Moving Peaces - Page 17 of 46 - Moving Pieces. Moving Places. Moving Peacefully.

Nifty Thrifty: Boots and Denim

September 29, 2014September 28, 2014Samantha Gratton

I’ve been wanting something denim for at least a year. I’m sure of it. Whenever I’d try something on it was either out of my price range or just didn’t quite fit like it should. Telling my husband that “the internet said it was trendy” failed to help my case in either instance.

When I find just the thing at a thrift shop, I like to talk about it. I like to be comfortable and happy with how I look, but there’s very little budget to work with to make that happen. Finding it through thrifting just proves it can in fact be done. It takes a lot of digging and even more patience, but it’s possible for an entire outfit to be under $20.

So when I found this dress/tunic at a GCF in Asheville (yes, I thrift while out of town), I knew it was finally time to go after my denim dreams. At $3.55 (it was priced as a shirt), it was an even easier decision to make.

It’s a bit short to be a dress for me (which is why the lady ended up selling it to me at a shirt price…no harm in making price suggestions when you are thrifting), but it’s perfect for boots and leggings. Believe it or not, these are not only my favorite shoes, but likely one of my cheapest pairs of shoes, too. These beauties were found at a garage sale for $4 a few years ago.

Yes, $4. It was one of those deals where I asked the seller the price and as soon as she said it, I handed over the money and all but ran back to my car because it felt like such a steal. Some people will tell you to never buy shoes second hand. I clearly don’t subscribe to that rule, but instead say it depends on the condition and type of the shoe. I don’t think I’ve ever bought used flip flops or tennis shoes, but I have gotten a few dress shoes in the past and a couple pairs of barely used boots.

Under that scarf (which is basically my favorite accessory), I really liked the detail of the top. It’s simple but gives a little bit of a feminine feel to it since the rest of the piece is incredibly plain. And of course, I wear my home state proudly on a necklace from the hubby.

I think I’m about ready for fall, what do you think?

Want to see other Nifty Thrifty posts? Find other thrifted outfit posts here! Want to contribute your own thrifted outfit post? Email Me.

Moving Part 4: Making it “official”

September 28, 2014September 28, 2014Samantha Gratton

As a continuation of my series about moving, here’s a little lesson on breaking the news. If you missed earlier posts in the series you can check them out here: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

It all feels like a dream until you start telling people. It should feel like a dream for a little while. Dream away. Because once you start spreading the news, people will have questions and even more so, they will have comments. For instance, one friend told us we were crazy, to our faces and then walked away. Someone seemed to hardly find it interesting and kept talking about how good their soup was. Others were shocked and said very little, but some immediately celebrated with us and for us. We just never knew how someone would respond.

So, think through what your plan is and then tell people in stages, starting with those closest to you. I had talked about the desire to move for years, so to some it was not much of a surprise. For others, sharing the news about a move can seem monumental to those first hearing about it. It’s important to get some feedback along the way though, which is why it is helpful to share it with those you trust and love first. The more you share your plans and story, the more you will get a better idea of just what you are about to do means to you.

Further, don’t just think about what your plan is but have an actual plan. Without it, people will quickly tire of this “official” stage when you haven’t yet hit the “it’s really happening” stage.

Somewhat contrary to what I just said, here is the order in which my husband and I broke the news.

Landlord (our lease required a 60-day notice, but otherwise, he was not the closest person in our lives)
Parents
Close friends (limited details)
Siblings
Close friends (extensive details)
Friends
Employers
Commitments (i.e. utility company, volunteer organizations, bands, book club)
Extended family
Social media

The order of your list might be different but it is good to consider what your timeline will be based on your comfort and your responsibilities.

Have you had to break the news about a move? How did you do it and how did it go?

Thursday Three

September 25, 2014December 9, 2014Samantha Gratton

This week, y’all…this week has been so much fun. It’s had its ups and downs like any week, but something about this week has had a fresh air about it. Maybe I’ve had too much pumpkin flavored everything, or I have just found some good people in the world. Either way, glad to have had such a great week.

1. Weddings are some of my favorite pastimes. This past weekend both the hubby and I were in a wedding on the beach, and it was AMAZING. The year we got married we somehow managed to attend something like 13 other weddings the same year and that got a little exhausting. But this year, we’ve only been to three and each have been so much fun that I wish I had another one in the books. Invite me to your wedding, people! No but really, this weekend we had the most wonderful time as bridesmaid and groomsman. I think we both just love the opportunity to really serve our friends at such a monumental time in their lives. Plus, we got to hang out with a few great people and always seem to make friends with the photographer (who was adorable, by the way…can’t wait to see her pictures from the day but until then, here’s a few others).

2. The blog is growing. Like a total nerd I sat and watched google analytics realtime tracking on Monday night. Every couple of minutes I would yell out the current number of readers and their locations to the hubby while he worked on a song. I’m learning a lot in a short time but also feeling like I have SO much to learn and catch up on. That said, thank you so much for reading along with me so far as I try different things and tweak different sections of the blog. Any and all feedback is most appreciated!

3. It’s a good thing my voice is back because it’s been all over the microphone. This week the hubby decided we were doing an open mic night. While not new to him, it was a first for me. After months of working on songs together we went ahead and shared them with the world. While I didn’t really tell anyone we were doing it beforehand, please allow these poorly lit phone pictures to say it all. It was really great, and I ended up being more comfortable than I thought I would be. I’m ready for our next gig! In addition to my singing debut, I got to do some voiceovers this week for some freelance work which was really fun and completely new to me. Apparently they loved it! So, moral of the story…prepare to hear me on the radio some day, one way or another.

About Having Babies

September 22, 2014September 22, 2014Samantha Gratton

Never did I think this would be a topic I would write about, at least not until maybe after the fact. But talk to any stranger in the grocery store all the way up to your best friends and suddenly it no longer feels like a personal matter. Everyone is quick to ask when we plan to have these sweet little cherubs.

If you had asked me in high school what I wanted to be when I grew up, I usually said something along the lines of “being a mom.” I’d start out by talking about college or maybe some sort of career in the meantime, but that wasn’t the real goal in my mind. When we got married, we told people we were on the “five-year plan” (why people feel they need to know that is beyond me). A couple years ago we joked with people that we were on the “nonstop five-year plan” meaning we were always five years out from having kids. The great thing about saying five years is that it is close enough that people are assured we think kids are in our future but far enough away that people hopefully stop asking us about it for awhile. Lately it feels like the questions have grown more serious and our “five-year” response isn’t doing the trick anymore–but I don’t really know. I’d still say give it time. Plenty of time. We’re in no real rush.

To be honest, sometimes I am overwhelmed by the weight of it all. The idea of raising someone in this world. Our world that’s full of hardship and disappointment, wars and disease. The thought of navigating all of life’s pitfalls through the eyes of the next generation.

I find myself rushing through so much of life right now. Rushing to secure my next job and settle into a career path. Scrambling to live life to its fullest by hardly ever saying “no” to spending time with friends. Hustling to establish a blog that reaches people beyond my immediate circles. Pushing to plan a trip of a lifetime out of the country somewhere with my husband. And over the weekend I realized why–I feel like I have to fit it all in before kids. I want to make sure I accomplish so many of these goals before I have another major priority in my life. I think that’s why there’s this huge sense of urgency in me.

In all actuality, I want kids and so does the hubby. So don’t you worry your pretty little head. One day we’ll add a few littles to this household, and it will be messy, loud, crazy and wonderful all at once. But as the reality of that creeps closer I wrestle with what that might mean. Am I overthinking it? Or worse, underthinking it? (Is that even a word?)

Maybe every potential parent has these fears or feels the magnitude of such things. Or maybe instead they were thrust into it before having enough time to really think it over yet somehow they seem to manage just fine. I suppose time (and a kid or two) will tell.

p.s. Sorry if I got your hopes up…this is clearly not an announcement.

Thursday Three

September 18, 2014Samantha Gratton

I’m so glad to have a blog because my little vocal chords are so tired. I lost my voice earlier in the week and just haven’t quite managed to recover yet. But, it’s been a great and full week. Here’s the tops.

1. Parental visits make you really assess your life. My mom and stepdad visited us over the weekend for the first time since we’ve moved out here. We had to really think about what we wanted to show them and navigated all through the Triangle so they could see our favorite spots around town. It reminded me yet again how glad we are to be here and just how much we’ve gotten to do and see. They met our friends, enjoyed our Saturday routine (sleep-in, bakery visit, wine tasting and walk through town) and got a glimpse of our lives. We also spent a little time moseying around like tourists and later watched the Iowa vs. Iowa State game from our favorite neighborhood restaurant. Go State!

Family photo — A little rainy, but still a great day

2. The more involved you are in the community, the more you feel a part of the community. Whether it’s volunteering or going to an outdoor festival, do what you can to be in the community. We’re fortunate to live near downtown and there always seems to be a street festival, concert or something going on. But even if you live in a rural area or in the suburbs, there’s likely something going on in your neighborhood or a place that could use you volunteering. This weekend we walked to SPARKcon, a creative art/music/dance/drama/you-name-it festival and enjoyed seeing all the sidewalk chalk art, the handmade art (jewelry!) pieces and a pyrotechnic show.

People were invited to mark different places in Raleigh and I wrote about our "spot" where Raleigh was first considered as a place to live. — People were invited to mark different places in Raleigh and I wrote about our “spot” where Raleigh was first considered as a place to live.

3. When given the chance to join in on new cultural experience, take it. Some good friends of ours are getting married this weekend, but had a Vietnamese wedding ceremony here before we all head to the beach. Both the hubby and I are actually in the wedding party and were delighted to experience a Vietnamese ceremony for the first time. The bride wore red, family introductions were made and gifts were exchanged. The hubby even got to carry in a tray as a part of his duties. I, on the other hand, had the duty of joining in pedicures and fondue with the girls later that night. We’re looking forward to celebrating with them some more this weekend!

Behind the Blogging

September 17, 2014September 15, 2014Samantha Gratton

This is my blog post about blogging. It’s about dreams and big goals that are scary to exclaim to the world. Maybe I’ll fail or maybe I’ll succeed.

I’ve had several blogs dating all the way back to high school at this point. I also have a bad habit of starting a blog relating to some life event and then dropping off after I finished traveling or got married. This blog started when we first started working towards a cross-country move but after we moved and somewhat settled in, I knew it was time to hold onto it. Writing is second-nature to me, but I still have to sit down and actually do it. I have to will myself to find something to write about and have to consider writing to an audience not just to a diary. As I felt the lull in this blog, I instead implemented the Thursday Three posts to prompt something each week.

So just to make it all official, I wanted to inform you that my blog is different. It’s been a work in progress for a couple months now, and I’m still working on creating different categories and pages, subscriptions and eventually, a more custom design. But for now, I’m happy to have the freedom and flexibility to explore.

How did this come to be? Well, I hate to admit this but I’ve worked at a few different web/design/marketing agencies among some fairly talented web developers for years, but I was too scared to ask for help. There was a part of me that was too proud to ask, figuring it was such a small thing that I should be able to figure out on my own. The other part of me reasoned that they had better things to do in their free time and my little tiny blog was not worth bothering them about. Recently however, a friend (who happens to be a talented designer/developer) asked me about my blog and what I wanted to do with it. I told her about some of the limitations I was facing and she simply said, “I can do that.” I was so grateful to her for all of her help getting me set up and practically bouncing up and down when she told me. Just like that my world opened up, and I decided this was my opportunity to go for it. To truly go for it.

While I complained about some of my limitations in the past, they also made me feel safe. I didn’t feel like I had to keep up with blogging or really challenge myself to grow. I knew I could stay there, not try and it would never count as a failure. My small number of readers was fine because then I didn’t have to push to promote it or share it with the outside world. I felt comfortably sheltered in my bubble of friends who read it because that meant I didn’t have to completely face the reality of putting myself out there. But when it comes down to it, if I don’t commit to it, I’ll never really know what I am capable of as a writer or as a blogger.

As I (hope to) grow, there’s a few other things I’ve begun to consider. I want to find my voice and identity as a blogger, yet maintain the authenticity that comes from just jotting down the first things that come to mind from time to time. I want to be a bigger part of the blogging community by actually engaging with the many blogs I read on a regular basis. Likewise, I hope to engage more with my own readers and also further my reach through blogging. Maybe one day I’ll have ads or sponsored posts, not just to drive you crazy but to further push myself to discover and define my voice as a writer.

Last year at a conference, everyone in the audience was encouraged to write down a creative dream or goal. Personally and professionally, I was at a weird place but a true dream of mine still managed to seep out. My dream? “Writing on a large platform about life, pointing to God and healing hurt for others.”

So there it is. My goal is no longer the secret that it has been for the last year. I want what I write to matter–my lessons learned to help someone and my silly stories to encourage someone. I want to inspire and support someone. Here I am now, facing the world with my thoughts and ideas, struggles and candor. And I’m asking you to join me. To share it with others and to stick with me along the way.

Rest

September 15, 2014Samantha Gratton

Sometimes it’s time to rest. Coming from me, a person who is constantly thinking through every angle, taking the next steps and all together on the go, that’s big. I’ve been quoted as saying before that I wish we didn’t need sleep to function (I’ve said the same about food but for entirely different reasons). Of course, Saturday morning is not the time of day that I generally share such sentiments. That’s the one time of the week that I celebrate sleep. Usually around midnight is when I wish I could pull an all-nighter every day of the week without any impact on my health and just work on projects and spend time with people instead.

I don’t take health lightly. I’ve had my own bouts of illness and unexplained issues unfortunately in the past. Health is so important and key to your daily life. It also can be one of the greatest indicators that you aren’t resting enough. Today, I have no voice. Seriously, it’s sad. I sound like a cat who nearly escaped drowning. Actually, maybe that’s not what I sound like because I have a feeling there would be a bit more of a yowling sound to that. The point is, I’ve pushed it too far for too long. I’m sure every Thursday Three for the past few weeks has mentioned being busy, and I don’t like it. But I resolved to push through despite what I knew I should be doing. I wanted to do it all, yet I knew that’s not possible. I thought if I could just do this thing then this thing then this thing then this….then I will somehow manage to have it all together and make it happen. Yet I was missing REST. No agenda but to rest and revitalize.

Earlier today I sent an email to a friend saying that we’d be heading to a cabin in a few weeks and I had hoped to catch up on rest then. Saying it now just sounds crazy. I’m going to pencil in resting WEEKS from now? No wonder my body mandated a sick day. While I’m terrible at taking naps (and have been since I was two), I spent time today laying in bed with my eyes closed anyway. Never fell asleep but still got some rest. So, if you’re on the fence about it, let me encourage you to do the same. I promise you this is a reminder to me just as much as it is to you. We all need rest and need to make sure it’s a daily and weekly occurrence, not something we plan for once a season.

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Thursday Three

September 11, 2014December 9, 2014Samantha Gratton

This week was a bit like the weather–back and forth, up and down. A few storms, some sun and a fresh new season in the air. Lots going on as has been the case in the weeks prior, but I’m thankful to be right where I am in life.

1. Birthday celebrations are maybe more fun for close friends and family. Birthdays can make you think and ask big questions about your life, where it has been and where it is presumably going. Those around you simply get to celebrate you for the day while you sort through all of these deep thoughts. Everyone responds to that differently and the hubby is one of those people who sorta dreads his day. He feels like he is getting so old and losing his youth as each year passes, which is a bit ridiculous if you ask me. We celebrated his 27th birthday by going to a place called Cowfish where their specialty is hamburgers with sushi. Yep, that’s the thing. I made the ~~mistake~~ best decision ever of ordering his ice cream cake before we went to dinner. Following our incredibly filling and delicious meal, they brought out a ginormous and tasty cheesecake slice to the tune of employees singing along with a cowbell and a gong. So, then we had no choice but to come home and eat ice cream cake. If he didn’t enjoy his birthday, I sure did.

2. Making music is incredibly vulnerable. I mentioned having no words earlier this week, which resulted in an emotional yet beautiful song. We spent the better part of the weekend playing, discussing* and recording music. Discussing may be code for fighting about music. We both put all of our emotions and hopes and insecurities on the line when we play together. The hubby is significantly better at music and has dedicated so much time and energy into it. I usually lay my heart out whenever we write or sing together. It’s a delicate topic and we don’t seem to know just how best to work with one another. At the same time, we both realize that working together on music has created some of our best work.

3. Kids say the funniest things. Acted out by adults, those things are even funnier. We’ve spent a considerable amount of time this week giggling over these videos on youtube. Careful…it may take hours.

This particular video hit a little too close to home considering all of my many food allergies.

Moving Part 3: Lining up Logistics

September 9, 2014September 28, 2014Samantha Gratton

Based on our move across the country two years ago, I’ve started writing a little more about what all went into our move and some of the steps I’d recommend considering when making such a decision. Are you new to the series? Feel free to check out part 1 or part 2 first.

Part 3: Lining up Logistics

Logistics in a move may include selling your house, saving money, finding a new job or fulfilling prior obligations before going through with it. For some, it might even be realizing that the timing is off and needing to table it for another time in life. (At one point, this where we were at despite all my best efforts. Ultimately, the timing was best when I wasn’t trying to force it). All of these are understandable reasons to delay or decide against a move. If it comes down to that, be honest about it. Maybe you tried skipping a few steps but you weren’t actually ready yet for whatever reason.

When we decided to move, we had been saving money away for years, were renting our house and knew we were moving to an area with a good economic climate. Our situation is not the same for everyone else. We were able to move without jobs lined up, which, albeit scary, worked out. Sometimes, that is not a possibility, and that’s okay.

If you are looking for jobs, consider making it clear when you plan to move by providing dates if possible. Or explain your reasons for choosing to move to the area in your cover letter so your potential future employer knows you aren’t just applying to jobs at random.

For us, lining up logistics meant researching the area we were going to and starting to understand what the business climate was, what the cost of living would be and talking to anyone we knew who had lived in that part of the country. We had far fewer logistics than most people might have, which was partly why this was the right time in life for us to move. No house, no kids, no debt.

Having any one of those things is not necessarily a deal breaker, just something to consider. If you own your home, consider your options by putting your house up for sale or maybe, up for rent with a local management company. With debt, it may be worthwhile to work towards paying off your debt before a move so you have more freedom and flexibility. With kids, I cannot give a lot of guidance as we don’t have any kids yet, but I’m guessing you’ll have a few more logistics to work out depending on their ages and needs. As I said, we didn’t have these three things, so lining up these details may look very different for you.

Instead, we had to overcome the hurdle and insecurities that came with moving without a job or sense of security on the other side. We had to go back and fully understand our intentions, which meant repeating parts one and two quite frequently.

This an incredibly tricky step in the process. It can be exhausting and disheartening. For some this stage takes weeks and for others, this can take years. Try to stay positive through it all, but also realize your limitations and manage your expectations as much as possible.

Words

September 7, 2014Samantha Gratton

Sometimes, there are no words. No words that can really sum it all up. No words that can make it all better. No words to truly express how emotion has taken hold. It’s like trying to catch the ocean’s waves with only a butterfly net.

Yet we try to do something about those thoughts and feelings. Whether it’s running away from them, pushing them forward, drowning them out, hiding from them or creating something new.

This week, I had no words. Instead, we created music. While my relationship with music is complicated, I am so grateful for it. It put emotion and meaning into something regarding a tragedy in someone else’s life. There’s nothing I can do and to be honest, I’m incredibly distant from the situation in almost every way.

Since writing it, I’ve been practically consumed by this song. Singing it over and over and now that we have some scratch tracks, I’ve been listening to it on repeat. I can’t tell you why I responded as strongly as I did, other than to say, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” – Romans 12:15

I have no words to close us out. No summary lesson on what this blog’s about. No link to the song as it’s not actually done yet. I suppose all I can say is to keep loving one another. Pray for each other, as sometimes that’s all you can really do.