More on Christmas with an addition of New Years and Austin, TX

(for those of you who only care about one aspect of this or another, I’ve labeled it accordingly, scroll til you find what you want.)

Christmas 2011

Christmas was filled with high’s and low’s.  We had the Burton’s come down to Mississippi from Iowa (high).  Ed and I have been trying to make this happen for years and it finally did, YAY!  It was very sweet to see Grammy, Karen, and Charles experience our huge Christmas tree and in general, Christmas in Natchez.  It was also great to see the brother and sister, their significant others, and all the babies (high).  Of course there is always a little family drama (low) involved when you get that many people together.  However, everyone survived and Christmas was a success. 

It was a great first experience for me to see all the babies opening their gifts at Christmas (high).  My family has kind of adopted this rule that only the babies get Christmas presents, which leaves Ed and me out completely L (low), but I understand that money is tight with everyone.  And just to be….nice (or an ass, depending on how you look at it) I got everyone presents anyway.  They were not expensive presents, but something that could be cherished for years to come (frames family photos).  But back to the kids!  They were so cute and it’s always so interesting to see how they differ in their little personalities (high).  Elizabeth just tore through her presents, while Brody methodically unwrapped and took in each one.  I think I liked Evie’s approach best though, she just slept through it all (she’s only about 9 weeks old).

I think everyone enjoyed Christmas lunch (high).  I guess it’s lunch.  It’s not at lunchtime, slightly thereafter, and usually before 3 p.m.  There was plenty of food for all (even for me as a vegetarian) and it all tasted nummy!  Something that has become a sort of family tradition is William Sonoma Pumpkin Butter as a dip.  You cover cream cheese with the pumpkin butter and sprinkle with green onions and bacon (for the meat eaters).  Sooooo tasty!  For some reason broccoli-rice-casserole is another big hit with our family.  It’s always the first dish to go. 

After Christmas, Mom took the Burton women down to Antique Alley in Natchez (high?).  I’m not sure if it’s what they had in mind for antiquing (it’s a little different in Iowa), but I think they had fun and at least found it interesting.  Ed and I joined them later and actually picked up a couple of things.  A wicker basket-bowl that I thought could be useful, a teapot that Ed thought was interesting, and a little “silver” tray for shits and giggles (it’s not actually silver, not sure what it really was) all for right at 30$, yay (high)!

I think we were all starting to get “cabin-fever” (low) because we all decided to leave ahead of schedule.  Plus, Karen owns a business and evidently needed to get back to it.  Ed and I made plans to visit the Ludlum’s and Theilen’s in Austin, TX for New Years.

New Years in Austin, TX!

So after seeing the Burton’s off, Ed and I immediately jumped in the MINI and headed to Austin, TX.  It was our first road trip together in the MINI and I was a little nervous that it wouldn’t work (too late, cause we already bought it!).  It’s one thing to shoot around town, something else to sit in a car for 9 hours and like each other.  But we did it! 

The trip there wasn’t bad at all.  We took the back roads the whole way and it made it more interesting and it seemed to take less time.  Once there we were treated to the Austin Experience by our lovely friends, Mr. and Mrs. Awesome (a.k.a. The Ludlum’s).  We also got to hang out a little with Betsy and Trever Theilen, YAYAYAY!  We did a lot of bar/beer trying, food experimenting, and a lot more of getting to know Austin on our own. 

The Ludlum’s just bought a house and they were so nice as to allow us to stay with them for New Years.  The first night we stayed in, but got some lovely pizza from their neighborhood pizza place.  We also participated in some beer, pretty good!

(I’ll go ahead and admit that a lot of this is fuzzy, not from drinking too much, but from raging allergies and what turns out to be a crappy high temperature.  No wonder my brain felt like it was baking!)

The next day, since Alisa had to work and Matt wasn’t there yet, Ed and I ventured out on our own and did some shopping and exploring.   That’s when I basically realized Austin would be my next more permanent home (more on that under Austin, TX).  After being out and about for a while, we headed back to the house for some relaxing until Alisa got home and we went to dinner to one of the “food carts.”  It was an Indian food cart, and even though I’m not that fond of Indian food, I found it all pretty great!  Afterwards we went to a pretty awesome bar, The Gingerman.  We eventually retired to ready for our next adventure.  Now this is where things get fuzzy.  My head was spinning and baking, so I’m not exactly sure what happened next, but here’s a list of things we did do, in no particular order.

-       went to the grocery store for food and beer

-       hung out with Betsy and Trevor (they were there the first night, too)

-       went to another bar with Betsy and Trevor and on the same night, went and met their new puppy, Landry…sooooo cute!

-       We went to the Kolache Factory and tried Kolachies (sp?)

-       For new years night, we went to Mother’s (a vegetarian restaurant) for dinner and then back to the Gingerman.  We did a not so verbal countdown at the river near Gingerman, where we hugged and kissed our significant others.

-       And I totally forgot that Alisa’s sister and soon to be brother and law joined us on New Years Eve eve.  (They actually got engaged New Years Eve!)

So that’s the New Years Eve rundown.

Austin, TX

At first, my verdict on Austin was…meh.  But then, with a fresh pair of eyes, the next day, Ed and I went into town on our own.  The more places I went and longer I was there, I started to try to figure out what constituted a “place I want to live.”  So Ed and I cam up with:

-       Small town feel

-       Big city stuff (availability of items we love, stores we like, food that can be acquired, variety of things to do, the arts, something for everyone!)

-       Variety of things to do

-       Being able to not live in the city, but be in the city…difficult to find

And I’m sure there was more, but that’s all I can remember now.  I think we actually stopped there as we felt that the list was already unattainable.  But the more we experienced Austin, the more we realized it fill the bill almost to a T. 

Even though Austin is a big city, they keep a small town feel.  They have one of the best camera stores I’ve ever been to (both online and in person).  There is such a variety of things to do there, we only really did one..er two… (the drinking and eating variety).  We’ve also got a strong friend base there already as well.  Which only adds to the awesomeness. 

So the plan now is, Austin or bust!

On being thankful…

A lot of my friends on Facebook are doing a daily “I am thankful for…” post.  It’s kind of interesting to see what people are thankful for.  I thought about sarcastically posting that I was thankful Monday-Friday for not killing myself as I sleepily commute to school in the morning and that I’ve made it (safely) through each work day. And then Saturday and Sunday I am thankful for not having to put up with those little sh…er..lovely students that I “teach” Monday-Friday.  However, I began thinking about it.  There are many things in my life that I am thankful for, so here she goes (in no particular order):

1. my upbringing
2. the fact that I have a job with a decent pay check
3. Mighty Miss Ebba Jean Lucille
4. Family
5. Sleep
6. Technology with which I can use to see my husband on a daily basis
7. Edward Ray Burton
8. My, although far away, friends
9. My education
10. Comfy beds
11. My Grammy blanket (shhhh…don’t tell anyone)
12. My mini
13. A place to sleep
14. Nieces and nephew, they’re hilarious and cute
15. Hulu
16. Talbots Women
17. Pretty things
18. Sarcasm
19. A few students that shall not be named, however they get me through my day because they actually want to learn
20. My experiences abroad and living away from home
21. The fact that I can usually come back “home”
22. That I still have one living grandparent
23. That I got to know and spend as much time as I could with Ed’s dad before he died
24. Crafty things
25. That I’m somewhat healthy
26. The changes of the seasons that inspire me
27. Common sense
28. OPI nail polish
29. Hobbies: knitting, photography
30. Co-workers that understand and help me make it through the day
31. My new computer coming in the mail on Monday
32. Good books
33. My vibram fiver fingers, all four pair
34. Pinterest…pretty and shiny… oooooooh
35. Friends with whom I can talk every day and always have something to say/discuss, and who will listen to me, share with me, and give objective opinions to my problems, concerns, down to the “which one should I buy?” types of problems.  As well as friends who I rarely get to talk to, but I can call them up and it’s like we haven’t missed a thing
36. vegetarian options in Mississippi
37. plants and gardening
38. old things passed down
39. music, even if it’s country
40. that I get to see Ed this Friday!

Now, this list didn’t take long to think of, so I’m sure there is a lot more that I am thankful for.  What are you thankful for?

On holidays…esp. Christmas

Growing up you spend the holidays with your family.  You don’t really go to friends’ houses, you stay at home and endure the love that comes with family.  Then, you start growing up and dating people.  Things get more difficult.  You want to spend the holiday with your significant other, but you also want to spend it with YOUR family.  And there the problem begins. 

If you want to spend the holiday with your family and your significant other wants to spend it with theirs, but you want to spend it together as well…well, you can’t be at three places at once, so you have to make a decision.  And it’s not an easy one. 

To solve this problem, Ed and I, from the very beginning of our relationship, started the rotation.  Christmas in Natchez, Thanksgiving in Iowa…the next year, Christmas in Iowa, Thanksgiving in Natchez.  We’ve managed to keep the rotation until last year.  Ed got his first job, and me being jobless, we just couldn’t afford to travel at all for the holidays.  So we just put the rotation on hold in general.  We stopped with Christmas in Iowa and Thanksgiving in Natchez.  So this year, continuing the rotation, we should have Christmas in Natchez, and Thanksgiving in Iowa. 

And here comes the next problem.  Ed doesn’t get enough time off to go anywhere for Thanksgiving.  But there’s no way in HELL I’m not going to go see him.  But that makes our rotation now unfair, because it’s Iowa’s turn for Thanksgiving.  Ed’s family understands, but I want it to be equal.  So it gets tricky.  Since we are having Christmas in Natchez, we thought, why not have Ed’s family here too!  We’ve been trying to do it for years and not going back for Thanksgiving creates “demand,” as Ed would say.  So I’m going to Florida for Thanksgiving and we are ALL going to Natchez for Christmas.  Problem kinda solved.

Kinda?  Well, I haven’t factored in yet, siblings.  Now, brother married SIL. And her family has their own holiday traditions, as every family does.  However, they aren’t willing to waiver.  For example, growing up, we use to all pile in a car and ride around and look at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve.  Will the SIL has made it clear that Christmas Eve will never be spent in Natchez and they live out in the boonies with too many other family members making it impossible for us to continue our tradition of the Christmas light ride with her family, THUS killing our tradition.

Enter sister and BIL.  They sort of have their own thing going on.  They arne’t really on a rotation, they just kinda float.  I’ve been trying to convince everyone to get on the same rotation so that every once in a while, we can ALL be home for Christmas and do our traditional Christmas things.  But sister and brother and their respectives, don’t find this important at all it seems.

So I’m kinda pissed about this Christmas.  We, Ed and I, were unable to come home for Christmas last year, Ed’s dad just passed away and the Burton’s are all coming for Christmas, but sister and BIL don’t want to come, and who knows what brother and SIL are going to do.  They spend more time at SIL’s than here anyway, even when they claim to be coming here.  Seems like we can never get it all together.  And I’ve been telling everyone since we found out we couldn’t come last Christmas that THIS Christmas we should all be together… I know it’s hard to coordinate everything.  I know it’s hard to not piss each others families off.  But if we all get organized and try, we could.  And if some people would give in and allow someone else’s traditions to take place, then there would be more compromise and less animosity towards one another when everyone IS here. 

I was just hoping for a big ol Christmas, cause it’s always killed me not to be home for Christmas and this last year was especially hard.  So sue me if all I want is our Christmas traditions and everyone to be together again like it use to be.  Life is too full of missed moments and sometimes I feel like you have to make them happen.  We finally got the Burtons on board and the rest of the crew jumped ship. 

I know things can’t be like they use to be, but it would be nice to have something familiar and be surrounded by friends and family this holiday.  This year has just been really hard.

Decision made…

So…out of four choices….

1)    the house for rent:  850/month, 500 deposit, and probably about 400 in utilities, in town

2)    the apartment:  right under 700/month, 150 deposit, 200ish in utilities, 30 min commute

3)    a friend: 150/month, 45 min commute

4)    home with the parents, 200 in gas, 1 hour 15 min commute

After much calculation and some reasoning/rationalizing with one of my best friends, Alisa, I came to the conclusion that option 1, is out of the question, just too expensive for what we would get and would take all our extra money, defeating the purpose.  Option 2, where more reasonable, still didn’t allow us to save enough to pay off our credit cards within a reasonable amount of time.

So now it’s down to option 3 and 4.

Living with friends is hard…but what’s harder?  Being an adult and living with your parents or living with friends?

I know what living with friends can do, you have to work at it so you don’t ruin your friendship.  Sometimes you have to let some things go even though the bother you.  Or if you get on each other’s nerves, sometimes you just have to let it go. For the sake of the relationship, and the living situation.

My parents would probably just drive me insane.  Plus, the commute is further and did I mention my parents would drive me insane?  I mean, I can always take a break if I need to and come here.  But I think living here would just…drive me insane.

So, it’s option 3!  I’m living with a friend!  Dee, I hope you know how much living with friends changes things!  It’s not going to be a cakewalk!  Although we can walk…and eat cake…

So, by living with my friend Dee…and we’re hoping that this is only 3-4 months…Ed and I will be able to pay of our debt and then we can afford for him to quit his job in Florida and move to Mississippi.

And to clear that up:  We can’t afford to move and only have one income, so Ed is keeping his job in Florida, until we pay off some of our debt (we’re hoping only 3-4 months).  So yes, we will be living apart for a few months.  But by saving money and sacrificing some comforts, we’ll be able to pay off some of our debt and be able to afford more “luxuries” in the future, luxuries like…living together…soooo sad. 

We also hope to build our credit up real high so that if we decide we like teaching in Mississippi, we can possibly buy a house.  Because BUYing a house costs a lot less than renting, I’m talking the difference in 400$ mortgage on a 3/2 house or renting a 2/1 for 900$.  I know there are other costs when buying and if something breaks, we have to fix it.  But we wouldn’t buy until we had the second income and some other things in place, like a new couch, and a new computer, and of course some more serious things like, a down payment, etc.

So even though this is a difficult time, with the health of Ed’s dad deteriorating, we will be living apart, adding more stress.  But we’re trying to think long term benefits, so hopefully all this stress and being apart will pay off in the long run.

Here’s to hoping! (chugs a bottle of wine)

3 posts in one day...

I told you I was playing catch up!

On a lighter note from my previous post, we did have a pretty good weekend.  Saturday afternoon, our friend Alan came to visit.  We did some beach time and the normal deep-thought-discussions, and of course the fun back-and-forth banter.

Monday we decided to rent ocean kayaks and  try out the bay.  I wasn't thrilled about the idea because of my previous experience on smaller kayaks (and this is why my kayak is still in Sioux City...it can stay there right now!).  So everything seemed ok, we put the color in the kayak, geared up, and set out.  We saw some manatees and got pretty close to some dolphins.  No pictures, because it's hard to paddle and work a camera.  We were kind of chasing this pretty big dolphin when about an hour or more from the marina where we started and in the midst of little mangrove islands, Ed says, "hey guys, is my boat sinking?"  I turned to him and said, "why yes, yes it is."  So Alan and I went to Ed's aid and unloaded the cooler onto my ankles and Alan shared some of the weight by taking on some bottles and what not.

It was clear that Ed wouldn't make it back to any type of shore in that boat.  We looked around and saw a couple fishing boats and thought it would be best to try to reach one of them for help.  So I headed as fast as I could across some open-ish water to the nearest boat.

When I got there, all out of breath with cotton-mouth, I apologized profusely for disturbing their fishing trip and interrupting their day.  They looked at me like I was a disease or sea scum that they just wanted to be rid of.  I had to BEG them to help us.  After they finally agreed they headed to help Ed and I started the paddle back to where they were.  Just as I got back, they were pulling away to take Ed back to the marina where we rented the kayaks.  Alan and I sat there for a few seconds trying to decide if we were going to wait for them to come back or if we were going to head back.  We very quickly decided to head back and charged forward with the return trip.

It didn't take us too long, because we (or at least I) were no longer distracted by dolphins and manatees.  I just wanted to be on land!  We made it all the way back and the Crazy Kayak Lady was just then securing a boat to go get the sinking kayak.

So after docking our kayaks, we all hopped on a pontoon boat and headed back out to the bay to find Ed's sunken ship kayak.  We realized that we hadn't reeaaaallllly followed the map on our way out, but we didn't have much trouble locating the kayak.  We had shoved it up in a mangrove cave and it was still  there, safe and sinking.  We pulled it up on the pontoon boat and headed back, saw some more manatees and some crazy diving birds.

The Crazy Kayak Lady didn't charge us and we got a pontoon boat ride out of it.  So all in all the day was good!  Not to mention getting that close to the manatees and dolphins.  Although I think we were just as close to them when we were at the beach as we were when we were kayaking.

gooood times, gooooooood times...