This post is sponsored by Teeter. All opinions are honest and my own. Many first responders, including my husband, experience neck and back pain from the job. Why? Long shifts, standing for hours on end, sitting in uncomfortable vehicles, heavy duty belts, bulletproof vests... I could go on and on. But these are the top reasons so many first responders experience chronic neck and back pain. Obviously, if the pain is chronic or severe, a doctor should be seen. If no medical conditions are noted, then finding relief in a natural, healthy way is important. With unpredictable shifts Click for more
What You Need to Know About National Police Week This Year
National Police Week is normally held every year in May in Washington, DC. May 15th is designated National Peace Officer's Memorial Day and the dates of National Police Week change slightly but are always during the week of May 15th. Police Week is a time to honor and remember those who lost their lives in the line of duty. As well as, give support to the survivors and law enforcement who currently serve. However, due to restrictions, in-person events can not be held as normally scheduled during May 2021. Instead, all in-person events for National Police Week will be rescheduled to Click for more
What It’s Like When People Talk about Law Enforcement but They Say “I Don’t Mean Your Officer”
There is no question that law enforcement has been in the news and media increasingly more compared to past years. People have also become much more vocal about how they feel about law enforcement especially on social media. I think it is incredibly important for people to voice their opinion and to have discussions which can help further educate them on any topic. But just like various topics, there are a lot of generalizations being made about law enforcement that simply are not true. When People Say "I Don't Mean Your Officer" What many law enforcement officers and Click for more
3 Ways to be Financially Prepared as a Law Enforcement Couple
This post is sponsored by The Police Credit Union. All opinions are honest and my own. When I think of law enforcement officers one word comes to mind: prepared. They are known for mentally preparing for a situation before it even happens. Police are also physically ready for any situation they may face by either having gear on their person or in their vehicle. They also always have a plan, then they have a back-up plan, in case that first plan fails or an emergency arises. And this need for preparedness isn't just while on duty. The idea of always being ready transfers into many Click for more
Adorable Police-Themed Baby Gifts
We have three children, and goodness, I don't remember seeing so many cute police-themed gifts on the market when they were babies. From blankets to outfits to adorable toys, they seem to have it all nowadays! Whether you are expecting yourself, want to surprised the mom or dad-to-be with an adorable police-themed present or just want to gift the little one in your life with something cute, below are some great options. And, they are from a number of stores, including: small police-owned shops, Etsy and Amazon. Adorable Police-Themed Baby Gifts Police-Themed Click for more
The Best Way to Get Rid of Smells from Uniforms & Gear
This is a sponsored post for Arrest My Vest. All opinions are honest and my own. I've talked about ways to get the odor and sweat smell out of vests before but what about those under shirts, uniforms, gear and more? Our officers are working in extreme circumstances, whether that is the heat, the cold, car accidents, or being exposed to bodily fluids, it happens and it happens more often that one may think. So beyond normal washing or dry cleaning, what can you do to really rid uniforms, gear and more from unwanted smells and odors? Tips for Taking Smells out of Uniforms, Click for more
The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide for Law Enforcement
This is a sponsored post by Arrest My Vest. All work is honest and my own. I love surprising others with gifts especially around the holidays, but I find my husband to be one of the hardest people to buy for. He often needs or asks for gifts that are be work related and I draw a blank. So for this year, I worked with him to compile a comprehensive gift guide that is great for any police officer! So let's dive in! The Ultimate Gifts for Law Enforcement Arrest My Vest Spray This is hands-down the BEST odor eliminating spray ever! We not only use it on my husband's Click for more
Must Have Mother’s Day Gift Ideas for Police Wives
Mother's Day is right around the corner. If you are like me, you want to scream off the rooftops to your spouse what you want for Mother's Day, but you like to be surprised. You secretly hope your spouse will figure it out on his/her own but that doesn't always happen, right? So just share this post or drop some hints to spark some ideas. :) So I know some of us like actual gifts for Mother's Day, birthdays, etc. You enjoy having a gift handed to you and being surprised. If you are like me, you don't buy yourself much, so you may have been eyeing something for a while and Mother's Day would Click for more
Last-minute Valentine’s Day gift ideas for police couples
This post is sponsored by Arrest My Vest. All opinions are honest and my own. Valentine's Day or Galentine's Day? Truly, you could celebrate both as a spouse or girlfriend of a police officer. If you don't really celebrate Valentine's Day then this post may not be for you; however, if you do celebrate AT SOME POINT, then this post should give you some gift ideas as a police couple. I say "at some point" because with our spouse's schedules, you could celebrate the week before, the day before or day after, or the weekend after, depending on when your spouse is off. The bonus to that Click for more
12 bucket list goals for the New Year for first responder couples
More often than not, we come up with goals and resolutions for just ourselves, which is great, but it is also nice to think about what we can do in the New Year as a first responder couple. First responder couples never take time for granted and one thing I know is that they try to maximize the time they have. It is so important for you and your spouse to connect and keep that connection alive. What better way to do that than to set aside time every few weeks/month for one another? Here are some great ways to make time for one another each and every month this New Year. 12 bucket list Click for more
Why the holidays can be so hard for first responder spouses
I am the spouse of a first responder. It is not my title nor does it rule my life, but it does have a great influence on my family and I. It is also a portion of my life that I would not trade for the world. Being a first responder spouse means I make sacrifices all year long and the holidays are no different. While the holidays are considered the most joyous time of the year, it can be difficult for so many, including spouses of first responders. For every spouse that is used to the holidays alone, there is also a spouse struggling through it for the first time. While I Click for more
Thin blue line painted rocks to spread kindness to police
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post to join our #policerock movement! So a few years ago in our area there was this big craze to paint rocks and leave them hidden around town. People would hide rocks at Target, streets downtown, outside restaurants, local parks, pretty much everywhere. It was a great movement designed to bring happiness into people's lives. Our kids would BEG to go rock hunting. It was so much fun for them and also great exercise so I always said yes! They loved the surprise of seeing what design would be on their rock. Some rocks they would keep and others they would Click for more
How to create a police wife routine that works for you
When schedules conflict, it can be hard to find time to be with your officer. Especially when kids are involved. LEO has one work schedule, spouse has another. Then kid's are either in daycare or in school. Factor in sports and other extra-curricular activities. IT'S NOT EASY. Many LEO families find themselves balancing around their officer's schedule. It's common. But, again, NOT EASY. Generally speaking, there is no 9-5 schedule. Mostly just shift work. So, if that is your life, day in and day out, then how can you possibly create a routine? A routine that works for EVERYONE. I wish I could Click for more
Last minute gift ideas off Amazon for law enforcement
Last minute shopper? No problem. Is Christmas is RIGHT around the corner? We've got you covered. Or maybe it's your officer's birthday- here are great gifts you can snag off Amazon. All law enforcement related, of course, from cold wear gear to home safety. I tried to hit a variety of price points so you have plenty to choose from. Amazon is not always 2-day shipping anymore (but most items are if you have Prime), so you should give yourself a few days more than that to ensure proper delivery time. So here we go! Last minute gifts ideas for law enforcement off Amazon: Hot Logic mini- Click for more
Little to no cost gifts for a police officer
The holidays can be an EXPENSIVE time and there is not reason to always spend a ton of money on gift ideas. So I put together gifts for a police officer that won't put a hole in your wallet (or bank card). It also frustrates me to see gift exchanges at every office party, event and group, as if we are all made of money. But I am here to say that well thought out gifts can be inexpensive and meaningful all at the same time, without breaking the bank. Therefore, I am pretty sure your officer will appreciate any thoughtful gift you make or have the little one's in your home create for Click for more
How to conquer police wife life in the New Year
New Year's bring new goals! Which I love! I am a natural born planner and organizer and setting goals is SUPER motivating for me. But I don't always meet those goals. Look back on your last year of police wife life. Were there struggles? Did you meet all of your goals? If you said, yes, then you are not alone. You are like many, many other police wives that need support for living the law enforcement lifestyle. This includes me. Even though I have spent the last 12 years of my life as a police wife, I can honestly say, I have new goals for my police wife life each and every year. This Click for more
8 Creative Ways to Participate in Thank a Police Officer Day
National Thank a Police Officer Day is always the third Saturday of September each year. This year you can show your support for law enforcement on Saturday, September 16th, 2023. And Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (also known as L.E.A.D.) is on January 9th every year. If you are a law enforcement family then you, without a doubt, show your support all year long. It is also refreshing to see local businesses and citizens backing the blue because we all know they deserve so much appreciation. I love finding new and fun ways to show appreciation for first responders. You don't need a Click for more
You might be married to a law enforcement officer if….(Christmas Edition)
The holidays are around the corner and with each passing year the holidays in our home seem to represent our life as a law enforcement family more and more. From the schedules, to rescheduling family traditions, to funny gifts- many law enforcement families experience the holidays in a rather similar way. The typical things we can all think of are rearranging our schedules to spend holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas with our loved one. But what about those funny or stand out situations? They are the ones I love the most. They are what I laugh about or cherish when I am missing my law Click for more
1 AMAZING THING I SAW AT POLICE WEEK
Despite the horrible traffic, living in the D.C. area has it's advantages. :) Being able to go to events in D.C. is one of them, although life gets in the way and we don't always have the time. National Police Week is always held in the Nation's Capital and my husband and I try to attend Police Week as often as we can. We took a year or two off due to having young children, so being able to attend this year was great! Due to other commitments, we were only able to drive in one day, but that was really all we needed. We spent the day at 'Tent City;' a large, blocked off collection of white Click for more
HOW TO MAKE BLUE BAGS FOR POLICE WEEK
Whether it is Police Week or you want to show appreciation to police officers around Christmas, I always seem to be asked, "what is a way I can show my appreciation for law enforcement?" (Read our previous post on Police Week here.) Last year, my girls and I decided to show our love for law enforcement by creating BLUE BAGS. Blue, a color often associated with police, was a great choice for the bags that were filled with items officers may need while on shift. You can fill the bags with anything you think officers will appreciate! Walmart, Target, or the Dollar Store are great places to Click for more
Police Week & 5 Items to Help You Show Support
Police Week is right around the corner. This year Police Week begins on Sunday, May 15th and ends on Saturday, May 21st. It is a week of remembrance, bravery, support, and so much more. Thousands of officers and their families gather in the Nation's Capital to participate in the week-long event with the main goal of paying respects to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Police officers, families, and community members like to show their support in many ways and paying respects to officers who lost their lives is the number one way. During Police Week you will also see officers Click for more