part of the backyard....
some of the kitchen...
more backyard-
1/2 of our room
living room
living area
our house ;)okay-
Where do I start?! (First let me say I am POSTING this the 28th but wrote this awhile ago- these are A COUPLE pictures of the house but a whole album of our house is on facebook) - if you don't have a facebook account email me at kellyross13@gmail.com and I'll send you the link to the pics- there are about 80 of them! ;)
Okay so we don’t have the internet until the 27th but I do have my computer up and running so I decided to go ahead and try to write at least a little bit so come the 27th a blog will be posted! My family is ready for this!!! I will try to write a couple different blogs, that way it won’t seem like a novel!
Today is Friday, the 21st- exactly a week ago at THIS TIME we were stopping for dinner and about 2 hours away from our home here in Ithaca- wait- technically Brooktondale, NY.
THE GOODBYES
Wow… that was NOT fun, I knew I probably wouldn’t break down until the goodbye with my mom and I was somewhat right :) While T.J.’s sweet grandpa Ross was praying over our dinner I started crying and my mom had to hold me for a minute… after that I was okay until I really had to say bye that night and I kind of broke down!!! Sorry- I just have the best mom in the universe and saying goodbye for 2-3 years is just really tough!! T.J. helped me through it after they left- so thankful we have each other throughout this journey!! We had SO MUCH of our family come out to tell us goodbye and it meant SO MUCH to us. The next morning wasn’t much easier with the goodbyes to Mike, T.J.’s dad and gradparents… tears everywhere. Luckily Troy, T.J.’s brother, and Debbie, T.J.’s mom were going to take this 24 hour journey with us!! :) So no goodbyes to them.
THE DRIVE
Okay honestly- the drive REALLY wasn’t that bad!!! We had the huge Budget truck that only T.J. and Debbie could drive (which towed T.J.’s truck) and then my car with a small uhaul thingy on the back :)- we all switched around, slept, read (just me- & Troy mainly ate- which meant a bathroom stop for Troy every 2 hrs!!!) haha :) and even though we drove around 12 hours each day it just was easier then we thought- God had his angels surrounding us for sure!! No close calls- hit traffic ONCE, and no car problems. Troy and I both did a fair share of sleeping :) The dogs did SO GOOD while we drove and Ace our kitty was in T.J.’s truck that was being towed b/c we didn’t feel like hearing him meow the whole time. :)
PULLING UP TO THE HOUSE
We actually pulled up to the WRONG house (289) b/c that is what we were TOLD but really it’s 283!!! :) So everyone our address is really 283 Brooktondale Road, Brooktondale, NY 14817. Our landlords were there to meet us and direct us to our house :) WE LOVE THE HOUSE. Hopefully when I upload this blog I can upload pictures of the house as well!! There is SO MUCH WOODS around us!!! Literally it’s a gorgeous view from every one of our windows- UGH love it!! (Except the bees… I’ll get to that later!) The house plan is a lot nicer then the house we had in Guthrie (sorry sweet old house) hard wood floors everywhere, lots of storage space- 3 rooms- couldn’t like it anymore!! ALSO :) In case you didn’t know- we sort of have a roommate- not really a roommate at all but there is a small apartment in our basement that a SWEET older lady lives in- her name is Pam and she is awesome :) lol we weren’t sure what we were getting into with having an apartment in the house but we honestly wouldn’t have it any other way- for instance… (this is crazy) but we get a knock on our door this evening and Pam has made us homemade mixed berry muffins with chocolate- who does that!? SO SWEET. Pam usually pays whoever is in the house for using the laundry machines and T.J. wouldn’t have that- so he mentioned “just make me some cookies every now and then” well she was really serious and did! :) and as crazy as it is she goes to a Southern Baptist Church here in Ithaca (we attended the same in Guthrie) we will visit the church but she did tell us there were about 10 members…. :) We know we have been blessed by her- b/c we wouldn’t have been able to get this house unless there WAS an apartment in in b/c it lowers the rent for us… and with it being double then it was in OK we needed all the help we could get! She has her own entrance to her house and everything. Okay... on to something else!
GETTING SETTLED IN
Let me start off by saying we COULD NOT have made this move without all the help we received, thank you to the whole Ross family and my mom and James!! Oops I can’t forget Dennis Hewitt either!!! :) Troy and Debbie helped us SO MUCH here in NY. I mean I’m sitting in a house practically all decorated and ready to live in!! If they wouldn’t have helped us I’d still be unpacking the kitchen!! We had SO MUCH FUN with Troy and Debbie here. We are still getting used to them not being here as they left on Tuesday. We felt like they were supposed to live here with us! Debbie and Troy are troopers and worked around the clock!! We had MANY laughing fits and Debbie would clean our feet for us in the bathtub every time we “went out” b/c they’d be BLACK from working so hard outside/inside. I won’t forget our first night here- we brought in a mattress and plopped it on the living room floor for Debbie and Troy and T.J. and I were on the floor on some mattress pads- Troy rolled off the mattress on top of me and we couldn’t stop laughing for a LONG time- Troy why would we get so giddy at night time!? Lol. We played boxers or briefs (a board game, and yes Sara I still have this game of yours!!! Lol) and had some hilarious times then too!!! Saying goodbye to them was really tough- they left us with some letters that had us both crying in my car after we left them at the airport. They are such givers.
Okay this went on A LOT longer then I thought I was going to write and I have SO MUCH MORE to say so I’m going to end this blog right here and hope I can add some pictures to it- I will make an album on facebook too of the house if you want to look there as well. I’ll blog more about T.J.’s position at Cornell, job opportunities for me, and lots of other stuff… I’ll try and leave you with some differences we have found from OK to NY :)
*We aren’t allowed to talk on our phones while driving (unless we have a hands free device- which weirds me out!!)
*By law we have to recycle- don’t get me wrong I’m totally down for this!! But it’s a little more complicated then you think, everyone is composting some of their trash or turning it in for money or saving it for designated pick up days- I have a lot to learn!! Oh! And it costs $1 for each bag of trash you want to throw away! And you pay for your trash service… not sure if we did that in OK or not?! :)
*GREEN GREEN GREEN- NY is definitely A LOT more aware of being green, which is awesome! It will be fun to learn more ways I can help out the environment.
*If I had to put a label on the sort of people out here I would say a majority of the people are “hippyish” not everyone of course but I mean I never saw people in OK like I do here.. you know the whole girls not shaving and stuff… sorry not a fan! :) The people here are just a lot FASTER- I literally feel so overwhelmed and out of place in the grocery store and stuff, I know that sounds strange but I feel like I’m annoying people or something!! Also the drivers ARE NOT friendly- and even the guy at the bank that was born and raised here in NY will admit that!! He said there are FEW nice drivers here… T.J. has gotten frustrated a couple of times ;) Don’t get me wrong we have met some really nice people… they just aren’t OKIES!!!
*The road system isn’t on the “grid system” like most cities- that is SO CONFUSING and frustrating, we have taken SO MANY wrong turns- it’s really just a maze out here!!
*Obviously things are pricier up here as well.
*Not very many franchises, which is great for the small businesses
*The accents!! :)
*Farmer’s markets and fresh picked produce on so many corners!! This will be something I will definitely be taken advantage of!!
We were expecting more of the NYC feel when really Ithaca- and especially Brooktondale is kind of country!!! A lot better then we expected!
ALRIGHT that is it for know- love you all and remember my cell is still free to call!! ;) BUT we do have HORRIBLE/NO service here in Brooktondale so I usually get all my voicemails/texts when I go into the city.
Off to go hang out with T.J. :)
Where do I start?! (First let me say I am POSTING this the 28th but wrote this awhile ago- these are A COUPLE pictures of the house but a whole album of our house is on facebook) - if you don't have a facebook account email me at kellyross13@gmail.com and I'll send you the link to the pics- there are about 80 of them! ;)
Okay so we don’t have the internet until the 27th but I do have my computer up and running so I decided to go ahead and try to write at least a little bit so come the 27th a blog will be posted! My family is ready for this!!! I will try to write a couple different blogs, that way it won’t seem like a novel!
Today is Friday, the 21st- exactly a week ago at THIS TIME we were stopping for dinner and about 2 hours away from our home here in Ithaca- wait- technically Brooktondale, NY.
THE GOODBYES
Wow… that was NOT fun, I knew I probably wouldn’t break down until the goodbye with my mom and I was somewhat right :) While T.J.’s sweet grandpa Ross was praying over our dinner I started crying and my mom had to hold me for a minute… after that I was okay until I really had to say bye that night and I kind of broke down!!! Sorry- I just have the best mom in the universe and saying goodbye for 2-3 years is just really tough!! T.J. helped me through it after they left- so thankful we have each other throughout this journey!! We had SO MUCH of our family come out to tell us goodbye and it meant SO MUCH to us. The next morning wasn’t much easier with the goodbyes to Mike, T.J.’s dad and gradparents… tears everywhere. Luckily Troy, T.J.’s brother, and Debbie, T.J.’s mom were going to take this 24 hour journey with us!! :) So no goodbyes to them.
THE DRIVE
Okay honestly- the drive REALLY wasn’t that bad!!! We had the huge Budget truck that only T.J. and Debbie could drive (which towed T.J.’s truck) and then my car with a small uhaul thingy on the back :)- we all switched around, slept, read (just me- & Troy mainly ate- which meant a bathroom stop for Troy every 2 hrs!!!) haha :) and even though we drove around 12 hours each day it just was easier then we thought- God had his angels surrounding us for sure!! No close calls- hit traffic ONCE, and no car problems. Troy and I both did a fair share of sleeping :) The dogs did SO GOOD while we drove and Ace our kitty was in T.J.’s truck that was being towed b/c we didn’t feel like hearing him meow the whole time. :)
PULLING UP TO THE HOUSE
We actually pulled up to the WRONG house (289) b/c that is what we were TOLD but really it’s 283!!! :) So everyone our address is really 283 Brooktondale Road, Brooktondale, NY 14817. Our landlords were there to meet us and direct us to our house :) WE LOVE THE HOUSE. Hopefully when I upload this blog I can upload pictures of the house as well!! There is SO MUCH WOODS around us!!! Literally it’s a gorgeous view from every one of our windows- UGH love it!! (Except the bees… I’ll get to that later!) The house plan is a lot nicer then the house we had in Guthrie (sorry sweet old house) hard wood floors everywhere, lots of storage space- 3 rooms- couldn’t like it anymore!! ALSO :) In case you didn’t know- we sort of have a roommate- not really a roommate at all but there is a small apartment in our basement that a SWEET older lady lives in- her name is Pam and she is awesome :) lol we weren’t sure what we were getting into with having an apartment in the house but we honestly wouldn’t have it any other way- for instance… (this is crazy) but we get a knock on our door this evening and Pam has made us homemade mixed berry muffins with chocolate- who does that!? SO SWEET. Pam usually pays whoever is in the house for using the laundry machines and T.J. wouldn’t have that- so he mentioned “just make me some cookies every now and then” well she was really serious and did! :) and as crazy as it is she goes to a Southern Baptist Church here in Ithaca (we attended the same in Guthrie) we will visit the church but she did tell us there were about 10 members…. :) We know we have been blessed by her- b/c we wouldn’t have been able to get this house unless there WAS an apartment in in b/c it lowers the rent for us… and with it being double then it was in OK we needed all the help we could get! She has her own entrance to her house and everything. Okay... on to something else!
GETTING SETTLED IN
Let me start off by saying we COULD NOT have made this move without all the help we received, thank you to the whole Ross family and my mom and James!! Oops I can’t forget Dennis Hewitt either!!! :) Troy and Debbie helped us SO MUCH here in NY. I mean I’m sitting in a house practically all decorated and ready to live in!! If they wouldn’t have helped us I’d still be unpacking the kitchen!! We had SO MUCH FUN with Troy and Debbie here. We are still getting used to them not being here as they left on Tuesday. We felt like they were supposed to live here with us! Debbie and Troy are troopers and worked around the clock!! We had MANY laughing fits and Debbie would clean our feet for us in the bathtub every time we “went out” b/c they’d be BLACK from working so hard outside/inside. I won’t forget our first night here- we brought in a mattress and plopped it on the living room floor for Debbie and Troy and T.J. and I were on the floor on some mattress pads- Troy rolled off the mattress on top of me and we couldn’t stop laughing for a LONG time- Troy why would we get so giddy at night time!? Lol. We played boxers or briefs (a board game, and yes Sara I still have this game of yours!!! Lol) and had some hilarious times then too!!! Saying goodbye to them was really tough- they left us with some letters that had us both crying in my car after we left them at the airport. They are such givers.
Okay this went on A LOT longer then I thought I was going to write and I have SO MUCH MORE to say so I’m going to end this blog right here and hope I can add some pictures to it- I will make an album on facebook too of the house if you want to look there as well. I’ll blog more about T.J.’s position at Cornell, job opportunities for me, and lots of other stuff… I’ll try and leave you with some differences we have found from OK to NY :)
*We aren’t allowed to talk on our phones while driving (unless we have a hands free device- which weirds me out!!)
*By law we have to recycle- don’t get me wrong I’m totally down for this!! But it’s a little more complicated then you think, everyone is composting some of their trash or turning it in for money or saving it for designated pick up days- I have a lot to learn!! Oh! And it costs $1 for each bag of trash you want to throw away! And you pay for your trash service… not sure if we did that in OK or not?! :)
*GREEN GREEN GREEN- NY is definitely A LOT more aware of being green, which is awesome! It will be fun to learn more ways I can help out the environment.
*If I had to put a label on the sort of people out here I would say a majority of the people are “hippyish” not everyone of course but I mean I never saw people in OK like I do here.. you know the whole girls not shaving and stuff… sorry not a fan! :) The people here are just a lot FASTER- I literally feel so overwhelmed and out of place in the grocery store and stuff, I know that sounds strange but I feel like I’m annoying people or something!! Also the drivers ARE NOT friendly- and even the guy at the bank that was born and raised here in NY will admit that!! He said there are FEW nice drivers here… T.J. has gotten frustrated a couple of times ;) Don’t get me wrong we have met some really nice people… they just aren’t OKIES!!!
*The road system isn’t on the “grid system” like most cities- that is SO CONFUSING and frustrating, we have taken SO MANY wrong turns- it’s really just a maze out here!!
*Obviously things are pricier up here as well.
*Not very many franchises, which is great for the small businesses
*The accents!! :)
*Farmer’s markets and fresh picked produce on so many corners!! This will be something I will definitely be taken advantage of!!
We were expecting more of the NYC feel when really Ithaca- and especially Brooktondale is kind of country!!! A lot better then we expected!
ALRIGHT that is it for know- love you all and remember my cell is still free to call!! ;) BUT we do have HORRIBLE/NO service here in Brooktondale so I usually get all my voicemails/texts when I go into the city.
Off to go hang out with T.J. :)
Kelly!!! I love your house! I am so happy for you and T.J., this is such a wonderful opportunity. Love you.
ReplyDeleteoh my goshh!!! you dont know how long i have been waiting for this blog@@@ i cant wait to come visit!! its going to be awesome!!
ReplyDeleteoh AND keep the game :) consider it a house warming gift!! love you so so so freaking much!!
great update! i'm so excited for the upcoming posts! what an amazing adventure you guys are on! i still can't get over those floors and that yard.
ReplyDelete