New Limited Edition Homefront Girl Collection by Yankee Candle

Disclaimer: I received the following product in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Yankee Candle has launched a new collection of candles to honor our military. They have partnered with Homes for Our Troops and will contribute $1.00 for every candle sold from the Homefront Girl® line!
Homes for Our Troops is a nonprofit organization that builds specially adapted, mortgage-free homes nationwide for severely injured veterans from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Homefront Girl® was created by Gaby Juergens, a military wife and artist who wanted to create a collection for the military community to share their pride for loved ones serving in the military.



The candle I was sent was Watermelon Splash and the label reads: Gratitude Never Out Of Style. It smells fantastic! Summertime is coming up soon so this fragrance really fits well with the season.
I love that a portion of the candles purchased is donated to a worthy cause to help injured veterans live in accessible, mortgage-free homes. I didn't know about the non-profit organization until I heard what Yankee Candle was doing. It's a great way to bring light to these types of organizations dedicated to helping our military.

The Homefront Girl® collection can be purchased in two sizes - large jar candles and small tumbler candles.
The fragrances currently available are:

• Fair Winds
• Watermelon Splash
• Coconut Kisses
• Break of Day
• Hidden Leaves

Visit your local Yankee Candle store or shop online at www.yankeecandle.com

Connect with Yankee Candle

Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest // Instagram

Military Spouse Appreciation Day Giveaway

Welcome to the 2nd annual Military Spouse Appreciation Day Giveaway Hop! Check out the fun prizes and don't forget to visit the other bloggers linked at the bottom of this post. Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day!

Prizes

Pearls & Pennies Boutique + Handmade Gifts

Deployments are tough. Here's a cup dedicated to getting you through deployment. The Deployment Survival cup! Note: you can fill it up with orange juice if you'd like. ;) Stemless Wine Glass $12

Website // Facebook // Instagram

Freedom Creations

Create personalized items to show your military pride. The options to customize nametape bracelets, keyfobs, lanyards, dog tags, and wallets are limitless! $25 Gift Certificate

Website // Facebook // Instagram

Moody Sisters Skincare

"Real ingredients for real families made by real people." There's nothing better than using all-natural beauty products made with love by The Moody Sisters. You won't find chemicals, parabens, artificial fragrances, dyes, or sulphates here! Stay tuned for a review coming soon. PS: Their whipped body lotions are divine. Eye Makeup Remover, Eyeliner, and Mascara $28.95

Website // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Pinterest

One military spouse will win all prizes mentioned above

Open to US residents only

Giveaway ends 5/22

Entry-Form

Visit Kara at TheGreenMtnGirl to enter to win gift cards to Starbucks and Korean sweets!

Klose To My Heart Custom Jewelry Creations (Plus a Giveaway)

Disclaimer: I received a custom bracelet in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Klose To My Heart is a shop ran by owner and creater Kari Warnstedt.
Kari is wife to a Marine who first started making jewelry centered around supporting military families. Her business has grown and she now makes a variety of items including custom orders.
"The push to get me into creating jewelry for others came with my husbands’ career. When I married him and went through my first deployment as a spouse I noticed that the options for showing support with jewelry were limited. I wanted a cute and classy way to show how much I missed and supported him! I wanted all families and loved ones to have that same option. Which led me to creating some of the items I have made today. All the while I get to express my creativity -making stylish and expressive pieces for all who order from me!"
Here are a few examples of what she has made:

As you can see, Kari can make anything your heart desires. The choices are endless!
Getting a custom bracelet made was very easy. Kari was extremely kind and wanted to make sure I loved the end result. 
I chose to have a bracelet centered around my future career in esthetics. I gave her some ideas for the charms and she figured out the rest.
The current turn around time is 1-2 weeks, based on charm availability. 
My Customized Bracelet

I love how my charm bracelet turned out. You can tell that it was made with care and a lot of thought went into the details. It's very elegant.

(Photo courtesy of Kari)

Connect with Klose To My Heart

Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

Kari was kind enough to offer a giveaway of one of her items.

Prize: Medium Beaded Charm Bracelet with up to 5 in-stock charms of winner's choice

Open to US residents including APO/FPO addresses

Entry-Form

Military Spouse Appreciation Day Giveaway Hop - Sign Ups are Open!

Hello! Thank you for stopping by and for your interest in (hopefully) joining me for the 2015 Military Spouse Appreciation Day Giveaway Hop.
Last year, I hosted the grand prize and had a few bloggers host their own giveaway for the event. If you're interested in signing up, keep on reading!

Event Details
Deadline for sign-ups: May 1st, 2015
Giveaway Hop will run from: May 8th - May 22nd (Military Spouse Appreciation Day falls on May 8th this year)
Prize Value minimum: $25
Prize Theme: Any prize category as long as it's family-friendly
Hashtag: #MilitarySpouseAppreciation
How You Can Help 
Post the announcement on your blog: Click here for the HTML.
Share on Twitter: Tweet

Post the event button on your sidebar:

<div align="center">
<a href="http://hiccupsandsunshine.blogspot.com/2015/02/MilspouseAppreciationDay2015.html" title="Hiccups and Sunshine"><img src="http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d51/iloveblocksh06/1b9088fd-a5fb-450a-aba5-59c3f4f62296.png" alt="Hiccups and Sunshine" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Blogger Requirements

• Your giveaway prize value must be at least $25.
• You must have a designated giveaway for the hop.
• Your post can include multiple prizes. Each prize should be at least $25.
• Your post must be dedicated to this event. Event button, details, host name, and Linky must be posted in your giveaway post.
• Giveaway post must be live by 12:00am (PST) on May 8th or you'll risk being removed from the event. (tisk, tisk)
• Giveaway ends on May 22nd at 11:59pm (PST).
• You must include proper disclosures and have no entries that violate social media policies.
• Please make sure your giveaway has no more than 1 or 2 easy mandatory entries.

Companies/Sponsors If you're a company or small business and would like to include your brand in the giveaway event, you can email me at hiccupsandsunshine(at)yahoo(dot)com.
Bloggers: To sign up for the giveaway hop, enter your info below.  If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email. Please sign up only if you are 100% positive that you'll be participating. Thanks!
Your Name: [Blog Name] Your URL: [Blog URL]

One Lucky Veteran Will Win a 7-Eleven Franchise

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of 7-Eleven Franchising. All opinions are 100% mine.

Can you imagine one day getting a call stating that you've won a 7-Eleven Franchise? It may sound crazy but one military veteran will be that lucky recipient! 

A deserving U.S. Military veteran will have the chance to own a 7-Eleven franchise by submitting an application at OPERATION: TAKE COMMAND. The contest will then be narrowed down to 10 contestants who will create videos promoting why they should win the store. Once these ten contestants are chosen, America will vote for their favorite video. The voting will be held on Facebook.

Over 50,000 vets have found employment in the franchise industry in the past year. It's no wonder why winning a 7-Eleven store is the perfect way to fulfill a veteran's dream.

Voted Best for Veterans Franchise

7-Eleven has a history of supporting veterans and creating jobs for them. In fact, the President and CEO of 7-Eleven, Inc, Joe DePinto, is a military veteran himself!
Did you know that 5,608 U.S. veterans have become franchise owners? In the past four years 203,890 new vets and military spouses have started franchising careers.

But Wait!

7-Eleven is not just going to hand over a store and call it a day. Not at all! Here are some helpful facts regarding 7-Eleven franchising:

• You get extensive training support from franchise professionals
• It's turnkey - store, land, and equipment will be provided
• A gross profit split means 7-Eleven is invested in your success
• Start-up is fast (3-6 months) and 7-Eleven will be there every step of the way

Contest Details

Veterans can follow these simple steps to enter the contest:

1. Enter by filling out the form at OPERATION: TAKE COMMAND
2. Be sure to apply by January 25, 2015
3. Finalists will be announced in March 2015
4. Create an impressive video explaining why you should be the winner

Remember - don't be shy when making your videos. Get creative and let 7-Eleven know how you'd make the best business owner and how much you have done to protect our nation.

Finalist videos will be posted on the 7-Eleven Franchise Facebook page. Once America votes, the top 3 contestants will be flown to Dallas for a final interview. The fortunate winner will be announced on April 13, 2015!

Every veteran has a chance to win. Don't pass up this opportunity!

Good luck to everyone who enters the contest. I cannot wait to see your videos.

Thank you for serving our country.

Trees for Troops Christmas Tree Program + a Giveaway

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of FedEx. Gift baskets have been provided in exchange for a review and for a giveaway. All opinions are 100% my own.

FedEx has teamed up with the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation once again to deliver real Christmas trees to service members stationed across the United States and overseas, free of charge.

This year marks the 10th year that the program has been running. In the next few weeks, FedEx will be delivering 17,000 Christmas trees to over 60 military bases located in the U.S. and overseas. That's a lot of trees!

Trees for Troops is part of FedEx Special Delivery, a nationwide program that supports local organizations by donating transportation services and other assistance to help them fulfill their missions. Since the Trees for Troops program launched in 2005, FedEx has shipped more than 139,000 real Christmas trees to service members and their families.
I've never had a real Christmas tree before so I think next year we'd love to participate in this program. Thank you Christmas SPIRIT Foundation and FedEx!
How You Can Get Involved You can support Trees for Troops through your tax-deductible donation or by becoming a sponsor. The Christmas SPIRIT Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity. Your tax-deductible charitable contribution will help those in service to their country and their families receive a Real Christmas Tree and keep the spirit of a traditional Christmas celebration alive.
For updates and event photos, check out the Trees for Troops Facebook page.

FedEx has generously offered to give away a gift basket filled with popular holiday gifts. I don't know what these gifts are - it's a mystery! All I know is that the gift basket is valued at $100. ;)

Giveaway is open to US residents only and ends 12/16.

Entry-Form

WoodSimpyMade + Military Coin Holder Giveaway!

Mike, the owner of WoodSimplyMade, is a disabled veteran having served 6 years active duty in the US Air Force. He makes handcrafted products from real wood - some of them include coin holders, business card holders, flag cases, shadow boxes, and custom clocks.

Here's my mini-interview with Mike:

How was WoodSimplyMade started?

I started with woodworking while I was in the service. I developed a disability and used woodworking to keep my mind occupied. With what started as a mental coping mechanism and a few hand tools transformed into what WoodSimplyMade is today. I was placed on disability from the service after 6 years active duty and now support my family doing custom woodworking, with a large emphasis on veteran gifts and products.

Name a favorite city or country you've visited. 

I was born in Holland and raised for 13 years in Ireland, I moved to Florida at age 16 and joined the military at age 18.

Do you have a quote that inspires you?

I try to remind myself that all the worry in the world won't change the outcome of today.

What is your favorite memory as a child?

Doing arts and crafts at school, I guess it stuck with me since I kind of do it for a living now :)

If you could travel back in time for a day, which year would you pick?

I am content with where life has taken me, I wouldn't want to go back but instead look forward to the future.

Finish this sentence: Life is too short to...

Sweat the small stuff.

What made you smile this week?

My two month old baby boy! He is our first and my wife and I love him with all our hearts!

WoodSimplyMade

Website // Etsy // Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest // Instagram

Mike has generously offered to give away one of his unique coin holders.

Winner will choose branch of service and personalized engraved name plate!

Open to US residents and APO/FPO addresses. Giveaway ends August 11th. 

Entry-Form

Guest Post - Raising Strong Military Kids: One Mom’s Story

Since May is Military Appreciation Month, I wanted to share this post brought to you by the Yellow Ribbon Program.

_______________

I will never forget my first time shopping at a commissary. At 21 and newly married, my husband Jim and I had just packed up all of our belongings to drive across the country from Seattle to Fort Belvoir. We were new to the military way of life, moving for Jim’s new orders with the Army Corps of Engineers. I went to the commissary and had no clue how the system worked – I didn’t even know that I needed an ID card! When we began adding our kids to the mix, I found out there was so much more I needed to learn.

Although we’ve come a long way in helping service members and their families, navigating deployment is still challenging. I want to share with you some tips that helped my three sons and me get through the tough times when my husband was called to service.

1.    Network with other military wives and moms. Early on in our marriage, I met a woman who was raising four daughters. She gave me some tough love about coping with the day-to-day stress while Jim was away, but she was also a great example of how to face deployment. I learned that if she could do it, so could I! Make it a priority to meet fellow wives and moms to share your experiences and get the support you need from friends who truly understand.

2.    Listen to your kids. Though you might feel alone without your spouse, pay close attention to how your kids are feeling. I realized that I had to be strong for my boys, but they often felt like they needed to be the adults while dad was away. Reassure your kids that it’s okay to be sad or angry and that you will get through the deployment together.

3.    Reach out for support. As the director of the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, I’ve had the opportunity to meet military wives and moms from across the services and around the country. We host programs that help National Guard and Reserve members and families connect to other folks who understand what they’re going through. At these free events, you can meet other military families and get expert advice on everything from family communication to employment issues to financial planning.

Raising kids when your spouse is deployed can be challenging, but there are a number of support resources out there to help you. Register for an upcoming Yellow Ribbon event near you at www.yellowribbonevents.org.

Marie Balocki is the Director of the Office for Reintegration Programs at the Department of Defense. In addition to being an Army spouse for more than 30 years, she has served military families around the globe as a volunteer and Federal civilian for 18 years. She is the mom of three grown sons.