May Favorites.....Mayvorites

Let's do this. I should have millions of favorites because I missed March and April! Woops. I'll try to catch you up.

• Herb garden. Either we're getting old, turning into cheapskates, or being super Washingtonians. Not sure. But growing our own herbs, and someday when we have the room, vegetables and junk, suddenly seemed like the most amazing idea EVER. Dude, you don't have to buy them if you grow them. Genius!!! We already killed one batch, so I'll keep you updated on round #2.

• I am obsessed. I'll tell you more about how we got her in the wedding blog. But it makes the HUGEST difference having a little furry to come home to when Mr. Husband is gone. Yes I talk to her. She definitely talks back. Sometimes when I don't want her to like at 5am. However, she cuddles with me, and lets me brush her (she thinks its better than catnip in fact) and those were my only requirements for a cat. When we first got her I, no joke, looked at her and said, if I love her this much already I wonder how people feel about babies?!?

• Toddlers and Tiaras. Yes it's trashy. Yes it's addictive. Yes it's like watching a train wreck. I had no choice before the new season of The Bachelorette came on. I feel as if Andrew leaves me no choice when we have no cable. He drew the line at Bridezillas. Ok, that makes sense. For some reason I feel like I would have been really good at child paegents! Mom, why didn't you dress me up like an 18 year old in a 5 year old body so I could be Miss Tiny Kansas??

That's all I can think of at this moment, but I am sure June's favorites will be a doozy. I know you're already anxious.

Until next time....

Cheers!

KLB

U is for Uncommonly Contentful

So I'm not sure if contentful is a word but I feel full of content, therefore, I made it a word.

Today is Wednesday, aka "Sunday" in Kelsey's world. There is no such thing as a Saturday/Sunday weekend in the zoo world, those are the busy days! I actually enjoy having odd days of the week off work: stores are quiet, the park is not full of people, no weekend hustle and bustle.

Third time's a charm, right? Hopefully. Our third deployment as a couple commenced earlier this month. I have kept SUPER busy with work:

 a new child :

acclimating to a new town/organizing all our junk in the new condo:

and exploring our new surrounding wilderness:

(That's a trail I now run on regularly. So secluded, quiet, peaceful! LOVE.IT.)

I absolutely adore our new place. We hope to stay here for the remainder of Andrew's assignment. Our Seattle place was brand new, nice, close to public transportation, a 20 minute ride to downtown.....had constant traffic noise and/or gangster rap music, an hour commute for Andrew, a building with 200 other residents, and a cost that took up the housing allowance.

Needless to say, we are so thankful to now live where we: are within walking distance of my job (which is in the middle of a giant, forrested park full of trails and beaches), have a 20 minute ride to base, within walking distance to Puget Sound, have a view of the water, on the edge of the cutest Pleasantville neighborhood, and oh my lord the biggest difference is HOW QUIET IT IS! We noticed we have already sat outside on our small balconey 10x more than we EVER did in a year on our ginormous Seattle deck. Andrew even installed a hammock :)

(I am sure a blog ALL about Meownt Rainier Barrier will be in the making on my next weekend)

That's about all that my life has been as of lately. Wedding (blog soon to come!), getting settled, entertaining a cat, and working on deployment goals. Oh, for those of you who don't know, or have not experienced the suck of a deployment. Husband and I always like to make goals for ourselves (or each other?), and that gives us something to focus on besides being apart. Pretty smart I think :) Here are a few of mine:

1. Teach Rainy at least one trick. I know she's not a dog. But the animal behaviorist in me can't help myself!
2. Get the condo in order. Yes it is a large task. We currently have the "2nd bedroom" as a "put-everything-in-here-and-close-the-door room." Got to fix that.
3. Reception plan. Obviously. I hope this is on Andrew's list too....
4. Write the companies I use most, that are on the RSPO and thank them for using sustainable palm oil. Yea yea, it's my new thing. I'll let YouTube explain it for me. The Northwest majorly emphasizes Kelsey The Conservation Biologist :D
5.Work out/Run 5 Mile Loop. This is always on my list haha It is a good thing to pass the time with, not that I'm terribly obese or anything. But you don't want your husband, wait, new husband, coming home after x amount of months to a squishier version of your former self. I signed up for 6 weeks of yoga and am taking full advantage of the running trails in Point Defiance (the park). Let's hope his homecoming doesn't make him want to go back to the desert.

Haha, you've got to love fat, happy post-wedded bliss.

Until next time!

Cheers,

Kelsey B!

O is for Oh My I'm a Terrible Blogger

Pardon MOI! Life has gotten SEVERELY in the way of writing any blogs. I've missed TWO editions of monthly favorites, a blog about the aquarium, my new job, mom and sister's visit to Washington, a pair of new road bikes, a Napa Valley weekend trip and random everyday adventures of Kelsey. Do not fear, nothing too exciting has gone on in my life lately...

 

Kidding, that is the opposite of true.

 

Here's what my life's to-do list has recently consisted of:

 

End of internship, aka find a job

 

Find a new place to live

 

Move

 

Not too bad right? Then Andrew threw a nice little element in there, and we GOT ENGAGED!!

 

So now, my to-do list is a little bit longer:

End of internship, aka find a job CHECK

Find a new place to live CHECK

Move CHECK

Unpack, reorganize, make a home DEFINITELY NOT A CHECK YET

Get married

Plan a reception


Mind you, each of those new tasks has about 92389 additional details within it. Change your name, buy a dress, find a venue, decide on a date, get military friendly, send invitations, make a guest list, don't go broke, get a marriage license, contemplate having Subway cater to save money, taste cakes, buy waterproof mascara, and the list goes on. and on. and on. As the list continues to grow, I just have to keep telling myself "I will not be a bridezilla. I will not get an ulcer. I will not take Xanax."

 

 

So. That is where I have been. And despite that list, here I sit and a Starbucks (because, of course, our new condo has no Internet yet), JUST to fill you in. Yes that's right, this latte is for you. Cheers.

The trip to Napa Valley was not only amazing because Andrew proposed, but SUPER AMAZING because we got to share it with two of our very best friends. The weekend was filled with a very special vineyard tour, a rained-out bike tour that turned into a private shuttle tour (just as fun, less soggy), LOTS of yummy food, purple teeth, 9 bottles of wine, visits from Oklahoma friends-turned-California friends, and of course, laughs and fun.

 

 

Other than the amazing engagement, our new condo is close to Tacoma, and saves both Andrew and I about 2 hours of commuting each day. My newest career adventure is a temporary biologist at a zoo in Tacoma; doing just what I did for my internship, but getting paid! The temp title is common in this field, although that doesn't make it any more comforting, because in a few months I'll be right back on the job hunt. Perhaps I'll just start my own business so I can avoid the stress of job searching/starting over each time we move stations.....food for thought....

My latte is getting cold, so until next time!

 

 

Cheers, x's and o's,

 

 

KLM not for long!