The first snow!

And man was it a doozy! In fact, it still is! The snow began to fall yesterday and has continued ever since, breaking the more than 100 year old record for the earliest snowfall here! In State College there was anywhere from 4-8 inches and we got at least 2 in Bellefonte (I'm guessing about Bellefonte, the State College numbers were on the news). I had to post tonight to document my experiences!

So in Memphis, this would be like a natural disaster. Everything would be closed and the grocery store would be without bottled water and milk! But here, it's basically business as usual. Schools were delayed but the only ones cancelled were those with no power due to tree limbs falling. That's the bad news, because it's so early the trees still have leaves and the snow made them VERY heavy and dangerous! The good news is that I'm in an area that knows what they're doing! Yesterday I just hibernated and stayed inside with the cats. Didn't have to work so I just cleaned the kitchen and read and watched the TV shows I missed the night before since I went to the show at PSU. Today however, I had to go to work which meant avoiding the roads wasn't gonna happen!

I left super early giving myself more than double the amount of time it normally takes. I got my brand new heavy duty mother-of-all ice/snow scrapers out and cleared off my car and headed in to work. The roads were fine! I still took it slow just to make sure but this is nothing like driving in snow in Memphis. The snow had been plowed and the roads were salted. The drive was not as nerve racking as I thought it would be, thank goodness! At work, several customers commented on the snow and when I mentioned being from the south they were all very kind offering good advice and telling me not to worry, it's not always like this. The drive home was the same, clear roads and easy going.

The only driving obstacle I'm genuinely concerned about is up and down hill. I have driven in icy conditions and I have gotten myself out of skids before (driving from Memphis to Cincinnati in an ice storm comes to mind) but I am not AT ALL used to so many hills and the idea of an icy hill kind of terrifies me. People suggest going to an empty parking lot to practice, but those are all basically flat. I'm gonna have to tackle this fear sooner or later and when I do low drive will be my best friend. Any other advice out there, I'll take it!

Oh, I nearly forgot! My other favorite part of this "snow storm"- Cleo the kitty's reaction! She sat at the back doors yesterday staring at the snow and crying to go outside (where she is only allowed if in a harness and on a leash). I finally decided to let her check it out. I bundled up and got her in her gear and opened the door she was so longingly gazing out. At one point you could see her trying to catch snow flakes through the glass. After opening the door, she looked out and after a glance in each direction, she promptly ran away from the door and snow and never went back! I undid her leash and harness and she spent the rest of the day hibernating with me. I had to get a picture.

Adjusting

It's been over a month and I've made it this long! My favorite things about Pennsylvania so far:

1. The scenery- the leaves are changing, the mountains are beautiful, and the sunsets are incredible. And I can dee star here at night!

2. I'm still cooking! I've made my first pork roast, my first swordfish steak, and many of my standards- lasagna, tilapia, mexican pizza. I'm also eating more veggies, which is really good!

3. Hallmark- I actually really like working there, and I had forgotten how good I was at retail. I sometimes think I should have gone into sales with my ability to talk to anyone at any time!

4. The Shopping- Now I know I said it kinda sucked, and it kinda does, but there is one great thing about the shopping here- the stuff that sold out in Memphis is still on the shelves here and SUPER discounted cause it's already cold outside! Example- this dress was originally priced $89 in Memphis and sold out before I could even think about buying it. I get here and it's still on shelves and marked down to $46.75. I wait and last week I bought it for, drum roll please...$26.30! Oh, and I used a coupon so it was only $21.36!! WHAT?!? I know it's too cold to wear right now but the whole reason I wanted it was for my trip to Hawaii in December! PERFECT!

5. Sales Tax- That's right, I like the sales tax. Why? Because there is none on food or clothes!! Every time I buy clothes I feel like I get a deal at the register cause I forget about the lack of tax until I get there! It's great!

So things are looking up. I've met a lot of the theatre department now and the head of their stage management program asked me to come speak to his class so we're working on a time for that. Also, I'm waiting to hear about a time but I did get on email from the music dept telling me I was on the short list for the job there and will be getting an interview with the committee! Yay! Fingers still crossed on that one! And our book club met for the first time, though only 2 of us showed up. I haven't gotten a definite time for the next meeting so we'll see if that pans out or not!

Fall Leaves Project

So I've decided that since I've never been anywhere to see the fall leaves really change, this year I'm going to relish it and document it! I found a little out of the way church with a farm next door and am taking a picture in the same spot every few days so you could see the leaves changing with me. I have the first two pics on my facebook page already and will put them here as well once I take the third (hopefully tomorrow if the sun comes out). Stay tuned!

Pennsylvania

is nice. That's my stock response right now, because it is in fact nice. Hubby's new job keeps him really busy (I married a workaholic) and it's definitely challenging him which is great. But for me, I'm bored. I got a part time job at Hallmark and am looking for something full time or at least another part time job that might be in my field, but there aren't a whole lot of theatre jobs in central PA. At least, not that I have become aware of yet. I have applied for a stage management job with the college of music and am very hopeful for that one.

I've become quite the housewife in the last few weeks. I clean up during the day and cook dinner so it' ready when he gets home. I've never really thought too much one way or the other about the "role of the woman" to cook and clean. I figure some women want to do those things and some don't. I really like the cooking part- it's the part of the day I look forward to the most right now. And I know the husband doesn't expect to have "dinner on the table" when he gets home, I just actually like to cook and am enjoying having the time and opportunity to do so!

As for the rest of Pennsylvania, I'm not 100% sold on it yet. And I think I will be but right now my day is spent mostly inside and I get bored easily. I have gotten out, don't get me wrong- I've explored the little town we live in, Bellefonte, and seen some of the Victorian homes in the area and I really like the quaint little downtown area- there's a lovely little coffee shop and little gift stores that are all really nice. The thing I am missing is the feeling that I have a life with friends and something outside the home. I joined a book club and we'll meet for the first time next week so I'm hoping that will help to open up my social scene a bit. And hopefully I'll get a job that will also help my social scene some and get me meeting new people.

I'm not depressed about being here and I'm not feeling dejected here, I just feel like I'm in a bit of a rut. This is the first time I've moved somewhere and it had nothing to do with me really. I am thrilled for the hubby and am so glad we are here, but now I'm ready for a reason for me to love it too, if that makes sense. I know it will happen, I've always been able to make friends in new places in the past and I am sure I will here as well.

To all my Memphis friends, I miss you guys like crazy!

And one other thing- the shopping here, not so great. I need to explore the downtown State College area more because there are a lot of boutique type stores down there but I have not found a favorite store yet. Even the Macy's is disappointing- way smaller than what I was used to in Memphis. My friends that know how much I love to shop understand why this is a concern. There is a Kohl's so I can still get Vera Wang. Thank Goodness!! At least I have Vera!!

Las Vegas, Part Deux!

I'm a little behind, but I thought I'd finish the story of our Las Vegas Weekend!

On Saturday, we went back to Fashion Show Mall for a while and while our guy friend got haircut, My best friend and I went into Neiman Marcus and gawked and designer dresses, and even tried a couple on! (We only tried on the under $400 ones for free we might do something stupid. Anyone who knows me knows my willpower and designer dresses don't go well together.) After walking through the Prada, Badgley Mishka, Gucci, and Versace areas I asked if they had a Vera Wang section, but alas I was out of luck. So, money was saved!

We then made our way to the Forum Shops at Caesers Palace. I drooled in the windows at La Perla, Versace, Jimmy Choo, and Harry Winston (WOW!) and we watched the free (thank God we didn't pay for this) fountain show where the statues "come to life". It was some of the WORST animatronics and lighting I've ever seen. I mean, I know it was free, but come on! This is Vegas!! I expected spectacle and impressive technical elements. Not so much. Chuck E. Cheese as this show beat!

We then went to the Burger Bar for lunch at Mandalay Bay (YUM!!) and checked out the lion habitat at MGM Grand. I love those lions! I want one, but I know that's just crazy talk...

That night we saw another show- the Crazy Horse Paris at MGM Grand. I knew this was going to be a Vegas Naked girls show which I was fine with, but I was a little disappointed. SOme of it was really great, the girls were pretty and danced well but I thought I would be more impressed by it. I thought it would be more seductive than it was or something. I can't quite figure out what it was missing. I guess some of it was just that the theatrics weren't as impressive as the night before at Ka, who knows...

After the show we made our way doen the strip to see the volcano explode at the Mirage (Very cool, and also free) and then we made it to the 11:30 performance of the Sirens of TI at Treasure Island. Now, I saw this show when I was there for my honeymoon, so I knew exaclty what to expect. I told my friends to be ready for some major Las Vegas cheese, but I think they were surprised at just how cheesy this show was! I mean, some of the lyrics include "You take a whole lot of sugar and little bit of honey and you shake it, shake it up!" It's NSync dancing meets pirates...go figure, but it was still fun.

We definitely made the most of our last night in town staying out at the casinos until 4am! We didn't win big unfortunately but we had a great time. We slept for about 4 hours before getting up and heading to the airport Sunday morning. We flew over and got a great view of the Grand Canyon on the way home so that was pretty cool as well.

We had such a fun trip and the 3 of us are already talking about making another group trip somewhere. Maybe Atlantic City?!? Who knows!!

AFter getting back to Memphis Sunday night I met up with the hubby and we headed straight to the Ostrander Awards where he was nominated for best lighting design for "Oklahoma!" Neither of us really expected him to win but we were pleasantly surprised when he did! It was a great night and a great chance to say goodbye to so many people at once. The theatre community in Memphis is definitely a part of our family and our history so we were very glad we were there.

More on Vegas

Now that things have calmed down and we are settling into our new home (posts forthcoming) I thought I'd update you on Vegas! I went with my two best friends from college and it was so great to be able to spend some time with them before the big move!

We arrived Thursday night and made it to our hotel (the Encore) in one piece. After putting our things down we went in search of food and ate at ZoozaCrackers in the Wynn. Wynn and Encore are "sister" properties and are connected by a shopping area. Having been to Vegas before I got to experience some of the sights and sounds but staying on the strip was a bit crazy! I mostly got caught up in taking pictures of all the designer stores- Hermes, Chanel - it was CRAZY!!!

On Friday we went to the Fashion Show Mall since one of my friends lost some of his luggage in the cargo hold. His suitcase "came open" and shorts, sandals, and shirts were lost. Boo! We hit Macy's and he got some replacement stuff. Next stop was lunch at the Mirage- California Pizza Kitchen- YUM! I had never been there before even though it's a chain and it was really good pizza!

After a bit of gambling we went back to the hotel and got changed for a Cirque show that night- Ka. I already saw Ka when I was there for my honeymoon but it was still so amazing the second time around. I'm pretty sure I could wath this show a million times and not tire of it. Everything about it is beautiful- the story, the set, costumes, lights, and the performances! I felt like a bit of a theatre dork, but oh well! I can't put into words exactly how this show makes me feel about theatre. It makes me want to do it forever and not because of the spectacle but just because of the magic they can create. If you ever have the chance to see it, GO! Run, do not walk!! Truly Beautiful!

After the show we hopped on the Deuce (the double decker bus on the strip) and went to the Bellagio to watch the fountains. There are some great free things on the strip and this is one of them. There are also some pretty lame free things on the strip, but I digress...

I'll put Saturday and Sunday into another post because I am tired and think I'm going to bed a bit early tonight. The hubby started his new job today and he had a long but good first day. I woke up early with him and made him breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast and orange juice) to get him going. Now we both must sleep!

Vegas Baby!!

Well I survived my second trip to Vegas! I want to write all about it, but will save that for when I am settled and not in the middle of the move. Here are the quick facts:

1. No one got hitched.

2. No one got divorced.

3. No one went to jail.

So depending on how you look at it, it was a very successful trip to Sin City or a total failure!!

On the Move

I'm sitting at my in laws in Cincinnati tonight. We did the first leg of the trip yesterday and will finish the trek tomorrow. We expect to be in Bellefonte, PA by 5pm.

We originally reserved a 16 foot Penske truck. After my hubby did some measuring and tetris-like arranging on his computer screen (in scale) we realized that would hold our furniture and none of our boxes. We promptly called and switched to the 22 foot truck! And it was a good thing we did because it is packed full!! I'm SOOOOO glad I went to the vet with the kitties to get them drugs for the ride. I don't really like the idea of drugging my animals, but it was definitely the right thing to do in this situation. They were so calm and slept for most of the ride here. You can see pictures of them in there stupor on my facebook page. Poor things! They were like Cheech and Chong! Tomorrow they will get another dose and hopefully they will sleep again and wake up in their new home!

We had a bit of a vacation day in Ohio today. We went to the National Air Force Museum (pics to come on the Facebook) and to Young's Jersey Dairy- they make all of their own ice cream with cream from the cows right there on the farm! It was very cool and very yummy, but we had WAY too much! Then we went to our nephews football practice (he's 6) and to dinner with the fam. It was a good day, but I am beat now!! The good news is that I will sleep well again before our early start tomorrow!

Success!

The yard sale is over!! HOORAY!!!!

And I think it was quite successful! We sold quite a lot and what didn't sell went straight to goodwill. I am very proud of the amount of clothes that I sold or gave away. Everything I've been keeping for 3-5 years thinking I would one day fit into again I just got rid of. Downsizing was the goal and we certainly did that. There are fewer things in the house to box up and I am glad for that!

It would not have been so successful had it not been for the help of our good friends who donated quite a lot to the sale to help us gain funds for the move. It is so wonderful to know that we have friends out there that want to help! I will certainly miss being close to them when I'm up in Pennsylvania. I know we will make new friends, but it will be weird to not have them just down the street for a shopping trip or a movie.

So now it's time to continue packing. I'm going to start boxing up clothes today and try to leave only what I will need for Vegas and the work week out. Tonight is my last night of work at the hotel (thank goodness) and I will be home every evening packing away! I've made a list of what needs to be done- changing address (done), canceling utilities, canceling the internet, reserve the moving truck (done), and re-connecting everything at the new place. There's more on the list and I am sure the list will keep growing. For now it's one step at a time!!

Overwhelming

There is so much to do and so little time!! I'm not even sure where to start! I've reserved our Penske truck for the move and I've tagged most of the yard sale stuff. I am hoping that after the sale on Saturday I'll be able to get a better grasp on what needs to be boxed up for the move! I'm also in the process of trying to get my cats more comfortable with the idea of being in the car. Cleo actually went for a ride the other day and did pretty well. She was vocal, but she was ok. Rosco however is scared to even go outside much less get in the car! We have an appointment with the vet next week to get them some calming meds for the trip. I hate to drug them but I would hate even more for them to be completely miserable!

It's weird because we leave on Sept. 1st so it seems like I have some time to get things done but when I looked at my calendar I actually only have about 3 days. I'm going to Vegas with friends next weekend and I am working full time all the way through Thursday, not to mention my part time job at the Fairfield Inn (there go my evenings!)...

So, I am feeling like I don't know how to get it all done. I need a checklist and more hours in the day would be great! The hubby has been working late for the last couple of weeks but he'll have a bit more time now to help which will also be a big help. It's easier to stay motivated when you have someone to keep you going!!

The good news is that we found a really cute townhouse in Pennsylvania!! It's 2 bedrooms and the kitchen looks REALLY nice!! So now it's time to get us there and get settled! Wish us luck!! The adventure continues!

I wanted an adventure...

And it looks like I'm getting one!

In three weeks my husband and I will be on our way to Pennsylvania with a Budget Truck and two very unhappy kitties. The husband got a WONDERFUL new job at Penn State! We are so excited but that means LOTS to do in just three weeks!

First step is to de-clutter!

Moving that far means cleaning out stuff that is unnecessary and having a yard sale. There's enough to move with just the necessities so I'm going to try VERY hard to not be a pack rat. Anyone who knows me knows I save a lot of junk. I can't help it that I want to save every party cup I ever painted in college!!

Step 2- Find an apartment IN PENNSYLVANIA!!

Not an easy task when you're in Tennessee and don't actually know anyone where you're moving! And it's a college town which means every apartment complex I've found is already fully rented for the year. Ugh. The good news is that I got in touch with a realtor today and they are going to see how they can help us find a place. Fingers crossed!

Next I figure out the best way to get my two sweet kitty cats to Pennsylvania without scarring them for life.

I am not above drugging them a little if it will make 14 hours in the car easier on their sensitive tummies and moods! I'm hoping to start taking them for little car rides here and there this week to help them adjust a little. Wish me luck!

And of course, find a job for me!

I'm hoping that my working part time at a hotel here will transfer nicely to a hotel there. That will at least give me something until I find my true calling!!

So here we go! I'm collecting boxes and I've already started packing things up for the big move. Everyone keeps warning me about the snow and I'm not sure how to prepare for a winter like I've never known but hopefully I'll have some time to ease into it. I'm excited about fall in Pennsylvania. Surely the leaves change there and I will really experience autumn like I never have before. This is all very exciting for us! And get this, it's illegal to NOT recycle there!! I kind of love that!! We're excited about moving somewhere that really cares about their town and the area. It will definitely be a change from Memphis!!

So stay tuned to see how this Southern girl survives up north!!

Yard Sales

I'm planning one. I've never had a yard sale that was just my stuff. I've put things into other yard sales, but this one is all our stuff that we need to get rid of. The thing is, I'm not sure how successful I'll be. I don't have a whole lot of high demand items like toys and kids clothing and furniture. I do have a ton of clothes that I'm getting rid of and other random household things. I'm not trying to make a whole lot of money, just trying to shed some of the stuff I've gathered over the years that I really just don't need. Wish me luck and come check it out if you're in Memphis, Saturday, Aug. 22. Whatever I don't sell I'll send to the good will.

Taking Flight

I don't get to travel much. Until June of this year I have flown a total of 3 times, in my entire life! Between June and the end of this month I will have doubled the number of flights I've taken.

In June I flew to California for my cousin Kimmy's funeral. It was a horrible reason to fly anywhere and the worst reason to finally get back to see my family there. However, it was a beautiful celebration of her life and it actually turned out to be a pretty decent trip in the long run. I got to spend more time with my aunts, uncles and cousins than I have in a very long time. And I even got to go to my first major league baseball game with a friend from Memphis that is now living in Long Beach. The best part of the trip however was getting to spend some real time with my cousins. I'm the youngest of all the cousins and despite the fact that we are all grown adults now, I always felt a little bit like the kid in the room. This trip sort of changed that in a lot of ways though. My two female cousins and I became a bit inseparable while we were there. We had so much fun and laughed and told stories about Kimmy and just really bonded. We decided that the three of us need to find a time and place to go on a trip together. I know it would be a blast and I really hope we find a way to make it happen.

In July, I was flown to Amherst, MA for a job interview. This was interesting because I was traveling alone to a place where I had no friends or family. Usually I hate going out to eat alone and not having someone to share an experience with, but this was totally different. It was a quick trip but very empowering in a way. I won't talk about the interview here because I don't think a blog is the proper place for such things. I will talk about how great it was to be somewhere completely unknown and in a part of the country I've never visited. The town was adorable and everyone was very friendly.I think what I liked the most though was that I was completely alone, but felt totally safe and comfortable walking around on my own, even at night. I ate in adorable restaurants (Had the BEST pizza ever at Antonio's) and looked in adorable shops in Amherst Center. Who knows, maybe this is where my next adventure in life will unfold!!

Next up, I'm going to Las Vegas at the end of the month! This is purely a fun trip with two friends from college. I've been to Vegas once before, on my super awesome honeymoon, and am looking forward to going back. It will be a ton of fun with friends and hopefully we will all leave with some money and unmarried for them, still married for me! Ha! I'll keep you posted on how the trip goes, even if What Happens in Vegas is supposed to stay there!

Change

I'm ready for something new and exciting and big. My hubby and I have been thinking about leaving Memphis for a while now and we are so ready to start a new adventure. We're aren't sure what adventure that is yet, but we are on the lookout. I'm hoping this blog that I created (and promptly forgot about) will become a place where I can document what comes next for us. For now, I'll try to go back to the title and describe some recent shopping adventures.

And I have my first follower! Hopefully now that I have a bit of a direction, maybe some interesting posts will follow! Here's to Adventures and Shopping!!

Home Sweet Home

I am actually getting to go back to Louisiana finally!  It will be a super fast trip, but so needed!  I'm leaving on Sunday morning and heading to Slidell to stay with my bro and his family until Tuesday when I have to head back to Memphis.  My parents will be there too so even though I'm not going to Bunkie, I'll still get to see them.

So many people I know are going home for Easter and I guess I am too, though I'm going now because it's the first time I've had more than 1 day off since my honeymoon- Easter or not.  But, I'm glad I'll be there at Easter!  I'll get to watch my BEYOND adorable niece and nephew hunt eggs and just be cute in general.  I love spending time with those kids- they are perfect in every way!!  The only down side is that my husband can't come with me.  He's stuck working.  I love having him with me, especially on family visits because he can always help me escape if I need to!  Don't get me wrong, I love my fam, but everyone knows family time can get stressful!!

But hey, it's only 3 days, right?  And I'm hoping for crawfish and beignets while I'm there!

Boudin

It has been ages since I have been back to Louisiana just for a visit.  I went for a bridal shower back in the fall, but I haven't been home just to be home in ages and I have been craving something Cajun!  So about a week or so ago I called my brother.  He guaranteed me boudin and man did he come through!  TOday when I arrived at the office there was a box with 10 pounds of good ole straight from coonass country boudin!!  I can't wait to get home and cook it up!

I shared some with friends who have never had boudin and I will freeze some as well, but I am stoked to have some real Cajun food tonight!

It's just one more pair of shoes...

Over a year ago I found a pair of BCBGirls shoes that I loved.  I had no reason to buy them and nothing really to wear them with, but I was drawn to them anytime I walked through a Dillard's.  Then I found my rehearsal dinner dress for my wedding- it was black and white, like the shoes and I thought, now I should buy them.  

So off to Dillard's I go with my mom and mother-in-law to be.  We found the shoes tried them on, and once again I talked myself out of them.  I thought about how much the wedding would cost and why should I spend an extra $100 bucks when I had a perfectly fine pair of black pumps already that I could wear.  So once again, I didn't buy them.

Now it's months later and I want those shoes so badly!!  I can't find them anywhere, not even Ebay, in black and white.  Orange and black yes, Grey and black yes, but no black and white.  My husband thinks I have too many shoes as it is, but what husband doesn't think that about their wife?  But I've warned him, once I find those shoes again (and I will continue to search!) they will be mine!  $100 or not- I want that shoe!

The beginning of my new blog

I've decided to start a blog, obviously as you are reading it now.  I'm not sure what I'll write about yet, maybe shopping adventures since I seem to be more of a shopaholic than anything else...

So here goes.  We'll see if I stick with it and what direction it takes, but I hope you enjoy it while it lasts!