Our big move to Florida

As many of you know, the biggest news currently in our lives is our upcoming move to Tallahassee, Florida. My parents live there, and it was my Dad who informed me of a full-time teaching position open at Tallahassee Community College (full-time positions are extremely hard to come by in San Diego). So I interviewed, and was offered the position! We are very blessed to have work in this economy, but we will also be very sad to leave our friends and memories in San Diego. Nevertheless, we are trying to think positively about the new chapter of our lives. So here is a little about the city of Tallahassee:

It is the capital of Florida

It is known as a college town, hosting Florida State University, Florida A & M, and of course, my new employer, TCC (pictured)

It has beautiful canopy roads, created by the overhanging spanish moss

It has historic homes and buildings with the Southern-style porches and columns

... and lakes, of course! This is the lake next to the beautiful Maclay Gardens

Here are the Gardens:





Here are a few pictures from when we were in town for my brother's wedding. Here were are in my Dad's boat out at their lake house.


I took this picture of an alligator on a swamp boat tour in the county of Wakulla

...and a manatee!

We invite you all to come visit us. There is more than enough room to house visitors and we would just love having some familiar faces around!

One Year Anniversary with new pictures

Hello all! Long time no see. I'm hoping to start blogging regularly again. I doubt I will actually go back through six months of pictures and completely catch everyone up, but you never know! At the very least, here is how we kicked off our summer vacation: the celebration of our one-year anniversary!

Andrew took the reigns on the planning and surprised me with a beautiful downtown San Diego day. We had fish tacos on the waterfront for lunch, relaxed by a rooftop pool in the afternoon and went on a three hour dinner cruise through the harbor. It was the perfect way to celebrate and enjoy this amazing city that we are about to leave. Here are some pics:

Our dinner vessel

The only shot of the two of us together

I needed his jacket pretty early in the evening... it was chilly!

It was Memorial Day, so here's a patriotic shot for you all!

More wind!

At our table

Cheers!

The downtown lights were beautiful at night

The pool at the hotel Se

Drew enjoying the warm water

Me enjoying the sunshine

The classic Donald grin

What a great day! Lets hope we have 64 more anniversaries!

What we've been up to

We are buried in books. Andrew and I have only two months left until our Master's Exam, and we are just reading reading reading. I thought I'd explain why I didn't even get through the holiday posts, and how our many (ha!) blog followers will have to wait until summer for catching up. But really, there's not much to tell except what Thoreau, Dickinson and Faulkner have to say.

Holiday Season Part 1

Sorry it's been so long since our last post...
the end of the semester and traveling are not helpful to blogging.

Here's a belated post about the first part of our holiday season.

* * *

We went to Drew's Grandma's house in Fresno for a delicious Thanksgiving meal, lots of family and of course the second annual extreme croquet tournament!

My sister Leah and little Abigail

Drew playing with Nathan

As many of you know, I can not wait very long after Thanksgiving to get my tree.. I think it was three days this year. So I took Joanna to the local tree lot- she had never been to one before- and we had a little too much fun picking one out!

The I went over to my friend Michelle's house to make gingerbread shacks and mansions (I say that with bitterness, does it surprise you that the one in the middle is not mine?) Actually it was a lot of fun and mine is on the left if you care...

Drew putting on the tree's finishing touch

Well, almost finishing... I can always find things that need tweaking!

Natalie came over and we made delicious sugar cookies from scratch!



We even learned how to make homemade frosting... here's the result!




Andrew being silly rather than helpful (and wearing two kinds of plaid??!!)


A little non-holiday celebrating of Parris's birthday (black hat)


We went to East Village Tavern downntown for some ritzy high-class bowling



I think I am confusing bowling with figure skating

... so Andrew took me figure skating!

On Coronado island, the Hotel Del has "skating by the sea"

Not sure why this one makes him laugh... ok yes I do, I'm a huge doofus

... but he skates with his tongue out so it takes one to know one

Look ma! One leg!



Stay Tuned for Holiday Season Part 2!

...oh and P.S....

I just snapped this as they were leaving for the Chargers/Colts Game and I thought it was cute how happy they are to see each other (Matt and Jake live 6 hours north).

Love these guys... that's all.

Harvest Party 2008/ Pictures of our place

Welcome to our home!

I finally got around to snapping some pictures of our place.

* * *
If you look carefully, you can see the ugly tile that has bunches of flowers on it! Not our first choice in countertop decor.

Here's the Master bedroom... those aren't giant spots on the wall just some weird reflection from my camera.

My rudimentary painting of a lady in a big gown to go with our shower curtain.

Dining

Wine Bar

Hearth

...and the participants in the 5th annual Harvest Party!

Back L-R: Tina, Joanna, Kasey, Emma, Lindsay, Nicole

Front: Natalie, Shannon, Yours Truly, Michelle

Tina carved me into a pumpkin!

Gettin warm by the fire with Kasey :)

About as fall as it gets around our neighborhood.

I thought this tree was kinda pretty