Christmas Tree

Yesterday Doug and I went and got our very first Christmas tree. It was very exciting to be getting a tree together for our new house. We didn't go cut it down ourselves but we did go to the lot and get a beautiful, very full tree. It is around 7 feet tall - we aren't sure what kind it is but it is a really full and gorgeous tree. Last night we had fun decorating it and putting lights up. We have very few decorations for the house but we did put out what we have. Also, last evening was the tree lighting and boat parade in Mystic. They did a lighting around 6:00 and following that they opened up the Mystic draw bridge and there was a parade of boats decorated with Christmas lights. Both sides of the river were lined with people and it was very full to be out and about and feel like we are residents here. We are so excited for holiday season and are really looking forward to our visits out west to see both our families.

Panini Press

We both want to give another big thank you to Mema and Papa for our amazing Panini Press! We opened it yesterday and have already used it twice since then. The sandwiches are quick and amazing. Last evening we made Reuben and this afternoon we had pressed turkey sandwiches. We can already tell that it will be well used!

Unpacking

Today we are spending the day sorting through all of our things that came from Washington. It is so exciting to finally have all of our wedding gifts in one place. Some things we completely forgot about so it is really a lot of fun to unpack everything. Today is actually a perfect day to spend around the house because we are having cold weather with rain and very strong winds. It is nice to be able to stay inside and get things done at the same time.

Boston Symphony Orchestra

In honor of Veteran's Day the Boston Symphony Orchestra was giving complementary tickets to all military service members. Several of Doug's friends were going to drive to Boston to watch a performance so we all went together. The music was absolutely amazing. We loved the music and it was a great atmosphere. We ended up with orchestra seating so we were very close to the musicians. We already had purchased tickets to see the Boston Pops in December so now we are even more excited!

New Job

Well - I have great news! Last Thursday I had an in-person job interview at the Eagleview Child Development Center as a follow up to a phone interview. The center is about 20 minutes away from us. The position is working with young children helping to advance their cognitive, emotional, and physical development. The interview went great and I did some "classroom" observation at the end. Each room has up to 8 children so there is a very low staff/child ratio. At the end of the interview process I was told she was going to call my references and would get back to me on Monday. Yesterday I got the call that they would like to offer me the job! It was great to hear that the position has been open for a few months but they were being very picky. I thought the decision over and called back this morning to accept the position. I am very excited to have gotten hired so quickly, and also in a position that is related to my major from Willamette. The experience will be great for my current graduate work as well. In addition to great training and certification programs they offer other benefits that include tuition reimbursement and several holidays. Although I won't need any of the healthcare benefits the rest are all things that I really plan to take advantage of. I am excited to gain some certifications from my experience which will be helpful in gaining future positions as well. Tomorrow is my first day which will just be spend doing paperwork and a little bit of training.

Picture of house

Moved in!

Well, we made it! We are all moved in to our new house and almost unpacked. Our things arrived on Monday and we just got internet connection today. Most boxes are all unpacked and we are getting used to our new house. Our next move (from Washington) should arrive within the week so that will give me a lot more to unpack. In the meantime I am working on keeping up-to-date with my class and also preparing for job interviews. Doug has started his new program and is enjoying it so far. The schedule is much better than the one in NY and he is done in the early afternoon.