Where Oh Where to live

As we're finally in the year of the wedding, one of the main topics of discussion is where we will live. The fiance and I have never lived together. We spend significant amounts of time together, mostly at his house (this was also true in college), but our names have never been together on a lease.

There are a few reasons for this, but mainly I always knew I didn't want to live together before we got married. Not really a religious thing, though growing up in the Catholic church, that may have played a tiny part of it in the back of my mind (oh Catholic guilt...). But I didn't want us to live together and get settled in to a point where marriage wasn't at the forefront of our minds.

All that being said, we're engaged now and in full wedding planning mode, so now it's time to consider where to live. Location isn't actually that much of a debate. We currently live about 1/2 mile apart. This location is a pretty decent central point for each of us to go to work. My office is downtown (east side of) and his is way far east side of Cle.

The ongoing debate, however, is apartment or house. As in should we keep renting or buy a house. We are both clearly on a side on this one- though fully understand the other and are open to what works out. Personally, I'm sick of renting. As in completely fed up with throwing my money into something I don't own, when I could potentially be putting the same amount towards a mortgage of a house I own. Fiance is a little less comfortable with the idea of purchasing a house...between obscene student loan payments (insert curse words to Direct Loans here) and just the overall fear of a huge purchase like that. 

I'm also scared somewhat shitless at the thought of buying a house...but my desire to have our own space and find somewhere where we can really build a home together kind of outweighs that fear. 

At this point there is no clear answer though. All we know is we want to find our home (whether renting or buying) in the April-June time frame.  The last thing I want to do is finish wedding planning, have a wedding and have to deal with moving in together right away. There is nothing quite as horrible as the whole moving process...besides paying student loans.

2012 has a lot to live up to

So 2011 was a pretty awesome year. And by pretty awesome, I mean it was completely amazing. Early on in 2011, my niece was born...and if you have looked at a single entry in this blog, you can tell that I'm a little obsessed with that little one. Doesn't hurt that I'm her godmother...and that she is insanely cute. She's also a hilarious little diva which might from the fact that she is insanely spoiled loved...and she knows it.

Serious attitude.

The fiance and I took two vacations in 2011- a week long trip to San Francisco to visit my family in May and a few days in Orlando (actually a work trip for him...I just took advantage of the free room at a Disney resort with 5 pools- Thank You Progressive!).

On the beach in Cali

We had a year full of weddings...7 to be exact (that doesn't even count the 3 I couldn't make it to). It was fabulous to watch some of our closest friends get married and to be with them on their wedding days. Lots of good food, drinking and dancing (sometimes too much of the drinking....and, let's be honest, the dancing).

See? Too much drinking...and dancing.

And apparently, after attending 6 weddings with me, the fiance decided it was time to pop the question himself! Which happened at the end of October...in a perfect, cheesy, romantic, perfect proposal!

Gives me goosebumps every time!

The year was wrapped up back in the place where most of it started- Athens, Ohio! Where I met my fiance, where my brother met my sister-in-law, where 4 of the 7 couples whose weddings we attended met each other. What better place to bring in a new year than in the greatest city in the world? ...Ok at least top 10.

Hello Court Street, my dear friend :)

And now we're in 2012. My niece will be turning 1 in just about a month, hopefully many more vacations, and spending time with amazing friends. Oh, and you know, getting married!! Don't know if September 29th can come quick enough :)

Happy New Years all!