Anthony & I woke up early Monday morning to go to the NJ DMV to get driver’s licenses and register our cars. Thankfully we went at the right time as we waited maybe 5 minutes to get our licenses and a few more for the tags. What took the longest was waiting on our vehicle inspections. After we got that taken care of we drove down to Philly. We had aspirations of going to see Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and possibly the US Mint. Guess what? We only saw the Liberty Bell due to our lack of planning. We drove around forever finding Pat’s and then we stopped at Ikea. It was too late by the time we got to the Historical District to get passes to Independence Hall and it was almost 3 by the time we would have arrived at the US Mint (which they stop giving tours at that time). I’m glad we went though because we now know where, what, etc. for our next adventure.

Anthony on the steps of the 2nd Bank of America

So if you scroll down to the farm pictures you will see our crazy electronic key.  It failed us tonight.  Anthony had rented Clockwork Orange from the library and it was due today.  He finally watched it and we took it back to the library.  I grabbed my drivers license and keys, Anthony had nothing on him.  We lock up, drive to the library and come back in 10 minutes.  Then Anthony tries to unlock the door (you have to wait a few seconds for it to register and then there’s a green light) and it doesn’t work.  The green light blinks 3 times and there’s no unlocking mechanism like normal.  I start knocking on our neighbors doors hoping one of them has the emergercy number with a phone.  Thankfully we met Fran who was the sweetest ever.  She called the emergency number and it was directed to an operator in Los Angeles!  The operator preceds to tell us that if we aren’t elderly or have an infant they can’t help us, that we should call a locksmith!  Our neighbor hangs up and calls again.  Another operator answers and calls the on-site maintanence person for us (THANK YOU!)  It took 45 minutes for us to finally get back into the apartment.  Anthony’s key does work, but I’m going to have to go to the office in the morning to get a new one.  It just blows me away - what if it was later in the evening and everyone was asleep?  Then we would be really screwed.  Also, what good does an emergency maintanence number do if you can’t use it?

Have you noticed the new look?  There are several changes that will be happening over the next few days. I’m really excited about it.

Here are some pictures of our second evening at the Stults Farm. We came back when they weren’t closing up shop with my camera and some cash.

Anthony picking fresh green beans!  I can’t wait to cook them - I think they’re going to be incredible.

Anthony with our green bean loot!

This is bittermelon. I had never heard or seen these interesting melons.

Of course I had to get a picture with the bittermelon!

I know these aren’t that great of bell peppers but we picked a huge fragrant green bell pepper. Again, I can’t wait to cook it this weekend.

This is a random thing, but I wanted to take a picture of this STRANGE key. Its our house key. I think it looks like a pacifier and I won’t even mention what Anthony says it looks like. I know that its a secure thing (I mean we put it in the door, wait 5 seconds for it to register before we can lock or unlock the place). It also allows us into our pool, the workout facility and more.  Its cumbersome too!

We found a library and have already began to utilize it. I have also discovered that I was spoiled with the Nashville Public Library system. They are way ahead of the times with self checkout, ability to pick up your reserved books, and more. At the Mercer County Library system, the librarians get your reserved things and check you out. Now it wouldn’t be a problem if I didn’t have to wait forever for all those things to happen. I do like that books are easily available. I waited patiently for The 4 Hour Work Week for MONTHS and then right before our move I become #2. Well I have it in my possession now and I haven’t even had my library card for a week.

Grocery Stores: Let me tell you, I LOVED Publix in Nashville.  We had quite the relationship and I really do miss the store.  Last week I went to 3 different grocery stores within 10 miles of our place and I like 2 of them.  Depending on what I’m shopping for will depend on what store I will visit.  First up is Wegman’s. Now this store is incredible - they have a HUGE wine and beer store, lots of premade food, an incredible bakery, fish market, and all the other loads of stuff you may find at Whole Foods for “reasonable” prices. My friend Lauren who is originally from this area told me that Wegmen’s is becoming THE store with electronics and more. Now our store doesn’t have electronics but it does sell nice glassware and dishware.  The second store is Super Fresh. This is more like Publix to me, in that they run 2 for 1 deals all the time (which I LOVE!) and when I went it was quiet! There weren’t a ton of people there and it was a late Saturday afternoon which blew me away.

Last thing that I am more than ecstatic for is Pick Your Own Farms! They are everywhere here! After dinner this evening we decided to explore a little and found Stults Farm. We’re going back tomorrow with my camera and hopefully we’ll pick some veggies. It was almost 7pm when we got there and that’s the time they closed so we didn’t want to keep wondering around while they were trying to pack up. Prices are incredible and so worth the little drive to the farm. I will post pictures tomorrow evening because I’m just that excited!

Anthony and I both have job interviews on Friday morning, so keep your fingers crossed we get both of them. He’s applied to work at the PTS library and I’m almost positive he’ll get it! I’ve applied as a part-time nanny to help pay the bills before my business really starts to take off up here.

And I finally got the pictures off my point and shoot camera of the shower I attended before we left Nashville.  From left to right, Katie, Carrie, Kelly, and Myself.

We’ve only been in Princeton for a week and I’ve already have a flight booked for Nashville in September. I got a great deal through Southwest and just couldn’t resist.

This is a record (for us anyways), we have been in Princeton for 4 days (the first was unloading the truck) and we are all unpacked, with things on the walls. There are a few minor things I need to do which you will see in our master bedroom. I don’t have a picture of Anthony’s office/guest bedroom or his bathroom. I had just taken everything that belongs to our Wii out and it was strung all over the place in the office.

You can see our front door and right after the fire extinguisher (which I don’t understand why its where it is but oh well) is our master bedroom.

Straight ahead is the laundry room. We are having to get use to the refrigerator door being on the other side and all the little quarks that will take some getting used to.

Our huge square table with my own art work displayed. The silverware was the first thing to go on the walls after dinner on Saturday. It was important to me to get them up as I’m proud of them.

Our small living room. Thankfully our huge sofa fit!  The little catch-all table will be redecorated once I figure out what I want to place there besides the two mismatched photos.  My mom added the red to the bottom of the curtains to make them longer and mimic a lamp that’s in the corner there.

You can see the edge of Anthony’s office there.  And his bathroom is over to the far right.

Looking into our master bedroom with the bathroom on the left and my large walkin closet to the right.

The wall opposite our bed with my desk and what not there. As you can see I still have things everywhere but I’m getting there.

My bathroom, nice and spacious!

We arrived in Princeton Friday close to 5pm. It took us a total of 13 hours driving time, with a few stops for food, gas, and restaurant stops. I felt good about our time as mapquest told us it would be over 14 hours. Saturday morning we woke early (I mean I did and that in turn woke everyone up) to get prepared for the movers and what not.  Unfortunately we couldn’t get the keys to the apartment until 10am and the moving truck was set to arrive at 9:45.  HA - I made them wait this time!!  After we got the keys, Carlos asked if I had the money.  I told him I’d go write the check right now and that was a bad idea.  I needed a bank check, money order, or travler’s check.  So my mom and I went to locate a bank and by the time we got back it was almost 11am.  I made them wait another hour!!!  That made me happy since we waited all day Wednesday and then half the day Thursday for them.

It was a mad house for awhile, but by the time dinner rolled around we (as in my mom and I) had a lot of the apartment unpacked.  As you will see in the last one, Anthony and his buddy unpacked his office and then sat around watching Oklahoma football games we recorded last season.  I have even put up some of my own artwork in the dining room (no picture yet) and that just makes it feel like home.  We are enjoying the new place.  Its nice, new, and spacious.  The ceilings are high so that means there is a lot of extra storage in the closets, the bedrooms are decent size and I love the kitchen (which we have put all away - that is such a relief).

I took this first picture about 3pm in our living room and now there are only 4 boxes in there.  So that just shows the progress we’ve made.  Once we get it more homey I will take some more pictures for you to see.

Our master bedroom with the bed made and all.

After the truck arrived 2 hours later than they told us (12:30ish), we are finally getting on the road right at 5 o’clock traffic!  YEAH!  Its been two hellish days and I am beyond pissed.  I hate when you get promised something and it doesn’t happen.  The driver told me they’d be there on Saturday - and I will let you know if that happens or not.   If you are the praying type, please keep us in our prayers over the next two days as we travel to Princeton.  Thank you in advance!

It Thursday morning, 8:45am and we are STILL waiting on the darn moving truck to arrive.  Monday I called the company to confirm they will be here on Wednesday morning, and it was all set.  I wake up early yesterday to call to see what time they’d arrive.  Oh wait, THEY AREN’T COMING until the morning.  This just chaps my hide, so here we are waiting patiently with everything we own in boxes when we should already be on our way to Princeton. :(  I am not a happy camper, but when they do arrive it better take them less than 2 hours to load it up and they better arrive Saturday morning no questions asked.  They have put us in a bind and I’m just not happy.

And because I don’t want to post without a picture, here is my hubby with his two younger brothers and both of his grandmothers. We were celebrating the boys birthdays (their birthdays are 5 days apart, and then 6 years difference between them with Anthony being the oldest).

This is such a small portion of our crazy life right now. Everything we own (basically) is in boxes right now.  Tomorrow morning the moving truck will be here to load it all up.  I have this terrible fear that somethings going to break, they’ll put my precious lamp shades under heavy boxes, it won’t arrive in Princeton on Saturday.  Not that I’m being negative or anything, just concerns.  I’ve tried very hard to keep everything organized (kitchen stuff together, living room, etc.)  So hopefully when they unload it, it will be easy to place where it needs to be.

I really am excited about moving to Princeton, NJ.  Just not looking forward to the 13 hour drive ahead of us on Thursday.  Thankfully my mom and Anthony’s buddy are flying out here tomorrow to drive with us and give us support.  I will be documenting our journey, so check back to see where we stop, our new place, and more.