Thanks for reading :)