Successful Trip to Vegas

Last week, I visited Las Vegas with two goals in mind - find a place to live and meet some new folks! Both goals were accomplished!

As you all know, I'm a planner. I had 8 apartments already scoped out online and went to visit those 8 first. Then I dropped in a few that I saw along the way to the others. I finally settled on an apartment complex just outside the Henderson border. It's absolutely fantastic! I'll have two bedrooms so that I have an office for my spa business. The only downfall - hardly any closets. There is a huge walk-in closet in each bedroom so I imagine the office closet will have to serve as storage space as well. But even though closet space is limited, I'm happy about it. It will allow me to declutter even more than I already have! The sales person at the complex gave me several floorplan printouts and of course, on my flight home, I began drawing in where each piece of furniture will be placed! I'm so excited! I can move in as early as May 3rd. I'm finalizing a few more details before I'll announce officially what date I'll make the drive across country!

Goal #2 was networking. Can I just say that I am in absolute awe of how well people in the Las Vegas area network? I guess they have to. I only met 3 people who were actually FROM Las Vegas while I was out there for 4 days! My dear friend Jennifer Lee invited me to stay with her and she had set us up with a different networking group each night I was there. The first night was the Busy Women's Group, next was the Girls Night Out Group and so forth. I bet you I came home with 50 business cards and I passed out every single one of mine. The last day I was there, I had to tear a sheet of paper to give a girl my contact information. It was insane and I loved every minute of it.

Being a Southern girl, I was a little leary of how accepting and friendly LV folks would be. Well it's a melting pot of folks from all over the world and I didn't meet a single unfriendly face! And you'd laugh to hear how many Tennesseans I met. Heck, the very first person I met was from Jackson, TN (65 miles from Memphis). So needless to say, I loved every minute of it and am so excited to move!

These next few weeks will be filled with work, finalizing details, selling some furniture and appliances, and most importantly - seeing friends before I leave. For those of you who I will be leaving behind here in Memphis - know that I will be back to visit! This is not the last time you'll ever see me. And to those of you who wish to visit Las Vegas - let me know when you're in town. I'd love to see you!

Speaking of those details that need to be finalized, I must return to crossing off items on my list. More updates to come.

A New Flavor of Koolaid

I just looked at this blog and noticed that it's been over a year since I updated this blog. With the popularity of Facebook, I'd taken to write more "notes" than blogging. Lately I've felt such a pull to begin journaling again and the best way to do so is on this blog. The past few weeks I've heard comments regarding how the new structure of BeautiControl is so amazing that it's almost as if we're drinking some koolaid together. I kept hearing this reference over and over in the past weeks and I believe it was the higher powers letting me know it was time to begin blogging again. It was that very comment that lead me to create this blog a few years ago.

So what's been going on since February 11th of last year? Lots of traveling last year. As you all know, I'm a travel fanatic and plan to do much more of it in the future. Last year I traveled to the Bahamas twice, Hawaii, Dallas a few times, Vegas, Mayan Riviera Mexico and probably a few more that I'm forgetting. Literally, every other month I was traveling and I couldn't have been more happy! BeautiControl provides me with the flexibility of controling my schedule. They even paid for many of the trips I just mentioned! :)

Many of you are aware that after 11 years of being together, Donald and I have decided to split. It was a tough decision that was not taken lightly. We exhausted all options and in the end, has led us to our current state. The house is on the market and my goal is to move out of Memphis by June 1st of this year. For me, moving is not a means to escape as some may think. My family and friends are here. And everyone knows how incredibly blessed I am to have so many amazing people in my life. But those same people all know how I have dreamed of living away from Memphis for many years now. I have a desire to meet new people, experience new climates and cultures! I want an adventure!

For the past two years, I set the goal of moving to the Las Vegas area. I've visited Las Vegas several times but it was 3 years ago that I was there attending a wedding when I had the opportunity to spend several days there. I absolutely fell in love with the town and 2 years ago when I began exploring the areas to which I'd move, Vegas popped back up. So I've been working towards that goal for so long now, the time has come and I feel the need to embrace this huge change in my life and go for it!

Yes, I will miss my family and friends dearly. But with technology now, I will be able to chat with them online and do video blogs to them, etc. I will miss the hugs my nephew gives me but that just means that the few hugs I will receive from him each year will be even more sweeter! I know I'll return to Memphis frequently due to the connections I have here. So when you're reading this, fight off the urge to be sad. Feel excited for me! Know that my adventure is about to begin and that I'm going to take all of you along with me! I will continue to post photos on FB and update this blog. And know that anytime you're in the Vegas area, I'd love to see you!

My adventure is about to begin. At the end of this month, I will turn 35. I've seen so many changes in myself as a woman and I see more opportunities to stretch myself further outside my comfort zone. The best part, you all have front row seats to watch it all unfold. Where will I be in 5 years? Who knows? It's gonna be one hell of a ride!