Hello!

Okay, so I am way overdue for a blog post, but before I go and make up a whole bunch of excuses, I'll just be genuinely honest - I'm terrible at keeping up a blog. Tonight, though, I thought I'd drop in. Yes, I am still alive. No, my life is not exciting enough to keep you reading several posts a week. But hey, I'm drinking raspberry tea in celebration of spring-that's-almost-summer (even though it's pretty much the exact same thing as winter down here in Florida) and somehow it gave me the tiniest jolt of motivation.

Things have been good here in Florida since I last posted something of substance. We've had a lot of rain lately, but the temperature has been consistently just-about-perfect. We're trying to enjoy the weather, and the fact that we don't need air conditioning or heat, before the hot, humid summer works its way into our lives again.

Keagan finished Introductory Flight School (IFS), which ended in a solo flight. It was awesome for him to get back in the air again. Now, he is in the midst of Advanced Preflight Indoctrination (API), studying like crazy. He does get a little more down time than he did in Virginia, but he is still working very hard and I am very proud.

I've been volunteering at the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society a few days a week and love every day of it. I finished my Bookkeeping and Administrative Assistant classes last week, and will take a certification exam next week. I've also had a whole bunch of job interviews...but I don't really want to go down that road right now. :)

We've both been enjoying a good amount of time together and also enjoy getting more involved with our Lifegroup at church (making new friends!).

Zulu suddenly decided that she likes learning (but most likely just the new treats we got her...) and has learned a bunch of new tricks. She also has become a lot more enjoyable to walk, thanks to our new walking collar. Seriously. It's the best puppy investment so far.

Our friend Petra came down from Minnesota to visit us for a week. We loved having company (and a guest room!) and enjoyed visiting the Pensacola lighthouse, Fort Pickens, a few different beaches, eating fish, and lots of catching up. If only we could keep her here... :)

I had a birthday, and enjoyed sweet messages, as well as some thoughtful gifts. Birthdays are okay sometimes. I treated myself, and bought a keyboard. Of course I had to let my mom know right away so she could send me my favorite piano books in the mail. Moms truly are the best.

Oh, and we are still talking about the HIMYM finale at least twice a week....

:) Happy Weekend!!

Photobooking Virginia

One of the things that I'm slowly learning about military life is how to embrace each spot that we are placed,but also how to let go of it in a positive way when it is time to move on. I'm not great at documenting life. Scrapbooking was never really my thing, I don't print out pictures like I used to, my journaling is sporadic, and I tend to get overwhelmed trying to keep up with documentation. In the past, when I've tried to organize memories, they just end up as half-finished projects sitting in boxes.

One thing I decided I must document, though, is each home that we live in. I know that through the course of Keagan's military career (and maybe even after that), we will live in many homes. I want to remember each place for what it is- a place for memories, growth, and life. I decided that the easiest and most efficient way for me to do this would be to create a small photobook of each house. Throughout the time that we live in each place, my goal is to take pictures of every room, the scenery of the neighborhood, places we visit, and everyday moments. I try to capture pictures of what made each place feel like home to us. Then, after we move I force myself to sit down for however long it takes, and put them into book form.

 I'm kind of bad at it. I've realized that I am way too picky when it comes to designing photobooks. It's hard for me to narrow down pictures to only the ones with the most meaning. It's hard for me to arrange them in a layout and order exactly how I want them without spending an insane amount of time on the project. It drives me crazy, for almost a full day, but then it's done.

So far, I've been so happy with the two books I have made. I love flipping through them and remembering the beauty of each place. I'm excited that someday if we have kids, they'll be able to open the books and know about each place that we've been. I feel that where we've been and what we've done is something to celebrate and cherish, so I'm glad that I have these reminders of our life in each place.

For both of our books so far, I've used Shutterfly's 8 x 8 hardcover book. I decided that I'd always go with whatever site offered the best coupon or deal at the time, and so far it's been Shutterfly both times. Now that I'm used to their system, I might stick with them. Plus, I kind of like the uniformity of the books. Shutterfly's photobook system is pretty easy to work with, once you figure out it's kinks. I've gone the custom route (because I'm picky, remember) both times, but using the Autofill feature would work great too, I'm sure! I probably spent a full day on each book, but to me, it's worth it.

This time around, I altered things a little bit. Instead of just including pictures of our house/yard, like I did in Iowa, I included a cover page with "key phrases"- events that happened/memories while we were in Virginia. I also added a couple pages of pictures of "life" in the back. Since I've accepted the fact that I probably won't get around to documenting our lives in a bigger way, I figured a couple extra pages of pictures (even if they aren't related to our house or apartment) would be worth it.

 Check out a digital version of our Virginia book below!
If you're interested, here's a link to our Iowa book.

Click here to view this photo book larger

The new way to make a photo album: photo books by Shutterfly.

So far in Florida...

It's not as sunny as we expected. We've had a lot of rain and a couple of thunderstorms.

I'm amazed at how much sand gets trampled into our apartment.

We're laughing at how often we get teased for how we dress. Apparently 60° is not as warm as we think it is back home.

Keagan has not started Introductory Flight School yet (thanks to some miscommunication...of course). His start date is unknown.

Keagan has consequently been playing a lot of Halo. :)

We found a big Baptist church to attend.

We're slowly picking up Alabama accents thanks to the radio...

I'm spending a lot of time talking to customer service representatives. I think working as one last year makes it harder for me to sit through some of their antics..

We're laughing at the absolutely hideous military-issued glasses that Keagan is lucky enough to wear and realizing how expensive glasses really are (neither of us have had glasses before).

I'm trying to find a good recipe with churizo. Two have been disappointing so far.

We're fighting over the leftover guacamole.

I'm loving having extra time to read (for fun!) while waiting for my next class' book to come in the mail.

We're watching Parks & Rec, Modern Family, The Middle, and How I Met Your Mother. (I've never watched this much TV before!)

I'm trying to remind myself that having to paint everything back to white in a year or so is a very good reason not to paint the entire apartment...

I'm trying not to give up on the 1000 piece puzzle in the corner of our living room.

We're enjoying a year without a winter, although we might miss it eventually.

We're content with where we're at and making the most of the phase we're in.

Battleship Memorial Park

One thing (of many things) that is awesome about being married to someone in the military? Gaining new interests. Before Keagan and I started dating, I rarely set foot in museums, much less military museums. Military history was just eh to me. Sure, I thought it was alright, but I would have never gone out of my way to learn more. Now, thanks to Keagan's interests and career choice (and always living close to military installations), I've developed a whole new appreciation for all things military. Marriage is cool like that.

Last weekend, we got in the car, turned on NPR, and journeyed to Mobile, AL (we only live15 minutes from the Alabama border) and visited Battleship Memorial Park. The park is free to visit for active duty military and offers a discounted rate for any guests of an active duty military member. The biggest attraction of the park is probably the USS Alabama, but the park also offers a hanger filled with military planes, an old submarine to tour, and military aircraft and tanks scattered throughout the outdoor portion of the park.

Walking into the USS Alabama was like taking a step back in time to the WWII era. We were able to tour both the outside and inside of the ship. The rooms were set up with props (and original memorabilia); it was almost like we were on the ship as it was in the 40s.

 We were able to see sleeping quarters (some just in the middle of the hallway), cafeterias, bakeries, doctor offices, dentist chairs, chapels, and post offices. It's amazing how ships can be their own floating villages. I decided that as much as I appreciate that time period and find it fascinating, living on a ship would get old fast. I don't think one could survive as a claustrophobic sailor.

 As I mentioned, we were also able to tour an old submarine. If I thought it'd be hard to be claustrophobic on a ship, a submarine would be way worse. I couldn't believe how tight everything was packed. Yet, it was still very interesting to see what life on a submarine would be like.

 The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering through the park as Keagan quizzed me on the names of tanks and aircraft (I failed...). Nevertheless, it was interesting to hear stories about the different models and when they were used. My husband's knowledge of the military always surprises me. Someday I'll remember which tank is which, Keagan. Someday.

Throwing Stuff Into a Whirlwind and Watching it Spin Around

You know what's okay sometimes? Being busy. You know what's not okay sometimes? When the A T & T guy comes to hook up your internet and tells you that your cable is lost somewhere in the wall and that you need to talk to your maintenance guy. Then, you talk to your maintenance guy and they say they're working on the issue. Then, you get a bill from A T & T for service you can't even use yet because the cable is lost inside of the wall and the maintenance guy must have gotten lost in there too.

Moving and getting settled into a new place is always an adventure. It's exciting, sometimes. It's hectic, sometimes. Sometimes, you're not quite sure how you're going to do it all, but you do it all anyways. Things go wrong (inevitably), like getting a parking ticket in D.C. two days before you leave, having a mishap with the tow-dolly that scars your trusty old car (hey, at least it wasn't the new one), and having to run around a tourist-town at 9 PM (after driving 8 hours) to find a place where you can park your moving truck without it getting towed. (Note: don't text your husband to say, "I'm heading to the police station next." without an explanation...)

Then, when you finally arrive at your new "home," it takes awhile before it really feels like home at all. You deal with bills that make you go, seriously? Cancellation and set-up fees should totally be outlawed. So should the door-to-door college kids, asking you to buy a magazine subscription to help soldiers overseas. They don't take no for an answer, and they compliment you on how good the supper you are making smells, and they try to make you feel bad for them because they confused Ohio with Iowa and have ADHD. Oh, and don't forget the fact that you have to spend hours working on the paperwork to get reimbursed for the way-too-large amount of money that you spent getting to your new home and then spend too many days waiting to hear what you did wrong so that they have an excuse not to pay you.

Then, strangely, you realize that you kind of don't mind that everything is spinning around in a giant whirlwind. It's kind of fun to reach out and grab whatever you can and put the pieces where they belong. You look around you and realize that you're actually sort of making a nice little home for your little family and that you're blessed to have made it there safe and sound. And you know what? Not having internet at home means you have to get out and explore the area a little bit and spend a lot of time in a strangely rubbery library chair.

It's really not so bad. Challenging, yes. A test of patience, yes. Frustrating at times, yes. Time-consuming, definitely. But when you're sitting in your new home that has begun to feel like home, it feels okay. In fact, it feels more than okay. Before you know it, you don't even notice the whirlwind spinning in front of you and you can breathe easy again.

I feel like I can say, once again, we did it. No, we're doing it. 

Still in the midst of a little chaos.

The in between has never been a comfortable spot for me. Give me a project (or five), and I struggle to relax if it's only halfway done. Sometimes, this is a good thing, but often not. My focus locks in so tightly on the project to be completed that I can hardly focus on anything else- like writing this blog post, or calling my parents, for example. The dreaded in between is where I'm currently stuck. I really struggle taking things step by step and being patient as we settle in to our new home. It's like I can't see myself as having made progress until we're actually done.

And really, I shouldn't worry because we've made good progress. We've been here for four and a half days and: everything's unpacked and mostly put away, our used washer and dryer were purchased and hooked up, we painted, our internet service is arranged, our curtains and most of the decorations are hung, and I know how to get to the closet Walmart and Target. Yet,  I have to almost force myself to sit and stay in this chair instead of finish what I want to finish so bad. I'm driving my husband crazy. I'm driving myself crazy. I'm probably driving our dog and our neighbors crazy

I only made it a day and a half before buying paint. The long, white walls were making me sad, and I just had to make this place feel like less of a hallway and more of a home. We picked a soft gray and I feel so much more relaxed already. We also found a giant clock that goes perfectly over the fireplace- thanks, Lowe's, your half-price eye-catcher was too hard to pass up. The area rug? Yeah...that took some work. I probably looked at every rug that the internet and stores had to offer before deciding I just needed to pull one off the shelf, take it home, and only return it if I hated it.

As for Florida, I have yet to see the beach. That was on the agenda for today, but then it rained. It's really not that different in our neighborhood- but people care less about their cars than they did in Virginia. It's pretty warm, too. We've been in the 70s the last couple of days and the month of January is supposed to average around 60 every day. It think I can handle that!








Keagan checked in at his new command, but isn't doing much until he's ready to class up for Introductory Flight School (IFS). In the meantime, he has to report for formation Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and PT on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If he doesn't start IFS soon, we may be lucky enough to take leave for Christmas. YAY!

Well, it's back to try and finish up this decorating thing. Wish me luck as I try to come up with a wall arrangement that's "de-symmetricalized." (Yes, it is more fun to say de-symmetricalized than asymmetrical).

Clear Tape and Cardboard Boxes

Clear tape and cardboard boxes. This is our life lately. Oh, and giant messes, because everyone knows that in order to organize, you have to create a giant mess first...right? What? That's just me? Oh.


Can I tell you a secret? I kind of like moving and packing...when I have the time to focus on it. It's kind of fun taking things off the wall, out of drawers, and off shelves, and then trying to fit everything in boxes. It's like a puzzle. The organizer in me gets a chance to shine as I take care of all the little things one has to take care of when moving states away. I get to slap together a moving binder with emergency numbers, move-in paperwork, orders, and so on. I get to write so many lists...to-do lists, cleaning lists, lists of things to pack separately. I get to pack a box that I call the "First-Box-to-Unpack-Box." It consists of toilet paper, towels, a shower curtain, pillows, blankets, an air mattress, puppy stuff, paper plates and silverware, and something to snack on. You know, so the first night at our new place is somewhat comfortable. I'm enjoying this and so ready.


Let me be honest though, that's on the good days.




Normally, the organizer in me does really enjoy it, but sometimes, I'm a normal human too. Moving can be downright crazy. There's a lot of loose-ends to tie up and paperwork to make sure you complete correctly. Your mind is spinning with a million different tasks you absolutely can't forget about. You forget that your husband will be home in an hour and you're still responsible to feed him. Sometimes, you simply can't make all of the arrangements and have to trust that things will fall into place once you get there. You start to realize what things you're going to miss and how you're going to have to learn a new place all over again. You worry about your favorite fish-shaped platter breaking because you are no doubt going to drop a box down three flights of cement stairs.

Honestly, some days you just go crazy. Don't forget that you're totally capable though. You're able to adapt and get everything done. Sail through those days that your motivation is running free, and push through the days where you just want to sit in the middle of the cardboard boxes and hug your puppy. Remember, you're becoming kind of awesome at this packing and moving thing.



We can do it, you guys. We really can. It's another adventure and we're ready.

Carry on My Wayward Mind

Right now I'm listening to The Best of Kansas, eating chocolate ice-cream, and blogging. It wouldn't be so silly of me if it wasn't 8:10 PM and we move in three weeks and I need to find a place for us to live, figure out why my car sounded weird tonight, write a thank-you letter, clean my kitchen, catch up on my classes, and calculate if we can actually afford rent in Florida + that new car (or two...gosh, I hope not). But hey, I sat in traffic for way longer than I wanted to after trying on 12 pairs of jeans and finally saying, "Forget you, retail stores- my legs are not that hard to fit into a comfortable pair of jeans!" Ugh. At least the lady at Zales who cleaned my ring told me she loved it instead of telling me I need to "upgrade" like the nose-up salespeople usually do. Okay, I'll cheer up already. I'm really not that distraught, but somehow it feels good to dramatize it by typing it all out on my computer screen.

I promise I'll write a more significant blog post sooner rather than later (or maybe after I find us a place to live). But for now, just imagine (a slightly crazed version of) me listening to Kansas and taking a few minutes to say hello to you. (I love you, Mom! And for real...I'm okay. :) )

Up Next

Image via Google Maps

We have known for awhile that we would be heading to Pensacola, FL after our time here in the Quantico/Stafford area, but we have a timeline now! We recently received news that Keagan is to report to Pensacola at the very end of November- only 3 days after his graduation from TBS. He will go through several phases of flight training at Naval bases in the area.

1. IFS (Naval Air Station- Pensacola)- This is a about a month long and we think he will be starting as soon as we move.

2. API (Naval Air Station- Pensacola)- After completing IFS, we're looking at a 4-6 week wait until Keagan can start the next phase of training. During the break, we hope to take leave and head home to the Midwest for awhile. API is approximately 6 weeks long.

3. Primary (most likely Whiting Field, Milton)- After an unknown wait period, Keagan will head over to Whiting Field for Primary. Whiting Field is close to an hour away from NASP, so as of now we are looking at temporary housing options near NASP, with a move to the Whiting Field area when the time comes. It is possible (but unlikely) that he may be sent to Corpus Christi for Primary. Primary is approximately 6 months long.

4. After Primary, Keagan will know what aircraft he is assigned and will complete flight training.

We're going to try our best to stay flexible, as we never know what could change and when. Tis the nature of the military. :)

Libo! 96!

There are very rare circumstances that the TBS Marines (or any Marines, for that matter) get extra days off of training. Usually, it's long hours Monday-Friday, and "homework" on the weekends. We've been spoiled so far as we enjoyed Memorial Day off, and this week, the 4th and 5th off. In Marine lingo, Keagan got to enjoy a 96 (4 days/96 hours of liberty/time off). So this week? Yeah...it's been pretty great.

Monday through Wednesday, not much happened. I spent quite a bit of time re-organizing myself after "vacation" with the family. The organization-freak in me has trouble readjusting. We got back in a fairly normal routine though. I kept busy during the days, and had supper ready to enjoy with Keagan when he got home. Shorter hours were much appreciated!

Thursday, I spent hours in the kitchen, and then we had Kiley over to help us eat copious amount of holiday food. We enjoyed BBQ Pork Steaks, Grandma Nelson/Kay's Homemade Potato Salad, Watermelon, Corn on the Cob, Salad, Baked Beans, and Key-Lime Dessert. It's been so long since I've had so many dishes for one meal...we sure did enjoy it. There were leftovers galore, but believe it or not, Keagan and I ate the last bits for lunch today. Yum. Call us lame, but instead of venturing out to find fireworks, we stayed at home and watched a movie.



Friday, Keagan and I ventured to D.C. First, we stopped by the Natural History Museum. Hopefully, by the time we move away we'll have seen all of the Smithsonians! After enjoying supper at the Eastern Market, we went to the Original Marine Barracks on 8th and I for the Evening Parade. (Click on the links for more information). It was such a fun evening. The location is so interesting, and the Marines that performed were beyond incredible. If you're ever in the D.C. area, try to get tickets. It's worth it...even if you aren't affiliated with the military!




Saturday, we had to go see Despicable Me 2, of course! And today...we've just been relaxing. It feels great to have him around the house for so long. Tomorrow, it's back to the grind.

Another Week

Well, another week has come and gone. I keep waiting for a "normal" routine, but I think I've come to the realization that there will never be one. For the most part, I'm okay with that, although the boring, organization-loving girl inside of me is craving at least a couple days of staying at home and accomplishing the normal tasks. It's a tough balance to maintain.

Last week, my family trekked over 20 hours across the country to come see what the wonderful state of Virginia is all about. All six of them crammed in the minivan, threw a topper on top for the luggage, and somehow made it without anyone losing their mind. I'm convinced that whoever created the minivan had a big tolerance for families...I don't know how my family survived. They made it to Virginia late Saturday night- my mom with history books in hand, my brother with his x-box, and the rest with their running clothes. (Yes, they're the type of family that runs...even on vacation). 

The whole family after we spent a day getting soaked in D.C.

Because they were staying in Williamsburg (almost two hours away), Keagan and I did not see them until they joined us for church on Sunday morning. Unfortunately, due to Week 2 of Range Week, Keagan only got to see my family for a few hours on Sunday and a few hours on Friday. I, being the lucky one, got to stay at the resort with the crew and shared a room with the little sister...just like old times!

With the family, we saw a few different sides of the Virginia/D.C. area- historical, touristy, and a mix of both. Look for a more detailed post about the different spots soon...but for now I'll just give you a quick outline. :)

Sunday: Church, lunch, Marine Corps Museum, quick drive-through tour of the bases
Monday: Virginia Beach (complete with a shark sighting!)
Tuesday: D.C.- Metrorail experience, Holocaust Museum, Air & Space Museum, supper, the Capitol
Wednesday: Colonial Williamsburg
Thursday: Jamestown Settlement
Friday: D.C.- lots of rain, American History Museum, Museum of Natural History, cruising from monument to monument, supper and farewell.

The week breezed by...it almost feels like it never happened. It was a good week though, despite the weather being either extremely hot, or rainy. I think everyone left with a little more knowledge of and appreciation for our country and I came home only wishing they could have stayed longer.

~~~

Keagan spent his second week out on the range, learning from the best, and earning ranks for pistol and rifle shooting. Again, they had long hours and early mornings, so they had to stay on base. They even spent one night over-night working on night shooting techniques. 

~~~

Since my family left, we've been enjoying getting to spend evenings together (even if it's only for a couple of hours). I got to have Keagan home all day Saturday, but he had 24-hour duty starting early Sunday morning, so I had to share him with the Marine Corps a little longer. :) While he was on duty, I got to go to a grill-out with members of his platoon and a few other wives. Thankfully, I was allowed to bring him supper on base, so I packed a bag with spaghetti and other goods and enjoyed a quick 20 minute supper.

We're looking forward to a 4-day weekend due to the 4th of July...and this long of a break is pretty much unheard of, so we plan to take advantage of it! We've also been searching craigslist for puppies and cars...even though we're a ways off from actually being able to buy either. It's good to have big dreams, right?? :)

Weekly Happenings...a bit late

Oh my goodness, you guys. I am so sorry. I know that my somewhat-regular weekly updates are all that keep you going in life (sarcasm...)! But honestly, I do feel bad. For those of you that I have promised to keep updated-- I have failed. It's a good thing though- I've been keeping busy and having a good time!

We have now been here for six weeks. Wow. Here's what's happened since I last updated ya'll...

1. Keagan and I went to a Twins vs. Nationals game! When Denard Span got traded to the Nationals...I immediately looked at the schedule to see if the two teams would face off. Lucky for us...they did! On a weekend...so that we could go together. It was a lot of fun, and the Twins won. We got to sit in a section with other Twins fans...which really annoyed the Nationals fans nearby. We've loved being so close to D.C. and think it's so cool how anywhere that we go, we can see one of the landmarks that we used to only see in textbooks and on the news. Our capital is rad.

2. We had an "ant fiasco" of sorts. We've had a few little tiny ants crawling the windowsills since we moved in. So what'd I do? I bought ant traps. What'd the ant traps do? Attract every ant in the neighborhood! We had a gross couple of days...and I'm sorry for anyone who feels sorry about the little guys, but Keagan and I even had an ant-stomping party on the kitchen floor because we figured that was quicker than waiting for the traps to actually work. Finally...they're gone...

3. I started a couple of books that I've seen recommended by friends. Unbroken and Soul Cravings. They are both super-enticing in their own ways...I highly recommend both!

4. Kiley came!

Keagan's sister stayed with us for about 1 1/2 weeks while waiting for a place to live. She lives about an hour away now...so it'll be nice to have family near. I was happy to have someone drag me out of our apartment.. :) We had a good time visiting Great Falls Park, exploring Downtown Fredericksburg (lots of antique stores, neat shops, and fun buildings), checking out some restaurants, shopping in Potomac Mills, and walking the canal walk in Richmond. I also LOVED having someone to sit and watch hours of Anne of Green Gables with me!

We also enjoyed a few adventures...

Adventure #1- Tornado warning in Fredericksburg. While walking from store to store, we started hearing about an intense storm coming through. Being from Iowa, a predicted thunderstorm doesn't really phase us, but we soon realized it's a different story out here. They're simply not used to storms, and often lose power because of them. Stores were closing early due to the threatening weather, the Marines were telling their wives to have emergency plans in place, and we were scolded for walking outside. There was a brief, stormy moment, but it amounted to nothing.

Adventure #2- Car Troubles. Keagan's car began acting up on Sunday. Since he was on base Monday-Friday without being able to come home, it was my job to figure it out. On the way to the repair shop...Kiley was following me and told me I should probably pulled over. I did...but since we were only 1/2 mile from the repair shop, I decided I'd give it a go. I turned the car back on, turned my wheels, and heard a thud. When I went out to investigate...I saw this...

Yeah...not good.We waited for a tow truck and got it to the repair shop...where it is still waiting as we decide it's fate. I was very glad it happened when it did- off the road, when I had someone with me, and during a week where we only needed one car. In hindsight, I probably should have had it towed to start with, but seriously...we're from Iowa. We don't run from storms and we don't call tow trucks. Maybe I need to become a little more "Virginian." :)

~~~

I have also had a few more events with other spouses. It's great to get to know them and have some friends in the Marine Corps. 

Keagan hasn't had quite as much fun- this week he had Range Week #1...which meant really early mornings, hikes to the range, lots of shooting, and hikes back late at night. This also meant I dropped him off at 3:30 AM Monday morning, and haven't seen him since (it's Friday 10:00 PM). Next week looks the same...but I'm very happy that my family will be visiting and keeping me busy. :)

-Hannah

Weekly Happenings- Zero Week Part 2

June 1st? Seriously? How'd it get to June? It's hot enough to be August, but my internal clock has no idea how we got to this page on the calendar. The months have been flying by so fast. We've been graduated for over a year, married for 9 months, and in Virginia for almost 1 month. It seems unreal.

This past week was ridiculously hot- 90+ degrees with full humidity every day. I guess they weren't kidding about the weather out here. Sorry for the Midwesterners who are just begging for summer, I hope you get it soon!

As I posted on Monday, Keagan had the day off of training, so we spent our Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery. There really are not words for how incredible it was to be there. It was nice to have a free Monday to remember our troops and relax a little. Then Tuesday came, and it was back to the grind.

Keagan had fairly long hours again. Since it's still technically Zero Week, they were doing more in-processing and such. Things picked up a little more with training this week, but next week the "normal" training starts.

Wednesday and Thursday, I spent most of the day on base, attending some L.I.N.K.S. classes for TBS spouses. If you are a military spouse or family member, I highly suggest attending any L.I.N.K.S. session that you can- they gave us so much information! It was nice to spend some more time with other spouses as well. I also spent a lot of time driving around and running errands for Keagan. Besides a few wrong turns at first, I'm getting a lot more used to the area.

Other than that, we got an update on our kittens back home! They are adorable. Also from home, my little sister made it to State Track and set the school record in two events- the 400 and 4 x 4! How exciting- she definitely doesn't take after me.

We bought tickets to the Twins vs. Nationals game next Saturday, so that will get us through the week!

Have a great week...and June!

Weekly Happenings- Zero Week

Things look a bit different around here lately...

The first two weeks of TBS (The Basic School) are called Zero Week. They call it that, because they don't officially start training until Week 3, but I'm convinced they call it that because it means you get zero sleep and have zero energy left. Oh, and zero idea on when to expect arrival at home :)

Keagan’s training so far has been pretty busy. We were told that his schedule would be filled with long and unpredictable hours.They were right. He usually leaves before 5 AM, and doesn't return until 9-10 PM. On his first day, he got home at 10:15 PM, had to read 60 pages for homework, and then was up at 3:15 AM to leave for base. Yikes. This will be a challenging six months for sure, but what he is learning will be invaluable. I'm already beyond proud of his work ethic.

I had "spouse orientation" on Thursday, so I finally got to meet some of the other spouses. It was great to get to know some new people and hear some solid answers on what I can expect and should be prepared for. I'm quite thankful for the advice passed down and the connections made. I even met several ladies whose husbands have the same MOS (job specialty, basically) as Keagan, so we'll get to see them even after we leave Virginia.

Other than that, it's been pretty quiet. I've continued to enjoy our windows. It may  be silly to get excited about windows, but seriously, you guys, I love keeping our shades open all day. Also, I got bored one day and made chocolate chip cookies (yes, again). I really need to start getting more adventurous in my desserts, but my cookie recipe is so no-fail that I never risk wasting effort. Thanks mom, for teaching me how to make the best cookies in the world!

I've also been watching storm clouds rise above the apartments, only to be disappointed and watch them pass on by. I'm going to miss the intense midwest thunderstorms that I love so much! Our weekend allowed us to catch up a bit, although it was still quite busy. Keagan had to shop around for some supplies and that took most of Saturday up. On Sunday, we found a church that we really appreciated and we're excited to go back next week. That filled a need!

Now, in case you need to fill a snacking need, but don't want to feel guilty about the ice-cream you've already eaten...make some carrot fries! I'm a vegetable lover, so these are like candy to me, but even if you're not huge on vegetables, give it a try. They're perfectly between crunchy and soft, and beyond delicious. For real. It's unbelievable how good carrots can taste.

Carrot Fries

-Thank you, Summer for the inspiration!

Carrots

Olive Oil

Salt, Pepper, and Minced Garlic (or Garlic Salt)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. Wash and peel carrots, then cut into shoestrings with the thickness of your choice.

3. Toss with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and garli to taste. Lay out on a baking sheet.

4. Roast for 20-25 minutes (watch carefully, as the thickness will affect bake times). If you like them like I do, they should be just a bit blackened. 

5. Eat a lot of them.

6. Be proud of your vegetable-eating.

7 Tips for the Rookie Military-Spouse (Or Anybody Doing Something New)

One big thing I've learned since being a military-spouse? Other military spouses are incredible. I can't tell you how many times I've stumbled upon a great article or blog post, or had someone reach out to me and lead me forward a little bit on this journey. I was once told that the military, especially the Marine Corps, is like a giant family- they look out for each other. It's so true.

That being said, I hope I can pass on what I think I've learned so far.

Disclaimer- I don't know how qualified I am to be giving this advice. Afterall, Keagan only went active this week. I've been a military girlfriend/spouse for a couple of years, but we haven't done a whole lot yet. Still, I know I have benefitted from any little bit of opinion or advice that I happened to stumble upon, and I have learned a little in my recent adventures. So I'm going to do this in hopes that someday someone might stumble upon this and at least take away a little tidbit from it. I hope someone does find it, because it would be nice to know someone else out there who is also in the beginning stages of military-adventuring.

And, hey, maybe you're not in the military. Maybe you're just starting something new, moving across the country (or an hour away), or maybe you're just trying to figure out how to adjust to new situations in your life. Whatever situation you're in, hopefully you can relate to this.

1. Not all advice will be what's best for you. This one? Yeah...it's the most important one. It's kind of silly that I'm telling you this, right as I'm about to spout into a Hannah-advice session. But really, advice is important. You can learn so much from someone else's experiences. That said, no one else is in the exact same situation with the exact same personality as you, your spouse, and your family. What might work for one super-blogger, might not be the best, or most positive experience for you. Trying to squeeze yourself into a box you don't fit in (no matter how pretty it looks), just won't work.Try new things, but if they aren't working, adapt and adjust.

2. Do your research, but don't be afraid to ask for help. There are so many resources out there. The internet has made the quest so much easier, but sometimes it's hard to know where to start looking. When I first started dating Keagan, I knew that a future in the Marine Corps was going to be a for-sure thing if we kept dating. So, I reached out to a Marine Corps wife that I knew, and she gave me book titles, websites, and resources galore. As we got closer to our first cross-country move, I used the resources she gave me, as well as spouse forums, base websites, and online articles. I felt very well-prepared to move across country and to have all the proper tasks done before we even left. That said, sometimes you reach a dead-end. Don't be afraid to ask for help! Not everyone has it all figured out, and you should never be embarrassed to ask any question (or even admit that you don't know where to start). We were all where you were once, and we asked too. In fact, I'm still asking.

3. Take an interest. Shortly after we started dating, Keagan basically told me that if I don't see a future with the Marine Corps, then we should not continue to date. I was so thankful for how upfront he was. From the start, I took a big interest in the Marines, and I believe it has made a huge difference in our relationship, Keagan's views of his future, and our marriage. I read books, learned as much as I could, flew across the country for his graduation from OCS, and asked him a million and one questions. The more interest you take in your guy's future plans, the more you will be prepared (and excited) to walk beside him as you grow. You will be better able to relate to him and he will feel like you are a part of his journey, rather than having to constantly explain things to you. You will feel like you're a part of the journey too, not just following him around from place to place. Also, I can't tell you how much pride it instilled in me, for what my husband would be doing and what all Marines and military personnel have done in the past. It's one of the best things you can do for you and your guy- be interested in the same thing, and have a sense of pride for his decision.

4. View it as an adventure. The sooner you do this, the better. Military life can be intimidating and stressful. You're going to move across the country and out of your comfort zone. But why be upset and worried about it? You get the chance to see places many people will never see. You get a taste of many different places and lifestyles. There are many things the military life offers that you'll never regret. You get to have an incredible adventure and do a lot of things no one else gets to do. So call it that. View it as that. It will transform your thinking and attitude.

5. Know that you can do this. Seriously, you can. There may be times where you feel like you're in over your head or you have no idea where to start. Don't take yourself or your mistakes too seriously. You'll learn as you go, especially if you do your research. If you make a mistake or something doesn't go as well as it could have, learn from that and adjust for next time.When you think you can't do something, remind yourself that you can. Even if it's difficult, you'll get through it and be amazing.Sometimes you have to pep-talk yourself.

6. Do what you can, be patient with the rest. When you're preparing to move, etc., there are things that you can take care of far ahead of time, and there are things you can't do until you get there...or later. So, make a list of what has to be done. If you can do it (even if it feels like it can wait), do it! The more that you get done ahead of time, the more time you have to deal with unexpected tasks and other time-consuming things later. Don't stress out about what you can't do. Just be patient, know it will get done when it should, and go from there.It also helps to prioritize.

7. Pass it on. You're going to learn a ton. Remember the people who helped you along the way, or even just reached out and said, "hey, I'm here if you ever need me!" You may not ever need them, but it's such a good feeling to know that there are people out there that you can go to for help or advice. Now, pass it along to someone else. Let them know you're there. Let them know what you learned. It makes such a difference.

*Bonus tip: Don't stress the small stuff. Maybe you spent a lot of time on a delicious meal for supper because you thought he was going to be home at 1830, but then he wasn't released until 2200 and didn't get to enjoy it. Yeah, that just happened to me. :) Oh well. It's a bummer, yeah, but it's not the end of the world.

P.S. If anyone wants me to pass along some resources, I'd love to! Just leave a comment or email me. hannah.b.hicks@gmail.com

What we're up to...

Keagan started his first official day of TBS today. This first week will be a little more laid back (although monotonous) since they are just doing in-processing. This is what life looks like right now...

He wore a suit to arrival at his duty station...and graciously let me snap a picture of him before he headed out the door.

I made delicious-smelling chicken and took a silly picture of myself admiring it...

Who's cooler? You can decide, but I think I already know the answer. :)

~~~

In other news:

He has been prepping by ordering new cammies and name tapes, finding places to get them sewed on, sorting through boxes of military odds and ends, filling out forms, and planning for his first day. In his down time (which will soon be little), he has been enjoying playing Halo and beating me in Sonic racing.

I have been job-searching half-heartedly, getting back into a grocery/cooking routine (loving the commissary prices and trying to figure out what to tip the baggers...), sighing about how much my haircut cost out here (but loving how the shampoo smells and my hair feels...ahh...), and overall just trying to decide how I want to spend the next 6-7 months here.

Our apartment is lovely. It's fairly small, but I love the open floor plan, big, open, windows, and white trim.It seems very quiet and safe so far, which is a big relief. After we got all settled in, we tried to take advantage of our down-time in the area. We looked up some fun walking trails in the area, and have a list of three places that we'll probably visit again.

Great Falls Park- located about 15 minutes out of D.C. and about 45 minutes from our apartment. It is such a beautiful spot, with great trails to walk and a bit of history too. Back in the early 1800's, a canal was built here and a town accompanied it. When the canal closed, the town no longer had a reason to exist. Now, nothing's left but a half-intact canal and ruins of the houses. 

National Marine Corps Museum- located just off the base. This was actually my second visit, and Keagan's third, but still well worth it! There is no admission fee, so if you're in the area, this is definitely a good spot to visit and well worth your time. There was a new exhibit inside, and several new displays added outside since the last time we were here. Plus, there's so much to look at, I think we could find something new everytime we go.

Government Island- located a couple miles down the road from us. This is another free spot, and so beautiful and interesting! I was so mad at myself for leaving my memory card in my computer, because it would have been such a great photo opportunity. The trails are gorgeous on their own, but again, there's history to this location (as I've found with most attractions out here). This island was once a rock quarry for Aquia sandstone that was used in the construction of both the Capitol and the White House.

~~~

In final news, I'm hoping the nice gentleman who came to check our A/C is successful. It's supposed to hit 90 degrees and be quite humid tomorrow. We're already sitting at 80 degrees inside. Yikes.