the bonus

So far New Orleans has delivered just about everything we expected and more... waaaaay more.

We have had fantastic food, stiff sugar-filled and colorful drinks, made some quick friends and listened to some rad live music! What we weren't expecting and what we would like to call "the bonus" of our already exciting night went a little something like this:

Got a taxi ride back to the hotel from the French Quarter (normal).
Pulled up to the hotel (normal).
Naked guy comes running at us (eh, could be normal, it is New Orleans).
Naked guy demands us to give him our clothes (I realize things are getting less normal).
Taxi guy checks in his car, no extra clothes.
Naked guy demands me to give him my shawl (he actually used the term shawl).
Uh, no.
Hotel management tries to give him a hotel towel.
Naked guy refuses towel.
Naked guy tweaks.
Naked guy screams.
Jamie goes to get naked guy a towel from our room (our only clean towel).
I stay and take pictures (totally normal).
Naked guy refuses our clean towel stating "No man, I ain't taking that towel it has electrodes in it!" (definitely not normal)
Jamie tries to level with naked guy "No man, see these arches (pointing to the awning of the hotel) these arches cancel out all the electrodes, so this towel is clean dude" (now I am starting to wonder if Jamie is normal).
Naked guy doesn't buy it.
Hotel guy calls cops.
Hotel notifies us that they have ran out of clean towels.
I make a sad face.
Jamie asks naked guy how he got naked.
No answer (bummer).
I decide it's time for me to go back to the room.
As I am walking to the room a half naked chick with only panties on comes running down the hallway holding a hurricane in her hand screaming "GET IN YOUR ROOM! A BLACK GUY IS ROBBIN' PEOPLE!"
So I get in my room.
I triple lock the door thinking only one thing...

"Damn it's impressive that this chick is being robbed and still managing to hold onto her drink."



The bonus:



Note above the penis is this mans crack pipe... Which explains a lot actually.

East Bound: Chapter 1 Volume I

So after a grueling week of packing, cleaning, scraping, packing, cleaning, scraping, packing and saying our goodbyes, we are finally well on our way out east!

Personally, I think if any couple can survive a big move like this, they can survive just about anything (we are hoping for a Zombie Apocalypse next, we are surprisingly more prepared for that).

Here are a few highlights of the trip so far:

1) Having the pleasure of driving through the desert and noticing that it looks the same whether you are 20 minutes into it or 12 hours into it. It felt like running on a treadmill, but we are driving, not running and the treadmill is really big and has dirt and a mountain painted on the wall... and well, that about sums up the scenery so far.
2) Trying to find Cowbell in the car, you never know where her sneaky butt is hiding. We tried to “walk” her on a leash but she immediately rolled around in the dirt/mud/ash/motor oil/and other random desert stuff; she is no longer fluffy white, Cowbell is now flat poop brown.
3) Jamie broke his toe and I have 2 black eyes, possibly unrelated.
4) We wanted to take "lots of pictures” on the journey, but I am never able to get the camera fast enough to take the cool pictures of things we pass (cool is relative at this point), plus my “traveling outfit” is not the most flattering thing I own. As a matter of fact, I ran into Walmart real quick to grab a few things and I am pretty sure I may end up in the next “People of Walmart” chain email you get, look for me!
5) Passing 2 city signs back to back, one reading "Truth or Consequences Elephant Butte" and the next "Rock Hound City of Rocks". I don't even have a comment for those, except that I am sad I wasn't quick enough to take pictures and too lazy to turn around.
6) Paying for an extra night in a hotel just to sleep in...


Goodnight ya'll <3









Note: Truly my favorite thing about road trips is attempting to fix lunches in the car (note to self: everything, EVERYTHING explodes after traveling- I have been covered in mustard, mayo, ketchup and hot sauce... to start) Anyways, it reminds me of road trips with my grandparents when I was younger, where my mamaw would so gracefully fix us a Spam and Mustard sandwiches during our long journeys to Florida... I never recall her being covered in condiments... But oh well, I'm learning :)

tonight I shed a tear for you

Well... Well... Well... It's getting close to "that time" (the time where we go from our home, to another home, that's new to us and that is not the home we are in now), we are almost all packed up and ready to head out and day by day we are getting more anxious for our departure... we are so excited to start our new journey and yet so sad to say good bye to the place that has brought us together and has made us so many great friends and wonderful memories...

For me, moving has always been a big part of my younger 20something days, so when it has come time to pack up and move forward it has come easily to me, for a long time I took pride into being able to fit just about everything that I own in the trunk of a car. But this time is a bit different for me, my time in California has become me. Since graduating college and chasing me, this place has easily felt like my second home, and actually my first adult home (I actually have furniture and a plant that's half alive). The sun has a way with wrapping its arms around you and the people here have become a part of my heart. There is just something about having the beach beside you that is so fulfilling and knowing the sun will shine tomorrow brings an ease to your mind.

This time I think about everyone I will miss, not only all of my close friends that I have started spending family holidays with instead of my family (these people that have actually become my family)(with, of course, the exception of my fabulous sister that has brought the familiarity of home out to the west with me <3)... But I think of all the people that have become a part of my life here in small ways, some people I do not see often but think of often, some people that do not even know the impact they have had on my life here... both small and large. I think about every single one of you and how my weeks and days will just never be the same without you.

I am excited for this journey, I am ecstatic to be close to my family again and to reunite with my old friends. I can not wait to plan my wedding and to marry the most incredible person I know. I know laughter and warmth will fill my heart and this will be one of the most exciting points in my life...

But tonight, tonight I shed a tear for you.

... for I will miss you more than you will ever know.