Showing posts with label moving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label moving. Show all posts

3.26.2014

ramblings

(Happy Birthday tomorrow, Katie!)

Working part time and subbing occasionally leaves me at home alone a lot, with no one of human intelligence to talk to. Bailee and Olive are super great listeners, but awful advice givers. So, lucky you. I'm grasping for human contact. Listen to my words so I stop talking to dogs and the walls around me.

Things have felt pretty slow this week. Especially in comparison to the first two weeks of March.
My brother and his girlfriend came and visited us for a week and then one of our old youth from Florida came and stayed also. Our house was full of memories and fun times. The best way to spend days if you ask me!

Last week, the stomach bug hit us hard. First Husband, then it inevitably hit me. Only mine decide to stay and turn into a cold/flu. (And I didn't even lose a single pound. What good is a stomach flu if you don't lose some extra weight?!) Today was the first time I woke up and was able to take a full breath. Which is perfect timing because next week is our Spring break and we are taking 30 youth to Ohio for a mission trip. I've never been to Ohio, so I'm pretty excited to explore. Bonus, it's only 5 hours away (compared to our Spring break mission trip last year, which was 14 hours away in Arlington, TX.) I'm a Texas girl through and through (fun fact: my 5 times Great Grandfather was one of the signers for the Texas Declaration of Independence) but I'm not a fan of 14 hour road trips with hormonal/crazy and teens. (But if you are one of those teens reading this, I love you so so big.)

My friend had a small birthday celebration in Nashville this past weekend. We tried to get into The Pharmacy but an hour and a half wait was not so appetizing. So, we found the cutest Mexican restaurant and still ended up waiting an hour and half, but totally worth it. We live down the road from Nashville, but I always forget about it. I'm sure there's all kinds of exploring to be done in that grand city. I'm a lover of big cities. Not a fan of cow towns. I've had my fill of those. I like knowing there's something cool happening at any given moment. Good or bad, I know...but I focus on the good.

I found a wood wick candle look alike without the crazy expensive price tag. So, there's that.

(Insert rant of bad hair experience #45867. If I've seen you face to face in the last month, you've already heard this story and you can skip to the next paragraph.)
I got my hair cut a few weeks ago. I was forming dreads and my ombre was boring me, so I figured I needed a trim and new color. Well, can I just say, there are few things more frustrating than finding the right hair stylist. We've been here almost a year and half and I still haven't found "the one." I may be too picky, but it's my hair! I'm allowed to be picky! Now, my hair is thick. Like, too thick. And every time I go to a new hair lady, they go on and on about the thickness of my hair. They call all the ladies around to touch and feel and lift my crazy amount of hair. I'm 100% used to it. I don't know any different, because I've always had this hair. Well, this new lady kept on commenting how much hair I had. After the 20th time, I started to get nervous. I started to realize maybe she didn't exactly know how to cut and style this kind of hair. I had a roommate in college who had crazy gorgeous curly curly hair and I remember her struggle of finding people who would dare touch her locks. (She did however let me cut it once, only once though. Maybe that's a sign.) Never did I think my thickness would cause a professional to stumble. Well, homegirl stumbled. Instead of thinning my hair (you know, those scissors that don't cut all the way through?) she straight up cut chunks into my hair. I'm not talking layers. No, random chunks missing. And, because my hair was "too thick," there's spots all over where she didn't put any dye at all. Folks, my hair is half the amount it usually is. Of course, that probably puts me in the average of how much hair people normally have, but I don't know what to do with it! I've got a half mullet on one side where she was trying to "get rid of the thickness." I have to wrap the ponytail holder another time, I don't have as much volume, goodness. Not cool.

Our lease is up in December and we are not going to renew it. Which means.... house hunting and buying our first house! I'm so so so ready. I LOVE moving and unpacking and painting and decorating. Ahhh, I get so carried away on Pinterest. So ready to put some of those pins into action. Maaaaybe I've already been "window shopping" for houses. Probably not the best idea since I get too emotionally attached to items, but I can't help it! Sue me.

Actually, don't sue me. We have nothing you'd want.

After taking a year away from teaching, God has shown me that perhaps I do belong in the classroom. The desires have come back, I will admit. Although, just the other day I woke up wanting to be a doula and then a photographer and then "You've Got Mail" came on and my biggest dream of being a children's bookstore owner came back to me. So, whatever it is, a full time job is in my near future (hopefully.)

I really wish I loved vegetables and running like I love cheeseburgers and sleeping.

Thank you so much for sitting with me and talking. I really enjoyed it. Same time next week?

1.22.2013

today is...


waking up early for no reason.
getting dressed up to stay home.
unpacking those last few boxes.
decorating the master bedroom.
snuggling with my furbabies and getting sweet kisses.
being lazy, but productive.
running on the elliptical.
painting my nails.
eating leftovers.
going through clothes to give away.
watching beauty and the beast for the millionth time.

 a pretty awesome tuesday.

and yours?

1.10.2013

lately


1 Good-bye old house, Good-bye FL 2 Little girls so worried Daddy won't be coming back from the gas station 3 FL winter 4 Ready for the move!


1 Sunshine and rain (which eventually turned into snow) favorite. 2 Unpacking...also favorite. 3 Husband's new office. Sorry TN, we're still Gators to the bone. 4 I know that name!


1 Lunch with the family. Surprisingly good (despite the name...and no, we didn't order those) 2 Happy New Year! 3 Olive helping Mama by taking care of that pesky bean bag. 4 Bailee helping Mama by guarding those scary boxes.


1 New favorite sandwich place 2 Bailee chillin' between her Daddy's leg and the couch 3 Spending our gift card at Husband's favorite place! 4 My favorite place because of the free desert (plus, Husband hates them...bonus!)


1 The little things make unpacking more fun. Example: shiny, new, red hangers! 2 Frost on my little bug 3-4 Olive being so like her Mother, an anti-morning and anti-camera person.


While getting this post ready, I have come to two conclusions:

1. I really like the new instagram effect, willow.
2. I need to get better at taking pictures of things other than my puppies and inanimate objects.

Sorry about that.

Happy almost Friday!



1.07.2013

Our (new) Home: Living Room

Most of you know, Husband and I packed up and moved from FL-TN. It has always been my dream to live back in the mountains, with the cold winters, snow, and well... mountains! The Lord provided (as He always does) and that lead us here. If we're close, you'd know I love, love, love unpacking. I love decorating, organizing, the whole nine yards. (Except cleaning. Who likes that?!) 

Here are some photos of one of the only rooms completely finished...our living room.
(FYI: This may only be interesting to my family and a few handful of other people. To everyone else, sorry!)







 

There you go! As always, Bailee and Olive had to make their appearance! Next up kitchen (which you can see some of in these pictures.)

Thanks for stopping by!



1.06.2013

Our Saturday (a video)


sleeping in. puppy snuggles. new friends.
mexican food. lazy rides. 
milkshakes. movies.
perfect.

1.01.2013

obligatory new year blog post...

Out with the old, in with the new! Packing up the old house.

I haven't had much time to sit and write (what, with moving and all) but I did want to write some about the excitement of leaving 2012 and moving on to 2013.

In 2012, Husband and I had just moved to a new place for a fresh new start. We knew it would only be for a year and once he finished school, we would be off again. It was perfect for us to escape our past and a lot of baggage. Sort of like a big "time out." We desperately needed it.

That brings us to 2013.

Here we are, just moved again.
This time in a whole new state.
And this time, for good.
(at least until God moves us again...but we are hoping that's down, down, down the road.)

We have only been living in the grand state of Tennessee for a few days, but they have been magical.
God has really been putting things together and we couldn't feel more blessed.
I'm writing to you, sitting in our (new to us) rental home.
It is not moldy, over 100 years old, or infested with cockroaches.
(Unlike the last 2 houses we lived in.)
It's so perfect and I have loooooved unpacking and making it into our little space of this world.

For those of you who don't know, my husband is a youth pastor.
We have fallen in love with our new church, his new place of employment.
I mean, you guys have gone above and beyond to make us feel welcomed.
We had about 15 people over at the house to help us unload and got in done in an hour!
And we had a blast last night, bringing in the new year with 3 other couples.
So great.

So, this isn't a normal "looking over the last year" post.
Partly because I waited until the last minute.
Partly because I'm about to leave and go out on an adventure with one of my old college roommates
(woo hoo...someone I know!)
And partly because I didn't want to.

So there you have it.

We are no longer there.
Goodbye, 2012.

We are here.
Hello, 2013.

P.S. I will be back soon with some picture updates about our move and house.

12.27.2012

We're moving today. To. Day.


So, why am I taking the time to write a blog post, you ask?

Well, I'll tell you.

Because I'm a weirdo who cannot handle the idea of strangers coming into my house, packing all my belongings, and loading them onto a truck.
Even if they are "professionals."
Kind of stresses me out. 
A lot.

That brings me here, to the Hardees down the road.
Sitting in a hard booth, 
freezing to death, 
surrounded by the oldest gentlemen in Graceville.
They have good wifi
and even greater chicken biscuits.

This will be my hide-out until I get the call from Husband telling me all the big, mean, packer-uppers are gone.

Then, we are Tennessee bound. 
Once and for all.

I hope everyone had wonderful-family-friend-awesome-funtimes this Christmas season.

I'll be back later for a fun, traditional bloggy recap of the year 2012.

Until then, enjoy your day and pray that my OCD-control problems don't make me go crazy. 
Or hurt the packer/loaders.

12.20.2012

10 things...


1. It's been raining all day. Which makes it a lot harder to get things done. All I want to do is curl up and read...or watch White Christmas for the 100th time this year.

2. Tomorrow is my Dad's birthday. It's also apparently the end of the world. That should be interesting.

3. My birthday is Christmas Eve, but I haven't been still enough to think about it. How old will I be? Oh, and I totally failed on my 24 before 24. I'm ashamed.

4. I wish I could snap my fingers and be in Tennessee.

5. I love unpacking and making house. Love.

6. I don't know that I want to teach forever. There, I said it.

7. I'm addicted to Candy Crush.

8. I'm ready to have a real, sweet, perfect birthday and Christmas with my Husband. The past 2 years we have been moving. Not fair at all.

9. Can I have snow?

10. We need a bigger bed. Apparently I kicked Husband out last night. He was on the floor when I woke up this morning. Sorry, Handsome.

12.18.2012

Dear Handsome,


Our life got crazy real fast. With 2 job offers, multiple road trips, and searching for the perfect house (all in the past 3 weeks), I believe we completely skipped over the fact that you finally graduated. I'm so proud of you, Handsome. I know it was hard and at times, seemingly "useless," but you did it. I know it took longer than expected, but if you had stayed with it and didn't take as long...you would have been gone before I even got there and we never would have met. So, that makes it okay with me. You stuck with it and I know it was to better our future. With the sleepless nights studying, the hours of writing, and the dates missed due to school... I feel as though that degree is just as much mine! But you deserve it 100%. These next couple of days are going to be unbelievably stressful. Packing up one house and moving to a different state (throw in my birthday and Christmas somewhere) is crazy and exciting. There's no one else I'd rather have by my side though. You stress me out but calm me down. You make me frustrated but bring such laughter. You're both ridiculous and perfect. I'm sorry I've let life get to me, to us. 
Like you always tell me, "We're in this together, Beautiful." 
I believe you, Handsome. 
And I thank you. 

12.13.2012

the time has come...


You guys remember (this post), right?
Where I was eagerly awaiting December 7, 2012?
That time has come and gone 
and it did not disappoint.
The day after Husband's graduation, 
we road-tripped up to the beautiful state of Tennessee.
After staying the weekend, 
falling in love with the environment, 
and praying super hard...

God finally revealed his plan.


A full-time youth pastor position.

At an amazing church.

In beautiful Murfreesboro, TN.



I'm finally getting my mountains. 

11.20.2012

We went to Texas!

The Crews' family packed up and headed to Texas!
It was definitely a "yee haw" time!




The hotels were booked, so they had to put us up in a bed in breakfast. 
It truly was a sacrifice, but I somehow survived. 
Maybe it was my sweet husband serving me breakfast in bed at a bed and breakfast.

We got to see the beautiful Palo Duro Canyon. 
Such an unexpected sight to see in the middle of flat lands!

 Of course, no trip to Amarillo is complete without seeing the "Cadillac Ranch!"
We even found some paint cans and got to tag a few.

To say that it was slightly windy would be an understatement!







I have to say, the best part of coming home is having our little family together under one roof.

Happy Thanksgiving week, from us to you!