Welcome! This blog is a recorded journal of part of my life; a lifestyle blog that features a little bit of many topics such as travel, photography, running, hiking, crafting, sewing, gardening, health, food, and parenting.
This blog is a transfer and continuation of my original blog which I started in 2011 to allow our family and friends to follow our life while we were stationed (Air Force) in South Korea for a year. It developed into a photo travel blog as I explored that country and traveled to others. Original blog: www.johnnieandangela.blogspot.com
In 2012, we got stationed in Hawaii and had baby C. The blog then transformed into a record of my pregnancy and then became our daughter’s baby book so that our loved ones, whom we lived far from, could watch her grow (including J, who was gone for work for most of my pregnancy and much of C’s first 3 years). Unfortunately, housing in Hawaii (we lived in 3 long-term houses and 2 short-term houses) presented environmental challenges which caused Dulce, C, and I to all develop separate health issues (on top of the pre-eclampsia and c-section I was already recovering from) that took years to recuperate from, made more challenging by the fact that J was away so often. During all that time I stopped blogging to focus on healing us all.
When we moved from Hawaii in 2015, J took a life-changing trip to Uruguay for language school en route while C, Dulce, and I went ahead to the mainland. We were stationed in Georgia from 2015-2017 where J deployed for an entire year. After that, we were stationed in Virginia from 2017-2020 and were there when the world shut down due to Covid. J retired from the Air Force in 2020 and his next career was on hold due to the pandemic, so we bought an RV and traveled the country full-time for a year. After our travels, we bought a beautiful “forever house” in Gig Harbor, Washington. Life was lovely but it felt “off”. In an effort to fix it, I agreed to an impulsive decision to move to Seattle in 2023, but shortly after moving, I found out that the love of my life wasn’t who I thought he was… he is my greatest disappointment. Had I known then what I know now, I never would have moved to Seattle because it isolated me and negatively impacted C and Dulce. We are still in the city for now but are awaiting our next move.
Sometimes things don’t turn out the way we thought they would, because we are meant for something different. I can now see the blessing in the breaking; the incredible opportunity this is to create an amazing new life for myself and my daughter. I was not broken, I was forged in the fire and made stronger. I know the second half of my life will be better than the first, because what is there to fear when you’ve already walked through flames? Go live your life and live it well.
Who I am:
My name is Angela. I am a 40-something year old Pennsylvania girl now living in Seattle by way of 22 homes within 8 states and 2 countries. I’m a mama to one fantastic kid (C) and one sweet senior dog (Dulce). I have a B.S. in Elementary Education, an M.Ed. in Instructional Technology, and certificates in Plant Based Nutrition and Medicinal Plants. I have had careers as a school teacher (teaching in 5 states), an Instructional Technology Specialist at a university, and a photo studio photographer and manager. I am a mom, a teacher, a photographer, and a maker.
What does a “A Lot and A Couple” mean?
The name “A Lot & A Couple” came about because of my daughter. When she was 3 years old and I would say to her, “I love you a lot,” she would reply, “I love you a lot… and a couple.” I chose A Lot and A Couple as my blog and business name because it is a message of love and it allows room for growth.
Thank you for joining me!
