2012-2013 Hockey Season

Folks, it's official. The contract is signed, sealed, and faxed and you bet your sweet ass my name is all over M's contract for next year.

He has decided to go back to Gap, France and I am more than a bit excited. Don't get me wrong, I will always support his decisions on when, where, and why to play hockey but I REALLY wanted to come to France and experience this life on my own! I can't wait to improve my French, take trips to the market every day and just absorb it all. Ahhh Gap.

M on the other hand is still in his "just got home to America where everybody speaks English phase" so he isn't in the ready-to-get-back mode yet. However, I have a feeling things will change come mid-July and he'll get the itch to get back on the ice.

M also got me a pair of skates for my birthday! Our goal is to officially end this madness and get me to skate fairly well next year while in Gap. Really if I'm going to date a hockey player and have his children who will probably play hockey, I should know how to skate.

We'll also be taking a trip to Chicago in July for new visas for the both of us, yes, I am actually going MOVING to France. Waahoooo! So excited. Actually I'm so excited that I could leave next week.

It's already been decided though that I will cross the big pond in late September, early October after he his home from training camp so I am slightly hesitant about flying with Rue alone. But it'll be good right? More to follow on traveling with pets.

I'm also very excited to blog about traveling with Rue and provide tips, tricks, and do-not's based on our experiences. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything will go smoothly but deep down I'm expecting the worst (isn't that what every hockey S.O does in any situation?)

Okay, just wanted to fill you in on our 2012-2013 season plans. Good luck to you and yours if you're still in the negotiating phase!

Love&Luck

Blog Lovin & Hockey is at a Stand Still

Clearly I have been doing more blog reading than blog writing, my bad.

However, I have come across some great finds on others' blogs. Please view the following trusty friends and followers:

This super yummy cocktail from my girl at A Sip of Style

This super easy green smoothie is simple and good for you from my friend at A Health Foodie. She posted this recipe and many more delicious ones on her blog or Facebook page!

5 cups organic baby spinach
3-4 inch piece organic cucumber
Handful of flat-leaf Italian parsley
1/2 green apple
1/2 pear
1 banana
Juice of half a lemon
2-3 cups of water
Blend away!


In other news, it's unfortunately that time of year when the stress of the next step is lingering all around. M's season ended 2 weeks ago and he is currently doing a little traveling and trying to figure out where he will be playing and what we will be doing next year. Every year it's the same routine (unless you're lucky enough to sign a 2+ year contract which we have yet to do), trying to figure out next season's game plan is overwhelming, stressful, annoying, and time consuming; and it will never change. I quickly learned my lesson the first time we did this and now I keep my thoughts to myself unless asked by M because anything I have to say or any worries that I have on my mind, are surely already on his and he doesn't need to be reminded about something that he has minimal control over. Nonetheless, the pressure is on. Family and friends have already began asking what our plans are. Believe me, I wish I knew and so does M. Oh well, another off season is beginning and I'm excited to have M home in under a month and hopefully we'll know by then what our next steps are. For those S.O.'s in the same boat, best of look to your love. I'm praying for patience for us all.

I Miss My Love!!

I miss this guy so much! Only a month and 1/2 to go until he gets home, it couldn't come soon enough. I'm so excited that this will be our last stint of long distance EVER! So happy, so excited. This week I have been wanting to have a date night so bad which is something I never thought I would take for granted before; just dinner or a movie or a night snugged up on the couch watching How I Met Your Mother or House, I would take ANYTHING!

It makes me smile that he's a little jelly that he can't be here to see B. Rouche as a little nugget, he really loves her! And he seems to think it's not so bad of a decision after all considering how dang cute she is.

Love&Luck

You NEED to Read This. Seriously.

Fellow blogger Hockey Wife wrote an outright HILARIOUS post about her life in Germany. Mind you, her husband is a hockey player and they are raising their son who just started Kindergarten so things can get weird (honestly American norms are so different than a lot of norms in Europe) and pretty laugh out loud funny when adjusting to Kindergarten life.

Trust me, you will laugh out loud. Enjoy!

Love&Luck

The World is Changing but Our Love Stays the Same

Although I'm still in my ripe early 20's, M is slowly but surely creeping closer and closer to 30 (good thing he doesn't read my blog regularly because his feelings would be hurt).

While I was visiting over the holidays a handful of his buddies got engaged which is very exciting but it got to the point where M said, "I'm going to have to post a facebook status telling everyone to stop getting engaged because my girlfriend is getting pissed" hahaha. Which is funny because as every girl knows, when you've been dating for 4 years, you kind of start to get "the itch" especially when a ton of other couples begin getting engaged.

This part I can deal with because I know that good things come to those who wait and our time will come when it's supposed to and we're both ready.

However, what I am really unprepared for is M's friends who are already married and beginning to have babies. I am beyond excited for them, don't get me wrong, but it feels a little like I'm behind on the "typical human schedule".

Why do we always compare ourselves and our lives to everyone else's? Why can't we be satisfied and happy and live without feeling the pressure of what everyone else is doing? So as a branch off of my new lifestyle, I am proud to say that I feel happy and secure right where I am with M. Happy with my girlfriend title and even more grateful for all the experiences I get to share with M in this beautiful time of our lives where we're young and have the ability to be stupid and make rash decisions and pack up our lives within a few hours and move to a different state or country.

Anyone else ever feel the pressure? It's annoying isn't? It makes you think you're unsatisfied with your life when you're really not. Frustrating. But it is also just as easy to push those thoughts aside and be thankful for all that you have, because one day it will be your turn exactly when you want it.

Palace of Versailles

In my opinion, you MUST visit the Palace of Versailles while you're in Paris. M & I paid ~$80 for both of us to get a ride out to Versailles from Paris, and tickets into the Palace. We both thought the price was well worth the time and information we learned while we were there.
I will admit, we were both really happy with the tour bus right away because our driver provided us with so much information about Paris that we never would have known unless we were locals. Without further adieu, I wanted to share some photos from Versailles...

The gates at Versailles

The beautiful cathedral

The paintings were phenomenal and humongous

M & I in front of one of the Louis

Marie Antoinette 

Being tourists with our audio guides

The queens bedroom

The dining room with a recreated table setting

Marie Antoinette with her children

View of the gardens while in the Palace

The Prince's staircase

Another great part of the Palace were the gardens that we were able to access free of charge since we visited in the off season. They were never-ending and amazing even though they weren't in bloom so we both decided we would love to go back during the spring or summer and that it would be well worth the price. 

Love the reflection in the pond

A view of the expansive gardens

After a brief rain shower, the gold on the Palace was STUNNING

Let's just say Louis was quite impressed with himself

If you are interested or thinking about visiting Versailles while you're in Paris and would like information on which tourism company we used I would be happy to help you out!

Happy Tuesday!

Love&Luck