Back To School Spring Edition

It's almost that time again. Classes start January 20th at K-State so I still have a little over a week but I'm at that point in my break where I am ready! So I think. Then I remind myself just how mentally drained I was at the end of the fall semester and I quickly revert back to break mode. But that doesn't mean I can't get the fun stuff ready! I have bought my textbooks, shiny new pencils and erasers (I'm a Math Major so I can never have enough pencils!) and a brand new bag! I love new school supplies and it definitely gets me excited about that first day back. 

In the fall, I used a backpack from The North Face. I love that backpack but with my schedule this semester, I won't be on campus as long or have as many classes each day so I don't really need the support the back pack gives me when I'm making those long walks across campus. All but one of my classes are in the Math building so I wanted a good quality tote that would hold the things I would need for a couple of classes. I settled on this Longchamp Le Pliage tote in Large. The tote itself is well made and suits my needs perfectly. And it's purple. I wasn't a purple fan until I started going to K-State. Now I own the color purple. Wildcat pride!

I am using the same planner I used last semester for keeping track of assignments and I still love it. It is a personalized Life Planner from Erin Condren. You can get $10 off your first order if you use my referral link to sign up. I also found this super cute Kate Spade pencil case that went well with my planner cover and this Coach wristlet in purple! (I don't think the purple is available anymore).  I don't carry a purse when I am on campus and like the convenience and size of a wristlet to keep my keys and money in. 

I always carry my iPad mini with me. My Calculus book is about 2 inches thick and I swear the thing weighs 10 pounds so instead of lugging that brick around with me, I have the ebook that I can pull up on my iPad and it won't break my shoulders. I never leave the house without my iPhone 6 and earbuds. I have a few of my books this semester on audio which will be nice to listen to driving to campus or walking around when it warms up some! 

I have packed and repacked my bag a dozen times. It's neat and tidy. And in denial. At the end of the semester it will be a hot mess. For now, I can appreciate the newness. This semester is going to be a good one. New friends, new classes and new adventures. But not for another 9 days. What's in your bag?

The Cold never bothered me anyway

Christmas break is over. School is back in session.       

Just kidding. 

My kids went to back to school today and it was so peaceful. I enjoyed my coffee, watched last night's episode of The Bachelor without interruptions and even went and enjoyed breakfast with some girl pals. Kansas State doesn't start back until the 20th and I was thoroughly looking forward to the quiet. Then the text message came. School is canceled tomorrow because of extreme wind chills and below zero temperatures. Wait..what?? I didn't even know that was a thing. 

I've lived in many places, most of which get very little snow and when the white stuff does fall, the world stops. Businesses and schools close. People stay at home and don't leave their house. No one knows what to do or how to act which makes for some very dangerous driving conditions. I fully expected that here when we moved to Kansas. But the snow came. Several times already and off we went. Now they are saying we are under a wind chill advisory and it could feel as cold as minus 19 degrees. To this Texas girl, that is unheard of. When we drove from Texas to Washington we stayed the night at a hotel in Boulder, Colorado. The actual temperature was minus 17. We survived. Evidently though, those conditions in Kansas call for a cease operations. So I shall put off my plans in the morning to swim laps with the girls in the heated pool at the Y and stay in bed, under my covers cuddling with my littles. The National Weather Service and the State of Kansas thinks it's a good idea and who am I to argue? Stay warm if you are out there. It's going to be a cold one. 

Happy New Year 2015

I woke up a few days ago and it was 2015. Say what?!?! It has been a crazy year in our house. We moved across the country from Washington to Kansas because Mr. Army told us to. We added a deployment to our history tree and survived our first scorching summer in Kansas. Around the time school started, I made it a point to say I would start blogging regularly. I had no idea when I said that, what the fall would bring.

I started my first semester at Kansas State University. One thing about trying to finish school when you're a military family...it's hard. You know the process of applying to the college, registering, enrolling for classes, applying for financial aid and making sure every department gets the documents they need so you have no holds on your account? Well, you have to do that every single time you transfer. All over again. Add to it getting transcripts sent and trying to figure out which classes transfer and the new requirements you have to meet. It is a headache the first time you transfer for sure. Since I went back to college in the fall of 2010, I have had to go through that process FOUR TIMES. I missed an entire semester because of our move from Texas to Washington. I changed my major once (after I had taken all the pre-requisite classes for that program - none of which I need for my current major) and that was also a big set back. I managed to graduate with my Associate degree and decide on what I really wanted to be when I grew up. Now I have ended up at K-State. This fall semester was probably the hardest semester I have taken so far. Not because the content was particularly challenging (Ok maybe a little but nothing I couldn't overcome), but because going from the culture of a community college to a large university is like going from country life to city life. My Calculus lecture had about 250 students. I've never been in a class of more than like 40. Learning the expectations and conventions of professors was a dynamic process. More than ever. Because of the schedule I had, I was on campus for sometimes eight hours a day. My time out of that was taken up with studying and taking care of my kids (We were a one parent household the entire semester because of the D). What ended up happening is I had no extra time for blogging, gaming or anything that wasn't school. And kids. But I made it. I finished the semester with a 4.0 GPA (That's all A's). The Christmas was the most I've ever looked forward to a break. Ever. My brain needed a recharge.

I still have a few weeks until the spring semester starts but for now, I am enjoying relaxing and cuddling up with my kids (and cats). I hope I have a little more time for blogging this semester. My schedule doesn't require me to be on campus as much and the husband comes home! Over all, 2014 was a good year. It came with new adventures, new challenges and some great new friends. I am looking forward to see what 2015 has to offer. I think it's going to be a good year.

Birchbox August 2014

It's Birchbox time! Just a quick what is it. Birchbox is a monthly subscription service. For ten dollars a month you get 4-5 beauty samples delivered to your mailbox. Birchbox has a rocking rewards and points system. If you review the products you receive you get 10 points for each review. When you reach 100 points you get 10 bucks to spend in the store. It's really the best out there. I usually get 10 dollars every other month and I'll either save it up for that big purchase I have my eye on or I'll use it to replenish an old favorite.

This month's box contained Noir Cosmetics Long-Wear Eyeliner, Vasanti Detox Nutrient-Rich Purifying Facial Cleanser, Nexxus Color Assure Sulfate-Free System, and an Exclusive Model Co Bronzer. I already have and love the shampoo system. I'm excited to try the rest.

If you would like to see what was in my previous Birchboxes, you can click here. 
If you would like to subscribe to Birchbox and try it out for yourself, you can sign up here.

Ipsy August 2014

My Ipsy bag is here! Last month, I was less than thrilled about the makeup bag but my daughter loved it. My youngest fell in love with this cute little bag of which she is now the proud owner. Ipsy is a monthly subscription service. For ten dollars a month you get 4-5 deluxe beauty samples to try. Ipsy also comes with a cute little cosmetic bag every month.

In this month's bag I got Absolute Lip Balm in Green Applie, Dr. Brandy Pores No More Pore Refiner, Urban Decay Perversion Mascara, Coast Scents Forever Blush Sample Duo, and a Lord & Berry Silk Kajal Kohl Eye Pencil. I was most excited about the Urban Decay Mascara. I have already tried it and I love it as a layering Mascara over my Maybelline Rocket Volume Waterproof. The Lip Balm is yummy and hydrating as well.

If you would like to see what I have gotten in past Ipsy bags you can here. 
If you would like to get on the list to try Ipsy yourself you can sign up by clicking here.

The One on the First Day of School

I'm pretty sure it's a tradition for every family with kids. Those first day of school photos. It's a repeat occurrence in our house once a year. So much so, that the kids remind me before I can even pull out my camera. They're a pretty (and handsome) trio. It's bittersweet. The anticipation of a new year mixed with the realization that my kids are growing up so fast. When people say they grow up before your eyes, they aren't kidding. My kids have been in Washington the last three school years so they didn't start school until after Labor Day. It seems strange to be starting already but we just add it onto our list of new adventures that comes with a new duty station. 

This year is going to be an exciting one and very busy. I start my first semester at Kansas State and because of the big D*, the kids will be in an after school program for the first time since, well, ever. It's going to be an adjustment for all of us for sure. I have been incredibly blessed to be able to stay at home with my children but as they grow up, so must I and I'm looking forward to continuing my education. It's almost fall and that means cheerleading, high school football games and holidays. Oh and for Kansas, apparently very cold winters and snow. Who wouldn't be excited for that? (Not this girl!) 

I should be back to blogging fairly regularly now. I took the last two weeks off to enjoy those last days of summer. Bring on the school year!  Hope all your kiddos have a great first day too whenever that may be! 

It Stops With You

I was on my way to bed tonight and I did what I always do. Glance at my Facebook news feed. Usually I see various posts from friends and family saying how their day was, funny photos and cute cat videos. Tonight was different because tonight there on my news feed was a photo that a friend shared. This photo brought tears to my eyes and sadness to my heart. Why you ask? She shared a photo of her and her husband that had been posted to a site on Facebook that bashes military spouses.

Let me tell you about my friend. She is a loving mother and fellow army wife. She is kind and friendly to everyone I know. She is five months pregnant and going to school. She is just like you and me. She supports her husband who is a soldier and raises her family. Because they are not your Hollywood stereotypical military couple, they were photographed solely to be made fun of on the internet. 

The comments on the photo were deplorable. I won't repeat them here. People sit behind their keyboards and think they can say or do anything. They don't care about the impact their words might have on someone. Cyber bullying is a real thing but that is not all that gets me. I have been a part of this military family for almost 16 years. I know there are people that abuse military privileges and expect things that aren't due them. But assuming these things based on how something appears without knowing should be a hate crime. I will never understand why other spouses and even soldiers harass and bash other military families. We should be supporting each other and lifting each other up because no one knows better than us the challenges we face every day. 

To those people that frequent these sites for a few laughs at other people's expense, you should be ashamed of yourself. There is a line and you crossed it tonight. To the person that submitted that photo, you will probably never realize the harm you have done but karma will get you. 

To my friend. You hold your head high. You are beautiful and more special than any of those people. Your family, your husband, your children and your friends love you. I know words can hurt, but look at who is beside you and know that they are what you live for. What anyone else thinks of you does not matter. Words are just words. They may hurt but they don't define you. You set your worth. Not some coward behind a keyboard. This world is harsh. I have seen it. I have lived it. But I have survived and you will too. 

*image credit  Codie Prevost and Stephen Maguire  and  their “Imagine No Bullying” campaign.