Deployment Packages

I love giving gifts and sending boxes full of surprises...especially to my husband! When my husband left for the East Coast, I sent nearly 6 dozen cookies with him to share with the guys (sugar, chocolate chip, double chocolate, and peanut butter) and he was given the nickname "McCookie." He won't admit it, but he likes his new nickname...thanks to me :)

 

The cookies I sent to NC

While I'm home running and trying to get in shape, I'm sending care packages to my husband to make him fat and happy (every military wife's goal). Every time I go to the grocery store, I find myself filling the cart with my husband's favorite processed foods. I love putting together packages to send him, and trying to fit all his favorite goodies in the box is the best part!

So many people ask, "What does your husband like you to send him?" and my immediate response is JUNK FOOD. I'm not sure what the fascination is with all the processed, heart-clogging, sweet-tasting, no-good-for-you food is, but I'm pretty sure I don't want to jump on that bandwagon. Don't get me wrong, I will send all the processed food my husband wants, but when he gets back home his taste buds are in for a rude awakening (gluten free awakening to more more precise).

The first box I sent him was full of Halloween themed treats: Oreo's (with orange filling), South Bend Chocolate Covered Pretzels, Rice Krispies, Beef Jerky, Tuna, Breadsticks w/Cheddar Dipping Sauce, Skyline Chili, Root Beer Barrels, Peanuts, Pop Tarts, Mac and Cheese, and Little Debbie's.

Box #1

The last box I sent him was full of Fall themed treats: Chips Ahoy Cookies, Candy Corn, Sun-Maid Raisins, Peanut Butter Crackers, Reece's Pumpkins, Pop Tarts, Beef Jerky, Rice Krispies, Jiff Peanut Butter Cups, and Hubba Bubba Bubble Tape.

Box #2

Putting together care packages for service members isn't something many would think to be fun, but knowing how happy they make those receiving them is priceless. Reminder: if you send a package overseas, be aware of the bulk you are sending, since many service members have limited space. Anyone have any fun care package ideas they would like to share? 

Runners Brunch

I love to run, but more importantly I love to eat...so I guess it's a good thing I enjoy running! 

Over the past year, my passion for running has hit a new level. As I was training for one of my 1/2 marathons, I began to get super bad stomach cramps and I just couldn't figure out what the cause was. I completely changed my diet...I eliminated carbs, I gave up my love of Diet Pepsi, I stopped drinking milk and eating any dairy, and I even tried to get my husband to make the same changes to his diet. It was getting hard to cook for the both of us and make two separate meals so I decided that whatever I couldn't eat, he couldn't either. My husband has a severe love for processed foods, so it came as a shock to him when I stopped buying him pop tarts, chips, and all the other terrible junk food he was consuming. My mom gave me a book for my birthday about "The G-Free Diet" and after reading it I decided to go Gluten Free...big change and a hard hit for my love of food. Check out the link to the book here: http://www.gfreediet.com/

Gluten is found in nearly all foods, so reading labels and knowing what to look for is key when roaming the grocery store...thankfully for me our grocery store has an extensive selection of gluten free foods. The key ingredient to look for is wheat, and a rule of thumb I go by is only buying food that clearly states "gluten free." I'm not one that gets deathly sick if I eat gluten, but once I eat it, I'm fighting a gut ache for the rest of the day. With a little preparation, research, and spending a few extra dollars at the store, you can make nearly all your favorite foods gluten free. 

As a runner, it's important to feel good so I've changed my diet and with my husband gone I don't have to worry about pleasing his tastbuds for awhile. After my run today, I made my "runners brunch" which consists of: gluten free pancakes, eggs, and chocolate milk.

Ingredients:

Bisquick Gluten Free Pancake Mix

Eggsland's Best Eggs

Cheddar Cheese (to top eggs)

Natures Seasoning (to season eggs)

Chocolate Milk

Does anyone have any gluten free recipes they would like to share?

Honor a Hero...Veterans Day 1/2 Marathon

With my husband stationed on the East Coast, running as become my go-to thing. Yesterday I ran the Veterans Day 1/2 Marathon located in the heart of downtown Columbia City, and the weather was absolutely perfect (especially for this time of year)! This was the first 1/2 marathon I've run by myself, and was something I wanted to do for my husband to honor him and all the other men and women serving our country.

The race started at 8am with historic fighter-planes flying over, service members lining the street, and supporters running to honor the ones they love. It was one of the hardest races for me to get through, not because of the distance, but because I didn't have my best friend running alongside me.

This is the first Veterans Day I've not celebrated alongside my serving hero, but he knows along with every other serving service member they are thought of and appreciated on this special day. I thank all those serving our country for your proud dedication to fighting and protecting our freedom.

Check out the race web page here: http://www.veteransmarathon.com/index.php

2012 Veterans Day Free Meals & Discounts

Many restaurants and companies want to thank our veterans by providing them with free meals and discounts. Before you venture out, be sure to have proof of military service and know what companies are participants in military discounts.

Proof of Military Service includes (some companies/restaurants may have their own requirements):

• Military ID Card (active, reserve, retired)
• Current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES)
• Drivers License with Veterans Designation
• Photograph in uniform (if your service permits)
• Veterans Organization Card (American Legion VFW)
• DD214, discharge paperwork, or other form of military identification

Veterans Day Guest Post

Getting Help for Military-Related Health Conditions
A veteran's health is such an important issue that so many people put on the back burner.  It is easy to celebrate Veteran's Day and give your support to the military, but many of these individuals still need your support and help even after they are finished serving.  Many younger men and women who are coming out of the military are dealing with real psychological issues, such as PTSD.  These conditions affect their lives every single day.  Older veterans may be being diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer because they were exposed to asbestos when they served in the military decades ago.
If you are a veteran, it is so important that you seek help regularly to improve your health and well-being. There are a couple of things you can do to improve your life and your health without making major changes to your daily lifestyle.  Knowing how to improve your quality of life will help you to make the adjustments that you need so that you feel better about the conditions that you happen to be dealing with.
One thing that you can do to improve your quality of life is to visit a doctor regularly.  The doctor you choose to go to should be completely up to you, but you should generally feel comfortable visiting them.  It is best to establish a professional and long-term relationship with your doctor because this is the only way for the doctor to know if there is something out of the ordinary concerning your health.  This is to say that you should not be visiting a brand new general care practitioner every single time you decide you need to go to the doctor for a checkup.
Another great way to keep on top of your health and well-being is to join support groups and to see a counselor regularly.  Support groups are available to any veteran who needs help and guidance.  You can speak with other veterans like yourself so that you simply do not feel along when it comes to the condition you are battling.  For most veterans, it is easier and more comfortable for them to join support groups online because they do not even need to leave the comfort of their own homes.  It may also be easier for you to open up about your condition when you are not actually facing other veterans around you.
Getting help from a professional counselor is also a great idea.  You should visit your counselor or therapist whenever you feel you need it.  Some veterans go to their counselors every month while others may go once a week.  It is completely up to you when it comes to the type of support and therapy that you receive concerning your condition.  Living a healthy life can be easy if you just seek the right assistance and make use of it on a regular basis in your very own life.

Written by Emily Walsh from the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance

GVR Travel

Government Vacation Rentals is an online travel discount program designed specifically for government and military personnel to save money on their vacation travels.

I've not yet used this website, but I've heard great things and the reviews are great. With the holidays creeping up on us, many are finding themselves looking for flights home to be with loved ones (my husband included). Right now GVR is running a special for round trip flights start from under $199! And...now through Veterans Day, GVR will donate $25 for every cruise booked plus a portion of the sale to the Wounded Warrior Project! Has anyone had any luck using this website?

Check out the link here: https://www.govvacationrewards.com/index

Lend a Helping Hand

There are several ways to help the victims of Hurricane Sandy, but I will talk about two of my favorites here.

The American Red Cross expects this to be a large and costly relief effort across several state lines. The easiest way to contribute to the relief efforts is to make a financial gift. You can donate at www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. All donations go towards helping the Red Cross provide shelter, food, and emotional support for victims. It may not seem big, but every donation counts.

For those of us runners, a few bloggers have put together a running event to benefit hurricane victims. To review the criteria check out crazyrunninggirl.com/ and sign up for a race to help the hurricane victims.

Do what feels good...help those in need :)

WOOF Trail Run

Today I ran the WOOF Trail Run with my mom and dad. While it was a nice fall morning, it was only in the 40's when we started so needless to say it was a bit chilly. The race includes 3 different running options: 5.3 mile loop, 16 miles (3 laps), and also a 16 mile team run (each team member runs the loop once). The trail runs through the campground trails of Quabache State Park and is one of most challenging runs I've done so far. Although we only ran one loop (5.3 miles) it was a long 5.3 miles...especially with the recent weather we've been having making the trails wet, muddy, and hidden with leaves making it nearly impossible to see the ground and the gnarly roots and vines that cover it.

Upon crossing the finish line, a lunch consisting of soup, bison burgers, baked beans, and various snack foods were provided. This is a run I would definitely do again, and running with my parents is one thing I cherish most...mom even placed 2nd in her age group!

Check out the race webpage here: http://www.teamorr.org/woof/woof.htm

Cooking for One

For those of us Military Widows Wives we find ourselves cooking for one...and if your like me you wonder "What the heck am I going to cook for dinner." I love to eat healthy, especially when I'm training for a race (which by the way I'm training for my first FULL marathon, but I'll save that for another post). I'm not a big fan of doing dishes, so I like meals where I can dirty as few pots and pans as possible. This evening I made chicken and sweet potato fries...the perfect fall meal :)

Ingredients:

Chicken (thawed, not frozen)

Sweet Potato (cut in long slices, or however you like your fries)

Olive Oil

Natures Seasoning (you can add this to absolutely anything!)

Salt

Sugar (Splenda is what I prefer)

Directions:

1.) Heat skillet (I use the stove top because I don't trust myself with the grill..last thing I want is to singe off my eyebrows, because it would happen!) and add olive oil. Also, turn your oven on broil. My oven has a high and low setting, I turn mine on low so my fries don't burn.

2.) While your skillet is heating and your oven warming, peel your sweet potato(s) and cut in slices. I prefer to cut mine in half and then long slices because they cook faster.

3.) Once your skillet is heated, add your thawed chicken and season with Natures Seasoning

4.) Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread your cut sweet potato slices across the sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and sugar as desired. The mixture of salt and sugar is soooooo good...don't be afraid to add as much or little of one or the other to your liking.

5.) Put your sheet of fries in the oven and keep an eye on them as they bake to your desired perfection. These guys cook quickly so don't wonder too far from them.

6.) Cook your chicken until it's no longer pink on the inside and seasoned to just how you like it.

7.) When your fries and chicken are done to your liking, plate, serve, and enjoy!! 

Anyone have any favorite recipes they would like to share? I will try and review :)