I Should Have Known...

There are so many great things about moving... the excitement of a new home, preparing for a new job,  decorating your new place...

But- there are also some not great things about moving... packing, organizing, the stress, waiting for your furniture to arrive...

That is correct folks- our furniture still as not arrived. In fact, it hasn't even left Connecticut! You can imagine my reaction when I learned this news yesterday. We were given an expected arrival date anywhere between July 13-July 24 and when we hadn't heard anything from our moving company by yesterday afternoon, B and I decided we should probably call and get an update.

Well... we were shocked to learn that nothing had been touched since our things were packed up on July 5. All of our boxes and furniture are just sitting in a warehouse in Connecticut collecting dust. I was seriously mad! Not just frustrated- angry. Our "moving coordinator" hadn't even checked on the status of our belongings and had made zero effort to check in with us. Her response to all of this? "We're busy". I kid you not- that was her response to all of our questions:

B- "Is there a reason that our things are still in Connecticut?"
Moving Coordinator- "We're busy."
B- "Why weren't we notified of this delay?"
Moving Coordinator- "We're busy."
B- "Why is a third party company being brought in to move our things?"
Moving Coordinator- "We're busy."

I understand that the summer months are quite busy when it comes to moving. I also totally understand that we are not the only customers that this company is working with. However, I do expect to be kept in the loop of where our things are and if they're going to be late, a phone call should be made. What has happened to simple customer service these days? I honestly would have still been frustrated but the blow would have been softened by someone making a phone call last week and just being honest about the situation. B and I were upset that it took us calling them to find this information out. We hadn't had the greatest time with this particular company (other than the two men who actually came to pack and load our things- they were great! Super nice and efficient!) but this was just icing on the cake. After speaking with 6 different people over a course of seven and a half hours, we still don't know when are things are set to arrive. They were supposed to call this morning with an exact date... we're still waiting.

I can say that I'm super thankful that they are willing to compensate us. They are providing a small amount for us so that we can go get pots and pans, a replacement vacuum, and other odds and ends that we've been going without. Our air mattress, beach chairs, and TV are starting to get old. I'm also not sure how many more cans of soup, PB&J's, and turkey sandwiches the hubby and I can keep eating but we also don't want to spend all of our money on eating out... that adds up quickly!

I tried to not get upset about the whole situation. I get that things happen and mistakes are made but what I don't get is the lack of communication on their end. I just wish we would have known sooner and could have planned ahead. Customer service people... that's all I'm asking for! I really don't think that is too much of a request!

Okay... vent over! I know this is something B and I will probably laugh about down the road- but until our furniture gets here, I'm not laughing! 

We're Here!

Well... we made it!

We are officially in Florida and in our home. We've been here 5 days and so far we are loving the Sunshine State. We still don't have our furniture... hopefully the movers will arrive soon. I miss our couch and to be able to cook a homemade meal but at least we have cable and internet! The pups are adjusting and are obsessed with the yard outside. It's so great that they can go out whenever they want... definitely a change from the high rise we were in while in Connecticut. 

We've found a new gym, a few yummy restaurants, and we're slowly starting to learn our way around our new city. 

So far, it's been awesome and memories are already starting to be made!

{Our home!}

On the Road... Day 1

Our move has officially begun and I'm already tired! That's probably not good...

We left bright and early yesterday morning and started our drive to Florida but our first stop was in Kentucky so we could visit some friends and family. 

We were on the road for a little under 14 hours and had an uneventful drive... which I am very thankful for! People always wonder if B and I get bored on our drives home or if we fight on long road trips. Honestly no... we don't get too bored and I don't think we've ever argued while sitting next to each other for 14 hours. (Knock on wood!) We usually find ways to entertain ourselves... we belt out tunes and dance ridiculously, we read each other magazines or books, play games, or just talk. Yesterday we entertained ourselves with this audio book:

Hilarious! B and I love, love, love watching "The Office" and she absolutely cracks me up. A sweet friend of mine from Connecticut gave this to me and it was the perfect thing for us to listen to towards the end of our trip. We have one more disc that we're saving for tomorrow's travels.

We made it in safely and for that we are extremely grateful! It was a long day of driving but it is certainly great to be home. We went to a yummy dinner with my family and came home and ate cake from my favorite Kentucky bakery. 

And then... we crashed... we were so beat! But all in all it was a good first day of travel!

Until next time...

xoxo

Our Year in Pictures

This past year has gone by so quickly but it has definitely been a year that has changed my life. B and I have grown much more close since making our big move last summer. We came to Connecticut knowing absolutely no one and knowing very little about our new residence. We are leaving with new and close friends that we will keep for a lifetime and with memories and experiences that we will remember forever. Connecticut will always hold a special place in our hearts and it will be a place that we visit many times in the future. I have soaked up the sites of the Connecticut shoreline, become an avid train passenger traveling to NYC, discovered new friends, been in awe of having Yale's campus as my playground, watched my hubby complete an awesome year of training, experienced my sister's and SIL's first visits up north, and we have gone through many "firsts" of our own. 

Here are some photos that reflect some of our time in this special place:

I am beyond grateful that B and I are on this journey together and that Connecticut was a pit stop along our path. We have really enjoyed our time here but we are very much looking forward to what this next chapter has in store for us.

xoxo

Ivy League Shenanigans and Other Random Life Happenings

Hey gals! I have been out of the bloggy world for far, far, far too long. The past couple of weeks have been crazy busy and it's not slowing down anytime soon. In exactly 3 weeks B and I start our road trip to our new home in:

{via}

FLORIDA!!!!

I can not believe that we are moving so soon. In a little over 2 weeks the movers come to pack and load up our apartment so we've just been going through clothes, shoes, books, etc,... to figure out what needs to go with us and what can be donated. We spent the better of this past week cleaning and organizing but Friday night was an exception...

B had his graduation dinner and he is officially finished with his neuroradiology fellowship! It was so, so, so exciting to see him get his certificate and to see all the residents and fellows enjoy a night together. It was at country club here in Connecticut and the weather was absolutely beautiful. There were probably 200 guests... (I had no idea that the department was this huge!) and we enjoyed great wine and yummy food.

B and I had a great time together and with our pals. It is hard to believe that an entire year has already gone by and it's time to pack up and move on. Our group of friends are spreading out all over the country and are headed to some pretty awesome places... New York, Boston, Phoenix, and even Hawaii. We've got some great places to go visit ;) It was a fun night was fun friends but we had to head home early... B was on call the next day. Boo :( Here's just a couple of pics from Friday night. I have some more but will have to dig them up later:

Hope y'all had a great weekend! Happy Monday!

xoxo

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Happy Wednesday lovelies! My day started off with a long walk with a sweet friend. It felt so great to get up early, get some exercise in, and get my day started on such a positive note! What I'm loving today is pretty awesome and I am soooo excited to finally share!

We are moving!

As you know, we moved up here to Connecticut last July so B could do a one year fellowship. He completed his residency last summer but wanted another year so he could have more specialized training. Our year has been absolutely awesome but we knew we would most likely be moving again this summer.

The job search began almost as soon as we got up here. Exploring areas of the country where we wanted to be, getting CV's sent out in a competitive market, and my hubby making a gazillion phone calls and sending a gazillion emails to find out about job opportunities. Now... I am a southern girl so I knew getting back south would be ideal but I was open to the possibility of staying in Connecticut and we even toyed with the idea of moving out west to the Seattle area. Throughout the past months B went on a few interviews but he fell in love with a position in Florida. Florida wasn't initially on our radar but this job seemed too good to pass up an interview. And y'all... I am SO glad God led us to this interview and to this opportunity. Isn't it funny when you plan something and God opens your eyes to something else... something so much better than you could have ever imagined?!?!

B accepted the interview, he loved everything about the group, and within a couple weeks an offer was made! We have been sitting on this info for about a month but we just wanted to make sure we had a good start on paperwork before we officially announced that we are headed to the Sunshine State!

We could not be happier and we could not be more excited about this move! We have loved our time up north and we have made so many friends that we will miss but we can not wait to be closer to family and to be back down South! We are overwhelmed with this blessing and in exactly 3 months our move begins!

I can not wait for the sunshine, palm trees, and a year long tan ;) We will be about an hour from the Gulf and less than an hour from the Atlantic Ocean... hello beach trips!

{via}

As always, I am loving my sweet, sweet hubby and I am so happy for him. He has worked incredibly hard the past several years and his dedication absolutely amazes me! I am so blessed to be on this journey with him!

Have a fabulous day!

xoxo

And it begins...

When we moved to Connecticut last summer, we knew we would be here for at least a year and that anything after B's fellowship was, well...something we would deal with later, haha. Y'all... "later" has arrived! B began his job search right before the holidays and started getting in touch with practices that may be hiring come summer 2012. He got a few leads, submitted his CV to quite a few different places, references were called, and our hopes were up. By the middle of December we kind of hit a wall. The holidays are always a busy time for everyone so we figured people were in and out of work and it was time to set the job thing on the shelf until the beginning of the year. I don't know if any of y'all have an issue with this, but being patient is super hard! I am such a planner and love to be somewhat organized. Last minute plans drive me crazy and not having some sort of "agenda" to follow puts me in all kinds of disarray. You can imagine my excitement when B told me that he was offered an in interview! And you can imagine my OCD kick in when he told me that they wanted to meet with him in 2 weeks and gave us no further travel info or definite dates.

Between all of our excitement, bewilderment, and more patience, everything has been set and all travel arrangements are to be finalized Monday morning. Our first stop on my hubby's interview tour is...

Tampa, Florida!

B has had his eye on Tampa for so long so I know he is super pumped for this opportunity! I am so,so,so happy for him :) I have never been to Tampa but B has and he loves it. Now we all know that I'm a southern girl at heart so getting back south where warm weather reigns supreme is fine by me. I remember when B first introduced the idea to go to Tampa. I was totally hesitant but the more reading I've done on the city, the more excited I got about adding it to "our list". Yes... we have a "list" of places we'd like to be and possible settle down. Tampa is high on that list ;)

All I've been thinking about since last night is being to able to get away and escape to some warm sunshine for a bit. My spring/summer clothes have been packed away for a few months now but it looks like I get to pull out a few numbers for our little visit. I can not wait! I love experiencing a new city and traveling to new places but I'm really excited for B to learn more about this awesome opportunity.

These pics from Pinterest have definitely sparked some Florida love in my heart:

I posted something about the start to our new journey on FB and I was so pleased when one of B's aunts commented about how I am an "amazingly adaptable woman". I take a lot of pride in being a supportive wife and truly making myself adaptable to where my hubby needs to be for his work right now. Carol...thank you for your sweet comment! It made me smile :) It is not always easy to put someone else in front of our own wants but this gal has a few business ideas of her own and I know that in God's time everything will work and that B will be there for me. For now, I just gotta keep being patient!

Have a fabulous Friday ladies!

xoxo

And... I'm Back!

Oh... My... Goodness...

The past week has been so so so busy! In a good way but for the last 24 hours I have been one lazy lady.

I am now officially in CT... B is about 75 miles from being here (I can not wait to see him... I have missed him SO much!) and my mom and sis flew back to KY yesterday so today I've been able to upload some pics and get some stuff done around our new apartment!

I was very thankful that my mom and sis were able to help me get our move started. I had to be up here to finish paperwork while B finished his last couple days back at UK. Us girls drove up last Thursday... all we did that day was drive... and drive... and drive... for 14 hours! The next morning we woke up early, grabbed our Starbucks, and headed for the apartment. We set up camp and went to Ikea and Crate and Barrel for an afternoon of scouting out new furniture. Some purchases may have been made along the way ;) More on that in a later post! That night we walked Yale's campus and of course, leave it to us, we found a Frozen Yogurt place. Score!

Saturday was a day in NYC and I could not have been more excited! It was my sister's first time ever visiting the city... I knew she would love it. We got tix to see "Phantom of the Opera" in the afternoon and had a yummy dinner following the show. We shopped 5th Avenue and drug our tired lil' feet back to CT late that night.

Sunday and Monday were pretty relaxed days... mom surprised us with delicious donuts from a bakery around the corner, we looked at more furniture, we found another ice cream shop, and we enjoyed 4th of July fireworks from the comfort of my humble abode. New Haven had their fireworks display at East Rock Park this year and that is what our view is of, at the apartment... thankful we didn't have to get out and fight traffic!

Tuesday was another day in NYC... and it was AWESOME! We got tix to see Harry Potter himself (aka Daniel Radcliffe) in his show " How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying". If you are planning a trip to NYC anytime soon, you MUST go see this! One of the best shows I have EVER seen... he is amazing in it... the whole show is amazing! We ate lunch at Serendipity's, took the subway to Ground Zero, and did more shopping. Hmmm... imagine that haha ;) After the show, later that night, my sis and I went to see if Harry would be exiting from the stage door... and he did! And there was a HUGE crowd filled with lots of teenage girls. It was fun though. He quickly went through the crowd and signed a number of Playbills and other items... my sis and I got a Playbill signed by him. She was floating on a cloud and I'm pretty sure that was the highlight of her trip. She called all her friends to tell them haha!

After a day at the beach it was time to pack up my fam and send them off to the Bluegrass. I've been keeping busy cleaning and getting things prepared for B's arrival tonight.

I had an awesome time on our girls trip but I am definitely looking forward to seeing my sweet hubby :)

Here's some pics from the trip:

{Yes...that is Harry Potter!!}

{Will be seeing this show again... LOVE!!}

{My yummy treat at Serendipity's. I may or may not have eaten the entire thing... don't judge!!}

{Our apartment building}

{My sis in front of Yale's library}

{Getting ready to see "Phantom"}

Have a great weekend ladies!!

I'm Back!

Ladies... I've returned to the real world!

The past 7 days I've been breathing, eating, and living dance. Sequins, buns, make up, and glow sticks... our recital was a HIT! I am very proud to be a part of such a talented dance studio. Our students are amazing, our teachers are wonderful and our year ended with our final performance last night.

This year was very bittersweet for me. I grew up at this dance studio, starting dance at the age of 3. 23 years later, after performing, competing, teaching, and choreographing at the same institution... it came to an end. I will not be there everyday like I have grown accustomed too over the past several years but at the same time I am so excited about this next chapter in my life. Since my lil' sis is still dancing her heart out, I know I'll be back. I'll come and do some solo's for my kiddos and I'll keep supporting my second family and cheering them on at any competition I can make it too!

I am really looking forward to exploring a new area of the country and beginning something new with my hubby. This is a new start... a fresh start! I love my DESOD fam with everything in me and I know I will stay close with the friends I've made along the way... thank goodness for Facebook and Skype! haha ;)

We had a great week but I am happy to have some "free" time so I can dedicate it to packing... we are way behind on my schedule!

Here are some of my favorite pics that I took during the show...

Those lil' ones are TOO CUTE!!

Well... I'm headed off to enjoy some down time with all my fellow teachers. Looking forward to a fun night!

Have a great day y'all!!

xoxo

Let the Craziness Begin...

The next three weeks are going to be mass chaos... really!

In exactly three weeks it will be moving day. Everything will be packed up and we'll be ready for our LONG drive to Connecticut. I am very thankful that my mom and sis will be along for the move... it will be great to have some help but even better to have family with us for our first few days in our new home/city :)

Until then... I'll be running on Starbucks, Diet Pepsi, and pure adrenaline...

The next week is full of recital rehearsals and performances for my dance kiddos. After that, it will be time to finalize everything to be passed off to the new LHS dance team coaches. There will be a couple days spent with the Wayne Co dance team girlies and doing a couple new dances for them. Extra time will be spent with friends and family and I guess we should finish packing at some point haha!

It is going to be crazy, exhausting, and lots o' work but B and I are super excited about getting up to CT and enjoying our new life in our new city :)

Have a great day ladies!

xoxo