#30daysofappreciation {Round 2}

If you're new to the blog, we are down to the last couple weeks in our journey abroad. I can't believe I am typing that. It has flown by, and I definitely have mixed feelings about leaving.  I am getting pumped for the events and new things planned in the upcoming months.

On my instagram account, I started a #30daysofappreciation daily picture post.  Since many of you are not followers of mine on instagram, I thought I would share the pictures and reasons behind my appreciation or "I'm really going to miss ______" posts.  Check out the Round 1 pictures 1-10, here.

#Day11: Energy Saving Outlets
This is a weird thing to appreciation...but I love the electrical outlets in England. I love how you can keep something plugged in (i.e. phone charger) all the time without it using electricity by turning the switch off.  What a great invention!

#Day12: Cheap Airlines
I LOVE the cheap airlines like Ryanair, EasyJet, jet2.com, flybe, etc. They quick (although annoying during the flight at times) and efficient.  We can be in Rome for 30 pounds and in 2 hours...that is amazing! I know airlines in the continental United States are expensive, so I know we won't have this luxury when we return back. 

#Day13: Experiencing New Traditions
I have already posted about friendships, but experiencing new cultural traditions, like our friends' wedding.  It was fun wearing a fascinator (hat or hairpiece English women wear during special events), seeing the differences in the ceremony & reception, and enjoying the fun with our local friends. 

#Day14: Breads, Eggs, and Cheese
Another food obsession, shocker! I will miss the amazing bread, eggs, and especially...cheese over here.  Wow, it tastes so much better.  Not only do they all have less preservatives, but you can just tell they are made with the right ingredients.  I wish I could take all the different cheeses back with me, because I love ending my meal with a cheese plate. Such a great idea!

#Day15: Adventures with my Best Friend
Here's the one you were all waiting for...the sappy appreciation!  I have loved spending the last 18 months with my best friend, traveling around Europe.  Not only have we gotten even closer, but we also feel like we can conquer anything! What a great man I married!

#Day16: No Alarm!
This is one I can honestly say I have thought about every morning, and appreciated it every single day.  I know Jeff and my parents can attest to the fact that I despise my alarm clock.  So every morning, waking up naturally for the last 18 months (minus the early rise flights) has been amazing.  Now before you think I'm a lazy bum, I don't sleep in.  I usually wake up when Jeff leaves for work, and just enjoy my leisurely mornings.  Don't hate me.

 
#Day17: "The Gym"
I have really enjoyed having a place that gets me out every day.  The gym I go to is called "The Gym" and it is not anything special.  It is large in size with many different types of equipment.  Although, all I need are a few weights and a treadmill, and I am happy.  It has been a nice getaway during the day, and it has been nice on those rainy days....it forces me outside. Ha!

#Day18: Reading
As a teacher, I am sad to say I did not have a love for reading growing up.  I started my passion as an adult, and it has been fantastic to be able to have time to actually sit down and read a book (or 15).  I made it a goal to start reading books that were soon to be coming out as films.  I am still hitting my list pretty hard, but the local library doesn't have the ones I need to finish my list.  I am looking forward to continuing this new found hobby in the states. 

#Day19: Road Trips
Love, love, love our road trips.  It is probably easy for me to say that given, I don't have to do any of the driving.  So thankful for Jeff and his fantastic English driving skills.  Although there are times I get car sick on these windy roads, I still love seeing the countryside and being to a new place in just a couple hours.  I will miss jumping in the car, knowing I get to experience a new place and new things.  I am hoping Jeff and I continue this in the states and visit places fairly close to home on our free weekends. (P.s. The picture is from last spring at the Peak District)

#Day20: New/Favorite Restaurants
Brown's is one of our favorite restaurants in Nottingham.  The restaurant is a block from our flat.  We used to just go there for drinks, as there is a cute little patio to the side of the restaurant.  Although, we have been there for dinner quite a few times, and each time the menu has changed and it has been fantastic! It has a classy feel, but still the classic British food (fish & chips, pies, etc.).  We were excited to have our "Leaving Do" with close friends there on Saturday night to enjoy the spot one more time.

On to the next adventure...

#30daysofappreciation {Round 1}

Tuesday, May 12th was officially our one month left mark.  In honor of that, I decided to post a photo a day on my Instagram account to show my appreciation of our amazing time over here.  Pictures include anything from food (shocker), daily life, and/or things for which I am very thankful.  It really made me stop and smell the roses one last time of those things I will miss when moving back to the states.

Since many of my blog followers are not followers on Instagram (*cough, Christin), I decided to share my photos of the last 10 days of appreciation.  I will post two more times to share the other 20 photographs.

#Day1: Relocation Assessment
The relocation company came by to assess how much stuff we have to ship back to the states.  It was kind of funny it landed right on our 1 month mark.  We chatted for a bit, and then he assessed our stuff. He said we were right at our limit, so I best not go out and buy anything over the next month.

 

 #Day2: Time to Cook

I have absolutely LOVED my time in the kitchen over here.  I could start dinner at 5:30 some days, knowing Jeff wouldn't be home until 7.   It really allowed me to play with recipes, explore, and have time to make healthy foods.  I know I am going to miss that, as I will be working, and the amount of prep time will be eliminated.  I have already been trying to think about ways to prep over the weekends, so I am able to cook more clean and healthy.  Wish me luck!

 

#Day3: Mackey

Although it has been expensive to keep him over here in terms of getting him to/from the states, I wouldn't have had it any other way.  He has become even more loveable! Who knew that was possible?  His personality has changed, but for the better.  I think he has enjoyed his time over here, watching pigeons and sleeping in every windowsill possible.  I definitely enjoyed having that "piece of home" with me.

#Day4: Friends

We have made some great friends (both Americans and locals).  We have been able to travel, have nights out, girls and boys nights, and plenty of time to chat about life.  That was one thing I was really nervous about when moving over here, as we both have amazing friends at home.  We will miss our local friends, but hope to still see our new American friends in the states once we all move back. 

#Day5: Beer

I should probably point out that these are in no particular order.  As you have yet to see a picture of Jeff, does not mean he is not my #1 thing I appreciate over here.  Okay, now that we have cleared that up...beer.  We have enjoyed trying all the different kinds of beer over here.  During the first year, we took a picture of every new pint we had.  That got old pretty quickly, so we stopped taking a a picture of each pint.  Jeff had a project envisioned.  We definitely enjoyed that part of England, but in the same sense, we won't miss the crazy amount of drinking.  

#Day6: Traveling

The bag below barely made it over the one year mark before being thrown away.  I thought for sure that when we were in London a couple weeks ago it was going to completely break.  It made it home before saying my final farewell to it.  It was the perfect size, as you have to have a fairly small bag to fly on budget airlines, like we do.  It would fit in the top bin or under the seat with no problems.  I never had to worry about it! I definitely got my 12 pounds worth out of this bag, as it traveled to many amazing places around Europe.

 

#Day7: Beautiful Spots

This one goes along with #6, but all of the beautiful places we were able to see during our time abroad is something I will never under appreciate.   I will speak on behalf of Jeff (I geuss I always do that, but...) and say that were very appreciative of how many trips, whether big or small, that we were able to go on.  We were so glad we spent our money on traveling, as we will have those memories, pictures, and video forever. 

#Day8: Visitors

We had so many visitors over the last year and a half! Seventeen, but who's counting?   We have loved every visit, and each one was unique in its own way.  We tried to do something a little different with each visitor, whether it was a local restaurant, new European trip, or a tourist attraction we had never been to in our own city! We enjoyed showing off "our world"

#Day9: Tea

In the states I would NEVER drink tea. Not iced tea, hot tea, flavored tea...etc.  My friends here continued to "bully" me into liking tea. I tried it each time we were together.  Now, I can officially say I drink a cup of hot tea every morning and no longer drink coffee at all.  What a transition!

 

#Day10: House/Flat

I definitely do not spend enough time appreciating the house, which was converted into 8 flats that we live in. It is in a fantastic location with a beautiful view from every window.  If I want ice cream, I can have it in hand within 5 minutes. Amazing! It is definitely an English feeling house, which is nice.  We want to embrace the culture as much, and I think our single pane windows that make our flat colder than it is outside is embracing it! Ha!