What I'll Miss

We leave this week for Arizona, and I've been reflecting a lot lately on what I love about this town of Boone and what I will miss most about the place that holds a very special place in my heart.

Let's just start by saying I'm a mountains kind of girl. Ever since high school I always wanted to go to Appalachian State and live in this town of Boone that I'd visited on occasion during my childhood. The beauty of the mountains has never ceased to take my breath away. During my college years at App, I felt so entirely blessed to be a Mountaineer and enjoy the beauty (rain or shine!) on a daily basis.

Needless to say, it was difficult for me to move back home after college and then even further away when I lived out east in "the flatlands" (as I affectionately call it) in order to take on my first year of teaching. Since June, however, my hubby brought us back to the mountains to live out our last 8 months on NC soil (HALLELUJAH!) before moving out west to Arizona.

Ok, so here are my favorite pieces:


 First and foremost.. Appalachian State University. My Alma Mater lies at the heart of this town. I'm just a little partial to this little place nestled in the Appalachian Mountains.



To tag on to that... I'll also miss Kidd Brewer Stadium dearly. At 3,333 feet,
it's something a Mountaineer will always hold close to their heart!

Driving on the Parkway. It's beautiful any time of year, but especially in the Fall.
If you haven't had the pleasure of taking this route,then I'll answer your question:
Yes, it really is this beautiful!
(and no, I didn't take this picture)

Woodlands' BBQ

Live music at Woodlands, including Wagon Wheel. Ohh yeah.

Mellow Mushroom's Funky Q Chicken Pizza.. even though there's a
Mellow in Phoenix, it won't be the same. Plus, it'll be a 30+ minute drive.

Coyote Kitchen. This is my all time favorite place to eat in Boone.
(Is it bad that what I'll miss is mostly food?!)

This one is mainly for hubs. Bojangles is a staple in the south that we will defintiely
miss. Especially their sweet tea. Do they serve sweet tea in AZ restaurants?

This one isn't specific to Boone.. just to the southeast. We'll miss this sweet goodness!
Brad and I are bringing a stash of it with us though (and Ben, if you're reading
this: we're bringing some for you and Sheana anyway.. deal with it!) :)

Our Monday wing night tradition at Macado's. And def. the cinnamon rolls.

OH, one more....


I will not miss the infamous Wendy's intersection traffic.



It's Been a Nice Ride

In the Fall of 2007 when I came to live in Boone to attend App State, mom and dad graciously allowed me to bring up the old CR-V which had AWD. Perfect for the snow and getting around in the mountains. We're only taking Brad's car out to AZ, so that meant Franklin had to go. This afternoon we sold him to some friends of the family who'll keep him safe in Boone when we leave. It's been a great 5 years, buddy.

Hey, Let's Go Tubing!

This past weekend, Brad and I had a couple of our friends, Cory & Amanda, come visit us in Boone. Brad went to school at NCSU with both of them and I went to high school with Cory.

Cory, Amanda, Me & Hubs 

On Saturday, we decided to go out to Hawksnest for some snow tubing! (I guess it was a good thing that we got a few inches of fresh snow the day before!) Brad and Amanda had both gone before, but Cory and I hadn't. Hard to believe I lived an hour away in Hickory all my life, went to school at App state and have lived in Boone after graduating and still have never been tubing! Of course I've done the skiing/snowboarding scene, though.

Pre-Tubing! 

Anyway, we went tubing and it was a BLAST! When we got to Hawksnest for the 2:00 session it was sold out, so we hung out in the lodge and played bones & golf until our session at 4:00. Check it out...

On the conveyor lift

Cory

Bradford

Me

Amanda

Brad & Cory racing

Amanda and I racing

pooped.

Thanks, Amanda for bringing your camera!

-D

First Day of Fall

I'll take today to proclaim my love for this most glorious season of all! Fall has the best weather of any of the seasons and the scenery is to die for. It's even better to be in the mountains during this time of year! I love the pumpkin flavored everything, and the crunchy colored leaves. Below I made a wordle* of some of my favorite fall things. Here's to our last North Carolina Fall before we move out to Arizona!

Happy Fall!

-D


*Wordles are great for many different kinds of classroom projects!! I loved using them with my students.

So We Keep Waiting

(Waiting) Waiting on [our] world to change

Mayer? Anyone?

I'm not writing to profess my love of Mayer's music.. nope. Don't mind some of it, but I'm writing because here we are, 3+ months into Marriage, into life removed of college, and not into active duty. We're just living our lives in Boone and.. waiting.

Have you ever tried to get a job when you know there's a possibility you won't be here in a month? (Employers don't prefer this) After a few interviews, rejections (because of the time we may be here in town) and an offer for 3 hours a week at minimum wage... I've gone to working in the nursery at Church, babysitting and waiting on my paperwork for substitute teaching to be approved. If you ever decide to apply for a position in Watauga County, be ready for a couple mountains of paperwork!

Brad has been truly blessed with odd jobs around Boone so that we have somewhat of an income. He's been pressure washing, staining decks, roofing, building a barn, landscaping and mowing just to name a few! I'm so proud of my hubby and so thankful for the people who have graciously offered small jobs for him! I know it isn't the type of work he truly desires, but it fills the time and gives us a little to live off of.

Ever since we moved back to Boone (since I got done with school in June of this year) we have been living with his Grandmom, Burton, in her basement. It's a nice set up that we've got down here and we have enjoyed being able to spend time with her, along with the rest of his family (and mine in Hickory) whenever we can.

[The picture to the right is of our door to the outside from the basement. Notice Oscar in the window and the nice Appalachian touch!]

A few weeks ago Brad got a call from his Lt Col at State who said we would definitely not be going before October. I guess we're getting closer to a definite date? Before his graduation, Brad was given a tentative date of October 1st... apparently Civil Engineers got the brunt end of things when it came to budget cuts. We could be in waiting up to a year.. but hopefully we'll be shipped out to AZ before Christmastime!


Until then, we'll be enjoying views like this...