Meet the newest employee of Cambria Cove!

I am officially a California driver!  (This picture is blurry so that strangers don't get my info.)  Car shopping starts this weekend!

Tom and I have officially been together for one whole year!  We celebrated our anniversary with a surprise trip to Napa.   We stayed at the White House Inn and visited the Round Pond Estate Winery, famous for its Cabernet.  I just love my bf:)

I have a job!  I received my official offer letter yesterday, and I formally accepted the offer today!  I will be the Merchandising Assistant in the Folsom office for Cambria Cove.  The Merchandising and Marketing departments are in the Folsom office, and the entire Creative team is in Kansas City, Missouri, so there will be some travel.  While in Folsom, though, the office is only a couple miles from home (a luxury I never had in NC)! 

Today was Hally's last day with her stay-at-home-mom, so we spent some quality time together.  This is a picture of her with her hair blowing in the wind on a trail by the river;)

She is also very excited for her Valentine's pictures this weekend!

No new updates on the house really.  Lots got put on hold while I was unemployed, but we are getting crown molding installed Thursday!

Hello, furniture!

Our furniture arrived!  We love it!  It is so nice to finally have seating that isn't an air mattress:)  Now on to picking out paint colors and other decor...

We are having a hard time deciding our paint strategy because of these rounded corners.  I'm not a fan of switching colors in the turn, so do we have to use the same color throughout the entire house??  We may just have quite a few accent walls!

Tom also did some organizing this weekend!  He is proud of his nice garage work:)

Hally is absolutely perfect!  She met a Maltese/Shih Tzu mix named Charlie this weekend.  Her first friend!  She also has a toy friend named Lambiedoodle:)

I didn't write about it, but last weekend we went to Tahoe for the day.  It was beautiful!  Can't wait to go back:)

Mini Post-Holiday Update!

I apologize for the delay in posting.  Traveling for the holidays didn't allow much time for a blog update!

I left CA and headed for NC on Sunday, 12/19 (Happy Birthday, Hally & Courtney!).  I worked in the office for my last week ever:( and ended my employment at RR with the office Christmas dinner at Cafe Luna.  I will miss you girls!

Christmas was wonderful with friends and family.  I had tons of fun at a gift exchange with friends - I got a super cute cake stand and apron from my Secret Santa, Kathryn!  Thank you!  I'd post a picture, but the box of Christmas presents that my mom shipped hasn't arrived here yet - will post soon!  We missed you, Jennifer!

I was so glad that my whole family attended the Page Christmas gathering, AND that Janna and Leslie stayed with us Christmas Eve, AND that mom and I started a new tradition by going to her cousin Kathy's on Christmas day!  I LOVE Christmas!  SO GOOD to see everyone!

I didn't get to see everyone that I wanted to see, though... due to the 8 inches of snow that fell the day after Christmas!  That just means those girls will have to come see me;)

I left NC with Hally in tow and headed to IL to see Tom's family on Tuesday, 12/28 (Happy Birthday, Aunt Connie & Jenna!).  I had a wonderful visit, and for once, I believe I got to see all 13 siblings and almost all 8 McCurdy grandkids - feel better, Annie!  Hally had a great time, too.  Thanks for being so hospitable!

Tom, Hally, and I left IL and headed back home to CA on Friday, 12/31 - New Year's Eve (Happy Birthday, Kristin!).  I woke up very sick this day (and was sick for three days), so as you can imagine, our new years was very uneventful.  Tom woke me up at 11:59 so we could smooch when the clock struck 12:00, and that's about it:)

However, we did come home to lots of Christmas cards and a cute Christmas tree display! 

I got Tom a new wool jacket, a wallet, and a pull up bar for Christmas:)

He got me the side table pictured above, a blender, chocolates and a Poinsettia.  Thank you:)  

 

Now we're all settled in CA and my job hunt begins!  I'll keep you posted!

 

HALLY UPDATE:

Hally is doing VERY well!  She flew like a champ - she was quiet as a mouse on the plane!  My little angel:)

Since arriving in CA, she sleeps LATE!  Yes, I said it!  She doesn't wake up until I get her up. She also hasn't had one potty accident, not that she ever would...

 She is very cute when someone knocks or rings the doorbell because she runs to the back door instead of the front - HAHA!  She will learn that guests arrive at the front door one day:)

We also go on walks every day.  We do this for exercise and socialization.  She loves it!

Until next time!

P.S. My amazing friends will appreciate this pic.  Thanks, girls:)

House pics, coming right up!

You asked for it, so here you go!  Please keep in mind that we are at the very beginning stages of filling and decorating, i.e. excuse the white walls and emptiness!

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Our home:)

 They cut down our tree today, but we get a new one!

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The backyard.

We have a lemon tree!

 Our - very dirty - pool and waterfall.

 Mystery fruit - does anyone know what this is?!  It's purplish pink and has tiny little balls inside.

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The unfurnished living room/Tom's bedroom.

 Tom's XXL TV.

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The kitchen and dining nook.

  Tom built this table all by himself!

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Master/my bedroom....
hopefully it won't be this bland for long!

That's all.  We have a long way to go!
Advice is welcomed:)

Furniture, check!

12/2/10

First night alone in the new house!  Tom had a business trip to Santa Clara, so I entertained myself by trimming the tree, which is still a work in progress... Ornament donations are welcomed:)

12/3/10

We picked up Tom's new 55" LCD TV from Best Buy!  We did lots of comparison shopping and I think we got a pretty good deal.  Tom is happy, although I think it's too big:)

12/4/10

I removed a chunk of my thumb while grating cheese on our brand new (very sharp) cheese grater - OUCH!  Someone keep me out of the kitchen...

12/6/10

The search for furniture has finally come to a close!  We purchased the Brewster collection from Bassett, sofa pictured below.  We are very excited, although it won't arrive for 5-7 more weeks.  I guess it's the air mattress for another couple of months!

Welcome to the world, Baby Brayden:)

Congratulations, Crystal!!



Arrived Safely!

11/25/10

I arrived in CA after many hours of flying and layovers to a nice Jack-in-the-Box Thanksgiving dinner.  (Nowhere was open and we didn't have appliances.)

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Since this day, we have done TONS of shopping (we need everything) and are having luck with everything but... FURNITURE.  We just can't seem to agree - HAHA!  Pray for us!

11/28/10

Went to Bayside Church (yes, like Saved by the Bell!)...

...and looked at MORE furniture.  We may end up going with the custom furniture from Bassett.

Happy Birthday, Aunt Sandra:) Miss you.

11/29/10

First day of working from home!

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The appliances were delivered, only for me to figure out our home can't accommodate an electric stove... so the exchange for a gas stove begins. 

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ABF Truck with my belongings hasn't arrived yet but should be here in about an hour!  We desperately need that refrigerator that's on there!  I miss my filtered water:)

Happy Birthday, Kelli!

Good-bye, RR.

11/23/10

Little did I know that the Rosenberry Rooms Thanksgiving Pot Luck Dinner was also my fairwell dinner!  Thanks for the sweet card and super thoughtful collage.

I love my RR memories and will miss everyone TONS!

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Tom should be picking up the keys tomorrow (Wednesday).

Internet, cable, and phone are being turned on Friday.

My belongings and our appliances are scheduled to arrive on Monday, which is my first day of three weeks that I will be working remotely for Rosenberry Rooms!

YAY!