Last night included two of my very favorite things in the world: Family and sushi!
A few months ago when we were tossing around dinner ideas in St. Pete, Ryan suggested going to Samurai Blue, a sushi restaurant located in Ybor City.
We’ve come very close to going to the restaurant a hand full of times, but something always got in the way.
Finally last night we all committed to going and had a great time!
When we walked into the restaurant, it was clear to see that the place was a hot spot! It was hoppin’!
We were escorted to a corner booth where we immediately ordered appetizers.
Seaweed salad! I love this stuff.
Ryan and I also shared a large ginger salad.
Why is the ginger dressing at sushi restaurant 10,000 times better than any of the ginger dressings you buy at the grocery store? I should really try making homemade ginger dressing. Puttin’ that on my to-do list…
Everyone decided to go the sushi route for dinner and we ordered a bunch of different rolls for everyone to share.
At the last second my dad ordered a soft shell crab roll that ended up being the best of them all. Soft shell crabs are one of my all-time favorite foods, but sushi rolls with soft shell crabs in them are usually quite stingy on the crab meat. Samurai Blue definitely didn’t cheat us out of crab!
When the waitress asked us if we wanted dessert, it was easy for all of us to say no because we had a special dessert waiting at home…
Homemade marble cake with chocolate buttercream icing! Served a la mode of course.
I made the cake as a surprise for my dad because he worked all day on Saturday. I figured after spending an entire Saturday at the office stressing out over some work-related issues, he deserved a special treat.
We all ate our cake and ice cream while hanging out on the couch watching How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Great movie.
***
And now about today…
Why have I been totally MIA?
Well I have some great news! We were able to move into our new rental house in Ocala EARLY. (You may see pictures of the inside of our new house here.)
I’m currently blogging from the floor of our brand new living room!
We just had a picnic dinner on the floor and will be spending the rest of the night unpacking the boxes we took out of storage this afternoon.
I spy doggy paws!
Please allow me to take a minute to explain my outfit in the above picture. After moving, Ryan and I were super sweaty, so we jumped in the pool (!!!) and then I put that dress on. Since I didn’t want to eat dinner on the floor while giving Ryan a crotch shot, I put on the red sweats.
Or, you know, I have totally given up on the PBF Fashion page and wear outfits like this all the time…
Anyway, back to the moving news!
We won’t have time to rent a truck to move most of our furniture from the storage unit into our house until this weekend so we’ll be doing a lot of floor living and air mattress sleepin’ over the next few days which is totally fine with me. I’m so happy to have my lil’ family reunited again.
It finally feels like this next chapter of our lives is officially beginning!
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I love Publix roasted chicken! And floor picnics, haha. Congrats on the move 🙂
I am now DYING for some sushi! Congrats on being able to move in early! It is always hard if your family is not all under the same roof (or city).
Congrats on getting to move in early!!!!
So exciting! I can’t wait to see the inside of your new place! How many bedrooms again? 3?
Yep! Three… but we will be using one as my home office.
Yayyy congrats on the move! That cake looks AMAZING. And not to be a total grammar (spelling?) nazi, but you’ve been mispelling ‘samurai’ hahah. =P
Awh that is so exciting! I can only imagine the joy that you feel being all together again in one big happy home! No need to explain dressing comfy in the comfort of your own home girl haha ;D
Yay!! for moving in early!!! It will be so nice to just get settled!
congrats on getting to move in early!!! good luck getting settled ( we are still settling in our home over a year later!) but its so fun to have a blank slate to go crazy with new decorating ideas!
So awesome that you were able to move in early! What happened with the washer and dryer? I know you were upset last week that they were gone… (don’t blame you!)
Yay! So glad you are finally in your new home!
Oh my that cake looks awesome!! Yay for the early move in!! We got to do that with our place as well, it’s so nice 🙂
Congrats on getting to move in early, that’s so exciting!
Awe, man, sooo hungry! We’re meeting friends up for a Ramadan dinner tonight. The sushi looks awesome! My husband got a sushi kit and makes us some with smoked salmon but I haven’t had the seaweed salad in ever!
Congrats on moving in early. The pool looks so awesome! No mosquitoes!
That’s awesome that you got to move in early! It must feel great to finally start getting settled.
Do you miss the hotel yet?
Not even a little bit. 🙂
Awww I bet Sadie is SO HAPPY to be living with you guys again!!! Congrats on the move into your new place; super excited for you 🙂
That’s great that you got to move in! It will be so much better than moving all over the place! And I totally agree about the ginger dressing thing; it’s delicious in restaurants but I’ve never found a good copy!
Ah that is SO awesome! I bet you’re excited to have your own kitchen again!
Yayyy for the early move in!!! I do crazy things like throw on random outfits all the time. 🙂
Woohoo! So great you got to speed up the moving-in date! Now everyone is back to living together and some stability can come back.
What did you end up doing about the washer and dryer??
Yay for moving into your new house! It must be nice to gave a little but of normalcy again. Congrats!
Congrats on your new home! That’s exciting you get to move in early! Did you find a washer and dryer?
Yay for moving in early! I bet it feels great to have a place of your own again! 🙂
How exciting to move in early !!!! I don’t comment often but I’ve been loving reading about you and Ryan’s life changes and adventures 🙂 And PLEASE PLEASE find/create a sushi restaurant ginger dressing! I would be so excited haha.
I love the movie How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days! So cute.
Congrats on finally moving in! I bet it’s a huge relief to finally be moving towards some sense of stability!
Congratulations Julie! I’m so pumped for you – I know what it’s like to be in limbo like that and it’s certainly stressful. I hope you’re enjoying having your little family reunited (and that pool! How fun!)!! WOO!
Congratulations on finally getting to move in! Temporary housing and having your family split up can definitely be a challenge. Enjoy moving in and decorating!
Your sushi looks fabulous! It is totally feeding my sushi craving!
Yay for finally getting to move in!! Your new places looks so nice and cozy! And having an “inside” pool! How awesome! That would be a dream come true for me! Seriously so happy for you guys!! Looks like Sadie likes it too! 🙂
This is so exciting!!! Congrats!! I actually feel like a new chapter is starting in my life as well (some exciting job related news that I haven’t mentioned yet on my blog, plus a new apt, etc.), so I totally feel ya.. And yay- Sadie is back!
Oooh fun!! Congrats on the new news!
Congrats on the early move! I know it nice to be a family again with you, Ryan and Sadie. Also please share when you make your own ginger sauce. I love ginger and would love a great recipe. Enjoy your new home!
Wow, what a presentation on the seaweed salad! I’ve been craving sushi but now I really need to get myself some. COngratulations on the early move, good luck with the unpacking!
LOL Another cake? Is that first Oreo one gone already? You guys are fast with that cake stuff! I’ll have to remember not to look away if we ever share a dessert.
Oh yeah. The Oreo cake didn’t even last 24 hrs. 🙂
That is so exciting! I can’t wait to see what the new house looks like all put together! 🙂
Congrats on getting into your house finally, I’m glad your family gets to be together again!
Oh and that cake looked fantastic!!
Congrats Julie. That is so exciting! I think the outfit is pretty stylin, myself. You should wear it to your next business meeting 🙂
Yayyyy! I know that has to be a huge weight lifted off of your shoulders. Know starts the fun part…unpacking! <–sike
The sushi and cake look amazing!
I’m also so glad you were able to move in early. Floor living and air mattresses are nothing…especially because you’re family is back in one place! I can’t wait to see how you set things up.
Congrats!
YAY! You’re family is together again! <3 that's awesome! Hope it is official and permeant SOON!
yay for getting to move in early! how exciting!!
How to lose a guy in 10 days is defs one of the best movies 🙂 Love the looks of the seaweed salad!
That is AWESOME you’re in your house early! 🙂
PS – I love the layers!
That’s so exciting! So happy for you guys to be all back together again 🙂
When I was in Tampa last month for work we almost went to that restaurant for dinner one night but then ended up at some pizza joint instead, now I’m regretting it, that sushi looks great.
Haha, I love the outfit! This one should definitely make the fashion page.
Yay for being in your house finally! I know what its like to not have a home for a few months. We had to live with my parents for 6 months while our house was being built. Your house never felt so good when you do finally move in. 🙂
Congrats on the house, Julie! That is certainly an exciting new chapter!! Also, your marble cake looks to die for. Is the recipe on your blog?
I know what you mean about new chapters- I am starting my first post-college job TOMORROW. ah. real world, here I come!
YAY for the new place!!! I’m so happy for y’all! Sushi is the best thing ever – I could seriously eat at my favorite sushi place every day for lunch and dinner (if I could afford it!). 🙂
That’s awesome you got to move in early! What wonderful news after everything. I love soft shell crab–your dinner sounds delish!
So happy you’re in the new space – FINALLY. And I totally get it – on Thursday I move into my new apartment in my new city after living out of a suitcase for the last MONTH. Whew, I won’t miss this. Yay for having your own kitchen back!!!
That’s so awesome about the house! And a dip in the pool is just the right way to make yourself at home.
Love seaweed salads! They are so good. I wish I could find a good one in the grocery stores. I’ve never tried making it at home and wonder if it’s hard to do.
I love the spider rolls! So delish! I had a giant soft shell crab for dinner earlier this week and it was absolutely fantastic!
Congrats on getting into the new place early. I’m sure you’ll feel so much better once everything is settled and you guys make it all homey. 🙂
YAY!!! That is awesome that you are in your place! Can’t wait to hear about your adventures in your new house/locations :).
And omg, that cake looks AMAZING! Chocolate buttercream? Holy yumminess 😀