Moving!

Moving day is almost here!!!

This weekend...Memorial Day weekend my mom, Uncle Mark and I will drive the loaded 14 foot Uhaul truck and my Jeep up to Arlington, VA and unload it into my apartment!!! Sadly, we have to drive back on Sunday...so I can finish my time at UNC on Monday and Tuesday!

I can't believe four years of nursing at UNC has come and gone! I have met so many people who have made a impact on my life! While I'm excited to start a new chapter in my life, I'm also sad to be leaving Chapel Hill and the friends I've met!

What I'm not sad about is living in chaos....I currently have boxes everywhere!!!

This is the first time I've ever moved out of state which included having to switch insurance to a different state....change my nursing license from NC to DC...traveling further distances to interview for jobs and find an apartment etc. Moving is stressful...my move in date has been changed....address has been changed....rent dropped (YAY!)....it's been full of up's and down's...and lots anger and tears shed at the same time! I know it will be worth it in the end though! Soon enough I will be settled in!!!

I could not do this without my friends and family helping me!!!

NO spending spree

From Frugal Frenzy blog....I can't do this in June since I'm moving and racking up moving expenses....but maybe in August once I get settled in....defiantly a challenge!

Thoughts?!?!?

NO Spending Spree...huh?

I have decided that it was time to go on a NO Spending Spree for the month of JUNE! I’m really excited about it (and scared), because we are going for an entire month without spending money on anything but bare essentials and bills.

Essential Spending Allowed:

• Gas
• Regular Bills (ie. Mortgage, Electric etc…)
• Bare Essential Groceries Allowed: Soy Milk (regular milk in freezer), Bread, Eggs and Produce (which won't be much because garden is almost in!!!)
• I have +Ups (Rite Aid) & ECB (CVS) that I cannot let expire or blow them, so I will be rolling them for free items only!
• I have aso allowed myself to get deals where the items are $.50 or less(free) at the grocery store...

What we will NOT be spending money on:

• Eating Out ( we have a few restaurant.com gift certificates we need to use up!)
• Bulk Grocery Shopping (which is rare, but not going to happen)
• Thrift Store and Yard Sale Shopping
• Family Outings (I have several groupons/living social deals saved up for this)
• Anything that is not an ABSOLUTE Need for Survival

*This is going to take a lot of willpower.

Have you done a NO Spending Spree with your family?

How do you think we will be doing by the end of the month?

And the ultimate question is, who’s brave enough to join us for a month?

I would love to have some friends to be accountable with me during this month!

Wedding Weekend!

Nicole and Brant got married in Pinehurst April 30th! It was a beautiful ceremony at The Village Chapel! This was my first time visiting Pinehurst...and oh was it gorgeous! Beautiful golf courses and beautiful houses!!!

Mingling before the wedding

A few people even broke out the golf clubs!

First dance...awww!

Yummy Cake!

Lots of dancing!

Mike and I

After the wedding, I headed to Salisbury for a rest break before going to bridal shower in Advance! My cousin is getting married June 25th so his fiance had a bridal shower today! This is the view I had on my way from Pinehurst to Salisbury. Defiantly backroads....that's all. Just churches (Baptist and Methodist of course), produce stands, family stores, taxidermy shops, and houses. Beautiful landscapes...just don't have car trouble!

Yadkin River...(or Ol' Muddy as my Daddy would call it!)

It was a great weekend....lots of fun with friends and family! I traveled around the state...saw lots of areas I haven't seen before and defiantly drove the backroads!

Studio 91

Back in March, there was a Groupon for a wine tasting at Studio 91 in Chapel Hill. It was a great deal...so I purchased! A few friends and I went tonight and tasted the following wines! We also had a plate of cheese and ended the tasting with a chocolate truffle! Mmmmmm!

This wine bar/art gallery is defiantly a great place to go in Chapel Hill.

Rock River ’09 Cabernet Sauvignon – CA

Aged in a combination of new and used American and French oak barrels for a backdrop of complexity to add to its fruit-forward demeanor. Dark red and black fruits suggesting currants and black cherries are complemented by light overtones of chocolate. A medium- to full-bodied Cabernet, this wine matches boldness with finesse.

Garcia Révalo ’09 “Casa Maro” – Spain

Made of 90% Verdejo and 10% Viura with a vine age of up to 145 years. Grown in sandy soil on a sustainable farm in central Spain. Fermented in 100% stainless steel. Bright melon, peach and citrus notes complement a lush, well-balanced framework. The wine tends to be crisp and light, relying on Verdejo to contribute a soft richness to the texture and lightly honeyed citrus and apple flavors.

Zuccardi Q ‘06 Malbec – Argentina

Deep violet color with ruby notes, this Malbec has long, intense, and expressive aromas of black cherry and juicy black fruits. Round & full-bodied, this wine has a velvety texture with a lengthy finish of coffee, chocolate, vanilla and soft spice.

Chateau Roustan 08 Costieres De Nimes- France

Aromas of ripe black cherry, mixed red fruit with layers of earthy minerality, and slight note of garrigue. Juicy, fresh and flavorful with lots of dark plummy fruit, dark chocolate, pepper and spice. Medium bodied, quite dense but not overly extracted. Smooth velvety texture and a long finish.

I enjoyed the tasting and bought two bottles!!! One of the Chateau Routan and one of the Rock River...I'm a red girl....

Cheers!!!

Royal Wedding

I was one of the crazy Americans (a commoner) that set an alarm for 5am and got up to watch Kate and William's wedding!

Stunning!!!

I was impressed with the hats....well most....

Princess Beatrice of York- What are you thinking!?!?

I thought Kate's sister Pippa Middleton looked absolutely gorgeous! I don't care what the press says about her wearing white as well....I don't think she out shined the bride...I think she looked just as gorgeous!!!

Pictures obtained from http://www.celebuzz.com/photos/

WinMock at Kinderton

My cousin is getting married here June 25th! It's going to be beautiful!!!

http://www.winmock.com/home/winmock-home.php

You can see Dawn and Patricks wedding website here!

All the single ladies.....

Whoops....

I meant to post this link...http://amybonaccorso.com/articles-press/

Even though I'm not Catholic, I think this book would come in handy as a dating guide for Christians.

Product Description

"Finding a man is just like finding a parking spot in New York CIty. It can be hard and take a while, but you can do it."--from Chapter One

A savvy veteran of the Christian dating scene, Amy Bonaccorso offers hard-won advice that will help you get real, get practical, and get married. Forget about Prince Charming--he doesn't exist--but plenty of good men are waiting for a woman like you to throw away the checklist of idealized mate material and settle down with a real man.

"The book that young Catholic women have been waiting for! As fun as it is informative.--Jennifer Fulwiler, founder of the Conversion Diary blog

Amy Bonaccorso converted to Catholicism in college and overcame many dating disappointments before she found her husband, Attilio. Now, she shares her lessons learned with singles so they can take charge of their lives and expertly navigate the dating scene. Amy resides in the Washington, D.C., area and is an accomplished communications specialist with the U.S. government.

About the Author

AMY BONACCORSO converted to Catholicism in college and overcame many dating disappointments before she found her husband, Attilio. Now, she shares her lessons learned with singles so they can take charge of their lives and expertly navigate the dating scene. Amy resides in the Washington DC-area and is an accomplished communications specialist with the U.S. Government.

http://www.amazon.com/How-Get-Do-Dating-Catholic/dp/0867169524

Mine is in the mail! I hope this doesn't give the BF the wrong idea and send him running for the hills!!! Let me know if you want me to pass it along!!!!