15 Reasons Why I Love Kristopher

I'm officially 2/3 of the way done with mine and Kristopher's first army separation. The end seems so close, yet so far away. But now that I can see the finish line in the near future, I'm definitely missing him more than ever.

I know I've talked a lot about how much I love him and how much he means to me but I've never explained why I love him. So I thought I'd share why Kristopher is so amazing with my readers and the world.

1. He pushes me to be the best person that I can be. He doesn't ever let me settle.

2. He is the most supportive, generous and kind-hearted person that I've ever met.

3. I could get lost in his blue eyes.

4. He is hard-working and dedicated in everything that he does.

5. He treats me like a princess and loves me the way that I've always wanted to be loved.

6. He makes me laugh. This is seriously the best way to my heart.

7. He tries his best to be romantic every day and puts in a lot of time and effort to do so.

8. He lets me be myself and doesn't judge me.

9. He would give his life for his family.

10. He doesn't care about what other people think of him.

11. He is very laid-back, which balances out my "worry-wart" personality.

12. He is an amazing listener.

13. He loves my family as much as he loves his own.

14. He's really silly and is a kid at heart, just like me.

15. His smile, his laugh and his personality make me want to be a better person and make me happy every day of my life, whether in person or via Skype dates.

These are only 15 of the hundreds of reasons that I love him but if I listed them all, we'd be here all year! I can't wait until we're reunited again but that day is almost here! Hurry up, December!

Happy Monday!

-Chelsea

Nature Walk

One of the benefits of living in Florida is being near the Everglades. Today was another scorching hot day. Isn't it supposed to be fall? Apparently, Florida didn't get the memo.

Oh well.

But despite the intense heat, my mother and I wanted to get out of the house for a bit and enjoy some fresh air. So, we made a trip on over to the Everglades to take a nature walk. It was so serene, peaceful and just all-around beautiful. I hadn't been there for a while but it was nice to take a walk down memory lane.

I think that the last time that I took a nature walk there I was in the 4th grade?

Oh my gosh, that was 11 years ago! Where did all the time go?

But of course, in true blogging fashion, I had to take some photographs of this amazing, wonderful place. Isn't nature just lovely?

I've said before that I am not going to pretend to call myself a photographer but I do enjoy trying to capture these moments and places for myself and for you guys. I'm going to be moving soon and I'm trying to cram as many Floridian benefits and experiences as possible before I leave. The Everglades is definitely something that helps define Florida's true character and beauty. And I'm pretty sorry that I don't give it the attention it deserves. 

So I'm really glad that I went today and I hope that you enjoyed these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them. I'll probably go back a few times before I move because I know that I'll regret it if I don't. 

I especially loved the reading/relaxing spaces that were built. I can totally picture myself sitting there reading or writing while enjoying nature. 

It was good to get out and it's something that I hardly ever do. So what are you guys waiting for? Finish reading this blog post and go head outside from some real-life adventure! 

Or not. It's your call really! :)

But thanks for dropping by! What are your weekend plans? 

-Chelsea 

What I've Learned This Week: Week 7

Welcome to another edition of What I've Learned This Week! Ironically, this is week 7 of the series and it is 7 weeks from today that my husband comes home on leave!

THIS WEEK I LEARNED THAT...



1. ... even though failure is hard, it really does help shape who you are. You can either stop trying or you can try again. I'm choosing to try again.

2. ... sometimes you have to cut people some slack. They're only human.

3. ... you shouldn't sweat the small stuff. If you do, it suddenly becomes the big stuff and becomes unnecessary stress. And trust me, no one wants that.

4. ... I'm slowly turning into my mother and I'm really happy about that, even if it was unintentional. I hope to be just like my mom when I'm older.

5. ... you can either let memories of past mistakes haunt you or you can learn from and laugh about them. It's all about perspective. Plus, most other people don't remember those mistakes anyway.

This week has definitely been an eye-opener but a good one, definitely.

What life lessons did you learn this week?

-Chelsea

I Can't Smile

Ever since I was a little girl, I hated my teeth. I had really big buck teeth and I was constantly ridiculed because of them. I would love to say that teeth don't matter at all but let's be honest, teeth are important.

So elementary school was a hard time for me because, again let's be honest, kids can be cruel sometimes. And I was an easy target. So I tried as hard as I could to hide my smile and when I did smile, I would only do so without showing my teeth, unless forced to do so.

See? No teeth. 

But when I was 12, I got braces put on and every day, when I look into the mirror, I silently praise the person who came up with them and of course, my orthodontist, Dr. T. They are seriously one of the best things to ever happen to me. I can attempt to smile without being embarrassed because, for once, I have normal, straight teeth.

Did you notice that I said "attempt" to smile? I spent so many years hiding my smile, even when I had braces, because I was so embarrassed by the metal and rubber bands. Sure, I loved the end result but their presence was just as embarrassing to me as my messed up smile. It was like a constant reminder that I had bad teeth, on top of my already extremely low self-esteem.

(**I understand that tons of kids have braces at some point in their lives but this is only my experience.**)

Still no teeth! :/

I got my braces off when I was either 16 or 17; I honestly don't remember. But even though I love my teeth now, I can't smile, especially for pictures. I always look so awkward and uncomfortable because showing my teeth off is still weird to me. I try to take normal pictures and show off my pearly whites and sometimes I actually think that I look good. But most times, I over-think and freak myself out, which ends up being conveyed in the photos. So I hate most pictures of me but hey, I'm at least I'm trying.

I wish that it could just be natural to me but for now, it's not in the cards for me.

Hopefully one day this won't be a problem for me anymore and I can show my smile with confidence. Until then, I'll just keep trying to make progress.

-Chelsea

Meet Taylor!

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I advertise my blog on it all the time. One day, a fellow mil/so (military significant other) reached out to me and asked me about the process of starting a blog. She said that she had been thinking about it but just didn't know how to get it off the ground. So, being the blog aficionado that I am, I was delighted that someone else had taken in interest in blogging.

I told her about blogger, she created an account, and I am pleased to announce that she has published her first post! I definitely think that you should stop by her blog, read her posts, follow her and just get to know her better! She is a lovely, talented girl with a lot to share with the world! So check her out here.

If you stop by, tell her that I sent you there! And give her some love! It takes guts to share your thoughts and life on the internet!

Well, what are you waiting for!? Go check her out!

-Chelsea

The Halloween Tag!

1. What is your favorite Halloween movie?
Hocus Pocus! 

2. What is your fondest Halloween memory?
 Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

3. Have you always been a Halloween lover?
I've become a huge Halloween lover over the past two years but as a kid, not really. 

4. How do you get into the Halloween spirit?
My family and I make our costumes together. 

5. Favorite Halloween decorations?
The fall decorations around Walt Disney World

6. Favorite Halloween/fall scent?
I don't really have one, maybe cinnamon? 

7. Favorite candy?
3 Musketeers bars

8. Vampires or zombies?
Vampires but not like in the Twilight movies. More like Dracula or The Night Huntress series.

9. What is your weird/odd fear?
I'm afraid of any and all reptiles. 

10. Last but not least, do you believe in ghosts?
Sure, why not?

If you want to fill out the survey, I encourage you to do so! If you fill it out, leave me a link! I'd love to read your answers!

-Chelsea 

25 Little Things I Live For

1. Getting so immersed in a book that I stay up all night reading it

2. That first cup of hot chocolate in the winter

3. The smile on my husband's face

4. Spoiling my little sister

5. My parents telling me how proud they are of me

6. Waking up to see my dog wagging his tail and smiling at me

7. Lazy days watching Disney movies


8. Writing my blogs and/or stories

9. Driving with the convertible top down on a gorgeous day

10. The pride I feel when I tell people my husband is in the army

11. The first steps onto Main Street U.S.A. in Walt Disney World


12. That first sip of coffee in the morning

13. Hugs from my sister

14. Finding the perfect dress when I'm out shopping

15. Reminiscing of my amazing wedding day

16. Visiting my grandmother and hearing her stories

17. That moment when I cross everything off of my to-do list

18. Lunch dates with my friends at school

19. That feeling I get when I finish a workout


20. Learning more about myself

21. That carefree and worry-free feeling I get when I swim in the ocean

22. Connecting with someone on a personal level

23. Reading nice comments from my readers

24. Spending quality time with my family before I move away

25. Appreciating the little things in life



What do you live for?

-Chelsea