Goodbye For Now, Columbus

I've been so caught up in the excitement of buying a house and moving back home that I haven't really had the chance to think about what I'll miss about Columbus. Tonight as I was taping up the last of the boxes, I realized that saying goodbye to this crazy college town would be harder than I thought.

Fortunately, I am still working in Columbus a couple of times a week, so it will be more like "see ya later" than goodbye. But I think it's going to be different to be a visitor in this place that I've called home for the last five years.

This place will always have a special place in my heart. I'll always be a Buckeye and I'll always hold my years here in high regard.

The Shoe will always be the place where I promised Tyler that I would be his best friend forever and the place where I finally got my hands on that piece of paper I that I worked so hard for.

Oakland Avenue will always be the first place that I lived without my mom. It will always be the place that I spent lots of homesick nights wondering what I was going to do with my life.

The house on Indianola - the one that I can't believe is still standing - will always be the place that holds the most memories from my college experience. It's where my roommates became my friends and then my family - both figuratively and literally!

Scarlet and Grey will always be the best place to drink beer with folks from Mercer County on game days.

Somerset will always be the place where Tyler and I first lived together, where we added sweet Somer Girl (see what we did there?) to our family and where we spent our first year of marriage figuring things out along the way.

Columbus is more than where I went to college and started my career. It's where I fell in love with the boy who I eventually married. It's where I met so many people who have had an impact on my life and who I will miss dearly. It's where I grew up and figured out who I wanted to be.

So... It's goodbye, for now, Columbus. But I'll be back soon.

The Post Command Center

We officially have an end date on our lease - and it's just over a week away! While we're still not sure exactly when we'll be in the new house, it's nice to have some kind of a plan in place. 

So, instead of writing this blog, I should be upstairs packing. But packing is super boring and I can only stand so much in one day - and I'm much too excited about the new house to be solely focused on wrapping things up here!

Anyway, I don't have a ton of plans to redecorate the new house. I love so much about it already! I originally planned to paint one room - the office - but I've since decided to hold off, at least for now. One thing that I am really excited about is putting together a home base, or as it's known in the Pinterest world, a command center. 

I've seen these kinds of "walls of organization" all over Pinterest for awhile now, but we didn't have a great place for one in our condo - and I figured with just the two of us, we could stay pretty organized without one. I was wrong. Our fridge is a hot mess of invitations, calendars, receipts, photos, lists and notes. Side note: with all of the things we have going on already, I can't imagine the chaos when we add kids into the mix.

We have the perfect wall right inside our back entry way that is begging to be used as a command center. I started thinking about it just yesterday - and after a trip to Home Goods after work, I have everything I need! 

I made a calendar print to go in the large frame to make a dry-erase calendar. The burlap bulletin board will take care of invitations, photos, cards, etc. The mail sorter will hold mail (imagine that!), receipts, and other paperwork until it finds its permanent home (probably the trash). And I love that it has hooks - perfect for keys and puppy leashes. 

I'm already using the basket! I thought why waste a box when I can throw things in here to transport to the new house? It will hold pens, dry erase markers for the calendar, scissors, tape, and notepads.

We have an upholstered storage bench that sits at the foot of our bed right now, but the new bed we just bought has storage drawers, so I plan to put the bench underneath the command center with a couple of throw pillows. It'll add to the appearance and be a comfy place to sit while you put your shoes on (this wall is right across from the coat closet - convenient!), plus we can store odds and ends inside!

I'll post an update when we're in the house and this little project is finished! Fingers crossed that it turns out as nicely as I hope!

Do you have an area like this - a "command center" - in your home? How does your family use it?

Say Hello to the Homeowners

We announced a few months ago that we were planning our big move from Columbus back to Saint Henry. What we have delayed announcing officially - although some of you may already know - is that we found the perfect home and it's now ours!

We were lucky enough to find a house, owned by friends of ours, that was never even listed on the market. We quite possibly have had the smoothest home buying experience ever. Thank you, Mitch and Emily, for making our lives easier! It has been a pleasure doing business with you!

Our new home is a two story craftsman house on the north side of Saint Henry. It has everything we were hoping for, including a perfect kitchen, a master suite on the first floor and a great patio and backyard. I love everything about it. In fact, at this point, I don't plan to paint or change anything!

While it is absolutely adorable now (okay, I may be a little biased), from what I hear, it used to be the scary house in town that kids would run past on their way to the pool or park. Mitch and Emily bought it and completely remodeled it a few years ago. It's like a brand new house! Speaking of, they're doing that process all over again with another house, hence why they sold us this one.

We don't have an official move in date, but we're hoping to be in by the beginning of June. A housewarming party (also known as any excuse to throw a party) will be in the works shortly thereafter. Stay tuned!

Here are some pictures of the house we'll now be calling home!

Love Trumps All

"The best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other." - Dalai Lama

Over the last four months, I have experienced the truth in that quote. As difficult as it has been to live apart during our first year of marriage, I think coming to that realization has made it worth the hardship.

During my first few years of college, Tyler and I saw each other every day and did nearly everything together. While I don't regret that because it helped form the base of our relationship, I came to think I truly needed Tyler to get through the day. I didn't know how I would handle life without him. Over the last few months, I have come to realize that I am a lot stronger than I ever thought I was. I can be independent.

Here's the thing: I don't want to be. I've learned that my love for him exceeds my need for him.

I think that learning this early on in our marriage is going to be important in the years to come. While I don't recommend living two hours right after you get married, I think there's something to be said about maintaining some autonomy in a relationship.

On a lighter note, I thought I would share with you the best parts about having the house to myself:

• On days I work from home I can get away without showering or changing out of my pajamas
• There's no one there to complain when I leave my laundry in the basement for days (...weeks)
• Ice cream for dinner? Why not? 
• I can sleep with as many pillows as I want without complaint
• The TV hasn't been tuned into ESPN for months

And the worst parts:

• Taking out the trash
• Jumping at every sound and constantly double checking that the doors are locked
• Cooking for one person
• Missing my hubs 

This will crazy living situation will be over soon! The countdown is officially on - our big move is coming quickly. I'll have lots to share in the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned!

Happy Birthday, Somer Dog!

Am I really writing a blog post commemorating my dog's birthday? Yes, I am. And I'm going to tell you why. If you weren't wondering why, and just want to see pictures of a cute puppy, scroll down.

I knew after we got married that I wanted a dog. Tyler, on the other hand, knew that he did not. After a lot of begging, he started to warm up to the idea of looking at dogs - not necessarily bringing one home to live with us.

I took a couple of trips to the Franklin County Animal Shelter. There were so many adorable dogs (if you're looking for a four-legged friend, check them out!), but I just didn't connect with any of them immediately.

I found a purebred yorkie on Craigslist and I was sure he was going to be our new pet. We drove an hour to Zanesville to meet him - he was super cute and playful, and Tyler told me that if I wanted him, we could bring him home. But for some reason, I just didn't feel sure. (I still feel a little bad about that. I hope Boomer found his perfect forever family!)

Three days later, I found Somer Dog (formerly Roxy) on Craigslist. When I called to ask if she was still looking for a new home, the guy told me he had just posted his ad five minutes prior and I was the first one to call.

It was love at first sight. I knew that she was my dog. I had mixed feelings about changing her name, but when Tyler suggested we name her Somer after our first home together (Somerset Square is the complex we live in), I couldn't say no to that. That's when I knew he loved her, too!

Somer has been such a blessing to us during our first year of marriage. I'm not one of those people who thinks my dog is the equivalent of someone else's child, but she has taught Tyler and I to work as a team to balance responsibilities. If one of us has a happy hour after work, the other has to come straight home to take Somer out. If one of us has to go to work early, the other has to take Somer out and feed her before leaving for the day. Also, there was a time when Tyler would gag as he picked up dog poop in the yard. Now he's a pro - and has no excuse for not changing future dirty diapers.

We also never anticipated that we'd be living separately within our first year of marriage. It's going to be worth it, but it has been a lot tougher than I thought it would be. I honestly don't think I could keep it together it wasn't for Somer. She keeps me company, makes me feel safe and gives me a reason to get outside when I'm feeling lonely and just want to lay on the couch and mope. 

I really believe that Somer was meant to be my dog. I think there's a reason that I didn't want to bring that cute little yorkie home. I think there's a reason I was the first one to call about her. I think there's a reason that Tyler finally gave in and let me get a dog. The Big Guy knew I was going to need her - and that she was going to become a big part of our little family.

So there you have it. That's why my dog deserves a blog post about her birthday.

Happy birthday, Somer Dog! You drive me crazy and wear me out every day, but you also bring me so much comfort and happiness. I love your ten second snuggles and your kisses that are few and far between. I love when you chase your tail and pretend to roll over for treats. I love when you try to act like a big dog at the park and try to protect the tiny dogs. You're smart and silly and annoying and a huge mooch and I love you so much. 

Pinterest Recipes

Who doesn't love Pinterest? Without it, what my wedding would've ended up like? How would my apartment would be decorated? What would I ever cook for dinner? I thought it would be fun to share some how some of my favorite "pins" panned out in real life.

Don't get me wrong, I've had my fair share of Pinterest fails (most of mine involve hair tutorials) and I love all of the Pinterest fail blogs out there (Pinstrosity is one of my favorites), but I have also had some success with Pinterest recipes! Here are some of my favorites: 

BLT Pizza 

This recipe actually inspired me to write this post! I just made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious. The directions are super straight forward and the end result looks a lot like the pin. Overall, I was pretty impressed.

Crock Pot Chicken and Gravy

This dish has become one of my favorite comfort foods. It's so easy - the hardest part is making the mashed potatoes to go with it - and it's my go-to when I'm craving chicken and noodles, but don't have any noodles on hand. 

Dill Pickle Dip

I love this dip! It's kind of a twist on a regular cheese ball. It can be whipped up super quickly, and I usually have all of the ingredients on hand. I think I've brought this as an appetizer to every party I've been to in the last six months. If anyone's getting sick of it, they haven't told me! 

Monster Cookies

BEST COOKIE RECIPE EVER. I'll be honest. I used to really struggle with homemade baked goods. For some reason, nothing ever turned out quite right. That all changed when I found this recipe. I make it so often, I've got it nearly memorized. The cookies turn out huge - but there aren't a ton. If you're bringing them somewhere to share, I recommend making a double batch! 

Have you successfully made any of these recipes? Have you had luck with other Pinterest recipes? Share them with me! I tend to get stuck in recipe ruts. I'd love to know what's in your regular menu rotation. 

Hey, There (Again)

Let's just pretend that I didn't leave you all hanging for the last year, okay? I could make a million excuses for why this blog was a total fail. I could, but I won't. Instead, check out the updated About The Blog section to see why I'm resurrecting this project that you clearly thought was dead.

While you do that, I'm going to jump right to it. To say a lot has changed since the last time I posted would be the understatement of the, well, year. I'll try to get you all up to speed in the next 500 words.

The whole purpose of this blog (you know, that whole wedding thing) has come and gone.

I can't do my wedding day justice with one bullet point. It's going to require its own post one day, but not today. I'm sure most of you who are reading this were there anyway!

To sum it up as briefly as possible, it was a beautiful day full of love and laughter and family and friends. It was the happiest I've ever been, and I wouldn't change a thing.

Our honeymoon was as amazing as I ever could've imagined.

This is another topic that warrants its own post on another day. Here's what I'll say for now: Cabo is even more beautiful than the photos, the tequila goes down smoother at a swim-up bar and the hangovers fade quicker when you're lounging by the beach.

I left my job at the hospital and took the next step in my career.

Saying goodbye to everyone at the hospital was so hard for me (I still miss you all!), but it was time for my next move. I accepted a job at a digital marketing agency in Columbus. It has been about six months, and it's going really well! I get to work with some great clients and I learn something new every day. 

I also have some awesome perks, like working from home... Which reminds me...

Tyler also left his job and accepted a new position... at home!

We're super excited to move back to our hometown and be close to our families and friends. We really weren't sure if we would ever be able to move back home, and we definitely did not anticipate it happening this quickly. 

We're in the process of buying our first home.

Nothing is official yet, but we've found the cutest little house that's just perfect for us. More to come on that later!

Until we officially buy a house, we're splitting our time between here and there.

We're making the best of it, and it's all going to work out soon, but it's a rough time for us. I don't recommend not living with your husband in your first six months of marriage if you can avoid it!

I am to become homeowners for the first time, but I'm going to miss where we live now.

We have been super lucky to live in a great condo in a great neighborhood. We have the best landlord (Hey, Jules!) and it has been the perfect place for us to start our married life!

Luckily, I have a little someone to keep me company while we're apart.

Say hello to my best girl Somer Post. Well, she's my best girl most of the time. Sometimes I think she finds joy in making my life difficult (right about now is one of those times). 

In all seriousness, I don't know what I would do without her right now. She is a handful, but I love having her. To be honest, I don't know how I talked Tyler into getting a dog, but I'm so glad I did. Don't be fooled - even though he was against the idea, they have become best friends. Somer is his girl.

   

Welp, that's that. See you next time! 

There will be a next time. I promise.