Sorry it has been so long everyone!

Mike and I have settled into Raleigh, NC (on the border of Cary, NC) quite well. We found an apartment (beautiful), have 2 cars, no pets, and 2 jobs. It has been fun picking out new furniture, TV's, you know, all the decorating fun of a new place. I still have to take a map wherever I go. I think I prefer it that way... so it seems as though I am always on vacation in my mind. Well... that is half the reason why I had to leave San Diego! I didn't need a map anymore! Great. I found my new justification of running around the U.S. with my head cut off.

We are enjoying the fall colors out here and the frost on our windshields in the morning! But they say around here that it is abnormally cold for NC this year...figures...cold weather likes to keep me company. When I moved to San Diego there were record breaking rain falls since like 20 years ago. My luck!! Can't wait to go to MI for Christmas and see some snow too! Mike will be having quite the culture shock pretty soon!

We both start work today :) yuck in general but it is good to stop being a bum all day everyday. Mike is working in the sales soon to be finance department of a car dealership until he begins either real estate or goes back to nerdy IT classes... the boy can't make up his mind on what he wants to be when he grows up :) me neither. I am an Account Manager for Fortune Interactive in downtown Raleigh. Basically, I work for an SEO firm (Search Engine Optimization for the non-internet marketing kids) working with clients of all different business sizes. For all you Ashford people (Ross Woodard's job without the start-up company VP of Marketing title). Wish us luck to stay focused and career oriented... uh huh. yeah.

Well... that is all for now... my journey across the country is now over and I am starting a new page in my book... gay, ha. Anyways, I hope to see all of you soon - so get your butts to North Carolina soon!!

I might pop back in when I know some of my own wedding details!!!

Miss y'all

Nicole &
Mike

hi y'all!

we made it! we have been in north carolina for the past couple of days and are recuperating at my sisters! it is so good to be by family for more than 5 days at a time, let me tell you!

we are searching for apartments to live in for about 6 months until we buy a house! wedding plans are a little slow right now, because we are trying to secure jobs, find a place, and getting to know the area. not to mention, we are having issues deciding where and when the best would be for the wedding due to the fact that our families are across the nation!

we literally have to find directions from one interview to the next... this is going to be the way we learn our way around i guess. i love the area. it reminds me of michigan because of the bright green everywhere and fresh smell. there is so much going on around here... buildings, new construction, restaurants, and more! can't wait to get settled but i don't mind being a bum for a while either!!

Well, we are in Wilmington, NC living out of a hotel in the meantime... tending to interviews and seeing to living arrangements... : )> geez... this roadtrip never ends! This is a town on the coast that seems like a smaller San Diego! Hopefully, we will end up here! Surfing on the Pacific Ocean... sounds good to me!

Mike is at an interview now and I am making friends with other hotel guests. Weird I know. I got picked up by a potential employer for coffee and had an interview for 2.5 hours for a magazine for a Assistant Art Director position. yyyeeeeaaahhh.... you have to imagine how excited I was! Wish me luck - my other job offering may be taking the backburner for this one!

Off to another interview for a Marketing Director position!

Almost there! 2 more stops and we are in Raleigh. Charleston was a little too much fun... I am paying the price of one too many crabby mary's (bloody marys). We made best friends with some random norcal airforce people at the bar. Crazy. We dragged ourselves to one of the oldest plantations in South Carolina, Magnolia Plantation. Super cool... can't imagine being a southern bell. Soon enough though.

We are now on our way to Wilmington, North Carolina.... the city where everyone in NC goes to stay at the ocean. I have a feeling I am going to like it there... hopefully live! From one ocean to the next - that would be fun.

Well, wish Mike good luck at an interview there tomorrow. Wish me luck the next day too : )

As you all know, I am a food network junkie. Another famous cook with their own tv show is Paula Deen. I got to see her restaurant in Savannah, GA. There was a line that started at 9am and went until 5pm... no joke. We didn't eat but I got the food star's business card and the memory! Dorky, I know.

Mike and I are definitely going to have to do some work to get into the southern lifestyle... people are slow minded, talking, and moving... the accent is almost funny! I think I will just start with y'all. : )>

Anyways, next destination, Charleston, South Carolina... hahaha... we just past the road for Coosawhatchsie... that is what we are dealing with around here. At least the people are extremely nice, friendly, and funny. We are off to see the original southern plantations and mansions that served in our country's history!

We will tell you how it goes in a few hours!

By the way, for those of you who are wondering, K.C. is doing great! She is doing home design work at a building company and absolutely loves it. We stayed with her for a couple of days and yes, we went to a cowboy bar while we were there.

K.C. says hi!

More than halfway there!!

We just left New Orleans! Boy, that was different. Bourbon street has a XXX on every corner... it is like a super old french town stuck in the middle of the city. Still, we will add it to our list of life accomplishments and move on!

On our way to New Orleans, we made some wedding plans believe it or not. May 21st is the D-day! Costa Rica is the destination! Everyone keep their eyes and hears open for more details to come (as soon as we have time in the car).... : )

Today is Mike's birthday by the way! The big man is 29 years old today!! We celebrated in New Orleans last night and today. I took him to Emeril's in New Orleans and got to sit up in the kitchen. We finished off with a creme brulee birthday desert at noon. Cudos to the chef Emeril.

Now, we are riding through Mississippi and Alabama. We now understand the meaning of redneck from the pure visual entertainment of gas stations.

Next stop, Savannah, GA. - Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, SC. - Man it is a boring drive getting there though!!!

Alright kids!

We have set out on our adventure across the U.S. to North Carolina just one day ago! Mike (my FIANCE!!!!) and I drove 18 hours to San Antonio, TX where one of my best friends, KC, lives.

To back up a bit... Mike and I got engaged in Napa Valley, CA on our vacation before we headed to San Fran! The next week, we were packed, had a going away party, and were off like a prom dress!

For all of you that are wondering... we will be planning a destination wedding sometime in the spring... at least we think! Think tropical or snow or somewhere in between! Y'all know that we are crazy so it will be fun and that is all that matters!

After 18 hours of absolutely no scenery to Texas... we are off to visit the Alamo (only thing to do here on a budget).. (Mike is extremely excited). Of course, I am currently watching the food network in the meantime...

As for jobs, Mike wants to sweep runways for the airlines at the moment for free plane tickets! I have a few interviews to attend to once I arrive. I might venture off on a contract project doing graphic design work for an internet company with my sister and teach online starting in Nov.!

As for a home: current status: HOMELESS. We love to live on the edge anyways... and that is why we love each other (one reason!!!!).

Well, next stop: having fun in Austin, TX & then we are off to New Orleans! Don't worry mama Summerfield, we aren't going to eat or drink there, just sleep!!! : )

TTFN