Lil' Mootz Half Birthday Photos

After the fun at Lil' Mootz's 1/2 Mad Tea Party, we headed over to Aunt Cheese's (SIL) house for a Half Birthday BBQ. While the adults had a good time poor Lil' Mootz was still wiped out. Lesson learned: Lil' Mootz birthday parties need to take place before 4:00.

Asleep before the party even gets started.



Time to blow out the candle.



Yeah...or not.



No one can say we don't spoil our Lil' Mootz when he gets presents for his 1/2 birthday.



A Star Wars shirt for Daddy's little padawan.



He still does not want that cake.



Trying the icing from Mommy's cake.



Yum!



What a little mess!



Having fun with Aunt Cheese.

Maps, PSAs, and AT&T Calling Cards

There are a couple things I wanted to share with everyone today. Nothing much, but it's almost 5:00...fine, 17:00 and I have nothing else to do at work.

I was perusing the Blogs of Note a few minutes ago and came across this: Map Of The Fallen. It's a map that uses Google Earth and it tracks all of the US servicemembers who lost their lives in Iraq or Afghanistan. If you click on the servicemembers icon you can read about how they died, see photos, and read comments from friends and family. I know there are several sites like this out there, but I thought this one was particularly interesting because it maps out where the servicemembers called home.

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I got an email from ThanksUSA, a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to spouses and children of active-duty servicemembers. So far ThanksUSA has awarded 1,750 scholarships to spouses and children and they want to give out 500 more this year. ThanksUSA and Lonestar teamed up to to create PSA about how you can help.



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And finally a little heads up for those with deployed servicemembers...

I know how much we all hate love calling cards and the bloodsucking wonderful companies that steal our money provide them. (Do you like how I figured out how to use the "strike font" code?)

Anyway, Stonewall called me today and I almost didn't answer because caller ID said it was from Colorado. And who do I know in Colorado? Exactly - no one. However, I was curious, so I answered and it was Stonewall! I told him caller ID said "Colorado" which was weird because usually it says "Pennsylvania" or some 404 six digit number.

So Stonewall enlighted me.

A few weeks ago he spent a ridiculous amount of money on minutes for his AT&T calling card. When he was trying to call me today the animated woman told him his remaining minutes which was a surpisingly little number considering the recent purchase. Stonewall called AT&T and they told him that when he calls through an MWR line in PA to call a PA number, he's being charged 5 minutes for every 1 minute he talks. 5 minutes! "Read the small print," they told him. So he did. Yeah, it costs extra to make in-state calls and going through the MWR phones in PA while he's in Iraq to call my PA number counts as in-state.

Thank you, AT&T. You suck. I believe the fine print reads, "Bend over."

So Stonewall got the number for MWR at Ft. Carson and he called me through them. Hopefully, that's a little cheaper.

The Results Are In!

I finally added up all the comments and we have a WINNER: Teresa from Across The Ocean! Congrats Teresa! When I'm finished posting here I'll shoot you an email to get your address and so you can let me know what prize you want.

It was close, as you can see in the sidebar over there. I realized I did not specify noon EST and several of you who are frequent commenters are not in the same time zone as me. Therefore, I decided to include all comments that were left between May 27 and June 27.

I wish I could send everyone a prize just for participating because you all left some awesome comments. I've even had a few new readers pop up in the past month and I've started stalking them as well. However, our budget won't accomodate that many prizes. I'll tell you what...when we win the lottery, I'll make sure I allot a nice chunk of it for monthly commenter prizes. Sound like a plan? Awesome.

Now for the not so great news. Originally, Lil' Mootz and I were going to hold this contest monthly. However, that decision was made lightly before I realized there is not a monthly top commenter gadget for Blogger (once again, Blogger Gadget Makers, get your a$$es in gear and make one!) and I'd have to calculate all the comments myself. Therefore, this contest will be held every other month. So the next Lil' Mootz TC of the Month Contest will begin July 27.

Do not despair though! I'm most certainly will be having some other type of giveaway this month in honor of Carsley and Chincoteague. So keep an eye out for that.

Happy Monday everyone!

Lil' Mootz's 1/2 Mad Tea Party!

Happy 1/2 Birthday, my Lil' Mootz! I can not believe that six months ago - SIX MONTHS - you were born. It certainly does not feel like six months. That's probably because (aside from a certain deployment, of course) it has been the most fabulous six months of my life. I've never laughed more, cooed more, been more awestruck, been more frustrated, slept less, been more proud, and I've never been so head-over-heels, fully, completely, heart-and-soul in love with anyone than I am with you.

So let's get this party started! Tonight at your Aunt Cheese's house we are having a nice little 1/2 birthday celebration with ice cream cake, kabobs (baby food, for you), s'mores, and PRESENTS! However, in bloggy land we're joining A Fanciful Twist, along with all the other blog guests, and having a Mad Tea Party. (And at noon, Lil' Mootz's Top Commenter contest ends. Check back later for the winner!)

Our Lil' Mad Hatter and all his friends!



A Very Merry 1/2 Birthday To You!



To me?!



To YOU!



Trying to eat his cake.


And once he's had all the tea and cake he wants, the Lil' Mad Hatter tries out his new swing and slide!








After a wonderfully Mad time, our Lil' Mad Hatter takes his nap.

Some Good News!

It looks like my new blog domain is in business! The new address is Morethananarmywife.com, but if you still use Morethananarmywife.blogspot.com, Blogger will redirect you, so sorry, but you can't blame not reading or commenting on my new domain name.

The other very cool news is Jessica Sprague at JessicaSprague.com, is having a FREE photo editing class. The class begins July 6, and runs for two weeks. The class is run entirely online and through email, so life can get in the way and you won't miss any of this fabulous class. Head on over to Northern Cheapskate for all the details on what the class offers and how to sign up.

And don't forget about our party tomorrow! Plus, if you have something you want to throw a party for join in the fun by heading over to A Fanciful Twist and sign up as a guest at the Mad Tea Party and celebrate on your own blog on Saturday.

A Very Merry Unbirthday To You! To Me? To You!

We are having a party! And not just any party. Oh no, my lovely readers. We are joining A Fanciful Twist and having a Mad Tea Party!



What better way to celebrate Lil' Mootz's half-birthday?! So stop by on Saturday and celebrate with us. Don't forget, we'll be wrapping up Lil' Mootz's Top Commenter of the Month Contest!

Writer's Workshop: CPT Tristan Aitken, May 18, 1971-April 4, 2003

The prompts for this week's Writer's Workshop over at Mama's Losin' It are:

1.) Interview a child.
(inspired by Quilao Triplets)

2.) How do you stave off boredom?
(inspired by Jenn's Pen)

3.) Write a poem for the little boy in your life.
(inspired by Life With Kaishon)

4.) Describe a memorable interview or talk about your experience trying to find a job amidst this recession.
(inspired by Lacey)

5.) Create a Help Wanted Ad.
(inspired by Jenners)

This week I'm going to go with number 4: Describe a memorable interview or talk about your experience trying to find a job amidst this recession.

I was a broadcast journalism student in college, so I had the opportunities to interview dozens of people. The interview I remember the most though was with Ronald Aitken, the father of CPT Tristan Aitken, United States Army.

The story itself was about a woman, Mary Vollero, who was making charcoal drawing of all of Pennsylvania's soldiers who had died while serving in Iraq. Tristan had grown up in the next town over from where this woman lived, which is the town I went to college in, so I focused on Tristan and his portrait.

I called Tristan's parents and they agreed to let me interview them for the story. When I got to their house, their living room was filled with Tristan's things. His Army uniforms, items from his Boy Scout days, pictures of him growing up, trophies he'd won for being a soapbox derby champion, books he'd read. His entire childhood and some of adult life, spread out for me to videotape. It was incredibly sad and amazing at the same time. This was the memorabilia of his life.

Ron told me about Tristan. He told me that Tristan had died on April 4, 2003, in Iraq. He said that Tristan's one prayer and wish was that Tristan was able to get all of soldiers home alive. Ron told me that all of his soldiers did come home.

Then Ron and his wife, Ruth, gave something quite unexpected. They let me borrow Tristan's good-bye tape. Before he had left for Iraq, Tristan made a good-bye video for his family and Ron and Ruth wanted me to watch it and use Tristan's own words in my story. I'm still pretty speechless about that. Trusting a complete stranger with your son's last words to you. What can I say about that?

I cried when I watched it. Even now, I'm crying, thinking about watching Tristan on my TV screen... He thought he was coming home to his wife. He was so sure of it. Based on that video, I have no doubt he was a good man and he deserved to come home to his family.

They all deserve to come home.

Whenever I see a list of soldiers who have died in Iraq, I look for his name. I'd never met Tristan, but I'll never forget him either.

Lil' Mootz Firsts

Over the past several weeks Lil' Mootz has had some firsts and I wanted to share them with you all because I'm such a proud mama!

Holding his bottle all by himself! Before I know it he's going to be using a fork and asking me to, "Please pass the peas."





His first time trying ice cream!









His first time standing all by himself (with a little help from the table).



His first go at corn on the cob. Actually, it was just the cob.







His first Oriole's game and his first foul ball!











His first pony ride!

The Sophisticated Taste of Raisins

Do you like raisins? I like raisins. My sister hates raisins. No, I take that back. My sister H.A.T.E.S. raisins. The other day, I figured out why this is.

She doesn't like wine.

Wine is made from grapes. And the older the wine (with some wines anyway), the finer they are and the more they are enjoyed by the sophisticated tastes of wine connoisseurs.

Raisins are simply dried up old grapes. So obviously, to enjoy raisins one must have the sophisticated tastes of a wine connoisseur.

Don't fret over it though, Meg. We all know I'm the sister with better tastes anyway :)

The Project Mommyhood Mommy of the Year Contest!

Project Mommyhood is having one of the best star-studded giveaways EVER: The Project Mommyhood Mommy of the Year Contest!



AND I'VE BEEN NOMINATED!

I'm super flippin' excited! (Which I'm sure you can tell by my (over)use of exclamation points.)

So here's the deal:

Nominations are being accepted until July 31. (While I would love to tell you to go over there and nominate someone, I'm afraid I can't because I want to win. Unless of course, you want to head over there and nominate me a second/third/etc. time, then by all means scadoodle on over there.) After July 31, the gorgeous Project Mommyhood along with the fabulously beautiful esteemed panel of judges (I am NOT sucking up! I'm merely stating a fact.) will pick the Top 10 finalists. Then come August 15, it will be up to all of you to pick the winner.

Go check out Project Mommyhood! And if there's another mommy blogger you like better than me (hard to believe, I know, but I suppose it could happen) then nominate her! I mean, if I don't win then one of you awesome military wife/moms might as well take the prize :)