My Boyfriend is Adorable

Fernando found this in a thrift store and bought it. At the time I didn't even notice what he was buying but he put it on the mantel and it's possibly the cutest thing in our apartment. We're perfect for each other  :)

Kansas Is Beautiful

Yes pick your jaw off the floor. I said Kansas is beautiful, and it really is gorgeous, especially this time of year. I've always loved simplicity, I'm not very fancy, and Kansas is simplicity at it's best. When people think of Kansas most immediately think boring, flat, country farm land. Yes a lot of Kansas is farm land, but most people fail to see the beauty in farm land. It's a beautiful view of a simpler life many of us know nothing about. Manhattan is not a farm town by any means, but it has a very strong country feel. It's the home of Kansas State University, which boasts almost 50,000 students! The campus was founded in 1863 and many of the original buildings are still standing. Almost all the buildings are made of limestone (and the new ones continue this trend to look like they fit in) both on the campus and on Fort Riley's post. The buildings look like castles and I love it! Manhattan is a little city in the middle of America's Heartland. I'm beginning to love this country city and I thought I'd share some pictures with you.

(I'll post more pictures of the buildings on post soon)

This is on K-State's Campus. One of the old limestone buildings.

Beautiful trees on K-State campus.

This is one of the entrances into our neighborhood (my favorite because of the canopy of trees)

Part of the park across the street from our house. The park is huge, it has a football stadium, baseball fields, a huge outdoor pool/waterpark, tennis courts, and a beautiful towpath. 

One of the "castle" buildings I love so much, also on K-State's campus.

Andrew Bird never ceases to amaze me!

My Uncle sent me this today. I saw Andrew Bird live at Kent State when I was a sophomore, we sat front row and it was hands down one of the best live shows I've ever seen. He is extremely talented and has great stage presence. This looks like a really interesting film and hopefully he decides to release it on DVD, I'd really like to watch the whole thing. Check it out for yourselves!
Andrew Bird Trailer

Pictures!

Since many of you have been asking for photos of our apartment here you go! (these were taken when we first moved in and everything wasn't unpacked yet!)

We have a real fireplace!!!

Giant built in bookshelf (which I completely took over)

kitchen table in a little eating area off the kitchen

our living room is giant, this is just one corner

wall of windows across from the couches

kitchen

kitchen #2

hallway. bathroom on right, bedroom straight ahead

bathroom

bedroom

it's actually one giant closet with two separate doors (things still to be unpacked on the floor)

doorway. there is a huge walk-in closet/room to the right (which has become Fernando's "Military Closet") and a smaller coat closet to the left

Our New Kitty!

This is our new kitty, her name is Juneau (yes like the city in Alaska). We originally had a different kitty but he was biting and hissing a lot so we had to take him back. We adopted Juneau from a humane shelter this morning, they think she is a pure bread himalayan!

Isn't she beautiful!!??

True Love

This picture made me cry the first time I saw it. It's possibly the saddest yet sweetest picture I have ever come across. Thought you should all see it too.

"The night before the burial of her husband 2nd Lt. James Cathey of the United States Marine Corps, killed in Iraq, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of "Cat", and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept.
"I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it" she said.
"I think that's what he would have wanted"."

New State. New Life. New Blog

Well since many of you want to know what I'm up to, and I don't always have the time to call you all back, I figured this blog should satisfy everyone.

So we're finally all settled in Manhattan, Kansas. Our apartment is super nice (really big!) and it has a real fireplace! Which we love. We've already had one fire, but most nights it's still been too warm. The weather is super nice here, very different from Ohio. It's almost always sunny here, rarely overcast, which is easy to get used to. It was 70 degrees and sunny all last week and is just starting to cool down now. The trees are changing and the harvest moon is out! Speaking of, the harvest moon is gorgeous! It's like nothing I've ever seen!
I've begun to make a few friends here. Fernando's army friends seem to like me, my cooking helps I'm sure! I also have plans to start swimming laps a few days a week with Deanna, who is married to one of Fernando's army friends.
Overall everything is going well. I'm still getting used to being away from home, but so far I really like Manhattan. Kansas is certainly not as bad as everyone makes it out to be!

Hope this satisfies your curiosity for now!

-Taylor