As you all know from my most recent posts, Mike and I just moved to San Diego from Peoria. I was going through my photos and realized how little of it I’ve actually shared with you guys! We have done so many awesome things this last couple weeks …

The bridge out of Peoria. Exciting and sad all at the same time. Bye bye Peoria, thanks for giving me so many amazing friends.

I flew out to start my job a few weeks early. Flying out of St. Louis was MUCH cheaper so we made a weekend of it. This is the pond (lake??) at the Botanical Gardens. St. Louis has some truly gorgeous parks!

Spring time at the zoo means lots of baby animals! There were a lot of “awwwwww”s coming from me. Can you spot the baby zebra?

The arch is humongous! Couldn’t even fit it in one photo. Super cool.

Mike treated us to a helicopter ride around the arch. It was my first time. What a thrill!

Funnel cake was an obvious choice to calm the nerves. 🙂

Anheuser-Busch factory. Smelled a bit weird but the beer that came out of those taps was so tasty.

I left that day and spent the next several weeks living with my family. Mike finished up work in Peoria and came out to join me. That week my Aunt, Uncle, and cousins arrived from Australia. What a crew. 11 people in one beach house. We had a blast.

The last day we were there, the parents took us all jet skiing. Oh how I love the speed. Above are my cousins and sister. It was the perfect end to an eventful work week.

And then, finally, after much searching, packing, and moving to various places, we arrived at our new apartment. It’s in a fabulous location right in the middle of the city. We have great neighbors and it’s the perfect size for the two of us.I’m one of those frantic unpackers. I can’t settle and relax until all boxes are unpacked and everything’s in it’s place. It took about a week but we got it all done! We took the opportunity to have a really organized, really simple home. It’s a place of respite, to let our brains relax. More photos of the space to follow.

On another note, I got a new job! I moved out here to start work early as a playground designer. That job wasn’t ideal but it was money and an opportunity to get into the construction industry. About two weeks in, I got a call from an architecture firm that I had applied to at the same time as my current company. I went on the interview just for the heck of it and got an offer letter totally out of the blue a week later!

Last week I quit my playground job and started as a junior designer at a small firm that specializes in custom, high-end, coastal homes. Basically really nice beach houses. It’s only been two days but so far, I LOVE it. I have two bosses and they are amazing designers and really cool people. The office is stimulating and I’m already learning so much.

I’m totally in awe of how wonderful life is right now. I’ve done the half hour drive to see my family twice this week and I just can’t believe how close they are. I have a great job and a great apartment with my wonderful boyfriend. Our neighborhood is full of lively, friendly people and we are within walking distance of anything we could possibly need. And I’m already making friends! I couldn’t be happier.

I hope you’re all having great Mondays. Just remember, as my dad says, the challenging times make the good times SO much better. 🙂