Moving Progress!

We are officially Oklahoma residents again. We loaded up a 26 foot UHaul and three vehicles full of our stuff and moved last Tuesday. We are slowly getting situated and unloading boxes.

 I must say, the house already looks 100x better after cleaning it and putting our stuff in it. I have already picked out and bought the paint colors and I will start painting the living room tomorrow. I will post the before pictures as soon as I get them taken and can find Internet service. We don't have Internet set up yet so I'm using the Internet at my parent's house right now.

Aaron started his job today. I'm anxious to hear all about how his first day went. I can tell you that he is absolutely loving where we live and being out in the wild. So far we have spotted wild hogs, a momma bob cat and her kittens, 3 coyotes, a flock of turkeys, and some big bucks on the land. To say Aaron is in "HOG" heaven is an understatement. I'm pretty sure he goes outside every chance he gets to look for wildlife. I, on the other hand, am scared to death to step foot outside, especially in the dark.

I have started the interviewing process and will let you know how that goes as things progress.

We owe a GIGANTIC thank you to Aaron's family and my parents for all they have done for us during this move. Aaron's family came to Mammoth and helped us load everything. Then they drove to our new place and helped us unload everything. We could not have done it without their help. Thank goodness Aaron has two brothers because their muscles were definitely needed to move all our big furniture. My parents spent 12 hours cleaning the house prior to us arriving and then they came down the day after we unloaded the UHaul to help us get everything situated. They also babysat Samson for two weeks so we wouldn't have to worry about him while we packed and moved. It was a huge help, but we missed him so much!

I came to my parents house this weekend and reunited with Samsy! We went for a long walk and I might have almost cried when I first saw him. We were both so excited. 

It has already been so great being so close to family. I was able to spend the weekend on the lake with my mom's side of the family. We had relatives in from Virginia so we had a big get together and it was so much fun.

 I haven't seen Isabel and her parents since our wedding last June. It was so fun to see her and see how much she has grown. She is adorable and says the cutest things.

 I also got the meet sweet baby June for the first time. She is the prettiest baby ever. Those big brown eyes and her gummy grin will steal your heart. She was such a good, happy baby.

Love my family so much and so glad we got to spend the weekend together.

My brother and his wife just got back from their vacation to Puerto Rico. I got to have lunch with them today and they brought us back a souvenir. My brother said they searched high and low for the perfect souvenir for us and I'm pretty sure they nailed it....hahaha. I love it. I wish we had a mailbox to put this on, but we don't have a mailbox yet so I can't wait to find the perfect spot for it. 

So far I have painted the front door (on the inside) a pretty robin's egg blue/mint and I've bought the "love grows best in little houses" pillow and put it on our couch in the living room. Stay tuned for the before pictures, coming soon!

"Love Shack" Pinterest Ideas

I'm in desperate need of a break from packing so I've been skimming through Pinterest looking for ideas for the "Love Shack". We have made a pretty big dent in the packing department tonight. The living room, kitchen, laundry room, spare room, and bathroom are all done. Now I just have to do our bedroom and my closet which I am dreading. I think we will be ready to go by Monday!! 

Here are a few options I'm loving for the new house:

Kitchen wall color- Palladian Blue by Benjamin Moore

 I am in love with these light gray kitchen cabinets. I'm trying to decide between light gray or white cabinets. Our counter tops will be white so that makes me want to do the light gray, but then I can't decide what color would look best on the kitchen walls with the gray because I don't want to do just white walls.

I also love just the white cabinets with gold hinges and handles. I think it looks so light and fresh. I will have my farmhouse table, parson chairs, and bench in there. My dishes are mint green/blue and I will keep my current kitchen decor that incorporates a little black and gold. Which cabinet option do you like best?

I'm going to paint the living room walls Oatbran by Valspar. I think this color will match pretty darn close with our current couches and curtains. I'm also going to paint all the woodwork in the entire house white.

We found an inexpensive faux hardwood linoleum at Lowe's that looks similar to this for the living room, hallway, and maybe the kitchen floor. I can't decide if I want the kitchen and living room in the same stuff or if the kitchen needs to be something different.

I would also like to do some sort of tin/white ceiling tiles or a board and batten type ceiling because the current ceiling is bad and peeling off in places.

I love this color gray for our bedroom walls.

Or this green/gray color called Ancient Marble by Sherwin Williams. I have always wanted to paint a room in my house this color. 

I'm still not sure what colors to use for the bathroom and guest room. Not sure if we will make it in this house long enough to touch the outside, but I would love to paint the brick, put up shutters, and paint the front door. 

I've always wanted a yellow, mint, or robin's egg blue front door. Here is my inspiration:

 Wythe Blue

 Whipped Mint- LOVE LOVE LOVE

Not sure what color this is, but I love it!!

Who knows how far into this project we will actually get before we buy a house, but I sure am starting to get excited while looking for ideas.

The Love Shack

House hunting has been an absolute adventure in the area we are moving to. When we first found out Aaron got the job, we sent my mom and my aunt to be our eyes. They spent an entire weekend searching for a rent house and came home discouraged. We found out that there had been an oil boom in the area and rent prices were sky high for not so great houses in not so great areas. We also had to deal with the issue of them allowing a dog. We continued our research, found a few more possibilities and we sent both of our parents back again to check out another rental. Once again, it was not that great and definitely not worth the crazy high rent prices. You also have to realize we are coming from a small town where the rent is ridiculously cheap so we've been spoiled a little. We were kind of at a dead end road when Aaron got a phone call from his boss telling him that they have a house on the property that we are welcome to live in rent and bills free. Aaron was pumped!! He was so excited to tell me the news, that our searching could be over and that our wildest dream had come true. I on the other hand, was scared to death. For one thing, I knew it was an old house that needed lots of work. I knew the oven didn't work and I knew that it was out in the middle of nowhere. I was expecting the worse and praying that I could convince Aaron that paying rent for a place would be better.

You see, I'm not a spoiled rotten brat and I don't require a mansion or fancy things, but I do put a lot of importance on creating a home that is comfortable to live in and very welcoming to guests.

This weekend we went to the area where Aaron will be working and we looked at the free house. Pretty much all of my reservations about the place came true. Everything I had pictured in my head was true. It was old, small, and rough. I tried to go in with an open mind and I kept telling myself FREE and TEMPORARY, but I just couldn't do it. My parents, Aaron, and I kept exchanging looks and at one point in time I looked at Aaron and mouthed the words, "I can't do this." I could tell his heart sank a little because in his mind there was no question it was definitely do able. I'm pretty sure any man could live wherever as long as it's free and right on a ton of hunting and fishing land.

We continued our search and looked at a few other options, but none of them were in our price range. Plus, Aaron gets a company truck with his new job and he has to live within a 20 mile radius of the area in order to drive it home everyday so that eliminated our other option.

I can promise you I was bitter, sour, and not a very nice person to deal with that day. My attitude was terrible and I was pretty devastated about it, but I knew there was really no way to change Aaron's mind.

My mom and Aaron's new boss made it a point to say, "just think of all the memories you'll make out there". I didn't want to make memories out there, but I know there will definitely be lots of memories and stories to tell about it. One day we will look back and say remember when we lived in the love shack our second year of marriage and all the things that house taught us. Yes, we have named her the love shack. She is in Love County and she is a shack and she will definitely require lots of tender love and care so there's really not a better name for her (and yes we will refer to it as a she).

I put lots of thought into it over the course of that night and the next morning I woke up with a much better attitude. I had accepted the challenge and decided that we are going to flip this house. We are going to make it our home and it is going to be small, but cute and very very homey. Everything we put into it will come out of our pocket and won't be reimbursed, but you can't complain when it's free, right?

I guess you could say that now I am excited. I now look at it as a challenge and a project and I've got all kinds of ideas floating around in my head about what I want to do with it. Don't worry, it will all be documented here on this blog so get ready for some before & after pictures. We made a trip to Lowe's yesterday and picked out paint, flooring, and ceiling options. The majority of our furniture will have to be kept in storage. Our house hunting journey will begin ASAP and hopefully we will buy a house in the very near future. This house is temporary, but we're going to make the best of it while we can and hopefully save a ton of money. We have a huge yard on tons of land and we're going to put up our hammock, fire pit, and have lots of fun so come visit us in our love shack and hopefully we'll have room for you to sleep!

This week is our last week of work and we will begin loading the U-Haul next Monday. Our goal is to be moved into the Love Shack by Wednesday. AHHHH...can't believe this is really happening.

This quote is one of my most favorite quotes and it is going to be our motto during this season of life. I think I'm going to need this pillow sitting on our couch to remind us this on a daily basis. 

I hope this post doesn't sound snotty or bratty. I do want you all to know that I truly am grateful for this opportunity and for a free house. After all, we are so thankful for a roof over our heads, running water, and heat and air. That's a lot more than some people have. I know this will be a humbling experience for me. Here's to another adventure with Aaron!!! I have no doubt in my mind that he will be in heaven with this new job. 

If I Ever Get Back to Oklahoma, Gonna Nail My Feet to the Ground.

I'm sure if you're from Oklahoma then you've heard this song before, but it is a favorite of mine because I love my home state of Oklahoma a lot. I am beyond excited to share some super exciting news. Aaron and I will be moving back to Oklahoma in 2 short weeks. Aaron got a job at a wildlife management area about 1.5 hours South of my hometown. We are ecstatic and so excited about this new adventure and opportunity. We found out today that Aaron starts his job in two weeks so mass chaos is about to ensue. We have so much to pack, we have to find a place to live, I have to find a job, etc. My brain has been going ninety-to-nothing with a million different emotions and I can't stop thinking about how huge my to-do list is.

And then I think about being an hour and a half from my family, my best friends, two and a half hours from Aaron's family, an hour and a half from the majority of all my college friends, and super close to a decent sized city and shopping and I just want to scream and jump for joy. 

And then I think how much I will miss Mammoth and all the wonderful friend's we've made, the beautiful scenery, the quiet and slow pace of life here, all the fun things to do outdoors, all my friend's adorable babies that I've gotten to watch grow, my wonderful job and co-workers that I love and will miss dearly, this precious little house that Aaron proposed to me in and the first house that we lived  in after being married and it makes me want to cry. 

We will miss this place and the people in it so much, but we promise to come back and visit often. Mammoth holds a very special place in our heart and we will never forget the wonderful year we spent here during our first year of marriage. 

If you asked us if we thought we would only stay in Mammoth for a year (well, two years for Aaron, but one for me) we would have told you no. Our plan was to stay here at least three years if not more. We always thought that when we decided to start a family, we would start considering making our way closer to home. No we are not starting a family or anywhere close to that yet. 

It is quite ironic that Aaron searched long and hard for a job prior to moving here and the moment we got Arkansas, potential jobs in Oklahoma started knocking at our door. There were a lot of interviews that Aaron turned down because we didn't feel like our time here was up. We weren't ready to leave yet and it just didn't feel right. The last call he got for an interview was right up his alley and in an area we both could see ourselves living and starting a family in. He said it just felt right and he couldn't pass up the opportunity to interview. We found out about two weeks ago that he got the job. I think it will be a job that he will love and do extremely well at. As far as myself, I have no clue what I'm going to do. I'm going to keep my options open and search hard for a good job. 

Aaron and I have spent countless hours talking about our future and where we will be in 10 years and where we will be living and working. Although we don't always see eye to eye on our ideal place to live (I'm a city girl, he's a country boy) we both agree that Oklahoma will always be home and no matter how much we have loved living in Arkansas, we have always missed Oklahoma and we are thrilled to be moving back. We are certain it is the right decision for us and there is way more opportunity for us to blossom and grow there.

This picture was taken almost two years ago on August 14, 2012....the day before Aaron moved to Mammoth and also the day before he proposed to me while moving into our rent house. Crazy to think that 2 years later, almost to the day we will be moving out.....tear ;(

We are looking forward to dinners with family and friends, holiday parties, shopping, a 24 hr gym, more places to eat out, and most of all we are looking forward to not having a 7 hour drive home!!!

St. Louis Trip!

We spent this past weekend in St. Louis with my two best friends from childhood and their husbands. It was somewhat of a central meeting place for us. We came from Arkansas, another couple from Tennessee, and the other from Oklahoma. It was our first annual trip. We plan on doing this every year and hopefully going somewhere new each year. All of our wedding anniversaries fall within 4 months so we've kind of deemed it as our "annual anniversary trip". 

We got into town around noon on Friday. We had lunch on the patio at Three Kings Pub on the Delmar Loop. After lunch we did a little shopping and exploring of the area. We managed to find a few items we couldn't live without at a really cute store called Pitaya. You should go there if you're ever in the area.

Friday night we had dinner and drinks and then headed to a Cardinals game. The weather could not have been more perfect and the Cardinals won. It was a great night and we really enjoyed the game. Originally, we weren't going to see a game on this trip, but we all decided we should do it. Aaron and I were really glad we did. 

 Love these beautiful girls.

The whole gang.

The biggest St. Louis t-shirt emblem I've ever seen.

Did you know they mow the arch into the outfield? If you're blonde then you'll ask your husband what the circle in the outfield is for....and then your best friend will ask the same exact question hours later. Thank goodness we're on the same page :)

Saturday we got up and took a tour of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. Holy cow that place is huge and it was very interesting to see. 

Saturday night we went to a fancy dinner at Charlie Gitto's italian restaurant. It was AH-MAZING! We indulged in some delicious desserts afterwards and had to roll ourselves out of the place. 

Sunday we woke up and went to the St. Louis Zoo. You know you're getting old when you go on a vacation and no one has kids, but you go to the zoo for fun. I must say, I wasn't all that impressed with the zoo. It was free so that was nice and we did see one super cool thing that was the highlight of our zoo trip.

 We got to see a baby Joey come out of his/her momma's pouch. It was seriously the cutest thing ever.

 You could tell he/she was new at the whole walking/hopping thing. It jumped way up in the air and face planted it in the grass. It was so funny and so cute. I thought that it might have been the first time for it to come out of the pouch. I didn't know if they went back in once they came out, but I looked it up afterwards and sure enough, they do go back in the pouch after they come out for the first time. You learn something new everyday.

 Bahaha. We never miss an opportunity to put our faces in these things.

We're so thankful for these sweet friends and the time we get to spend with them. Since we all live far away from each other, we really do cherish weekends like this one. Already looking forward to next year. We've talked about a few places to visit next, but if you have any suggestions, let me know. Love you guys. Thanks for such a wonderful weekend!

Branson with the In-Law's!

Two days after we returned from Red River, we were back on the road again to Branson, Missouri to spend 4th of July weekend with Aaron's family. His parents rented a cabin right outside of Branson, next to Big Cedar Lodge. It was the perfect little cabin....complete with jacuzzi tubs, a hot tub on the deck, sand volleyball, basketball, golfing, fishing, and so much more. We had a blast just hanging out, shopping, and relaxing. It was a great weekend!

The three brothers and I went golfing on Friday morning. We played Scrambles. Aaron and I played terrible, just like we did at the family reunion. We are more "for fun" golfers and we're A-OKAY with that.

 Aaron

 The baby bro.

 The big bro.

 Pretend like I'm not Casper the friendly ghost ;)

 I loved that they put up festive flags on their greens. 

 The brosef's

Me and the hubs

Friday night we watched fireworks at Big Cedar Lodge. It was a huge show and so many people were there.

Waiting on the show to start.

Saturday morning we got up at the crack of dawn and took Aaron's brother's boat out fishing. 

 They each caught a few fish.

Saturday afternoon was spent shopping at Tanger Outlet....I love that place. Saturday evening we grilled out on the back deck and hung out at the cabin.

Sunday afternoon we went to Top of the Rock for the most amazing Sunday brunch. It was seriously a feast. It was super fancy, had some amazing views, and we were able to enjoy our brunch on our own little private balcony with some pretty great weather. They have a ridiculously nice golf course, wine tasting, museum, multiple restaurants, a cave tour, etc. It just recently opened up. It is definitely worth seeing. If you're in the Branson area, I highly recommend you go and try the Sunday brunch. 

 The practice range on the golf course. Have you ever seen so many sand pits? Yeah, right. 

 They also have this gorgeous wedding chapel. The back is all windows overlooking the cliff. Beautiful.

 My favorite picture of Aaron's family.

A huge thanks to Aaron's mom and dad for such a great weekend! We love you guys.

Stay tuned for another recap of a super fun weekend getaway with our favorite couples and a really exciting announcement...EEKKK!!!!