Cheap Date Night

Last night Mikey and I went to a movie screening of Contagion! It was so cool! I felt so VIP to be watching a movie before it comes out in theaters! and the best part-it was all free (I guess there are some perks)! we just strolled in, there was a USC table by the entrance we gave them our names, they gave us tickets and then they checked inside my purse (i'm guessing for recording devices). It was very nice, the movie was pretty good too, although I did have nightmares last night- I guess not very good for a hypochondriac like me.

The theater was the one at The Grove. I love this place. It's so beautiful and there's always beautiful music playing while you stroll along. Here are some pics so you see what I mean:

This is the movie theater:

There's a beautiful fountain and lots of little restaurants all around and of course fabulous shops.

You see the tracks on the floor? there's a beautiful trolley that rolls around during the day time.

This is a three story Barnes & Noble we walked into to browse around! Three stories!

Oh yeah and this grove is attached to a Farmers Market! Very cute!

Updates

License update: So I took the California Physical Therapy Law Exam on Thursday. I def didn't put as much time in as I should have and I was sure I failed. But Saturday night I checked and I passed!! Thank God!! One more step He has gotten us through and now I am just waiting for my California license to arrive.

Job update: I had multiple offers but I am deciding on perhaps accepting two part time positions that will give us a little more money, and more flexibility with travel: i.e. to FLORIDA. Today I turned down two decent full time positions which was pretty scary. Then one of them wrote me back with a ridiculous counter offer (way more than I was expecting). But I think I am sticking with my decision. My happiness is more important than money.

Weekend update: This weekend, Vivian (the sweet friend we are staying with) was out of town on a women's retreat so we were left alone at the house. So on Sat we went to a church called Azure Hills by Loma Linda to meet with a cousin of a friend of ours (Ham's cousin for those of you who know him). We met up with them (her and her father, which BTW looks identical to Ham's dad) then ate at her house, they were very kind to feed us (we haven't been eating too many home cooked meals). THen she took us to a youth thing at a doctors house. THis place had seven pools! that's right SEVEN. Anyways, we didn't know anyone and felt pretty out of place so we went home and I cooked us our first California meal. It consisted of: rice, roasted and slightly smashed garlic potatoes and lime chipotle chicken fingers I found at the store (vegan of course). Then Sunday we went apartment hunting. A lot of people don't work on Sundays so... not much success. Then we drove back home along the pacific coast highway which was beautiful, then we made a turn at Malibu canyon road which tools us between the most beautiful mountains, it was breath taking.

Today update: Mikey had his drum class this morning and now he's in a tutorial for film editing, er or something of that nature. Which means I am chilling on campus pretending I'm a student so that when he's done we can go apartment hunting (you see we only have one car and we are staying at least 40 minutes from USC- which means with traffic, and there's ALWAYS traffic it would take him at least 2 hours to pick me up). Hopefully we find a good place, yesterday we saw a 1bedroom for 1425 but there was a 2 bedroom listed for 1395 that we didn't get to see. Hopefully we can today, it would be great to have a guest room for our visitors- wishful thinking. The place is probably a dump. Will keep you posted.

Change it up?

Seriously thinking about doing this to my hair....I love!!! and so low maintenance!

Microwave Popcorn Fraud

Did. You. Know. that you do not, I repeat, DO NOT. Need to buy expensive microwave popcorn?? I just recently learned that the fancy bag we buy at the grocery store are not special, and not necessary. All you need is a simple, standard brown paper lunch bag, corn and if you want a little oil. Yup that's it. I tried it out myself, sans oil, and it came out perfect. If you love popcorn it will save you beaucoup bucks. Here's how to do it:

Buy yourself a pack of brown paper lunch bags (usually ~$1.99), and some yellow popping corn. place about 1/2 cup or kernels in bag, fold down at top twice. Place in microwave, pop till the popping slows down to less than 2 pops in 10 seconds.

California bikes

Everyone in California, especially by Mikey's school, seems to have a beautiful retro bike. They are so cute!! And they all sit neatly in rows! rows and rows of beautiful bikes! I admit i am seriously coveting these:

I have visions of myself riding my bike to the local groceries store and putting my items in the front basket and riding home is a spring dress, hair floating in the wind... Anyways. I have also been a little obsessed lately with this bike/stroller combo. How NEAT!

Look at all the things this thing can do!

Things that are different in California

1. It gets cold at night.

2. The water at the beach is deathly cold.

3. When you buy a new car you don't need a temporary plate, just the name of the dealer.

4. Lots more buggers. That's right I said buggers (must be the pollution)

5. which brings me to SMOG. A lovely mixture of fog and pollution which sits along the horizon. At first I thought it was mountains far away covered by fog. Nope.

6. traffic lights to enter the highway.

7.Terrible traffic even on Saturdays in the middle of the afternoon.

8.Trader Joe's- this is a good one. Still haven't explored but can't wait.

9. Most freeways don't have tolls.

10. Bad AT&T reception. Sometimes I look down at my phone and instead of being in 3G it's on Edge. Mikey tells me its all older "cell phone technology".

I like the idea of documenting the little different things that we notice but then forget about. Will post these little things as I notice them. We haven't really explored much but hopefully will do so once things calm down a little.

Lazy Sunday

Hello everyone, I am feeling a little better and am ready to blog now I think. I think I'll start off by letting everyone know that my lovely friend is having a giveaway in her blog. Highly suggest you run over and check it out. I am in love with her blog. In a short time she's done beautiful things with it and I'm obsessed. I guess cause, yes it's gorgeous, but also cause I can keep up with what she's doing and I miss her so :( Anyways... go check it out!!!!

Down in the Dumps

Sorry for the long hiatus. I just haven't felt like doing anything lately. I've been a little (maybe not a little) sad lately. Just missing everyone and I didn't want to depress anyone with my rants. I wish I was stronger and the kind of person who moves from town to town and does incredibly courageous things. But i'm not and it's been hard.

Today I had 3 interviews for a job. All at tiny little PT clinics which made me miss my old job. It was wonderful there, big and spacious with beautiful views and all the latest equipment. These places were like little caves of darkness and doom. lol Mikey took me to rodeo Dr and asked me what I thought and I just shrugged my shoulders!!! Something is definitely wrong with me!!! But on the up side, I haven't cried today! Yet.

Los Angeles is a funny city with cold beaches and foggy weather. But this time is bringing me closer to my maker, and closer to my husband. We have so much to be thankful for. Hopefully in the coming weeks i'll lighten up a little but for now i'm trying to keep my head above water.

Last Day of Familiarity

So these past few days have been dedicated to finishing packing and being on our way. We were supposed to leave today but, because of one thing or another (car tires mainly) we will be beginning our journey tomorrow.

Not excited, but ready. Goodnight.

Whirlwind Weekend!

So this weekend was my birthday and our last weekend in good ol South Florida. It was amazing. I feel so loved and so BLESSED. Which is making this move so much harder but yet so much easier. Harder because I am going to miss everyone terribly, but easier in that no matter where I am, I know I have the love of my friends and family with me. Genuine relationships, transcend distance. I have felt the hand of God guiding us and I know this is for the best. And I wish so much that in two years we can come back and go back to how things are right now. But I know that nothing stays the same, but I hope that it'll be BETTER.

I am trying to come to terms with this move and look at things more positively. PLus I think I'm out of tears. But I think my tears now are just because I'm gonna miss that daily contact with my peeps, and not because I'm devastated that we're moving. That's fair, no? Anyways, here are some pics from this weekend and from today. We started overhauling the place and shrinking everything into boxes.

Latest news is: I need a job before anyone will rent me their apartment. So we are going to Cali and hopefully staying with a friend or finding an extended stay facility, so I can find a job, so we can then find an apartment. Meanwhile I have bubble wrap coming out of my ears!!