Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

Shoosh - What an amazing and resilient daughter!  And what a relief to know she is okay.  :)  Hoping she gets home for Christmas.  

PhoenixMom: thanks for that prayer, we needed that this morning.

We believe God is going to use this time of ROM to help our son grow and meet other Christians and life long friends and they will strengthen each other through this.

For those that have had sailors in and out of ROM, do they make another phone call when they leave ROM or will it just be a letter home a few days later?

Good Morning to all you wonderful Mommas.

TreyLexisMom - they didn't get a call when out of ROM.  Just got the form letter & mailed all the letters I had written waiting on it then just kept sending letters & praying for no extra quarantine time for him.

Shoosh- so glad your daughter is upbeat.  It sure makes a mommas heart lighter to know our kiddos in good mental place & looking towards good things & not dwelling in the negatives.  Pray she makes it home Before Christmas for both of you.  You raised an amazing young woman!! 

PhoenixMom/Shanny -- rotel cheese dip is what Everyone at my office insists I bring to our "dip day" parties (non-since covid tho).  I brown a package of Jimmy Dean's spicy sausage and add to mine... I box of Velveeta cheese cubed, Rotel tomatoes (your pick on spicy/kick level) & the browned sausage and let the crockpot on low do its magic (stir a couple times as it starts to melt the velveeta).  Funny when we were in NY my friends always wanted me to make it for the holiday parties too...  they all thought it was some "secret Texas recipe"...rofl...  I adore the stuff & have to not make it or I eat it all day long.    Another version that is a big hit is Wolf Brand Chili (bean less) and Velveeta dip...  

Our Sailor called dh yesterday.  He is doing okay.  He didn't say anything about plans changing for his being able to come home a bit for Christmas stand down & so as everything else we keep "no new is good news" motto on this too.

If you are inclined I would like to ask for everyone Please pray for my brother- in- law, Bill and my sister, Lisa.

Hi Mamabear, I am so happy to hear from you, but so sad to hear the News of Your Family, please accept my sincerest Condolences. Praying your Daughter gets to come home for Christmas I know it's been a long rough time since she has been home and you all being together. Fingers crossed her chief keeps his word. Keep in Touch my Friend Much Love to you and Hubby!

NewMilMom I have a Recipe for wolf brand chili no Beans . Get some cream cheese softened spread it on the bottom of a bowl or Pan then add the wolf brand chili on top spread some shredded cheese maybe some cut green onions and olives and you have a dip good with fritos (scoop) that is always a winner as well!

You can also mix the sour cream with cream cheese and spread that way!

Hey Mamabear,

It is so good to hear from you. I am so sorry to hear the news about your family. Please stay healthy out there. We are good so far no sickness here, even thou are numbers are getting really bad.

Why do these things happen? Leave gets mysteriously deleted, or it doesn't make it to the proper person. I just don't understand these things at times. 

I pray that you will get to see your daughter as well. That is way to long for us not to see our kids. I get it thou but it's still a long time.  :)

Prayers for them as they begin their transition out of the Navy. 

It was so good to hear from you. Take care of yourself. 

Phoenixmom- Good Morning,

That sounds good. Mmmm

Seriously making me hungry again!!!  Sitting outside the hospital had to bring my mom to get labs done..  she always waits until the last minute I swear. So here I sit and all I can think about is queso and chips...  

so...  just buy velveeta and rotel?  Nothing else?  And what...  crock pot it?  See. I’m clueless. Son would buy the velveeta, 3 different other cheeses, 3 kids of peppers, taco seasoning, rotel, burger, onions and other stuff. Cut it all up and stick it in the smoker

Question: Are calling cards still needed for/during Basic? If so, where do I find them? Seems they only have specific "trac" phone calling cards. Then I tried PennyTalk and it was quite a pain to register. Any information would be helpful! Thank you! 

Good morning, 

MNNavyMom ~ You're talking about Boot camp? When the recruits are done with quarantine and go through processing they are given their supplies. They're also given a card kind of like a visa card with over a $100. I believe they're told what to buy because they all buy calling cards. Your recruit is good to go with everything he needs. 

Good Morning PartyofSeven how are you doing today?

Spoke to little man last night and he was crying, broke my heart....He is with Nina (godmother) but missing home. I explained that he wouldn't be able to come out of the room or go outside as my Back porch has so much stuff on it. at Nina's he can play and all. He just doesn't like being away from home at all anymore. Having a problem with him going to his Tata's house in Mesa and they are upset but what do you do, I will not force him to go and he cry all weekend, they wouldn't tell me anyways as they know I would go get him, HAHAHA! so just waiting for word to go pick him up. wishing all this mess would be done now. Cabinets being put up this weekend Countertops Monday.

Yes, Boot Camp, Sorry still learning all the acronyms. So no calling cards it sounds like?  

MNNavyMom:  Yes calling cards are needed for BC. (If your SR has a cell phone make sure they take it and a charger. They will make their arrival call with their cell phone and get it back once they move out of RTC following graduation). 
they will have the opportunity to purchase a calling card at the NEX or if you want to send him/her with one, I found them at Walgreens if you have one near you. 

Good Morning MNNavyMom,

Welcome to our group. We are glad you are here. 

Some of the moms got their cards at Walgreens, CVS and I cant' think of the other one.

I got mine at walgreens and we set it up before he left. That way it's already done and he was able to call home with out setting it up while at bc.

If you can't find one, they can buy one at the nex when they go. 

Here is a link for you:

 Phone Cards and Phone Calls.

 Again welcome and let us know if you have any other questions.

Here is some more links for you:

Informed Delivery®   You can sign up for this and it will show you when you are getting mail from your SR. (Sailor Recruit). You can start writing after your son leaves and that way when you get the form letter you can mail your letters off right away. 

Shoosh - I'm so glad that your daughter has a good mindset about it. And she wants to go back! I bet coming home and seeing friends and family will be a great reset for her. I pray that everything goes smoothly! BNMH!

MNNNavyMom,

Here is another good link for you. It talks about how it is in bc now due to COVID.

 First Things First-- The Quarantine Edition  

Let us know if you have any questions.  :)

Good Morning! and thank you for all this wonderful information. And so glad to be here as well. 

My home weather station said it was 17 degrees outside this morning.  We're very dry right now, but the frost was sparkling, so that was pretty.  This is the type of weather which kills my lungs, so I always wear something over my mouth and nose.. and now I have masks which are so much easier than a scarf.  Not that I am setting foot outside until it warms up... in spring...

Treyleximom - After their initial quarantine there won't be a call for a few weeks. Since your son is back in ROM he may get a call when he is out so he can give you his address. Because it's so soon after his initial ROM you may just be waiting for his Form letter with his address. I hope you get a call!! BNMH!

MNNavyMom:  yes to they need a calling card to call from bootcamp. BUT you don’t have to stress about finding one at home. If you can’t find one, they will be able to purchase one at the store on base. Does that help?

So he received his orders. My son is not coming home. He has to report this weekend. I know it’s the military and they do what it wants. I just don’t understand the whole idea of shutting down schools and letting people go home on leave but some of those going from school to duty station that will have to quarantine anyway, are not allowed to go home. But it is what it is. The hits just keep coming

Mamabear and Luci so nice to hear the updates on your Sailors. Sorry Luci your son is going through all of this, he will make a terrific Sailor with all that he has endured. Mamabear can't believe Baby is that old already and finding her wheels, pray things work out for you for the holidays.

Shoosh what a wonderful job you have done raising that remarkable daughter of yours. After all she has been through and still wants to try again to serve our country, she is truly amazing. Thank her for me when you finally get her home.

I have a amazing Frito dip recipes for you all: 1 PKG chopped broccoli ( cooked and wrung dry) melt 1/4 cup butter in pan add chopped onions, garlic powder and chopped mushrooms. Add 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup and 1# velveta cheese heat untill melted add in the chopped broccoli and Serve warm with Fritos. This is our Packer football dip. Yum!

Lunch is over, got to get back.

NorthWoodsMom I will have to try your dip!, The Cardinals haven't been doing much here in AZ, but we will be getting the 49er's in phoenix to be playing football as their stadium is closed. Maybe we will bring them Luck!

Shanny -- I am so sorry your Sailor can't make it home!  Nothing in 2020 seems to make sense as far as I am concerned.   Each day it seems it changes from hour to hour & no straight line ever...nothing seems to make any logical sense in any of it at least not for me...  Big Hugs! to you.

Here are my 2 favorite easy fast dips (both I use a crockpot for).

1.  Rotel tomatoes, jimmy dean spicy sausage (crumbled & fried Before adding, 1# Velveeta cheese (cubed).  Place all in crockpot on low - stirring occasionally until melted & yummy...

Or... 2.  wolf brand chili (no beans) & Velveeta cheese heated in crockpot on low.  

Both are Wonderful!!!  

Phoenixmom -- yum, will have to try yours too...

Northwoodsmom - ooo, that sounds wonderful too...

Now I want all the chips and these dips!!!!   I just ate a coconut chocolate RXBar & it didn't solve my dying of hunger pains or cravings, especially since now all I can think about is nice warm cheese dips ... Today my "sensible healthy diet" took a BIG nose dive...and at the rate it is going it is going to be a long BIG nose dive into a bunch of comfort foods...especially since I have All the ingredients at home for All these wonderful chip & dips on here....

I will never fit back into my clothes at this point.  A good 1/2 of my clothes have been banished to solitary for "shrinking" on me since March...hahaha!!!  

Very, very windy today...hurricane force winds in some of our mountain passes are predicted... NOT happy as need to get 5 extra large/tall/heavy pine trees laced & weather hasn't been cool enough to safely do without threat of pests moving in & killing them... oh bother!!!  we pray NONE come down on the house or neighbors with these winds....  Always something!!

So far we still have power at house others do not & it is projected they won't until late Sunday night...argh!!  

Stay Safe, Stay Healthy & Prayers for good news, happy phone calls & happy letters from our loved ones!

NewMilMom I'm with you on that, nothing like comfort food for chilly weather! I will try your dip as well!

Mrs. Shanny I was catching up on reading and I'm so sorry to hear this as I know your Son was looking forward to coming home as well. Hoping he gets to where he needs safely and is able to call you once he is there.

NewMilMom:. I’ll be honest. I gave up on the healthy eating. I have followed the “rules” most of my life...  eat right, exercise, treat people with kindness even if they aren’t kind to you, follow the rules. I still ended up fat, alone, with 2 autoimmune diseases -my own body is trying to kill me, and all kinds of things medically wrong with me. I say eat what you want, drink what you want, love those who treat you right, take care of those you care about, and above all else take care of you!  

PhoenixMom:  I think he is a little freaked out. The sponsor didn’t know he was coming, they had nothing set up for him, he isn’t even there at the moment. My son has never been in a big airport let alone had to figure it out by himself carrying all his belongings. 

Shanny, I TRULY DONT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THESE SPONSORS, this shouldn't be happening, it is there job to get these sailors were they need to get to with Direction, Because it is their A?? if they don't! He needs to speak to Commander about this and get some Direction if he isn't getting any. He shouldn't be worrying about what to do on his own. My Son had a Great Sponsor and sent him all Directions thru his email. I'm so Sorry this is happening. But please let your Son Know he will have to pay from airport to base on his own. My Son had to and he also needed to be in Uniform before entering base. so they have a USO in the airport so they can change. then get uber or something. My son paid 50 bucks from airport to Coronado Island and was met by a Person when he arrived. It is scary the first time because you are New to this. these Sponsors should be ashamed of themselves.

Phoenixmom:  this sponsor has been awesome. The problem is they didn’t expect him. The sponsor thought he was going on leave and then coming so they weren’t prepared. He made some calls but he physically isn’t there. This guy isn’t even supposed to be his sponsor. It was supposed to be someone else who “didn’t have time”. Sending you a message

when Your Loved One is Done with A school, they will be told to get on a website and get a sponsor, Now sometimes they are able to come home for a few days and sometimes Not. It all depends on how Urgent they need their Rate on a ship. Now this ship could be docked or out on Deployment it just depends. Any how when You know what your Orders are you begin to rid of all your belongings or ship home which if you have a lot it gets pricey, so My son donated his TV, Dishes and other things to the other Guys next in line and told them to do the same when they get ready to leave. My Son had signed up online to get a sponsor it took a few days but one got in touch with him. so they need to continuously check their email. He was told he will be getting on a Plane and was told it his responsibility to find a way to the base was given the address and who to ask for when he got their. they have their orders in hand with other documents to give to the person and then  from there they are given orders on where to go and someone will be in contact with them. My son got to Coronado late that evening and it was morning before anything happened. He was given a room showed around the base and was told to wait for Instruction. That was all my Son Knew. two weeks went by and then orders came in as was told he will be flying out to meet up with his Carrier that had been on deployment already. So he and a few other guys were taken to airport and flew out, there plane was late landing to another country where they were to take another flight so when they got off they had to run to the other plane that was boarding already, mind you these guys are new fresh out of A school just doing what they are told and told not to be late. they barely made it. when my son landed in that country he called as was so tired and nervous and hungry but was afraid to go anywhere. they waited in the USO and then a small plane picked them up and off to the Carrier in the middle of the Sea. That was his first experience. So it is different for all. reason I know because he called me and told me all of this. what scared him the most was he thought they were going to land in the Ocean and plane has so much Turbulence .

Hi Shanny - I sent you a PM with some contact information but it sounds like your son has his sponsor, I explained a few things of the logistics in my message to you. 

Thank You Chipmunk!

Thank you Chipmunk!!  I am probably more frustrated than he is   He says he will figure it out somehow. I’m hoping he finds someone else traveling at the same time so he isn’t completely alone trying to figure it all out. 

I'm sure he will Shanny if not he will meet up with someone at the airport.

NewMilmom - I saw your comment about the power issues with the wind. I'm in Riverside - work in Perris.  It's windy as all get out here.  My mom lives in Beaumont - she called me this morning and said her community group sent out a notice from the utility company that their power was going to be shut off for 51 HOURS!  I asked her if she read it right?  Now after reading your comment that might be the case.  I might have to drive out and take her food and stuff.  Part of our back fence blew down recently from the winds....it's crazy and now fires again :(

Shanny,

Hey, now I can comment. I am sorry your son has to go thru this. It's not the way it's suppose to be, but these situations do occur.

I am glad he's in touch with this sponsor instead of the one who's suppose to be helping him. Ugh.

He will figure it out, and will be ok. It just hurts us mamma bears more than it does them. 

Prayers and when he gets there let us know. 

So this is my recipe.  It has been our tradition to have this most Friday nights as the kids have grown up.  And I doubled it, so I made it this way:  2 blocks of cream cheese, 3 cans Rotel (I like the kind with cilantro), and one regular pork sausage and one spicy sausage.  Cook the sausage and add it to the cream cheese and rotel in a crock pot or slow cooker.  Easy and the kids love it.  We eat it with tortilla chips, of course, but as left overs, my husband and sons fry an egg and put the dip over that.  

Shoosh:  So happy you got a call and your girl is upbeat.  It does a mom's heart good to know their state of mind is good.  She is definitely a determined woman.  Praying she gets home before Christmas!

Update on my sailor:  He finally knows why he's being held in THU!  He had Covid watch this morning and someone that works with records and such asked him if he knew why he was in THU.  He said no, so she told him to go see her after his watch.  He found out his medical and dental records never got transferred from his old division before the second quarantine to the new division after.  He said those files will be turned in today and his packet can then be completed.  They will be putting him on the next flight that they can.  So he shouldn't be there for much longer.  Isn't it amazing how God works things out?!?!  Such a simple thing that no one took care of.  If he'd known, it could have been taken care of a long time ago.  I told him God had a reason.  He may never know what that reason is, or he might!  But God is in control.  

So I told him that once he gets to San Antonio and finds out about Christmas leave, to let us know so that we can get his plane tickets ordered.  How do they get from the base to the airport?  And since he is Reserves, he will be flying home after A school, so should we order him transferrable tickets? (is that what they are called?)  Some one said refundable tickets are twice as much.  

B'sNukeMoM - be Safe!!  I was worried the fires might start back up with all this wind.  It is getting worse & worse here too...Hugs!

C'sMom if he is able to take leave they will let him know when he can leave and he will buy his ticket, he has to put a chit in and they will ok it. For those that usually get leave they always escorted them/gave them rides to the airport, Now with this Covid I don't know what they do. You never know when the leave will be approved that is why they buy them. He will have money he is getting paid. I tried to do the same and My Son said no he had already bought it. they will be let known when they can leave and when to be back and make sure he doesn't lose his paperwork because they need it to get back on Base or they will get into trouble.

Thanks for the recipe writing it down!

Usually when in Meps the Recruiter gets all the Paperwork in line so nothing is forgotten and sent over to the base, so they do not have to worry about it. But some Recruiters Slack. So sorry this happened.

Shut Down rules in CA start tomorrow!

Phoenixmom, it sounds like they had it.  It just didn't get transferred from his original division that he started with to the division he graduated with.  

And about the tickets, a couple moms said they bought their sailors the plane tickets.  But that isn't the way its done?  

C'sMom No usually they buy their own tickets, at least when my Son was in, I don't know now. I tried but I guess he was trying to surprise me telling me he  didn't know when he could leave but that is my Son. so Maybe? My Son Loves surprising me so, He never tells me when he is coming so I don't ask. Usually a round trip ticket is good one to come and one to go, refundable are way to expensive! So I'm guessing now the Parents buy the tickets.?

So with the State of Texas possibly shutting down and with Covid and things changing all the time, what type of tickets should he get?  Will the Navy advise him on that and help him buy his tickets? Four out of six of our immediate family members have never flown before. So buying tickets is new for us and him.  

Those videos make me cry now, too!  

Csmom - Yeah with all the talk of Texas shutting down I am silently struggling with it. I’m not naïve to the fact that it may not happen and I’m just crossing my fingers. With that being said I would make sure that his ticket is refundable. He called us early in the morning and we walked him through the process while looking up info ourselves. We googled where he’s flying out of and to our city. And then chose a good price with a refundable policy. He does have an hour layover but it’s OK. We have him flying out on the 18th and back on the 26th which is a day early to be on the safe side. 

My Sailors favorite dip - Depending on the size of the casserole dish use... 

a block of softened cream cheese

a can of chili - whatever you like

shredded cheese 

Preheat @ 375 degrees. spread out the cream cheese on the bottom dish so it’s a good bottom layer. Pour chili over cream cheese and top with shredded cheese bake until bubbly :) eat with frito scoops or any tortilla chip. The boys LOVE IT!