Carolina In My Mind

Heads Carolina, tails California

Somewhere greener, somewhere warmer

Up in the mountains, down by the ocean

Where don't matter long as we're goin'

Somewhere together, I got a quarter

Heads Carolina, tails California

Josh started working with KPMG five years ago last month.  He began his career in Orange County, CA.  Charlotte was born a couple weeks after he started and we went on to having the best year of my life.  Yes, it truly was heaven.  When Charlotte was about 15/16 months old, we moved across the country to Charlotte, NC and Josh transferred to PwC.  We purchased our first home and life was taking some getting used to.  I made some great friends in Charlotte, but I just seemed to have a bad attitude and missed the west.  Around a year and a half later, Josh wanted to get out of Accounting and into a more finance role.  The Charlotte office did not have the department Josh wanted to work with, and that is when we made the move to Atlanta.   We have really enjoyed living in Atlanta.  We live in a great area, super convenient to EVERYTHING, there is a lot to do, airline flights are really affordable, pro sports teams, five minutes from the Temple, great weather,  we really couldn't ask for more.  But we have never really felt that this would be our forever home.   As Josh's career has hit five years, the plan was always to leave the Big 4 and work elsewhere.  The five-year-plan.  We thought about the Atlanta suburbs, but something kept pulling us back to Charlotte.  While we lived in NC, we really fell in love with the town across the state border.  Fort Mill, SC.  There is a financial services (name held for privacy) company that just opened a campus there and we had talked for months about how cool it would be to work and live in the same city.  Fort Mill has amazing schools, which was another big draw for us.  It's a small city and really family-friendly.  Josh applied, interviewed and accepted a job with the financial services company  all within a few weeks.  It was a whirlwind.  We had just sold our house in Charlotte (which we have been renting for the last two years) and were ready to purchase a new home.  Fortunately, when we were living in the area the first time, I became very familiar with the different neighborhoods.  We have been sneaking up to SC a lot (sometimes just me) house hunting, meeting with our amazing realtor, Alison, doing walk-throughs, etc.  Last week we were able to close on our house and we couldn't be more thrilled!!  Our new house is like 3.5 miles from Josh's office.  We will be living in Tega Cay, SC.  This is how close it is to our last home: I'll be using the same Walmart, Post Office, in the same church stake, we are only ten minutes from our last house, just in another state.  And we will have Carowinds again!!  Charlotte is more than excited to play at the amusement park!!  It will be great being right outside a big city, with all the perks that come from that, but in the suburbs.  We really will get the best of the Carolinas! So we have made a big decision to settle down in the South.  If you would have told me this after my church mission to Tennessee, I would have laughed.  Even if you told me when I moved to Charlotte, the first time, that I'd live in the area forever, I'd roll my eyes.  But it just seems right.  I have really come to appreciate the south.  I take a lot of pride in me and Josh living in an unpredictable area.  I thought I would live in Orange County my entire life, and I will say I can still picture a life in the West ;) But living on our own has really strengthened our marriage, family and has really helped me become more independent.  I really am looking forward to setting down some roots, not moving (maybe ever again?), and starting this next stage of life.  And if you're ever passing through, please let me know!! Here are some highlight photos of the house.  I am no professional photographer, so sorry for the horrible editing jobs.  

Butler's Pantry

Master Bathroom

5 Years Ago...

...I was relaxing in Orange County with an epidural and waiting for Charlotte to enter the world.  After a stressful few weeks looking for a doctor (yes, we moved from Provo, UT to CA at about 7 1/2 months pregnant), I found one I loved!  I remember never feeling one contraction (please don't hate me) and thinking this whole labor thing was a piece of cake.  I finally felt the need to push, right after I dilated to a 9.  They said, "we just checked you.  You have some time."  Umm...I HAVE TO PUSH!!  So they checked me again and sure enough, I was at a 10, pushed three times and out popped Charlotte.  I was a little overwhelmed and did not do skin-on-skin with her, but Josh did.  It was so amazing to look over at their first bonding moment.  We didn't name her for a couple hours and decided on Charlotte Lyn as her name.  Her middle name comes from both of her grandma's name: Evelyn and Tylyn.  That worked out quiet nicely.   I instantly fell in love with my little bundle of joy.  She was perfect to Josh and I in every way.  We never let her leave our side.  Any test at the hospital, Josh went with her.  We never sent her to the nursery either.  The day after her birth, Josh had to go move us into our apartment (yep, great timing).  It was horrible.  But I had the whole day with Charlotte.  I remember just looking at her in her little bed and crying, thinking that she was a part of me.  Heavenly Father has trusted me with her.  I couldn't believe I was a mom.  The entire situation was so surreal.   When we arrived home, Charlotte slept with us until after Christmas.  We just loved having her in bed with us.  Her and I did everything together, especially all of our Disneyland trips.  She went there 98 times in her first little year.  We would visit Josh at work, go on our daily walks and so much more.   Over the next four years, not much has changed.  She and I still do everything together.  She still sneaks into our room occasionally.  She has major FOMO.  It must be an only child thing.  This last year has been, by far, the hardest.  She is extremely emotional (Josh always says, "I wonder where she got it from."), she is a super picky eater, and there are just a couple other things that have made this year a bit difficult.  BUT on the other hand, she loves her parents, is an excellent student, loves all things Disney, wants to be Moana when she grows up, and is my little side-kick.  She loves to "cut" (with scissors), color, play with all of her toys, swim, go to school, shop with me, and go out to eat (apple doesn't fall far from the tree)! We do everything together.  Watching her go to full-time Pre-K was really tough.  It has become better, but that first week, let's be real, I cried multiple times.  Mostly because I was nervous for her to be away from me and with other adults that don't know her the way I do.  I miss her a ton too.  Sometimes I don't even know what to do with my time (but I'm surviving ;))  

I cannot wait for this day she has been waiting for.  She has been talking about her birthday since Christmas!!  I will be updating another blog post with all her birthday surprises and what we do throughout the day!!

Off to school with her goodie bags!

  

Rise Up!

Last night, Tahnee, Josh and I went to check out the new Atlanta Falcons Mercedes-Benz stadium.  It has been a big topic here in Atlanta lately.  I actually really love that I live in a city where we have major league sports.  It's a lot of fun, even if I do not know that much about the actual sport!  

We took the MARTA to the game.  It allowed us to avoid traffic and parking...win, win!  When we walked up to the street, everyone just stopped to take a picture.  It was "quite a site" as many people were saying.  

We purchased pre-season tickets due to keeping the costs lower than regular season.  I have never been to a NFL game or pro-football stadium, so that was cool.  This new stadium has the cheapest food (our hot dogs were $2!), unlimited Diet Coke ($2!!), an amazing "halo" screen, and a retractable roof.  

With Tahnee living with us for a few weeks, we are trying to get in as many Georgia sites in as possible.  It was a great night to get out in the city and explore something new.  A huge thank you to my friend, Teresa, for holding down the fort with all three kids!!