Jennifer Lambert

A Sacred Balance

Visit Us On FacebookVisit Us On PinterestVisit Us On InstagramVisit Us On Linkedin

My Kitchen Essentials

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

By 13 Comments

It’s amazing to realize how little one needs when all the household goods are packed up and on a boat across the ocean to our new home.

Currently, we have one mixing bowl, one wonky pan, 2 pots, and place settings for 6. There is no peeler or colander. It’s like camping, but somehow worse.

I’m washing a lot of dishes.

Paper items are expensive but convenient at times like these.

I miss some items that I usually use every day, like my blender and stand mixer, but I can mostly work around that.

And we do this transition every few years.

We like to eat real food. Takeout and fast food is expensive and unhealthy.

But over the years, I realize how little I need for a functioning kitchen. I have some essentials that I pack or ship to myself so I have them as long as possible during our transitions.

My kitchen essentials:

  1. Silicone Whisk

    My favorites are the OXO, Rösle Flat, and Ball Whisk. I use these all the time – for making scrambled eggs, grits, porridge, pasta, sauces. I pack these in my suitcase when we travel!

  2. Silicone Spatula

    I like seamless ones like Silchef or di Oro. I love these for mixing cookies and sauteing foods. The heads don’t come off when the batter is thick!

  3. Measuring Cups

    We love these pourable dry measuring cups and these different size liquid cups. These measuring spoons fit into most spice jars.

  4. Silpat

    I can’t imagine baking cookies without a silicone mat anymore! These Silpats come in different sizes to fit any baking sheet! Nothing sticks.

  5. A Good Pan

    You don’t have to spend a ton of money to get a good all-purpose pan. We’re moving away from the nonstick coating that peels and bubbles and is not healthy!
    Nonstick pans only last about 3 years. We use stainless for most of our cooking.
    We’ve found these nonstick to get the job done, and quite well, but we’re trying to move away from aluminum:
    Cuisinart GreenGourmet

    Green Pan

    Tramontina Professional Nonstick Restaurant Fry Pan

    These pans are great for omelets and stirfries!

  6. Good Knives

    We’ve had a Henckel’s knife block set for almost 15 years and still love it! I’d buy it again.

  7. Thermometer

    No one wants undercooked or overcooked meat! Our longtime favorite meat thermometer is the Thermapen.

  8. Cheese Grater

    We love a a simple box grater for block cheeses. Also love a microplaner for small jobs, like Parmesan, citrus zesting, and frozen ginger root.

  9. Electric Kettle

    I love that these are called “water cookers” in German. This glass electric kettle is similar to the one we love. I don’t have to use the stovetop to boil water!

  10. Coffee Maker

    I still love my Bodum French Press. We haven’t gotten into the pour-over craze. We still have a drip coffee maker with thermal carafe for most mornings. I’d love to have a Moka Pot if we had a gas stove. You’ll never, ever see me with any coffee pods!


We have lots and lots of kitchen equipment. We love cooking and I love teaching my kids to cook our favorite foods. But, we really only need a few great tools to get the job done right!

View our favorite family recipes.

What are your favorite kitchen items?

Share
Pin12
Share
12 Shares
You might also like:

Homeschooling Where the Military Sends Us

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

By 1 Comment

Homeschooling and the military life work well for us.

We all love lists, so…

5 reasons why we love homeschooling and military life.

1. We don’t have to be on any particular PCS rotation.

A majority of PCSes take place during summer to coincide with school transfers. We don’t have to worry about that. It makes our lives easier that we don’t have to stress about school. We can take a break or “school” on the road. Occasionally, we just have a longer time to travel to our next destination.

2. That whole “You Get to See the World” thing.

I met my husband in Georgia, where I grew up. We spent a couple years in San Antonio, Texas. While we didn’t have much time there to see the sites (and I was pregnant the whole time), we did get to visit some amazing landmarks like the Alamo and Riverwalk and some beautiful country. We ate well of all sorts of amazing Mexican foods. It was divine. Then we got to live in Hawaii for three tough years. I know, but somebody has to do it! We got to see a volcano and gorgeous mountains and beaches. We went snorkeling and birdwatching. We had flora galore to inspect while we lived there. It was predominantly a different culture, and we loved it! We loved all the food, oh my. Malasadas, manapuas, poke, shave ice, and amazing rice served everywhere – even at Burger King! In Utah…we weren’t into the whole winter sports thing, but we enjoyed camping. Germany opened up so many travel opportunities and we were so thankful to see much of Europe.

3. You get a whole new perspective on missions.

Georgia is in the Bible Belt. After I married, we didn’t stay there long. Then we moved to Texas, still the Bible Belt…not that there weren’t missions opportunities, but we didn’t hear The Call. We were busy surviving. While in Hawaii, we were in the minority in both race and religion. Many Buddhists, LDS, and other non-believers live there. We attended a very missions-conscious Independent Baptist church. Then in Utah, I felt that we were there primarily to be a light in a sea of darkness. I met so many lost souls, both Mormon and not, who are just so turned off to anything resembling church. Germany has a very Christian culture, but few participate in church or have faith. We recently moved to Ohio and found an amazing church home. It breaks my heart to see hurting people. But an amazing thing occurs in the hearts of my children. I see them become aware of others who need Jesus.

4. You become family when there is none near.

Some of my husband’s military co-workers and their families have become our greatest advocates and friends. Others have come alongside us in our times of need when we weren’t able to fly home or have family visit us. In Hawaii, it’s a long way to fly to the mainland, so we often shared holiday meals with other families rather than spend Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter alone. We traveled over US holidays in Europe. And when you meet someone and realize they’re either currently active duty or retired, there is an immediate connection and camaraderie and mutual respect. And this attitude helps my children to see that we’re all one big family in Christ and that we rely on each other and help each other.

5. My kids learn respect.

I grew up as an Army brat. My dad was a Chief Warrant Officer. My grandfather was a Chief Petty Officer in the Navy. I married an Air Force officer. I never knew any other kind of life. My kids don’t know any other way of life.

They don’t know what it’s like not to have full medical coverage. If we have any tiny little ailment, we can get a same-day appointment at the clinic and get it checked out and receive a prescription at no additional cost. We can get referrals to specialists. We have ER care for urgent situations. It’s a blessing, for sure. {And I know some military wives who find something to complain about this concept…smh}

We shop tax-free at the BX and commissaries (which came in mighty handy in Hawaii where prices are exorbitant!). We get discounts at many stores as thanks for my husband’s service to our country. And my kids learn how good they have it when many struggle so much for these basics that we often take for granted.

But occasionally, Daddy has to go TDY for a long time or deploy for many months to someplace we’ve only heard of on TV and seen online. It gets lonely and we fear for his safety. We pray and Skype and get upset when he misses birthdays and milestones.

But we understand why the separation is necessary. We’re oh, so proud that he is serving to protect our freedoms that most of the world doesn’t enjoy. We tear up during the national anthem and when we see eagles and Clydesdales in commercials. We get a thrill when the boom of F-16s tears apart the sky over our heads. It’s the sound of freedom. So many take our liberties for granted or abuse the idea of freedom. We’re not nationalistic and we understand a lot about the wider world and where the USA fits into the scheme of politics. We rush to express our gratitude and shake hands with wrinkled old veterans in their faded uniforms, handing out little paper poppies on Armistice Day. We met a WWII veteran in Normandy and were thrilled to listen to his story. The sound of Taps being played for any reason chokes us up while at the same time warming our hearts that a soldier/airmen/sailor/Marine/coastman has done his ultimate duty.

My kids learn about respect and duty more than most. They are entitled to nothing. Everything that our family receives is a privilege that we don’t necessarily deserve, but that is paid for by the military service of their father and my husband, also our grandfathers and my father. While we don’t necessarily agree with many of our country’s politics, world policy, military presence in many countries, or any war, we cannot vocalize that in protest.

We pray that no military member ever pays the ultimate price for those privileges. But we understand that necessity and very real possibility and we have extreme respect for all military service members – past, present, and future.

Share
Pin18
Share
18 Shares
You might also like:

Best and Worst of Robins AFB

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

By Leave a Comment

I grew up in Georgia.

I met my husband when he was at his first duty station in Warner Robins.

Most of my extended family still live in Georgia.

The Best of Robins AFB

Location.

Close to Atlanta and close to Florida and close to Savannah. Perfect for spontaneous weekend trips! The state offers beaches, rivers and lakes, plains, hills, and mountains. Something for everyone to enjoy!

Affordable.

Georgia is one of the most affordable states to raise a family. Houses are cheaper and yards are bigger. You don’t need much winter gear.

HOPE Scholarship

Students with a B average or higher can go to an in-state college or university with the HOPE Georgia Lottery Scholarship program. I did!

Southern Hospitality

Everyone really is that friendly. Everyone is smiling and chatty. You’ll feel like the grocery store cashier is suddenly your new best friend.

Other than a little bit of isolation since Robins is in the middle of the state and the closest city is Macon…it’s pretty fantastic to live in Georgia! The people are friendly and the food is amazing.

The Worst of Robins AFB

It’s humid.

The weather is really mild in winter, but summers are really hot, humid, and buggy.

It ices.

No one can drive in bad weather. Georgia isn’t prepared for the rare snowstorm or annual icy days. Even if it rains really hard, it’s terrible to drive. Hurricane season dumps lots of rain on the state!

Bible Belt

This may or may not be a negative. There’s a church on every corner. Blue laws are still in effect in some parts of the South, so you can’t buy alcohol on Sundays or until afternoon at least.

The base itself feels kinda isolated, but the town is growing around it. And there’s only a small clinic.

Have you lived in Georgia? What did you like or dislike?

Share
Pin6
Share
6 Shares
You might also like:

Best and Worst of Lackland AFB

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

By 1 Comment

Lackland AFB was our second duty station.

We lived there only two years. I’d love to go back and explore San Antonio.

We had recently gotten married. I was pregnant. It was the first time I’d ever lived outside the state of Georgia. My husband’s parents both passed away within a year. My husband almost got decimated in budget cuts and had to change his career field from Communications to Medical Lab at Wilford Hall.

It was a stressful two years for us.

We didn’t get to enjoy our time there as much as we would have liked.

It’s Texas. I really like all there is to do and see. We began homeschooling in Texas and it is soooo homeschool friendly!

The Best of Lackland AFB

Great food.

I adore Tex-Mex and Mexican food. It’s the one style of cuisine I can’t seem to master in my kitchen, so authentic food in the San Antonio area was great!

Fun festivals.

There’s always a fun festival or event to attend in downtown San Antonio or the surrounding areas.

Travel.

So many day trips and places to see in the Lone Star State. So much great history and culture and art. Camping and other fun outdoorsy things.

Military-friendly.

Texas has lots of military installations. Most people are really patriotic and respect the military community.

The Worst of Lackland AFB

It’s really hot.

In summer, the temps are stifling and no wonder everyone had a siesta and went out at sundown! So A/C bills can run high. But you don’t need winter gear or clothes!

Texas is big.

It takes forever to get out of the state if you’re driving somewhere.

Traffic

San Antonio is a growing town and traffic in some areas can be rough at certain times. Plan accordingly.

Critters.

You have to be careful and watch kids and pets and keep your yard clear of snakes and other stinging, biting things.

Have you ever lived in Texas? What did you love or dislike?

Share
Pin7
Share
7 Shares
You might also like:

Best and Worst of Hill AFB

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

By 1 Comment

We never wanted or expected to live in Utah.

It was a culture shock, but we made the best of it, as military families have to do.

We lived there for four years.

My husband deployed a few months after we arrived. On our anniversary. I spent the first winter of my life alone with four kids. Our cat died and the basement flooded while he was deployed.

The Best of Hill AFB

Outdoors Activities

We’re not so much into winter, but I hear the skiing is wonderful. I did like how sunny winters are and it doesn’t feel very cold. We enjoyed hiking, fishing, and camping. We explored national and state parks. It is beautiful there!

Affordable Housing

We rented a humongous house with a huge back yard and there were lots of nice houses for sale. There were new ones being built all over! We knew many who chose to retire there.

Deals for Families

Since Utah is known for large families, there are many deals for kids and families. Lots of museums and other attractions have family passes or free admission for kids. There were lots of consignment sales and thrift stores.

The Worst of Hill AFB

Religious Discrimination

The Mormon Tabernacle is in Salt Lake City. Many LDS military members put Hill AFB on their wish list to make their pilgrimage.

I wasn’t so surprised to be treated differently because we’re not Mormon, but I was surprised to learn that even non-Utah Mormons are given the cold shoulder.

And separation of church and state? Not so much in Utah. There were blanks on even gymnastics forms for my kids as to which ward we belonged. It came up way too often in conversation for our comfort.

Once my daughter reached age 12, she was excluded from activities in our neighborhood. This is the age that kids are more indoctrinated into their church. At the high school, kids even take classes at their ward for their mission.

Our kids couldn’t even play with any other children in the neighborhood on Sundays. Mormons take their Sabbath Day seriously.

Alcohol Laws

The alcohol rules and laws are very weird in Utah. I’ve never felt so like an incompetent child as going to a restaurant and being told I can’t have a cocktail without ordering food first. I grew up in the South, so Blue Laws aren’t news to me, but Utah alcohol sales laws baffle me. Liquor stores close at dinnertime, even on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Smell

During dry, warm days…the brine shrimp in the Great Salt Lake cast a disgusting rotten fishy smell over the whole valley.

Air Quality

The Inversion in late winter makes going outdoors unpleasant. Those with breathing problems should stay inside.

Have you lived in Utah? What did you like or dislike?

Share
Pin1
Share
1 Shares
You might also like:

The Best and Worst of Hickam AFB

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

By Leave a Comment

You either love Hawai’i or you don’t love Hawai’i.

I knew people who resented not having cooler weather or who didn’t like sand or beaches. What?!

We were surprised to get stationed there for three years.

Living in Hawai’i isn’t the same as a vacation there. But every single day, there’s a rainbow!

We lived on base. My son was born in Hawaii. We loved it and the kids still call it home. We long to go back!

I couldn’t limit my list to just 10 items!

Best of Hickam AFB

  1. Beaches

    All beaches are open to the public. We love the beach life!

  2. Festivals

    So many fun festivals, like the Merrie Monarch, SPAM, Makahiki, and The Lantern Festival. Hawaiians love to party!

  3. Weather

    It’s almost always gorgeous. Never cold and mostly sunny. Except December is a rainy month.

  4. Food

    If you love food, there is a plethora of it! It’s so, so good!

    Some of our favorites:

    Wailana Cafe for Macadamia Pancakes and the best coffee!
    Puka Dog
    Hale Koa Bar for the best mai tai!
    Ono Seafood
    Nico’s Pier 38
    Leonard’s Bakery
    Teddy’s Bigger Burgers
    Anna Miller
    Boston Pizza
    Zippy’s
    Wah Kung
    Nam Fong for the best Peking Duck!

  5. Culture

    Aloha culture is welcoming and joyous. We never felt discrimination for being white or haole. Aloha Fridays were the best – leave work early to get a start on the weekend!

  6. Activities

    Lots of fun, outdoorsy things to do: hiking, wildlife exploring, camping, beach activities, history, and culture.

Worst of Hickam AFB

  1. Traffic

    There are only 3 major highways on O’ahu. Traffic can be rough during rush hour times. We had to always plan accordingly or just suck it up.

  2. Centipedes

    These not so little critters get into everything. I once threw out a hamper when one crawled inside. I didn’t even play. They sting quite badly. Also, mosquitoes and other bugs are a nuisance since it’s always warm.

  3. Isolation

    People get island fever. The mainland is about 8 hours away by plane.

  4. No Autumn or Winter

    We didn’t mind this at all, but we knew some people who missed cooler weather. They complained that Christmas didn’t feel like Christmas. We made the most of it and had lots of fun with tacky decorations. December is the rainy season and our lanai turned green!

  5. Vog

    We always had the sniffles and were prone to respiratory infections due to the Vog. It’s the volcano fog floating over all the islands from The Big Island smoldering volcanoes. It was sometimes very hard to breathe and alerts would issued to stay indoors.

  6. Expensive

    There was no possibility of our living off-base. Housing is super expensive. Food in local grocery stores is super expensive. The commissary sometimes ran out of sugar and other staples during peak times, so we learned to stock up before the holidays instead of running out to a local store.

We lived on Hickam AFB on O’ahu for three years. It was a magical time and we have lots of great memories!
We traveled to Mau’i, Kaua’i, Ni’ihau, and The Big Island.

Be sure to check out:
Hawaii Activities
Non-profit Sustainable Tours
Reef Safe Advocacy

I love this helpful list of Facebook groups to join when PCSing to Hawaii!

Share
Pin24
Share
24 Shares
You might also like:

The Best and Worst of KMC, Germany

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

By Leave a Comment

The Best and Worst of Kaiserslautern Military Community, Germany

Every base has its pros and cons. While most jump at the chance to live in Germany, here’s what great and what’s not so great about the KMC.

The Best of KMC, Germany

Travel Opps

Churches, castles, wineries, and breweries – OH MY!

We loved exploring Europe for the culture, art, and food! See some of our trips here.

Cheap Flights

RyanAir often has $10 sales on flights in Europe. There are a few other discount airlines too. Take advantage and see everything you can!

Beer and Wine

Even if you don’t drink, the grapes on the hillsides are lovely to see. The festivals are fun. If you do drink, it’s cheaper and better than anywhere.

The Worst of KMC, Germany

Language Barrier

I learned German in college. Textbook German. No one could understand me in the KMC, so I pretty much gave up. Most people know at least some English. Some are really nice and try to work with you. Do try to learn some helpful phrases. There are classes on and off base if you really want to immerse yourself.

Shopping

  • Sundays. Most European stores are closed on Sundays, except for special Sunday Shopping Days, about once a quarter.
  • Commissary. This is the only store you can shop at for American food.
  • KMCC. This is kinda the equivalent of a mall, with the BX and lots of little shops and food court. I think prices are high and quality is low. Selection is also limited.

Housing

  • Screens. There are no screens on windows. So, bugs. you can buy and install screens, but it’s a hassle.
  • Storage. Most European houses have little in the way of storage. FMO provides shranks, but we miss basements, real closets, cellars, and attics to put away items we don’t use very often, like holiday decorations.
  • No Air Conditioning or Central Heating. It can get pretty hot in summer. You need lots of fans and shut all the Rolladens during the day. Stone and brick houses stay cool, and it was hard to stay warm in winter. Buy lots of rugs and wear house slippers.
  • Dust. Everywhere. I can sweep, mop, and dust every day and it still accumulates because the windows are always open.
  • Should you live on or off base? We’ve heard horror stories about German landlords and there are lots of issues to think about if you want to live off-base. For sure, it’s easier and more familiar on base. Do your research and make an informed decision. Be proactive and communicate with your landlord, take lots of pictures, record everything, and refer to the housing office for advocacy.

Do you have anything to add to the list?

You might also like:

Share
Pin8
Share
8 Shares
You might also like:

13 Best KMC Restaurants

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

By 1 Comment

Wondering where to dine out in the Kaiserslautern area?

Our 13 favorite restaurants in the KMC:

  1. Zimtblüte

    This is probably our favorite place. We love to stop in for a quick bite when shopping at Globus or planning for a bigger meal at their larger location. The curry rice and stir fries are to die for. Their menu is extensive, with specialties from Vietnam and Thailand, and also sushi. Delicious iced teas. The hot tea is bland. Located right over the A6 bridge from Ramstein, towards Einsiedlerhof.

  2. Alom Dee

    Very fresh and delicious. The best Thai in KMC. The wait can be long, but it’s worth it. Located in Ramstein-Miesenbach, near the Kino.

  3. Café Konditorei Goldinger

    A super fun breakfast, brunch, or light lunch. It’s gorgeous in the conservatory and garden. We like to pretend we’re in Victorian times. Located in Landstuhl.

  4. Spinnrädl

    Everyone must go here once. It’s the oldest restaurant in Kaiserslautern. Local Rhineland-Pfalz specialties. It impresses. Located near the Stiftskirche in downtown Kaiserslautern.

  5. Hofbräuhaus

    I just cannot get enough of their chicken and salmon salads. We love eating here and it’s the best place on base, for sure. Located in the KMCC mall.

  6. Holzofen Pizzeria am Seewoog

    The best pizza in the KMC. Reservations needed. Takeout and eat by the lake is fun too! Located in Ramstein-Miesenbach.

  7. Metaxa

    Delicious Greek food. A few dishes have a German flair, but overall, it’s pretty authentic. Order a few days ahead for moussaka! They even have Retsina wine! Located in Ramstein.

  8. Sam Kullman’s Diner

    A fun American-style diner with their own beer brand. The prices are bit high, but the food and service are great. Located on MainzerSt in Kaiserslautern.

  9. Mr. Lian

    The best sushi in the KMC. Reservations recommended. Located on WeilerbacherSt in Kaiserslautern, behind Zimtblute.

  10. Safari Restaurant

    Gorgeous African and vegetarian food. A fun and unique dining experience. Located on HumboldtSt in Kaiserslautern.

  11. Brit Café

    Great for breakfast and lunch. The English breakfast platters are enough for two! Thursdays are curry and Fridays are fish and chips! Located across from Ramstein Library.

  12. Nick’s Fried Chicken

    The best coleslaw I’ve ever eaten in my entire life. A great fried chicken place for dine in or takeout. Located on Kaiserstraße, near Vogelweh/Pulaski.

  13. Bombay

    It’s like being welcomed into their home. The food is amazing. Best chai I’ve ever had! Located on WeilerbacherSt, behind Zimtblute.

Honorable Mention:

Belgian Bistro – Unique burgers with spicy sauces, but an amazing beer selection. Located in Weilerbach.

You might notice a few restaurants not on my list.

There are no good Mexican restaurants in Europe. There just aren’t. They’re ok, but they’re not right. There’s curry in everything. The tortillas are wrong. If you want Mexican or Tex-Mex or South American food, find a friend and beg her to make you something authentic. I know people sell tamales and pastries in the Facebook groups.

To us, most German food is very similar. I hesitate to say: all the same, but it’s almost true. Enough with the Schnitzel and roast beef! There’s better sauerkraut in Prague. I want something unique, that I can’t or don’t want to make at home.

And some places that others rave about have very poor service or hit or miss with quality.

We can cook amazing food at home. We’re picky and we want to dine out with good quality food and service.

What’s your favorite restaurant?

You might also like:

Share
Pin53
Share
53 Shares
You might also like:

Normandy Memorial Sites

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

By 11 Comments

We visited Normandy in 2016.

I want my children to understand Memorial Day. I don’t want them to grow up thinking it’s just a day off school or work, for barbecues and pools and parties.

I want them to understand the importance of all the men and women who died for our freedoms, that we too often take for granted.

I want them to appreciate all of America’s Allies and how the world can work together for peace. But sometimes, we come together in conflict.

And we must remember.

We visited Utah Beach, the Normandy American Cemetery, Omaha Beach, and Pointe du Hoc.

We first visited Utah Beach Museum and monuments.

Utah Beach Museum

It was one of the few sunny days of our trip. It was chilly but lovely.

Higgins Boat Monument at Utah Beach

The beach is beautiful now, but holds so much sad history.

Utah Beach

utah-beach

It’s hard to imagine all the lives lost on this beach.

We went to the Memorial Day service at the Normandy American Cemetery.

It was very emotional.

Normandy American Cemetery hosted its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Sunday, May 29, 2016, at 10.30 am.

We got to stand right up at the railing!

front-row

SEE MY VIDEO.

Program:

Master of CeremoniesRené Huard, AOMDA
SuperintendentDaniel L. Neese
Deputy SuperintendentMichael Coonce
The Marseillaise and the Star Spangled Banner 
Welcoming RemarksDaniel Neese
Opening RemarksRené Huard
Opening PrayersFather Xavier Signargout, Diocese of Bayeaux and Lisieux
Capt. Gary P. Weeden, Command Chaplain of U.S. European Command
Rabbi Meyer Malka, Jewish Community of Caen
AddressesSara Harriger, U.S. Consul for Western France
Patrick Thomines, Mayor of Coleville-sur-Mer
Laurent Fiscus, Prefect of Calvados Department
Lt. Gen. William B. Garrett, III, Deputy Commander of U.S. European Command
Closing PrayerFather Xavier Signargout, Diocese of Bayeaux and Lisieux
Laying of Wreaths 
Taps-Raising of the Colors 
Retiring of the Colors 
Participation of Troops5th Signal Command Color Guard, U.S. Army Europe
Unit Garrison of Cherbourg, France
French Military Band of the Artillery of Rennes, France

9,387 Americans are buried at Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France.

The Memorial faces the United States at its nearest point to the cemetery – between Eastport and Lubec, Maine.

normandy-american-cemetery-memorial

The 22-foot bronze statue entitled The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves.

american-youth-rising-from-the-waves

The reflecting pool and chapel:

reflecting-pool

The beaches from the orientation table:

beaches-from-normandy-american-cemetery-orientation-table

We got to watch an interview with WWII Veteran Curtis Phillips.

wwii-veteran-curtis-phillips

My kids got to shake his hand and thank him for his service.

This is something they will always remember!

shaking-curtis-phillips-hand

We remember the fallen.

remembering-the-fallen

After the memorial service, we toured the Omaha Beach Museum and monuments.

There’s a good video in the museum and lots of static displays.

It really helped the kids (and I) understand the Normandy WWII battles.

amphibious-vehicle
army-truck
omaha-beach-museum

The Omaha Beach has a monument in the sand: Les Braves.

les-braves

An airplane did flybys around Pointe du Hoc and Omaha Beach for Memorial weekend.

I had a canvas made of this image.

flyby

In the afternoon, we hiked around Pointe du Hoc.

I never learned about this in school!

Pointe du Hoc is a promontory with a 100 ft (30 m) cliff overlooking the English Channel on the coast of Normandy in northern France. During World War II it was the highest point between Utah Beach to the west and Omaha Beach to the east. The German army fortified the area with concrete casemates and gun pits. On D-Day (6 June 1944) the United States Army Ranger Assault Group assaulted and captured Pointe du Hoc after scaling the cliffs.

We were amazed by the bunkers and passageways and how the brave men conquered the area.

bunker-at-pointe-du-hoc
hidden-bunker-at-pointe-du-hoc

The Normandy WWII monuments are a pilgrimage all Americans should try to make to understand history.

Memorial Day Notebooking Pages (FREE)
Share
Pin107
Share
107 Shares
You might also like:

Stages of Grief: PCS Edition

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

By 16 Comments

PCS season is stressful.

I feel like our military family goes through the Five Stages of Grief every few years as we pack up and move to a new location.

The Five Stages of Grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

Denial

As soon as PCS season begins to loom, I go into denial. I don’t want to purge, clean, organize, pack out, and travel to a new location.

We’ve tried to extend a year at several locations…and DENIED.

I go about my business as usual.

I pretend it won’t be happening until I can’t pretend anymore.

Anger

After getting denied our extension…and realizing others had been granted theirs…

I got angry.

I got angry at the military, at the assignments officer (who even teased us with a phone call and messed up our orders), at God, at my husband for dragging us all over for 20+ years.

I’m angry at myself for being angry.

I’m angry that we didn’t get to stay another year, even though my daughter is a senior. I’m angry we didn’t get orders to anywhere I want to go.

I’m angry about silly things too.

I regret the places we didn’t get to go. I regret so many things.

Bargaining

It’s not like we have any real bargaining chips.

We have to go where we’re told.

Even if we’re excited about the new location…

I go back and forth with possible packout dates, car shipment, what to do with the cats. All the checklist items like transferring mail, packing suitcases and backpacks, clearing the pantry. So much to do!

How much can I fit in a suitcase? Usually we’re living out of suitcases for 3+ months and it’s hard to determine how little we need, what we can live without.

If we’re not thrilled with where we’re going…

I go back and forth in my mind, wondering what we could have done differently.

Did we put the wrong locations on the list?

Are we paying for some forgotten sin?

Is there a reason we’re being sent there?

Can my husband deploy or volunteer?

And I start to think of the next station. Surely, it will be better? We only have to be at this station maybe 2-4 years. We’ll transfer as soon as we can.

Depression

Reality sets in.

I get depressed.

I start to slowly organize, purge, donate, sell items we won’t need.

I snap at my husband who always waits until the last minute to do anything.

I get anxious about our cats.

I get anxious about money.

There are so many unknowns.

I halfheartedly look at housing at the new location. I research places to visit for day trips. I join Facebook groups.

I start to distance myself from the current location.

I realize I have to say goodbye to my houseplants. I’m sad because the new people won’t love my houseplants or herb garden the way I do, the way they deserve to be loved!

Once the household goods are packed and shipped, the house always feels cold and dark and silent. Ominous. I have trouble sleeping in an empty house. There’s little for me to do to keep busy. No beds to make, no projects to complete.

This is usually the stage when I get physically ill. The stress that has built up becomes too overwhelming.

I spent one packout completely bedridden, except for rushing to the bathroom to vomit or have diarrhea. The girls were trapped in the bedroom with me since we didn’t have anyone to help. This was the one location my husband wanted so much, to be near his family members. Such a disappointment that was! It was also the worst packout we’ve ever had, with “cousins” and “friends” arriving the last day to rush the pack job and stealing some valuables I hadn’t stored properly. Because I was sick!

We’ve also had some rental horror stories.

We’ve never lived in a nice house. Most houses have been so embarrassing that we never want to invite anyone over for any reason. We’ve kinda resigned ourselves to having absentee landlords, lazy landlords, wornout and poorly kept rental houses, renting sight unseen…until we retire. We are always sure well get our deposit back from the landlord…we do our best to keep everything as nice as possible.

In the house in Utah, we’d made some expensive upgrades to lighting in the kitchen and removed wallpaper from the kitchen and living room and painted it a nice neutral color, but he kept making petty excuses. He wanted the lawn mowed and edged to perfection. In the dark! Our goods had already shipped and we hadn’t had a working lawnmower for over a month since he refused to pay to fix it. He even wanted my kids’ welcome chalk drawings power-washed off the sidewalk! We enlisted the help of neighbors to talk to him and we finally got it back later that evening.

In Germany, we had this weird fiberglass wallpaper in the kitchen. Nothing would clean off some grease spots and they had told us it was ok and could be painted, but then they tried to keep our entire deposit of two months’ rent. The housing office had to go back and forth with the landlady several times to work it out.

We are always devastated to realize how cruel some people can be. Deposits are our financial lifeline to move into a house in our new location.

Acceptance

The packers came. I’ve done all I could do. Luckily, we’ve been blessed with amazing teams (except that one time!) who make jokes, have fun personalities, and appreciate the snacks, drinks, and meals we provide.

I accept our fate as I stroll through my empty, cold, echoey house, awaiting the move date.

The last few days are always hard, stressful, anxiety-ridden. So many loose ends need to be tied up in such a short period of time.

I feel poignant about the memories we share about this location. The places we’ve been, the meals we’ve eaten, the people we’ve met.

I start to look forward to a new beginning.

You might also like: Dealing with Disappointment.

Resources:

Share
Pin27
Share
27 Shares
You might also like: