March 2013 - Spouse Buzz - The Network of Care

Military Wife Quote: It Is Never Too Late

When I was in college I had my entire life mapped out. After graduation I would immediately move on to graduate school. After earning my master’s degree, I would embark on my career as a sports psychologist. I would establish myself in my field and live...

Published Sun, Mar 10 2013 6:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Military Life

How Can We Leave The Military Without Regret?

My friend Bob walked into one of those Transition Assistance Program (TAP) workshops to learn how to leave the military. After 20+ years in the service, he walked out with one thought on his mind: “Now is not the time to leave.” Bob took new...

Published Tue, Mar 12 2013 10:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Military Life, transition

Video: How to be a Great Communicatior

One of the first things I learned from interviewing male military spouses who have successful marriages is that they all talk with their wives. I’m not referring to common daily small talk, but actual deep communication about their feelings, desires...

Published Thu, Mar 14 2013 10:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Marriage & Family, Videos

Top Ten Ways To Get This Deployment Party Started

Every time my husband deploys, I catch myself lingering in front of the local news. The TV reporters always interview those few folks who gather at the pier to watch the ship depart. I am fascinated. Not by what those people have to say. I am fascinated...

Published Sat, Mar 16 2013 5:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Deployment

How to Find the Perfect Babysitter

One of my least favorite parts about military life is leaving behind the great helper people I’ve found when we move. It seems particularly cruel to abandon a great hair stylist, babysitter you trust with the lives of your little (or not so little) ones...

Published Tue, Mar 19 2013 4:30 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: kids

How Budget Cuts Will Impact Your PCS

Beware – if you’re gearing up for a PCS in the next few months, getting all those nagging details squared away with the transportation office could take longer than usual, DoD moving officials tell us. That’s because base transportation offices will be...

Published Thu, Mar 21 2013 4:47 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: PCS, Spouse & Family News

Top 10 Ways to Make ‘Me’ Time

The other night was date night. My date was tired and stressed out and more than a tad grumpy. My date had no interest in having a conversation and actually opened a magazine at dinner. At one point, my date almost fell asleep! Sounds like the worst date...

Published Sat, Mar 23 2013 7:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Military Life

Commissaries Now to Shutter Mondays

Furlough related commissary closures will happen weekly on Mondays instead of Wednesdays, starting as soon as April 21, according to a memo obtained by SpouseBuzz and Military.com. The closure change is the result of an agreement between the Defense Commissary...

Published Tue, Mar 26 2013 4:45 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Spouse & Family News

MilSpouse Book List: Unbroken

In all honesty, I was not excited — at first — about reading this book. Mention any book dealing with history, or the military, or worse military history and I quickly switch tracks to something more exciting, like thinking of just how much...

Published Thu, Mar 28 2013 5:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Book List

Top Ten Things Exercisers Don’t Want you to Know

Before this year, the list of things that would make me exercise would have included: Attack by lions. Fire at sea. Food prizes.Plague of locusts. Early homecoming. Butter sticks growing on trees. Cannibals making soup. Now I go to a little Jazzercise...

Published Sat, Mar 30 2013 5:06 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Health & Fitness

How NOT To Speak To Military Spouses

Other people dream of falling off a cliff. Their nightmares feature running away from an attacker, losing all their teeth, or sitting down to take a final at a class they never attended. My nightmare is standing in front of a crowd of military spouses...

Published Sat, Mar 02 2013 6:25 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: SpouseBUZZ LIVE, Military Life

Reintegration: It’s Not Just for Servicemembers

My husband is getting ready to leave soon for a long-ish TDY, and I know everything there is to know about getting our three-year-old daughter ready for his departure. I got coloring books at the Army Community Service called “When My Parent Has...

Published Tue, Mar 05 2013 10:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Reintegration

How to Replace Base Services Without Breaking the Bank

When budget cuts close or greatly downsize your favorite programs you’ll probably notice that your own pockets seem a little lighter, too. Why? Because unless you decide to live without those things altogether, you’ll probably spend more getting them...

Published Thu, Mar 07 2013 10:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Legal & Financial

Military CrossFit Craze: What is the Paleo Diet?

In the military community, it seems like everyone knows someone who does the CrossFit exercise regimen. Even my own husband is a CrossFitter. Maybe you’ve seen people in your neighborhood running down the street hauling very heavy items for what...

Published Mon, Mar 11 2013 5:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Health & Fitness

Why Does “Lavish” Bother Us Now?

Two months ago, Pulitzer Prize winner David Wood published a story on Huffington Post about the rising cost of military personnel. Wood wrote, “For more than a decade, Congress and the Pentagon have lavished money on the nation’s 1.3 million active...

Published Wed, Mar 13 2013 5:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com