Let it Snow

We had our first snow experience in New York today! 

At first I thought it was raining.

 It was super overcast and dark when we woke up. 

Then Devon went to open the curtains and BAM snow! 

Well, according to Cindy it was only flurries but fluffy, frozen ice from the sky is snow to me. 

I was so excited just to see how Bella would react. 

 

She enjoyed it at first but then had a diva moment and didn't want the snow on her jacket. 

We ran some errands and when we came back, there was snow everywhere! 

The yard, the car, the porch! 

Devon and Bella started a snowman but she refused to wear mittens so she got cold fast and wanted to go inside. 

So Devon and I finished the snowman and I have some pictures. Hehe

Happy Thanksgiving!

While I miss my family in Georgia, I must enjoy the family I'm with today. 

We have food upon food, holiday decor, played in the yard and spent time with family we haven't seen in a while.
Oh, I actually made a few contributions this year, a festive banner and bacon wrapped green beans.
Pats on the back for me!
BTDubbs, everyone loved my green beans! (Recipe below)
Now I KNOW I'm in good with the family.
Cindy won't stop bragging about me to her family. Hehe.

Oh, and my sweet little sister finally got a phone!
She was so happy.
I wish I was there with her but I know I was the first person she called when she got it. 

I also had my first Black Friday experience. Well kinda, because
1. It was Target at 9pm on Thanksgiving
2. I didn't have a specific product in mind so there wasn't any build up and
 3. I had gone Black Friday shopping with my mom and sister before but it was beyond boring and we didn't even get anything so it doesn't really count.

 

Pretending Black Friday shopping is hectic

I must say it was a pretty good first holiday away from home. 

Now, for a dope ass recipe.

 BACON WRAPPED GREEN BEANS: 

1/2 lb green beans
 8 strips of bacon
3/4 cup brown sugar
 1 garlic clove
 1/8 teaspoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons of melted butter

-Preheat oven to 350
-Blanch green beans
-Cut bacon strips in half
-Wrap 5-6 green beans in bacon and place in greased pan seam side down
- In a bowl, combine brown sugar, garlic, soy sauce and butter
-Pour mixture onto green beans and bake in the oven 30-40 minutes or until bacon is fully cooked.
-Let your taste buds enjoy the excellence that you have prepared.You can thank me later.

First New York Holiday

My first major holiday without my family is today and I feel incomplete and uncomfortable. This is not normal. 

I should be getting ready to go to my Aunt Ila's house and see all of our relatives from all over the country. I should be bracing myself for questions about life, work and Isabella. I should be worrying about Bella because she isn't used to being around so many people. I should be part of "pass the phone" with family members who couldn't make it to Atlanta. Instead, I will be on the other end. I will be that member who will get lost in the phone shuffle, hoping they don't hang up just yet because I want...need to speak to everyone. 

For the first time in seven years, I will miss all the mayhem and "homemade" food that Aunt Ila claims she made. I will miss the intense amount of hugs, the laughing and excited children, not being able to think...just taking in that hectic but special family time that happens but once a year. 

Waaah, I miss my family and I am so thankful for them.

Our New Neighbors

We live on the most boring and simple road full of funny and complex people. So here is the breakdown...
1. The Bat Family
No one knows much about them because they never come out. They have been known to mow their lawn at 10pm and the children often swim at 3am. They look like a mixture of Michael Jackson and Russell Brand...or so I have heard. Anyway, no one knows their current age, where they attend school or anything personal.
2. The Portuguese
They are an interesting family. First we have the mother, Maria, elderly. She is the OG Portuguese. She works at a bag warehouse. They make the bags for Macy's, Target, Bath and Body Works, etc. She is currently working 70-80 hrs a week. What? A senior citizen working that hard for that long? Have no fear readers, she is quitting soon to move back to Portugal with her husband. He's going to receive social security both from the US and Portugal. Which means he'll be gettin dough. He just wants to show off to his lowly peasant villagers. UPDATE: yesterday we saw the husband drying his car with a leaf blower...
Next, there is the daughter, Odette, 35. She owns a wholesale clothing place. Not your average wholesale, she sells to the big New York boutiques. Plus, she makes regular trips to Italy to find clothes to sell. NBD. Her son is Johann, the little creeper child. He wears sandals in 46degree weather, watches us play through his kitchen window, and hides behind cars before attempting to play with the kids.
3. Us
I don't know where to begin. An oddly mixed family with multiple families. There's a lot to us but "ain't nobody got time for all dat".

Georgia on my mind...again

I've been here in New York for a little over a week now and I have to admit, I miss the south...or at least Georgia. I miss the luxury of having six Chickfila's all within a 10 mile radius. The nearest Chickfila here is 45 minutes away. Go ahead. Feel sorry for me. I do. Insert sad face. A seriously pouty, sad face. I've realized I somehow found comfort in someone saying "y'all" and "bless her heart", whether sarcastically or sincerely. How people in the south are unaware that there is a 'g' at the end of most of their words. (Goin', lovin', hatin'..) And as much as it hurts to admit, I do miss seeing little girls wearing bows bigger than their heads. Seeing children dressed head to toe in their parents' favorite college football team. I just miss having sweet tea as an option and having Coke products being the center of attention in Walmart. Heck, I miss cashiers being in my business. "How's your day? Oh, honey did you know how much sugar is in this?".  So. Much. Adjusting. But don't worry y'all, I WILL BE A SOUTHERN GIRL in a Yankee world.

COUPONING: ny vs ga

You guys know that I love coupons and great deals even more.

 So when went on my first grocery shopping trip with Cindy yesterday, I was in for RUDE awakening. 

And I'm not talkin' my roommate ate all the food that I paid for rude I'm talkin' my roommate had a ProjectX party (that I wasn't invited to) and left me to clean up rude.

You see in New York, (or at least the store we went to)

1) They don't double coupons regularly! Cindy said they only do it a few times A YEAR! I really hope this isn't true so I will do more research on that one

2) You can't use two coupons of the same product in a single transaction. Like...what is that all about? In order to get the deal you must spend a minimum of $10 so say the deal was $2.88 for mayo and I have (2) $1 coupons, I can only use one on the first transaction and the second on the second transaction but IT HAS TO BE A $10 TRANSACTION. Am I getting confusing or annoying yet?

3) THEY DON'T DO BOGO. Oh, Publix, I never realized how spoiled I was until I left you. I really didn't know what I had until it was gone. I. Miss. You. and all of your lovely deals that got me $.14 boxes of waffles and so much more. TAKE ME BACK!

So I suppose I will be doing most of my shopping at Aldi...Or I will be doing serious research, couponing and crying. I have my work cut out for me. Literally.

Monsters Under the Bed

As well behaved as Bella is during the day, you'd have no idea how satanic she becomes at night.
She's a perfect little saint until we start walking to the bedroom.

That's when she becomes possessed.

She screams, cries and literally throws herself all over the room.

At least she does here in New York.
At home she puts up a little school girl fight but here she goes all Mayweather on me.

You see, here they have the toddler bed set up.
 Not a good idea.

So I let her lay with me.
 Reeeally not a good idea.

But last night she didn't want either.
 So I put her on the floor.
It was safest for all parties involved.

She went nuts, apeshit  for an hour.
 Straight.
 I gotta give it to her. She's got dedication.

When the satanic fit stopped and I felt it was safe,
I slowly opened the door to see where she ended up sleeping.

I couldn't find her anywhere.

Then I remembered something.

I checked under her bed and there she was.

Little Monster Bella was sleeping under her bed.
And I let her.

There was no way I was risking waking her up and going through all that again.

I know she has a lot to get used to but
CAN WE NOT SOUND LIKE THE DEVIL IS TAKING OVER YOUR BODY?

New BFF

First, I will admit that I totally stole these from Tasha.
Second, they're so cute could you blame me?

Bella has her cousin, Sophia, to play with all day, everyday.
They have so much fun together. I'm happy to see Bella with another child her age.
Bella is so happy here.
You would never know the poor girl can't breathe,
has an ear infection and only got 6 hours of sleep. 

Emo Update

I'm doing A LOT better.

After feeling like I belonged in a time period novel that you read for school,
I'm feeling much much better.

Maybe I was just sleep deprived.

Maybe I was just annoyed.

Either way, today is a better day than yesterday and that's all I really wanted.

Dev and I have decided we're going to the city soon.

As in NEW YORK CITY, the Big Apple, the City That Never Sleeps.

That's part of my new life.

Oh hey wanna catch a Broadway show this weekend? BECAUSE WE CAN.

Wanna go to Little Italy and have some authentic pizza? BECAUSE WE CAN.

Those are a few perks of living 45 minutes away from the Concrete Jungle.

So, yeah, there's some positivity floatin' around.

And I like it.

 I like it a lot.

Because let's be honest, no one likes a Negative Nancy or a Debby Downer.

We're Here

We have made it to New York safe, sound and freezing.

After three days without sleep,
 listening to Bella cough and attempt to vomit,
we finally took her to the doctor.

She has an ear infection with a cold so you can imagine how much fun I am already having.

While my sweet Bella is physically sick, I'm emotionally sick.

Homesick.

 I miss my family and friends, my normal routine, the familiarity of my surroundings.

I'm trying to stay positive but knowing that majority
 of my favorite people are so far away makes it really difficult.

 But whatev, I have a two year old who needs a tissue and a bath.