Sunday, August 22, 2010

Cheers to the Next 3 Months of our Life!

The day has finally come...
We're off to live, breathe and market the 2011 Ford ExplorerOur Schedule:
St Louis, MO
Minneapolis, MN
Detroit, MI
Nashville, TN
Cincinatti, OH
Memphis, TN
Columbia, MO
Chicago, IL
Atlanta, GA
Tampa, FL
Pensacola, FL
Deland, FL
Miami, FL
Orlando, FL
St Louis, MO

Stay tuned for many stories and pictures from the road, where every mile is a memory!

Until We Meet Again...

We went out to dinner with some friends to say our goodbye's. Outside of the fact that Bryan found glass in his sushi, all was good! After dinner we headed over to a wine bar for a little night cap of Mumm champagne. Mmmmm...
We've really been blessed with how quickly we've been able to meet people in North Carolina and will miss our new friends tremendously.
See ya'll in December!

Friday, August 20, 2010

Road Trip to Pennsylvania

WOW! What a trip... Now that we're living on the east coast, we're able to take car trips to visit my family in Pennsylvania. YAY! Bryan was still working in Louisville, so I packed up Cali and the car and embarked on a 9 hour car ride up to Pittsburgh. Bryan flew in a couple days later and we all had a great time relaxing and visiting with family. I'm extremely close to my PA family and love how well Bryan fits in with them --- he's visited with me about a dozen times now!

This was Cali's first trip to the farm...

*

I bought Little Miss a booster seat for long car rides. We tested it out on this one and she absolutely LOVED it! I have been friends with Jonathon for as long as I can remember. Our dad's were fraternity brothers back in college and our mom's were pregnant at the same time. He was born 2 months before I and my mom likes to say that we were friends in the womb! He was my first friend and he's still a very, very good friend... I consider him to be a cousin.
My cousin, Alicia, and I met our old friends Jonathon and Chuckie at the church brewery, Brew Works, in Pittsburgh for lunch
This is typical Cali, flying through the air. Alicia's dog is such a good little boy. My Cali, is a sweetie-pie, but a complete nut-case also :) Cali cuddling with Uncle John STEELERS TRAINING CAMP 2010Mike Tomlin heading down from the dorms to the practice field
Players coming out of the locker room and heading to practice
Steelers practice at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA
I have been to Steelers training camp several times, but I had never brought Bryan before. We all know that I am a crazed fan, so this was the day that I shared this amazing experience with my husband.

Hines Ward and Big Ben smiling for the camera... gotta love Hines' pearly whites!

My cousin, Alicia, is one of my best friends. We are 8 years apart in age, grew up on opposite sides of the country and virtually have nothing in common, yet we are the sisters that we never had and are as close as can be. I love making memories like this *with the Steelers mascot* with LouBelle.

Don't mess with this toughness!

And yes, I act like a complete child everytime I'm at training camp :)

Bryan was a trooper -- He's a Chargers fan and a good husband. I was in heaven having him there with me! After training camp we headed back to the farm.

Alicia suprised us with the most thoughtful and appropriate housewarming present...

Cousins!


Bryan and I at my families house and infront of their gorgeous land

My cousins friend brought over her dog so that Cali could have her first play date.

How fitting is it that the dogs ran around like crazy, chasing each other around on the land, the barn and the hanging laundry.

I love the simplicity of life in Pennsylvania!

Cali and Buster are both a Yorkie/Bichon Frise mix and are only 6 months apart in age.

Isn't it wild how different they look?

My aunt was watching everything from the porch... Buster and Cali joined her!

My cousin's friend also brought her son over to practice baseball with Bryan.

Cali had the time of her life that day!

Bryan teaching Ben, a fellow lefty, how to bunt the ball properly

Cali took a little brake to sit on the porches edge and watch her daddy play baseball

She soon joined him when he began playing by himself infront of the corn fields

My aunt and uncles lovely home. My cousin lives in the A-frame to the right of the photo. It's so fun to go there and have everyone living on the same property!

Uncle John loving the life that Bryan and I enfuse on the farm

Little Miss and I -- so proud of her 1st trip *of many* to Pennsylvania

Cali was the best co-pilot on the way home!

Funny story:

I've talked to my aunt a few times on the phone this past month -- she kept asking me if I've changed now that I'm married. I assured her that I'm no more mature or settled than I was before. When I got to Pennsylvania she told me she asked my mom if I've changed. Then she asked me again in person. I keep telling her "NO... I swear.. I'm the same person Auntie!" Then I rummaged through my purse and took out a piece of Kleenex and a little spray bottle. I proceded to blow my nose and squirt my nasal spray up my nostrils... bitching about how bad my allergies were. She just looked a me, slightly smiled and said "You really haven't changed, have you?" I'm so glad that allergy nasal spray was the proof that she needed to know that I'm still the same old self-depricating Kate :)


Thursday, August 19, 2010

Reds vs. Cardinals

While Bryan was in Louisville he was able to escape up to Cincinatti for a Reds vs Cardinals baseball game.
He loved the stadium *although he still believes that PNC Park is the best stadium... smart man* and had an awesome night at the game.
At this particlar game a huge brawl broke out on the field before the game even really began.
It aired all over ESPN the next day and Bryan was so excited to have been an eyewitness to the madness.

Cody Simpson

Bryan recently spent 2 weeks in Kentucky for work.
Below is a picture of Cody Simpson *the next Justin Beeber* performing at Bryan's Shop Til You Rock event in Louisville.
 

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

School's In Session



Our adorable neice starts Kindergarden today!
How'd she get so big so fast?

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Heads Carolina, Tails California

That's right. We tossed a coin and ended up in North Carolina.
Okay, we didn't really.
It took a lot of conversations, planning and drive to move from the only thing we'd ever known -- Orange County, CA -- clear across the country to Charlotte, North Carolina.
This life is amazing and challenging and busy and new.... and something had to give.
That something is girl time.
I've always understood the importance of having girl friends. I have had wonderful relationships with my friends in the past and have made them a major priority in my life. So many laughs, tears, arguements and memories are with my girl friends.
As we get older and our lives change... our friendships change as well. It's a shame we all must grow up..... move away.... have careers...... responsiblities... etc.
Girl friends shouldn't fall to the way-side and I'm afraid to admit that some of my life long friendships have.
Not to worry though, these are life-long friendships. The kind that can come and go with different seasons in life and I'm still there for them and they're still there for me. I will bounce back and so will they.
But on the other hand, I'm making girl friends here in North Carolina. YAY! Bryan and I have been here for 3 months, are settling in and making a life for ourselves.
California isn't home anymore. It's where our parents live. It's where our favorite restaurants are. Our best memories. Where we met. It's where we're from.
Maybe my subconscience is making my new husband and this "North Carolina life" my priority for the time being. And maybe that's what I'm supossed to be doing as a newlywed living in a new time zone.
I've really met a nice group of friends out here.
1 in particular is someone who I see myself being great friends with in the long run. What I enjoy about this new friendship is that it's easy... effortless. *Shouldn't all friendships be effortless? Well, they're not.... but I wish they were!* In this new friendship I can just be me and conversation seems to flow. It's still in its beginning stages and needs some nurturing, but I'm really hoping that this is going to be a lasting friendship.
My life is now in North Carolina and I'm happy to be making it feel more and more like home... 1 girl friend at a time.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Party Time

I'm so excited -- my mom's 60th birthday party invitations just arrived in the mail! I ordered them online at vistaprint.com *best website ever* and have just addressed them all and sent them out in the mail. I cannot wait for my mom, who lives in California, to get her invitation and see my work of art, which channels her inner Go-Go dancer. HA!