PCS While Homeschooling

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November 2, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert 2 Comments

I see this question a lot:

What is the bare minimum amount of homeschool material to take when we PCS in the middle of a school year?

PCSing While Homeschooling - What do we bring?

We usually PCS at the end of summer.

We have been left in the lurch a couple times when we didn’t receive our HHG until after all the homeschool group activities and co-op classes began. I never know if things are going to begin in July, August, or September in a new location!

Here is what we did when we PCSed in April, road tripped from Utah to Georgia, then flew to Germany – over a two-month period.

My kids were 4, 7, 8, and 13.

We don’t use a lot of electronics.

We focus on history and literature.

We hadn’t completed our studies yet for the year so we packed much of it up to take with us, especially since we had some long stretches of time in TLF in Utah on the leaving end and in Germany on the coming end.

We want to limit weight and bulk while bringing as much as we can carry!

We certainly wanted to keep up the basics – The Three R’s:

Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic!

The kids each had a large backpack with their school things and personal items likes toys and coloring pages.

I loaded up eBooks on the kids’ (and my) iPad minis with the Kindle app. Our first priority was to get library cards at our new location!

My girls had journals to write down and draw about their experiences as we traveled. I also printed fun pages about the places we saw on our trip. They also packed their Logic of English workbooks.

I packed up the kids’ Singapore math workbooks, which fortunately are very lightweight.

Liz was doing Videotext Algebra, so we did work whenever she could get online to view a lesson. I printed some of the worksheets she needed and then emailed more to my husband to print.

I packed Alex’s All About Reading materials with a tiny dry erase board. It was probably the bulkiest item we brought on the trip, but it was worth it to keep him on schedule.

That little dry erase board came in handy for lessons with all the kids!

We did art projects on the fly!

See our Star Wars Angry Birds.

The girls also packed their science and notebooking journals.

I also brought along worldview study (we’re reviewing it!). That came in handy for read-aloud time to a captive audience in the car!

Another option if you have an address for the location you’re PCSing to, is to have some homeschool items mailed there early so it’s waiting upon your arrival.

What do you do when you PCS or move during the homeschool year?

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Challenges for Military Families Overseas

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October 13, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

While I am very thankful to be so fortunate to live overseas, it’s not always magical and fun.

We are a military family.

These are some challenges to our daily lives.

Were a Military Family-Challenges to Our Daily Lives

Personal freedom

While I was raised in a military family, it’s quite eye-opening to be a military family in a foreign country.

For personal safety, we are advised to remove stickers and emblems from our personal vehicles that could identify us as American.

My husband cannot wear his uniform off base. My daughter cannot wear her Civil Air Patrol uniform off base.

We don’t wear American sports or brand-ID clothing off base either.

We do our best to blend in.

So many Americans live in a bubble of ignorance and arrogance and protection in the big ole US of A, but getting unbiased news reports opens our eyes a bit here.

Postal service

We receive an APO mailbox that is located in my husband’s building. I can mail items through that office at US postal prices to US mailing addresses.

For receiving items, I have two choices:

When I place an online order, I can ship to my APO which is like a US postal address, but there are often long wait times. Items can be expedited for additional shipping charges. Sometimes, a company won’t ship an item to an APO. I have had to cut down my blog reviews for many items won’t ship here in a timely fashion or at all. Some stores often ship the cheapest way, which means on a boat and I could see the item in a couple months, maybe.

I can order locally and have items shipped to my home address. There are not so many items available to order here as in the USA and free shipping is not as common.

Internet and TV

This was the biggest shock to me.

We put our TV in storage rather than ship it with our household goods since it wasn’t something we wanted to pay for here. There are taxes and signal boxes that must be purchases and we don’t watch that mutch TV anyway.

It took 6 months to get Internet connected to our house. While we have the fastest connection of anyone we know, it is DSL and the bandwidth is shared among the neighbors in our village. So, in the evenings, it is rather slow and glitchy.

We use a VPN to connect to Amazon streaming and Netflix so we can watch movies and shows on our computers.

Paying for Stuff

We have US bank accounts that service military families. The clerks we contact with questions or problems don’t seem to understand that the rest of the world utilizes pin and chip cards for payment. Our non-chip check cards are seldom accepted at local stores and hardly ever when we travel, so we have to use ATMs for Euro cash before we leave. We’ve been having trouble using our check cards at the couple of local places that do take them as payment. Our bank tells us the company that issues the check cards have fraud alerts for any credit purchases over $50. We have called and spoken to the bank several times and argued to have the fraud alerts lifted. We have explained we need pin and chip cards. We have explained that we live in Germany and the stores only have machines that run check cards like credit cards. It’s so embarrassing to be at Globus or Real and ring up €130 in groceries to have our card denied. Shopping here can be challenging.

And then there’s the exchange rate that’s 24% higher on-base than off-base. The government justifies this as a convenience charge.

There are a few options for paying local utility bills since we live off-base. We have two banks on-base: Community Bank, run by Bank of America (and a completely different banking entity), and Service Credit Union. There are offices in the KMCC mall and several other convenient locations around the KMC military installations. Many ATMs are easily found on bases too. These banks communicate with local vendors and offer payments in Euro and USD. We opened a Community Bank account to pay rent, utilities, Internet, and cell phones. There is a $1 surcharge+exchange rate fees for online bill pay transactions. Many choose to get a completely local German bank to avoid all the extra fees. This is handy for those fluent in German or married to a local national. I wish we had researched and figured this out before banking with Community Bank.

Electricity

American electrical outlets are 110V. Most European electric outlets are 220V.

While we use transformers for some of our must-have kitchen appliances and adaptors for things like lamps, we have to be very careful with electricity here. It’s more expensive than what we’re used to paying. The electric company charges an average fee each month and then reconciles each year. We owed a lot last year, so we asked for our average to be raised accordingly so we’re not surprised again. We use our dishwasher and washer and dryer every day, often multiple times per day. We hang our clothing to dry, but I do put towels and underwear in the condenser dryer.

We put all of our 110V appliances with timers in storage. We also put our big freezer in storage. I have purchased a few items new or used to make our time here more enjoyable. I figure the amount of use we will get out of a slow cooker and hair dryer for 3-4 years is worth it!

Gasoline

We receive a gasoline or petrol ration each month.

There are several gas stations on the bases near us. They list the price per gallon that is comparable to prices in the US, but it issues gas in liters. We sign for our ration and then we pay in American dollars.

When our van arrived, one of the first things we had to do was register it in the system for our petrol ration. When my husband bought a car, we had to transfer the registration and ration card.

When we travel, we can load the Esso card and use it at Esso stations throughout Germany, as long as it is within our monthly ration.

Kids

Our children mostly adjust well to the military life.

Our teen has the hardest time being flexible. I know it’s hard sometimes. She has less freedom as an ex-pat here in Europe than she would in the States.

While many of her friends in the USA are getting learner’s permits at 15, Liz knows she can’t drive a car in Europe until the age of 18. Since we live (pretty far) off-base, she has to rely on her parents (us) to drive her to activities.

She isn’t able to get a part-time job off-base and almost all the base jobs require applicants to be 18+. She is vying for entry-level experience with military spouses who need the money or are bored or want to work (they can’t get any off-base jobs either).

Most of the volunteer opportunities in the local community are even closed to her since she is a minor. The USO doesn’t accept minors anymore here in our area because of some bad occurrences that happened years ago.

Liz got her Red Cross certification at age 15 so she earns credit for her hospital volunteering.

Too many families want babysitters who are adults and have their own car. And they don’t want to pay. We used to pay $10-15/hour for our 3 girls, but most of the babysitting jobs Liz has done this past year were for $5/hour for 2-4 kids, and some with special needs! Liz is a certified babysitter with the Red Cross – CPR and more, and has lots of experience with special needs kids – autism, deafness, FAS.

Our other kids haven’t had too many problems with military life other than leaving friends when we or they PCS.

We’re here…

I love seeing family and friends post momentous occasions on social media. I laugh and cry with you. I am proud to witness your kids’ growth and family events. But it also makes me a little sad. We miss the church campouts and friendly BBQs. My husband misses fishing with his friends. My kids miss playing in the yard.

Holidays are hard.

It’s hard feeling isolated and alone sometimes.

Some other posts you might like:

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American Military Cemetery in Luxembourg

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October 5, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert 1 Comment

The American Military Cemetery Luxembourg is the resting place of 5,076 American service members.

American Military Cemetery in Luxembourg

We enjoyed studying these relief maps of Military Ops in Western Europe and the Ardennes Rhineland Campaign

Relief Maps of Western Europe and Ardennes

The Remembrance Chapel

The Altar and Stained Glass Window inside the Chapel

The Chapel Ceiling Mosaic

There are 118 servicemen buried here of the Jewish faith, whose headstones are in the shape of a Star of David.

American Military Cemetery Luxembourg-Hamm

Four fountains represent the apostles and dolphins and turtles symbolize resurrection and everlasting life.

General Patton was buried here on Christmas Eve, 1945, three days after he died in Heidelberg, Germany.

Kate wanted to find the grave of the Army nurse, the only female in the cemetery.

Visiting Hours

The cemetery is open daily to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed December 25 and January 1.

Information

About 1.5 hours from Ramstein and 45 minutes from Spangdahlem

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Civil Air Patrol as a High School Elective

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September 30, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert 6 Comments

Civil Air Patrol is a useful high school elective for all students.

I am counting CAP as a 1-credit elective for each year of high school, so a total of 4 credits on a high school transcript. It could even be as much as 7 credits if you count CAP as early high school courses (because I know many students who take advanced courses in middle school/junior high – and those should count and be listed on the transcript!) or you could include the earlier participation years in the description.

For a course description, I make sure to explain all the major aspects CAP addresses – leadership, character development, aerospace, volunteering, and physical fitness.

Civil Air Patrol as a High School Elective

History:

Civil Air Patrol was founded one week prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Three primary mission areas were set forth at that time: aerospace education, cadet programs, and emergency services.

CAP is the civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force.

We took a little field trip to National Headquarters when we PCSed last year.

Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters Building

Liz was excited to see the office of the previous National CAP commander. He wasn’t in.

My daughter has been a CAP member since she was 12 years old.

High school electives are courses that are outside of the main academic subject areas of English, math, history, science, and foreign language. We more than fulfull the minimum academic requrements in our homeschool high school planning. My children are on schedule for 4-5 credits for each academic subject.

Electives offer so many possibilities for homeschoolers. We have so much freedom and no time constraints. While most school districts require only 3-4 credits of electives, my children will most likely surpass those requirements, again with 4-5 credits or more of electives in subjects they love.

The fine arts, Bible courses, technology, internships, sports and fitness, career prep courses, extra academic classes, and Civil Air Patrol are all avenues for electives that we hope to achieve in our homeschool.

We prefer real courses over video or virtual classes. I want my kids to experience life rather than watching it from the sidelines.

Civil Air Patrol offers many valuable life skills.

Why Civil Air Patrol?

Develop valuable leadership skills
Experience the thrill of flying
Test-fly potential careers
Earn rank and awards
Qualify for college scholarships
Solidify moral character traits
Make friends and have fun!

Civil Air Patrol’s core values of Integrity, Volunteer Service, Excellence, and Respect were first instituted in 1999. The CAP core values mirror the core values of the United States Air Force. These core values reflect how CAP chooses to act as an organization. It’s a statement of how CAP chooses to treat fellow members, customers, and the American public. They reflect the CAP organization’s institutional commitment – as well as CAP members’ personal commitment to public service.

Civil Air Patrol offers training in leadership, aerospace, character development, and physical fitness.

Leadership

Cadets advance at their own pace. Typically every two months, cadets are eligible to test for the next rank. Each Phase I and II rank earns an achievement ribbon.

Liz recently earned the rank of 2Lt and is working towards the rank of 1Lt.

To progress in rank, cadets must

participate actively
pass a leadership test
pass an aerospace test
pass a physical fitness test
participate in character development forums
demonstrate they have the maturity to accept increased responsibility

Four Phases of Leadership:

Each rank offers Achievements and greater responsibilities.

The Learning Phase I: C/Amn, C/A1C, C/SrA, C/SSgt

The Leadership Phase II: C/TSgt, C/MSgt, C/SMSgt, C/CMSgt, C/2d Lt

The Command Phase III C/2d Lt, C/1st Lt, C/Capt

The Executive Phase IV: C/Capt, C/Maj, C/Lt Col, C/Col

The awards and decorations of Civil Air Patrol are designed to recognize heroism, service, and program achievements.

Mitchell Cadets completing Phase II who choose to enlist in the Air Force or the Coast Guard are promoted to E-3 upon enlistment and completion of Basic Military Training (BMT), instead of E-1. Mitchell Cadets who enlist in the Marine Corps, Navy, or Army are promoted to E-2 upon completion of BMT.

View the Learn to Lead curriculum.

Explore other opportunities to grow and learn at Encampment, Leadership Schools, National Special Activities, and more.

My daughter has completed three Civil Air Patrol Encampments so far.

Of course, not all CAP cadets choose to join the military. The skills cadets learn can help them achieve any goals for college or career. It’s a great preparatory program for anyone.

Aerospace

Cadets experience flight firsthand through orientation flights in powered aircraft and gliders. CAP pilots are licensed by the FAA, follow a syllabus for each flight, and ensure the flight is conducted safely. Orientation flights are free to cadets.

My Airman Cadet participated in a Civil Air Patrol campout with astronomy and activities during her first year.

View the Aerospace curriculum.

Many cadets choose to earn a pilot’s license with the various scholarship opportunities for pilot programs.

Aerospace training is a great addition to science and technology studies, offers a step up for those choosing to enlist the military, and is just fun and interesting to many students.

Character Development

Civil Air Patrol provides a comprehensive character development program through Education, Training, and Outreach that:

Promotes a positive community service lifestyle.
Encourages youth to remain in school.
Focuses on drug abuse awareness, education, and prevention.
Provides positive activities as an alternative to drugs and gang violence.

Liz received the Air Force Sergeants Association Award for Cadet Leadership in April 2015!

View the Medal of Honor curriculum.

Character development is emphasized in Civil Air Patrol through leadership responsibilities, volunteering, classroom lectures, team-building activities, and guest speakers.

Volunteer Opportunities

Many squadrons participate in community outreach by assisting at military events, honor guard and color guard, partnering with charity organizations, and many other volunteer opportunities to help others.

Liz’s squadrons have assisted at a local aviation museum and ushering at the Officers’ Club and Tops in Blue events.

Achievement ribbons can be earned for acquiring individual volunteer hours outside of Civil Air Patrol.

I know many states require volunteer hours on transcripts and this always looks good on college applications!

Liz also has earned many, many volunteer hours as a Red Cross volunteer at our local hospital, working in the medical laboratory and maternity ward.

Physical Fitness

Cadets are expected to maintain physical fitness standards.

Cadets are measured each month in the following exercises:

The Sit and Reach tests flexibility of the lower back and hamstrings.
Curl Ups test abdominal strength and endurance.
Push Ups test upper body strength and endurance.
The Mile Run or Shuttle Run tests heart and lung endurance.

Monthly PT tests ensure cadets can make rank and be physically fit. See physical fitness requirements.

The time spent and learning achieved during monthly physical fitness training and testing combined with weekly drill along with personal fitness and health education can easily be translated into a PE credit on a high school transcript.

Today’s cadets are tomorrow’s aerospace leaders. Through its Cadet Program, Civil Air Patrol transforms youth aged 12 to 20 into responsible citizens.

What’s CAP like?

Liz describes what Civil Air Patrol is like:

We learn leadership. In the States, you can do Orientation flights with real airplanes. We get to shoot real guns or do simulator activities. I earned a sharpshooter badge from the NRA. At age 16, you can do real search and rescues. Before that, there are mock-ups for practice. We get to do drill: march and look professional. It’s great experience if you plan to join the military.

What’s the time commitment? What do the cadets have to do on their own time?

Squadron meetings are held weekly. Cadets are expected to study to take tests to achieve rank. Extra activities are encouraged, but optional. Encampment is required to become an officer.

More information about Civil Air Patrol:

Air Force “Blues” and camouflage “BDU” uniforms are usually provided by the squadron. Some accessories need to be purchased, like reflector belts and Camelbaks, undershirts and socks within regs, achievement ribbons and rank, and uniform accessories for officers.

Hair and fingernails must be within CAP regulations.

Cadets can excel and earn academic scholarships.

The online cadet resource library provides tips, tools, and information.

Annual membership dues vary by location. I think it’s a small price to pay for so many benefits! Some squadrons do fundraising for special events and encampment costs.

So many great opportunities for local, regional, national, and international activities. See all the special activities offered.

Find a Civil Air Patrol squadron near you! Find out how to join Civil Air Patrol. It’s not just for military kids. Most squadrons are near Air Force bases, but anyone can join. (Also, if your student decides to join CAP, message me for my daughter’s CAP ID number so she gets recruitment credit! Thanks!)

Other info:

Read about our Cadet Airman’s first month.

See how we Homeschool High School.

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A Weekend in Bavaria

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September 14, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

We took a weekend trip to Bavaria in May.

The weather was still quite cool. We brought waterproof windbreakers and that was plenty warm enough.

We stayed at the Edelweiss Lodge & Resort in Garmisch.

Our Edelweiss Lodge Review

Accommodations

I chose to stay here for a break from German and it was convenient and we were eligible. It was refreshing to be able to speak English and relax a little.

Edelweiss has a wellness club with massage, fitness center, and a great pool with the most amazing hot tub area I’ve ever seen in my life.

The kids loved the outdoor playground and I could see them from our balcony.

We stayed in a Junior Suite on the 3rd floor corner that was quite comfortable for all 6 of us.

We loved the bathrooms! There was a small powder room on one side with a toilet and sink and a full bath on the other side with a tub/shower combo, shower stall, two sinks, and a toilet.

The balcony was a great addition to relax. There were a couple chairs and a little table.

And FREE Wi-Fi is always great for planning our days and finding somewhere to eat.

The resort itself is a bit rundown looking. The carpet is worn and the furnishings could use replacing. You can tell this is not really a priority. They have no competition.

Room Rates by Rank and Room Type:

	E1-E6 (As of 1 Oct 2015, $89 for a standard room)	E7-E9 / CW01-CW03 O1-O3 / Widows 100% Disabled / MoH	CW4-CW5 O4-O10 ALL CIVILIANS SES / NATO
Standard Room	$86	$139	$149
Junior Suite	$169	$169	$169
Deluxe Junior Suite	$189	$189	$189
Loft Suite	$229	$229	$229
Deluxe Loft Suite	$269	$269	$269

Rooms are equipped with European 220v plugs only. A simple adapter will work fine as long as your appliance is dual voltage (accepts 120v and 220v). Adapters are available for purchase at Alpine Adventures (a gift shop). Pets are not allowed. Children under 17 stay for free on available bed space.

Apparently, there are also cabins and a campground available.

You can book activities and tours through Alpine Adventures. We just ventured out on our own.

Dining

Zuggy’s Base Camp is a fun family-friendly sports bar. They had amazing chicken wings and pizza. 22 pizza toppings, 4 sauces, and 3 different cheeses! Chicken wings in 9 different flavors. Delectable potato wedges and onion rings. Happy hour drink specials with great local beer!

Bar Open: Daily / 1700 – 2400 Food Service: Thu – Sat / 1700 – 2300 and Sun – Wed / 1700 – 2100

Market Station had a big breakfast buffet. I thought it was rather expensive, but it was super convenient. There are plenty of choices on the hot bar that made us happy – cheesy grits, cottage potatoes, French toast, ham. We didn’t care for the cheap, greasy bacon or cold, hard biscuits. There’s also an omelet and pancake station to please almost everyone.

Breakfast: Mon – Fri 0630 – 1000 hrs / Sat & Sun 0630 – 1030 hrs | Adults $9 / Children $3 (ages 5 – 11) / 4 and under FREE

The coffee wasn’t great, but they serve Starbuck’s at the Point Snack Bar near the Wellness Center that opens early!

I do not recommend Market Station for dinner. The one time we ate there for dinner, the food was not fresh nor appealing. It had the quality of cheap TV dinners. Luckily, they had a pizza station and a grill for burgers or marinated boneless chicken breast.

Nightly Dinner Buffet from 1630 – 2000 hrs | Adults $16 / Children $5 (ages 5 – 11) / 4 and under FREE

We never saw Pullman Place dining open.

The view of the mountains was breathtaking.

Visiting Garmisch-Partenkirchen:

It’s about 5 hours from Ramstein and 6 hours from Spangdahlem.

USAG Bavaria around the corner from Edelweiss has a small commissary, Shoppette with gas station, and a small eXchange. We got gas for local travels and before we headed home. We bought some beer and souvenirs at the eXchange. They had a great selection.

We ate lunch upon recommendation at Bistro Mukkefuck. We said the name lots because it’s funny. Yes, my humor is that of a 12-year-old.

Liz ordered the shrimp scampi.

Alex’s kids portion of Schnitzel with corn and Spätzle was huge!

Tori and Kate loved their potato and tomato soups.

Phenomenal turkey schnitzel, white Spargel (asparagus) soup, and pork cutlets. The au gratin potatoes were delicious (bottom of collage)!

And I just love Bavarian beer.

We got gelato at one of the many options and window shopped.

We enjoyed strolling through the lovely Michael-Ende-Kurpark (spa-gardens) in Garmisch.

Lots of pretty gardens, koi pond, sculptures, a barefoot pad with this fun sluice and water wheel. It was a bit too cold though.

Around the Area Things to Do:

We hiked through Partnach Gorge. We loved it!

We drove about an hour away to the Storybook Castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau.

We did not tour Zugspitze. I know it’s popular. We didn’t bring warm enough clothes. And it’s pretty expensive for all 6 of us to go up a mountain for a pretty view. We don’t ski. And heights.

We didn’t go see the longest pedestrian bridge in Austria either. Because heights.

Eagle’s Nest isn’t too far away, but we just didn’t have time in our schedule to drive there.

We visited Dachau Concentration Camp on our way back home.

Booking.com for European accommodations

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Shopping in Germany

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June 2, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

Shopping in Germany is a delight if you know how to do it right on a budget. We get paid twice a month and need to make that money stretch – and have enough left over for fun trips!

We usually make a big trip to the commissary and a German grocery twice a month, then weekly trips to the market and stores for what we need to round out our meals.

How to save money shopping in Germany:

There are two deal cards – The Germany Card and The Payback Card

Bottle returns: you get cash back when you return recyclable bottles to stores. We typically do a big bottle return and turn in VAT forms the last week of every week. We do pay a deposit on the bottles, so it’s not like we’re making much.

Tax rebates: many German stores refund VAT with the form. Each store has its own policy. We stamp our receipts at Globus and return them all with one VAT form at the end of every month. Real doesn’t have a deadline, so we do it every couple of months after we collect enough receipts to make it worthwhile.

VAT forms cost $50 for a 10-pack.
Valid for 2 years from issue.
Only may be used by authorized family members.
You must return your used VAT forms before you will be able to purchase more. Learn more here.

What Shopping in Germany Looks Like for Our Family

We have a weekly village market with farm fresh eggs. We typically shop weekly at German grocery stores and the commissary to keep a well-stocked pantry.

We have a small German refrigerator and an American side-by-side fridge/freezer combo with an ice/water dispenser (yay!). We have learned to purchase fresh meats and vegetables frequently and we only use the freezer for homemade stock, fruit bags for smoothies, extra bacon and sausage, and a few emergency supplies.

We have to bring our own shopping bags to German stores. We have a great collection of market baskets, fabric totes, insulated sacks, and little cloth bags. Because we still forget to bring the bags back out to the car after shopping.

Saturday morning market – right outside our front door

30 farm fresh brown eggs and a red bell pepper every week
Potatoes (seriously, we can’t find potatoes like this anywhere)
Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts are typically available and lovely
Strawberries, asparagus, tomatoes, green beans, fresh peas in season

This week, I bought 30 eggs, a red bell pepper, a grapefruit, and a small bunch of tomatoes for €16.10. They were out of potatoes, wah! The prices are a tad higher than I would pay at a grocery or the commissary, but the quality is better and we love supporting local shops.

Drink shop – right in our building

Beer (we buy a case of this one favorite every month or so)
Wine (usually when I realize I need some for cooking – it’s only €4/bottle)
Soda (rarely since we have a Soda Stream and kombucha)
Treats – the kids love to grab an ice cream or candy and play at the park each week

Bakery/Dorfladen (Convenience Shop)

Deli – gorgeous salami
Breads, cakes, pastries – fresh, warm, and to die for

When I stupidly run out of milk or butter, they have it – at an exorbitant convenience price.

The German stores have better quality, cleaner items with fewer additives.

Globus

This was the first German store I shopped at and I still feel most comfortable here. Many compare it to a Super Walmart. It’s easy and they have a great food court.

German Bacon
Meats – they have a vast selection of absolutely lovely meat
Canned breads

This week, we stocked up on dairy, breads, pizza flour, coffee, German bacon and sausages, chips, and salad. The total was €133.65. I can save €10.36 VAT.

The local exchange rate: €1 = $1.09. The exchange rate on base: €1=$1.1247. We try to use ATMs off base when we require Euros. We have US banks and we are charged exchange rates and transaction fees when we use check cards and credit cards.

Either Globus or Real:

Dairy – milk, cream, pudding, yogurt, sour cream, ice cream
Cereal – no additives! We usually buy Toppas (like mini-wheats), Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and several types of kashi.
Cheese – Europeans know how to do cheese.
Coffee
Bagged salad. The fun lettuce blends are just amazing here. With parsley.
Potato chips (plain and paprika – I am so gonna miss this!)
Spices (they come in big bags and we refill our jars)
Olive oil
Vinegar
Soda – these don’t have the additives American sodas have, so we treat more often (and we have a Sodastream so we sometimes buy the natural syrups)
Capri Suns for trips – they have sugar, but no dyes or chemicals

Real

This store is more organized and decorated than Globus. They don’t have the stock on hand but I prefer some items here and the staff are super friendly. The shopping complex has several other stores that are convenient.

Lunch items – mini frozen pizzas that put those Bagel Bites to shame
Bread (their fresh breads are the best!)
Deli meats – salami, bologna, sausages
Beer (I like the big bottles of Radler they have)
Wine (They have the best selection and prices all color coded for convenience!)

Commissary

Most of the food available at the commissary is European, much from Denmark and local areas. There are strict laws about importing American food, and we are surprised by what is available and what is not. We miss some of the variety. We have been assuming that the commissary gets much of the wholesale leftovers after the German groceries since the brands are often the same, but the quality is less. The meats are prepacked and difficult to examine, so we often purchase off-base.

Items we typically purchase at the commissary once or twice each month:

Juice – bottled lemon and cranberry
Spinach because the local stuff smells funny
Sweet potatoes
Avocadoes
Romaine lettuce
Button mushrooms because they’re so much smaller than the local ones
Peanut butter
Steel-cut oatmeal
Grits
Baking items like baking powder, baking soda, yeast (the German items are just different and American recipes don’t quite turn out)
Peanuts and Mixed nuts
Breakfast sausage
American nitrate-free bacon
Corn on the cob as a treat – the price is good at $1.89 for a 2-pack!
Peanut oil for frying because I can get big vats cheaply
Shredded Mexican blend cheese
Soft tortillas
Tortilla chips
Annie’s mac and cheese
Hebrew National hot dogs (because Alex doesn’t really care for German sausage!)
Toilet paper because I’m picky
Cat litter because the kitties are picky
Women’s items because they’re familiar.

This week, we stocked up on bacon, ham, sausage, hot dogs, nuts, chips, frozen peas, sour cream, Mexican cheese, avocadoes, and an eye of round beef roast (because we have no idea what it’s called in German! They don’t really do beef roasts like we do). The total was $150.13.

I scored these babies Memorial Day weekend for $1.89/2-pack! Back in the states, we used to get 4/$1.00!

There are some items we know we are spoiled with here. They have much fewer chemicals in the food here and we feel comfortable serving it to our kids, but we will not be able to when we return to the States.

We are loving the convenience of Capri Suns, soda, canned rolls, deli meats, frozen pizzas, bottled sauces, and boxed prepared foods.

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When a Parent Travels

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

May 13, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

How we make our time special when Dad is away from home.

Lately, we’ve experienced more travel time with Dad away from home.

We survived one deployment. I learned to cope by making some days extra special.

When I’m on my own with four kids to feed, homeschool, and taxi to various extracurricular activities most evenings, I sometimes have to be creative and just let some things go.

How We Play When Dad’s Away

We don’t really play and we don’t disrespect Dad by doing anything he wouldn’t approve of.

I try to spend as little money as possible. We maintain our healthy lifestyle as much as we can while still having some fun and being just a little bit lax.

Meal Time

I like to make meals fun and interesting.

We’ll have a picnic in the living room with music and poetry or breakfast for dinner.

We’ll do a movie night with snacks and mocktails.

I’m more lax on juice intake. We have more cookies and snacks in the house during these times. The kids also are learning to be more independent and cook or prepare things for themselves.

I like to make dishes my husband doesn’t like. So, basically lots of dishes with bell peppers.

Occasionally, we’ll eat out for a real treat. It’s getting harder and harder to dine out with four kids and still be healthy and frugal.

I have to relax at meal times since I have no second adult to help with four kids. I’m quick to accept dinner invitations when I’m the sole parent. It’s nice to share a meal with friends.

Play Time

It’s no fun being home all day, every day.

We go to parks, movies, playgrounds, swimming – anything that Dad wouldn’t especially miss while he’s out of town. It’s getting easier now that the kids are a little older and I don’t have to constantly help or watch every single second.

If there’s a particular festival, I try to take the kids but that’s an awful lot of effort for me to take four kids by myself to a crowded fair. I usually end up feeling like a pack mule.

I make sure the kids have lots of attention and snuggle time. My teen gets to stay up later than the littles since I can give her more mama time.

Chore Time

We still have to keep the house running smoothly, but I don’t stress if the dishes or laundry doesn’t get completed every day.

Sometimes, the table won’t even get cleared after a meal until the next meal! And I just roll with it.

The kids step it up to help and they go above and beyond to do their share to make sure things run smoothly.

Honestly, it’s easier to complete chores when Dad is away. There is no change in schedule on the weekends. There is much less laundry and fewer dishes. Things run more smoothly. My way.

We do have mad cleaning sessions before Dad is due to arrive back home.

School Time

Thankfully, we don’t stress too much over lesson time since we school year-round and almost all day, every day. We have a lifestyle of learning.

I’ve become much more an unschooler and I love watching my kids become fascinated with a subject and do their own unbidden research.

We often start late, school in the evening before bed, take field trips, do lessons on weekends.

We’re more relaxed because I don’t have to plan for that couple hours in the evening for Daddy time. The dynamics are different.

We like to learn about where in the world Dad is traveling and what it’s like there – the time difference, the climate, culture, history, people, foods, etc.

How I Manage Stress

Sure, the kids are sometimes stressed when Dad is away. We read lots of books and go to the library to keep well-stocked. We make sure to visit the park and playground to let off steam. I assure them that Dad will home soon, most likely with souvenirs.

We often are able to keep in touch by chat online, sometimes with Facetime or Skype. We can view maps online or on our school room wall. I take lots of pictures so he doesn’t feel left out of events.

During deployments, we have a special clock on the wall for “Daddy time” so we knew what time it was where he was deployed.

Sometimes, I would like to be “off duty” but that’s even less possible when my husband is out of town.

I stay up late to get some alone time. I work online or watch Netflix or read. Sometimes, all of that at once, lol!

I send the kids to the playground a block away. I have a few friends in the neighborhood now where my kids can go play. It’s healthy and good to be apart sometimes.

During deployments or long TDYs, I get run down by the late nights and having no downtime.

I drink lots of water.
I take supplements and essential oils.
I detox after poor eating with juice and smoothies.
I make myself exercise and get fresh air outside.
On the days when we have no out of the house activities, I rest as much as possible.

It’s still difficult when Dad is away, especially on the younger kids. My son often gets confused about where Dad is or when he’s coming home. I do everything I can to make it easier on our family.

We make homecoming special with favorite meals and rest time.

What are your homecoming traditions?

Resources:

This Is Where You Belong: Finding Home Wherever You Are by Melody Warnick
Almost There: Searching for Home in a Life on the Move by Bekah DiFelice
God Strong: The Military Wife’s Spiritual Survival Guide by Sara Horn
Tour of Duty: Preparing Our Hearts for Deployment: A Bible Study for Military Wives by Sara Horn
Chicken Soup for the Military Wife’s Soul: 101 Stories to Touch the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Charles Preston
Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives by Jocelyn Green
Faith Deployed…Again: More Daily Encouragement for Military Wives by Jocelyn Green
Faith, Hope, Love, & Deployment: 40 Devotions for Military Couples by Heather Gray

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Container Gardening on a Small Patio

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Please see my suggested resources.

April 10, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert 3 Comments

Our old house had a humongous backyard and deck. We knew when we moved to Germany, we’d be giving that up.

Here’s how we make the best use of gardening space in our small yard and patio.

We have a tiny backyard with a goldfish pond and cute little patio.

Before:

After:

I cleaned it out a bit and added a Japanese maple and some azaleas. I want to get rid of the bamboo border and add bricks or stones and some pretty gravel inside.

And look what I found! Frog eggs. Mama frog peeked her head out of the water at me.

We have this fun grill and oven that I want to try out.

So, we don’t have much space for the kids to romp.

But they have a lovely playground park a block away now. We have to learn to container garden on our patio and maximizing space.

I realize with my small space, I have to get creative. I go vertical instead of horizontal.

Herbs in pots for culinary adventures

I have thyme, rosemary, lavender in pots on my stairs. We just had a cold snap that killed my basil and cilantro.

I have oregano, parsley, two kinds of mint, and sage that went dormant but is perking back up. They’re not pretty. I need to get some rocks and gravel for here too.

Tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers for cooking and canning

We used to have a large vegetable garden and lots of romping space and an arbor with grapes. I will miss having fresh beans and squash but there’s just not enough room. I might consider one of those teepees for beans back by the shed but I don’t think it gets enough sun there.

I don’t really miss cutting the lawn, weeding, or the extensive yard maintenance. It’s a nice break since we don’t have to hire anyone to babysit our plants or worry about a loss of our vegetables if we travel.

Pretty flowers on windowsills and railing

Of course I have to have pretty! The kids loved helping pick out flowers for the railing and hanging plants for our hooks. We have several geraniums still to plant.

Bird Watching

I love these little birds that come to my feeders. They sing so sweetly and drive my cats mad. We also got a bug house and we will see. The bees are a-buzzing and I love the sounds of spring!

I found this lovely bistro set (at the BX!) and we fell in love with Ranunculus when we visited Keukenhof so there they are, in a pot by the table for me to enjoy with my beverages in the mornings and evenings.

A pretty new rug by the door.

I had to have this lantern. It was on clearance and now I have the perfect spot for it on my new bistro table! I need to get a candle for it. But don’t you love it?

I love how it’s coming along so far.

Other Changes to Make

I need to pretty up this shelf.

I got this fun daisy tree and I need a pretty pot for it.

I need to get something tiered since floor space is a premium (I could put the geraniums in a fun plant rack).

I’ve seen some lovely pallet gardens and I think I will look for one to use along the fences and railing.

Our biggest concern are the slugs and snails. I learned last year they don’t care for oregano or rosemary but they devour basil and most flowers. I experimented with coffee grounds around the pots and plants and that helps.

We look forward to caring for a smaller garden for a few years and experimenting with more container gardening.

Inspiration:

Linking up: An Oregon Cottage

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Stop Complaining About Military Life

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Please see my suggested resources.

March 16, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert 3 Comments

Who is helped by hearing constant complaints?

I understand that some spouses find military life hard. But I also think some people would just find any kind of life hard. Some people just suck the joy right out of life. And if someone is struggling, let’s be uplifting instead of tearing them down.

Some spouses seem to constantly complain of every aspect of military life. They’re so weary with the PCSing and the deployments and the stress and inconveniences.

I’m weary too.

I’m weary of the negativity and complaining about military life.

I’m also tired of people proclaiming that all military spouses are the same. We’re just lumped all together with Coach bags, MLMs, pregnant, flouting our husband’s rank. It’s a tired stereotype.

I’m sick of hearing that military spouses are uneducated and jobless and mooching off the government.

Stop Complaining About Military Life - I’m weary of the negativity and complaining about military life.

I don’t raise my family any differently because we’re a military family.

I’m not a different wife because my husband is active duty Air Force.

But perhaps I have a bit of an edge having grown up a military brat. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t go to a commissary or eXchange or travel on a road trip without stopping at a base or post to check out the history there or even stay in TLF on the off-season. My dad traveled lots as a reservist and GS. His dad was active duty Navy and he lived all over the coastal USA.

I realize some spouses have no prior experience with military life, but they should certainly research before starting a serious relationship with a service member.

Normal life is what you make of it.

We live in the greatest era for connection there has ever been. It’s 2020, not 1915! We have the Internet – with Facebook and Skype and Google and all sorts of ways to research and communicate with others. There are no excuses for lack of availability of information. Learn how to Google. Stop crowdsourcing for your affirmation. Seriously.

When my husband deployed the first time, we had just PCSed to a new state. I had four kids under the age of ten. No friends, no church, no family nearby. I homeschooled and I got no break for almost a year.

And he left on our anniversary.

And I had never experienced winter before.

For like that whole deployment, it was winter, y’all. I’d never lived anywhere that had winter. I learned to drive in blizzards and buy snowsuits and boots for our kids. I found out where to go sledding. Then it snowed again and our basement flooded on Memorial Day in May. Fun times. {I’m not made for winter.}

There were occasions when I was miserable. There were evenings when I cried in a ball on the kitchen floor. There were nights I put the kids to bed at 6:30 so I could just be alone. I lost my temper with my kids. I hated my husband. I hated myself. I hated God.

But mostly, life ran like clockwork.

There was so much less laundry! I had leftovers from dinner for lunch the next day. I could cook bell peppers all I wanted (Aaron doesn’t like them)!!! My eldest daughter and I stayed up late on weekends, talking and watching movies, after the babies went to bed. The house was spotless. Everything was so efficient.

I am quite capable of parenting, housework, homeschooling, yard work, and simple home repairs. I knew other military wives who really could not function alone, and they had way more help from family, friends, church, and community than I’ve in my entire life. I was a single mom and homeowner for four years. So maybe that’s why it’s no big deal to me to go it alone sometimes. I trust myself.

I can get lazy and rely on my husband too much when he’s available to help. I get expectations. Without having to defend my parenting or having to divide my time between a wife’s role and parent’s role, it was often more peaceful.

I missed most the being able to sleep in an extra half hour or so on Saturday mornings while he made pancakes for the kids. But I also learned how capable my kids could be if given the chance.

Our expectations must change if we are to focus on the positives instead of the negatives. If we see everything as a learning opportunity rather than an inconvenience, it will help us make better memories for our families as we teach our kids what’s most important.

Are we different or special because we’re a military family?

Sometimes.

Is life hard for us because we’re a military family?

Sometimes.

Sure, there is often a lot of stress.

But despite all the negatives we could focus on, we realize how blessed we are to be able to live in different places and experience different cultures and learn so much about the world when other families miss out on that.

My son, our youngest child, told me the other day: “Mama, I love it that we get to move around and live in all these cool places and see the world.”

I just won life.

We got to live in Hawaii, Germany, Texas, Georgia, Utah, Germany, Ohio – and see such amazing sites rather than just the challenges – the stress and negativity that can come with inconveniences, deployments, TDYs, and PCSes.

I want my kids’ memories to be about the great opportunities we get to experience!

Resources:

Third Culture Kids 3rd Edition: Growing up among worlds by Ruth E. Van Reken, Michael V. Pollock, David C. Pollock
This Is Where You Belong: Finding Home Wherever You Are by Melody Warnick
Almost There: Searching for Home in a Life on the Move by Bekah DiFelice
God Strong: The Military Wife’s Spiritual Survival Guide by Sara Horn
Tour of Duty: Preparing Our Hearts for Deployment: A Bible Study for Military Wives by Sara Horn
Chicken Soup for the Military Wife’s Soul: 101 Stories to Touch the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Charles Preston
Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives by Jocelyn Green
Faith Deployed…Again: More Daily Encouragement for Military Wives by Jocelyn Green
Faith, Hope, Love, & Deployment: 40 Devotions for Military Couples by Heather Gray

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Prevention and Education with TRICARE Dental

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Please see my suggested resources.

January 15, 2015 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

I participated in an Ambassador program on behalf of Influence Central for the TRICARE Dental Program. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

Dental Prevention and Education equals NO CAVITIES!

At the beginning of each new year, it is important to see if there are changes to monthly rates and premiums from health care providers. That way, there are no surprises later on when you make appointments!

Did you know that February is Dental Health Month?

NOW is a great time to brush up on program benefits and check on the upcoming changes.

Premium amounts change annually each year on February 1, so don’t get caught unaware! Premiums also vary depending on the number of member enrolled and the sponsor’s status. Enrollment is a 12-month commitment. However, after completing the minimal enrollment period, membership may be continued on a monthly basis.

TRICARE Dental Program premiums also vary based upon a family member’s military status (Active Duty, Selected Reserve, Individual Ready Reserve and type of enrollment). The Dental Program is an extra enrollment feature with TRICARE. Check out the costs.

What are the benefits of the TRICARE Dental Program?

When enrolled in the TRICARE Dental Program and members visit a network dentist, there are no costs for exams, cleanings, X-rays, or fluoride treatments.

Active duty members typically only receive one cleaning and exam at base clinics each year, so they can receive the recommended second exam with this dental program!

I love the flexibility of this dental program. Even when we are able to get dependent appointments at the base dental clinic, we keep our coverage up to date for emergencies, just in case.

I love that sealants are only 20% cost share for kids through age 18. I received sealants when I was younger and I have gotten them on my kids’ permanent molars for added protection.

Orthodontic treatment is available for enrolled family members up to age 23. We’ve had one with braces and I’m sure our other three kids will need some help in this area eventually.

The kids recently learned about teeth and dental health in our homeschool. We all had dental checkups this month and NO CAVITIES! We’re doing something right!

Our dentists commended us for our preventive measures and education: “Oral health is an important part of overall wellness. Preventive and diagnostic dental care helps maintain good oral health which leads to overall wellness.”

For More Information:

To enroll, visit the TRICARE website.

Refer to the fact sheet on TRICARE Dental Program.

The Defense Health Agency continues to offer a comprehensive dental care
option available for purchase by eligible active duty family members and
National Guard and Reserve members and their families. Effective May 1, 2017,
United Concordia Companies, Inc. (United Concordia) will assume responsibility
for administering the TRICARE Dental Program, replacing the outgoing dental
contractor. Your monthly premium rate will also change and you may
need to find a new dental provider.

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