First Full Week of Work and Visit to Auburn

I can't believe its already my third week of work (second full week).  Working all day is so exhausting! Someone please tell me I will get used to it.  I think I like my job, but the training continues...the more I have to do, the faster the days go by, so I hope to be trained and busy before long.  The worst part of working is the commute, which I didn't think would bother me, but really does.  I have to wake up at 5:30 in order to get a work out in before work, like a short run or trip to the gym, and I have to be out the door by 7:05.  By the time I get home at 5:45, I feel like all I have time for is dinner before I go to bed. I also wish I could go home during my lunch break, but I have found other ways to entertain myself, such as exploring Starkville...I found out that the Kroger in Starkville doubles coupons up to 60 cents (whoopie!), and they actually have a decent selection of meat and produce, unlike the Kroger here in Columbus.  I think I will go shopping there for the groceries that I don't get at the commissary.  Working out of town makes it hard to do any shopping after work. I also sit at work and do some couponing or read magazines during my break...I have to give my brain a little down time. Here is an ad I found in a Starkville magazine that really improved my day when I found it...

Chris also started work last week.  He is assisting one of the fighter pilot training squadrons.  He is satisfied with his job, and I'm happy he only has to work from 7:30-4:30.  He will be doing this job until he starts pilot training in April.

One thing I do enjoy about working is having the weekend 100% free and clear to myself.  This weekend we went back to Auburn with Jon and Autumn.  They were planning a trip down to see some great dane puppies, and they picked one they are going to get in a couple of weeks.  Yes, Mason's new best friend is going to be a great dane.  Right now the puppies (born July 9!) are about the size of Mason...but they will obviously get muchhh bigger than that! Here are a couple of them...

Visiting Auburn was very renewing and I feel refreshed after getting to see friends and family, as well as take a road trip with new friends.  Saturday, after meeting the puppies, we spent the day out on Lake Martin with the puppy breeder, Autumn and Jon, and Sara and Aaron.  It was awesome getting to spend time with everyone out on the lake.  Then that night I got to see some of my Clothes Rack girls at Kristi Reid's wedding shower, which was followed by drinks out with Lauren.  I wish I could have seen everyone, but it's so weird that "everyone" isn't in Auburn anymore! I guess I will get used to that, but I know how lucky I am to have grown up in my college town...no matter if it is my high school or college friends, we will always have a place to reunite whether for a football game or the holidays!

It was also wonderful getting to see my parents and sister this weekend.  Jessica was busy with rush, but we spent the night at my parents house.  It's always great to come home! We also got to visit with Chris (Sr.) at his house and with Tammy and Greg over brunch at Amsterdams.  After Sunday Brunch, it was time to head home, but not after shopping as much as possible and taking advantage of being in the "city"...haha...it's so weird that I used to go to Atlanta or Montgomery to shop because they had "more" and now I feel like Auburn is like the be-all-end-all of shopping. What an eye-opener it has been to move here!

Anyway, we shopped for our puppies until we dropped at Petco.  Both of us couples bought so many treats, crates...and yes, clothes, for our puppies that we could barely fit ourselves in the car on the way back. Mason picked out this headpiece in honor of  our Jamaican honeymoon, I guess it made up for him not being able to come.

On the way back I was dead tired, and so was Mason...and we were in very close quarters, thanks to our shopping trip.

It was a good trip, but we didn't make it back until 10:30 pm...thus, here I sit on the couch, trying to recover from a typical Monday + intense house-cleaning and unpacking after work. Bright side...took a pit stop at Belk on the way home, and I was VERY pleasantly surprised at the selection! It is actually a pretty nice Belk...Columbus continues to treat me to pleasant surprises, and I am looking forward to seeing what's next.