The Unspoken Life of the Military Wife | Building community and connection for military spouses

Welcome back to the show! With the holidays fast approaching, we're diving into some amazing organizations that offer financial assistance to military families.  Discover programs like Operation Ride Home, which provides free flights for service members E1 to E5, and the Ben Jackson Foundation that helps new military members visit home.  Learn about Trees for Troops and how to secure a free C...

Today we are talking to Beth, a 25-year military spouse, to discuss her journey through military life, her newly published book 'Another Move God,' and marriage tips for military spouses.  Beth shares her experiences of moving frequently, her struggle with the military lifestyle, and finding solace in her faith.  She dives deep into the parallels between her life and the story of Sarah a...

In this episode, Alison discusses everything you need to know about powers of attorney, particularly useful for military families. She covers why you need one, the different types available, and shares personal experiences to highlight the importance of these legal documents. Important Links: Armed Forces Legal Services Locator Military One Source Free Legal Help Legal Assistance for Service Membe...

In this episode, we delve into the world of military balls, exploring their history, significance, and the unique traditions that define these events.  I attended my first military ball recently and share insights on what to expect.  We cover the schedule of events, from social hours to formal ceremonies and offer tips on dress code etiquette. We discuss resources for acquiring dresses, from renti...

In this episode, I continue our PCS saga, discussing the exhaustion and stress of moving to a new house in Washington that fell short of expectations.  We talk about the struggles of renting sight unseen, dealing with an unclean and poorly maintained home, and the financial burden of constantly relocating.  We then share tips on how to cope, including the importance of local mom and military spous...

Here is it, the raw and real of a full DITY PCS in real time. I recorded this episode the day we loaded our truck and started our drive, so you get the true unfiltered version! In this episode, we share our experiences of hiring movers and the logistics of our move from Colorado to Washington. We discuss the benefits of booking directly with a moving company versus using Hire a Helper, our prepara...

I didn't want to leave you hanging....the show will be on hiatus for the summer while we PCS to Washington! https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63e17c34781752946ff2b424 Support the show I so appreciate you listening to the show! If you wouldn’t mind leaving a rating and review I would really appreciate it!! Check out The Ultimate Do It Yourself or DITY guide for FREE! Podcasting is a labor of love...

In this episode, join me as I record from my car during a busy PCS season.  I provide essential information on military move entitlements like Dislocation Allowance (DLA) and Personally Procured Move (PPM), discussing eligibility and advanced payment options. I also share insights on using moving alternatives like U-Haul, Penske, and pods versus U-Pack, and offer practical advice on comparing cost...

In the latest episode, the focus shifts from a planned book review on Dr. Aliza Pressman's parenting principles to a more relevant discussion for military families moving their kids to new schools. Diving into personal development, I share insights from 'How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk' by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish, relating it to their own experi...

Today we are sitting down with Ashlee from Woman and Warrior to talk all things parenting our military kids through deployments and PCS's. This is a really fun and personal conversation about the challenges of parenting our kids through tough situations and sharing stories and tactics that have helped both of us and our kids cope through challenges. Books mentioned in the show: Hunt, Gather P...

The podcast episode features interviews with my military kids discussing their lives, the impact of PCS moves, and tips for adjusting to new schools.  Sophia, 11, expresses discomfort with constant relocations and prefers not to be primarily identified as a military kid, highlighting the emotional challenges of parental travel and moving. Savannah, 12, shares strategies for coping with her father&...

In this episode, I  share my recent activities, including a leadership course and a family vacation, and announces a temporary shift to a bi-weekly podcast schedule due to an upcoming PCS (Permanent Change of Station) move to Washington state.  The main focus of the episode is on providing military parents with ten practical tips for maintaining consistency, establishing routines, and supporting t...

The podcast includes a conversation with Jana, an army spouse currently living in Madrid, Spain. She discusses her experience in navigating military life overseas along with the challenges encountered with constant moving in different countries. Jana also shares insights on the importance of decluttering, organizing spaces, and maintaining resilience despite the upheavals in military life. Further...

DOD Skillbridge  is an internship style program offered to transitioning  service members in their last 180 days of service. We cover: - who is eligible -how it works -can military spouses use the program too? Find out all the info HERE at the DOD Skillbridge site Want to join the Mil Spouse Tribe?! Click HERE to snag your spot! If you can't make the February 27 11am MT meet-up, message me an...

Believe it or not, this is one of the most googled questions for military spouses! And the answer is NO, military spouses do not get TSA PreCheck for free. We talk about who does get it free, how you can get the fees waived and is it worth it? We also talk about pre-boarding when they call for military both when traveling with your military member and on you own, and the different airline policies...

We are about 6 months out from our 9th military move and second full DITY or do it yourself move. Honestly at this point its the mental load that is killing me. The awful in-between I call it where you have "soft" orders, not hard orders, so you really can't do anything but stress about where your going to live and what school your kids are going to go to. I think its important to s...

We are getting into all things housing today. One of the first things we look for when we get new orders is where are we going to live? We talk about the benefits of living on base but the downsides of long waitlists and poor quality homes. We discuss BAH rates, or housing allowance. How do they come up with the numbers they do? What is BAH supposed to cover and other common questions. Finally we...

Today we are talking about the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kyosaki. I have to be honest, I thought this was a financial book for guys! But I promise you it isn’t! I am sharing with you my biggest take-aways from the book like: -assets versus liabilities -increasing our financial literacy -using real estate as an investment tool -how we all need to become better at sales This book truly rocke...

Today we are talking to Chelsey who is a military travel card hacker. She has figured out how to use really high end credit cards, like the American Express Platinum card which has a really high annual fee, but it is waived for active duty military and their spouses. DISCLAIMER!!! PLEASE be responsible with your credit cards! If you know you are an overspender, maybe this isn’t the right path for...

Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell was a fascinating listen on Audible. I thought I was going to learn how to talk to new people, which is a great skill to nurture as a military spouse. But what it turned out to be was a case study in how we get it wrong. Malcolm talks about stories from Chamberlin meeting with Hitler to the infiltration of the CIA from Cuban spies to the suicides of Sylvia...

Happy New Year! The new year usually brings with it thoughts of the past year and goals for the next. We are going to talk about areas to check in on, how to make small achievable goals and set yourself up for success going into 2024. I tell you about the book Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod which is a way to super charge your mornings and personal development. Don't forget to send me a message...

100 episodes! Whew! We go way back to episode 1 and talk about the trials and tribulations of starting a podcast. I walk you through the process from start to finish of producing and putting out an episode. We go through the top 10 all time episodes! And finally I announce our contest!! You can enter HERE until January 8! https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63e17c34781752946ff2b424 Support the show I s...

Today's episode is short and sweet! Command functions and military balls can be really stressful for mil spouses! What do you wear? How should I act? I'm so nervous! I share with you my best advice to navigating them. It really boils down to be yourself and try as best you can to have a good time! https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63e17c34781752946ff2b424 Support the show I so appreciate yo...

Today we are talking about holiday travel. Specifically if your family doesn’t live close by and you are getting pressure or guilt tripped into visiting over the holidays, when maybe that isn’t what you want to do. I highly encourage you to be selfish! Think about your CORE family, those living in your house and who move with you every time you PCS. What do they want to do? Maybe it isn’t travelin...

We are rounding out our Holiday Mil Spouse Shop series with Emily from Thriving Homefront. Emily is a Navy wife and mom of 2 littles who was looking for a little more after leaving her teaching career to stay home with their kids.  Like so many of us do while our spouses are deployed, Emily picked up a new hobby and taught herself to sew on a sewing machine. She started to make headbands for her a...