The Sunshine State

Sorry for the long absence :)  Thanks to encouragement from my sweet cousin I am returning to update the blog with my adventures in Florida!

We have been here 6 months, James is loving his new job, I was able to find a job working from home, and we are exploring our new city!  My hair is desperately trying to adjust to the humidity.  Please view with grace.

I figured the best way to catch up is to post a photo for each month.. enjoy!

November ~ Moved to FL finally!!! Just in time for Thanksgiving.  Apparently my photography skills lessen from the driver's seat… 

December ~ The Anderson clan came to visit!  We wore shorts & went to the beach on Christmas day!

January ~  Happy birthday to my sweet husband!   Enjoy those fried egg rolls!

February ~ My first time on a dinner cruise.  The water is gorgeous! 

March ~  Went to Disney with my niece.  Too bad princess dresses aren't in my size :(

April ~ Mamma Kay and Dad came for Easter, what a lovely visit! 

And that brings us up to date!  There have been many requests for an update on the padres' visit.  Don't worry that will be it's own post soon :) 

New Beginnings

Exciting news ~ James & I are moving to Florida!!!

We got a great opportunity to relocate near family (and away from Snowpocalypse climates).  We will be moving this fall (exact date unknown yet).

So much change!  I hope I don't become an official wino through the whole experience :)  I remember when I moved to STL everything 'fell in to place' easily.  Not really happening this time, but I am still staying positive :)  And by positive I mean bugging James every day "When can I get boxes????" :)

There is just so much more involved with moving two people out of state, both our jobs, finding renters for our condo here, finding new housing...  This is making me thirsty just typing all this out!

I was so excited to get my new Lilly P agenda in the mail!!!  I had been putting off ordering it because I couldn't decide on the color or size.  I think my decision making brain cells were tied up elsewhere.  It is a weird feeling as I was moving dates over to the new agenda that I will have a different life the next time certain birthdays or events come up.

I tried the small agenda this year, hopefully it will fit in all my purses & still be big enough!  Print is Turquoise Let's Cha Cha

My soul mate in retail form (Target) was having clearance on all their summer items & I went CRAZY!  In all the moving stress I was looking for a little fun :)  And knowing it will be warm & sunny most of the year those clearance buys were perfect!!!

We were able to find an apartment in the neighborhood we liked best, and probably my favorite part is the balcony!  It is large enough for parties & you look out to see Palm Trees!!!  How fun :)  It is also large enough for a baby pool for my pet baby gator... but James doesn't approve.  Hmmm.

I am still looking for a job, so if you could send any prayers/ happy thoughts/ good karma my way I would appreciate it!

Visiting Jupiter

I am seeing James once a month now.  Prayers for my job prospects so I can move too!

Here is the view from the balcony!  Enjoying morning coffee :) 

Eating at a local restaurant Das Biergarten

I had to scope out my new Nordys.  I approve :)  Please note palm trees!

Bachelorette Life

Update on the moving situation ~ James and all our belongings moved to Florida this weekend!

Such a crazy feeling to be all alone in the house.   Here is a photo of my belongings (not pictured are some clothes)…  A chair. An air mattress.  A laptop.  Netflix.  Please send suggestions!

The moving van left…..  It was sad watching James drive away.   So I went to Trader Joe's…

And bought ALL THE PUMPKIN THINGS!!!!   

Here's hoping nexflix and pumpkin make this easier. 

Team Building Excursion

Once a year at The Firm we do a "team day away" for team building.  I think it only works if your leader is into team building.  My team is into fun things & not high on prioritizing the "building" part :) No complaints here!

This year (I must have been gone when we voted) we planned our outing to Fairmont Park.  This is a horse track - if that is even the correct terminology- on the East Side.  Let that sink in.  Gambling.  East Side.

I forgot it was on our calendar until Monday when a reminder email went out.  Having never been to this establishment I was foolishly excited & was planning my derby outfit when James busted my bubble.

James: "You know this is more the redneck casino crowd, not your equestrian crowd, right?"
Me: "WHAT? It's horse racing! Thoroughbreds! Like the derby???"
James: "It's on the East Side."
Me: "Noooooooooo"  (collapses on floor) "I think I'm feeling feverish!"

Although it was nice to have an afternoon away from work and to visit with coworkers (my team is actually really awesome), that's about as far as my forced good attitude went.

Yes, it was just like a creepy casino... I always find it so sad to see the regulars who are cashing in social security checks to gamble...  And the food there was absolutely disgusting.  There were many jokes about the meat being horse meat.  I was so scared.  I covered my brat in 1/4 cup of mustard & Kobayashi-ed that thing down.

Luckily it wasn't too crowded & we were able to sit inside in the air conditioned stands.  The races were fun to see & interesting to learn how to read the booklets/ stats on all the races.

Just when I was starting to slightly enjoy myself & not think of regretting to bring hand sanitizer there was a crash.  Crash?  Accident?  One horse collapsed & the horse behind couldn't stop in time.  Two horses & two jockeys were involved.  One horse got up right away & sprinted to the barn.  The other horse tried to get up several times but couldn't make it.  The jockeys did not move.  They were taken in an ambulance to the parking lot where a helicopter took the less seriously injured jockey to a nearby regional hospital & the more seriously injured jockey to STL.  They euthanized the horse on the race track.  It was incredibly sad.  One minute you see a gorgeous thoroughbred galloping.  The next it's gone.  Such beauty lost.  

"I had seen birth and death but thought that they were different."

~T.S. Eliot

Advocare Herbal Cleanse

I am starting the Advocare Herbal 10-Day Cleanse today!  details here

Yesterday I read the pamphlet in the box (along with the Advocare website) to make sure I had the instructions right, and went to the grocery store for a whole cart full of produce.

This morning I woke up at 5:30! Yikes!  Ok, first alarm went off at 5:30, I probably got out of bed at 5:45 :)   If you know me at all that may seem like a lie.  But no really.  Check the timestamp on my Instagram pic!!

This morning I was able to:
1) Pack my breakfast, lunch, snacks & various cleanse sundries to take to work
2) Weigh & measure myself
3) Take a "before" photo that did not look scary

And get all of this done & be out the door at 7:00 for work.  I feel so accomplished.  And tired.  Boy am I tired right now :)

I've been reading several articles recently about how the most successful people wake up early.  I need to suck it up and start some healthy habits.  The #1 reason I don't bring my lunch more often is not waking up early enough.  I used to love waking up early in college, before my roommates and have quiet time or homework time.  Where did that go???  Time to start some healthier habits!

At the end of the day, I don't feel crazy hungry which usually my mind associates with any "cleanse" or "detox" program.   That was an important part of Advocare for me, you get to eat lean protein, veggies & fruit.  The hardest part has been dairy.  I love me some dairy!  No cheese, or cream for my coffee, or daily yogurt for breakfast, or sneaking shots of whipped cream when James isn't looking....

More to come on progress!

Amish Country

I took a lovely work trip to Amish country, here are the highlights!

Lititz, PA

My wonderful B&B: The Lititz House

Reading on the back porch

Wilbur Chocolate Co.

Heavenly Soaps & Scents ~ the cutest store with natural & locally made bath items!  Check out these wine candles made in old wine bottles, they all were different wine scents! Syrah was my favorite.

A Tea Affair was wonderful for a tea lover!  And the owner was great to talk to :) I came home with Provence {rose, lavender, elderberries} & Palace Marzipan {very almondy}.  They had so many delicious flavors & can't wait to order Mexican Winter {chili, orange, cinnamon, coconut & red pepper}!

Beautiful old church

I adore The Tomato Pie Cafe! I loved them so much I ate there twice!

Delicious chocolate ale at Bulls Head Public House 

Catching some Amish ladies buying shorts at Target?!?!?!

Left:  Bobbi Brown Treatment Lip Shine SPF 15 

in Pink Seashell & Orchid Pink

Right: Bobbi Brown metallic eye shadow

 in Gold Dust & MAC eye shadow in Neo

Lovely mani to wind down the week :) Essie Shop Till I Drop

 Best part of the trip home ~ Cantina Laredo in the Philly airport!