Update Part 3: Two Weddings and A Moving Truck

After Jordan's winging, we had nearly two months before Jordan was ordered to check in at his new duty station at Camp Pendleton. Although Jordan didn't have to check in until the end of November, the military allows us to move any time we want before that date.  So, while we were anxious to get back to Southern California and see all our friends and family that we had left behind when we started this journey 2.5 years ago, when we packed up that very first moving truck for Virginia, we also weren't quite ready to say our final goodbye to Pensacola.  We decided to stay in Florida one more month, through the end of October,  in order to relax and enjoy all the things we have come to love about Pensacola, and instead move at the beginning of November in order to be back HOME with family before Thanksgiving. We were so thankful that Jordan's next short phase of training, known as the RAG (replacement air group) where he would learn to fly his newly selected Cobra, would bring us back to our families, especially over the holiday months. The timing could not have been more perfect!

Packed up for the very first time, March 2011, Irvine, CA

The beginning of our trucking days! All smiles and ready for the adventure!

The infamous first road trip, where the Memphis Fire Department had to dig us out of the mud when Jordan tried to make a u-turn with our huge truck and trailer through a field....

Only to be followed by a flat tire on the trailer the very next day. It was quite the eventful, first moving experience!

We spent as much of that last month as possible at the beautiful beaches and  in the WARM waters of the Gulf, as well as took advantage of the break in Jordan's work schedule to attend two friends' weddings. The first wedding we attended was for Jordan's high school friend Eric, aka Mario, who was also the best man at our wedding. The wedding just happened to fall on the same weekend as our 10 year high school reunion, and while we were going to be missing, the wedding was a mini reunion of old friends in itself. It was an overall fantastic weekend and mini vacation in Carmel, CA and we were so grateful that Jordan's work schedule allowed him to travel and that the tropical storm/hurricane brewing in the gulf stayed at bay just long enough so we could fly out!

We stayed at the Naval Post Graduate School in nearby Monterey, expecting a run-of-the-mill, basic military hotel, at a cheap, discounted price. However,  we were in for quite the surprise upon pulling up. The hotel and grounds couldn't have been any more breathtaking! Additionally, I love anything to do with history, so I became even more enchanted with the place when I learned about the hotel's past. Originally known as the luxurious Hotel del Monte, it was first built in 1880, and was visited by the elite of the day, including: Charles Lindbergh, Andrew Carnegie, Amelia Earhart and Joseph Pulitzer. The original terraced gardens and the famous rose garden, are still a prominent features on the grounds today.

Inside of the historic Hotel del Monte, now the Naval Post Graduate School

Peacocks roamed the campus

The rose garden

The view of Monterey Bay, from our room

The first night, at the Rehearsal Dinner, in Carmel

 Before the festivities began the next day, Jordan and I took a walk along Monterey Bay. We wanted to see the choir of Seals that had served as our alarm clock that morning with their incessant barking.

How cute is this? Sea Otters hold on to each other while sleeping so as not to drift apart. 

The wedding was held at the bride's family's beautiful second home in Carmel, overlooking Carmel Bay, where all weekend we were treated to a show of whales breaching, blowing and tail slapping. The setting and the views were intimate and magnificent at the same time.

Pictures before the Ceremony were taken down by the water, in one of the coves of Carmel Bay

The beautiful and intimate ceremony was held in Kellie's parents' garden, which was beautifully landscaped I might add, for all my gardening lover relatives! I couldn't get over how pretty it was!

Dinner was held in their magnificent living room, with a semi-circle of windows looking out onto Carmel Bay. Every time I shared pictures of the wedding, people kept asking, is that really their house? Wow! They could probably host weddings there professionally, it was so perfect!

The Sunday after the wedding, after being treated to a wonderful brunch back again at the Bride's family's property, Jordan and I, along with Jordan's good friend from high school, Devin, and his girlfriend Ciara, decided to make a day trip to Big Sur. I was so excited to finally see Big Sur, as it was a place Jordan and I had wanted to visit before we left California the first time, but unfortunately had never found the time to go. So with it only being an hour away, the four of us decided to go. I don't know what was more breathtaking, Big Sur itself, or the drive along the coast to reach Big Sur.

The view from the 1,  on our drive down to Big Sur

 

River Inn, where we stopped for lunch and live music, and $5.45/gallon gas, ouch!

Picnic lunch on the grass at Big Sur River Inn. There were groupings of wooden adirondack chairs in the freezing cold river, where people relaxed and listened to the live music. It was far too cold for our feet!

Giant trees at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park in Big Sur 

Our hike destination: McWay Falls

To top off an already fantastic trip, we returned back to Carmel and witnessed the most gorgeous sunset either of us has ever seen. Jordan and I were awe-struck. We kept jokingly asking one another, "Is this real? Or did we die? We must have driven off a cliff today along the coast, because this can't possibly be real life! This has to be heaven!" The serene setting, the iridescent water, the whales breaching, blowing and tail-slapping, and the ever-transforming sky; the whole thing was just magical. These pictures do not even do the whole thing justice. Additionally, I think we have all become immune to great sunset pictures, especially with technological advances and fancy camera filters and editing, so keep in mind these were taken just with my phone camera. That should give you some perspective on how truly amazing the experience was... no instagram, no expensive camera, and no computer editing...

After returning back to Florida from Carmel, we unpacked our suitcases, only to repack them again, for our next wedding in North Carolina for a fellow Marine Aviator. We were so grateful to be able to stay with the Lippincotts' long time family friends' the Kavsacks, while in North Carolina for the wedding.

Gunnar made the road trip with us, and we boarded him at a local facility. He loves the car and is such a good little traveler! Our version of a military brat!

The wedding was an "unplugged ceremony,"  where they requested all phones and cameras turned off, so everyone was fully present during the ceremony. Although I wished I could have taken pictures of the beautiful ceremony, I also thought it was a great idea.

Before the Ceremony, all spruced up!

The beautiful and historic All Saints Chapel in Raleigh, NC,  built in 1875

One of the most emotional parts of the ceremony was when Tara's father, who has been in a wheelchair for the past 1.5-2 years, was able to WALK his daughter down the aisle after months of hard work. Not everyone at the wedding knew his personal struggle; however, those of us that did, completely lost it emotionally. Even thinking about it now, has me teared up!

Jordan was one of the groomsmen, and after the ceremony, was part of the sword arch, welcoming Tara into the Marine Corps family!

Aaron, and his groomsmen

Jordan and the groom, Aaron. They first met during primary flight training in Corpus Christi, TX

I love seeing Jordan in his dress blues!

Jordan led the charge and coordinated with the DJ, to serenade the bride with the classic Top Gun song, " You've Lost That Loving Feeling," which Tom Cruise/Maverick sang to Kelly McGillis/Charlie. It has come to be an unofficial tradition in military weddings, almost as much as the sword arch, as the military welcomes in the new wife to the family. I was serenaded at my own wedding to this song as well and it was one of my favorite memories from that day!

Exploring Raleigh,  NC

After spending a wonderful weekend in North Carolina, a state I was so excited to visit after being a long-time Nicholas Sparks fan, and some wonderful quality time catching up with the Kavsacks in their beautiful and grandiose southern home in Raleigh, we made the long trek back home. However, we decided to make a short detour to Savannah, GA, another place I have always romantically longed to visit!

Savannah was so breathtaking and magnificent, I wish we had longer than half of a day to explore, but so thankful we decided to take the time for the detour!

All the walking and exploring, made Gunnar super thirsty!

We greatly enjoyed exploring the historic and beautiful graveyard....

After returning back to Florida from North Carolina, we were thoroughly exhausted after all the fun, festivities, visitors and vacations over the last month. We decided to make the most of our last couple of weeks in Florida, by going to the beach as much as possible. Those beautiful white sand sand beaches and warm gulf waters, that we had become so accustomed to, would soon be a distant memory.

Jordan somehow convinced me that, since he had some time off work before our move this time, it would be a great opportunity to move ourselves again, and make some money. Feeling rejuvenated and rested from our days at the beach, and our nightmare DIY moves being now just a funny story and long-forgotten nightmare, I apparently agreed to this again... Luckily, being experienced movers, it wasn't as bad as I anticipated and luckily we didn't run into any flat tires or muddy field sink holes.  However, 6 months later we have yet to be reimbursed for this move or seen the money we were supposedly working so hard to make, and therefore, the verdict is still out on whether this was worth it or if we will ever be crazy enough to do this again.

Oh, what have we gotten ourselves into...

The Beast is back...

As we began to fill up the truck, we realized not all of our stuff was going to actually fit. So in desperation to get rid of a few items at the last minute, including an old dryer and a picnic table,  Jordan, in typical Flori-bama redneck fashion, decided to list these items on Craigslist for "free" in exchange for a 6 pack of beer. And boy, did the hicks come a calling!

Ninalyn was so sweet and generous to come and bring us sustenance (aka lunch) and insisted on helping us clean. The dogs enjoyed a doggy play date together as well. 

After packing up the entire house, sprucing up, weeding, edging and mulching the yard, cleaning the pool, and scrubbing the house from top to bottom, we decided to treat ourselves one last time to our favorite Pensacolan restaurant: The Fish House/Atlas Oyster House.  We don't just love the amazing food here, but also cherish the memories and times we have spent here,  both together for Tuesday nigh Sushi date night, and with friends. The atmosphere here rivals its amazing food with the view of the harbor, the strung lights, and the live music. I, of course, had to indulge, one more time with the mouth-watering, calorie-heavy,  and delectable Grits A Ya Ya.

Goodbye 5317 Dalton Cir, we will miss you! Thank you for the memories!

Let the road trip begin...

It was a long 4 days on the road, and for the first time, we made the drive across country driving in two separate cars. The 8-10 hour days on the road were therefore exponentially more excruciating than ever before! We communicated via walkie-talkies, although I caught myself out of walkie range quite often, as I could not stand to only drive 55 mph in my anxious state to make progress and log miles, to stay in pace with Jordan and The Beast. When we finally saw the sign for the 8, I said "sayonara" and hit the gas in order to make it to the leasing office of our new apartment before they closed at 6 pm. Jordan would arrive 2 hours later ha ha ha!

Barely containing our excitement as we enter back into the "promised land"! Oh home, sweet home!

So, Jordan basically just gave me the two week warning before we are leaving California for Hawaii, and I'm so disappointed to realize that I have let our entire time here go without a single post. I guess we have been having too much fun with friends and family back home, that there hasn't been time to sit down and document everything. So it looks like there will be a 4th and final chapter in this much overdue update.