i’m happy to say that i’m still madly in love with my little condo.  life in the pink lady is bright and cheery.  pretty darn sweet, in fact.  i haven’t posted too much about living here, but i knew right away that this was the perfect place for me, and it has indeed turned out to be just that.  i love the light wood floors, the white cabinets, the granite fireplaces [which you guys saw a lot of this winter!].  the white plantation shutters, the big bay windows in front, and all the other windows in back that let in lots of pretty morning light.  i love the glass doorknobs, the kitchen, the whole layout.  the overall feel of the place.  the hot tub, the “terrace” that overlooks the pool, the location, the neighborhood.  i just found out today that a hopdoddy is going to be moving in on my block, which i’m pretty pumped about.  as if the neighborhood could get better!  but i guess it can.  :)

{before i moved in, ashley and guido brought over champagne and we popped the first bottle in my new place!}

as i mentioned in this post, i finally got a pullout couch for my “guest room/office.”  so even though i have plans for one more large piece of furniture and a few smaller items,  all the rooms are now at a “finished” state because none of them are bare or incomplete-looking, which is a really nice feeling.  everything is coming along.  hopefully you will get a little house tour in the near future!

anyway, i recently found some photos from last july, when i moved out of my old apartment at the village and into my new place.  those days were so busy, as expected with the purchase of a new home, especially when combined with week-long work trips and family trips and culinary school and a bunch of other stuff.  but the crazy thing is, i don’t even remember the move being stressful [although i know it was, to certain extent, because all moves are.  eight months ago, i’m sure i was like yeahhhhhhh moving sucksssssss].  but looking back, all i can remember is feeling really, really happy.

my parents and mimi were saints during the move.  dad painted my entire condo [the most lovely shade of cool, pale gray which just feels so me] over the period of several days before i moved in, sleeping on an air mattress at night in my empty home with the lucky dog so he could get started early in the morning.  what a champ.  he’s a perfect painter, so it turned out beautifully.  meanwhile, my mom and mimi slept over with me in my little apartment and helped pack up my apartment while i was at work, and then assisted in the unpacking and decorating and organizing of my new place [they are THE BEST at organization strategies, which is exactly what i needed!].  and all three of them helped me hang picture after picture [and still continue to do so].  plus dad helped me do the scrubbing and cleaning of my old apartment before i gave back the keys.  these people are lifesavers.  i couldn’t have done it without them, and i am so very appreciative for the tremendous amount of work they did.  they sure know how to get a job done.

{boxing up}

{lucky looks pleased as punch about the painting!}

{so blurry but i can’t get over that silly little grin!}

{and he did love that air mattress that dad slept on…}

{cleaning my old apartment}

one of my best memories during that time was showering up one evening after a long day of working/packing/moving and walking to the common table with my family.  i love the common table and knew that they would too, and i was so excited that i could actually walk there from my new home.  lucky came with us, and we sat outside and enjoyed a cold beer and some delicious food.  mostly, i just felt so blessed, so happy, so loved.  and so thankful.

what a great memory!  i’m a lucky girl to have these people in my life.

mom, dad, and mimi, thank you so much for everything you’ve done to make my house a home.  i love you so much!

xoxoxo