:(

I'm sitting with two very drugged cats, in a very empty apartment right now waiting for Matt to finish packing the boat. We should be taking off at 4p - one hour later than hoped. That means we should roll into NC at 2-3am. Ugh! We'd stay over night somewhere if Matt didn't have to be at work the next morning. Oh well, only 1 more day and then the main stress is over! And the best part is we get to sleep in our beautiful home tonight!

A Fond Farewell

Well, haven't I been MIA since this move begun it's full force! Sadly, I don't even have an Internet connection for my laptop so I can't even post pictures!

But I can say that we made the most of our last few nights in Perrysburg. A couple of nights ago we went to a tree lighting ceremony and tonight we saw most of our significant friends we've made this year. We had a nice size party at a Mexican restaurant we've dined at before and afterwards we went bowling. That made for a fun evening! Sadly though we had to say goodbye to everyone. I'm pretty broken hearted about it because I feel like we just went through this in CA. We've made so many wonderful friendships and it's hard to imagine not calling them up and saying, "Hey, want to hang out?" I know we'll feel better once we are in NC, but in the meantime we're sad. :(

Tonight is our last night, and tomorrow (Tuesday) our stuff will be loaded into the moving truck and we then start our 10 hour drive to NC. It will be a crammed car with all four of us, but we'll manage it. The kitties will be drugged, Matt will be hyped up on caffeine and, well, I'm not sure what my special vice will be yet... I'll let you know tomorrow!

Out With Thanksgiving & In With Christmas!

This week we have been trying to enjoy the Christmas decorations our nearby outdoor mall set up. Since we already had our formal Thanksgiving dinner, we decided to enjoy them again tonight. I thought I'd share the pictures I've taken over the past few days.

This was a few days ago during the daytime:

But of course we had to return at night!

And this was tonight's scenery. It looks like the tree has a few strands out - or it's trying to make a fashion statement. If that's the case then someone needs to tell the tree that vertical stripes are more thinning! 

Additionally, our apartment's clubhouse is all decked out, too!

OK, we are ready for the Christmas season!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We hung out and had a grand time just cooking and relaxing on Wednesday. Originally we were going to celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday with a friend from CA, but he had to work so it ended up just being me, Matt and a 13lb turkey. Needless to say, we needed a head start. So, we decided to make our 1st Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday so we could eat more of our leftovers before the move. It turned out great!

The turkey turned out quite moist and we also made stuffing, green bean casserole, a raspberry jello mold, and apple pie.  Today I'm going to add on mashed potatoes with gravy.  It all was turkey-licious!  :)

It's small but cozy.  :)

Chicago Photos!

As promised here they are, sorry for the delay!

When we arrived into Chicago, I learned this is where the scene in which the Joker and Batman had their big fight scene in Dark Knight.

Everywhere we walked, the trees were covered in lights...

We got a little hungry, so we stopped at The Berghoff - it was decked out in Christmas decorations, too.

After lunch, we walked over to the parade. We had the brilliant idea to go inside a Crate & Barrel and watch the parade from the 2nd floor.  Whereas the pictures had a bad glare, we stayed warm!  :)

After the parade we headed back to the train station.  On the way, we came across some fireworks. We weren't sure what they were for, but we stopped to enjoy them anyway.

 

It was such a fun trip - I'm glad I took the weekend to visit my cousins Malorie and Josh! 

Bookend Driving on Hwy 80

I'm still getting organized from my recent Chicago trip, so I don't have photos quite ready to post. But I have something better for you...a surprise guest! I'll give you a hint - I'm married to him. Yes, that's right, Matt!!! He came home earlier than expected - Yippie!

Originally, he'd planned for his cross country trip to start on Sunday the 21st and we estimated that he'd be home by Wednesday. However, that all changed when CA brewed up a nasty looking storm that was headed for Matt's driving path. Knowing he had to deal with some pretty heavy mountainous driving, he changed plans and started his trip on Friday to stay ahead of the storm.

Things got even better because I got to see Matt on Saturday night! It all started when he and I realized that we were driving toward each other on Hwy 80. It was that evening that I pointed out that Matt had driven so long on Friday that if he did the same Saturday, he could spend his overnight with me at my cousins' place. Well, I guess I burned a fire under him because he got up early on Saturday morning and after a full day of driving, he made it not only for the overnight, but had time to spare for chatting and pizza! Matt's a machine when it comes to driving! When asked what's his secret he replied, "Energy drinks and beef jerky!" Gross!

Sunday was then an easy drive for him - only 5 hours! We caravaned home and Matt was enthusiastically greeted by the kitties. I then left him to fulfill a pre-arranged date to see Harry Potter with a couple of friends. He chose to stay back so he could unload the car and relax (but I think his real reason was to hang out with the "kids"). Matt is a happy camper to finally be home!  :)

Off To Chicago!

This is a short post, but I thought I'd let you know that I'm going to Chicago this weekend to visit with my cousins!  I'll take a lot of pictures and share them with you when I get back!  :)

Having Fun With Pliers!

I woke up to an email featuring earings and it inspired me to make some jewelery.  Next I knew it was 4:00p and I hadn't even taken a lunch break! Here are my final products.

And this was a broken necklace that I converted into a bracelet.

It was a fun and much needed break from our moving craziness!

Christmas Is Coming!

I jogged around our nearby outdoor mall yesterday and I noticed they were setting up for their annual tree lighting ceremony for this weekend.

Unfortunately, I'm missing it because I'm driving to Chicago to visit my cousins. Fortunately, they had planned on attending their tree lighting ceremony...on Michigan Ave!!!  Something tells me that may be a little more exciting! And, when I get back, I'll get to enjoy my neighboring tree so luckily I get the best of both worlds!

In Matt's world, he is currently enjoying CA. He had a very quick, but very nice visit with his mom. She even made a Thanksgiving dinner! Now Matt is off to work in Tracey and will be there for the next few days. Afterwards, he'll be going back to my parents' to which he'll then load up a car and drive back with more of our stuff for the big move the following week. It's going to continue to be a busy couple weeks in our household!

The Final Kids' Event

:(

Yep, yesterday was my final kid's event and it was bitter-sweet. I've really come to love these events because of the interaction I've had with the kids and their parents. The kids were always well behaved and because of that, the mood was filled with innocence and enthusiasm. When the kids see the day's activity and their little faces light up, I can't help but melt!

We had three activities.  Thanksgiving themed refrigerator art, a coloring station and owl puppets.  I think the owls were a huge hit because no child left without one. I made an example for the kids to follow and I myself hung it up on my refrigerator.  It's too cute not to enjoy!

Later that evening I had a wonderful girl's night with Jenny, Stephanie and Theresa.  We watched a movie - Up In The Air - and girl gabbed until 3:30am!

As for today, Matt traveled safe and sound from NC to CA. He's traveling for business and will be there a week. I'm so envious that he's with the family and visa versa! I haven't seen Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa or Matt in a while, so to think they are all together right now makes me want to hop on a plane! Tomorrow, he's heading up to Chico tomorrow to see his mom - to which he is also looking forward to! I'm not sure what they have planned but I'm sure I'll hear about it tomorrow. :)

Shopping Day

I just love the days that I get to go shopping for the kids' events. I get to use my creative juices and it's fun to imagine what can be turned into one thing from another. For example, I bought a bunch of paper bags with the intension of turning them into owls. I think these are going to turn out so cute!

The apartment complex has a laminating machine I'd also like to see if we can make Thanksgiving place mats. Additionally, we are going to paint with leaves. I'm looking forward to a fun day!

As for the move, nothing new to report. Matt and I focused our energy today on the renewal of our benefit plans - nothing like moving at the end of the year (for the 2nd year in a row, may I point out)! Not only are we contending with the holidays, but also year-end decisions!

We're Tired!

The last few days have been a blur! It's hard to even comprehend what's been accomplished because when one thing gets done, I've instantly forgotten what has just been accomplished to make room for the next thought. But, on the bright side of things, all this hard work is paying off!

In the past few days, I've accomplished most of the moving arrangements and completed all the loan paperwork. After overnighting it to Matt, he took his turn at signing the loan documents and will be shipping it off to the lender today. He also attended our home inspection and minus a few minor issues, it looks like the house is in great shape. When speaking with our lender yesterday, I found out that the house appraisal came in at more than our purchase price - yippie! All this good news helps us keep our sanity!

On Monday, I also had one of my events and I have another coming up on Friday. The apartment complex asked me to throw a Monday night football party because the Cincinnati Bangles played the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since both teams are relatively local, a lot of residents wanted to see the game in the clubhouse. It's hard to believe that after this Friday, I won't be doing my events here any more.  :(

Hot Ice!

I challenged myself this past weekend to have fun. Normally it's not hard for me to do, but I had two things that initially held me back. First, Matt was gone, and I'm not used to planning activities for just myself. Second, I've been working so hard on the new house, I felt guilty leaving my huge pile to play hooky. It was a much needed break, though, and I'm glad I did it!

I started the day by making pumpkin ice cream. Next, I had lunch with Chris. Him being in town is a rarity these days, so we used the time to catch up and plan our Harry Potter date! (Yes, Matt knows about it, and I think is relieved that I have a new HP buddy!) After lunch I returned to my apartment, only to be greeted by Steph and Eric. Steph's oven broke and I told her she could use mine. She made pumpkins squares, which went well with my pumpkin ice cream. It was also fun to catch up with Eric during the Michigan game commercial breaks. ;)

About an hour later, I left them to their baking and drove to the Toledo Art Museum to take a glass blowing class. For a small fee, I was able to make my own glass icicle. I get to pick it up on Wednesday and I can't wait to see the final product. Here was the general process:

We started by getting some melted glass and tuned it so it wouldn't get too top heavy in any one direction.

Next, we were instructed to make the glass blob into a square.

We then placed it back into the oven.

And then we twisted the glass to give it the "icicle" look. Unfortunately the pictures I took didn't turn out well. After going back into the kiln, the glass was brought out and we crimped it so the top could be easily broken off..

After placing it into a bucket of sand to keep it still, we then replaced the top with a loop so it could hang somewhere.

And that's it - the final product!

My class finished earlier than expected which gave me a great excuses to walk around the rest of the art museum.  Later that evening, I joined up with Steph and Eric for the Walleye Hockey Game. We got great seats so I was able to get some great close ups!

As you can see, we were right behind the visitor box which led to some different views and perspectives.

If this guy looks intimidating, then that's about right. He is the starting forward and he is always looking for a fight. In the world of hockey, apparently that's a good thing, but I still can't encourage it...

And this I just thought was a fun comparison. During one of the quarter breaks, they had kid's come out and do a goalie challenge. I thought it was adorable to see a grown up goalie, side-by-side to a child goalie.

Matt Is Like Matt!

Matt is liking his boss, Matt, a lot. For those that don't know, Matt's boss, Matt, is a lot like Matt. Other than sharing their first name, they each have unusual last names, both were born in the same hospital in Nebraska, they are both Cornhusker fans, (I could keep going). I should really cut through it all and ask if Matt (the boss) insists on Heinz ketchup - then we'll really know! Yesterday, the Matts went desk shopping for my husband's new office. On that errand, they continued to find out uncanny similarities. I've been told they look nothing alike so at least I won't be confused when I meet the other Matt! 

As for my day, I'm currently knee deep in house-buying mode right now and I think the best way to describe my state of mind is: aaaahhhhhhhh! No surprise, right? I told a friend yesterday that our relocation package states that by being married, Matt gets another $1000. I can say unquestionably that by the time we have our stuff unpacked in the new house, I will have deserved every penny and will be wanting a bonus! I really don't say that to brag, I really dedicate that statement to all the spouses out there that manage the household! It can be a mind-frazzling thing to do - with no paycheck! And yes, I'm including you parents out there, too! :)

"Birthdays" Everywhere!

A while back, Steph and I joined a birthday club for a local restaurant to which each of us received a coupon for a free meal. We still had our coupon so we cashed it in last night. While we did enjoy our complimentary meal, we had no idea that we would have to look ridiculous while eating it!

Steph was a champ and wore her's throughout most of dinner. Imagine how hard it was for me to keep a serious conversation with her while looking at a giant, tinfoil, Minnie Mouse looking hat!  And don't even ask me what mine was - perhaps a flower or some weird antenna. That evening I did get new cable stations, though! ;)

Before dinner we bought birthday decorations for a colleague of Steph's. He turns 50 tomorrow and different colleagues were in charge of decorating his desk. As you can see, we had some fun with it!

Saying Goodbye

Wednesday was a bitter-sweet day. Matt had his going away party - which was fun and quite thoughtful. But at the same time it was sad because we said goodbye to many people. They had a pizza party and gave him a growler, signed by the quality staff.  Quite a thoughtful gift, I thought.  :)

Photo above: Mary and I; Below: Courtney, Theresa and Me! :)

Before taking Matt to the airport, we were able to cram in dinner at Ann Arbor. We realized yesterday that our life here in Ohio has been full circle. Our first getaway trip was to Ann Arbor and we went to the same Italian restaurant we went to yesterday. It still was one of the best meals of my life!

Our view - this time we got to sit upstairs and it was a very relaxing, very yummy meal - as I had remembered!!!

Afterwards, I took Matt to the airport and while driving home I caught up with my good friends, Jen and Seth.

So it's official - Matt has moved to North Carolina. I'm about a month behind. Our target move date is the first weekend in December, but nothing has been solidified yet. I still have a few commitments here and since we technically have no home to move into, I'd rather be in Ohio and soak it up before moving on to the next location. Matt will be living out of a hotel until we officially own the house.

All Packed Up

Upon our return from NC, we told Bonnie & Chazz that we'd be moving by early next month.  I think they misunderstood because about an hour later we found the suitcase like this. They each started packing...

Better Late Than Never...

Since we were gone all last week, I decided to carve the pumpkins once we got back.  I'm happy with how they turned out.  :)

Our Halloween had it's highs and lows. For the past 10 years, I had a tradition to go to downtown Chico and participate in the Treat Street event, held each Halloween.  Kids would come in their costumes and visit each store to get candy. I would sit at the same table, in front of the same coffee shop and people watch.  It was so fun to see the families and kids dressed up. This year I was hoping to do the same, but alas, no such event existed.

We did get to spend part of the day with some friends, however, so that brightened up the day.