Holy smokes.
It has been so long since I have taken the time to sit down, decompress and write. It's a total crime, but its true. With all of the excitement that occurs in life, it's really a sin that I haven't kept this blog updated through all of my ups and downs of being a 20-something displaced from my home in Pittsburgh.
The last I wrote, I was living in Baltimore. Ryan and I had recently moved into a new place downtown and we had just come home from an amazing trip to Jamaica. So, 10 months ago, we had all sorts of exciting things happening in our lives and we were feeling pretty unstoppable. Fast forward to now- and I almost think my 2014 self was boring.
Baltimore was great, grand, wonderful and had a lot to offer! It was a near perfect setting for a young couple looking for an adventure. We got to eat so much amazing food, spent a lot of time admiring the charm that the city had to offer and got a taste of what public transit is like (hint: it is not glamorous). Our apartment was huge and luxurious and affordable and beautiful. Baltimore wasn't great for Ryan's commute, however. He was spending so much of his life riding a train and the metro back and forth between DC and Baltimore that he was not the happiest when he got home at night and you really can't blame the guy. So, when I was offered a promotion in April to move to DC, it was the perfect storm.
So, again, we picked up our lives after a short five month stint in our beautiful Baltimore high rise and packed up to move to DC. But first, we packed for Costa Rica. Come on, do you know us? We love our vacations and we certainly weren't going to allow this spur of the moment move to a new city mess with our already booked travel arrangements.
So, to Costa Rica we went.... and boy are we glad we did.
It was an absolutely amazing trip packed with adventure and activities. We went white water rafting through a rain forest, hiked an active volcano, rode horses up a mountain and zip lined back down it, went to a hot springs water park, took a mud bath, deep sea fished, went snorkeling, took a day trip to Nicaragua and drove on some very questionable roadways. We ended up making some friends. I found my female soulmate halfway across the world. Melanie, a girl who had also booked the same tour, is a true gem. Who knew someone would love cheese curls and diet soda as much as me? Oddly enough, though we met in Costa Rica, Melanie lives about 4 miles from me in DC. So, how perfect? #soulsisters
We have photos and memories that will last a lifetime and the trip came just in time to kick off our summer tans. Our summer tans came just in time for the tan girl emoji to launch and if you know me, you know how clutch that was.
Upon getting back from our trip, we jumped directly in the move to DC. We found a perfect place in Arlington, VA just across the bridge from DC proper which makes for a pretty decent commute for Ryan and I. Our place is a lot smaller and a lot more expensive than our last residence, but its a cool town and at least we have each other. Plus, we got out of Baltimore directly following people burning down their own city. We are happy to be safely tucked away in our new home in the sky (even if we don't have closets). Because lets get real, having to fold some sweaters is a hell of a lot better living in the midst (literally) of record setting homicide rate.
We were in such a hurry to get unpacked and organized so that we could enjoy our much anticipated summer on the water because, oh did I forget to mention? Ryan bought a boat. So, we have been doing a lot of boating and with that comes the craziest tan I have ever had. Again, not complaining. As this summer comes to an abrupt end, we are thankful for all of the time that we got to spend with our friends in southern, MD this summer and we look forward to many more full of sunsets, questionable actions and mouth fulls of moonshine in the future.
To any of my store managers that may be reading this blog- there is something you need to know. You rock! Seriously. My career and the success of our district could not be what it is today without your hard work and dedication to your teams and your stores. I am so proud of everything that you guys accomplish on a daily basis and I look forward to seeing where each of your careers take you and the success that your future holds. Back to school down, Christmas to go. #11weeks #yikes
That brings us to now. I am here sitting on the couch (that Ryan despises) with a belly full of pasta and a heart full of love for this little life we have created together here in Virginia. Now that my career is in order, and I've gotten past the hurdles of a new district, I am ready to do some things for myself. Writing has always been my outlet and this blog was such a huge part of my life before moving to Maryland two years ago. Effective today, I am bringing this part of my life back and damn it feels good.
Now that you're all caught up on my life, I will move onto hilarious topics going forward. Though my residence has changed frequently, the one thing that remains is full days/ my entire existence packed full of the strangest series of events you could ever imagine. So next week, we will head down that road.
Ryan and I also booked our Euro trip last week- but we can talk about that next time as well. Any suggestions for places we need to see? Let me know before October 16th!
Here's to finding some time to do some things that make your world go round,
Xoxo
Nicole
