Better than Never

I can't believe I waited so long to post about our last trip to Beaufort for another great wedding! My slacking ways don't make for good blogging habbits.

So, let's travel back to the first weekend in November. We headed down to Greenville Thursday night and stayed with some super sweet friends, Alison & Danny H. They are some seriously great friends and we truly thank them for playing host to us and our two crazy weenie dogs each time we come in town! (Which has been a lot lately and we usually don't get in until late. Thank ya'll!)

Greenville is always our first stop when we travel back to Beaufort. Why? Well, for a few reasons. It feels like home for us and if I could hug Greenville, I totally would! Some of our absolute most favorite people live there and even though we don't always get to see most of them due to time constraints, just being there makes us feel like we did - I would hug all of them, too! (I've become quite the hugger and if you know me, you know I've never been one to hug.)
And....are you ready for this? I'm still getting my hair cut there!

Ah! I said it. I'm driving 9 hours to get my hair cut. But you don't understand! I LOVE Emily at Wilson's on Washington! She's simply amazing and is the only one that can cut my hair - and  she also puts up with my neurotic hair issues. She's such a sweet person! Even though she was battling a horrible sinus infection, she somehow mustered up the strength to cut my hair during this visit. I am one grateful lady! Thank you, Emily!

I've always said "hair can make or break you." It's so true. I've had one too many horrible hair cuts (especially since we moved up here). With short hair, it's so hard to hide mistakes. Once it's hacked all to pieces, you're in trouble. So the last time it looked like my hair had been cut by a 3 year old with dull scissors, I talked Josh into taking me home to see Emily. That wasn't hard to do, since we both love that little town so much!

After we got a short fill of Greenville, we made our way to Beaufort Friday afternoon. As soon as we get close to that salty air, we both get so excited!

We always have so much fun catching up with our friends and family, and that weekend was no exception! We're so glad the past two visits to Beaufort have been centered around two beautiful weddings! We were looking forward to the fall for this very reason.

Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Green! 

Josh snapped this pretty picture!

It always feels so good to go home, but we hate leaving. We've really learned to value any amount of time we get to spend with loved ones. We're so grateful that so many of you go out of your way to see us too!

To help with the sting of driving back to Pittsburgh, we decided to stop in Columbia Sunday night to visit two (and a half) of our besties, Amy, Ryan & Baby Miller - who is still baking in the oven. Thank you guys for letting us crash on a school night!

With all of these trips, it almost feels like we never left. Almost!

Straight Curvy Lines

I'm teaching myself how to sew! And I don't sew straight lines - I make straight curvy lines! (Not purposely, of course.)

I'm not going to be too hard on myself about it. I've had no formal training, except in my middle school home economics class - which I believe goes by family and consumer sciences now and isn't offered in many (if at all) schools anymore. Shame. They probably stopped offering it once I completed the course - I was so bad, I'm sure they felt there was no hope and gave up. Seriously. No amount of classes could have helped me sew a straight line. It's pitiful. Hahaa!

Regardless, I'm going for it! Many of our friends have announced they're recent pregnancies and I see so many adorable baby things that look sort of easy to make. Although, I suppose if you know how to sew it would probably make it much easier.

My first project has been burp cloths! I used the tutorial from two websites I found on Pinterest. (View them here and here.) They seemed simple - two rectangles sewn to each other. I also got suckered into trying these first because of the adorable fabric the tutorials used.

I gave it a shot and got better each time I made one! I even surprised myself a little. Sure, they're not perfect. Practice will hopefully make perfect. So, to all my preggo friends, look out! You're about to get lots of obviously made-with-love burp cloths!

Check 'em out! Not bad! Maybe after I master burp cloths, I'll try bibs that match. Oh the possibilities! ;) I did try to get fancy with the photos like the tutorials. Hehee! It's all track lighting in the apartment - not the best light for picture taking, but it will do.

They're all different sizes and the one at the top is the first one I did...yikes! 

Lady of Leisure

I (again) am a lady of leisure. That's right, I'm unemployed. Again.  Womp. Womp.

I was with the organization for a little over 2 months, but knew almost immediately it just wasn't a good fit. I know you're thinking I'm crazy. With so many people out there looking for work, I know how incredibly lucky and fortunate I was to have the opportunity, but I just couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't where I was "supposed" to be.

It really is so hard to explain. I've always had a go get 'em - you're not a quitter work ethic and really struggled with my decision to leave. It's always been my belief that you just work hard and make it work. So, it was an odd feeling knowing that no matter how hard I worked, I just never felt like I fit in.

After returning from our recent trip home, I knew (in my gut) that this was the best decision. I worked through my notice and the search for the perfect fit is now on!

I've really found that I'm out of place in Pittsburgh in general. So, I do think that probably played a huge part in my unsettled feeling. I will say that our move to the city has really helped. We are venturing out more and feeling a real sense of community. The move has rejuvenated my spirit and given me the drive to find my place here. I'm excited and hopeful for new opportunities!

If you squint you're eyes, substitute a green couch and the fake fox for two weenie dogs and a gray hairy cat - you could get a glimpse of life for me! Hahahaa!! Ok, too soon for a bad joke?! This is NOT how I want to end up!  

It is a daily battle to remember that all things happen for a reason and that this is a true life lesson in the making. I'm really grateful to have a supportive husband who would agree with you that I'm crazy, but understands me. I am learning to enjoy this journey that we're on, as challenging as it may be, at least we're together. The day will come that we'll look back on this year and laugh. 

LOVE this quote - it obviously applies to so many aspects of life. I thought I would share with you! XO

Year No. 3

Josh & I celebrate our 3 year anniversary today! It will never cease to amaze me how fast the years go by. And I swear this date sneaks up on me every year!

It seems like we always have something going on right around this time. Our first year we were in NYC for a little vacation that we stretched to call our anniversary trip. Last year we were just getting settled in our first home (that is no longer ours because of our move to Pittsburgh) and this year we had a whirlwind weekend with a trip back to South Carolina.

We drove down and made our first stop in Greenville. We had such a fun night with amazing friends and we miss them so much!

We hit the road early the next morning, heading to Beaufort for a gorgeous wedding! We were thrilled to see so many wonderful family & friends!

Congratulations Nic & Logan!! 

Our hearts hurt when we had to leave. We didn't get a chance to say hello to everyone we wanted to and we didn't want to leave those we were fortunate to see. Without a doubt, we miss everyone! Lucky for us, we have another beautiful Beaufort wedding in November and are planning to travel the same route for another awesome weekend!

Our New Place in the City

We just got the keys to our new place in the city! Moving day isn't until Tuesday, but I had to give you a sneak peak! 

Vacation Hangover

Ok, so what's new?? I'm WAAAAAAY behind with posting. So, I'll skip the apology and get straight to the point - life is good, but Pittsburgh is brutal! We are super homesick and we're not sure when it will go away...or if it will.

For now, we just look forward to the fun, light hearted moments with friends here in the Burgh and especially with our family and friends from home!

We just returned from our 2nd annual Whiteside vacation to Ocracoke Island in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We made this year's trip into a family vacation and were so happy to be accompanied by my MIL, BIL, SIL, and our adorable one year old nephew (seriously, he's precious!). We spent a week beachin' it and eating like there was no tomorrow. Needless to say, I've greeted Pittsburgh with a tan and at least 5 (scratch that)10 pounds heavier than when we left. BUT we had an absolute blast! 

Since Josh and I literally just dropped our bags at the door, I'll keep the blogging short and end it now with a few pictures from our holiday. ENJOY! 

Finley builds awesome sandcastles! 

Lifeguard Lola - keeping an eye on Jess & Carter

Carter drove our boat and was captain for the day! 

The Ocracoke Lighthouse

We drove up to Hatteras to see the Hatteras Lighthouse

We went on a full moon kayak tour - don't mind our lovely vacation hair! 

Eager to get out there! 

Our view from the kayak - stunning!! 

We rode bicycles all over the island

The sunsets were amazing! 

 

And so were the sunrises! 

Carter-man tried on a Gamecock hat...just to test it out. His parents are Clemson fans - we'll see how it turns out. 

The boys caught big fish! 

And even bigger fish! 

Seriously, I hate when great vacations are over! We are sure to have a classic vacation hangover tomorrow!

Retail Therapy in the Cheapest Way

I'm so not shy to say that I'm money conscious. Working in the non-profit community will definitely do that to you & so will a frugal husband! ;) I absolutely cannot stand to pay full price for anything. I always use coupons when I grocery shop or when I'm in need of a little retail therapy. I get a thrill out of stretching my dollar. No, I'm not one of those extreme couponers you see on TV, but I do save A LOT of money.

I've not always been so great at using coupons while shopping in retail stores. However, I have always been patient to wait for things to go on sale - unless I absolutely "had to have it".

Ladies, you know what I'm talking about - you see that one thing you cannot stop thinking about. So, the ONLY obvious option that could possibly give you peace & ease your pain is just buy it out right. It happens to us all.

But this time, I had to have AND I had coupons. My latest obsession is The Limited 678 Colorful Skinny Jeans. The first pair I bought were in popsicle. (See them here.) The fit is amazing! I went back and bought them in white. (All on sale, of course!) I desperately wanted the mint colored pair, but they only sent them out to certain store locations & they were sold out online - so I missed out. Bummer!

I couldn't miss out on the latest colors - red, cobalt, and jadite. (See them here.)

I know I'm a little late to the colored (and skinny) jean trend, but it looked a little challenging. With the help of Pinterest, it's been a little easier & a lot less scary to try out these new (for me) trends.

So, I grabbed my coupons & hit the stores last night. And this is what I got!

I've got to get better at taking pictures! My apologies! The striped shirt on your left, white jeans, and printed shorts are from the Loft and everything else is from The Limited. 

Regular Retail: $524.60 

After Coupons and/or Sale Price: $155.67

Love, love, love coupons!! Hubbs, on the other hand, wishes I would stop "saving" him so much money. ;) 

Recovered. Thank Goodness!

I survived the wisdom teeth extraction! (Thank goodness!!) And my fear of saying something ridiculous while coming out of anesthesia didn't come true! In fact, I'm a little disappointed in myself for being so blahzay - I've always fancied myself as a little funny and thought Josh would at least have one humorous drugged-up Leslie story to share. Sorry to let so many of you who were rooting for a hilarious photo or video down. I'll do better next time.

With already naturally thick cheeks, the procedure seemed to cause my jowls to practically quadruple in size. So, I spent the past six days looking a lot like this (minus the fur):

It was somewhat miserable and I was in a tad bit of discomfort, but overall I had a pretty good experience. I'm roughly 90% back to feeling human again and am ready to get out in the fresh air! The dogs have been cooped up with me and I know we're all ready to venture out. The weather has been everything but awesome, so I definitely haven't missed much. I'm hoping for a little nice weather this weekend - I'd really like to make a trip to the park! Enjoy the amazing weather, you lucky South Carolinians! :)

I'm a Chicken!

No, Clemson fans - Today I'm not talking about this chicken:

Although I do love my Gamecocks! 

I'm talking about the yellow-bellied kind. I get my wisdom teeth out bright and early tomorrow and I'm terrified! Of course I'm worried about the pain after the surgery and the maintenance to ensure things don't get infected, but I'm super scared that this will be me!!! (Watch the video below):

It really is SO FUNNY - if it's not you! I've already threatened Josh not to film me!! I'm so nervous I'm going to wake up talking about weenie dog shenanigans and end up on YouTube just like this girl. Although - she did get on the Ellen Show! That would be worth it!

I know I've spoiled you with all the blog posts this week, but I think this might be the last one for a few days while I'm recovering. Say a little prayer to JC for me - I hope he'll be in the house for me! ;) 

Southsick

We've never been the kind of people who rave about being from the south. PLEASE don't get me wrong, we absolutely LOVE the south and South Carolina, but we just never felt a strong connection to being 'southern'. I guess that's one of the reasons I titled the blog Untraditionally Southern. (Ba-Dump-Bump!) 

We don't have many palmetto tree & crescent moon items - no stickers or decals on the cars, no t-shirts or hats, not even a doormat - none of the typical SC gear that you would find in any true South Carolinian's possession. We just never really got into it all.

My mom always said I was the kind that could pack everything up, take off and never look back. I think she was right, but boy do Josh & I miss the south!  It's funny how you don't miss something until it's gone or in this case, until you're gone.

A good friend of mine recently dubbed us as "southsick." I can't think of a better way to describe how we're feeling! Leaving South Carolina has given us a newfound love of our southern roots and we would love nothing more than a house full of palmetto pride!

We're Moving Again!

Wait. I don't want to get your hopes up. Unfortunately, we're not moving back to South Carolina. 

Sad. I know. I feel the same way as this baby. However, we are moving into the city of Pittsburgh!!

We currently live 20 miles from the city - which doesn't seem like far until you include traffic that jacks your driving time to an hour or more.  We like the area we're in, but it's just not for us. We've never been the kind that like living in the suburbs.

Although Greenville is a MUCH smaller city, we loved living downtown there! Moving here and living in the burbs felt so strange and unnatural. (Funny coming from two people who grew up in a small town.) I noticed when we were in the city, we felt more at ease. There's just something about it that makes me feel more comfortable, kind of like home. Although, nowhere I've ever lived or called home has ever looked like Pittsburgh!

Josh took both of these pictures - he's so talented! :) 

Our lease ends in September and we're officially locked in to a new downtown apartment! We're going to live in an old schoolhouse that is currently being renovated into lofts. We're so excited to try our hand at real city living! We know there will be some challenges that come with it, but we're definitely willing to give it a try.

Want to see pictures? Their Facebook page has great pictures of the model apartment CLICK HERE or visit their website by CLICKING HERE.

Mr. Postman

I do love mail - who doesn't?! It's so fun to send it and even better when you receive it! I've had the song "Mr. Postman" by the Carpenters (circa 1975) stuck in my head all.day.long. (In case you wanted to have it stuck in your head too, it's at the bottom of the page. Just hit play!) The song popped in my mind when I ran my errand to the post office this afternoon. And yes, I do often sing songs based on things I'm doing - sometimes they're real songs and more often I just make them up. Makes things in life a tad more fun!

I was dreading the reaction I was going to get from the lady at the post office when I told her "I need to mail these" - three 7 inch plastic jumbo Easter eggs! We both laughed when she asked, "Just like this?" Yep, just like that! They were filled with a few goodies for my niece, Hannah, and nephews, Ethan & Carter. I wish I would have thought to take pictures. I'm going to have to get better at that!

With us living so far away from everyone, I've been trying to find ways to "stay close." When I saw the Easter egg idea on Pinterest, I knew I had to do it! I obviously found the idea on Pinterest - where else do you come up with the idea to mail plastic eggs?

Here's the link to the blog where the idea came from: CLICK HERE

I wish I could witness the postman's reaction when he delivers the eggs! I guess this kind of makes him the Easter Bunny! I can't wait to do it again next year!

The Hunt is ON!

I'm a horrible blogger. Hahaa! I always forget to take pictures when we're out doing things or don't feel like the things we do are important enough to write about. Guess it's a good thing I'm not paid to blog - I'd be broke!

And speaking of getting paid - I am hardcore searching for a job. I thought I would absolutely LOVE being a stay at home wife, but truth be told - it's just boring! Maybe if we were rich it would be so much more fun!! I would shop all day or go to the spa for a massage - hours at a time. But alas, this is not my life. Pinterest is about as close as I will get to any of these things! :)

I also find not having a schedule or somewhere to be is totally counter productive for me. I tell myself, "I'll get to that laundry later" (you know, after Ellen) or "The dishes can wait! Heck, I'll be home all day tomorrow and then next day and the next..." It's just horrible!

I'm working on getting better at not putting things off until later. I know just because I'm home every day doesn't mean these things can wait, but it's been so nice to do everything at my leisure!! We've been able to take the dogs on long walks every day - which they love and now expect! I've even introduced some new recipes into our previously small repertoire. See all of that Pinteresting has paid off after all!

But I am so ready to start something new here. I am really looking forward to a regular schedule and the opportunity to meet new people. It will come in time. Until then - I'm soaking up all the days of resting, Pinteresting, and putting off! I know once they're gone I'll miss them!

My Birthday Wish!

I know there is plenty of time before my birthday, but I've already made plans for my day and I am so excited to share it with you! What am I doing? Josh and I have registered to run in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5k run in Pittsburgh on May 13th! I can't think of a better way to spend my 28th birthday!

This is a very personal cause for me. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was very young and I am so fortunate that she is a survivor! I can't bare the thought of what life would have been like without her. It brings tears to my eyes. My heart breaks to think about those who have lost their lives and those who have lost family members to such a horrible disease.

My great-aunt Lene is a recent breast cancer warrior and Vickie, a very close friend who I consider family, is also a survivor. It's because of these three women and all of the women and men who have been affected by breast cancer that I want to help in the fight!

It's my birthday wish that you will join me in the fight against breast cancer!! Please consider making a gift to help me meet and surpass my goal to raise $1,000.00 for this great cause! Together we can make a difference!

For more information or to make a gift towards my goal, please visit my personal page by clicking HERE. You can make an online donation with your credit card by clicking the "make a gift" button under my goal thermometer or by clicking the "Donate" button at the top of the page. (You can also click the highlight "make a gift" - it's linked directly to the donation page.)

(My momma and me!) 

(My Aunt Lene and her daughter, Sarah, Racing for the Cure in Charleston, SC) 

(Vickie, Peter, and their friends Racing for the Cure in Greenville, SC)

Dog Days of Winter

Today was gorgeous, but it really hadn't been so lovely the days before. Friday started what the news here called a "wicked wind storm," with freezing winds that topped 50 miles per hour and of course there was snow! We even had "thunder snow." It's really rare, but the snow is accompanied with thunder and lightning - very strange. Saturday was much of the same weather.

I'm a true believer in the saying that ignorance is bliss - we have no idea what to expect from the weather here and so we just assume that all of this is normal for Pittsburgh. We've been told by every person we've met here that this is such a mild winter. We are so thankful that Mother Nature has been so kind to ease us into a northern winter. (Knock on wood it will continue to stay this way!)

With all of this cold weather, I started looking for other ways to get the dogs out for some exercise. Finley is all puppy and can really drive you nuts if she's cooped up in the house for too long. Lola prefers the couch, but I know she really needs to be moving in order to keep her girlish figure. 

When the sun is out, it definitely warms up our apartment and the girls layout - dreaming they're in the tropics! Finley also copies anything that Lola does!

So, I found a group that has a small doggie play group at the local animal shelter - Animal Friends. What a smart idea for a non-profit animal shelter - have an indoor play area run by volunteers and charge people (a small fee) to bring their pets to play! All of the proceeds go to helping this great organization! I couldn't sign us up fast enough! 

This is Animal Friends

The shelter was really great, very clean, and all of the animals looked so well taken care of. They even had a big rabbit area - not sure what was up with the rabbit influx, but they were so cute! 

The kid in me really wanted to take this little guy home!

The pups had a great time! Even Lola eventually ventured out to meet new friends, but Finley definitely stole the show with all of her puppy shenanigans! Here are a few pics from their play date! Enjoy! 

Sorry it's blurry! They all move so fast, it's hard to catch them! Finley's the little black doggie on the left. 

Fin trying out the agility course

Lola - thinking she doesn't belong here because she's not a dog. The white blur in the right hand corner was one of her friends! 

This was in the beginning of session. I think there were probably 20 dogs by the end. Can you spot Finley!?

Our Roots Are Showing!

We've been craving southern style food more than ever since our move to the Burgh! Luckily for us, there is a Cracker Barrel just down the road! We've been here for almost three weeks and have eaten there four times already. I guess our southern roots are showing through and our bellies will too if we keep this up!

You know what they say, "you can take the girl out of the south, but you can't take the south out of the girl." It's true. We even went to CB on Valentine's Day! Hahahaa - yes we did! I guess there's nothing wrong with a little comfort food when you're feeling slightly displaced from home.

(Home away from home! This is just a stock photo. If we had really been there that early, I would say we need a CB intervention!)

My grandma was a true southern cook (seriously - Paula Deen really has nothing on her!) Any meal she made was unbutton your pants type of delicious! Unfortunately, her talent did not rub off on me. I do regret not asking more questions while "helping" her in the kitchen. So, in honor of her and our renewed love of southern food - I'm going to try my hand at making a homemade southern fried chicken dinner this weekend! The recipe looks easy, but no cooking talent often leads to disasters! Pray that I don't set the apartment on fire!

A Different Experience

Who ever thought that grocery shopping would be any different in the North vs. the South? Au contraire, mon ami! It was a totally different experience and a little overwhelming at that! The Giant Eagle is the only grocery store in the area (other than an Aldi or Save-More) and they've created a high end store called "The Marketplace." It's 150,000 square feet of pure heaven! They've got a children's learning center, pharmacy, dry cleaning, onsite nutritionist, restaurant, cooking classes, supreme bakery, oil & vinegar bar, they even grow their own lettuce - in. the. store. There's just too much to list! But my personal favorite is the sweets shop (including some amazing homemade gelato - the tiramisu gelato is to die for and the real reason I've recently joined the gym!!) The store is insane and awesome....until you realize you forgot the bread once you're at the other end of the store!

(Photo from FoodBurgh.com: Check out their blog when the store first opened to get the full scoop and to see more pics of this GIANT grocery store! http://www.foodburgh.com/2009/11/settlers-ridge-reception/)

New Blog!

Hello Loves! Welcome to the new blog, Untraditionally Southern! Our Little Blue Bungalow is still up, but is now a tool to help sell our sweet house. That was our real estate agent's idea - I would have never thought of that or have been brave enough to actually put it out there - I only blog to keep family and friends in the loop of what's going on with our little family, especially now that we're so far away!

The last post on the old blog left us off with the announcement of a new job for Josh in Pittsburgh and we are officially here! We are in the middle of unpacking boxes, but I will definitely post pictures (as requested) of the new (hopefully temporary) apartment as soon as we're all settled!

We did add a new addition to the family! Finley - she's a six months old mini dachshund/min pin mix - they're called doxiepins. We got her two weeks before we left for the Burgh. And YES, I did question my sanity on this decision. She's fitting in nicely though and we are already so in love with her! Here are a few pictures of the little lady (and friends):

The first day we got her - precious! 

The girls snuggling! 

Miss Fin

And of course Lola wanted you to see a picture of her!

Josh took a picture of all the kids! (Tank is the hairy one in the middle) It's a little nutty with all three of these guys!