Training in Maine

I spent the earlier part of the week at training in Portland, ME.

Portland is a very special place for Bryan and I.

It is where we 1st started working together years ago.

It is where we looked at engagement rings for the very 1st time.

It is where I got the call from my brother telling me that his son had been born and that I was an aunt again.

Bryan and I had a phone interview for a tour (that we got) with this company the same day we got engaged in Napa. Our company knew Bryan was proposing before even I did!

We have joked for years that our 1st home will be named Pierce because they will have helped us put money in the bank to purchase that 1st home.

(So now that we're building that house, I guess we should start referring to it as Pierce!)

Portland is a town of 1st's for us, and going along with this trend, this was the 1st time I was there without Bryan.

***

I hate that you have to fly on a tiny prop plane to get there. And when I say tiny, I mean tiny. It only had 9 rows, with 1 seat on each side of the isle. I was in the exit row, thank the Lord.

View out my window - scary!
I'm not afraid to fly, but man do I dislike these planes.
I have arrived!
And this was clearly my 1st stop. I know Dunkin can be found in many states, but there's something about it when you're in New England -- it just feels right.

View of the square from my companies window

My boss insisted she take me out to the lighthouse and I'm glad she did!

My favorite home decor and knick-knack store is here in Portland. Their store is so adorable that they don't allow cameras inside, so I had to do some window shopping.

After a wonderful dinner of lobster and scallops, my boss took me to this awesome hole-in-the-wall bar called The Porthole. I had water because yes, I was saving my calories for a waffle cone from the local ice cream shop. Priorities, right?!


My journey from Portland, ME to Glendale, CA has only just begun... Driving a 25 ft converted FedEx truck cross country with no radio and no AC takes a special person.
I may be a genius or I may be a dumby, the jury is still out on that one, haha!!
If ever you think I have a glamorous job, you couldn't be further from the truth.
I love my job to death, but it's far from glamorous and it's not for the faint-of-heart.
I was up to my knees at the warehouse yesterday in packing blankets, bungee cords and ratchet straps while packing my truck and dripping of sweat.
I get no help.
This is my responsibility.
And I deserve the responsibilty, as I've been doing this now for 7 years.
I felt like a boy while packing my truck and I loved it.
Feeling like a boy makes me feel like that much more of a stronger, well rounded, powerful woman.
I like that feeling!
My job provides me with life-changing experiences, an abundance of personal growth and daily challenges.
It's not glamorous, but it's exciting and rewarding.
Every Mile is A Memory.

i'm loving

Because I've been at my Martha Stewart training all week, I decided to make this post soley work related. And considering how work is just about the only thing my mind can focus on right now, work is all I got for ya! Work. Work. Work. Gosh I love being back out on the road!

I'm loving how completely unpredictable and wonderful this life can be. You know what they say, timing is everything! Good things happen to good people and something good happened to a good person yesterday... and I happen to be married to that good person!

I'm loving Martha, ice cream and cross country driving. The wide open rode better get ready for this 24 ft box truck driver. Watch out weight stations and truck stops, Kate is behind the wheel. Hehe!

I'm loving the company I work for. I really had an inspiring and informative few days with HR, DOT training and my boss both on a personal and professional level. Event marketing is one of the most rewarding industries to be a part of. It's experiences like the ones I've had this week that make me re-realize why I am so passionate about what I do.

I'm loving that I work for such a well respected marketing agency that understands the importance of tour staffs quality of life while on the road. This is my 4th year with them (my 6th tour with them) and every program I get brought onto seems to be that much more appealing than the the last. This particular tour is a consumers dream and I feel so lucky to bring the program to their town.

I'm loving Crystal Light. My new favorite is Crystal Light Pure, which is made with real sugars.

I'm loving the word "trust." You can never be too trusting. People will take the chance to throw you under the bus to save their own behind in. a. heartbeat.

I'm loving my husband. He's a phenomenal man with great intergrity. I witnessed God's work yesterday and it was much deserved.

I'm loving that there are no coincidences in life.
I'm loving the quote: "One mans loss is another mans gain" and all of the different interpretations of it out there.

girls night out

We...
rocked a pager
ate outstanding sushi
walked in and out of 7 bars, but only drank at 3

might have busted out some N'SYNC "Bye Bye Bye" dance moves
laughed until we leaked
cried... in a bar
touched on The Bachelorette, fashion and LKN cougars
contemplated cornhole
came across a DUI check point
ate Lean Pockets late night
will never grow up!

luckiest girl in the world

Bryan called me and said "I love you more today than I ever have."

Then he told me why.

And it was a good reason.

A simple reason.

An adorable reason.

And it made my heart go pitter patter.

Then my heart did a back flip.

Then a swan dive.

And the back stroke.

And then I felt like we were dating again.

Which reaffirmed why I love him so much.

And makes me realize what we have is so rare and so special.

Then the clouds parted and I heard angels sing.

Okay, that last one is a big fat lie!

But I felt his love through the phone.

It made me feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

I love being the Mrs. to his Mr.

afternoon at the local winery

We are blessed to have a quiant winery and vineyard just 17 miles from our apartment.

The property is beautiful and brings me to my happy place -- my calm and relaxed happy place.

The place where my eyes get so heavy that they just want to close.

The place where I can hardly move my arm to raise my glass to my mouth.
The place where I'm so content that I'm almost comatosed.

That is my happy place.

I only feel completely at peace when I'm out the country and all I can hear are the birds chirping and the wind blowing through the trees.

Wine

Rocking Chairs

Front Porch

Gorgeous View...

With my honey by my side is heaven. on. earth.

Did I mention wine?!

Love having this little slice of perfection right out our back door.

lake path house update - roof, plumbing & primer

April 23, 2011

We went over to check on our house and much to our suprise, our roof and plumbing had been installed May 3, 2011

In deep discussion over something dealing with the house...

Yellow Primer... I actually liked the yellow and debated over painting our house a similar color. But I decided that just because I love yellow and it's my favorite color, it doesn't mean my house needs to be yellow. Hope I don't regret my decision!
Kitchen and kitchen island. The little window will be my kitchen sink window before we know it...Standing in the family room looking in at the kitchen, the stairs, the dining room and front doorOur stairwayThis is not our house, but is what our stairway will look exactly like - we chose this paint color, carpet color (we think) and bannister colorOur water view, lol! Our window in the family room with a view of the backyard and our little pond. We'll never have neighbors in the back and we LOVE that! Back of house
The back edge of our backyard. Beyond the black fencing is our little dirty water pond that we love so much!