To Do

Today was orientation for my new job. It was long and boring and all I want to do is get started with the actual job. But tomorrow I have 7 more hours of training, and hopefully it will be a little more interesting than signing papers for the last 7 hours.

Since I don't have much to say about today I'd thought I'd do a post on things I want to do in Tampa, or the near-ish area.

1. Levi has never been to Disney World or Universal Studios. It will take quite a bit of savings as it's a lot more expensive than Adventureland. Yet I think it's so worth it!


2. Gasparilla. It's a Pirate Festival held in January every year. I don't know much about it other than they have a big parade and throw beads then have a massive party. Florida's version of Mardi Gras? I'm not sure, but I want to experience it!


3. Lowry Park Zoo. Levi loves animals and can often be found watch the Animal Planet or any show about big cats. I'm sure he could spend hours just watching them.

4. For the same reasons, Big Cat Rescue. It's a rescue sanctuary for abandoned and abused big cats. Aside from lions, tigers, and cougars they also have ocelots and caracals, neither of which i've heard about.

5. I want to go across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. At Sunset. The bridge is 5.5 miles long. And look at that picture! Isn't it gorgeous?!

6. Go to a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game. Maybe? I'm not too much into football, and I know they may not even be having the NFL this fall but I mean, if I can see the stadium from my window, I may as well experience a game once. Right? Again, i'd be saving for awhile.

7. Ice hockey! Um, yes please. Tampa Bay Lightening.

I think that's a long enough list for now. And until we get money saved up for those things (and get some furniture in our apartment, which definitely comes first!) we'll probably just spend some more lovely days at the beach.

Our First Weekend

My little sister and I

Levi, Grandpa, and Seth

After my Grandpa, my little sister and her boyfriend, and Levi's dad left Tampa to make the journey back to Iowa, Levi and I were on our own in this great big city.


So what did we do? What any two 23 year olds in our situation would do. We went to the beach and swam. I tanned, he dug a hole. A deep one. We're talking above my knees deep. We are almost tan enough to look like we fit in. We must be starting to look more like Floridians and less like tourists because a few days prior we got a "10% off" at an ice cream shoppe on the pier for being locals while Levi's father did not. After our time at the beach Levi bought me a raspberry-banana smoothie over losing a bet over whether or not there was a monster truck that was 8 feet tall...which there WAS! Then we came back to the apartment and did four loads of laundry. Hey, the stuff adds up when you are moving halfway across the country! All in all it was a good day!

Home Sweet Home

The first question everybody's been asking Levi and I is "How's your apartment?" There are two main ways in which we have answered this question:

A) We love it! It's quiet, the people are friendly, and the wildlife is fun to watch. There are little lizards everywhere and ducks with baby ducklings walking around the parking lot. There's two nice sized pools, a workout facility, racquetball courts, carwash center, and a business center. There's more to do in our apartment complex than in our hometowns. It's a straight shot to everything we'd ever need, including three super targets, all within a 10 minute drive (exception: rush hour). When we look out our window we see Raymond James stadium where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play, which is across the street from Steinbrenner Field where the New York Yankees have their spring training. We are a few miles from one of the two international airports airports within a 30 minute drive and therefore get to see and hear the planes as they take off and land.

...OR...

B)Well, right now, empty. Don't get me wrong the apartment itself is nice, but the only part of the apartment that makes it look like people may actually live here is the-walk-in-closet. We can't wait to start our new jobs so we can decorate and furnish our new home.

Pictures will be up soon!