Le Weekend

This weekend was all about getting to know our new little area. Lane got released early on Friday and we set off to explore Watertown. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the town square. There was a great art gallery with beautiful paintings and wood work. We had lunch at The Crystal, which has been around since the early 1900's. Good food at insanely low prices. The hamburger is $2.75.

 My camera is still wonky so these are from the web via

 Friday night was very relaxing, as we ate dinner on post and watched the Eric Bana movie Hanna.

Saturday we jumped in the car and drove to Syracuse. I had looked up interesting places to walk around, and Armory Square was one of the results. We should have looked up the basketball schedule, because Syracuse was playing a home game on Saturday. We walked  through hordes of orange clad Syracuse fans and found some great shops. We got coffee at a shop called Freedom of Espresso. I loved the name, and the very tasty latte.

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I was thrilled to find knobs for my pie safe, for half the price of the Anthro knobs I had been dreaming about.  The wonderful sales lady said that she wanted to show us how strong they were. She took one from the display and chucked it at the ( tile) floor as hard as she could. After I recovered from my slight heart attack, I was shocked that the knob didn't even have a scratch.

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During our walk we passed the Wesleyan Methodist Church. It was part of the underground railroad and helped hundreds of former slaves escape to Canada. Susan B Anthony also spoke here. It has been converted into a restaurant, and we definitely plan on going back for a meal.

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We ate at the Empire Brewing Company for lunch. It was delicious and had such a cool interior. I had some of the best chili I have ever eaten. It is below ground right in Armory Square. We didn't try any of their beers, but I am sure we will be back. They also use entirely renewable energy, which is amazing.

It feels good to gain familiarity with this area. I want to like it here, and making these kind of trips helps.

We Made It

I am so relieved that we made is safely to New York with all of our belongings in tow. It was a long two days of driving, but luckily we got to see family along the way. We arrived yesterday and started the two weeks of in-processing. Unfortunately, the civilian job office was closed by the time we arrived, but I am planning on going Monday.

Source: Molly on Pinterest

We are in temporary housing for the time being, so all my fabulous house plans are on hold. It is a little overwhelming. This place will be home for the next few years. I had a hard time the first few weeks in Columbus, and came to love it there. I know ( or am hoping) it will be the same up here.

Road Trip Necessities

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Last day on the road! Tonight we are checking in to the on-post hotel and praying that housing comes through sooner rather than later.

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In the spirit of road trips, here are some of my go-to items for a few days on the road.

Starbucks

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Oh the amount of Starbucks I drink during road trips. Normally I try to limit myself to a few visits a week, but those rules go out the window when I am on the road. Back in college I used to leave for VMI at around 4:00 AM. I would reach the Gaffney, S.C Starbucks just as they opened around 6:00. I would get a venti mocha to power me through the last five hours of the drive. There is nothing better than a hot drink as the sun is rising. Conversing, those iced chai's are wonderful when it is hot outside and the windows are down. 

Country Music 

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I love listening to country while I am driving. There are huge swaths of the drive without great radio reception, but I can always find a good country station

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Sunglasses 

I wear my wayfarers all the time. You might think I am exaggerating, but I have a significant number of wedding photos with them on.

Before the wedding 

About five minutes after we said "I Do" 

Michael Buble Makes It All Better

My apartment is rapidly filling with piles of boxes, ready to be loaded onto the truck on TUESDAY! By the end of next week I will be (hopefully) in New York. I can't wait to finally get up there and get everything sorted.

What I am a little nervous about?

Weather for Watertown, NY from weather.com

	Today	Tonight
Partly Cloudy	Rain / Snow	Rain / Snow Showers
38°F	38°	31°

I have been so spoiled with the warm Georgia winter, this is going to be quite the shock.

During all the packing madness, my Michael Buble Pandora station has been my background music. It is in that spirit that I chose this song for Good Night Moon's What's Your Song Link-Up. This is my first time doing this particular link-up and I thought this song was appropriate. I am sad to be leaving my home state, and Georgia On My Mind has always been one of my favorite songs. My family and bridesmaids walked down the aisle to it, and it was also considered for my Father-Daughter Dance. I love Ray Charles, but Michael Buble does a pretty good job too.

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I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend

Georgia On My Mind

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Happy Valentines Day! We are seeing This Means War today for a matinee and making dinner at home. Neither of us is particularly into Valentines Day, and going to a movie may be the most we have ever done. My birthday is right before, and I am all celebrated out by the 14th.

We have been trying to hit all of our favorite places in Columbus before we leave. We had lunch at Country's today, and visited our favorite coffee shop; Columbus Coffee Company. Boxes are starting to pile up against the walls. I feel pretty confident about this move, probably because we only have a few room's worth of furniture. I haven't been here that long but have most certainly grown attached to certain places. I love the Barnes and Noble here, and working there for the last few months has been such a blessing.

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Unlike leaving Atlanta, where I know I will always come back to visit, I am not sure the next time I will be in Columbus. I was dreading living here, but was pleasantly surprised. The weather is wonderful of course, and I will take 80 degrees in January any day. I'm sure it will be even more appreciated when I am freezing in the NY winter.

Enough sad stuff. In the spirit of celebrating my last week in Georgia, here are some of my favorite Georgia pins. All are from my Pinterest Board Lovely

Friday Loves

Happy Friday! 

I have seen this idea on loads of other blogs and think its lovely. Here are five things that are making me happy this week. 

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1. My Birthday was this week and I was able so see both my in-laws and my family. Lane is driving up to Atlanta today we will celebrate this weekend in Columbus. My wonderful dad got the cake from Alons in Atlanta, and it is amazing.

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2. As a Birthday gift my mom got me a few Atlanta-themed coasters. I have seen these in galleries all over the city, and have wanted to get a few before we moved. I am so excited about them. It is such a small thing, but will be a great reminder of home in the frozen north. If anyone needs a great gift for an Atlanta friend, these are wonderful. I know they sell them at Heliotrope in Decatur and Young Blood Gallery in Poncy Highlands.

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3. Jason Wu for Target came out last weekend. I was not nearly motivated enough to go when Target opened last Sunday. Luckily for me, the only piece I really wanted was available on Target's website. The black pleated chiffon skirt is currently on it's way to my hot little hands.

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4. A miracle happened on Wednesday. I was in and out of the DMV in ONE hour. I had to register our car and finish changing my name. I was convinced it would be a four hour ordeal, or that I wouldn't have all the right paper work. God must have been giving me a birthday present, because the woman behind the counter was also a military wife. She was the most wonderful pleasant DMV worker I have ever met. Everything went smoothly, and soon I was on my way back. I am so relieved to have those two things taken care of. Now we have plates for our gorgeous new Subaru Outback.

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5. I finally finished George R.R Martin's Dance With Dragons. I was chugging along for days trying to finish this book, and finally last night I turned the last page. I love the Song of Ice and Fire series, but not so excited about waiting for years for the next one.  I have to wait a few days until Lane finishes. I have a terrible habit of forgetting where he is in the book, and ruining the end. So not talking about it until he is totally done.

I am heading back to Columbus this weekend and entering packing insanity. We are in the final countdown before the move. I predict this week will contain at least four calls to housing, five battles with packing tape, and hopefully no broken dishes.

Home Sweet Home

The last few months of Columbus living have been marked by unpacked boxes and living out of random bags. Although I have some great friends down here, I can't say that this apartment really feels like home. When I first arrived in October there was not a single piece of furniture in the whole place. The boys had been living with just a few dishes and sleeping pads for beds. I have quickly accumulated a dining room table and a few other items, but it looks a lot like a college dorm. 

This is one reason I am so excited for the pcs to Fort Drum. Despite the cold and snow, this will be the first place where we can actually make a home together. Something that in our eight years together we have never had. In celebration of the upcoming move, here are some of my favorite homey crafts. I plan to do most of these in our new place. 

Source: http://kayladanelle.blogspot.com

I love the idea of keeping track of all the places we will live and the cities that mean the most to us. I would of course include Indiana ( where we met), Georgia ( where I am from and where we live now), Virginia ( where I went to grad school and where husband is from).

Source: http://www.younghouselove.com

                                                   

This is another sweet idea for anyone who moves on a regular basis. You just keep a copy of the key from each home and display them in a shadow box. I have the key from my house in Arlington ( where we got engaged), and will hold onto the key from the house here in Columbus. 

Source: www.marthastewartweddings.com

                                                

I love maps for matting pictures. I try to grab a free map from any city I visit with the hopes of doing something like this. This would be great in a gallery style with all different maps from your travels. 

I can't wait to start to decorate after the move. I would rather think about framing pictures than the mountains of furniture and boxes that have to be moved across the entire eastern seaboard.