Tomorrow is a NEW ME Day

There is a part of me that wonders...should I change the name of the blog?  Then I realize that no, I shouldn't.  I'm still the same Southern Girl living up in North Country.  I am still learning to adjust, trying to adapt, and handle the multitude of life changes that have happened in the last 7 1/2 weeks.  Yes, I am counting...  We moved in our new apartment on February 1st.  We viewed a total of 6 properties before we chose this one.  We are still happy with our choice.  I do think we may have chosen a different section of town, if that had been a feasable opportunity.  We have quite a bit of space considering it is only the two of us.  I can clean the place from top to bottom, and I mean an OCD kind of clean that involves wiping baseboards and walls, in the space of about 4 hours.  Mind you, that is including laundry, floors, baseboards, and walls.  I only have to do the deep clean every other week and even that is pushing it as again, it is only the two of us.  The river is about one block away and I look forward to being able to walk there soon.  Right now, my body is still protesting the cold!

The point of today's post...is implementing the life style changes we have planned since the kids decided not to join us on this venture.  As some one who is VERY lactose intolerant, I have often struggled with the meals we made.  Almost every recipe out there calls for butter, milk, cream, or cheese.  Don't get me wrong....I love all of those.  The problem is, my body makes me pay for eating these things.  Even in small amounts I get the bloating, even if I take a Lactaid supplement.  Feeding a large household is expensive and to do so on a budget requires ingredients that are not always healthy.  Now that I am cooking for two on a consistent basis, we have made the decision to change what we eat.  We just went grocery shopping today and I must say, what we purchased was almost all fruits, veggies, and lean meats.  I have a cache of recipes that I can't wait to try and the dinner meals are all under 500 calories each.  This is going to be combined with getting more physical.  We both have a gym membership now and it's less than 10 minutes from the apartment.  Andy's work schedule is flexible enough to allow us to go to the gym either before or after dinner.  The ultimate goal, for me, is weight loss and being able to run again.  After my mouth surgery, I wanted to be more active.  We were active over the summer by hiking.  However, somewhere along the way, we fell off the wagon.  Both of us are unhappy with not only our level of activity, but by knowing the food we eat is NOT healthy.  We have been much better since moving in to the apartment, but not as much as we would like.

Tomorrow is a new day...and so it will begin.  We bought a wall hanging today that we both loved and it hangs above our dresser.  It's what we will see first thing in the morning and hopefully motivate us through the day.

We also bought a scale and that is a necessary evil, unfortunately.  For me, the weight is my biggest concern.  I want to be healthy and fit.  I want, more than anything, to be able to run again.  Right now, I'm not sure I could without building up to that slowly.  So, here goes nothing.  I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.  It's knowing that I'm healthy enough to still be around many years from now.

Let it be known though...tonight we are going to eat at one of our favorite spots and I plan to have something completely unhealthy!  You only live once right?!

~trish

We Are Here

We are here...  It was an uneventful trip, as far as the drive goes.  We rolled out right at 10 on Wednesday morning, January 13th.  Andy drove the Penske truck, I was in the car with Belle.  We stopped at the BoJangles in Henderson since there isn't a location up here!  There is not an IHOP, a Waffle House, or a BoJangles up here!!  There is a Dunkin Donuts on just about every corner though.  I guess I will adjust...lol.  We drove a total of 550 miles the first day which was a little over 9 hours.  By the time we got to the hotel, I had aches and pains in places I can't begin to explain.  We started loading the rest of the truck at 7 that morning and cleaned two levels of the house as well.  Followed by 9+ hours in the car.  Belle makes a good travel companion...basically she slept the whole way.  The hotel in Wilkes Barre PA had snow and was up on a hill.  I almost didn't get the traction to get up the driveway.  A bite to eat, some sleep, and we awoke to snow covering the car and truck.  It was quite beautiful!  We hit the road on Thursday morning at 9 am and drove to Albany NY where we stopped for gas, food, and a visit with each other since we were in separate vehicles.  We arrived at Pat's house about 3:30 after driving another 350 miles.  Turns out, Belle loves the snow!  She was rolling around in it, face covered in snow, and hopping all over the place.  I've never seen her this way!  She only loves it for about 10 minutes before she is done and cold, but that is more than I expected.  We took the truck to the storage unit on Friday morning and it only took an hour to unload, arrange, and return the truck to the local office.  We spent a couple of hours at Andy's new job going over paperwork and all the other fun stuff involved in a new job.  We also opened a PO box which took all but a few items off our list of "THINGS TO DO IN NY," which seemed to grow before it shrunk!  Thankfully, there are only a few items left before that list is completed.  Now, on to the house hunt.  We did get to see one property, which the man was so proud of he was charging $1250 per month!  That is MUCH more than we are interested in paying for....especially when it didn't "ring a bell" with us.  I know that patience is a virtue but I am definitely lacking in that department.  Pat is very open with her home, we have our own room with plenty of space, it just isn't "home" for me.  I need to nest, to make something mine.  We are just trying to make sure we choose what is right for us, not what is right now!



There is a side note...  I have learned a few things while up here......  Do NOT run out of washer fluid in your car.  When the roads have been sanded and salted the washer fluid is a life saver.  Without fluid, eventually you cannot see the road ahead! Do NOT leave Carmex in your car over night.  It freezes....OK, maybe not freezes...gets so cold it won't come out!  Do NOT leave drinks in your car over night...they WILL freeze along with your leftover Subway sandwich.  This is gross so don't try to eat it later!  Pat also told me that you can't let your gas get very low as it could freeze.  I'm not sure about this one but I sure as hell don't want to find out!  We park in the garage here but with the wind chill last night, temperatures are in the negative.  There is snow coming this afternoon and they said about 5 inches.  Pat and John (Andy's brother) acted as though this is no big deal.  I, on the other hand, am charging my camera and hoping for some photos!

~trish

Counting Down

It was a rough night...last night.  I was exhausted yet couldn't sleep.  Insomnia is a bitch!  I laid in the dark thinking of all the things I wanted to get up and do.  Pack.  Make lists. Clean. Write.  All of those things are difficult to do at 1230 when your love is sleeping wrapped around you, two boys sleeping across the hall, one boy sleeping downstairs, and one big girl and one little girl sleeping in the basement.  I wanted music up loud and lights on.  Instead I chose to read in bed and thankfully dozed off with the book in hand around 2 am.  I fell asleep with a headache and woke with one.  Now I'm finishing coffee in bed and deciding what to do with this day.  We are at 61 days til roll out.  It still feels like I have plenty of time yet not enough.  I'm not sure when, or if, that will change.  The agenda for today involves grocery shopping and picking Nina up from band tryouts.  Anything managed in between will be a bonus.  With the holidays quickly approaching it makes time constraints difficult.  We sat down with our landlord on Monday and the conversation went well.  They are sad to see us go as we are great tenants (their words!) but they are excited for us as well!  Now comes the part where we fix all the little things that we know due to living here and preparing for a new tenant to live in this house we love.  We know someone who came to tour the whole house and loves it!  Finding a new tenant who is interested is helpful for our landlord and us.  It takes a bit of the sadness away knowing who will live here and that they love this old house.  Here's sending a prayer up that things continue down the same path for this to continue to be a happy home!

An Introduction

It began as a random comment... One day in late August, Andy and I were walking around Lowe's (our FAVORITE store!) enjoying a day together while the kids were in school.  He said to me, "Let's move to New York."  I was quiet for about 30 seconds, then said, "Sure, let's do it!"  He was surprised at my answer and we spent the rest of the afternoon and the next several days discussing the pros and cons.  I was excited by the thought of living somewhere new.  Somewhere outside NC.  I was born in Raleigh and have lived here for 37 years.  In case you were wondering, that is my entire life.  I worked in the same hospital I was born in!  I've often wondered how/why people live where they do.  I've been known to ask random people I meet who are not from here, "Why NC?"  It's a curiosity for me.  Almost all of the answers I received were due to work or family.  I get that thought process.  A few said they wanted somewhere different and chose here.  Since I have always lived here and love it, I understand that!  We are 3 hours from the beach and 4 hours from the mountains here in NC.  I have always been a beach lover.....Until I saw the Adirondacks for the first time!

Now I can't wait to be able to see this view anytime I wish!  I am going to miss the ocean but there are enough beautiful rivers and lakes that I believe it will be worth it.

Now, when we spoke to our children... we asked each of them to come with us.  All of them, as of today, have chosen to stay in NC.  Between the two of us, we have 7 children.  Erin is the oldest and she has a 3 year old daughter named Lily.  Erin was living on her own until July when she moved back in to regain her footing on life.  She is currently looking for a place to live with Lily and possibly a roommate.  Caleb is the next oldest and at 20 is doing pretty damn good for himself! He struggles but we are proud of how hard he works to get where he wants to be in this world.  He has been living "on his own" for almost a year and works two jobs!  Not many 20 year olds are as determined as he and I know he will get where he wants if he keeps it up.  Liam is 18, soon to graduate high school, and will be a father come February.  Due to the start date of Andy's job (more to come on that), we won't be here when Baby Boy Montroy makes his appearance but hopefully Liam will keep me happy with lots of pictures!  Liam is so good with Lily that I know he will make a great father....I just wish I could see his face for the first nasty diaper change he tackles on his own!  Next up is Nicholas (Nic) who is 17.  He is a junior and has hopes of going to college or possibly joining the military after school.  After the many, many moves he has made throughout his life (all around the same area!), he wants to graduate from the high school he started out in.  That leads me to James (AJ) who will be 14 in a week.  He is adamant about never wanting to leave Louisburg, let alone NC, and was quick in his refusal to go to NY. The boys father lives here and they are going to stay with him.  Since they have lived with me full time for the last 7 years, their Dad is looking forward to having them for a time.  At their age, this is probably a really good thing for all three of them!  AJ is my snuggler....even at almost 14 he is quick to come kiss me hello after school and hugs me many times a day.  He is a 7th grader and is not happy with school.  I remember Nic at that age and have hope it will get better, more enjoyable, for him.  Last but not least are our two sweet girls.  Katarina (Nina to Andy, the kids, and I and Kat to her friends at school) just turned 13 and is a beautiful and talented young lady! She currently plays the flute in the 6th grade band and we had the pleasure of watching a performance a couple weeks ago.  We will be here for her Christmas concert and are looking forward to it.  She is probably the smartest of all of our crew and I have faith she will go so far in life!  Cheyenne (Chey Chey) just turned 11 and she is gonna be the one we have to watch out for!  Thankfully, she has FOUR older brothers who will guard and protect her.  She loves to sing and dance and is determined to be so rich when she grows up that she is going to buy her Daddy and I our dream island!  We are going to get maids, helicopters, and jet skis!  Since she is the baby of the group, her Dad and I may be too old to enjoy the jet skis by then!  The girls will stay with their Mom in NC when we move.  The four younger kids will come to see us for the summer and we will be back down a couple times a year to see every one.  We are hopeful that our three big kids will find time to come visit us in NY as well.

So after introducing all the children...let me tell you how this all happened!  After talking for days about wanting to move north, we sat down with our kids.  The younger four were sad but also happy for us.  They understand we have this desire in our hearts and while they will miss us, they know that distance doesn't change love.  With all the technology that exists, we will be able to see and talk to them no matter where we would be.  The older kids are at places in their lives where they are stepping out on their own more and more.  We have had two leave the nest already (though one came back for a short time!) and one who isn't far behind. Originally, Andy and I thought to stay until the school year ended in June of 2016.  Andy would occasionally scroll job opportunities in Plattsburgh NY and one day he came across two that lured him in.  On a whim, he sent his resume to both of them.  We were mostly curious about the job opportunites available and how difficult it might be to find a decent job in his line of work.  Within about 30 minutes of sending his resume to one of the jobs, they called him.  An hour long phone conversation with the facility led to us trying to figure out when we could go up for him to interview.  We managed to swing that chance two weeks later and drove the 14 hours north.  This was my second trip there and it was more breathtaking in the fall than it was during the summer.  His interview went well and they called and offered him the position the same day!  He accepted and we were overjoyed!  The facility was going to decide on the start date and call him back the next day. which was the day we would travel back to NC.  About the time we entered Maryland the following day, Lori called with the start date....and even more exciting news.  They are so determined to make this job his that they offered him an additional increase in salary, they are waiving the 90 day waiting period for all benefits, they are reimbursing us for our moving expenses, and even offered me a job!  The position comes with an opportunity for promotion a year after he starts which means we have a year to see how we like living in the North Country, how he likes the job, and how our kids are managing with the distance.  We had already felt like the signs were there for us to move sooner but after that call, we feel even more assured that this is the next step in our lives.  What a blessing, what an opportunity!  Andy is set to start on January 18th and we will leave NC on January 13th...as of now.

As I write this...we have 66 days until we leave.  It alternately feels like forever yet like there isn't enough time!  I've begun the process of making lists.  Lists are what I do!  I have searched online, read until my eyes hurt, and talked to a few other people about how best to go about moving 14 hours away!  I've read about people who literally packed what they could fit in their cars and drove from coast to coast or from top to bottom of the US.  Some of these people did it without jobs lined up and with little money.  That gives me a small glimmer of hope!  Money is, as always, our biggest obstacle.  Getting reimbursed is wonderful....we just have to pay for it first!  We are planning, as of now, to stay with Andy's Mom for the first few weeks.  Since it will be mid January when we get there, this should be interesting for me!  He grew up in Plattsburgh but moved to NC when he was 15.  I, on the other hand, have never experienced true snow!  I am so excited!  I can't wait to learn how to ski, see the mountains in their winter glory, and watch snowflakes fall outside my window.  We are downsizing our belongings since it will just be Andy and I for the first 6 months.  We will have to learn how to be grown ups all over again....until the summer that is!  I'm excited for my boys to come up as they have never been to NY.  The girls have been there before to visit Andy's family. So yeah, this last paragraph is definitely all over the place!  There is more to come as we begin this adventure.  For now, I'm off to make more lists, pack a few boxes, and help the girls with their room!