Welcome

Hi! Hello! Welcome! Alooooooooha!

Growing up, my friends used to joke that I lived “jelly side up.” Now – after nearly 20 years as a military spouse (and moving 10 times in the last 8 years!) – landing “jelly side up” has taken on a whole new meaning. So whether you recently received orders to a new station or have, in fact, already relocated, I hope this research helps you live “jelly side up” too!

My goal in creating “Jelly Side Up” was to put all of my favorite finds from various duty stations in one place to help you make the most out of your 1, 3, or 20 years. It seems that those of us who are happiest in this weird military life – uprooting every three or so years – are those who want to take full advantage of the exploring the variety of living across the US. There is so much beauty to see, so many new friends to meet, and so many experiences to soak up. I’m not quite so positive while wading knee-deep through moving boxes of refreshing Zillow for the 26th time; but in general, getting the opportunity to live in a snowy cabin in Alaska, in a beachside paradise on the north shore of Hawaii – and even in a little anywheresville rancher in the swamps of Louisiana – has been nothing short of incredible.

Creating this website has been a passion-project for a long time. However, during the “COVID-era”, going back through old bucket list remnants became the perfect antidote to being stuck at home during a pandemic – pregnant – with two toddlers and a husband in med school. Remembering the joy of exploring the world reminded me how lucky we are to be able to experience a totally new area of the country every few years.

However, while much of this info is evergreen, 1) some of these stations have changed quite a bit or 2) I – myself – have changed quite a bit (*cough kids cough*), so please trust your gut as to what “fun” means to you at your current stage of life.

It can be incredibly overwhelming to move to a new place, especially with all of the other military BS to deal with, but I really hope one photo, idea, or bucket list gets you just a little bit more excited about PCSing. So here goes: here’s a few of my favorite things to do from some of the military bases where we’ve been lucky to be stationed. I hope you enjoy exploring as much as I have!

May you always land “jelly side up” 🙂

Holly

My first official bucket list while in NYC doing a summer internship after my junior year of college. Five friends shared a 2-bedroom apartment and our goal was to explore all New York had to offer – one of the best summers ever and the beginning of my addiction to bucket-listing!