With my family also heavily involved in Scouting, we keep first aid kits everywhere! Adventures with kids can lead to some little accidents along the way! When you build out your kits, you can make smaller pouches to include in backpacks, purses, and any other location at home or at work. Never be unprepared for anything that might get thrown at you!

If you have not created a first aid kit before, here are a few items you will want to include:

• Non-Stick Pads
• Rolled Gauze
• Waterproof Tape
• Band-aids
• Ace Bandage
• Sam Splint
• Triple Antibiotic Ointment
• Antiseptic Wash
• Acetaminophen
• Ibuprofen
• Antacids
• Hand Sanitizer
• Gloves
• CPR Mask
• Mini Scissors

There may be other items you want to add as your needs dictate, but this will help you get started! Check out our Amazon Storefront to grab all of your First Aid Kit needs!

Pro Tip: Grab some “fun” band-aids! Sometimes something as simple as that can help calm a situation…even when a band-aid may not actually be needed!

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As I have been looking ahead to the new year and trying to figure out where I want to be at the end of next year, I found it easier to narrow down the list of things that I want to see accomplished.

Here are my top five for this coming year:

1. Pay off ONE student loan
2. Pay off two credit cards
3. Get into better shape (hoping to shave five minutes off my run time)
4. Eat healthier
5. Declutter my house

Simple. Easy. Attainable. Make a plan. Write it out and put it where you can see it. I have already laid out the goals for each month and what I have to do see it through. I calculated what I needed to put on each card and the one student loan to see them paid off. They are laid out in my ledger, and ready for a jump start. Meal planning has been on the go, and new recipes are being hunted and printed off for future use. The gym is already in my daily cycle, but I looked at what I wanted to achieve, and researched some running programs that would help to shave that time off. Different exercises will help build muscles and stamina, and in short, help bring that run time down.

The declutter on the house is my big one. I have decided that I will go one room at a time. Find what I need, what we use and what we don’t. What has not been used/worn in over a year can be donated. I can get rid of the items that are just sitting. Of course, there are some sentimental items that will not be leaving the house, but some things that we hold onto, we do so with the idea that we can use them at some point in the future. Ask yourself, have I used it? Can I use it? Will I put it to good use? If you cannot think of how to incorporate it, get rid of it! I tend to hoard clothing with the thoughts of “I will get back into that.” I have been saying that for a while, so right now there is a huge pile of clothing just waiting for me to take to goodwill, for someone else to put to good use.

What are you goals going to be? Well, now is the time to figure them out, write them down, and start tackling them one day at a time!

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This is the perfect fall craft, and you can incorporate it any way you want! Make a timeline for a deployed loved one (just add twine and hang), include in boxes for friends, or mail to grandparents…the list could go on and on! We created these to hand out to our neighbors, and it made for a fun afternoon!

Supplies:

• Construction Paper or Fall Paper
• Leaf Template
• Scissors
• Glue
• Chocolates

Directions:

1. Print off template.
2. Cut out template.
3. Trace template on fun/fall paper.
4. Cut out colorful leaf.
5. Write fall greeting leaving room for candy.
6. Glue candy down onto leaf.
7. Allow to dry.
8. Deliver some fall fun!

Super easy right?? I used construction paper I already had at the house, and the candy was left over from my last chocolate binge session. There are tons of cute papers in the stores now, and you can create so many different patterns and shapes with these! We choose colorful leaves to celebrate the changing of the seasons!

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While we laze through our summer days, I don’t want the kids to completely forget what we have been learning all year long. We are slowly working on a few things still, but they have not caught on quite yet! I love that they are still learning, and enjoying it too.

As we drove across a few states for a family get together, we were listing off different birds, flowers, and more fun road trip games. Occasionally I would ask them to spell a certain word or throw a math problem into the mix. They were having so much fun with the trip that they answered without even thinking about it! Total mom win!

Summer days are all about fun, and while we are having lots of fun, the kids can still learn! We spend a lot more time at the library these days, and there have been some great adventures through so many book pages.

We have really had a great time with the movies. There are some really great classic films that we have worked through already. We like watching different musicals, and I have discovered that my kids really enjoyed White Christmas and Singing in the Rain. We love to watch the old John Wayne movies, and Rio Grande is by far my favorite, but my kids really love the World War II pictures that he did. Ready for this???  Once they watch the movies, they want to know more about the battles and the history, so where does that lead us? The library!

Summer is meant to be fun, but that does not mean that learning completely stops. We can learn anywhere we are, no matter what we are doing. Just take the summer, have some fun, and see what you can learn along the way! You might be just as surprised as the kids as to what you can pick up without actually really having to officially teach anything.

Share with us what you are doing this summer to “learn” as you go! Have you seen our Summer Bingo game?

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There are some fantastic traditions around the world, all involving reading! Here are a few that I have found, and that are worth some consideration for either later this month or next year. 

These are a couple of my favorites:

1. Christmas Eve Read-a-thon: The night before Christmas in Iceland, everyone is given a new book, and they spend the night reading. This is one tradition I could fully support! I mean, who else has pulled this tradition several times during the year!? I know there are times when I am working on a book that I think to myself “I can totally finish this tonight!” Not sure if its always a good idea, but those book hangover mornings are totally worth it.
2. 25 Books of Christmas: Get 25 books, and put under the tree. Wrap them or stick them in a bag that the kiddos will not be able to see what they are. Each night, let them reach into the bag and choose one book. Read the book together, and use it to count down to Christmas!
3. Books for Troops: Find a couple of books that you have loved, and take them to a USO. While you can do this one year round, there are more and more troops traveling around the holidays, and you never know when one of your favorite books might become their new favorite too! You can also donate to post libraries, or find someone sending boxes to deployed troops and add a few books into that.

While these are three of my favorite traditions, there are so many more out there! A quick search or visit to the library can help to uncover more of these great ideas and perhaps help to start some new traditions in your home! Wanna see some of our favorite books? Make sure to check out our Amazon Storefront Book Nook sections!

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Pearl Harbor, located near Honolulu, Hawaii, was home to a large naval base. It was thought that it was not an ideal location for attack, although there were some who remembered similar locations that had been previously attacked. The United States Navy had a large contingent of ships, planes, supplies, and military personnel in the area. 

Just before 8 am on the 7th of December, the Japanese unleashed their attack, using hundreds of planes to swarm and drop ordinance on the ships below. Through the attack, around 20 ships were damaged, and more than 300 aircraft were destroyed. Some of the battleships were damaged beyond repair. 

The ship that bore the brunt of the attack was the USS Arizona. While some of the men stationed aboard managed to get off, the ship was sunk after a bomb ripped through the ammunition magazine. After a terrific explosion, the ship sank, taking more than 1100 men who were trapped inside down with her. The USS Oklahoma also sank after being torpedoed, taking around 400 men with her to the bottom.

After the attack was over, more than 2,400 Americans were killed to include civilians, and more than 1,000 were wounded. Although there had been chatter on the impending attack, it was thought that the Japanese would attack another location. There were a few who felt that Pearl Harbor was the target, but they had calculated the dates wrong, leading many to believe that they were wrong. The day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, war was declared on Japan by the United States, effectively bringing us into the second World War. 

The Japanese had wanted to remove any threat that the United States Navy had, but they failed to do so in their attack on Pearl Harbor. There were oil depots, repair locations, shipyards, and the submarine docks were untouched. The United States Navy was able to rebound and rebuild quickly after the attack.

Today, if you visit Pearl Harbor, you can visit the memorial for the USS Arizona. It is a touching and sobering reminder, where oil still rests on the top of the water. There are other locations to visit as well, and one can find a lot of great information on the attack on Pearl Harbor. If you get the chance to visit, I urge you to do so. 

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.”

~President Franklin D. Roosevelt~

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However, who wants the same old traditional menu each and every year? NO ONE! You have to keep it fresh and keep it fun! There are the traditional items that will be included, as we want those who are eating at our house to feel as though they are back home. Creating new dishes that will become favorites for the remainder of the year is a must. So, when my husband mentioned that he wanted Green Bean Casserole again this year, I thought about ways to make our traditional meal different.  I decided to play around with it and see what I could do just to spice it up a little bit. What I came up with, is so simple and easy – it takes two seconds to do, AND it adds just those little twists that makes it my own.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
• 4 cans Green Beans, drained
• 2 ⅔ cups Fried Onions
• 1/2 handfuls of chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Add soup, milk, black pepper, beans, walnuts, and 1 ⅓ cups onions in 3-qt. baking dish.
• Stir until mixed well.
• Bake for 25 min. or until bean mixture is hot and bubbling.
• Stir bean mixture.
• Sprinkle remaining onions over mixture.
• Bake for an additional 5 min. or until onions are golden brown.

When I tell you that this recipe is going to be a winner, I am not lying! I made this ahead of time so that I could try it out on my family before the huge Thanksgiving meal. It was a huge hit! I do recommend letting it cool just a bit before you dive in (just saying, I burned the roof of my mouth, because I didn’t want to wait). Adding this little twist puts an entirely different spin on this classic recipe! I am sure your family is going to savor every bite!

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Tonight, we have our bowling league Halloween party, and of course, I was asked to bring my “delicious homemade” cupcakes. My secret? They are NOT homemade! I rely on a box for those delicious cupcakes everyone raves about! I love to cook, but there are a few things that I cannot do from scratch – cakes and gravy. A box of cake mix saves the day once again!

Ingredients:

• Box of Cake Mix
• Container of Frosting
• Cupcake Liners
• Halloween Decorations

Directions:

• Mix cake as directed on the box.
• Put into cupcake liners and bake.
• Mix your frosting to desired colors – I went with a darker purple
• Add decorations to the top of the cupcakes

Now for the best part – ENJOY! 

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Coupons are a great way to save money. However, many of us choose not to use them, for many different reasons. But we want to know – How Often Do You Use Coupons?

Did you know that we have coupons on our site? We love sharing savings with you each month! From recipes, to coupons and deals at your Exchange and Commissary, we want to help you save your valuable funds!

Visit MyMilitarySavings.com and view the savings that we have available for you this month! Did you know our website was developed with you in mind, and we want to continue to bring you the very best that we can!

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In the 1800s, settlers were flooding into Mexico-controlled Texas. In 1835, as the war for independence in Texas began to ramp up, a group of defenders took refuge in the old mission in San Antonio. Sam Houston, the commanding general, determined that the old mission was not a defensible position and recommended that it be abandoned for a better location. The men inside the Alamo refused, holding their ground against the massive body of troops on their way from Mexico.

While the defenders held off the Mexican army, Sam Houston was busy raising support throughout Texas. Detachments were raised, but it was a race against time to see if anyone would be able to get to the old mission in time to help those who were defending it. Col. William B. Travis was in charge of the old mission, and with around 180-220 men inside, they were vastly outnumbered by the large army approaching under the command of General Santa Anna. 

Those defending the Alamo, including David Crockett and James Bowie, managed to hold off the Mexican army for 13 days. On 6 March 1836, the Mexican army breached the mission and killed everyone inside, minus a small number of women and children. Instead of burying the defenders, the Mexican army burned their bodies and their ashes buried in a grove of trees, of which the location today has been lost. 

Around 350 troops under the command of Col. James Fannin attempted to reach the defenders at the Alamo, but were unsuccessful. After their surrender to the Mexican troops, Col. Fannin and his men were executed by the Mexican army on 27 March 1836. 

The fall of the Alamo and the subsequent massacre of Col Fannin’s regiment sent shock waves throughout Texas. Afterward, at the Battle of San Jacinto, the cry “Remember the Alamo” was heard as the Texans went on to defeat Santa Anna’s army. The phrase was also used during the later Mexican-American war.

Today, the Alamo is open to visitors, sharing the story of the beginning of the war for independence in Texas.

 Books on the Alamo:

1. A Time To Stand – Walter Lord
2. The Gates of the Alamo – Stephen Harrigan
3. The Blood of Heroes: The 13-Day Struggle for the Alamo – James Donovan
4. David Crockett: The Lion of the West – Michael Wallis
5. A Line in the Sand: The Alamo in Blood and Memory – Randy W. Roberts
6. 13 Days To Glory – Lon Tinkle
7. Texan Iliad: A Military History of the Texas Revolution, 1835-1836 – Stephen L. Hardin

Movies on the Alamo:

1. The Martyrs of the Alamo (1915 – silent film)
2. Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier (1955)
3. The Last Command (1955)
4. The Alamo (1960) with John Wayne
5. The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory (1987)
6. The Alamo (2004)

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