A Few New & BIG Happenings

Well, I took a little hiatus because the Lacey household got a little busy the past month or two. I know I still wrote a couple posts regarding food recipes but I never shared any of the exciting news! So here we go from March! (Told you I am behind.. I'll try to make it quick)

In March we went to Florida for a visit with family, a birthday party…. and to house hunt. Yes, you read that correctly. Matt decided he wants to retire from the military so we can start our lives together, build a family, and focus on what he wants to do in life outside of the military. While the military has provided us a great beginning to our future, it just felt like the right thing to do at the time (and still does even at times it is a little nerve-wracking).  Well, we quickly got ahold of an AWESOME  broker through the VA to help us along on our first-time home buyer experience. He set us up with a relator in the area of Florida where we were looking to buy. We looked at a total of 7 homes.  The 6th home we looked at, felt so right. It was close to both of our parents and other family members, in a good school district (thinking about that future, ha ha), good size house - not to mention MOVE-IN READY!! Scary, we took the plunge and told our relator we want to put an offer in. It was a foreclosure so we were hoping to get lower than asking price. Offer came back, they hardly budge. So, again - another offer. Hardly budge again.. we weighed our options and discussed what we could afford, and decided to say okay to their second offer. WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!  From there on, there were a lot of papers to be signed, documents to be read, papers to be faxed, money to be sent.. but about 30 days later, we were signing the official documents out in California (we flew back) on April 24, 2013. We were then new homeowners. It felt so great to have a house of our own that we could call a home. A home that will have our future pet and kids. A home where family can come over and celebrations can happen. A home where we will always be together! It seriously is still one of the best decisions I think we have made as a couple thus far.

Our last month, May, in the house on base felt like it dragged by. During that month: We ordered a fridge for the new house, I quit my job, I sorted out items for a yard sale, We both enrolled in school in Florida, and we started to prepare for our move by canceling services.
Yard sale day came the weekend prior to us moving.. it wasn't that huge of a success as I thought it would be, so I ended up packing it away for a yard sale in Florida.

and relaxed a bit

Moved out of base housing and began our move on Fri, May 31. Along the way we stopped and stayed with my sister, nieces/nephews 1 night. We arrived at our home on Mon, June 3. We made really good timing, and again - it was a nice road trip but we were so happy it was over too, haha.

Matt has not retired yet from the Marines, so he was on leave for a couple weeks to help with the moving process. During his time, he helped unpack boxes once the movers arrived, fixed the hose connection to the fridge, fixed the dryer connection to the wall, installed a garage door opener, fixed the  dishwasher and sink.  We went to get office furniture and set that up, as well as a few items for our home and set up all of our services. He really did help out a lot. I wanted him to stay because we just moved in but he had to go back to California for 3 more weeks (he will be back in 4 days now).

So, since my husband has been gone from June 10 until now June 28 I have been busy doing something every day. It has been exhausting but since he's left: Our fridge arrived, I bought and installed blinds, decorated the house, organized the bedrooms, bought a china hutch, changed the layout of the living room, sprayed the yard to start killing all the weeds for removal, and ordered curtains to hopefully have up before he comes home. I do have the picture frames laid out for him to hang when he returns! Haha, what a fun project (rolls eyes)

Not only the house stuff was accomplished. I managed to apply at 5 nursing facilities for a CNA position. I went on one interview, got hired on the spot but after further thought and research, I declined and decided I would rather take my chances to keep looking elsewhere.  Then just the other day, I got called in for an interview. I got hired on the spot, again. I accepted and so far I am happy with the decision I made. I will go in for orientation sometime soon and then start work.

Looking For A Buyer

The first week of April I purchased a groupon for a Sunrise hot air balloon for TWO on a weekday thinking that we would have plenty of time to use it and be able to cross it off our bucket list as well as make my wishes come true (I've been dying to this!!)  Well, I was wrong.  I tried to book a reservation with this place 2 days ago and turns out, I probably should've done it 2 weeks ago or more. This place is booked until the 2nd week of June and this is just WEEKDAY reservations. The weekends are booked until August.  I never knew that riding in a hot air balloon would be as popular as it is. SO, now I am needing someone to purchase these tickets off of us since we are moving at the end of this month and won't be able to use them.  I'm really bummed about it, but hey -- who knows.. maybe one day I will be able to ride in a hot air balloon. It would be awesome to do it in California because of the scenery, but possibly anywhere will be just as good too.

If you are interested or know anyone who is interested in purchasing this groupon from me, feel free to contact me below with a comment.
This is a $438 value, but the cost paid is $198 - so I am asking what I paid for $198 OBO. This groupon does NOT EXPIRE, but the value of the groupon ($198) does expire on April 1, 2014. The place is located in Temecula, CA.

This would be so fun to enjoy it with your spouse or your close friend/relative. It would a good way to celebrate a birthday, or anniversary, or possibly an engagement!

Flower Fields

Today, Matt and I went to the flower fields in Carlsbad. The flower fields is basically what it is - flowers! Over 50 acres of flowers to be exact. Ranunculus and Tecolote Giant Ranunclus are the flowers you see in the fields. They are single or double bloomed, cup shaped, and grow 14- to 24" tall. They have 13 colors and it is organized in rows by their color. The flower fields is opened only from March 1 - May 12.

I have been wanting to go since I first heard about it a few years ago. Now that we are getting ready to move back East, I am trying to go to places that I have not yet seen before we head out of California for good. I don't foresee us taking a visit to San Diego anytime soon or in the future. We may head up to Northern California in our future though.

 You're not supposed to pick any flowers, but Matt picked me a red one!

Off to the do the next adventure :)

Free Falling

If you have been following my posts lately, you would have seen that my latest post talked about our annviersary and the gift that I gave to the hubby were skydiving tickets for him and I to take that leap of faith! The day after our anniversary, we were supposed to go but the weather was terrible so it got rescheduled for the following weekend (this past weekend). So finally, we were able to go!

The week went by so slow. I couldn't be anymore thrilled to do something like this and I know Matt felt the same.

Then the day came, and I started to get a little nervous but good nerves! We got to the site, we signed the death paper (No, it's true! It was like 5 pages long) Then we waited for the jumpers to come back since they just went up in the air with some other people.

Once they came back, we quickly got suited up, a brief 2 minute instructions on what to do then we headed on out. 

We hopped right into the plane and took off. The door was left open the entire time except when we made a sharp turn over the large body of water (Pacific Ocean) so we got to see so many view point. Downtown San Diego, Coronado Bridge, Pacific Beach, Islands, Mexico, Wall that blocks Mexico and US, Mountains, Sunset… it was awesome!

We skydived in San Diego, but it was so close to the border.. it was seriously 5 minutes driving distance. As we were driving we saw a sign that said "guns illegal in mexico" and a few other signs as you were getting closer.

I made Matt go first on his jump, which, might not have been the best idea in my favor! Lol That seemed to freak me out more by seeing him just jump out of the airplane. Then maybe, not even 20 seconds later, I was outside the plane in mid-air. Hahah!

We jumped at 10,500 feet in air and we were free-falling at 125mph! Although, it honestly felt like 30mph.

The feeling is just INCREDIBLE. It was the best times of our lives (besides getting married ;) ) I know I will NEVER forget that moment. When you jump, you aren't thinking of anything besides how awesome it is. Then when you are coasting, the views are breathtaking and it's so calm. I would definitely do it again and recommend it to others, it was worth every single penny and more. 

We got videos of us skydiving, but below I'll just post the pictures

 Suiting up

 Nerves are flowing

 Matt's instructor John

Getting excited!

The smallest plane in the world! It didn't eve have seats Lol

 Taking off with the door open

 Bracing myself for take off

 Gorgeous views!

 Pretty much these were our facial expressions most of the time Hahaha!

 Halfway there… 5,500 feet

 Kiss goodbye

 About to jump!

 And he jumped

 Landing

 Had an amazing time

 My funny instructor, Andy

 My facial expression to Matt jumping Haha! Cracks me up. It's so crazy just to see him fall out of a plane.

 DEATH

 Here we go….

 AND I jumped!

 So much fun and awesome!

 Loving it!

 Close to losing my shoes..

Landing..

 Reunited together, safely!

In the end, Chute Happens and we crossed another adventure off our baby list.

It has not even been a week yet and I want to do something with the same adrenaline exciting feel… bungee jump, parasailing, hot airballoning? hm… Maybe I live for the thrill!