The final Currahee Ball 2014.

 Welcome back y'all!

Last night, my husband and I attended our second military ball. Due to the brigade disbanding, last nights ball was the final ball for fourth brigade. A lot of the soldiers in fourth brigade are within their first few months of being back in the states after serving in Afghanistan. They had guest speakers, many toast, and family members of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Shaking hands with a mom/dad/wife/brother/sister of a fallen soldier is the most humbling experience. I have a lot going on in my life too, but last night, when shaking their hands, my worries and issues disappeared. Suddenly, all I could think of was how honored I was to be in their presence. So, first and foremost, I want to take the opportunity to honor the fallen soldiers and their families. The price paid, is a debt I can never repay, however I am eternally grateful.


Now, I have only been to two balls, but let's be honest, what girl doesn't enjoy being asked to go on a date, buy a dress and get all dolled up for a night?!

The ball was held in Nashville, TN at the Opryland Hotel. We decided to stay the night there so that we could have fun and enjoy ourselves. The scenery was so beautiful, we want to plan a weekend aside to go back! There was a social hour, where drink tickets were sold and everyone could take pictures and mingle. After we got into the ball room, we were served a toasting wine, chicken and cheese cake for desert! After all the toast and traditions that come with attending a military ball, every soldier and their date can relax and enjoy themselves on the dance floor!

                               

Dress Link

(This link takes you to the dress in mint, the color I wore is no longer sold)

Nude Heels Worn

(the heels would go perfect with some boyfriend jeans or shorts)

 Needless to say, his dress blues are my all time favorite uniform of his. When his final day in the United States Army comes, I will miss that uniform dearly. For my dress, I went with something classy and flattering. Back home (Fort Worth, TX) I would almost always buy my formal dresses from Windsor! I decided to purchase this dress online about a month before the ball. It is true to the measurements given on the website. I only needed to take it in to be hemmed. Being 5'1, EVVVERYTHING I purchase is too long.

For Hair and make-up, I did it all by myself! I used to hate not having these things done for me, but my new obsession is hair and make up, and I have to admit, my obsession with watching tutorials paid off! My hair was a simple side pony, but I did use my extensions, you can find those here and my nume curling wand added the perfect curls to tie the look together .I used a collaboration of techniques I have found on My favorite YouTube channels!!

itsbl0ndie

Nicole Guerriero

Carli Bybel

Jaclyn Hill

Subscribe to them, you wont regret it.

This is the best picture I could get of my eye make up! I used to Lorac Pro pallet. I bought mine from Ulta, but you could purchase this at any beauty store that carries prestige cosmetics!

I got the idea of make-up from my beautiful cousin, Kelsey! You can find her blog HERE 

Overall, the ball was a blast, I am so proud of my husband and all he has accomplished! Being his date was an honor! Maybe we will get lucky and get to attend one more ball before he decides to return to the civilian life!

Thank you for reading!!

XoXo

Danielle 

A day in the life of this Army wife....hooah?

Where to start? My husband, Stephen, joined the Army in 2011. 

Well, lets back up....to when we lived in our first place together! Yeah, lets start there. 

I came home from work to our apartment, and he had dinner waiting for me on the table, along with a packet. Little to my knowledge, it was the packet that in turn, changed our lives, for the better!

This was the morning Stephen went to his recruiters office to start his journey! We were actually baptized shortly before this picture was taken. 

I will try to make this as short as possible, as I know, we are only just getting to know one another!

When Stephen left, he was a soldier in training in South Carolina, at Fort Jackson. Our only communication was through letters. During that time, I stalked the mail man as if it were my job!

 The timing was always, always off. Stephen would ask me questions in a new letter I would receive that I answered in a sent letter three weeks ago! It was all worth it though, and I have EVERY single letter from him that he sent me. I like to read them to this day. Love letters were my favorite part of my boyfriend (at the time) being gone to basic training.

I decided to move from Texas, to Georgia and live with my aunt, uncle, and two cousins while Stephen was scheduled to attend training. Well, he was told the schooling was full and that he was due to leave and report to his first duty station the day I moved to Georgia in order to be closer to him. If only I had known how this was just a small taste of initiation into being a military spouse! 

Needless to say, when the time came, I packed up and moved to be with husband at Fort Campbell, KY! You read that right, Kentucky. This city girl from Fort Worth, Texas! Words can not describe how much I miss home. As a military spouse though, home is where my husband is, even if it's half a world away. Which brings me to deployment.

(Photography copyright by Alexis Wise)

After a short eight months living as a married couple, my husband deployed to Afghanistan for seven months. I wouldn't wish deployment on my worst enemy. However, I stood behind my solider, my husband, my hero as he put his life on the line for our country and our family.

Deployment came and went, but the days were long and the nights were much longer. I was fortunate to find a job working part time to spend most of my days and weekends! It was all about making a routine for myself. Keeping myself busy was key.

My normal mornings started with a walk with my two pups, Hank and Chanel. (We will talk about Hank at a later time, he was our first "born.") Then an at home workout, shower and getting myself ready for work. To spare you the time, I'll just say; weekends off sucked. Nights sucked. Deployment sucked.

Deployments DO END though. I was blessed with a returning soldier. His boots came back to U.S soil with him in them just as he left, physically. Mentally though, it was very challenging. My husband lost three brother during his deployment to Afghanistan. Which leads me to the homecoming, because one of the wounded soldiers from the attack saw my sign and told me "your husband saved my arm, give him a big kiss!"

(please do not remove watermark, photo taken by Haley Stell Photography

https://www.facebook.com/HayleyStellPhotography )

Homecoming seamed like it took forever to come, but it did. November 25, 2013 at 2:05 in the morning, my husbands plane landed.After seven long, lonely, heart wrenching, worrisome months, Stephen came home to me.

The military life, and being a military spouse isn't about the cute photo's nor is it about the stereotypes given. It is a way of life that makes for a more eventful love story. God does not give us anything we can not handle, and I have to brag here, thus far, we have handled it like champs! I love my husband and the life we live, I will cherish every moment the Army gives me with him!

Thank you for reading

XoXo,

Danielle 

My names Danielle, nice to meet you!

My name is Danielle, I am 24 years young, married to my high school sweetheart. We are a military family stationed at Fort Campbell, KY. Both originally from Fort Worth,TX!
My husbands name is Stephen, and he serves in the United States Army. We just recently went through a deployment and it was the most bitter sweet event in our marriage. It tought us how to appreciate the little things in our life and marriage, but allowed us to grow as individuals as it forced us into many situations where the other couldn't be there to lean on all the time. Not even a phone call away. I will probably focus more on our "lifestyle" in a later blog!
We have no children, but are anxious to begin a new chapter in our marriage ;) We do however own two dogs and those are our babies! Chanel, who is almost two years old, and Harley who is three months old! Oh! We did buy a beta fish just yesterday and his name is Jack Sparrow, haha! He has his own ship and everything!

(from left to right: Me, Harley, Chanel and Stephen)

(Pictured: Jack Sparrow)

 

I am a wanna-be fashionista and make up guru! I love spending my spare time watching some of my favorite YouTube accounts and learning new tricks and spending way too much on the suggested products in all their hauls! My husband hates how obsessed I am with having to have what my guru's tell me is a must! I will eventually make a blog about some of my favorite products! Be patient with me, I am new and still learning the blogger world!

 

 

I look forward to getting to know you all!!!

XoXo, Danielle