Carolina Friends.....

In just 12 short days I will be living in Tennessee. I will have said goodbye to my friends, my comfort zone, to a town that I have grown to love.  In the 14 years that I have lived in this town I have watched it grow, I have made the best friends, watched my daughter grow up into a beautiful young lady and had my son.  I learned more about myself. I learned that I am strong, talented, dedicated, loyal, hard working, and a great friend. 

I will miss my friends more than anything when I go. I will miss meeting them for a quick lunch or a long chat over coffee and cocoa. I will miss our families hanging out in the summer. I will miss being here for them if they need me. I will miss being the shoulder to cry on or the person to vent to. I will miss the laughter. I am so thankful for the memories I have created with each and everyone of them. I am so thankful for all that they have taught me. I am never going to find friends anywhere near as wonderful as the ones I have here.  I know it will take me a while to even make friends in Tennessee and I am OK with that.  Thank goodness for Facebook, email, text messages, phone and skype so that I can stay in touch with my Carolina friends. 

I have told my daughter to create memories with her friends at school and to not waste anytime with them, and she has. She has made some wonderful memories with her friends and I couldn't be happier for her. I know she will miss her friends just as much as I will miss mine!!

Tennessee

We are moving to Tennessee!  I can't believe we are leaving North Carolina in January for our new home just outside of Nashville. I have loved living in Cary for the past 14 years. It is a great place to live!  I have enjoyed the many road trips I have taken so I can learn about this wonderful state. I have loved going to the beach several times a year with the family. I fell in love with the Ashville in the fall. I have made some of the best friends a girl could ever ask for here. My son was born here, my daughter found her passion for the martial arts here. I will miss this town when I leave next month. I will miss seeing all the trees, I will miss my friends more than anything. I ache knowing I will not be able to meet them for breakfast, or grab a coffee/hot coco on a whim. I will miss not being able to just stop by and say hi or them doing the same. I will miss my wonderful neighbor Ms. Lynn. My son calls her his other Grandma. He has known her his entire life, she has never missed his birthday, she has always treated him as one of her own grandchildren. There is so much I will miss, but there is so much to look forward to. I look forward to my children going to better schools that are walking distance from the house, the new house that we are having built. Open floor plan, big kitchen, twice the size of our house now. I am looking forward to making new friends and watching my daughter graduate next year, my son growing up and making new friends. I am looking forward to the future. I am looking forward to spending time with my family as we learn and explore our new town. I can't wait to move into our new home and making it a home. So even though I am sad to leave North Carolina I am excited to move to Tennessee.

Paris

In two weeks I will be on a plane meeting my husband in Paris.  He came home from work this week and told me he had to take another business trip in a couple of weeks. I asked if he was going to Brno again and he said he was then he got this look on his face like I don't want to tell you where I am going after that, so I told him he better not be going back to Amsterdam without me, he laughed and said he wasn't, then I said you better not being going to Paris without me. Dead silence... not a single word was said... I told him that since he was going to Paris without me I wanted my birthday present early, I told him he couldn't go unless I had my kindle next week, he laughed and said ok. Then I went off to kickboxing class, when I got home he asked if I wanted to meet him in Paris.. I thought he was joking.. I went up to bed and he asked me again if he wanted me to book my flight to meet him, I told him I couldn't go and to stop asking.. He said ok.. Now my reason for saying no at first was because I thought Sierra would have been totally ticked off because once again I was going to Europe and she wasn't. While I was at one of my Coordinators house I told her about my declining JBs offer and she said "No you are going to call him right now and tell him to book that flight. You have to go, you will regret not going." So I did. I am now going to meet my husband in one of the most romantic cities in the world. He has made reservations to have dinner at the Eiffel Tower the first night we are there. I am so excited... I can't wait to experience Paris.... This is one happy girl!!

Hunter

Hard to believe that next week the kids will be back in school and summer will be over.  I have mixed emotions about school starting this year. Happy because I have to answer 500 questions from Hunter all day, seriously that boy will ask me questions ALL day LONG!  Hunter " Mom, why is the speed limit 65?" Me " because that is what has been deemed a safe speed to travel on this road."  Hunter" Mom, why is it a safe speed and by whose standards is it safe, yours, the troopers, the people who sit behind a desk and make all the laws?" Seriously people those are his questions all though my favorite question he had this summer was " Why do I know so much?"  Hmm maybe because you ask so many questions..The other day he was at a birthday party and his friend received some glow in the dark stars you place on the ceiling along with the planets that hang down. Hunter thought it was cool, the other kid not so much. I was listening to a conversation between Hunter and his friend. Hunter was asking the little boy if he knew what an asteroid was, the boy didn't know, Hunter explained what was, then Hunter asked him if he knew what the solar system was again the boy didn't really know so Hunter explained it to him, then Hunter asked him if he knew what a Milky Way was and the boy said, and I kid you not "Yeah it is a candy bar."  Hunter response " Dude you're killing me." and walked away..  I love that Hunter is curious and wants to learn so much but I just wish there were not 20 questions to every one original question.  I seriously hope that when we meet his teacher next week she is as good as Mrs. McCallister.  She was one of the best teachers I have ever met, she set the bar high for all the teachers that follow her. Looking forward to seeing what new things Hunter learns this year and to see how he is challenged.  Nothing like a six year old reading at an 8th grade level and knowing some algebra.. oh how I love my Hunter!!

Some of the high points of January...

January was a great start to the new year...

I interviewed for a different position with The Produce Box two weeks ago and was offered the job of Area Manager for North Cary and Morrisville.  I started the season last year as a Neighborhood Coordinator and really loved it but I wanted to be more involved with the company so when I learned they were hiring for Area Managers I put my name in for an interview and boy am I glad I did.  I can not wait to start working with an amazing group of women. I am so excited for the season to start.

I also went on my first field trip with my son.  His class went to this play and he LOVED it.. I had no idea how they would make The Very Hungry Caterpillar into a play but was very impressed with how they did it.  I am looking forward to many more field trips in the future..  My son also got his very first report card and did fabulous! He had 4's with a few 3* . For those of you who do not have children in elementary school those are good marks.. I was very proud of him...

I also went to the NHL All-Star Game with my husband over this past weekend.. I had the BEST time. We sat here

That would be Section 126 Row A seat 8. In my opinion the best in the house for a hockey game. I saw some of my favorite players like Toews, Thomas, Skinner, Staal and Lindstrom. I am so glad JB asked me to go with him. It was a chance of a lifetime and I enjoyed every single minute of it!! 3 Doors Down played during the first intermission and it was amazing, they sounded sooo good!!  Clay Aiken sang the National Anthem and did a beautiful job. 

Finally I have been trying to lose weight forever, and so far this year I have lost over 20 pounds.  I am looking forward to February and the rest of the year!!