Rewind 365 - May 16th

WELCOME TO REWIND 365!  

 LETS GO DOWN MEMORY LANE!

Every Thursday come join us in 'Rewind 365'!

It can be something you posted on your blog a year ago, a memory, a photo or even a video taken  a year ago!

This is what was going on with me a year ago:

So What Happened With You A Year Ago Today? Join in and "Rewind 365" days and tell us what you were up to A Year Ago Today!
 

It's all simple:

1. Follow me!  2. Tweet 3. Create a Post with a picture, a memory, or even a previous blog post from 1 year ago, make sure you include our button so we have more people joining every week. (You can put this in your side bar if you don't want to put it in your post.

<a border="0" href="http://www.cammostylelove.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y129/missrhe/Rewind365b_zps01afc85d.jpg" /></a>

4. Link your post up on the linky below so we can all check it out. 5. And the most important thing:

HAVE FUN!

**If you're interested in guest hosting with me, shoot me an email cammostylelove at yahoo dot com**

 

So what were we doing a year ago today?

 

We were at the pool for Ami's swim lessons.  Look at my cute kids.  I can't wait to get back to the pool this summer.  I loved being at the pool last year.  Ami's almost swimming and I can't wait to see how she does this summer.  My goal this year is for Brian to go off the diving board this year.  He'll also being going to a summer day camp this year for a week and I know all the kids will be going off the diving board.  So, of course I want my little man to be able to do it too.

 

 

What are you the most excited about this summer?

Newborn Essential Fluff 'N Stuff Event! #NBFluffNStuff

Welcome to the Newborn Essentials Fluff 'N Stuff Giveaway Event!  I am so happy you are here.  Thanks for stopping by and entering.  Make sure to check out the other giveaways with my fellow blogmates and the amazing giveaways from our host, Life with My Littles.  Make sure to check out all of my sponsors and reivews of the products I've got to give away.  Some of the giveaways are sponsored by the great companies, others are sponsored by me.  Please make sure to visit the other blogs (as well as the host) to win other great prizes!

Prize Pack 1:

Two sunbaby diapers (Boy)
size 1

Two My Little Legs newborn leggings (boy)

Teething Bling Necklace
click link for review

Prize Pack 2:

Second Teething Bling Necklace

The Cloth Nook - Baby Geffen Fitted NB/xs inserts
click for review of store
and Geffen Baby Fitted

Scarlett's Naturals - Gift Certificate

a Rafflecopter giveaway    

**Disclaimer: unless specified, all prizes are provided by the sponsor.  Cammo Style Love is not responsible for receipt of prize.  Each entry will be verified for authenticity.  The giveaway is available in the US only.  Items that I reviewed were provided solely for review.  I was not compensated in any other way.  My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Newborn Essentials Event - Sponsor #2 - Smart Moms Teething Bling

Time for a look at another sponsor for the Newborn Essentials, Fluff 'N Stuff giveaway coming up tomorrow.  Thanks again to Life with My Littles for hosting, and putting together this great event.

visit Smart Mom's Jewelry

 

 

I'm so thrilled to be able to give away one of these amazing necklaces for a lucky mama out there.  As far as I'm concerned this is a major essential when having a baby.  I have used several different types of teething jewelry, and Smart Mom's Teething Jewelry is one of my top favorites.

 

me, and Smart Mom Founder, Amy!

 

 

I had the extreme pleasure to meet Amy from Teething Bling for a photoshoot for their new line and unveiling of their new packinging.  It was such an amazing expereince.  I hung out with some mamas, saw a bunch of cute babies, tried some new products and got some great pictures taken as well. 

 



 

Here's what you'll win, and a look at the new packaging!  Don't you love the color combo?

 

 

Not only is Teething Bling a fantastic product, safe and fun for baby, as well as fashionable for mama - Smart Moms is a truly wonderful company.  They have a strict commitment to safety for our babies and little ones.  There are no harmful chemicals in their products, which is a relief to all of us.  Smart Moms also makes a donation to Dress for Success, a organization that empowers women from disadvantaged situations so that they can succeed, in honor of Amy's sister-in-law who passed in 2005.  These are all things that I love about a company, and play a role in where I decide to put my money.

 

Teething Bling is a lightweight, comfortable product, available in a wide variety of colors.  It can be dressed up or down and I'm sure you're baby will love it.  I'm sure many of you are like me and didn't really want to give up my accessorizing when I had children.  This is a way for me to incorporate style and accessories for those days when my little one just can't keep things out of his mouth. 

 

 

Come back and enter to win starting Wednesday!!

You can also purchase Teething Bling at many local and online retail shops. 

But in exciting and amazing news you can now find Teething Bling in 370 Target stores

and all Buy Buy Baby stores.  Military mamas - Teething Bling is also availble with AAFES!!

 

Make sure to visit Smart Moms online, and check out their facebook and twitter as well.

 

 

**Disclaimer - I received this product in exchange for my honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way.  My thoughts and opinions are my own.



#NBFluffNStuff - Sponsor #1 *Geffen Baby Fitted Review*

In a couple of days will be the kick off to the Newborn Essentials giveaway and blog hop!  I haven't done an event like this in a long time and its been so fun gathering up some great gifts for a lucky winner.  I want to thank Life with My Littles for hosting this event.  She is going to have so mondo amazing prizes...like I can't even tell you how awesome its going to be over there on her blog, so make sure to check it out, as well as the other blogs participating.


Sponsor Number #1 is a local sponsor, a fabulous hubby and wife that I have personally met and spent time with.  They are a super important part of our local Great Cloth Diaper Change here in the Northern VA/DC area.  The Cloth Nook, not only provided me with a Geffen Fitted to check out, but they will be offering one as a part of the prize pack.  So very exciting!

So let's get on with the review

 

Showing off!  He's so cute

On the move!!

Here is the Geffen pictured next to a BabyKicks (to the largest size)

 

Pros: This is an extremely absorbant duo - the geffen fitted and inserts.  I used this diaper with two inserts for nap time and it didn't get the outside soaked through.  I usually use fitteds with a wool cover of some kind.  We did an overnight with all three inserts and with my heavy wetter it worked great.  I like the material of both the inserts and the cover.  There's a good fit and you could probably roll it over so that it would fit a younger child.  My son is currently wearing about 18-2T in the pants and these fit great.   It's pretty stretchy as well.  So the size is definately adjustable.  He's a wide boy as well.  When I used it with the one insert, or two, I didn't really feel like there was a huge issue with bulk.

Cons: I'm not a fan of having to use a snappi.  I found that they snag and stuff (which I had a horrible incident with it ruining a brand new shirt, LOL).  I don't use them enough to really get them down if you like using them.  These are sized diapers.  I really like to get my bang for my buck and using things that are one-size is great for me.  There's a bit of a bulk issue going on when you have all the inserts in, but for me that's not really an issue at night.

**Disclaimer - I was provided this item in exchange for my honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way.  My thoughts and opinions are my own.

#MilitaryMonday - Bent, Not Broken

Music has always spoken to me.  It reaches inside my soul and grabs hold.  Getting emotional listening to a song is a common occurrence.  Many important times and events in my life can be closely tied to a song.  Right now the song that want to hear all the time, that I turn up and sing along with as loud as I can, is "Give Me a Reason," by Pink.  Its the part about being bent, but not broken, that is really getting to me I think.  I'm really in a rough season in life.  There has been frequent short-term travel (at least a month), continuous long hours that are really nothing new.  Being here is wonderful.  It's what we've wanted for a very long time...but its not home.  We aren't near family and our friend and support base is growing, but still really small.  Not having my medication issue worked out yet is, I'm sure, playing a role.  But I'm bent.  This life has been hard and I think I've hit the eleven-year wall.  I'm tired of it,  I'm over it and I feel like I'm drifting.   Its like a constant state of reintegration, pre-deployment, deployment and back to reintegration.  I'm not sure of another way to describe it.  The days he has off I feel are just days of scrambling to catch up, get things done that I couldn't do alone, or needed his help with.  Its a panic-stricken time of trying to get the most squeezed out of every second.   It just ends up being a mess.  

 Just give me a reason, just a little bit's enough.  Just a second we're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again.  It's in the stars, it's been written in the scars on our hearts, that we're not broken, just bent and we can learn to love again.

Our relationship isn't in jeopardy, in a literal sense.  But our relationship is just so different than it has been before that sometimes I don't recognize us.  I do feel like my heart is scarred, at least surrounded by heavy guard sometimes.  Its exhausting.  When will it end?  Will it ever end?  Is this how are relationship is, is it just developing into some sort of mature state and I've just been watching too many chick flicks?  Who knows.  I really feel like these scars are real and need to be healed.  We need a healing (how silly does that sound), but its true.  But where does one start when they need a healing?  I know my husband loves me, I know he wants to be with me.  Why can't I shake the feeling of separation between us.  

I'm sorry I don't understand where all of this is coming from.  I thought that we were fine.  Your head is running wild again my dear, we still have everything, and its all in your mind

Oh tear ducts and rust, I'll fix it for us.  We're collecting dust, but our love's enough.  

I know that our love is enough to get through anything, scars and all.   My head does run wild, when I'm alone and thinking of him.....but I know I'm not alone in that.

Happy Mother's Day Sunday Social

Happy Mother's Day to all the mother's out there!  Having three kids doesn't make me a "mother expert", but I have to admit its a pretty amazing gig.  It may have its ups and downs, but my three little crazy muchkins make all that worth it.  As I embark on some more single-parenting time (yay me!) I come to appreciate my amazing little ones.  My son has acquired this amazing ability to come alongside me, and behave far beyond his six years of age.  That's probably true of most military kids his age.  I'm thankful for them every day, but a special day to really appreciate them is fine by me.

Check out my MilSpouse Appreciation Day post here, and keep your eyes out for the Newborn Essentials Fluff N Stuff giveaway coming up in just three short days!!

1. 1 year ago I was doing...

one year ago, I was adjusting to being here...we still had tons of boxes and it was crazy!!!

 

2. 5 years ago I was doing... 

Five years ago I was really pregnant with my daughter, and I had just turned 25.  My hubby planned a decades party for me and it was pretty awesome.  I remember not really being upset at all about turning 25...it must have been the extra hormones from the pregnancy.  LOL!

 

 

 my fab and super amazing...and world traveling superstar photographer took these!  if you're looking for a photographer...anywhere you are, check out her website!

3. 10 years ago I was doing..

Wow, this is really taking me back!  10 years ago I was just a little engaged 20 year old :)  My soon to be hubby was gone being Mr. Air Force and I was planning a wedding all by my lonesome.

 

4. 1 year from now I'll be doing...

One year from now my little miss will be preparing for Kindergarten.  I think that will be almost harder then when Brian started.  It will just be me and my little Phillip.  Oh boy..this is starting to become a little emotional.  Where does time go?  

On a slightly less emotionally intense note  I hope to be more ensconced in the DC/Military life here...more volunteering, getting better at writing and all that other stuff.  I'm excited to head out on this road.

 

5. 5 years from now I'll be doing...

 Five years from now...all my kids will be in school.  Maybe I'll have a paid position somewhere, maybe I won't.  I don't even know if I'll be in the same location.  It might be fun to be here still, but how amazing would it be for my husband to find a job near our families.  

6. 10 years from now I'll be doing...

Seriously..do I have to talk about this?  I'll be 40...so seriously...lets not talk about it :)  

thanks for stopping by!!  if you're a new follower make sure to let me know and I'll return the favor!

 

The Forgotten Spouse - a MilSpouse Appreciation Day 2013 - *linky*

Today is MilSpouse Appreciation Day.  It may seem silly to some, but as long as there is a National Hot Dog Day why not have a special day to show appreciation to Military Spouses around the world, for the role they play in keeping the homefront united.  All over organizations are and bases are honoring spouses with events, outings and gift baskets.  This year I set out to accomplish something that I felt was sorely missing from the days' events.  There is a group of forgotten spouses.  I know because for a very long time I've been one of them.  This isn't mean to be a big 'ole pity, feel sorry for me, give me free stuff party.  The truth is, I'm very blessed.  Blessed by family, friends and those my husband has served with that have become family.  That doesn't change the fact that a large group of spouses are largely forgotten.   So when I discovered many events were excluding traditional Guard and Reserve spouses from events around the DC area I decided to try and do something about it.  While every group can not meet the needs of every person, its a slippery slope.  It creates the standard that its okay to forget them and other people pick up on that stuff.  I decided to put together gift bags for these special spouses but quickly ran into a wall.  See, we were collecting donations for two groups of spouses.  Every donation that came in was given with the specific directions that it be provided to one group of spouses and not the Guard or Reserve spouses.  I was shocked.  I don't know why...I probably shouldn't have been.  The population as a whole is largely uneducated when it comes to the National Guard and Reserve, this also included other military members.  If this weren't true there wouldn't be any need for the bumper sticker "One Weekend a Month, two weeks a year my A**."

 This attitude is real and is occurring everywhere.  For the majority of our career we were remotely stationed on a Guard base.  I use the word "base" lightly....very lightly.  All that was there was the work buildings.  We had no housing, no child development center and no commissary (closer than 2.5 hours away).  I went through an active duty life with no active duty help.  No moms night outs, no Operation Shower, no free Christmas trees or other events to deal with deployments, travel or anything else.  We didn't have a lot of programs out there, mostly because I think people didn't realize or ask....or know much else past the fact that it was a National Guard base.  What they didn't realize that there was a huge proportion of full time people stationed there.  My husband went to work every day in a uniform.  This is the problem that I am seeing over and over again.  I see it in blogs of MilSpouse friends.  I see it in articles and in the conversations of people I've met.  It hit me harder when it was translated in a much bigger level to me in the form of two donations for eight gift bags.  The amazing author Geri Krotow, which I've mentioned on here before, donated some of her books.  And then my friend at Blue Star Families was able to put together some great stuff for me.  I will be able to bless some military spouses and I'm thankful for that.

 The point of this is to charge you all to remember those that are forgotten.  Every spouse is unique in their own circumstances.  Some branches and career fields deploy more frequently and for longer than others.  Some hardly ever deploy.  Some are firefighters and others work in finance.  They are all equally important to make an effective force.  Without one part of the wheel it wouldn't role.  The Coast Guard might be a part of Homeland Security, but that doesn't make them less military.  Have you seen some of the stuff those guys do?  I know that the "war between the branches" is mostly done in jest and fun.....but there can be damaging consequences to those words.

If you know a Guard or Reserve spouse, say a special thanks to them.  Not because they are more special or better than other spouses, but because they deserve as much thanks as any other spouse out there.  Because when their husband was in the field or on a deployment they might not have been within drivable distance of a base to have a mom's night out.  There might not be an frg to keep them in the loop, or tell them about special events.  They might have to figure out how to pay for uniforms and equipment because it isn't issued.  Thank them for their own unique experience....as unique as the wife of a Marine, the wife of an officer, an enlisted, a dual military marriage, a recruiter's wife, a fighter pilot's wife and any other essential part of that wheel. Happy MilSpouse Appreciation Day to all my millies out there!  I love you and am so thankful for all you, those I know and those I only know through that special millie connection.

 I'm linking up today with Wife of a Sailor!