Good morning to you!
How are you guys doing today? For those in the United States, I hope you’re feeling relaxed and rejuvenated after a long holiday weekend. I took the past three days of the weekend to unplug and totally immerse myself in family fun. Ryan and I arrived at my parents’ place in Jacksonville around dinnertime on Friday and didn’t leave until yesterday afternoon.
Our days were filled with hours and hours of beach time (lots of boogie-boarding!), home-cooked dinners (my mom did an awesome job preparing the fish my dad got on a spearfishing trip on Friday), Jazzercise, long breakfasts at local diners, a few sweaty workouts (I did this throwback 10 to 6 circuit workout on Saturday and Monday and forgot how much I love it) and pajama time on the couch.
The only photos any of us took over the weekend were of Sadie playing on the beach.
Big thanks to my sister Leslie and her husband Ross for sharing some of their photos of her with me! (They are much better photographers than I am and were the masterminds behind the awesome photos I shared from our trip to Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands two years ago.)
Sadie absolutely loves the beach but isn’t the bravest when it comes to tackling waves.
She’ll jump off a boat and swim in the ocean for hours but jumping over big waves on the beach intimidates her quite a bit. She tends to stick to playing around in tide pools. Such a little goof!
Here she is hunting fish in a tide pool:
What a ferocious beast.
Before we arrived at my parents’ place on Friday, Ryan and I officially moved out of our rental home in Ocala. (The owners actually just sold it!)
I cannot believe we lived there for three years.
Ryan was born and raised in Florida and has never lived anywhere else. I have lived in Florida since 2003 and it’s kind of weird that we’re no longer Florida residents!
As we drove back to North Carolina last night, I told Ryan I had a great feeling inside. Of course I do not love living 6 hours away from my family, but something about our new home just feels right. I suppose that’s a great thing since we’re set to close on our house on Thursday! OH MY GOSH.
Question of the Morning
- Have you ever moved somewhere that instantly felt “just right” to you?
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all of my family lives in florida and it is always so hard to say goodbye! i’m SO happy you have good feelings about your new NC residence! can’t wait to hear about many more NC adventures to come!
Where in NC, Julie? I was just in Asheville. Loved it there. Congrats to you and Ryan! Miss you, lady!
We moved to the Charlotte area! 🙂 Loving it so far! We’re hoping to make a trip to Asheville in October. Hope to see YOU soon!!!
Welcome to the area! You will love the area. Lots of fun things to do. Be sure to visit Fort Mill!
Charlottesville, VA…I soon as I moved here, it felt perfect and wonderful. 4 years later and I wouldn’t change a thing. But I too moved from the south (Texas) so watch out for winter! Fall will be totally majestic; crisp air and brilliant leaves, you’ll wear fabulous scarfs and boots…and then winter happens! Make a fun winter to do list, it always helps!
I have heard the best things about Charlottesville. I’d love to visit sometime!
Hmm, not really sure. I am currently living in Washington, D.C. and my mom was visiting this weekend! We went back to a favorite cafe that we’ve been to when touring the area before and I guess it was really neat to have been to the same restaurant since I was about 9 years old- now I’m 22!
Congratulations on your move! It is going to be such an exciting new chapter and I can’t wait to follow along 🙂
Also, Indy the dog is much much better!! Her kidneys are working pretty well and her stamina and overall health isn’t so great, she’s comfortable enough to be at home. We hope that with a kidney-safe diet she can be weaned off medication. Thank you so much for your kind words while things were really looking bad. Something about blogging and connecting with similar people (be it about fitness or dogs) is so comforting.
I am so, so happy to hear about Indy!!! <3 <3 <3
Thank goodness I wasn’t drinking my tea when I saw the pic of Sadie with the towel. SOOOOOOOOOO funny!
As long as you still have family living in Florida, then it’s all good : ) I miss it sometimes, but I’m glad I can go visit my family whenever I want and get my “Florida fix.”
I love all the Sadie pictures! Moving to Omaha felt completely right for us. I’m so excited for your new adventure in North Carolina!
Congrats! Welcome to the home owning club 🙂
Congrats on the closing! I’m hoping you’ll share some of your decorating ideas on your blog – I’m having trouble decorating our new house in Winston – the walls are still mostly bare!
I moved to Chicago when I was 10 and I never really “felt it” but 2 years ago I moved back home to England but in a different town to where I had grown up and I immediately felt at home there, even though we didn’t know anyone, I knew this felt right. Since then I’ve made lots of life-long friends and I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else right now. It was a hectic move because of my parents divorce but as soon as I stepped foot in my new house, I felt at peace! So I totally know what you mean by somewhere feeling right!
The picture of Sadie with the blanket on her head is the cutest! I know what you mean about moving around and a place feeling right to you. I’m about to move to a new city for the fourth time in my adult life and it feels right, too. Congrats!
Ahhh this is so exciting! You guys have so many awesome adventures ahead. I love how optimistic and excited you are for your new life in North Carolina. When we moved to Arizona just recently, it definitely “felt right”. Of course there were lots of mixed emotions for me since we were leaving close friends and Utah was where Cody and I began our marriage, but I knew deep down that Arizona was where we were meant to be. And so far, things have been going SO well and we feel incredibly blessed.
So glad you and your family are loving your new home, Ashley!
Change is definitely a scary but wonderful thing! Best of luck to you and Ryan with the move and settling in- my friends who have lived in Charlotte always talk about how great it is, so I’m sure you guys will love it.
Welcome to NC!!! So happy to hear that you guys made it safe! You will LOVE Asheville and all it’s beauty. What an amazing time to move here (right before the fall leaves – oh I’m jealous of what your everyday will look like during late September/October! Please let me know when the leaves start changing (I missed it last year 🙁 ) Enjoy your day and congrats on the new house!!!
My husband and I both got that feeling when we moved into our new house this May! We lived in Dallas for 4 years and just moved north of the city. We’re loving it!
good luck to you in NC!
Very happy for you both! Sadie too. I had the opposite feeling when I moved to Ohio from KC. It just felt wrong. I knew in my gut I was supposed to go somewhere but that wasnt it. Think it had a lot more to do with why I was leaving home then anything.
Coming to Atlnata though I knew I found home with my new husband, career and outlook on life.
Okay, Sadie is absolutely precious! I want to take my Puggles to the beach before summer is over and I hope they love it as much as she does 🙂 I have loved following your adventure from Florida to North Carolina, so happy to hear you guys are getting good vibes so far! Congrats to you both on the house! My hubby and I just bought a house in Pennsylvania, and it just feels like exactly where we’re supposed to be. Such an awesome feeling, I’m glad you’re feeling it too! Best of luck to you, excited to see what NC has in store for y’all!
So happy you are loving your home in Pennsylvania!
Congratulations, Julie! I am so happy for you & Ryan. Good things come to good people!
So exciting for your house!! It is such a special time, it’s an expensive time, but totally worth it! 🙂
Yes! My wallet is crying! 😉
I moved to Memphis, TN in 2009, and it IMMEDIATELY felt like home. The first time anywhere in my adult life felt like that, and maybe ever? There’s something about HOME as a grownup that feels different. I actually just moved to Raleigh, NC and was pretty convinced before we got here that it would be the same- that wash of relief of feeling like going “home” (I lived in Indianapolis in between. I h-a-t-e Indianapolis). I’m struggling a little because as much as I love the PhD program I came for… it doesn’t feel “right.” Fingers crossed it clicks soon!
congrats on you Big Life Changes! all the best to you, Ryan, and Sadie <3
Moving to an area that doesn’t feel quite like home is very hard. I went through that in Ocala so I totally understand. I hope you fall in love with Raleigh though! My aunt and uncle live there and absolutely love it. 🙂
So happy for you!! We also feel like living away from family can be a bummer, and not necessarily ideal, but something about have your own town and state to call home with your husband is so special!
Sounds like you guys had a perfect weekend with family! I am so happy for you guys! As a long time reader I remember when you used to go to your parents almost every other weekend! It is so great you feel good about your move! This is definitely the perfect fit for you guys!
My husband and I live in the Kansas City area and we had a hard time deciding whether to live up North of KC or south and once we found our house south we knew it was the right decision. I could just feel it in my bones that it was right.
Glad you had a great long weekend!!!!
I’m excited for you to move into your new place! Good luck with everything!!! 🙂
How did you pick NC?! My husband has been talking about NC all the time lately. We’ve never even been together. I’ve been for work, but not for very long and I didn’t even explore.
Did you visit first? Did you guys find a job in advance? Sorry for all the questions! Point me to posts if I misses them, I just rediscovered your blog! Last I read I believe you were studying for trainer exam! Been awhile 🙂
We actually ended up moving here because Ryan got a job in the Charlotte area. 🙂 we were ready for a change and have been to North Carolina numerous times and always loved the area. Charlotte felt right because it’s two hours from the mountains and still drivable to both of our families in Florida.
I’ve never lived anywhere other than Texas! I’m definitely not opposed to moving, but we just have such strong roots here, I can’t imagine living anywhere else. Now I could DEFINITELY imagine living somewhere else for cooler weather!
Also, I’m not a crazy dog or animal person, but Sadie SERIOUSLY has SO much personality! I’ve never seen so much personality in an animal through pictures! Cracks me up.
A month before my husband and I got married, in May, he started a job in Austin. I had only been at my job in Houston for 9 months. But we knew it was the right move for his career and our some day family. It’s not six hours but moving, newly weds, and now job hunting for me is a lot!
I just feel so excited for you guys!! <3 It is bittersweet to leave a bit of family behind, and move to a new state, but it's also oh so exciting! And a new house for you guys too. so fun!
I felt right at home when we moved to Raleigh last year. You are going to love NC in the fall. Hoping we wont have such a bad winter this year! We are headed to Asheville in October too! I’d love to have a meet up sometime 🙂
Wow – I can’t believe you were in Ocala for 3 years!!! I feel like it was just a few months ago that you announced you were leaving Orlando! Time flies!
I just moved from Orlando to Naples, FL. So I stayed in Florida, but it’s verrry different than Orlando! I’m still getting acclimated, but love that I’m not long distance from my fiance anymore!
Long-distance is so tough. Happy you are near your fiancé now!
Hi Julie!
So happy for your move and new exciting beginnings.
Love those black sweats you have on in the above picture with the grey tank top. Where are they from, if you don’t mind me asking?
They are so ridiculously comfortable. I swear I wash them and then put them right back on! There from Reebok but I cannot find the exact link on their website. These Les Mills ones are similar but have the Les Mills logo on them: http://shop.reebok.com/us/product/women-les-mills-drapey-pant-apparel/BL052?cid=Z95221&search=Drapey&cm_vc=STATIC_SHOP_SEARCH these pants are also quite similar but have little plus signs all over them that I actually think look kind of cute: http://shop.reebok.com/us/product/women-whatevers-good-plus-pant-apparel/BJ559?cid=Z89831&breadcrumb=1z13070Z1z11zrfZdyZ1z13y9g
There is just nothing better than watching dogs play in the ocean! My yellow lab is the opposite of Sadie when it comes to waves, she will just charge into them and it scares me to death! She is a great swimmer and so far she hasn’t been body slammed but I am just waiting for the day. I always make sure my husband is ready and waiting to dive in and save her 🙂
My sister and her husband have a chocolate lab and she is obsessed with the waves! I swear she would swim in the ocean all day long if she could!
Loving all the NC shouts outs! Hubs and I live in a small town right outside of Charlotte. I’ve been here all of my life and he came up here from Fort Myers, FL to play soccer and never went back! He loves living here and having all of the seasons! Glad you are adjusting well! 🙂
Congrats on the move, that’s so exciting. My husband and I moved from Seattle to LA almost 3 years ago….I think it’s so fun to emerge yourself in something completely new and explore a new town. Good Luck !
I love when things that are seemingly scary in life end up just feeling right – that’s what makes life exhilarating 🙂 I’m so glad to hear that you’re finally going to be homeowners! Moving up in the world 🙂 I love it!
Congrats on the move to Charlotte! My favorite part of moving to a new city is going on runs to explore and finding my go-to food and coffee places in the area. It makes it feel more like home! Looking forward to reading more about NC.
The place that has felt “most right” to me is my parent’s home where I grew up =). I think once I start a family of my own, that new home will be next “just right” =).
Yay for changes and yay for “just right” feelings! Insert Goldilocks joke here ;).
Wow! But…but..,.but……your old home looks so lovely! I especially like that open little room right by the front door.
I moved to ATL after college and while it was fun it never felt like home to me. I moved to NC (RDU area) and immediately felt at home. I think it was meant to be since it’s where I met and married my husband! 🙂
I was in Charlotte this weekend and went to 5Church based on your recommendation of it a few weeks ago. The food was so amazing! I had the corn and scallion soup and a filet. I wanted to eat so many things, I need to go back there to try more! I did try the 5Church drink though, but neither my friend or I were fans. I was surprised at the number of homeless people and obvious drug addicts in the city. Did this surprise you about Charlotte?
So happy/excited for you! So selfishly excited to come visit and stay over with you 😉 xoxoxo
Come aaaaanytime!!
My fiancé just got a job in Los Angeles so we moved from New Jersey to LA! I wish I had that “it feels right” feeling but I’m still unsure about the new place and am feeling homesick. Still, I’m really excited for him and am so thankful we’re together. I just hope I warm up to our new home soon!
I can’t believe that you lived there for three years either! I swear you JUST blogged about leaving Orlando lol. I definitely do not feel at home with where we live right now. We just had a hectic weekend away and I was actually more relaxed in other peoples’ homes than our own, so that just goes to show how soon we need to move!! You’re going to make some great new memories in this new home! And because you live 6 hours away from fam, all the more reason for them to stay longer than, say, a weekend to come see you 🙂
I actually moved to the Netherlands from Germany to be with my boyfriend. I made this decision after we knew each other for only 2 month. But it just felt right. And now we are living together for almost 3 years 🙂
Thursday closing is so exciting!! What a fun new adventure!
We live in Charlotte and I felt the exact same way when we moved down here. There seems to be a little something for everyone here and we quickly found all of our favorite spots and restauarants. Good luck with your move and congratulations on your new house!
That’s amazing you have that feeling. I absolutely love living in San Francisco, but the only thing wrong with it is my family is in Florida. Best of luck with the new house!
I’ve never lived far from my family! I’d imagine it would be hard but a little easier when you love your new home!
Julie, I grew up in Durham, NC, moved around as my husband took job promotions and have been in VA 25 years. My heart is still in NC though. You will find lots to do in Charlotte. It’s a busy ciity! I hope to eventually retire in NC one day! Post pics of your new place after you close. It’s all exciting!
I definitely will! Thanks so much for the well wishes, Tina! Hope you find yourself back in NC soon. 🙂
What a great feeling to feel at peace with the move. If that wasn’t the case, this could’ve been such a hard transition. I’m so happy for you two!
What a great feeling to have! It’s always nice when all the anxiety and stress of a move settles down and you feel the perfect ‘fit’. The most ‘fitting’ move I ever had was moving to our home 2 years ago. I loved my first ‘adult’ apartment but finding THE house just feels like home and it’s something you can’t describe unless you’ve found it 🙂 Enjoy every minute of decorating, it’s the best part!
Welcome to the Tar Heel state!