Dallas!!

We made it! Yeah!

What a weekend. Andrew and I picked Natalie up at 6am and hit the road for a 10.5 hr drive. The Uhaul was haulin'! With 5 or 6 stops between, it actually was easier than I ever imagined. Easier in the hours of driving not easier in leaving my friends!

We did great and unpacked everything in under 1.5 hrs. 

We were pretty exhausted and enjoyed a nice relaxing meal with wine and great conversation. I was so lucky to have Natalie and Andrew for familiar faces for the first night. Natalie left Sunday, which was not the easiest of things to do. I can't thank her enough for her support in riding in a car for 10.5 hrs and putting up with me. Truly a Godsend! 

Its hard not having many familiar faces around. 

I mean driving is usually a thoughtless process but has now turned to a new source of stress. Dallas has these "access roads" next to the interstate and Im glad Im still living today. I think I ran 5 red lights on the way to Bed Bath and Beyond. I don't know many streets, I would love to see my face as I drive. A stressed out face. I think I need a glass of wine everytime I get out of the car. Its so different! 

Welcome to Dallas, as Andrew says! 

I have put together most of my apartment, still missing little odds and ends. The TV is coming tomorrow and I just have lots of blank space to fill. Its hard so hard to fill those spots. But we will see how far I can get with that. 

I go to work Wed morning to do some paper work and my first official day is Monday, Cinco De Mayo! How appropriate. I will be needed a large margarita after that day. I think the first few days will be orientation and then the next week will hit full force with being on the floors. Thats a whole new realm of stress/overwhelming feelings. We will get into that after work has started. 

As we started entering TX, we started making a list of the top 10 reasons you know you are in TX:

(I didnt finish all 10 and I lost the list so here are the top 5)

5. More Spanish speaking radio stations than you can count in the states of AL, TN, and MS.

4. Big Joe's Towing (speaks for itself)

3. We reach my apartment and my neighbors don't just have out-of-town guests, but out-of-COUNTRY guests.

2. More TX flags and stars you can count.

1. A toothless man greeting us at the TX welcome center with a goofy grin saying "Welcome to Texas"

Here are some pics from the first few days! Enjoy.

Southwest Airlines has great airfares to Dallas. Please start looking! Im excited to show off my new "home." 

The Uhaul!

(Gotta love that AL license plates, I already miss them)

Entering the Great State of Texas!

Here are some apartment pics:

Kitchen

Den

Hopefully things will keep coming together! Hope to see your faces down here soon!

Rachel Shaub!

Congratulations! What a wonderful and amazing weekend!
The whole weekend and every fun festivity was perfect. Everyone had so much fun. From the welcome party with pizza and salad to the ocean crashing in the background and seagulls flying above during the ceremony singing their harmony. Beautiful weather, a fun band, great food, and a stunning bride!
Here are some pics...I have none from the wedding but once I get them, I will post some!

Go Keish!

Get it Girl! We are pulling from you from all over the country!




Hannah, Brittney, and Courtney are there to support. We are so excited for you and cant wait to see the crown on you! =)
Mary posted this on her blog and I thought I would as well to get the word out:
Vote Keisha (Alabama) Miss Photogenic at www.nbc.com
Be sure to watch tonight at 8pm Central Time on NBC.

Sips n' Strokes

The abstract girls hard at work!

So much fun! We have been trying to do this since about November. Finally, we got our chance to become wine sipping artist! The concept is so fun. Sips n' Strokes---drink wine while you paint. At first I thought, how therapeutic then I realized my type A personality was coming out and I started to get frustrated. After we got past the initial first few steps and I sipped on my beverage of choice, which helps get the creative juices flowing, I was much better off! Our group was great--kali, emily, eleanor, lo, mac, and her friend jessica. We all had a blast. Emily, Eleanor, and Kali really had creative juices flowing as they went out on a limb and painted their own abstract.
Here are the results from beginning to end:

Getting ready to start our venture of becoming an artist!


About half way finished! Its coming along, slowly but surely!

The final touches!!


I give props to Kali--hers was amazing. She had no instruction, just a painting by her feet that she followed. I encouraged her to give up being a pharmacist and move on to a full-time artist!