Friday, October 18, 2013

Positively Happy

I think that the secret to having a successful and happy life is to surround yourself with positivity. I also believe that you can't expect something like this to "just happen". Nope, sorry, but you have to do the footwork in order to create your positive life.
I've complained about the annoyances that come along with being a military wife on and off. I think we're all entitled to complain about things a little, regardless of what your situation might be. It took me way too long to appreciate what the experience has given me. If it weren't for the military I would have never met my husband. I would be stuck in the same place I grew up, probably doing whatever job I could find, and quite possibly living in an apartment with an annoying roommate. I would've never met many of the amazing friends that I talk to on an almost daily basis.
Recently I've been on the receiving end of some really positive happenings. First, my family has been stationed in New England. I LOVE New England, I've been nothing but happy since we arrived. Secondly, we've found the home of our dreams here. I really thought it was out of the question for me to find a beautiful Victorian style home with all of the things that we want from it. I'm still rubbing my eyes and wondering if it could possibly be real.
Last night, I was also on the receiving end of a call telling me that I would be able to do what I love to earn money. I will be teaching paint & sip parties within the next couple of months! Even better is that I've been blessed to be acquainted with the business owner, because I will not be handing the business side of things. This most likely won't be my only source of income, I'm continuing to look for jobs in the local hospitals to pick up experience in health care. Ultimately, I do want to return to school for my Masters in Nutrition. 
I think that I owe all of these amazing happenings to the fact that I let go of the negativity in my life. Any people or experiences that were continuous catalysts to negative thinking or interactions are out. Since I decided to do so and take action for myself I've been so happy. People who sit there and "let things happen" can hardly expect to be happy with life. 
I just want to say thank you to my friends that have been there for me in the rough times. When the others bailed and you were there for me, that is when I realized that friendship is not measured by how long you know someone (although, I do still have some really great friends from childhood). I'm so excited to share my successes and hopefully open my home to you. 
-Lindsey

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Roadtripping 101

Holy wow! The last month and a half has been nothing short of a whirlwind. I spent the better part of my time driving across the United States with my husband and daughter. John and I had been planning this trip for the entire 4 years that we lived in Hawaii, and it was well worth it.
The Route
Our route was an interesting one due to the sights we were wanting to see. We first flew into Seattle/Tacoma Washington from Honolulu,HI. That was a happy occasion for me because it marked the last long flight from the Hawaiian islands for me! We picked up my car in Tacoma where it had been shipped in from Hawaii (shipping a vehicle can be a very complex process, we had to pay for this vehicle since the USN only pays for one). So here are the states that we drove through in order:
1.Washington
2.Oregon
3.California
4.Arizona
5.Nevada
6.Utah
7.Idaho
8.Montana
9.Wyoming
10.South Dakota
11.Minnesota
12.Wisconsin
13.Illinois
14.Indiana
15.Pennsylvania
16.New York
17.Massachussetts
18.Connecticut
With the inclusion of our original starting point of Hawaii we had been in 19 states over the course of a 3 week period. I'm not going to go into detail about each state in this post because, well, we'd be here all day.
My Advice for a Successful Roadtrip
Our roadtrip was awesome! At first, the idea of traveling with a 2 and a half year old was the most daunting thing, but our daughter was a trooper! She rolled with whatever we did without too much complaint. Our greatest saviors when dealing with her were lots of snacks, drinks, and allowing her to watch movies as we drove. 100% of the stuff we did was family friendly and we enjoyed all of it. The only place that we plan on returning to without our daughter would be Las Vegas.
My biggest piece of advice for anyone planning a lengthy roadtrip is to make a general plan of where you hope to be on particular days. My husband made an itinerary that included the travel time plus the stops where we would be staying. Also, plan on veering away from the itinerary sometimes. Roadtrips offer the opportunity of finding hidden gems to visit as you travel. We stopped at a few tacky/fun roadside attractions that made our trip a little more colorful.
(That is me standing next to the very large statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox in the Redwood National Forest, CA)
Another big tip, take time to stop at the more natural wonders. It's ok to want to be cliche and visit the Grand Canyon! Check out the national parks, Teddy Roosevelt would want you to (after the government shut down is over).
There is no perfect way to do a road trip, just make it your own. More in depth postings about our stops will be coming soon!
-Lindsey