by Katherine on July 20, 2010
My house is finally feeling like my home! The only thing left to do really is hang a few more photos on the walls. It feels good to be adjusting to a new routine and certainly a change of pace. My pre-California life was so “GO..GO..GO!!” that it’s nice to have space and time finally on my side. Honestly, I’ve never made this drastic of a change and it’s pretty invigorating. It’s a simpler life that I am used to living and I am embracing it! My only challenge thus far is that I really miss my girlfriends. I have friends out here, but ALL of them are guys. They are great and I love spending time with them, but I am in need of some good girl time. Fortunately for me, I am leaving in TWO days to head back East for a week at the beach with my extended family (including my non-related sister and her awesome husband and son.) There will be awesome girl time and guy time! My family has done this every summer for as long as I can remember. I’ve only missed one year and some years have only made it for a few days, but from now on this gal is making it happen ALL WEEK LONG! I am blessed to still have all four of my grandparents living and this whole week will be spent with my mom’s parents. It’s amazing to be 30 years old and still able to hang out with the matriarch and patriarch of your family.
Here are the top things I am looking forward to on my trip to the SC coast:
- eating local seafood that my dad prepares
- laying in the hammock and reading a good book
- doing the crossword puzzle (and being jealous how easy they are to my aunt!)
- eating delicious overly sweet homemade treats from my Grammy
- watching my grandfather “read” with his eyes closed
- not caring at all about makeup/hair, etc.
- having whatever cocktails my uncle comes up with for the week
- painting my toes nails with my “sister”
- yapping away with younger girl cousin about college life + boys
- many, many rides in my mom’s paddle boat (yes, she OWNS one! Ha!)
- savoring the moment with loved ones
The only sad part about the whole week is that the hubby and my beloved beast will still be in California. They will be missed, but I will also love having the space and time with my extended family!
by Katherine on July 18, 2010
Tomorrow (July 18th) is my ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!! I am so excited and at the same time totally cannot believe it has been one year. It’s so fun to have a new holiday to celebrate with the hubby every year.
I never imagined the we would be where we are today – we never even really considered moving across the country until a few months ago and yet here we are now living in California. The hubby and I are on a life long adventure together and I am loving it. Here’s a few of my favorite photos in honor of our special day!
by Katherine on July 13, 2010
- Discovering a beautiful trail on day 2 in St. Louis, MO within walking distance of our hotel. Got a bit lost, but savored an hour and a half hike with the pup prior to sitting in the car.
- Deep breathing and finding zen through the many corn fields of Nebraska.
- Attempting a trip to a “state park” in Nebraska to give the dog and run. Arriving there and realizing the park consists of a dirt road with a turn around completely surrounded by…you guess it – corn.
- Opening to the beauty of Wyoming and Colorado. Taking in rock outcroppings unlike I had ever seen.
- The GPS mom and dad gave the hubby for his 30th. Typing in Whole Foods and being led there with ease!
- Meeting up with the hubby’s uncle for lunch at said Whole Foods in Ft. Collins, CO and then savoring the windy, gloriously geographic drive to I-80.
- Reststop in Utah. Watching the pup dive his head into holes and chase prairie dogs. Funniest thing on the trip.
- Driving down the loooongest hill ever out of Park City, UT.
- The Salt Flats post Salt Lake City. Sheer open beauty.
- Realizing what an amazing country we live in and how blessed we are to have the freedom to travel and experience such a variety of landscape and beauty.
by Katherine on July 11, 2010
What a relief. None of the moving horror stories I could have avoided (yet read anyway) about PODS during a big move came true for the hubby and I. Everything arrived at our new home as expected. Now, I must admit that my dad is the most precise packer I’ve ever seen so I did learn from the best. And my brother was there the last few days of securing our belongings in tightly (he learned from the best, too). We ended up with a few scrapes on some furniture, but avoided a single broken glass. Pretty amazing I’d say!
The last few days have been unloading, unpacking, cleaning, and organizing. Gotta get off to a good start. I really couldn’t believe how gross everything both in our rental home and all of our goodies from the POD was. I have wiped down, washed and cleaned everything in this house and everything before it’s been put away. That added to the work of unpacking. We are 85% there…I will post photos when I am done. Especially of the kitchen. I am so excited about this kitchen. It’s really all I’ve ever wanted in a kitchen. Tomorrow I get to stock it. Going to Whole Foods as soon as possible. The hubby and I had a deal that once the boxes were out of the kitchen we could do a serious grocery shop. I can’t wait.
Oh – and did I mention we are in wine country?!?! Unbelievable the quality of wine you can get at an amazing price. And it feels oh-so good to be sipping local…..
by Katherine on July 6, 2010
I am so excited about getting settled into our new home, but the waiting game is such a challenge for me! I am pretty aware of staying calm while waiting. In college, I danced in a production called “The Wait.” It was an incredible journey to create this evening work with the other dancers and really contemplate what waiting meant for me all the way striving to acknowledge how ever present it is in our lives: waiting in line, anticipating a phone call, are the clothes dry yet? The list could go on and on. Years ago waiting drove me crazy and impatience would take it’s toll…I would get more than frustrated and allow unsettling emotions to overflow. Now after many moons of practicing mindfulness I am still reminding myself to savor this wait and the stillness that comes along with it! More easily said than done.
What are you waiting for? I sit now in my new home on a lender chair from the landlord and an air mattress in my bedroom contemplating the value of all the STUFF I am lugging across the country. I don’t like thinking that I need much to be happy, but the comfort that comes from having all of my belongings around me as I transition to being farther away from family than I ever thought I would be is something I am craving at the moment. Knowing that it will all help ease the pup’s adjustment is helpful, too.
Here I sit. Waiting. And breathing….deeply.
by Katherine on June 30, 2010
Wow. This has been crazy difficult to get to the computer and sit with my thoughts. Needless to say, I am still in the throws of this shift - this may be short! We have made it almost across the great USA. What an amazing country we have. So vast and beautiful. The hubby and I have seriously been going non-stop for the last month. We really needed to move and be forced to clean out and manage our house. I assure you this new home is going to stay uber organized after the experience of packing up our house and our offices. Once we packed up and sent our PODS on their way, we hit the road with the pup headed west. Leg one was Asheville, NC to St. Louis, MO. Day 2 was insane. The hubby wanted to keep going and make as much progress while he had the energy to drive and I am really glad he did. We went from St. Louis, MO to Cheyenne, WY. We then had a great meet up with the hubby’s uncle (thanks!) in Ft. Collins, CO and hit the road again to Salt Lake City, Utah. Today it was across the desert to Reno, NV and tomorrow we settle in! I am not sure how soon I will be reconnected to the internet, but – be assured that I intend on regular blogging once we get connected! There will be more to come! Cheers!
