4th of July Inspiration Part 2

Happy 4th of July Eve everyone!! Today has slowly dragged by as I anxiously anticipate tomorrow!! I cannot wait to kick off our little beach bash!! So I spent most of the day doing prep for tomorrow.... which included a lot of running around. Running errands with a baby is no little task but I managed to get through it and I think I got everything we need!!

While I was running around trying to cross things off my personal list I managed to pick up few extra things. For what you ask? Well a little while back I came across a website for a nonprofit Any Soldier.

http://www.anysoldier.com/

I fell in love with the concept here!! It is 100% voluntary and YOU are in charge of everything!! What is EVERYTHING you ask? I'll try my best to sum it up! YOU pick a military service member who has signed up to be a volunteer with the organization. There is a list of names provided and several search criteria options. You can pick someone based on their location, their gender, their return date etc. Once you pick a person, their address will be sent to your e-mail. Once you get their address YOU can send a letter .... a care package.... or another form of support. {What a great activity to get your children in on!!!} Once the volunteer soldier receives the letter/package they turn around and deliver it to someone in their unit who does not receive mail, has never had a care package, etc. Basically, someone who is not receiving a lot of support from back home! PRETTY COOL HUH? Today we picked up a bunch of things for a care package. Think trail mixes, pringles, zip lock bags, magazines, beef jerky, gum, playing cards, cross word puzzles, toiletries. {DO NOT MAIL FOOD ITEMS WITH TOILETRIES AS THE FOOD ENDS UP TASTING LIKE THE SOAP, MOUTHWASH ETC THEY SUGGEST DOING EITHER ONE THEME OR THE OTHER.}

Here is a website with a ton of ideas: Soldier package ideas

A lot of people are against "The War" or have no clue what we are even doing "over there". A lot of people are angry with the government and we all disagree on how to solve our nation's problems. But none of the hostility we feel towards the politicians in charge should be directed at the men and women who serve our country. It takes a certain kind of individual to enlist in the military, ship off to boot camp, and spend long periods of time away from their family and friends. It takes a certain type of person to willingly sign up for a job where the chances of death are high. These people should be appreciated... celebrated.... and thanked! {providing they aren't acting like a bunch of drunk goons in the bar...I speak from experience here.}

We should all take a moment to think about what Independence really means. How so many people in this world live in horrible conditions...conditions we could not even imagine. We are a fortunate spoiled  nation and I think people often forget how truly lucky they are!! 

{I have fallen in love with this quote}

I will probably skip out tomorrow and update on Thursday! 

But it will be a GOOOD ONE.....I promise! :)

I sure hope you'll take some time to send some love to soldier over seas!

Tatiana

4th of July Inspiration part 1

I cannot believe June has come and gone. Here we are July 2nd and before you know it, it will be August...then the beginning of Fall...then the holidays!! AAAHH I LOVE the Holidays!! OK OK... I better stop before I get ahead of myself here! Right now my focus is on July 4th woohoo HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! In honor of our nation's independence and all the men and women who fought and continue to fight for just that, we have been planning a big beach bash!!{And I seriously cannot wait} Just how big you ask?? WELL lots of family..food...friends...beverages...sun....sand....and hopefully a little paddle boarding too!! I cannot articulate exactly how big because there really are no words to describe how wonderful it is that we get to spend an afternoon relaxing on the beach with the people we love!! BUT maybe I'll try to convey the pure awesomeness we will be having with some pictures in a follow up post!!

I will be completing some 4th of July inspired RAOK throughout the week....all of which you can do too!!

But first I'd like to rewind and talk about the weekend!! 

In short: We had some awful luck this weekend!! 

Now I certainly am not going around town doing RAOK to improve my Karma....but geesh we could have used a break this weekend!! Saturday was supposed to be a fun day on the water. Took all morning to pack and get down to the bay so we could take the jet ski out for a fun filled afternoon! WHAT FUN RIGHT?? No sooner did we get out of the "no wake zone" and jerk up the speed before we were pulled over by a boat cop! YAH FUN!!!  The cop, with his hasty attitude about a certain sticker displayed front and center of the ski, gave Kevin a ticket! What for you ask? LISTEN UP VIRGINIA WATER BABIES: Anyone operating a personal water craft must have the certified water safety card regardless of your age! You can obtain this by paying to take the class online and purchasing a card!! AND anyone under 30 driving a boat must also have one of these little cards as well. I am continually amazed at all the NEW ways our state/city try and make money! Kev was rather polite given his newly acquired ticket....I remained silent and looked the other way after the sticker situation. Like they say "If you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all"  that or "don't mouth off to a power tripping cop who would love to arrest you just for laughs" ...yah maybe that! And I hate to say it but that incident ruined my mood for the rest of the day! However...I did stick a little note on my neighbors door step that read "You are special."

Sunday was a new day with a new agenda. We loaded up the car and headed to Williamsburg{45 minutes to an hour away depending on traffic} for a little trip around historic Jamestown and some shopping of course! Long story short: Most of Williamsburg was without power after a storm that blew through the night before. The museum was down, but Kevin paid for tickets prior to the correct knowledge AND half of the outlets were closed! The good ones too i.e.: Kate Spade...BCBG...JUICY....ETC! UGH!! We did manage to find a cute bistro for a delicious little lunch that consisted of assorted cheeses, meats, and fruit with a nice glass of wine on the side!! Truly was the highlight of this little weekend gone wrong! Sunday's RAOK was already done a couple days prior...but the situation just presented itself so I hoped on the opportunity. We stopped into the grocery store on our way home and when we went to grab a cart there were 4. I am not exaggerating....ALL of the grocery carts that belong to the store were outside in the parking lot. On our way back to the car there was a young female employee trying to round them all up and back into the store before it stormed! So I offered my assistance and helped her get a bunch of carts together. I couldn't tell if she found my help annoying or what but regardless it came from a good place!

So I'd like to forget about the unfortunate luck we had this weekend and the massive amounts of homework I've been tackling to focus on my RAOK for today! Since I recently joined the blogging world, I have been interested in following other blogs! Naturally, I'd like to meet new people and also have new people start following me. A process that has proven to be much slower than I had hoped. {I wish I had more time to devote to reading other blogs and connecting with new people, but the truth is I'm having a hard enough time squeezing my own updates in} But anyway, a facebook friend posted a link to a blog that I ended up checking out. He didn't mention what the blog was about just that they were looking for a little help. Whats that you say...HELP? I'm on a helping mission this month lets check it out! I was not prepared for the level of awesomeness I was about to stumble across. The blog is titled "On A Whim and A Prayer" and it is about Kristen and Andy and their journey of adopting a child. But wait it gets better!! Not just any child....a child with special needs! A beautiful baby girl with down syndrome who currently resides in an orphanage in another country. Just typing this gives me goose bumps and brings tears to my eyes! How incredible are these two?? Words just cannot express how amazing I think these people are and I have never even met them! So when I said earlier how they needed a little help, well it is because they do! The costs associated with adopting are extremely high and they are facing massive expenses in their effort to bring this little girl to America and into their loving home! What better way to celebrate America, 4th of July, Freedom, etc. than helping these two remarkable people??? Today I made a contribution to their paypal fund. I hope that by sharing this story you too will whip out your card and also contribute! If we all donate $5.00-$10.00 dollars and then pass the story along to our family, friends, facebookers, blog followers etc. than we can all help made a difference in a BIG WAY!! Typing that also gives me goosebumps! Here is a challenge for YOU....I hope you will except! Check out their beautiful blog which includes their story and all the information you may need to help!

 http://awhimandaprayer.com/

Check me out tomorrow as I have another 4th of July inspired RAOK you can do as well!!

Until tomorrow,
Tatiana