Day 6-7: Cruise launch

After we got into Texas city on Saturday evening, we took a drive down to Galveston and drove around. It was nice to see the beach again and we saw some incredible buildings - some you could see were heavily damaged by hurricane Ike.

We strolled around the Strand - like a main street. Some people were lazy.



After eating ourselves into a food coma via olive garden we hit the hay. However, due to not realizing that we had retractable shades on our hotel window, sleep was eh, sporadic, atleast for me.
We arrived at the Galveston port terminal about 11:30 am. There was another ship in port, Carnival Conquest.


I was unable to snap a shot of our ship but believe it or not, ours seemed double in size.
Embarkment was super easy and fast. Security, check in, and that's it.
We couldn't get into our rooms until later so we checked out our floating hotel.
Up first, the main attraction, the Royal Promenade. Our room is actually one of the bad boys in the shot. I think it's better than an oceanview room - more centrally located, includes a bay window, and you can people watch.


Welcome buffet!


Ship-cuzzi 5790753/fitness center. The fitness center is crazy by the way- humongous!


B is very disappointed that Johnny rockets is onboard. He doesn't want to go there at all.


Mini golf course, inline skating track, and rock climbing wall





Main pool area


Formal dining room. Shhh I had major titanic vibes.


Crazy big movie and entertainment theater


Some time in our running around we got to get into our rooms. It is actually pretty roomy (more room pics on Bs facebook) and has a cute little couch area with bay window and desk. Psst-look at the mini couch! It's Gavin size.


We are minutes away from departing. Goodbye Galveston, onward to the Bahamas.

Darn spaces

I see that this iPhone app for blogging is creating some huge gaps between pictures and paragraphs when I post. I tried to fix it and possibly created more spaces on my last post so ya... I'm just going to apologize for that now, for the next 7 weeks. It'll give you a workout. Enjoy gettin' your scroll on!

Day 1-6: Cali to Texas

So this week just flew by! I am so glad that for the next 7 weeks - no more riding in cars. Granted we will be spending ridiculous amounts of time in planes, trains, and automobiles (buses only). Atleast neither of us will have to drive.

Our week started off with an uneventful 2 day drive from Cali to Dallas.

We enjoyed some California landscapes until we hit Arizona.









Can you guess what we saw between Arizona and Texas? A while lotta nothing - oh, and new Mexico. So much nothing in fact I didn't take one pic. That couldve been because I was asleep for most of it.

We arrived real late in El Paso, grabbed some Taco C (with a side of the craps for later), and hit the hay.


















Hung out with our good friend J in the AM and then hit the road again. Oh, waved to Juarez Mexico on the way out. Again, saw nothing.


Except, we passed through this k-gnarly storm cloud. Had some serious Twister paranoia.













After 12 long hours, a Sonic run complete with Dueling Cats - the show, we finally made it to B's moms house.









Day 3 through 5 were spent hanging out with fam, shopping for last minute stuff for our trip, chasing/looking for dogs, laughing, and very importantly, a trip to mcallisters for my favourite sweet tea.










Day 6 - in a car...again.

This time on route to Galveston. This drive was very pretty with lots of pastures, blue bonnet and Indian paintbrush flowers, and ominous solo trees.



































We had a great pitstop lunch with family friends of B and his mom in the city of.....I don't know, where Texas A & M is.









Passed through Houston









And then made it to Galveston.

Tomorrow begins cruising time. It's going to be just grueling.

Itty bitty space

So we are about 36 hours away from hitting the road for our trip to Europe!

While we have been diligently prepping, we still actually have to pack. Since we're only taking one backpack each, you'd think it'd be easy because there's not alot to pack. Wrong! Not a lot to pack but Everything gets scrutinized. We don't put anything in that we are not sure we'll wear or use atleast 5 times.



See what we have to work with?only the essentials (expertly rolled and stuffed) is going in these bad boys. This concept reminds me of a genie and his lamp. What do we know about packing for a 7 week trip that includes a cruise w/ formal nights? Pack for a week. Easier said then done.

Amazingly, Ellie fits just right. She's essential right?



I think she thinks she's essential too.

Easter fun

A happy late Easter to all! We had a great day with lots of food, candy, laughter, and fun! Also, my parents celebrated their 25th anniversay. I hope that my husband and I Are lucky enough to celebrate a 25th down the road.

Psst! 5 days until Europalozza!!!

Moving is a ....

Bitch! That's all I have to say about that.

T-Minus 10, 38, and 102 days

I'm not good with changes. I like planning. I like lists. I'm good with organization. I like my routines. My dog likes my routines. It all works. You can imagine my internal struggle with not one, not two, but three changes coming up. But I do like some adventure. Some spontantaneity. A bit of stress. A really really small pinch of chaos. However, I think I'm getting more than I bargained.

T-Minus 10 days - We are moving! Well, we are actually moving twice but this is move numero uno. 


To save some moolah for Europalooza, we decided to move out of our place and into my parents until our bon voyage. While I am extremely excited for the trip, I am sad to say goodbye to my husband and I's first home. Nothing will ever replace our "first home." Our time here has flown by and even though it is just a little one bedroom apartment, it was our home. I love the area - it is so beautiful right now, like the hills of Ireland because of recent rain. It is a great location. It's just the right amount of space for two people, a dog, three lizards, a snake, a hamster, and a very resilient-carnival-won goldfish. It just worked for us. But now our cute little place is starting to empty out (yay for craigslist) and boxes are filling up every corner. I am so glad though of all the great memories because as of two Mondays from now, "Hey Hun, remember our first place?" will always trigger a smile.

T-Minus 38 days - As previous stated, bring on Europalooza!!!!

I just finished watching The Bucket List. A huge fear of mine is reaching a point down the road where I make a huge Bucket List. A few things, sure, a handful of things, fine, but I don't want to fill the paper. I'd like to think that during the course of my life, I don't pass up on doing, being, and seeing too many things.

About seven years ago, I wrote a list. It wasn't exactly a Bucket List but whatever, let's call it that. It had short term and long term goals and wishes for myself. I thought I had thrown it away but my husband, then boyfriend, found it and framed it for me - wrinkled wad of paper that it was. Anyways, I was looking at it the other day and I was glad to see that without even knowing it, I had done a couple of the short terms, nearly all of the long terms, and most of the wishes had become reality. Crazy how life just happens, right?

So what's this got to do with Europalooza? Visiting Europe is on the list and I am more than excited to cross it off. I'm so excited I could pee! Not only am I visiting Europe, but I can not believe I am going to visit every single one of the cities I have been dreaming about seeing since I was little. I know that a whirlwind, 2-4 days per city, rollercoaster of Europe might not be everyone's cup of tea but damnit, it's mine. Don't forget, I'm planning to share it here while I'm on the ride - got the app downloaded and everything.

Almost everything that needs to be pre-booked, is. Every single accommodation is reserved or booked, all major flights, all major trains, and even a couple of activities. Next, I'm planning on making some notes on things we'd like to see in each city and then just kind of pick things each day to do from that. I recently got an IPhone so no guidebooks are needed, every single travel document, reservation, and notes are safely stored in one 4 inch gadget. Technology spoils.

T-Minus 102 days - Move numero dos. We're moving to Dallas.

When we get back from Europe and after we've slept for a week, we are heading out to Texas. DH's family lives out there and it's cheaper than sunny Southern California so we thought we'd save a little money, have a little adventure, do something different, and spend time with his family for a bit. Our plan is to come back here in a few years because we really love SoCal. Come on, perfect weather all year round? No brainer but hard on the wallets of two recently married, 20 somethings.

So, three changes or two big changes and a huge seven week trip, you choose. It's hard to keep track of what is important to take care of and in what order - something for the first move, something for the trip, something for the second move? AH! Yeah, I'm not going to admit to having a nervous breakdown, or two, okay three in the last month. I wish I could just enjoy planning Europe but the moves are happening and while it is stressful now, I think the worst is over.

Jewelry related: Went to a show last weekend. Snagged some fun new stones. Hopefully, chaos will inspire me so look out for some new pieces!