Alabama & Mississippi, and "House Hunters" Episode #1
Hi Everyone!
So last week, my husband and I went down to Mobile, Alabama and gulf coast Mississippi (a super cute little town called Ocean Springs). We relaxed a little (stayed at the Magala Inn in Mobile [ask for room 220] and the Gulf Hills Hotel in Ocean Springs, both of which were wonderful), ate some good meals (most notably Phonecia [thanks, Tortoise Baby, for the recommendation!] and Al Fresco, both in Ocean Springs). But mostly, my husband did a couple days of job interviews, and I looked at houses. My husband is graduating in the spring (was in the military, went back to school on the GI bill), and we're trying to figure out what happens next. There's a company down there that's very interested in him, so we went to check it out.
Interviews went well. House hunting was fun (although VERY premature, as we have no idea if we'll be moving or not, but I wanted to see the neighborhoods and figure out if this is a part of the country where I could feel at home [bottom line is yes]).
Houses are relatively cheap, especially with the economy the way it is. Here are a couple I fell in love with:
House #1 we've been calling "The Lake House." It's in a rural area west of Mobile, on three acres and shares a five-acre lake with a few other properties, is HUGE but is so beautiful...if we lived here, I'd never want to leave. I'd feel like I was on vacation 24/7. Not sure I want to live where you have to drive a ways to everything, though. And I didn't love Mobile...I'm sure there are some cool parts of the city, but we didn't find them. Also this is at the top of our budget...doable, but a stretch.
House #2 is in a part of Ocean Springs called Gulf Hills. We're calling it "The Elevator House" because even though it's only a basement and two stories, it has an elevator (with this beautiful inlaid mosaic floor, no less). It's on a golf course, and has been decorated amazingly...I guess an older woman lives there now and she for the most part has fabulous taste. If we were to buy it my husband would make me get rid of some thing (he's saying no to the black-and-gold cherub wallpaper in the bathroom...I think it's so over the top that it's cool.) But I could probably get away with keeping the gold swan water spouts. :) This house is a better size for us (not ridiculously huge) and is very close to the beach, playgrounds, a cute little downtown with restaurants and bars etc. Also this is more comfortably within our budget. But it has no yard to speak of (a little in the front, nothing in the back), which is a definite disadvantage since we have 2 dogs.
Anyway, all of this dreaming of houses (nesting instinct kicking in, you think?) is just wild speculation on my part. The company will let my husband know about the job in December, and IF they offer him a job and IF the salary is right, we may be moving. I have lots and lots of feelings about leaving Colorado and moving to the deep South, but that's a post for another day. If it's right for my husband career-wise, we're going to do it. We wouldn't have to be there forever, and it could be really cool.
Stay tuned...
XOXO
Image Credits: Gulf Coast MLS.com, Realtor.com
And thanks to Girl's Gone Child for the "House Hunters" post idea! :)
Good OB Appointment Today...And a Little "Babymoon!" :)
Ocean Springs, Mississippi...supposed to be a cool little arts community...I'm excited to check it out...
Hi Everyone!
So everything went just fine at my OB appointment this morning...yay! Last visit my OB said I could have a scan and find out the sexes at 20 weeks, which is in two weeks...today she was saying she didn't need to see me again until 22 weeks, but I begged and pleaded and she relented and said 20 weeks would work. I'm just so excited to find out the sex of the babies and I've had 20 weeks in my mind for the past month...really didn't want to wait any longer. Plus we wanted to know before Thanksgiving because the whole family is going to be at our house and we wanted to share the news (although my brother and dad don't want to know...want to be surprised at the birth...not sure how we're going to work that exactly but we're going to try.)
And...my husband and I are going on a little trip next week and I am so ridiculously excited! For years and years I have traveled a huge amount for both work and pleasure (100 to 150 days/year)...it's been really different to be staying home for the most part with this pregnancy and while it's been nice, travel feels so much more like my normal state of being. My husband has a job interview gulf coast Mississippi and I'm going to tag along. It's on the beach and not far from New Orleans, so it could be cool. (My husband is graduating next May and we may be moving for work for him...everything is so up in the air right now...anything could happen [including staying where we are] so just not that worried about it at the moment). Next weekend is also my husband's birthday, and I have cool hotels booked (in Ocean Springs, MS and Mobile AL, which is where we're flying in and out of)...I just think it's going to be fun to drive around and explore a new place, go to the beach, out for some nice meals, just have a little vacation, you know? It's just a long weekend, but it's going to be sooooooo cool! And this is probably the last time I'll be able to fly before the babies are born (I'm a little on the fence about flying even now, but my doctor says it's fine and I'm going to be really careful to stay hydrated and rest, etc.)
Anyone know that area and have any suggestions on places to eat/things to do etc.?
XOXO
Image Credit: city-data.com.