Holiday Party and Reno, NV

December 18th, 2014

 Hello,

          Last night Scott and I attended his holiday work party at a nearby Mexican Restaurant in Tahoe City. We had all you can eat tacos for $15 each which included two free margaritas. There was a DJ that played at 8pm and we left about 10pm. It was a fun party. Scott is working today so I went for a walk along Donner Lake. The views of the mountains next to the lake are magnificent. Then I had lunch at a restaurant across the street from where we live which was good. They serve breakfast and lunch from 7a-2p daily. So it's convenient to be able to walk over there whenever we want and there's a small grocery market there as well.

          Tomorrow we will drive to Reno, Nevada and spend the night at a hotel that has a casino in it. We will play CRAPS and plan on winning a lot of money! Then I will go to the airport about 415/430am and fly out at 6am. I should land in Miami, Florida about 8pm and then start cruising to the Caribbean on December 21st. It's hard to believe the time has come for me to set sail. I have pretty much everything I need packed and ready to go. I am excited for this new adventure.

         Hope everyone has happy holidays with their family and friends.

Love,

Heidi

Soon to be sea bound!

December 14th, 2014

         
              It is 1037pm on Saturday night in Truckee, California and I am sorting through papers for my upcoming cruise. There is a lot to get done prior to leaving in one week. I have education modules I need to complete on-line, I have flight itineraries to review, a 17 page contract to read and turn in, as well as decide what I will bring for the cruise. Today I went shopping in Reno; I took Vantastic to the city and boy was it an adventure! I missed Scott driving and me being the passenger. It was stressful trying to drive around the small city streets in the beast. However, there aren't many 'big box' stores around here so I had to drive about 40 minutes East to get to a Kohl's and Ross store. I found a long black evening dress that I needed to buy for one of the formal nights I will attend on the cruise ship. I found a second pair of navy blue slacks that fit great (it's hard to find short pants for a 5' 3 person but luckily for me, Kohl's has a petite section). I made my way to an Army Surplus store where I found two white collared t-shirts with buttons (really hard to find short sleeved shirts in the off season). So all in all, I managed to get the last few clothing items that I needed.

          Tomorrow I plan to do some yoga and get some education modules checked off the list. Monday or Tuesday Scott and I will be going to dinner with some new friends. And Wednesday or Thursday we will celebrate Christmas since I'll be gone for Christmas and New Year's Eve :( Then Saturday I will leave Reno/Tahoe Airport in the morning to fly to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I'll spend the night and then ship out on the cruise the next day!

          I've been feeling anxious, excited, nervous, and happy to be in warm weather soon all at the same time. New adventure for me...a lot of things to learn but I'm ready for the challenge! I'm not sure how often I'll get to use the Internet but if I am able I will be putting pictures of my sights from sea on here.

          I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!

Love, Heidi

            

        

We have a home!

December 6th, 2014

          
           We were offered the studio cabin by Donner Lake (the one we looked at the day we arrived)and moved in last night! It is small but just what we need. Fully furnished, we have a new TV with a Blue Ray player and Wi-Fi. Scott's first day at work is today. So I spent the day organizing and catching up on some shows.
         
           Yesterday we drove all around Lake Tahoe. The views were amazing. Water falls, the lake, sandy beaches, mountains, and big trees. I have a book called '501 Must-Visit Destinations' published by Polly Manguel and one of the must see destinations is Lake Tahoe. I am putting a tab on each page of the book that Scott and I visit. So far, we have 8 out of 501 places checked off the list that we've been to together. I look forward to the adventures to come!

          Not much more to report at this time. I have about 2 weeks off before I head out to sea and will continue to organize the place and explore the area more. Hope all is well. I'll probably check in about once per week from now on. I added some more pictures of the last few days of our trip.

          Love,
                  Heidi

Truckee, California

December 5th, 2014

         We arrived to Truckee, California yesterday afternoon! We spent the day having vantastic worked on, they don't make 16.5 tires anymore so it would've been $200 for one used tire in that size. We switched to 16 inch rims with larger tires for much less cost. We spent most of the day in Reno finding the correct size tires and rims between two different shops. Everything was finished about 245pm and we continued our journey west toward Truckee which was only about 45 minutes away.

       There was a cute studio apartment we looked at on Donner Lake and really like the place. It is furnished, shares a dock on the lake with a few other people on the property and is about 25 minutes to Alpine Meadows where Scott will work (which is a gorgeous drive along a creek and through forest).

         We ate at Moody's Restaurant in Truckee last night which was delicious. The town is very quaint with chocolatier stores, breakfast diners, gift shops, and several bars to choose from. There is a train and bus here which goes through the Tahoe area for transportation. We stayed at The Truckee Hotel and had a nice stay. We have about 15 minutes left before check out time so I have to head out. We are going to explore Lake Tahoe today and hopefully hear good news about the apartment so we can move in tonight!

         Happy to have arrived to our final destination...until we plan our next road trip :)

Love,

Heidi & Scott

Tire troubles in Nevada

December 4th, 2014

We were expecting to be in California yesterday however when Scott checked the inside rear tire pressure (there are two tires on the back of both sides), it read low. So we filled up the tires that needed air and ten minutes later that tire that had been low in air blew. We drove another few miles down the road and found a safe place to pull over on the highway. We hung out in the RV for about four hours by the time a proper size tow truck could move our RV. The RV we are driving when it's empty weighs 10,500 pounds! It was a long evening but having a tv and DVD player made the wait pretty easy.

A nice tow truck driver brought us to the tow company he works for in northern Reno where we spent the night in the RV and are now having vantastic looked at (they noticed a slice in a second tire and a bubble in a different one) so we may need three times replaced instead of one. We are hoping to have everything taken care this morning if possible. We'd like to check out a studio apartment we are interested in today that we couldn't see yesterday because of our tire troubles.

There was a huge rainbow when we woke up this morning so we are taking that as a good sign!

Love, 

Heidi

Colorado and Utah

December 2nd, 2014

Hello everyone!

Sorry it has been so long, I've missed updating the blog. I have been dealing with altitude sickness and sinus issues for the past few days. I needed time to rest up. So, after we drove through Kansas we drove to Denver, Colorado and along the way saw the most beautiful sunset. We met up with Scott's friend who let us stay at his apartment which was nice. The next day we walked around Denver and explored the city. We went to a nice coffee shop and visited Union Station which is a beautiful train station which has bars, restaurants, shuffle board tables, and even had a hotel in the building. I would recommend checking this out if you ever visit. We met up with Scott's friend Glenn a few hours later and found a German Christmas Festival. There was a German beer tent set up, we had German food (peroigies and bratwurst), and watched dancers perform. It was a very fun day to explore the city and it was about seventy degrees outside all day. We bought some tire chains in preparation for the snowy weather that we may encounter however so far we've had amazing weather (which I knock on wood every time I say that).

The next day Scott skied at Vail Resort where he use to work two years ago. He skied with his friends while I went shopping with one of his friends' girlfriend named Heather. We had a successful shopping day. I bought snow pants I've been needing and walking shoes that were 30% off. I was experiencing altitude sickness all day which was a downer. That afternoon we left for Park City, Utah which took about seven hours. We arrived about 1am and were both so exhausted. However, we were able to spend the next two nights at a condo my friend offered us. We caught up on sleep, got to do laundry, and watch scandal by the fireplace. Very thankful for this stop. We also met up with our neighbors from last year and had a nice Mexican meal with them. Visiting our old neighborhood was great! Park City is a beautiful place, with Christmas lights decorating the trees and houses this time of year. Like my mother had said while visiting last year " Park City is like living in a fairytale". There is something magical about it. 

We have been on the road since about 4 o'clock in the afternoon (3 hours behind eastern time now). Currently we are driving through Nevada and will spend the night here. Tomorrow, we will have a few hours of driving then reach our final destination of California! We have yet to find an apartment however are hopeful. We have an appointment for tomorrow to check out a studio on Donner Lake and found another cottage tonight that we hope to check out as well. Until we find an apartment we have a few acquaintances that we can stay with temporarily. 

Thank you for taking this journey with us, we love to share our adventures with you! I will continue to blog even when we reach California to let you all know how everything is going.

Love Heidi and Scott

Hawks in Kansas

November 28th, 2014

We have arrived to Denver, Colorado finally! The last two days have been long driving days on flat roads with not much to look at. When we went through the southern part of Kansas headed northwest, we counted 68 Hawks in less than a 3 hour span. We thought at first when we saw the 6th one that it was unbelievable but come on...68...yes it really happened! It was a beautiful sight. Some hawks were soaring in front of the RV and others stood proud on a fence post guarding the cattle in the fields. Another highlight was the warm weather. It was 70-75 degrees in some areas we went through!

Yesterday for Thanksgiving we ate at a Marriot Hotel and had a nice thanksgiving feast which was so big we had leftover turkey sandwiches today. Soon, we will finish eating our apple pie too. We ended up going to a mall in Wichita, Kansas to find a navy blue suit for my cruise ship job. Scott was a trooper and helped me find just the right shoes and navy suit that I needed.

We made a video today of the RV, it's our first one together so bear with us :)
Click here to view a tour of Vantastic

Hope everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving and everyone has their power back!

Love you,

Heidi

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 27th, 2014

Happy Thanksgiving!

       Scott and I are currently in Quapaw, Oklahoma. Yesterday we drove across the northern part of Arkansas to get here. We used the "RV Parky" app on the cell phone which recommended an RV parking area at the Quapaw Casino. When reading the website for reviews, people stated that when they signed up for the casino 'club card', they got a free night to park overnight in the RV parking lot (which has electronic, free Wi-Fi and water hook up). The club card is free to sign up and gives you points when you play slot machines...eventually you get discounts towards restaurants, hotel rooms, etc. So we decided to sign up and when we did, they gave us each $10 to spend on slot machines, $10 to spend on food at anytime, one free night of RV parking and 10% off products at the gas station nearby. We were excited to spend free money on the slot machines, I came out even but Scott ended up winning $30 using their money! We spent our $10 each on breakfast this morning at a restaurant in the casino. 

      This morning we found a monument that represents a spot where you can stand and be in three states at one time (Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas). I don't believe I have been to three states at one time before so that was pretty neat. Currently, Scott is checking the air in the tires, replacing a tail light that went out and then we will put the anti-freeze down the water system pipes so that they do not freeze as the weather is getting colder the further west we drive.

     Yesterday I learned about my options for doing a cruise in December. Originally they offered me to do a cruise that would be a 30 day extended cruise to Hawaii and Tahiti however I would have to leave December 15th, I wouldn't get an official orientation, and I wouldn't be able to bring anyone along unless they could fly out of the US to one of the ports we land on. So, to give myself more time to prepare for my first cruise, to get an actual orientation and to have a guest come with me I will be leaving from December 21st to January 18th to cruise around the Caribbean Islands (this includes the Cayman Islands, Key West, Bahamas, and Cozumel just to name a few!). I will be doing four seven day cruises back to back. I am excited for this new career opportunity. I feel excited, nervous, scared, and happy all at the same time! I will try to continue updating my blog as I continue my adventures out to sea (I should have access to free Wi-Fi on the ship). The cruise ship I will be on carries 2300 passengers and 900 crew members. This will be an entire new world for me as I have never even been on a cruise ship!

     Scott and I will be having our Thanksgiving meal somewhere in Kansas today. We have yet to decide if we will go to a hotel restaurant and have a nice Thanksgiving meal there or do something different like get Chinese or Mexican food. Where ever we are we'll be thinking of our families and friends today. We miss you all and hope you have a lovely day, staying warm and cozy. We are thankful for you.

Love,

Heidi & Scott



     
     

Oil Change Time in Tennessee

November 25th, 2014

Good morning,

I am currently inside McDonald's having a hot chocolate and using their Wi-Fi Internet to apartment search while Scott is getting an oil change done for Vantastic. We went to six different places this morning to get an oil change which most said they couldn't do because the vehicle was too large for their lift/garage or they were too busy. We finally found a place that fit us in for a 130pm appointment (we are an hour behind Maine time now).

We left Tennessee yesterday and drove to a place called Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky. There wasn't a lot going on there when we went through, apparently during the warmer months they have many boat ramps and campgrounds open. Many people fish, hike, etc. When we drove through we saw maybe four cars pass by us during our drive (about an hour) through there and everything was closed. However it was a pretty drive looking at the fields and trees. A highlight in Kentucky was bringing Scott to Cracker Barrel for dinner (he had never been before). There aren't many bridges to bring people from Kentucky to Missouri crossing over the Mississippi River so we had to drive back south into Tennessee (currently in Union City).

Soon we will head out towards southern Missouri and probably take Route 160. Then eventually dip down into Arkansas quick (so Scott can say he's been there) and head back up towards Oklahoma. These next few days are a little zig-zag but that's alright, it's warm in these few states so we are enjoying it before we hit the cold and snow in Colorado.

If I don't get to write before Thanksgiving, I hope everyone has a wonderful day with family and friends. We miss you all!

Love,

Heidi

Nashvegas!

November 24th, 2014

Good morning everyone,

It's a beautiful sunny day here in Nashville, TN. Scott and I stayed in Maggie Valley, NC yesterday and visited a museum called "Wheels Through Time" which was an incredible display of American history. The owner Dale took the time to come speak with us about his motorcycles, automobiles, etc. Everything in his place runs (which he proved to people) and is American made. He has been a collector for about 46 years and his museum has been open for about 12 years. There were all different collections such as military motorcycles and uniforms, old Cadillac and  Corvette vehicles, planes, and much more. If anyone is ever in western North Carolina this stop is definitely worth while to see!

We arrived in Nashville around 6pm last night, had some left over dinner in the RV then took a shuttle from the Two Rivers Campground into downtown Nashville (only $5 to take the shuttle one way). Scott and I had a lot of fun listening to the live bands, dancing and drinking. There were so many live bands everywhere and no cover charge- it was a blast! We bought a CD from a local band that we watched. A doorman taught me how to dance 'country style' which Scott and I attempted to do on the dance floor a bit however we were somewhat out of our league with the local country folk line dancing and twirling each other around. It was great to see everyone having so much fun and I have a lot of respect for the talent and enthusiasm that the bands showed last night.

We took hot showers this morning and are going to have hard boiled eggs for breakfast (quick and easy clean up which is nice for RV living). We are having a great time on our road trip and plan on exploring this area for a few more hours then continuing our journey West. Over the next few days we will cruise through Kentucky (land between the lakes), Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas (because Scott has only a few more states to visit before he completes seeing all the states).

Until next time,

Heidi & Scott

Western North Carolina

 

November 22nd, 2014

Hey Y'all...I feel like I've heard that saying so much these past two days that I want to say it now, haha. It's been a busy few days! Scott and I enjoyed Emerald Isle (part of the outer banks), it was so warm out the day we explored this area we were walking barefoot in the sand along Atlantic Beach. We went to a really neat fort called Fort Macon which was free to go visit and was quite interesting to learn about. Then we met up with my awesome cousin & her family near Raleigh for dinner. It was great to catch up with them since its been a few years since we've seen one another. We spent the night at a campground outside of Asheville, NC and today explored the city. 

Today was 'Jinglefest' in the city of Asheville so they had a parade in the morning, and it was packed with people. We were able to see a demonstration of a guy glass blowing which was neat. There were several musicians playing on the street and were really good. We ate lunch at a restaurant named Tupelo Honey Cafe, and the forty minute wait was worth it! I counted 8 chefs/kitchen personnel at one point and they were all hustling so fast. Delicious food! This city has a lot of local crafters everywhere. We picked up some chocolate truffles from The Chocolate Fetish store and boy were they good. I think we paid almost ten dollars for six chocolates but I'd do it again if I had the choice! I was not expecting Asheville to be as big of a city as it is. As fun as it was today, Scott and I reconfirmed that we just aren't city people. Give us mountains, water, and wildlife and we're happy campers ;)

We are now in a town called Maggie Valley further west from Asheville camping here for the night. Tomorrow we will visit a museum called' Wheels Through Time' which was recommended by a couple we met along the Blue Ridge Parkway who were very down to earth. I forgot to mention Scott and I drove along this parkway which was beautiful, the mountains really do have a blue haze to them. We are excited to check out the Smoky Mountains tomorrow on our way to Tennessee. 

Goodnight y'all,

Heidi and Scott

North Carolina

November 19th, 2014

Today we drove from Virginia to North Carolina. North Carolina has many farmer's markets which were closed due to the cold season we are in now but it seems like it would be a great place to get some fresh, local food during the warmer months. Virginia had many tobacco stores and North Carolina has many monster trucks on gigantic wheels. They were everywhere when we crossed over the border.

The first major stop we made was at the Wright Brother's Monument and museum in Kill Devil Hills. These two brothers were the first to create and fly the first powered airplane. Their lives are quite interesting if you have the chance to read more about them. 

When we reached the outer banks we ate a late lunch at Kill Devil Grill. We had delicious chicken wings for an appetizer and I had a great mahi fish meal with sweet potatoes, beans,and mango sauce. The flavors went surprisingly great together! Scott had a flounder fish sandwich which he enjoyed as well. We are definitely loving the seafood. Before we left were advised by a staff member to continue down the outer banks to check out several islands which you get to via ferry. We are currently making our way to Ocracoke Island to spend the night. We are staying warm in our rv...windy and dark out currently. 

Highlight of the outer banks was Pea Island which is basically one paved road surrounded by miles and miles of sand. The ocean view is beautiful (no mansions blocking it) and the sun setting was spectacular! This island is a wildlife refuge protected area, these are some of the most magnificent places Scott and I have been to because you can actually enjoy the natural beauty of the landscape.

Stay warm everyone!

Heidi

P.S. We saw two eagles yesterday!

Pocomoke City, Maryland

 November 18th, 2014

We woke up in the Wal-Mart parking lot near a Chevy dealership on the border of Virginia. Yesterday, the first dealership we went too was too busy to check out vantastic. So, decided to push forward and kept going south through Maryland. While waiting for "the beast" to be checked out we went to Pocomoke City. We went to a restaurant along the Pocomoke River which was very good. We both had the special of the day, Maryland crab soup and a shrimp salad sandwich. Yummy!

We walked around the river for about twenty minutes then went to the " Delmarva Discovery Museum" where we took an audio tour and learned about the history of the area. Ship building had a very important economical impact on this city back in the day. And they are known for their crabbing industry. Sadly, the town seemed to be quite desolate and run down now. Eventually, we got the call that our ride was ready. Vantastic needed a new alternator, ac belt that fit properly and a nail from one of the rear tires was removed and patched up. Which cost about $540 total, Scott managed to knock down the price by twenty dollars by convincing the staff advisor that it shouldn't be that expensive. :) So we got a free shuttle to and from town as well as lunch covered by them. Got to look at the positives! 

We went to Chincoteague Island in Virginia from there and timed it perfect to watch the sun set. We walked the sandy beach for a bit and walked to a lighthouse. Then we did a scenic loop in the van waiting, watching, and more watching for wild horses. After a few miles of seeing a variety of birds, Scott spotted a wild horse near by. Great way to leave the wildlife refuge park! Before driving off the island we went to Island Creamery which is a local ice cream shop. The chocolate & peanut butter hand made ice cream was delicious!

Just now went over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge...which includes two tunnels. It was 18miles long! Now heading to a campground near Virginia beach for the night...has hot showers-yay!

Tomorrow we will explore the outer banks of North Carolina. The adventures continue...

Rainy Monday in Maryland

November 17th, 2014

We left Allentown, Pennsylvania yesterday after spending a nice visit with Scott's grandparents and Aunt Terri. We had a nice dinner when we arrived and went out for a big meal at a local diner the next morning. We had the best sleep yet at their house. 

Scott and I are currently at a Chevy dealership in Laurel, Maryland having "vantastic" looked at... it's been making a squeaky noise when we drive under 25mph. Before the problem gets worse we decided to have it checked out. They are super busy but squeezed us into their schedule for today and said it would be about 4-6 hours. It's pouring rain today so we are not going to walk around Washington D.C. because it wouldn't be that enjoyable. Instead, we will run some errands around town (they have a free shuttle service) and get some food. Maybe even check out the casino around here. 

 Last night we spent the night at Greenbelt Park Campground which was great. The propane heating system kept us nice and warm! Scott hooked up a DVD player and we were able to watch a movie. I found an app that I downloaded on Scott's phone called "rv parky" which helps you locate places to stay nearby such as Wal-Mart, campgrounds, etc.

We hope to continue south towards Virgina beach tonight since tomorrow is suppose to be super cold. We will see Washington D.C. when the weather is better and we have more time. 

Writing this on my phone, so bear with me. Hope everyone is well! 

Love yah, 

Heidi

P.S. more pictures to come soon... having some technical difficulties. 

Down East Drivers

November 15th, 2014

         The propane heater arrived late Wednesday at Big Moose RV in Ossipee New Hampshire. The staff there were great and worked hard to get the heater in for us as quickly as possible with out sacrificing the safety of the job. The mechanic answered any and all questions we had about how to work the propane, water system, etc. And he gave us important safety tips to remember along the way. The salesman was very friendly and told us to call if we had any questions on our road trip. I would definitely recommend this place!

          We left Acton, Maine on Thursday the 13th and made a few stops along the way to see some of Heidi's family. Our first overnight was spent in Carver, MA where we stayed with friends. They were wonderful hosts, we were made a yummy breakfast and were able to take hot showers in the morning. The next day we left for Cape Cod where we met up with a couple from Treasure  Island whom Scott knows from the lake he grew up on, they brought us to local beaches and showed us around Cotuit and Osterville. We took a quick ride through Hyannis then visited Heidi's great aunt. 

         From Cape Cod we drove to Providence, RI where we stayed with friends. We went to a Mexican Restaurant called El Rancho Grande which was amazing! We had mariscos (shrimp, scallops, and chorizo served in a spicy chili sauce) for an appetizer, taquitos fritos (3 fried corn tortillas filled with shredded pork, chicken and potatoes), burrito and fish taco. The food was delicious, affordable, and the atmosphere was a cozy one with a blend of all different types of people there. The owner Maria came to our table and offered us tequila shots which was fun. We had a nice relaxing night catching up with friends and left this morning making our way towards Pennsylvania now to spend the night at Scott's grandparents. 

        Overall, it's been a great journey so far! In the future I'd like to check out more of the cape (in the off season again) because there is so much more to see. Surviving the New York traffic right now. People are waving at us as I take pictures through the van's window over the bridge, happy commuters traveling along beside us today.

       Love to all!
Heidi and Scott

VANTASTIC TIME!

November 11th, 2014

       I am officially all packed up and ready for our 2014 road trip which will start from Acton, Maine and eventually bring us to Olympic Valley, California over a two week period. We are at Scott's parent's house tonight awaiting our ride to be ready to drive (hopefully tomorrow). Scott purchased a 1986 extended van which he named "Vantastic". A new propane heater will be placed in it tomorrow or the next day and then we will head out. Scott got a job as a full-time ski instructor at Alpine Meadows Ski Resort and I will be working as a Registered Nurse for Holland America Cruise Ship Line. I am still waiting to find out where I will go and when.
      We feel blessed to be able to take this time and go exploring again. I plan on updating this blog every week or so with pictures of our road trip and some videos of the RV, landscapes, etc. Thank you to all of our friends and family who have supported our adventurous spirit. We will miss you all. Below is a link to the first YouTube video that Scott made of the ride we will be taking on the trip. We will post another video soon which will show upgrades we've made to it!
      Until next time, love to all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUWKDa-qDFY

A Fun February

February 23rd, 2014

February has been quite a busy and fun-filled month. My parents visited from Maine for two weeks! We had a blast going snowshoeing, hiking, cross country skiing and relaxing watching the Olympics together. It was nice to see family again.

I have given my notice to my manager that I will be leaving at the end of May. I am ready for a change in my career. I still want to continue to stay in the nursing field and want to stay per diem in an ER setting however not full-time. I am exploring cruise ship nursing possibilities as of right now. I will let everyone know what my future summer plans are as soon as I know! Scott would like to be working on a boat on the water somewhere. He is thinking about going for his Captain's license.

So many possibilities and so much to see while we are out west. I want to visit California and Wyoming. I have a week planned in Portland, Oregon where I will attend a Holistic Nursing Conference. We are trying to fit in a trip to Las Vegas before going home to Maine too. Win that money, money, money playing the game of craps :)

Below I put some pictures of Scott and I dogsledding.

Until next time,
Heidi

Happy New Year!

January 1st, 2014

Happy New Year Everyone!

         Scott and I saw fireworks last night at The Canyons Resort which was a nice display. Then we made our way to one of several fireplaces that are outside. We sat in a big circle with many others trying to warm up. We met some people from the East coast and it was fun to hear East coast humor again. After about an hour or so we played foosball outside against our neighbors. It was a fun night. Scott has to work this morning teaching skiing and I get today and tomorrow off; I just finished three nights in a row which is why I am typing this at 1:45 in the morning. I need to transition back to days again.

        Looking back, 2013 has been quite the year. Big changes in my life starting with last winter when Scott moved to Vail, Colorado and I stayed on Orr's Island, Maine. We were living apart for about 5 months. Then we took a road trip back from Colorado to Maine which was quite the trip. We saw a lot of amazing sights along the way. Who would've thought that we would end up in Utah which was our favorite destination from our first road trip. We had gone to Zion National Park in Southern Utah and really loved it. The summer seemed to fly by and when fall came upon us we made the decision to move out west. We played around with some different states but our final decision was to move to Park City, UT. It took a lot of planning and researching however we finally got all of our ducks in a row by November and took our second cross-country road trip together before Thanksgiving.

         It's been difficult being away from family and friends especially during the holidays but we are blessed to have one another. We are thankful to have each other to explore new places, try new things, and live an adventurous life side by side. Some people are afraid of change however I believe taking that leap of faith and flipping your world upside down can be a great thing for you! Change makes you step out of your comfort zone and tests you...I remember being very nervous to work in a new environment-not knowing anyone out here. I thought, am I a good enough nurse to handle the challenges that I might have to face? Will I like my new co-workers and will they like me? Many more questions arose but once I took that chance I realized I could handle the task at hand. I have learned an entire new charting system, I have learned an entire new patient flow in the ER, I have learned a lot about orthopedic care such as splinting, etc. And I gain more confidence every shift I work. Change can be scary for sure but you learn so much about your values, about other people and about yourself.

       So here is to change for 2014. Whether that means changing the way you treat people-being nicer to everyone. Try to smile more...happy people attract happy people. Maybe you decide to start taking beginner yoga classes or beginner dance classes. Maybe you want to change careers because you're unhappy with your job or maybe you want to leave a relationship that is no longer healthy for you to be apart of...change is good. Although it can be difficult, the end result is a happier you. So if you're unhappy with something in your life-change it! As for me, I'm exploring ways to learn more about holistic medicine since that has really been my interest now for several years. I also plan on taking dance classes regularly this year (either ballet or contemporary) and I will apply for my Holistic Nursing Certification.
Life happens so quickly...some people may think that I am so young and I have so much time to accomplish my goals however I can't believe that I'll already be 26 this year! I have so much I want to learn about, explore, and accomplish, so I'm starting now.

        Here's to a healthy & happy new year,

Heidi