New York New York

Good eve all! Greetings from snowy Massachusetts. It's finally time for another Garrett family update. The Garretts are still doing well here in Randolph. Nothing much has changed since the last post, but we do have another big trip behind us.

Yesterday, Zach and I joined Eric, Tammy and Alyssa on a day trip to Manhattan. Tammy and Eric had gifted us this trip and we were so excited. The first thing on our agenda after an early morning bus ride, was a show at Radio City Music Hall. We saw the Christmas Spectacular and it certainly was spectacular. The show featured the famous Rockettes and they were amazing. Made me wish I had continued dancing all those years ago! Ha! The show was wonderful and I'm so glad we went.

The weather was less than cooperative for us but we made the best of it. We found a really great place for lunch/dinner called HB Burgers. Zach and I had the most incredible veggie burgers we have ever had. Tammy had one too and loved it. The food was excellent and they even made their own specialty beers and sodas. I had the pomegranate lime soda and it was quite tasty. After some food, and some time to dry off from the rain, we walked around a bit. Some places we visited over the course of the day were Rockefeller Plaza, Sax Fifth Avenue, St. Patrick's Cathedral and a local private showing of an art exhibition. The art was a treat! We just stumbled upon it walking down Madison Avenue.

The Garretts and Welsches had a wonderful day in the city. A sunnier day would have been nice, but we made do and had a fun time anyway. We definitely look forward to another visit some day.

Yes! We are still here!

So, I assume it's time to furnish the latest happenings of the Garrett clan. Zach and I are doing quite well in our new home here in the Commonwealth. Things are going better than they have in a long time. Zach found a contract position at a local microbiology lab and is doing consumer testing. He is of course highly qualified thanks to the experience he received from his time at Clemson. I am thoroughly enjoying my work back at the Bank of America. I have the best coworkers a girl could ask for. To those of you I worked with before, you know I had fun with you too. :)

Zach and I have been taking every opportunity to explore our new surroundings. So far we have frequented our family in CT, taken a few trips to the city, visited the Cape and have done a bit of hiking in the Blue Hills. We were both off from work this past Wednesday and went for a hike in the morning. We were surprised at the view!! In one view, we had the city of Boston and the ocean. It was so great and we regret not having our cameras in tow. Don't worry though - we will return there and come back with pictures. It was really nice.

The kids are fine too. Klaus and baby Ming had their annual exams and all is happy and healthy in cat land. No one is overweight and no one is sick. We were happy cat parents after their check ups.

We are all looking forward to the arrival of brother Brian next week. He will be here briefly and go on a HUGE hike with brother Eric and sister in law Tammy in Mount Washington. Should be a good time for them and I bet they will be exhausted. Brian will be here Wednesday night and then we will go to CT to visit them post hike. We aren't expecting a wild bunch on Sunday when we see them but we'll have a nice visit either way. :)

The weather has been gorgeous lately and we are quite enjoying the cool New England summer. It's nice not having to use A/C a lot. Our wallets certainly appreciate it and the natural air is always nicer anyway.

Hope you are all well out there. We'll try to be better about keeping up. By the way, for more details on our lives, just keep up with my facebook. ;0) Until later -

Greetings from MA!

Hello Garrett family fans! Zach and I just enjoyed a beautiful day in Boston to celebrate our birthdays. We started off the day by taking a short drive to Canton, a neighboring town to Randolph, where we live. I decided to put some birthday money to good use and bought a new Vera Bradley tote and wallet (thanks mom and dad). I thought it would be a great bag for the city - and it was!

We took the T from Braintree into the city and walked around. The one day link pass was a great idea because we just took the T from wherever to wherever. Our first stop was the North End. We walked part of the Freedom Trail but once we saw all the tourists, we decided to save the highlights for a less busy time of year. It's not like we need to rush around! We did manage to walk by the Paul Revere house. Our goal in the North End was to find a restaurant we found online called Grezzo. It's a raw food, vegan restaurant and man was that lunch delicious. Afterwards we took a ride to Cambridge to putz around. We took a brief walk through Harvard and then stopped for some ice cream and watched passersby and listened to some guy sing some caribbean style music. The people watching was top notch. Cambridge is certainly a nice area.

From there we went to the Boston Common, strolled around, caught a few minutes of some young children playing baseball, strolled through the Public Garden and ultimately made it back to downtown for a cold one and some appetizers. Walking the North End and wharf areas was a treat today. The weather was perfect and the waterfront was really enjoyable. We didn't realize all the walking we did today until we sat down and waited for the train to go home and felt really tired.

We had a great day! The weather has been overcast the last few days so I'm glad I had a day off that was enjoyable.

Aside from today's news, we are doing well. We are settling in nicely and are enjoying our new home. The people are great and Christina is adjusting well to her new job. Zach is working hard on finding a job and has some great contacts. Cross your fingers. Hopefully the next post will reflect a new job for the Mr.

Have a good night!!

A Reflection on SC

Hi Garrett followers. It's Christina stopping by to share the latest happenings.

A lot has happened since the last check in, so hang in there. I was offered a job at Bank of America at the end of April so Zach and I are currently packing our home and getting ready for a long drive north. We are moving to the small town of Randolph 15 miles south of Boston, MA and are very excited! The location is perfect because we will be very close to the city, just under 1.5 hours to our family in CT and 3.5 hours from NYC. Lots of exciting new adventures await. While Zach is still looking for work, he will be busy getting us settled in and will certainly find something soon. I hope!

It's hard to believe that our final days in SC are here. I've been reflecting on all the things that have happened since we moved here from CT in 1992. It's been great. I moved here at age 11 and since then, have met many wonderful people, lived in Charleston, traveled to Mexico and Europe (Europe isn't really a new trip but still important), visited Orlando and met Zach. Not too shabby.

I didn't know what to expect when we moved here. I was just finishing elementary school and starting middle was hard. Everyone already new one another and I was the new girl, and a Yankee at that! It was obvious that I came from somewhere else. While I didn't know the term, I quickly learned it. ;) It was sort of a culture shock here and I had to get used to the accent. I still have a hard time sometimes!!

I continued playing clarinet from when I started in 5th grade and played through high school, giving me 8 full years of music. The summers were tough and the marching season was busy, but I wouldn't change any of it. It was a great experience. In 1999, I started at College of Charleston and met a bunch of fabulous ladies in Phi Mu. For a super homesick type like me, this was what I needed to keep busy. I'm thankful for joining because I have met two of my best friends there. I'm happy that after 10 years, I still have their friendship and they have been with me through good and bad. I probably would have made Zach more crazy during unemployment if it weren't for these two. Ha! Thanks guys for your support. I love you both.

I met Zach right after I graduated, thanks to my boss Pam at BofA. After we married, we moved upstate so Zach could finish his degree at Clemson. Even though it felt like it would never end, he finished on May 8 and I am so proud of his accomplishments. I also finished my MBA, so we are all educated and finally have a place to go.

We are sad about moving because we have thoroughly enjoyed having the family so close by for the last (almost) 3 years. However, we are very excited about the move and hope to have a lot of visitors. I'm looking forward to starting my new job and getting settled in and living close to my other brother and getting to know him better and being with the family there.

Just a note of thanks to family, especially parentals and siblings, for supporting our decisions. It's been hard finding work the last 6 months, so being flexible has paid off. I'm sure I will cry a lot before, during and after the move, but it will be a great experience for us. I especially appreciate everyone's support during my worklessness. It was tough, but a very eye opening experience that I wouldn't trade for anything. I have learned a lot about myself, what is really important and who my friends are. I absolutely do not regret having lost my job at all. It was great and I hope I can apply my cheapskate skills in the future. Ha!

We love and will miss you all!

The Latest

Hello! Time for an update on the latest in our family. Christina finally had an interview for a banking position and is awaiting a call from the company and see what happened. We had a good feeling about it. It would be a great opportunity but we don't want to jinx anything. We are finishing up the last few weeks of school. Christina is 2.5 weeks away from her masters and Zach will be done at the end of the month.

We had an early Easter with the parents and Brian over the weekend and it was really nice. Mom had great food and lots of chocolate! Not good for the waistline but tasty all the same! Christina also attended a baby shower for her friend Sarah and had a great time! It made her excited about having her own one day. Again, lots of tasty foods and great people. We had an enjoyable weekend and then it was time to get back to the schoolwork.

Christina started a small business with Lia Sophia. She's pretty excited about it and hopes many will show for her starter party (hint hint) and that many will book shows. It should be a nice way to make a few dollars, so we will see how it goes! She is definitely excited about all the lovely jewelry coming her way!

That's it for now. Hopefully we will have good work news soon. Cross your fingers and toes!

In the land of Garrett

Hello readers. Time for a post. I wish I had more to share but we haven't had much exciting going on. As of late, Zachary has been enjoying spring break and has been working hard for family and making a few bucks here and there. Christina is counting down until classes are done. Only 4.5 weeks to go! Graduations are all registered for and caps and gowns are on their way. Zach's graduation will be on May 8 and Christina's will be in Atlanta on June 7. So, mark your calendars so you can send the congratulations cards our way!

Meanwhile, Christina has been trying to get crafty and think of ways to make money. One idea came to mind but we're still contemplating. It's been a stressful 4 months of unemployment so far but we are hoping that the perfect job will be around the corner. The next week should be fun. Christina will see Jennifer on Saturday and go to a Lia Sophia party on Sunday. Next week we are celebrating an early Easter at the Spartanburg Welsches which should be nice. Mom and dad are flying to Germany soon and will miss another Easter in the states. Christina also has a baby shower to attend and is looking forward to that.

Well, that's the update for now! More to report after the upcoming week! Have a super day!

5 Years

Hello all! Christina checking in.

Although not an official anniversary, Zach and I are "celebrating" our 5 year dating anniversary today. We celebrated with lunch at Thai Spice and it was tasty. I started thinking about how the two of us met and how much we have grown as a couple since then. In case you didn't know, Zach and I met through his aunt Pam. The story:

Sometime around Valentine's Day 2004, I had to work a Saturday shift on Seabrook Island and my boss at the bank, aunt Pam, offered to drive since we both lived on James Island. On the way there she asked me if I was seeing anyone and I told her I was not. She started talking about her nephew who was from the upstate and lived in W. Ashley and the types of things he liked, etc. She wondered if she could give him my phone number and I thought that would be great! What did I have to lose?? I ran into Pam the following day and she said Zach was nervous and may not call right away, so she gave me his phone number. After a lot of coaching from my friend Jessica, I finally dialed. I was so nervous! We ended up talking for almost 3.5 hours that night. I can't imagine what we talked about for that long but we did. I went to work the next day, grinning from ear to ear, and told Pam that I called him and how long we chatted. Her mouth dropped and she said "My Zach talked for that long!" Haha!! It was funny. We eventually decided we should meet and on February 23, 2004, we met for a beer. We had a lot of fun together and when the night was over, Zach said he would call me the next day. Being a typical girl who has heard that line before, I didn't believe he actually would. However, he called the next day, the one after that and just about every day since. A year after that date, Zach asked me to marry him.

We are not the people we were 5 years ago but the journey to the current "us" has been a lot of fun. We traveled to Germany, New England and Mexico together, moved apartments several times and have been each others' avenues for self realization. I don't mean that to be sappy or trite in any way, but before Zach I was not comfortable truly being myself with many people.

Anyway, cheers to 5 years together and many many more happy and exciting times!

Oh Charleston, My Charleston

Greetings! Christina here. Zach isn't too much of a blogger so until further notice, these posts are from Mrs. Garrett.

I just spent a few days in Walterboro, SC with my dear friend Jessica. It was a really nice time. I arrived Thursday afternoon just in time for a delightful dinner at a pizza place. After that we ran some errands for Jessica's class the next day and I picked up some lunch for school. I was feeling crafty so I made some Valentine's gifts for the children (from Jessica).

I was the official volunteer at Hendersonville Elementary School on Friday as Jessica's teacher's assistant. It was great seeing Ms. Humphries in action as a teacher. Despite her thinking she is the meanest teacher ever, I object and would say she is a great one! The children obviously like her very much and surprisingly I received a few hugs before the day was over. The kids were celebrating Valentine's Day so it was a relaxed day and lots of fun. The day flew by and it was great. Especially amusing was the 2nd grade dance and the fact that 90% of the school thought Jessica and I were sisters. Haha! I guess after 9 years, you sort of act like the other person. I was not offended.

On Saturday the two of us drove to Charleston. We stopped by the CofC bookstore so I could get some alumni gear and then we made our way through the rain to find some lunch. It was really busy downtown because of the Wildlife Expo! Lots of tourists and dogs walking down the streets. It was really nice being back in the "old neighborhood." After lunch we drove to the battery and managed a few minutes along the water before the rain started again. It was great being back near the proposal site from a few years earlier. :) We made our way to West Ashley for some Marble Slab and shopping. I found a nice outfit for an interview I have Tuesday and otherwise, we just window shopped. A lovely day in Charleston. Although downtown is just about the same, the other parts were different than when we lived there and I almost didn't feel the longing to move back. It was odd.

I drove back today and had a bit of homework to do. I won't get into that but I had a great weekend with Jessica. I'm hoping to see her again before her big move out west. We always have a great time together, even if its just watching creepy ghost shows in TV. Thanks for a fun visit.

Time for bed and to prepare for another week. Tutoring, the gym, the start of a new class and a job interview! Wow! Lots to look forward to.

Time to Lean, Time to Clean

Good morning readers! It's Christina again and I thought I would share the latest.

I am thoroughly enjoying my volunteer time at Centerville Elementary School and the kids are really fun. I'm sort of wondering if I have another career option. Not that I can do anything about it now because I have a degree to finish and depending on where we live, the requirements for licensure vary from state to state. Anyway, for now, I'm enjoying myself and if it leads somewhere else, that's great! The teachers have been very nice there and its nice to get some interaction from somewhere other than 90210 and the cats.

I went for a jog/walk yesterday and have been finding numerous gym classes to get a higher level of fitness going. I jogged on and off during my regular walk yesterday and although I was severely out of breath, I did pretty well. In all, I probably jogged 20 minutes. Not too bad for a beginner! I'm looking forward to a cardio class again today!

I have officially confirmed that I am going to Charleston next weekend and visit with Jessica. I'm looking forward to it and I will help her in her classroom Friday. Should be fun!

Not much otherwise. Zach is on campus until well past dinner time these days. His teacher is giving him some tips on where to look for work. She has been very nice to him and very helpful. He's lucky!

The weekend should be nice. Other than homework, I have yoga planned and a movie with Jennifer and her friends.

Time to Catch Up

Hi there! It's Christina. I wanted to check in since it has been a while. There hasn't been too much going on lately, but I will share the goings-on.

I recently started tutoring at one of the local elementary schools and so far it has been a lot of fun. A few friends kept telling me to do it while I have the time but I thought I would not be good at it. I never did much with children since I was always the child. At first I wanted to help out at the animal shelter but after I got one good inhalation of the kennel I decided to go a different route. Talk about horrific! I am not much of a dog person but I helped out with the dog adoptions last Sunday. That was fine until about the second hour when there was so much dog hair in my nose that I could hardly breathe. Not to mention how bad I stunk afterwards. Needless to say, I am not a dog person. They are good from far away but I will never own one. They smell, they are dirty and honestly if I am going to put that much effort into another living creature, I'll just have a child! It was nice helping though.

Volunteering at the school is so far lots of fun. It's great watching the children understand what you are saying and do the work. One of the students already hugged me when I left and that was worth it already! They can be so sweet. Walking into the elementary school made me excited for having a child of my own one day. Glad I'm getting practice now because it is clear it has been a long time since I have done elementary school math! Yikes! Zach heard how much fun I was having so he will probably volunteer there too. He'll be good at it.

Aside from helping at the school, I have started taking more aerobic and yoga classes at the gym lately. I have learned I am severely out of shape despite all the exercise I have been doing lately. In addition, I also confirmed how coordination is not my forte. I couldn't quite do the hands and legs motions at the same time. Practice makes perfect and I intend on it.

I have also started a class in enterprise risk. It sounds as awful as it is. Interesting - yes; complex - yes! I still have 5 weeks to go of this. Glad I don't have work right now.

That is about it for now. Zach is busy in school and is in lab about 6 days out of the week. He is really enjoying it. At least we know he picked the right major!

It was the worst of times, it was the worst of times

No, you didn't misread anything. The title speaks for itself. I should note that while our posts may have become increasingly cynical and morbid, it is with good reason and yet we remain optimistic.

Not much has happened in the Garrett household since the beginning of 2009. We were hopeful that a certain bank would have called Christina by now but apparently her many years of financial experience are not making the cut in any banking jobs lately. Quite frustrating. Since the first, however, Christina has been increasing her fitness aptitude by exercising daily for about an hour. Mind you, when time is all you have, you really have no excuse not to be small and healthy. Her final 3 MBA courses are approaching and both of us have been whittling away at job applications, resumes and graduation paperwork. Hopefully something will happen despite the dreadful job market.

Christina has been home a lot and has become increasingly obsessed with her furry children. A new movie short has been produced entitled, Not Without My Feather Boa starring Ming. She has an illustrious feather boa and parades around the home growling at anything. If you are interested in seeing this epic drama, please see below. You won't regret it. Make sure the sound is on relatively high for maximum enjoyment.

Zach is back in school again finishing his last semester at Clemson. He is busy working in the lab with a scientific genius. Zach is admittedly dashing in his white lab coat and should really be getting paid to do the work he's doing. That will come in good time. He is learning many new things and hopes to land a cool job for May.

Lots to look forward to and we are anxious to get 2009 rolling. I know it has already started but time tends to stand still when you have bupkiss going on.

Farewell and we'll check in soon!

Happy New Year

Greetings to all! The Garretts just returned from another visit to Spartanburg. We celebrated with champagne and horns at mom and dad's and wished each other a happy 2009. We're just hoping for work and everything else is a bonus!! :)

Brian had us over for dinner and we had another good meal on Hamilton Chase Drive.

Christina had a good afternoon and met some friends from college. It had been several years but very much enjoyed a visit with Christine and Angela. It's always nice to see what others have been up to. She visited with a good friend from high school, Zeynep, just a few days ago, too. One good thing about unemployment around the holidays is the time to visit!

We also tried out the new Wii Fit that mom and dad just got last week. It's a great item and is definitely on the top of the list of things to buy with our first paycheck. It inspired Christina to get back in shape. Along with not working all the time comes the lack of activity and it certainly shows. Fortunately, good friend Jessica has agreed to be a buddy and be part of the 2 Hot Broads in 2009 campaign for weight loss. Should be interesting. Christina is going to buy some nice shoes in May when the Garretts go to Orlando to celebrate Zach's graduation.

We are really looking forward to the new year. It should prove to be challenging and rewarding. Zach has 4 months left of school, Christina has 3 classes left to fulfill her MBA and we are looking forward to our trip in May as well as a move. Quite a busy 6 months! Stay tuned for more...