Let the dance begin!

Hi ho hi ho it's back to school we go. So Matt and I have been in quite the transitional period, going from commuting 13 hrs to moving in together finally and not only moving but both leaving our jobs and going back to school. Quite a lot of change all at once. As you can see from previous posts we have set up nicely in a ritzy area of a suberb in a nice 2 bdrm apartment and we rather enjoy it here. The weather has been fabulous and the people seem cordial enough.

Right after our cruise we jumped right in to school and so far so good in that aspect. I've been busy with classes and lab rotations and have successfully survived my first set of exams and am about to switch labs in a week. Matt also is doing dandy in school and it is a nice relief for both of us that we see we are capable of accomplishing this task. So far we seem to both be doing decently in school. Matt also has been working hard as a bartender at two different establishments, and is looking forward to cutting back down to just one in a week. I've tried to keep up some minimal reffing on weekends as well to keep my certification valid and to keep some cash flow as well.

With school and working and the apartment coming along fine, we also added a new addition to our family. Her name is Cali and shes a catahoula lepaord hound/lab mix ~ 5 months old and between her and Indy and all of our other responsibilities we are quite busy, but it is nice to have a family of our own this way now.

More Cruise Pictures

Caribbean Cruise

I know I'm a little behind, the whole transition of moving down, going on vacation and starting school all occurred so quickly that it was hard to fathom. We chose to go on a cruise this year for a couple reasons, last years honeymoon was interrupted by the navy calling Matt back which put a damper on things, and with us both starting school it will be a number of years before we can
go on a true vacation again. I also had found a great deal on cruiseshopping.com which gave us a military discount.

We went on a 4 day cruise out of Miami, and spent the night before the Cruise in Miami. It was about a 13 hr drive from where we live in NC to Miami with traffic. We had found a good deal online for the beautiful hotel we stayed at-pictures in previous blog entry.

I had told there was off site parking for the cruise that was cheaper- but it was noooo where near the cruise lines you would have to take a cab or something to make it from there to the cruise lines, so the parking was the rip off part, it would have been better to have someone in the area drop you off.

But once we were on the cruise we forgot about the expensive parking to stay at the hotel and to get to the cruise and had a fabulous time. We went to art auctions and variety shows and comedy shows and every raffle they possibly could have. We won necklaces and souvenirs since we were diligently showing up to all the raffles we actually won quite a bit of free stuff it is great!

The food was incredible and probably our favorite part, we did a far number of days looking at the beach, vs hanging out on the boat. We had a fabulous time and we are so glad we took the time and money to go, definitely was a treat after commuting to see each other the last year and a half.

Night in Miami before our anniversary cruise

This is our nifty hotel that we stayed at the night before our cruise. It was a 13 hr drive, and then the hotel charges 25/car/day for parking but luckily we must have looked shocked and pathetic enough that the guy let us park for free! Yipee!
It was quite a ritzy looking hotel, it was 3.5 stars and the cheapest we could find near the port of Miami but it was great. Luckily we had gotten lunch and brought leftovers because we could not have afforded to eat in this city I don't think...

Blueberry crisp

The blueberry crisp photo.

Creations from my new home

So I've been busy crochetting and cooking up a storm now that we are all settled into our home. I made a baby blanket for my cousin Jon and his wife TJ, and then I've experimented with blueberry crisp which I served ala mode, and I made a peach crepe with an orange creamed glaze. I also made spaghetti bolognaise which was quite tasty. So far everything has turned out deliciouso... we'll see what else I try and create.

New home

So after a crazy month of trying to finish up work, I made it down to visit with family in MD and then finally down to my new home in NC. I frantically unpacked the rest of our home and now it is nice and cozy and prepped to start studying for school.















The green bathroom is the guest bathroom, the lighthouses are our master bath and the blue flower bed is in our bedroom. Then we have the dining room, spare bedroom and living room :)














So

It's here

It's my last day at work and then I will be on the road and rolling on home. I can't believe it is here, after a month of grueling hours to try and finish everything, I feel confident that I did the best I can to prep my job for someone else to take over. So with that thought, I'll finish up today as much as I can and then head the road and visit some family in Maryland as I journey down to a new life in Carolina. I'll post pics of our new home soon!

Yipee! Matt's got a job!

So I'm super stoked! Matt went down to NC earlier then I did so that he could work on setting up his GI bill paperwork so he can go to college, as well as looking for a part time job for while he studies. He interviewed with a couple places and last week got a call to start working for AMF bowling as their part time bartender, so he has completed 3 shifts so far and things appear to be going well. He seems to enjoy it and we are relieved that he has a job!

He also is all set with his fall classes, he completed his placement exam and orientation so he was then able to sign up for fall classes. Luckily for him I have taken all of the classes he will be taking first semester, so in theory I should be able to help him if he has questions as he gets back in the swing of going to school.

Last week at work and then I'll finally be joining my family down in NC :) Can't wait

Wahoo

Ok so I'm getting excited now! In exactly 2 wks I'll have my last day at work :( which is sad if you think about it on it's own, but then I'll hit the road visit family in MD very briefly while I make my ride down to my home below the mason dixon line wahoo. Only 2 more weeks until Matt and I will finally be done commuting for good. WHAT A RELIEF!

Also exciting news, Matt has been busy down in NC doing stuff to get ready for his classes as well as job hunting and he got a job offer last night :) He is going to be the full time evening bartender for the AMF bowling near the house. So bonus that the schedule works out for him that he can do full time instead of part time like we first expected for him as well as him and I get to bowl for a dollar :) so at least we know we have the opportunity for a cheap date night- if he actually wants to go back on his night off... that I doubt lol. I'm not sure yet of his schedule but he'll go in today to set up his training schedule and do paperwork.

He's also down there dogsitting Chad and Amanda's baby, the two kiddos have had a rough start but I think they are slowly but surely getting a little use to each other, it wears them out to be staring at each other.

So far I have stayed with my girlfriend Natasha and her kids and that went quickly and the kids were adorable. The youngest on my first night there goes "are you mommys friend? are you guys having a sleep over?" I thought it was the most adorable thing ever. And then at the end of my stay the 2 youngest couldn't understand if I was still in Rochester why I was switching to another friends house instead of staying with them still.

Now I'm staying with my girlfriend Angie and her hubby Matt with whom we through the memorial day picnic a couple months ago and then my last week in Rochester I'll stay with my old coworker and friend Laurie :) Being a nomad is definitely keeping me on my toes. I feel like a gypsy wanderer, a homeless bloke. It's nice staying with friends though, everyone gets excited about having guests on occasion and I needed a place to stay so it works out for everyone :)

More later!

The Big Move

Originally a bunch of my guy friends were suppose to help us move out of Rochester but things happened and most couldn't make it, so my poor parents drove out with last minute notice to help us, and we all were dying with the amount of stuff we had to load. Then Matt and I took off and drove 7-8 hrs to his parents house and unpacked stuff into their cars and loaded other stuff into the truck because we realized we had wayyyyyyyy more stuff then originally anticipated. We proceeded to get up at 4 in the morning the next day to drive to his base storage unit and me and him loaded the rest of the stuff in the 100 degree weather that we were dying in lol. Got to the apt by 2 and checked in and then his family and chad and amanda thankfully helped us move in. But we had 3 flights of outdoor stairs and a fully stuffed truck and 3 cars to unload. So people had to take breaks because of the heat. But we got it all in and i worked like a dog unpacking I stayed up til 130 to try and get the kitchen unpacked and then got up by 6 and went to the grocery store to stock up the pantry and then was working on more kitchen stuff. Found out my flight out got canceled so had to reschedule for a 6 am flight the next morning - so matt and i ran a few errands for other things we found we needed, then I worked on the bedroom. So at least the kitchen the 2 baths and most of the bedroom and living room are done. A little bit in the bdrm needs put away and then the spare bdrm needs unpacked still - that door is just kinda closed.

On the drive down my uhauls check engine light came on so we had to stop and call about that just for them to tell me to keep going, and our credit card got denied, since we were driving both trucks- and at each stop I had a double charge for gas so they thought it was stolen and froze the acct, so I had to call and have them reopen it. So it was a bit hectic but thanks to all the help we had we were able to move everything in and out of the apartments.

The new apt is really nice and I can't wait til we finish unpacking so we can post pictures!

Email me if you need the new address!

Moving Wkend!

So we have been very busy making our moving preparations. Matt finished active duty service on June 9th with his terminal leave and made it home by the 11th!!! Yay! We then hosted a going away party (pictures to follow in a month or so after we are settled in and have decent internet again). We threw it at Grinnell's as a cocktail party with some close friends and coworkers from Rochester and had a blast. The next weekend we travelled to Kristy and Jim's after wedding party which was nice to have a chance to see them before we move so far away. We also then continued to Albany and Saratoga where we were able to drop off some furniture to our families and see both sides. We then packed up everything and trucked it all back to Rochester. And stuffed it all into my overstuffed apt. This week we have been busy doing the finishing touches on the packing- and finding I had way more stuff then I ever imagined. Luckily I work at a hospital and there are an abundance of boxes coming in daily.

Today we run around like crazy after work and pick up our moving truck, mattress, and couch. Then pray it's all safe when it's locked in the truck for the night and hit the road the next day- down to VA then up extra early to make it to Jacksonville and then swing over to Cary. More updates after the move!

Prepping for the big move

I can't believe the move is almost here finally. We move in just about 3 wks- so I've been busy making the preparations. I just called this week and gave the dates I needed my electric and phone turned off up here as well as calling and setting up dates for electric/cable/internet/phone for down in Cary, NC. We also have called the auto insurance which is a lot different down there so that Matt and I can soon be on the same plan. I've been busy filling out paperwork for the school everything from financial agreement forms to paton agreements forms. I've set up Matt's placement exam and orientation for his college. Andw e just bought a mattress, used washer dryer and a couch, and we had previously already bought a used dining set and rocking chair and bed frame. So I believe we have everything. Matt also took a bartending course a little while ago so that he can soon be applying for hopefully part time bartending jobs to suppliment my stipend and his reserve duty.

So it'll be an adventure but I'm glad we are almost moved. I do have to fly back for an extra month of work- so I'll permantely be down in NC as of August 1st, and I'll have a week to settle in, switching my residency etc before going on a cruise for our 1 yr anniversary the 2nd wk of August. And we both start school on August 16th.

What a whirlwind couple of months it will be!

Some odds and ends

So I finally have some pictures off the camera from the March trip for Kristys wedding so I'll put some of those in. We actually have a few good ones of us so I'm excited!




































Also, I have a few odd and end photos from Matt and my trip down to Raleigh signing our lease back in April and visiting Kathy's new apt.