10 UNEXPECTED THINGS I HAVE EXPERIENCED IN MY FIRST 7 DAYS IN FLORIDA
So, it’s official. We have moved to Florida.
I’ve been here one week and I’ve learned something new everyday. Some good, and some bad. I still can’t believe I’m here.
I will say right now, I am uncomfortable.
My husband and I are doing some Dave Ramsey type stuff. We are moving into a fixer upper to save for the house we really want down the line. Yeah, he really had to work on me a looooooong time because I was not having it at first.
I finally gave in to the idea when I thought about the end goal. A HOUSE I LOVE.
Well, the fixer upper is not ready. The goal was to move into it when we moved last week but life happens and it wasn’t ready. Our children started school on August 10th, so we had to be down here for open house, etc!
So, where are we staying?
With my in-laws. . . .
Again, my husband is telling me, “This week babe, I promise!”
Let me say this, my in-laws are great. They really are. I have no issues with them except, “I am staying with them and that was NOT the plan!” So check back with me next week as I share if we’ve moved into our living quarters.
In the meantime, here are 10 things I’ve experienced or learned in my first 7 days in Florida.
- Lizards | These things run around here like ants! I see them every single day. 2,3,4,5,10 times a day!! It’s normal down here. They also sometimes come into the house! Now, I can step on a spider or bug but a lizard?! My MIL will just vacuum them up! Ugh! Lizards!!
- Heat | It is so HOT! Period. No ifs, ands or buts about it. It is HOT down here. Every.Single.Day! I thought Hotlanta was hot (and it is) but this type of heat that has you running to the car like it’s raining! “Hurry up kids, it hot out here!! Get in the car quick!!”
- Rain | It rained the first 6 days in a row. My MIL says it’s normal. What? The interesting thing was, it did it in pockets. Sometimes it would rain for hours, other times 10 – 15 minutes and the sun would come back out. Just a little rain, thunder & lightning here and there. Who could ever try to have a good hair day in that?
- Park in Shadows | In Georgia I would pray for a parking spot close to the front door (of where I was going), but in Florida you pray for a parking spot in the shade! It’s so hot, you hate leaving the car for too long because if your seats are leather ….. oooooohhhhweeee!!
- Home Not Ready | This is another post, but my husband is mister fixer upper and was counting on more people (family) to help than actually did. They didn’t (to the extent he thought they would) … so it’s taking longer than he thought. Again, that’s another post.
- School Out 1 Hour Early Every Monday | What!! Apparently these teachers have something to do on Mondays. I’m not sure if this is all of Florida or only the county I live in, but I wasn’t ready for that. I hear they do it in other states too, so it’s not that unheard of.
- My Baby Broke Out. | We arrived on a Monday afternoon and my youngest son started playing in his grandparents yard. He took his shirt off (because his big brother did) and ran through the yard. At the end of the night, he chest & stomach looked like connect the dots with the weirdest rash. We are not sure if it was from an insect or the grass, but something got him! I did take him to a doctor, she didn’t know! I am still trying to treat it because it spread to his legs.
- Qdoba, My New Favorite Mexican Grill | If you know me, then you knew at one point I was a hard core Chipotle girl. I loved them so much, I had to fast because I was doing too much when it came to them. Well, I tried Qdoba and I’ve really enjoyed their selection. They give you more options for your food and it’s all included in the price. My kids even like it which is a big plus (they hated Chipotle).
- No State Income Tax | It’s cool to know, but we shall see what it means next year around tax time. Seven U.S. states currently don’t have an income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Maybe I can ask someone who moved to one of these states within the last 1-2 years what major difference its made when they filed or was it just more $ in their pockets throughout the year?
- Gas is Cheaper than GA | This is always a good thing! It ranges from about 5 – 10 cents cheaper but it balances out because they way you use your air down here, you will be back to the gas station quick!
So, yeah … that was my first week here. As I sit here and type this, I am experiencing more things to tell you. Florida is a beautiful state and I am open to endless possibilities of a great life here. I am still getting used to the newness of it all.
Follow along on social media (Instagram) with the hashtag #MyFlorida365 as I experience all that Florida has to offer me my first year here! Also, there’s more fun over on snapchat (@BernettaStyle)!
But I do miss Atlanta. Boy, do I miss Atlanta!
