There's No Place Like Home

Moving, or rather setting up a move, is quite exhausting.  I have spent the entire morning in my hotel room, calling, listening to less than thrilliing hold music, to set up all of our new services at our new house.  What a pain in the ass all of this is!  No wonder I haven't moved in over 8 years,  I just keep telling myself that it will all be worth it once we are fully in the new home and have so much more space. 

J is going to start painting tomorrow, hopefully. I will now be at the house all friday afternoon after my plane lands waiting for the gas man to come hook up our services. I have no idea what people who actually have to work from an office do for things like this.  I hate the 5 hour window.  We know for certain the 12-5 window means close to or after 5.

So I will leave you with some pictures:  Bear in mind....not loving all the paint colors

The Blair's are Moving

October sure was a whirlwind of a month.  I think I blinked and here we are at the end of the month.  The big news I have is WE ARE MOVING!  Scary...yes. Exciting....yes!  I hadn't really mentioned the house much before in feat that I would jinx the situation.  J found this 1950 square foot house for rent in St. Charles at the end of September. We went and looked at it and it was pretty much perfect for us....except for some horrendous paint colors.  We needed to know if they would allow pets (not leaving Char Char behind) and if we would be allowed to paint.  We heard back-- yes and yes. We made the decision to rent the house for a year and rent our current townhouse out after we move out. 

The timeline is as follows: Nov 1, start painting new home and start brining over boxes. Nov 15, movers move furniture.  Then paint townhouse and put for rent. I am crossing my fingers that we have someone living in our current home by mid december.  I am of course nervous and stressed that we will be floating both a mortgage and rent for longer than I'd like.  Our real estate agent seems to think he will have no problem getting out current home rented.  I know this to be true as our next door neighbors had 2 people wanting their place with in a week of putting it out for rent.  I just hope ours goes as smoothly. 

I am super excited to have a master bedroom on the main level and a 2 car garage (heck yeah to no more scrapping snow off my car in the morning!).  I love that Peyton will finally have a room all to his own, and we have already decided on a boat theme. There really isn't a yard but there is a small patch of grass J will have to mow and scoop poop.  I was sad to think I wouldn't be close to Forest Park anymore, but J showed me how close we are to the Katy Trail.  Charlie and I will definitely have to explore. 

Most people are confused as to why we are renting and not buying.  First off, we can not sell our current townhouse without literally losing our ass.  I bought when the market was good and have put some serious dollars into making it nice.  Location wise, it would be an ideal rental because it is close to Washington University and SLU and all the hospitals.  Second of all, due to newish guidlines, we can not use rental income towards a new home loan.  Therefore the kind of house we need, I can not quailify for due to my current home loan.  Also, I have always been very opposed to moving across the river into the St. Charles area. This will give me a trial run before buying a home to see how I like living in the area. 

We are super excited!  Come visit our new home!!

Bam!

This has been such a long work week. It could be due to the fact that I left St. Louis on Friday afternoon to work a conference all weekend. I am now en route from New Orleans to Long Island as I type this. I am very much a fan of posting from up in the air.  Until last year, I had never been to New Orleans. I was very excited last year to have it in my territory. It is such a city full of character and  good food.  Someday I would love to visit and not have to work!

We stayed right on Canal Street 2 blocks from Bourbon Street.  I thought Bourbon St. was crazy busy on a week night, but it was down right crowded and out of control on a weekend night.  It didn't help that LSU was playing a home game in Baton Rogue either.  Places I had been able to dance in, just wasn't happening on saturday.  However, the people watching was spectacular. 

I was in New Orleans to work my company's booth at the Neuroscience convention. I had to assemble the booth Saturday morning and then sit and work the booth Sunday through Wednesday from 9-5.  My lucky trade off was getting to enjoy New Orleans after the day was done at the conference center and I am pretty sure I have gained 10 pounds in a week from eating such yummy food.

I had the best meals I have ever had in New Orleans on this trip, (could be because my company now has a better expense account than I did last year!)  I had a delicioius barbque shrimp Po'Boy at Red Fish Grill, some killer wings at Pat O'Brians, some type of Gulf Fish special at Bourbon House, even the red beans and rice and gumbo at the conference center wasn't too shabby. However, hands down, I had 2 of the best meals ever at some of the hottest cuisine spots in New Orleans,

I have now eaten at 2 out of 3 Emeril Lagasse's New Orleans based restaurants. Monday night we dined at NOLA:
         "Located in a renovated warehouse with a bright yellow stucco facade, large French door         
         windows, and second floor balcony, NOLA is Emeril's casual and funky restaurant in the
         French Quarter.  Featuring an eclectic menu of New Orleans Creole and Acadian cuisine with
         an occasional ethnic twist, the rustic style of cooking showcases Southern Cajun, Vietnamese
         and Southwestern influences using Louisiana products"

I highly recommend NOLA. We had these amazing stuffed chicken wings..filled with crab, shirmp, other seasonings and dipped in a pecan soy sauce. I had the Grilled Pork Chop
with Brown Sugar Glazed Sweet Potatoes, Toasted Pecans and Caramelized Onion Reduction Sauce
....delicious!  One of my co workers got the buttermilk pan fried chicken and we all ate off her plate.  For dessert we shared Popcorn Sundae, Fudge Brownie, Popcorn Ice Cream, Caramel Sauce, Caramel Corn. I may has well died and gone to heaven, as I love popcorn so.

Last night we ate at Emeril's Delmonico:
          "Located on the famed St. Charles Avenue streetcar line, Delmonico, the legendary, century- 
           old institution, is an icon in the restaurant industry and has been a cornerstone of traditional
           Creole dining since 1895. Reopened by Emeril Lagasse in 1998 after an extensive historic
           renovation, Delmonico continues today serving a modern style of Louisiana's Creole cuisine
           with Emeril's warm style of service in a grand setting."

The food was just as good as NOLA.  I had pork once again: cuban chorizo stuffed duroc pork loin
red bean and rice congri, crisp plantains, mojo isleño, old new orleans rum jus. No one at our table had a bad meal. 

So now I must watch what I eat exteremly well when I get back home....that and actually work out again!  I hope I will have a chance someday to try his other New Orleans based restaurant....but 2 out of 3 ain't too shabby!

The Paper Year

I was meaning to post this earlier in the week, but I have been just crazy busy as of late.  Our first anniversary was wonderful,  I started off the day with a hair cut and color.  I am not sporting a somewhat auburn hair color.  Loving it....I always love a different hair color. I usually change something each time, and now that summer is over, I said goodbye to my blonde highlights and hello to some auburn.  Natalie, did my hair on my wedding day, so it was just fitting to have her curl my hair for our date that night.

We opened the present my parents had sent. They were so nice to send 2 more pieces of our crystal beverage glasses. Now we have enough glaases to serve iced beverages in as we do china!  Both our parents sent beautiful cards, as well as his grandmother.  When you google first anniversary presents, tradtionally this anniversary is said to be paper.  J has been joking with me that he was going to buy me toilet paper, and I honestly, half expected to unwrap some.   J never buys cards. He will tell you it is the biggest waste of money. However, he bought me not 1 but 2 anniversary cards. (he left the original one, with my present at the office and had to buy a replacement card.)  He later gave me a card with a print out picture of Chicago. I get to pick the weekend and we are going to take the train when it gets back warmer and explore Chicago, which I have never done.   The other thing J rarely does is get me flowers, but he made up for it this time.  Sunday, we get to church and sit down in our seats. I always read the bulleton, but just hadn't gotten situated fast enough apparently. J was li,e lookey here....he had the flowers at the altar dedicated to his loving wife, celebrating one year of marriage.  Who is this man? I just couldn't believe it. It was the sweetest thing ever....until we realized they were in the main sanctuary and we go to the contemporary service.  We peeked in on them and they were gorgeous.  We were able to come back and get them after the next service.  I love him for thinking of something like this.

 

We had an amazing dinner at Jim Edmond's 15 Steakhouse, which is really neat because this is where our reception was.  We both even had the roasted chicken, mashed potatoes.....similar to what we served exactly one year ago. After dinner, we unwrapped the cake, toasted with champange (me) and cidar (J) in the same champange glasses and cut the cake with our cake knife.  Our cake was surprisingly still moist and yummy.  Not even a hint of freezer burn!!!! I made him watch our rehersal dinner slide show and look at our wedding album.  Then I put my wedding dress back on.....I will finally get it clean now.  I love that it still fit!

At Jim Edmond's 15.....notice the purple

love my life!

We made it!!!!

I can not believe it has been exactly one year since I got married.  It really doesn't seem like that long ago I was getting my hair and make up done and putting on that wedding dress to walk down the isle a single person and walk back up it married.  I never thought I would be this sentimental or traditional but I feel this is such an important day.  I also never thought I would love being a bride as much as I did, not so much the front and center, but just feeling beautiful and loved!

It really has been a roller coaster of a year, and those who know me and have followed my blog know that it hasn't been the easiest of years.  The first year of marriage was tough.  We fought, we bickered, we did not agree on a lot of things, we tested our bond and our relationship.  We have also loved, laughed, and functioned as a family.

I am so happy that I said "I do" to J a year ago.  He makes me a better person and he challenges me, which is something I love.  He has this ability to calm me and reassures me that what ever I am overly stressing about will work itself out.  No one else has ever been able to do that for me.  I just love being with him and even though we have gone through some tough times, it has solidified and made us stronger together. 

Today, is special and I am also lucky to share this anniversary with my parents!  Here's to following in thier footsteps. I love my life!!!

Channeling my inner warrior

I did it.  I conquered Warrior Dash 2012.  Last weekend, the Diamonds in the Dust, my group of 7 women ran through the woods, crawled over barriers, under barbed wired, up cargo walls, over junk cars, leaped over fire, and swam through mud pits, and had a fantastic time.  We did this all while helping St. Jude's  research!

I have always wanted to do a 5k, half marathon, or a sprint triathlon, so when I heard about the Warrior Dash, I decided this would be my starting race.  I chose this one for a couple of reasons. One, the obstacles would break up the run.  Two, who wouldn't want to jump over fire??? and three, I think St. Jude's is an amazing charity to sponsor and donate my money.   I signed up back in April, so I wouldn't back out and thought that would give me plenty of time to train and get in better shape.  I was using it a goal to reach towards.  I started using the Couch to 5K treadmill running program, which seems pretty reasonable, mind you I never made it past week 3.  (I have no idea how someone who has not exercised in years could do that program at the speed indicated is beyond me).  I am not the most consistent exerciser with my travel schedule but I thought I'd be farther along that I was come race time. 

I woke up early Saturday and took a quick shower.  It was forcasted to be a beautiful day but started off a little chilly. I met my other Diamonds in the Dirt at the Bread Co and we had a bite to eat and then all piled into Julie's SUV to head over to Old Monroe, MO for the race.  After crossing the Missouri River 3 times, we finally headed the right way. Parked in a field a good mile away from the race, checked in, pinned our bib number on, tied our timer to our shoes and headed the start.  They have different start times and I think each had about 600 people in them.  At 11am we were off. I ran the first half mile to the first obstacle.  My sister had kept telling me she was so worried about my knee and me falling that upon walking up to my first challenge with mud, I was so over cautious that my foot slipped a little and I slashed my ring finger on barbed wire. After crawling through mud under planks, there was a nice guy working the race that had gauze and tape so we wrapped my bleeding finger as best we could and we headed on ward.  Of course I would be the one injured on the first obstacle.

It was tough. I sweated. I could not run the entire race. I did however conquer my biggest fear....the wall.  I have always been afraid of heights and climbing a wall using a rope added into fall from a tall height was terrifying.  I had to get out of my head and just grab onto the rope and climb.  I think some fears of not being able to do something  played into my fear, but I decided if other women not is as good of shape as me could do it, then I could to....and I did!  I think that was a break through for me because I didn't talk myself out of trying.  I loved leaping over the fire and breast stroking through mud.  I didn't hurt my knee and I completed the race!

I did however, get a tetnus shot at Urgent Care afterwards with mud still coating my body. Better safe than sorry!  I didn't have a great time. It took us 1:05 but we did it...as a group too!  I would do it again next year too.  Here are some of our pictures.

My Sisters......

The following was forwarded to me last week. I don't ever pass them on but wanted to share on my blog. I have amazing "Sisters" and it is so true.  I am blessed and I love each of them and I hope you enjoy this too!

"A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and visiting with her mother. As t hey talked about life, about marriage, about the
responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter. 'Don't forget your sisters,' she advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. 'They'll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you may have, you are still going to need sisters. R emember to go places with them now and then; do things with them.' 'Remember that 'sisters' means ALL the women.. your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other women relatives too. 'You'll need other women. Women always do.'

What a funny piece of advice!' the young woman thought. Haven't I just gotten married? Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely my husband and the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!' But she listened to her mother. She kept contact with her sisters and made more women friends each year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, she gradually came to understand that her mother really knew what she was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman, sisters are the mainstays of her life.

After more than 50 years of living in this world, here is what I've learned: THIS SAYS IT ALL:

Time passes. Life happens. Distance separates. Children grow up. Jobs come and go. Love waxes and wanes. Men don't do what they're supposed to do. Hearts break. Parents die. Colleagues forget favors. Careers end. BUT......... Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A girl friend is never farther away than needing her can reach.. When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end. Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you.....Or come in and carry you out. Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers, Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family: all bless our life! The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I. When we began this adventure called womanhood, had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other. Every day, we need each other still."