home sweet hotel

FINALLY! Our suite is unpacked and picked-up enough to post! (My over-achiever self had thought it would be that way the morning after we moved in…)

Our new digs:

and the best part?

distance from our door to the exit--three steps!

a mango for a pineapple, or i have awesome friends

This is a post a wrote last week but am just now getting to. It’s been a bit hectic, you know! We’re just about settled into the Staybridge Suites (I spent ALL DAY yesterday unpacking) but I’m not quite ready for the photo montage yet. Our first day in NY was relatively uneventful; just unpacking and driving to and from East Aurora a bunch, AND Pasquale’s pizza and wings for dinner–YUM! Must. Start. Counting. Calories. Again. ASAP!

Here’s the post:

Nicole gave me a goodie basket before we headed to Thai 9 the other night. Yay for presents!

Look! A pineapple on the front!

I love that my friends know me. I love that they love me. My love language is gifts. (I think it stems from not being spoiled as a kid. Before you protest, Mom, let me just say two things: 1. We had everything we needed and much of what we wanted, however, 2. I was in high school before we ever went shopping at the mall for school clothes.)

Not that anyone needs clothes from the mall to be cool… OK, apparently I have too many thoughts on the subject for right now, so I’ll just have to blog about my un-spoiled childhood some other time.) Bottom line: As kids, we were far from deprived, but our parents didn’t exactly shower us with goodies all the time, either. (In my parents’ defense, they chose “experiences” over stuff, like awesome vacations, horse-back riding lessons, gymnastics…)

ANYWAY, (I wish you could see the inflection I give that word when I’m really trying to get back on topic…) I love presents. LOVE presents. Christmas, for me, is the pinnacle of the year (yes, I know “Jesus is the reason for the season,” just emphasizing here). My birthday is a close second. Then Thanksgiving, because, come on–it’s all about FOOD. So, I’m a gifts kinda girl.

Thankfully, Andrew likes to shower me with presents. Like, SHOWER. Not that he’s a reckless spender (he’s anything but!), but he truly loves me and knows how to show me love.

OK, back to the goodie basket from Nicole. Awhile ago, I blogged here and here about how much I love mangoes.

It had a theme: mangoes! Including a real one 🙂

So excited about this lip gloss–saw it at Bath & Body Works when it first came out and wanted it so badly!

Pretty sure I’ve blogged about TJ’s Mango Butter…YUM. I’ve had it on everything from toast to yogurt to cottage cheese and ice cream…it’s a well-rounded condiment.

LOVE Bath & Body Works hand soaps. I just think they are so classy yet down-to-Earth at the same time. I cycle in and out of having them around the house (I feel like they are such a splurge, until I realize if you get them on sale they really aren’t much more than what you can find at Target).

Ohhh! Yummy candle…LOVE. Candles are another “splurge” for me…I mean, they do just evaporate away.

And a sweet card…note the line about the loudness of my voice. Yup, my friends know me well. Thanks Nicole 🙂

so long, ohio

We left Ohio for the last time yesterday. It was a little bit sad and a little bit exciting at the same time. Of all the things we’ll miss the most, our friends are at the top. (Followed closely by Trader Joe’s and Rita’s…)

Jen and Dave (with whom we spent the last couple days while our house got packed up) are amazing. Jen is going to be the best mommy EVER and Dave, our Olympic hopeful, just threw his farthest throw of the javelin last week — woo hoo!

Dan, Emily’s other half, is insanely funny and quirky and just perfect for Emily. We’ve had some of the best times hanging out with them! Missed you, Emily!

JD, Sara‘s other half, represented the Whitlock family. Sara was home resting from her surgery last week and their bookworm daughters were visiting family. JD and Sara, we love you so much and are so thankful to have you (and your wisdom!) to turn to! JD is from Rochester, NY, which is only about an hour from where we’ll live, so we’re hopeful we’ll see them again soon!

The Atherton family — how cute! Brett and Jackie, we love you to pieces and have missed spending time with you both these last few months of transition with your second child and our move. Jackie is the BEST dresser EVER…should have gone shopping with her more often!

(Most of) our house church at Milano’s — we missed those who were absent and are so thankful for amazing friends.

On the way out of town we stopped for one last hug from Susy — going to miss her SO MUCH. She is my daily running partner, confidant, friend, voice of reason, and one step ahead of me in life…I honestly don’t know what I’ll do without her.

We made a pit stop at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams on High Street in the Short North in Columbus. Their ice cream is insanely good (and creative!) and deserves its own post…once we get our hotel unpacked, I’ll share our trip with you!

After I drove through torrential rains (three times!), got soaked running from Starbucks to the car, and Wendy’s messed up my kid’s meal cheeseburger (and I was forced to eat a piece of Andrew’s KFC–eeww!), we started seeing signs for Buffalo. Woo hoo! The drive always seems way longer at night.

We got into the Staybridge Suites here in West Seneca, NY, and unloaded our entire car. Boxes are everywhere.