Thursday, July 7, 2011

My New Home

Sorry I haven't blogged in a long time. I have a few projects I want to show you guys but most of them are 75% finished and the ones that are... well I don't have pictures of them yet. I have been busy moving and getting back to, or I guess I should say "beginning" real life.

The Fake Life=
living for free.99 at the Ringers!
not having to grocery shop but having endless food
always having family to hang out with
having 2 homes to choose which meal we want each night of the week... or both!
Sunday dinners
a wonderful mother-in-law who let me take over half of her sewing room for 2 months...
... not to mention a sewing/project buddy... oh and did I say shopping buddy?
Blueberry Hills breakfast whenever we want
Eric not working or going to school
Eric gets to go to Honduras on a dental trip
Eric gets to take my ticket to go with my family on their annual Alaska fishing trip
having the best callings in church= substitute primary teachers :)
free internet, tv, and DVR


Real Life=
husband goes to dental school...
...guess that means I have to go to.
moving to San Francisco
living out of boxes and suitcases all over again
moving into a place that has 1/4 of the storage space than our last 2 apartments
(the cupboards are so narrow and shallow that our plates don't even fit!)
don't worry I got creative.. all our dishes are on our old book shelf
oh yes... I should have said the best first... our apartment is actually really nice.
rent that is over 2 grand a month. WHAT!?
no internet because we can't afford it... until we find other people to go in on it with us
(I am at the library! Eric had to use the internet to check some emails from his school, so I came along to use the internet too)

I am adjusting well for the parents who I am sure are wondering.

I have only had one melt down. It was our first day in SF. After Eric moved all our furniture and boxes into our apartment (all by himself because I can't lift anything except the pillows and couch cushions), we decided to go out for lunch. We GPS everything... which we wouldn't survive without. Eric suggested going to Fisherman's Wharf. I was a little hesitant but agreed. To get anywhere... the GPS takes us to the mouth of the Golden Gate bridge to get out of the park. Eric decided to go his own way and we accidentally got back on the golden gate bridge entrance without any exits and only one way to go... across the bridge. When we got across, we turned around to come back. We had to pay a $6.00 toll to get back into the city. I cried. Eric took me to get pizza on Lombard street (not the famous windy part... but the part that is close to where we live.) I didn't want to go to Fisherman's Wharf. I just wanted to go home and cry about how expensive this city is. After crying about the $6.00 wrong turn, parking money to get the over priced pizza, I just went home and took a nap. We haven't eaten out since.

Despite a bad first day.. I have had better days since. Our first Sunday was good. We know another couple out here from BYU and we got to have a Sunday picnic in their apartment with their family (we were going to go to the park but the traffic was too bad.. I loved it and the food was so good) On the 4th of July we met up with 3 other couples from our ward and had a picnic. Another day we walked down to the beach which is really close because we live on the coast.

There are 3 things that have kept me sane through this adventure:

1. ice cream... when we were at the grocery store for the first time... I was sad the whole time we were shopping because I am very familiar with the prices of food in Provo/Vegas and SF food is obviously more expensive. I was unit price shopping, so every purchase was a 1-2 minute decision to make sure we were getting the best price for the most food. We even wrote down prices and went to another store to compare prices. Anyway... during all this I was getting a little down. I passed the ice cream... came out of that aisle with a huge tub of vanilla ice cream and hot fudge. When I met up with Eric and the cart, I held up my impulse buys to him and said... "I need this to stay sane."
2. Costco (we went yesterday in Oakland to meet up with my brother Ben (our first visitor in SF!)... and I loved it so much because it is just the same... plus free parking!!!) We didn't have time or money to shop but I hit up all the samples. It made me so happy. Then Ben fed us lunch there... I love lunch at Costco!!!!! Thanks Ben!!!!! He also took us to an A's game which was so much fun.
3. The temple: Because we were in Oakland, we had to make the most of our trip, knowing that we would have to pay a $6 dollar toll to get back into SF. We went to the temple in Oakland. We did initiatory's and an endowment session. There's no better way to make you feel like you are at home than to go to the temple. Just another thing that you know is going to be the exact same when you walk in.

Well... when we are moved in.. I can take some pictures of our apartment. Our room and the kitchen is all moved in... but our baby's room has turned into the box room. It's all boxes of my sewing stuff, projects, clothes that don't fit in our closet, and of course baby stuff. Maybe someday we will really be moved in. Until then....

P.S. Eric starts school tomorrow.

And this is my new home. We live in the Presidio. It is a park that is at the southern entrance to the Golden Gate bridge. It is 3 miles from the school.

6 comments:

Brittann Benson said...

ice cream always makes things better ;)next time try the ice cream snickers bars or twix! yum. or if you need them shipped to you cause they are too expensive ill get some dry ice, love you jilly. What an exciting adventure! xoxo call me anytime!

Heather and Taylor said...

Sounds like an adventure. Good luck to you and Eric! Tay and I want to take a trip up to San Fran. We will definitely have to give you a call. xo

ringermelinda1@gmail.com said...

Funny thing Jilly - I did the same thing a few times - accidently got on the road that takes you across the Golden Gate bridge and couldn't get off! And I cried too :) Driving in SF is a scary experience!
Love your blog entry! You'll do great! Keep smiling and take care of that sweet little baby girl. When I come down there, we'll go to Costco!! :)
Love you!
Melinda

Aunt Helen said...

Jill,
You will probably love San Fran once you get settled. Don't be stressed--get out your sewing machines and lose yourself in a fun project.
Next time you are updating your blog, put a picture of your headboard on.
Love to you and Eric,
Aunt H.

The Ringer Family said...

Oh Jill - what a rough start. Hopefully most of the bumps are all out of the way! What an adjustment, exciting but scary. Good luck:)!

Vegas Anderson Clan said...

Hey I'll give you a recipe for homemade chocolate
fudge that will take away any stress!! Ha. Once you settle in-you'll love it. It sounds as though you are already making some friends. We can't wait for the baby to come. I'll come visit and take you shopping anywhere you want-Britney and I want to come after all your visitors to see the baby. Hang in there-we love you!!