Here at Just Over That Next Hill, Kelly and Todd mostly write about:
But if you really want to know what you’ll get out of subscribing here, I think this post kind of sums up our philosophy:
So who are we?
About Kelly:
I grew up in extreme rural Iowa. By this I mean I started life in a region 15 miles at the near end of a dead-end road all gravel travel to Woodbine, Iowa. I attended k-12 there.
I was the youngest, an adopted child, raised with two older brothers, without much to do. I picked up four o’clock seeds, played by the creek, and walked for miles in the country, always looking for something new. This was a base for my need for exploration. My uncles lived in Colorado, so I “accidentally” caught the hiking bug.
I met my birth parents when I was 25. It was pivitol for me, as learning where I came from led me to strive for more than I ever thought possible. Despite the confusion having five brothers and no sisters made me strong.
I had not had a soft life, BUT my endurance propelled me towards offering more for my children and my students. I had 4 biological children within a 17 year span and had a hand in raising many step children, nieces and nephews along the way.
I have worn many hats professionally. From a farm worker, to a grocery clerk and a licensed insurance agent to a ground breaking stock agent at Ameritrade. I am proudest to have raised my children well and to currently serve as a Registered Behavior Technician in a local school district.
My true passion is probably rooted in music, but now travel, hiking and photography are at the top of my list!
About Todd:
I grew up as an Air Force brat who was lucky enough to travel all over the world. I lived in Hawaii for most of elementary school and junior high, then moved to southern California for a few years, before graduating from high school and spending my early adulthood at an Air Force base in England.
After my dad retired and moved us to Florida, I lasted about 6 months before I hitch hiked to the recruiters office and joined the Air Force myself. I served 24 years as na active duty weather forecaster, again, literally all over the world, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
In 2014, I retired from the Air Force and was lucky enough to get a civil service job also forecasting weather for the Air Force. I moved around several times since then, but currently find myself supervising the weather station at Libby Army Airfield in Sierra Vista, Arizona. This will almost certainly be my last job before I retire a second time.
Over the course of my life I will have had a part in raising 10 kids (5 by birth, 5 steps). Kelly an I currently still have 3 teenagers in the house, and one of my high school aged daughters lives with her mom in Texas. I also have eight grandkids. Unfortunately most are on the other side of the country … one of the reasons we are looking forward to traveling after I retire.
My favorite hobby is photography. But I also enjoy reading, doing word puzzles, and sometimes catching a good comedy show on one of the far too many streaming services we subscribe to.
I consider myself an optimist. But it’s a long-term kind of view. In the moment I can sometimes be as grouchy and disagreeable as anybody else.
I’m working on that. 😎
