November Favorites

Everything here in the Pacific Northwest is done changing colors, trees are starting to get naked, and it.is.getting.cold. I am not naive to the winter weather here, Andrew and I visited last November, but golly. It sure is a different kind of cold! The wind just cuts through all the layers you have on, and makes it feel like you've gotten the wind knocked out of your lungs. If that isn't pleasant enough there is usually a cold mist pelting you in the face at 40mph too :) It is manageable, and I refuse to let the grey get to me! My vitamin D gummies have become the highlight of my mornings. Here are my favorite things as of recently.

•  Reading this book. Oh my gracious! IT IS SO GOOD! I'm not even an avid reader or anything, but this is an awesome one. I've tried to start reading before I go to bed, instead of hauling my laptop around and watching The First 48, because I heard its bad for you and whatnot with the lights from the screen and your sleep cycle blah blah. If you haven't read it, I would check it out! Or do it the easy way and watch the movie.

•  How I Met Your Mother is probably one of my favorite shows ever. Like many shows, Andrew got me hooked on it because he got hooked on it. It is my understanding that during a deployment there is a lot of movie/TV show watching and downloading, maybe or maybe not illegally. Andrew's collection now includes all the seasons of lots of different shows and about 100 movies. When he leaves his hard drive here to go to air drop school, that means I watch all the episodes systematically, one season at a time :)

•  Spending my weekends volunteering. Not only does it give me a great sense of charity but its awesome experience to get acquainted with how the aquarium works and the people there as well. Talking to guests and watching kids use their brain never gets old. Volunteering also gives me sweet opportunities to see the aquarium after-hours, which is an experience in itself. The underwater dome (pictured) is the most amazing, tranquil place when the lights are out. I can't wait to see what awesome things I get to do when I start interning!

• Trying not to be a Grinch! Don't get me wrong, I love me some Christmas time. Giving thoughtful gifts is probably one of my all-time favorite things to do year round, and this time of year that activity gets its own little spotlight. In the recent years I just haven't felt that butterflyish feeling right after Thanksgiving like most people seem to have. Mine usually sinks in right before Christmas eve haha! Better late than never. It is hard to get excited when there's nobody to hang lights with, chop down (yes we had planned on chopping our own tree this year!) and decorate a tree, make cookies, and wrap presents with. All those little events along the way that are like the pre-game to Christmas. Just like fall though, I WILL get that feeling, even if it takes a bit to sink in.

Alright, time for me to get out of here. It's been great November, we'll see ya next year!

Cheers,

KLM