Slumber Parties?

Just before my husband came home for mid-tour leave, I went to a charity bull roast/silent auction fundraiser that a very old friend was organizing.  I love silent auctions for charity - it is fun to spend money for a good cause, and there are frequently good deals to be found.  They had all sorts of auctions - silent, live, and the raffle kind where you buy a ticket and drop it in a box/bucket/bag for the item that you want and one ticket is drawn out.

We hung out until the very end when they drew the ticket raffle items because I was hoping to get this snazzy Under Armour outfit.  There weren't very many people left at this point.  One of the items was from a company called Slumber Parties.  If you haven't heard of them, (I hadn't), they sell lingerie and other, um, personal items.  The person with the winning ticket had already gone, and so had everyone else who had put their ticket in the bag.  My kids were so interested - what was in the bag called Slumber Parties?  My Mom radar sensed danger and I unsuccessfully tried to sneak them out while the MC person (that I've known since I was 2) went on and on, trying to find a winner.  Finally, he dumped all the losing tickets from all the other raffles into the bag and started drawing.  I crossed my fingers and hoped that I didn't win.

Well, I got my wish.  The lucky ticket was drawn and it was held by the widowed mother of my friend who was organizing the event.  She laughed as she picked up her package.  When I went over to say a quick goodbye, she asked, "When is your husband coming home?"

"Thursday," I replied.

"Oh, good.  You can use this," she said as she thrust the package in my arms.  My girls were ecstatic - we were taking home a slumber party!  Despite my best efforts at diversion, this was the hot topic of the car ride home.  I was so flustered that I'm not even sure how I distracted them - I'm guessing it involved sugar.  It has been a few months and they've stopped asking, thank goodness.

Who would have thought that my quest for a new sweatsuit was going to have such a different result?

Comments

[Wife of a Sailor]

Oh.... MY! I have no idea what I'd do in that situation. I'd probably panic, too. Probably tell them that I'd let them have it when they had their next slumber party (and promptly run out and get kiddie slumber party stuff and pretend that's what was in the package).

As a side note, I'm giving away an iTunes gift card or gift card of the winner's choice on my blog.... I'd love it if a MilSpouse won!

[To the Nth]

That reminds me of a memorable officers spouses' club welcome meeting. We were all standing in a circle wearing nametags and introducing ourselves. When we got to one of the new ladies, she started out with the usual, "Hi, my name is [Blank], my husband is [So-and-so], my daughters are [Thing One] and [Thing Two], and we're from [Blah-di-blah]."

And then she told us about her home business, which centers around the aforementioned "slumber parties." My innocent friend (unaware of the the adult version of such involves more than popcorn and braiding each other's hair) just smiles and says, "Oh, your girls must love that!"

Our entrepreneurial new fellow spouse's quick correction left some of us (including me) fighting to stifle our giggles and some of us (including the new Commodore's wife) trying to pick our jaws up off the floor. Apparently the savvy businesslady thought that with all the time we spend away from our husbands, military spouses were the natural demographic for her wares.

[Sarah]

SotS -- It reminds me of the, ahem, eclectic basket of goodies in the hotel at SBL Tacoma!

[tankerswife]

LOL! It reminds me of a friend of mine. A couple of years ago, she was given an invitation to a toy party in Nov. She kept commenting that it was a cool time to have this sort of party, just in time for the holiday gift buying season. No one thought much about it, thinking that she had some really good friends that she'd be buying for. That afternoon, she shows up and as she's walking into the house, she remarks that she hopes she can find some good toys for her daughter, who's 9 at the time. Oy! We all started busting up laughing and she turned bright red when she walked into the room and saw the display of "toys". We still don't let her live that one down.

[Jessie]

GI Joe and I were engaged at the time and he had been off training and I wasn't sure when he would return & figured he would go to his apt and I would head there after hearing from him. It was a Friday night and I was hosting a "toy" party for one of my milspouse friends (she was a mentor to me in military wifedom). Halfway through the party the door opens and in walks GI Joe, he was home and wanted to surprise me---I think he got the bigger surprise! A bunch of women and a bunch of "toys" to welcome him back! His response (after he got over his shock) was "honey what do we get for our honeymoon?" I just smiled and sent him home.

[Susan]

When Will was deployed, I had met another milspouse and she and I had forged a wonderful friendship. She lived in TN, which is the unit was based, and I got an email copying some other wives inviting us to a slumber party. I thought, "How neat! A blast from our past..." I picked my fav 80s tunes and created a playlist on my iPod, comfy jammies, etc. and set off on the long drive to the hills of TN. I was quite surprised, needless to say. You wait and wait for news to go back and forth to the sandbox, but let something like this happens and they hear it before it even takes place :)

[Connie]

Oh My what a lovely story. But being the nosey type did you put the prize to good use? I have never heard of that company either. I know their is one called Naughty but Nice where you have a party at the house with all your friends. Much like a Tupperware party but lots more fun. They bring in racks of clothing to view,you can buy on the spot, and in some cases try it on. Tis the party where you send the kids out for the evening and the hubby as well. I have never been to one of those that I have not laughed my backside nearly off and gone home with my cheeks hurting from smiling the entire time. Now I attended those parties in my younger years as I am now 57. This is as good a time as any to tell you all that I am not a wife of an active duty person. I am the ex-wife of a retired USAF MSGT. We were married his entire career. I found this sight as I was searching for help to explain why all of the promises that the military made to me as his wife 30+ years ago has been deleted. I have simply been told laws change all the time. You know the program ladies. It is called Spousal Orientation. I am sure that the still have them. At any rate the moment my divorce was final all of my rights and priveldges ceased. Okay, I knew that I had to surrender my I.D. not a big deal, however because I insisted that he pay into a Spousal retirement reserve for the 30+ years we were married that I am now not eligible for his retirement upon his death or any portion of it while he is still alive.They changed the laws. Now he has remarried and she will receive all that I worked so hard with him to obtain. Red Tape, Flags get it in writing or get walked over. I am still persuing and I did not indend to sneak into your lives. But this story brought many wonderful, sold and emotional memeories back for me. I am a proud American woman. I am proud to have serve with my husband. We all know that is what we really do? Right? Anyway, I think of all of the young men I women deployed again over this holiday season. I also think of you ladies with your great courage raising the children, being mom, dad, and Santa all rolled into one. Been there and done that as well. I wish you all a Merry Christmas with you and yours and the Happiest of New Years. I pray that every man and woman returns home soon, safe, and ready to step back into American life. Ladies be patient upon his return. He will need your support and constant understand and forgivness. Best Wishes now and always.. with love and great respect.. Connie Gaalema (formerly Craddock)