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

Government Island.

Remember when I said in a previous post that we went to Government Island and I was kicking myself because I left my memory card out of my camera?? Here's why.

And in case that didn't sell you....
there's this:

The squirrels are like your best friends there! I about died. If it wasn't for the two women walking up behind me and no doubt judging me for taking a million pictures of this guy and talking to him...I could have stayed for hours. Or at least until the squirrel told me I was nuts...

How I Documented Our House

You know the whole self-worth roller-coaster we all ride every now and then? Yeah, the one where one minute we're shaming ourselves for the fact that we really like caffeine, haven't worked out in over a week, and need to buy more sundresses. The next, we're proud of ourselves for making awesome homemade pico de gallo, making the living room smell good, and driving down I-95 like a city driver. Yes.

But really, sometimes we need to get off of that roller-coaster and do what actually makes us happy. For me, it was this. I had seen other people document their lives in such artistic, awesome ways. I had seen many photobooks that looked much nicer than anything I thought I could pull together. But, I wanted  to try, and I wanted to do it how I wanted to and not worry if it compared to anyone else's.

I'm normally quite terrible at digitally documenting my life. I may take a lot of pictures (mostly of trees), and may have a lot of pictures from other people, but I just keep them on my Facebook and call it good. I hardly ever print any pictures, and the only reason I have pictures in frames in my house is because I had to print some of our engagement pictures off for bridal showers. So really? This was a big step for me.

I had decided awhile ago, that I really wanted to remember each and every place that we live. I knew we'd be moving around due to the military, so I wanted some way to remember each place. This is what I settled on. I wanted to remember the basic things- like what each house looked like, what our yard looked like, and what I had hanging on the walls, but I also wanted to remember the unique characteristics- like the crazy colored carpet, the cat that lived outside, and the little knick-knacks that I find so charming. So, thanks to a $20 coupon for Shutterfly and a little motivation, I finished my book.

I'm so excited to look back someday and be able to appreciate all of the little places that we lived and called home. It surely isn't perfect, but please enjoy a little taste of Home #1- Iowa. You can view the thumbnails below, or click the link to view it larger.

Click here to view this photo book larger

Click here to create your own Shutterfly photo book.

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!

Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery

The pictures can really speak for themselves, but wow, what an experience. The parking ramp was filled, so we had to park quite aways away. We walked somewhere near 5 miles in dress shoes and got ridiculous blisters, but it was so worth it to see what we saw today. Arlington on a normal day is an incredible testament to the cost of our freedom and the celebration of some of the best people our country has ever seen. Today, it was beyond that. When we got to the lot shown above, it was overwhelming. So many people spend all day with their families, or alone, just sitting at the graves of those they remember- their heroes, our heroes.

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