Established...or getting close

Living in the city is definitely starting to grow on me, mostly because after trying out (5) grocery stores, I finally found on that is really great! Yes, I know that is the most exciting news anyone has ever heard, but when you live in a basement apartment and have to travel down stairs to get groceries inside, you have to visit the market much more than normal. Honestly, I have absolutely no clue how people in Manhattan buy groceries--it is insane trying to get a few bags from the car to the apartment--I cannot imagine how people get groceries to a five floor walk-up with no car YIKES! The good news is, J doesn't mind going to the market on the weekends so when we do a big shopping spree we at least have four hands to get those groceries inside. I have to say, we are both pretty stubborn about making one trip, it has to be hilarious watching us load our arms up with bags and stumble toward the apartment building and venture down the stairs to finally fall into the door with grocery bags all the way up our arms. Yesterday I went to the market by myself and had to make two trips, I was so ashamed! (ha!)

Honestly, finding a place to buy groceries is sort of a big deal because it's a little bit of normal in this big place that we are still trying to navigate. I do have to admit I am still not totally adept in meal planning--thankfully J doesn't complain about having salad every night as a side item--but I feel like meal planning equals a lot more grocery bags and I am NOT ready to fight more bags just yet.

As far as being established goes, it is getting easier to recite our new address, and I am getting really good at writing my new last name. We haven't hung any pictures or decorations on the walls, but we can finally see the dining room table AND walking from the living room to the dining room is no longer a maze! This new feeling of accomplishment was met with an awesome package from our wonderful friends in VA--I have always wanted one of these and my best friend totally surprised us, we cannot wait to hang this--