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A Letter from the Editor

By Kamlyn Jurgensen November 6, 2015
It's November and that means it's the kick off of the holiday season. Whether you believe you can play Christmas music before Thanksgiving or not, the truth is that the holidays take over the last two months of every year. In November, we celebrate Thanksgiving, Veterans Day and if you're a Marine, the Marine Corps Birthday and let's face it, December is just one long celebration. Getting a head start on holiday planning is what this edition of Macaroni Military Family is all about. 

It's sort of an End of Year Resolution for me to be in better shape on January 1 than I am today. To get there, I am using fitness professional, Heather Traves' tips for a healthy holiday season by planning my cheats and my workouts. You can read the rest of her recommendations in Planning for A Healthy Holiday Season. Why wait to take on your fitness and health goals? Start today. 

While you're planning, make a budget and check it twice. It's so easy for holiday spending to get out of control without a plan for spending. We've got a ton of great resources and tips lined up for you in Now is the Time to Create a Holiday Spending Plan that you don't want to miss. Keeping your bottom line objectives is just as important as keeping yourself healthy this time of year. 

Super Macaroni Kid Mom, Kelly Battles, has created a great piece of subway art you can download and print that goes great with her most recent article, Teaching Gratitude. Here she delves into 20 reasons we as military families should be grateful and how to share that gratefulness with the kids.   

Most of you know that I am a veteran and come from a family of Marines. I even ended up marrying one. Because of this, Veterans Day means so much to me. It is a day to remember the years I served, as well as remembering those who have taken the oath and have served their country with honor, pride and dedication. This year, I've included an article about the history of Veterans Day and because we all love a great deal, check out some of the places you can get Veterans Day meals and deals HERE

The American Red Cross recently launched two new workshops for military workshops. These will be for kids 8-18 and will focus on communication skills and bolstering teens strengths so they can better handle stressful situations. Find more information about these programs in New Workshops for Children of Military Families.

Before I sign off for this month, I have to give my brothers and sisters in arms a big Semper Fi! Happy Birthday Marine! 

Kamlyn