The Great Moving Adventure of 2013

Hello.

Sorry about that little unintentional sabbatical but apparently the local internet company didn't see the urgency in me being connected to the World Wide Web at our new apartment.  I tried to explain that I have 10's of people who depend on my nonsense in their lives but apparently the lady I was talking to wasn't one of them.

Anywho.

We have officially moved into our new home here in Nashville and - to be brief... I LOVE IT.  Since I'm sure you've been chewing your nails to the quik waiting for my return I'll catch you up real fast like and use photos =) You. Are. Welcome.

I spent a ton of time being useful. And posing awkwardly in my papa's old hard hat. Which was totally not useful =)

I took a little break mid week to hit one of our faaaaavorite watering holes in the Lowcountry and see some faces that I miss oh so much =)

I can't even tell you how much I love glancing around and being surrounded by pretty Carolina flags and what not.... I even treated myself to a new hat to hide the crazy that was my hair commemorate the move =)

I came across some photos that would clearly fall into the category of "The Awkward Years"

and went through four peoples lifetime worth of stuff from the attic.

I said goodbye to the best backyard in history

and the most amazing wallpaper to ever grace a wall.

On a more serious note... 

As ready as we were to move on to a new phase of life here in Nashville, selling the home was difficult for sure.  

This was the house my mom grew up in, where I had just about every one of my childhood birthday parties, where my growth chart was still prominently placed on a door frame, and even the house where Jonathan proposed.  I got ready for my senior prom in that bathroom and 99.9 % of my family memories take place on 6 Paula Drive.  I don't think I had a friend in my lifetime that didn't spend time at Nana's and I can still remember my sweet Papa staying up around the clock to keep the generator running after Hurricane Hugo.... It was home and leaving it was hard. Needless to say, I did shed a tear when it was time for the final walk through and, honestly, can't think on it too long or I may find myself crying now BUT it was time.  I'm glad to know a new family will have years of memories within those walls and I'm grateful we could get it all warmed up for them =)

Ok...moving on....

After a week of packing and going through stuff and questioning why anyone let me buy these:

Seriously. Who is gonna fess up to letting those happen?

We took a few awesome "in front of the UHaul" pics and hit the road =)

SOMEONE is obviously going for husband of the year because we ended up making a little pitstop at Ikea. Yea. He loves me.

The damage there was minor really and we rolled into Nashville late that night... Bright and early on Friday, we drug our half dead selves out of bed and began the final phase of The Great Move of 2013 - Moving into the new apartment!

WOOO HOOOOOO!

We are still trying to unpack and get settled but I can feel the 'awesome' already settling in.  Once you can see the carpet and we buy a couch =) I'll share some photos!

The post where I whine a little about moving...

Oh dear friends....

Why is moving so difficult?  I mean.... why isn't there a little fairy who just pops up in a cute tutu and magically whips all the stuff into boxes for me?

Because we don't live in a Disney movie mainly... That's why.  

Well, that and the fact that I convinced that the Lord is trying to build my character by making me deal with the slight hoarding tendency that follows me around.  I finally began packing some of our current Nashville home today and made it approximately 1/12 of the way through a box before I declared that we should really just leave our stuff for the next people and start again.

Once I got that one box sorta packed I decided I was in need of a break.  Cause, you know whining like a five year old while packing your wedding photos can wear a sister slap out!

Sooooooo. 

I played on Pinterest and got sucked into the void of pallet headboards and forty bazillion paint options.

And then my head began to hurt from the idiocy of what I was doing.. or not doing, which is not packing.

So, I am going to put on my big girl pants and attempt to pack at least three whole boxes tonight... wish me luck and maybe pray for J to have some extra patience =)

Miscellany Monday - Me and my ombre nails are movin' on up...

Buckle up. Change is in the air for the Robinson's so I'm even shocking myself with the amount of ADD I have right now...

*  I am completely obsessed with this nail polish collection... Addicted times 100.
I may have to rock ombre nails looooong after they stop being cool.

And did you catch that it's only $3.99? 

As my sweet friend Jenn says - "Awesome Sauce!" (Hi Jenn!)

*  We are about to do this...

And, while I am stoked for a new place, moving about sends me into a panic.  Have I mentioned before I don't love change? Well. I don't love change.   I also don't like getting rid of things and being forced to face my hoarder tendencies. We'll officially be selling our home in Charleston and become for real, uber legit Nashvillians.  Once all your crap makes it to a new city I think it's fair to say you are officially a resident, right?

*  Since we are about to move into a slightly larger apartment - with a fireplace!! - I've been stalking Pinterest like a crazy person for inspiration... I apparently need to also be stalking it for a money tree cause we all know that being crafty queen ain't free.
If you have a sec, pop over and check out my
Home Inspiration Board...
I'd love feedback/suggestions/friends to call me down when I break into hives choosing paint colors...

(Seriously Jenn....Why do you live so far away...)

*  I need this to live in my closet.
In case you can't read it clearly it says
"Love God, Sweet Tea, and The SEC"..

From southernlystated.com

Say it with me:
yes and amen.

Over and out friends =)

Kristi

Link up with me:

Current Cosmetic Obsessions - February

About a month ago I shared some of my current cosmetic obsessions and thought, since the word 'current' implies 'up to date', now might be a good time to share some NEW make up obsessions =)  

I am still completely enamored by the goodies I jabbered about a few weeks ago but have added a couple new lovelies to my stash!

Now. 

Before I begin...

 ( I know.... longest. lead in. to a blog post. EVER.)

It is important to note that my move to Nashville has left a void in my life called - Ulta.  Granted, there are Sephora's and Cosmetic Market's abound but no Ulta's.  The only one is about an hour away...

Well, because Jesus loves me a whoooole lot my route to Monteagle took me right by said Ulta =)

Cue the Hallelujah chorus =)

I was very focused though and was in an out in a timely manner... I sort of had an idea of the things I needed wanted and knew better than to let myself get sucked into the aisles and aisles and AISLES of fabulous cosmestic goodies.  So, without further adieu, here are the things that followed me home:

*  Ulta Fabulous Face Pressed Powder in Light - Medium

I LOVE this product... the coverage is fabulous and rivals the Pur Minerals products I used to be obsessed with!

* Ulta Baked Bronzer *

Not to sound dramatic (cause that would be sooo out of character) but this may be the most perfect bronzer I have ever found.  I felt like I looked like I just wandered in off the beach....minus the fabulous wind swept hair and bag of gossip magazines.

* Ulta Mineral Blush in Peony *

I'm not usually a big blush wearer and, honestly, before I discovered the wonder that is Hot Mama by The Balm, I was always really uninterested.  Well.  This is a close rival to Hot Mama... I. LOOOVE. IT. Gives the perfect flushed appearance that I was looking for without making me look like I just got popped on the cheeks by someone hostile =)

* Ulta Nail Polish in Boogie Nights *

I can't even express how much I adore this product.... It is a glittery nail polish with a super fun name... that is about all I require =) Seriously though, the coverage is super and it dries uber fast!

*  Sally Hansen Lip Inflation in Sheer Buff *

Ok... I was obsessed with trying this product because a) I love lip plumper and b) I think that Sally Hansen can do no wrong =)  Weeeeeelllllllll..... I am glad I tried it but not sure I can buy it again until they change the brush =) I LOVE the color and the plumping action but the little application brush makes me batty.  Can someone explain to me why they thought that teeny tiny brush was a good idea?

Ok... your turn... what can you not live without?? Don't hold out on me people... I need the info =)

Oh how far we've come...

One year.

January 25th marked one year since I came to Nashville to interview for a job and, if I'm honest, really throw my heart over the fence with this whole moving thing.

The word says that the Lord will go before us and... oh my, how I feel that has been proven true.

I met with some amazing women on the evening of January 25th that I had never met in person before.  I wore a red coat and sparkly scarf and prayed that they would like me.  We were strangers here on Earth but quickly discovered a kindred heart for Jesus and His people.  We laughed and cried and they found room for me in their family.

I moved quickly after that and began a year of life in a new place, with new challenges, and - due to those things - new opportunities to grow.  I'd like to tell you I did it all gracefully and met every challenge with poise and an open heart BUT I have no desire to be struck by lightening =)  I did, though, meet each step of the new season with the realization that, though new to me, my Savior had already been there before.... He'd come before me.

Fast forward....

This past January 25th - exactly one year to the day of the interview - I celebrated my Birthday Eve.(Call it an only child thing but birthday's are week long events around here...)  Around the table that night, along with me and Jonathan, were three girls who have become family, their spouses that I have come to adore, and a precious toddler who has stolen my heart.  We laughed and gabbed and shared too many bowls of queso.  We chuckled hysterically at the kind of jokes that only come with living life together.

I drove home that night in awe of how far a year can take you.

I am so grateful.

PS.... There is no greater proof to how far this past year has taken me than this:

That is me getting pied in the face.  Only people that love you, value you enough to make memories with you, and know you well enough to know you won't hurt them =) would be part of a plan to shove whipped cream in your face.  In public.  My heart overflows.... and my nostrils still have some whipped cream up them =)

Adjustments make for funny moments...

So.

One of the greatest transitions that I have experienced in the past 12 months is a major move from my always home of Charleston to now lay my head under the bright lights of Music City, USA.  As I have adjusted to a new place and people, there have been maaaaany a moment where the only things getting me through were Jesus, big ol' spoonfuls of Nutella (straight. out. of. the. jar. I'm classy like that.)  and an attempt to find humor in this whole "adjustment" thing =)  Besides the countless "real" lessons I have learned and continue to learn in this season, I feel like moving from one city to another has provided countless funny moment and, generally, can provide some really great insights into the less heavy parts of your life.  Here are just a few of the little gems that I have learned about myself and this nutty little city I now call home...

*  The traffic.  

I am not sure where everyone is headed but I OBVIOUSLY wasn't cool enough to get an invitation.  I once hit a traffic jam at 9 p.m. on a Tuesday night.  The one pictured above was on a Sunday afternoon.  A traffic jam on a random Sunday afternoon? That's just wrong on so many levels. That leads me to....

*  My sense of direction....

 I have apparently WAY over-estimated my ability to find my way around.  I have always been proud of my sharp and very reliable sense of direction. Well. That has been tested just about daily...  I think that I am just now getting to the point where I don't need to use the GPS to find the bathroom.

*  Style and my general coolness level...  

In Charleston, I think I lived 360 of my 365 days in some combo that included my very worn in Rainbows and a T-shirt.  If I was going out, I might even get real dressy and throw on a Mossimo pocket T..... I know. I'm a diva =)  Anyway, since moving to Nashville I have discovered that some areas of the world actually have a style that requires more than being two steps out of your pajamas. 

*  Tattoos.... 

This could probably fall under the style and coolness category BUT I am giving it its own because... It is possible that I am the only person in this city without ink. Seriously.  Tattoo parlors are just about as numerous as Starbucks.  I knew I was in trouble when I discovered that most people have "tattoo guys" of their very own!  Ask someone here about their fabulous artwork and they are likely to answer with, "Oh thanks! You should call my guy!" I don't even have a dentist here. A tattoo guy?!?! Mercy.... I have a lot of catching up to do.

Finally......

I have to close this post with a shout out to my fabulous husband....He has proven himself to have a level of patience that could - and should - be recorded in the Guiness Book of World Records.  As I've navigated the move, there have been some really wonderful and some slightly less than wonderful days.  (Important detail - I have a sliiiiight penchant for the dramatic. Lucky man.) In those more trying moments, my precious husband never once locked me out or even tried to have someone take away the crazy person parading as his wife.  Love that man =)

Kristi