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8 Mother’s Day Gifts for the MilSpouse in Your Life

Whether you are looking for a gift for your mom, wife, something you can hint to the hubby or even for one of your best friends, the idea of supporting military spouse and/or veteran businesses while I’m gift giving makes me so happy! We have so many creative military spouses and veterans in our space that we can support. The list is probably extensive, but these are some of my favorites! Share yours in the comments below!

Designs by Katie Leigh ~ I met Katie just recently and I was so excited because this girls knows how to make jewelry! It’s affordable, well made and her customer service is stellar. If you have an questions or an issue she’s there and will do her best to answer or fix. You have probably seen her stuff all over my feed since I am a brand ambassador for her, but I can’t go anywhere in her stuff without someone commenting on it. Enter “Rheanna” on your checkout for a little surprise

Sword and Plough – I had the extreme pleasure of meeting the ladies behind this brand last year. Their motivation and company in general is so inspiring and I think that what they are doing is amazing. They have a commitment to donating a portion of their profits to support service members and their families through various organizations. They employ military veterans and spouses in every stage of their design and manufacturing. S&P uses recycled materials and packaging and have a goal to maintain a low carbon footprint, as well as manufacturing their bags in the good ‘ole USA!

This is the bag currently on my wish list!

Hope Designs Ltd – Lauren from HDL combines two of my favorite things jewelry and vintage brooches. You guys, seriously this stuff is so beautiful. I’ve been a brooch fan for a long time. Well before I had kids I would ask for brooches and wear them on my wool jackets in the winter time. Even now you will find a brooch on my nicer jackets. Its my thing and I love it. But Hope Designs is much more than just your grandma’s brooches. You can find earrings, bracelets and even men’s accessories, all celebrating our military lives of then and now. The items below are some of my favorite.

MasonChix – founded by a military spouse and special needs mom, purchasing from MasonChix will get you two things. First, it will get you an amazingly comfy and cute shirt (I have several), and second, you will be contributing to the purchase of special needs swings for playgrounds! You guys, if that doesn’t make you feel good about your purchase I’m not sure what will!

THEY ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A HUGE SALE RIGHT NOW, TO GET READY FOR SPRING DESIGNS! SO HURRY AND SNAG A DEAL!!!

Daisy Fae Designs – I can’t remember where I first stumbled upon this shop. On one of my many late night Etsy rabbit holes most likely. But the bright colors and fun designs drew me in to this wonderful lady her company. I feel like the picture will say it all! You can find all sorts of fun designs including the adorable prickly pear and lemon prints in her Desert Collection! And don’t forget about the super adorable skinny scarf trend that is making a comeback! Adorable prints in that and traditional cowl scarf designs are available as well.

Bottle Breacher – One part self-defense, one part bottle opener? Put it on a keychain and color it pink?! I’m sold! I love my bottle breacher!! Plus, this isn’t just for mother’s day guys. Bookmark this one for promotion, retirement, birthday, wedding gifts, whatever! Full size bottle openers, Shirts, wine bottle openers, coolers. They’ve got it all.

Combat Flip Flops – Also someone I was so grateful to have spoken to and met last year was the founder of Combat Flip Flops. He and his wife are pretty amazing people, and the purpose of this company makes my heart melt. Buy any product and you are funding a day of education for an Afghan Woman. Buy any Peacemaker (Jewelry from their Peacemaker, be a better human line) and fund the clearance of 3sq meters of landmines. Buy a Perfect Circle (beautiful lapis lazuli bracelet – currently sold out) and employ American Gold Star families and Afghan war widows. Plus, their flip flops are just comfy…got mine in pink (are we surprised?) The ones pictured below are the ones I have. Super comfy and made with a combat boot outsole! Recycle and reuse my friends.

The Rosie Company – Founded by MilSpouses, The Rosie Company started out with these adorable planners – “The Rosie” and have branched out into so much more. They have apparel, accessories, cute pens and a ton more. I haven’t seen the planner up close and personal, but I have a lot of good things, especially for newer military spouses or new to paper planning. There are a ton of reviews out there for those interested in delving into the paper planner world (trust me, we know we are crazy). Check out all their products by clicking the link.

What’s wrong with being a mom….

This topic is as old as the day is long, and it’s been done so many times before. But I can’t help it. Everytime I see a story/article where a women writer is bashing another woman it makes me just foam at the mouth. I’m not going to deny that perhaps my religious beliefs don’t play a roll in how I feel, but I personally know another mom who has the complete opposite beliefs in religion as I do, but our view on being a mother and parenting are right in line with each other. I am so tired of women bashing women. I’m so tired of being accused of being some sort of 1950s Stepford Wife, trying to keep women down. It absolutely infuriates me. It makes me so mad I could just spit. Why in the heck would one mean the other? Frankly, I don’t see what is wrong with wanting to stay at home and provide the best that I can for my children. What is wrong with me wanting to fully support my husband’s career? What is wrong with making dinner for my family, doing the laundry and most of the cleaning? I argue that nothing is wrong with any of those things? What’s more, why am I subjected to thoughts that aren’t my own if I say that. Somehow I become so old fashioned woman basher if I don’t think that everyone women should just do whatever they want regardless of whether or not they have kids. And that somehow my husband is probably brainwashing me, and that’s the only possible way that I could come to these facts and opinions on my own. That every women in the 1940s and 50s was some oppressed person.

I’m not an idiot, I’m not going to deny that there were plenty of cases where women were forced to do things they didn’t want to do. I get it. But did anyone ever stop to think that maybe a woman’s biggest enemy is another woman? Having a personal belief these days only subjects you to a lecture about how are basically against woman’s right and ability to do anything for herself. No. I’m not against women being educated, or working or anything like that. I have a degree and had I not gotten pregnant my last semester in college I would have gone to work. I plan on working once all my children are in school in school and grown. Yes, my husband and I both prefer that I am home to raise the children. Why is it weird that I wouldn’t want to raise my children myself? Why is it weird that I wouldn’t want to spend money letting someone spend more time with my children than I do? I get that some people don’t have a choice, for a long time my mom wasn’t at home. I don’t think those women or my mother are some horrible slacker of a mom. It doesn’t seem so hard for me to believe that while I feel personally that my place is at home, and at the same time not pass horrible judgements on someone who doesn’t choose that life for themselves.

How do we know what Ward Cleaver did or didn’t do? What if he was the one that taught his kids to tie their shoes, throw baseballs, change tires, mow laws, clip bushes, taught his sons the value of women – how they are to be honored and treasured. Why do we assume that because a women back then may have done most of the cooking and cleaning that the men in their life thought of them as nothing more than slaves? I happen to believe that men and women are designed differently. That we have different strengths and weaknesses. My husband doesn’t cleaning, does laundry and spends time with the kids without me around. But he does it differently. He talks with them differently. He knows and does things that I don’t. Little girls are continually being taught that they can do anything, but be a mom. Little boys are basically taught that opening doors for girls is wrong and that girls can open their own freaking doors. Opening a door for a girl must mean you’re a sexists jerk face. We don’t let boys be boys, even from a young age. We need to celebrate each others strengths and weaknesses. I think that’s what this world needs.