Fort FRYday!

Happy FRYDAY!  In celebration of Spring, the end of the week and our fat-free veggie fries being available in military commissaries, we're calling today a FORT FRYDAY!  

This week we're celebrating the woman behind        www.worldtravelingmilitaryfamily.com, Laurie Hebb.  She's a mother of three and military wife of a deployed husband.  So join us in saying thank you to Laurie and her family for all that they've done for our country.

More from this week's hometown hero, Laurie:

What branch of the military is your spouse in?
"The United States Air Force."

How long have you been a military wife/ husband?
"I have been a military wife for 14 years." 

Do you have kids? If so, what are their names and ages?
"We have 3 amazing kids.  Two boys 16 and 12 years old and a girl who is 9 years old."

Why did you start your blog and what is it about?
"I started my blog in 2008 because I was frustrated with the lack of information on the Internet in regards to traveling all over Iceland, Japan, and Europe.  Sure there was information about how to get to xyz or what to see, but not tried and true stories and pictures of people's adventures.  I'm a huge planner and researcher so this was really what I considered a huge need for the blog world, I wanted the ins and outs, the do's and do not's from other families who had done it before us.  So I started the blog so that it could be used as a resource for traveling with a family overseas, information on PCSing, experiencing different cultures, and just a general glimpse into the life of a military family. It's so rewarding knowing that other families can have access to the information from our tried and true trips and I look forward to posting about our adventures in Italy starting this summer!"

Do you or have you lived on base? Which one?
"We live on base and we love it. We tried living off base when we moved back here, (yes, back...it's our 2nd time here) and it just wasn't what was best for our family.  So as things go with the military I ended up doing a DITY (Do It Yourself) move after my husband deployed last time." 

What is the best thing about base life?
"I love that my husband's work is literally a 1 minute drive away so that he could come home for lunch, at least he did before he deployed.  It's also great that the kids are able to go out and play with their friends and I don't have to worry about them.  I also am thankful that the younger two kids get to attend the DODs school, the public schools in our area are not very good.  While we prefer living on base and have lived the 'Americanized' version of living overseas but still in the comfort of base housing, we'll be having a huge change soon.  We are PCSing to Italy this summer and there is NO base housing, excited but preparing myself for the challenges to come."

What is your favorite food to prepare for your family?
"Crockpot meals, you know the kind you throw in the morning and walk away and viola at dinner time you open the lid and serve the family :)  I've even found you can pre-make some of the meals and freeze them, then dump into crockpot when needed!  I use it at least 2 times a week and it makes my life SO much easier!" 

You are on a deserted island and can only bring one thing...Go!
"A Bible."

Is Military wife life what you thought it would be?
"No, its not.  Funny thing is that I remember swearing I'd never marry a military guy...and look here I am 14 years later happier than ever and LOVING our military life.  Being a military wife has been way better than I ever expected!  I love getting to move every 3-4 years and traveling the world.  I love making new friends, even though leaving them is hard. I love that being a military wife forces me to step outside my comfort zone, almost daily, I'm not the same person I was 14 years ago and I so thankful for how being a military wife has helped me to grow.  Yes, there are challenges but I haven't found one yet that we couldn't get through, including most recently a 15 month deployment."

TGIFF

Let's all take one big sigh of relief because it's Friday, FORT FRYDAY to be exact!  The long week has come to an end, the weekend is almost here and Peas of Mind's Veggie Wedgies are now in military commissaries; there's just so much to be happy about!  

This week we're celebrating Jessica Pomponio, a mother, wife and hometown hero living in Washington state.  Thank you for all your hard work Jessica, today is your day!  

More from this week's hometown hero, Jessica:

What branch of the military is your spouse in?
"My husband is currently a captain in the United States Army."

How long have you been a military wife?

"I have been a military wife since May but involved in the military since August 9, 2010.

Do you have kids?  

"We have one child, a daughter who is one. She was born in February."

Do you or have you lived on base? Which one?

"We currently live on base. We live in the town center on Fort Lewis."

What is the best thing about base life?
"The best thing about base life would have to be living so close to my husband's work which allows him to come home for lunch. Is the highlight of my day."

What is your favorite food to prepare for your family?

"My favorite food to prepare for my family would be pasta. My daughter just loves pasta."

You are on a deserted island and can only bring one thing...Go!

"I  would have to bring a blanket. Can be used for so many different things such as shelter and can keep you warm.

Is Military wife life what you thought it would be?

"No, I never thought much about military life. I grew up in southern California and the army isn't something you see everyday. So when my husband warned me about the life i didn't think much about it. It has its downsides but also makes you appreciate life."

FORT FRYDAYS are BACK!

TGIFF stands for Thank goodness it's FORT FRYDAY.  After a one week hiatus, Fort Frydays are back to bring in the weekend.  As you know, we're celebrating that military families can now buy our non-fat, vegetable loaded Veggie Wedgies in military commissaries!

This week we're celebrating Kristine Schellhaas, the founder of USMC Life, hometown hero and military wife.  USMC Life is an incredible resource for Military families;  providing an overview of every major Marine Corps base focusing on specific base information, military housing and photos, schools, youth programs and sports. It's got everything!  Thanks for everything you've done for military families, Kristine, you truly deserve a celebration and some yummy veggie fries of course.

More From This Week's Hometown Hero, Kristine Schelhaas:

How long have you been a military wife?

"We have been a military family for almost eleven years. I first met my Marine at the age of nineteen; we dated for six years before we married in 2002.  We have two kids: my big second grader who is eight, and my pre-k darling who is four. My husband and I met in our hometown of Boise, Idaho in college where most of our family lives today."

What made you start your website, USMC Life?

"I kept thinking about how Marine wives needed a place to go online to find out more about the Marine Corps. It really takes a few years to get to know the area, so what happens if you don’t know someone to ask advice from? I started asking friends to participate and give me feedback on the major Marine bases and voila, USMC Life was born three years ago. I added a blog last year to add a new element to the site so people could relate to other people’s military and family life."

Do you or have you lived on base? Which one?

"I love base living. When we first were stationed at Camp Pendleton, we chose to live off base because my husband wanted to get a break from the Marine Corps. I was pretty lonely because I was away from the community. We decided to move on base after my husband returned from deployment and I have loved every minute of it. We currently are back living on Camp Pendleton!"

What is the best thing about base life?

"The community hand’s down. I love our neighborhood. Everyone is so great about supporting each other, keeping an eye out for one another’s kids, bringing each other meals, joining together in events and more."

What is your favorite food to prepare for your family this time of year?

"Something about winter just screams comfort food. I love to buy vegetables in season and cook up a great soup or chicken pot pie with mashed potatoes."

You are on a deserted island and can only bring one thing...Go!

"My husband! He would take control and make sure everything is okay. Plus if anyone knows survival stuff, he's the perfect guy for the job."

Is Military wife life what you thought it would be?

No. I really didn’t know what to expect from military life. I had this idea that we would be living a glamorous life, traveling the world, and living these great adventures. This is partially true, but it gets pretty lonely and stressful at times. The best part is building the community around each other and making each other’s lives better."

Fort Frydays

It's Friday, so you know what that means! FORT FRYDAYS is back and once again we're celebrating that our Veggie Wedgies are now available in military commissaries!

This week we're featuring Michelle, the awesome mom, wife and blogger behind Military Wives Savings.  If you haven't visited her website, you should check it out ASAP; she's constantly posting great deals, coupons and wonderful ways to help military families save money!

More from Michelle, this week's hometown here: 

What branch of the military is your spouse in? 
"Army. He's been in since January 2007, so a few months before we met."

How long have you been a military wife? 
"I've been a milspouse since January 2008, 2 months after we started dating. One of our mutual friends set us up on a blind date when we were at Ft Lewis, WA and we spent everyday together since that night :)"

Do you have kids? If so, what are their names and ages? 
"We have 2 and one on the way (any SECOND now LOL) ... Hailey is 4 and Clint, Jr. is 2." (We found out that a few days after Michelle sent this, she gave birth to her third child. CONGRATULATIONS MICHELLE!)

Do you or have you lived on base? Which one?
"We have never actually lived "on-post" ...It's always been off. However, we are at Ft. Bliss now and I honestly wish we lived on-post for that sense of community and family-feeling. We do not speak spanish so we really don't know our neighbors ...."

What is the best thing about base life? 
"Best thing about military life ... gotta say Tricare! I've saved about $20,000 having my two kids so far :) Seriously, I would say the sense of pride being of apart of the military. You know your spouse is doing something so selfless to defend our country and you get to share that with them. It makes me so proud to say that I'm a military spouse!"

What is your favorite food to prepare for your family? 
"Mmmmm, that has to be Chicken Cacciatore hands down. Whether it's on the stove or in the slow-cooker, it's simply delicious. It's even better the next day! The kids don't like it but hubby and I do!"

-You are on a deserted island and can only bring one thing...Go! 
"Hopefully someone is paying the internet bill back on land, so that would be my laptop with built-in wifi :) If there's no wifi, I'd bring a fishing pole for food and fun."

-Is Military wife life what you thought it would be? 
"I never thought I'd be a military wife, although I grew up as a military brat, go figure. I have to say I'm used to this lifestyle, moving every few years, having to readjust. When I was younger, I went to three high schools, and I truly can't remember some of my teachers names. It's just been a way of life for me and I don't know how to live any other way."

Fort Frydays

Fort Frydays is back celebrating our Veggie Wedgies, which are now available in military commissaries!

Today our hometown hero is Kristina Doss, a military daughter, wife and mom.  By day, Kristina is a journalist whose work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal and The Washington Times and by night, she's a hometown hero taking care of her husband and daughter.  

Photo by Camille O. Martin-Jones

More from Christina, this week's hometown hero:

What branch of the military is your spouse in?

"My husband is in the U.S. Navy. He has served our country for 12 years and my family is incredibly proud of his service and all that he has accomplished so far."

How long have you been a military wife?

"I’ve been a military wife for almost seven years. During that time, my husband and I have moved, lived and traveled around the world. (We currently live in Singapore.) It’s been quite the adventure – one that I share on the blog My Traveling Troop."

Do you have kids? If so, what are their names and ages?

"Our daughter Bella is four years old. We also have another bundle of joy on the way."

Do you or have you lived on base? Which one?

"We’ve lived both on and off base over the years. I think both options offer wonderful and unique experiences. For us, the choice to live on or off base depends on the area and what stage in life we’re in at the time we have to make the decision."

What is the best thing about base life?

"Living off base has given us an opportunity to develop friendships with locals and, when we’re overseas, learn about their culture and customs more. On the other hand, living on base provided us with an immediate sense of community and support from people who also live and understand a nomadic lifestyle."

What is your favorite food to prepare for your family?

"That’s a tough question, because I love to cook! But if I had to choose one, I would say chicken and brown rice soup. The dish is easy to make and healthy since it’s packed with protein, vegetables and fresh herbs. My husband and daughter love it."

You are on a deserted island and can only bring one thing...Go!

"I’m going to imagine that this deserted island has excellent reception so that I can bring my iPhone. The phone has a map application, so I’ll always know where we are and how to get home. I can call for help and Google how-to instructions on how to build a fire, pitch a tent from the materials around us and forage for food while we wait for help to arrive. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have a little entertainment while you’re stranded somewhere. "

Is Military wife life what you thought it would be?

"I grew up as a Navy child; my father served for 20 years. As a result, I had a good sense of what to expect when I married someone in the Navy. But truth be told, as a military wife I’ve experienced more surprises and adventures than I ever could have imagined."

Fort Frydays

Fort Frydays is back for 2013!  As you know,  Peas of Mind’s Veggie Wedgies are now in military commissaries, which means we get the honor of feeding the brave men and women who serve our country and the families who love them.  Fort Frydays is a celebration of the moms and dads (or Home Town Hero’s as we like to call them) who take care of the household while their spouse is/was away. 

This week we’re celebrating military wife and mom, Chantal Shelstad. When Chantel's not busy with her daughter and husband, she writes for her blog Scattered Seashells about life as a military mom helping her family live a healthy lifestyle (her life just got a little easier because now she can get Peas of Mind products at her commissary)! 

More from Chantel, this week's hometown hero:

What branch of the military is your spouse in?

“My husband is in the Army. He is training to be a helicopter pilot.”

How long have you been a military wife?

“We've been married since June 2008, and he's been in the Army since then too! So it'll be five years come this summer.”

Do you have kids? If so, what are their names and ages?

“We have one daughter, Penny, who just turned one in December.”

Do you or have you lived on base? 

“We live on base here at Fort Rucker. Before we lived here, we were stationed in Hawaii, and we lived on base there too.”

What is the best thing about base life?

“We love being close to his work so he can come home between breaks.  There are lots of perks of living on base - proximity to the commissary and PX, close to other families, good housing. I especially love being on post here because I'm close to friends, because my husband is gone a lot for training in flight school.”

What is your favorite food to prepare for your family?

“We have tons! But I like a good meatloaf with roasted broccoli and sweet potato fries on the side. I’m so excited to try Peas of Mind Carrot fries, they seem super healthy and easy to make.”

You are on a deserted island and can only bring one thing...Go!

“Does my husband count as a thing? Seriously, he would get us out of anything. I'm sure that's putting a lot of faith in him but I trust him beyond words. I know he would work to get us off that island.  Well, unless we liked it so much, and then he'd work to make us a great house!”

Is Military life what you thought it would be?

“That and more! I love the relationships I have with others who understand exactly what I'm going through. I love the opportunities we have to travel. I love the activities they organize. I love the sense of community. I love being an Army wife!”