why I love Valdosta (part 2)
When I wrote this original post, my thoughts on V-town were extremely different than what they are today.
It was my first *real* time being away from family… and about as far as possible as you could get.
I was new to this lifestyle of moving every couple of years, didn’t know anyone yet, and Tucson was my only comparison point. (We spent a few months in North Carolina, but that felt more like a vacation to me.)
Despite the fact that I started off the experience feeling alone, and borderline loathing our new place, Valdosta ended up being a great thing for me. There were some challenging aspects, and the Pilot was gone a LOT, but the people made the place. I made so many wonderful lifelong friends here, started this little blog (!), and enjoyed some incredible times and road trips. It’s where the Pilot and I made a home together, and is something I can now look back on with so many beautiful memories.
Coming BACK to Valdosta, I feel completely different than I did last time.
I know what to expect with our lifestyle. It doesn’t make it easier, but that shock factor is gone. 😉
We have two little nuggets who keep me very busy, and we have fun with just the girls when the Pilot is away.
There is welcomed familiarity. I can drive around without having to use my GPS all the time, and don’t have to worry so much about researching everything. When we moved here, we already had a dentist, vet, and dog groomer we loved, plus lots of recommendations from friends for all of the other things.
Instead of thinking of all of the things Valdosta doesn’t have (like my last time here), I find myself focused on all of the things it does. There’s another Starbucks! (Thank god.) New restaurants! Cute little boutiques! Fun stuff to do with the kids! AAAAND it’s still a short drive away from Jacksonville, Tallahassee, and Orlando. (Give me the Orangetheory, Trader Joe’s/Whole Foods, and shopping.)
Also, I LOVE OUR HOUSE. We’re renting -hoping to eventually get another property in Tucson- and it’s my favorite place we’ve lived. It’s charming, with incredible views of the forest (and our backyard deer friends!), and I love the updates that the owners have made.
Some pics of the new place, which is still coming together.
(P’s room feels so bare, but the only thing she does is sleep in there)
I have a feeling at this rate, we’ll be unpacking boxes until we leave.
And maybe I’ll finish our photo wall.. it has 2 obvious holes right now haha.
While I have no clue what the next couple of years have in store, our time in V-town is off to a great start. 🙂
xoxo
Gina
More little house tours:
Valdosta condo (last time we were here)
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Your house looks beautiful, I love all of the natural light. That’s great that you’ve found a way to love it there!
thank you, lovely! i’m way happier here than i thought i’d be <3
I’m still kinda where you where the first time. We’re coming up on a year at the beginning of September, and while I don’t hate it with the hatred I had when we were first here, I don’t love it either. I’m such a city dweller and I miss the convenience and the options. Hoping my heart changes!
Your house looks great!
i’m a city dweller, too, but so thankful at least we can drive to good shopping and restaurants <3
xo
I felt the same way when I was in Valdosta! It was welcoming and I loved the small town/southern feel! I actually miss it!
it’s such a cute little place <3 and the people are awesome
Your house is gorgeous! I’ve never been to Valdosta, but now I guess I have to go and check it out myself 🙂
it’s a pretty cute little place
What a beautiful home!!!!!
thank you! <3
Its a beautiful space and I love how you have decorated so far.
thank you! it’s been fun putting it together
Such a gorgeous home…and a beautiful family living there! I enjoyed your pictures so much this morning–very inspiring. Thanks for sharing them! And what a good reminder to look for the positive no matter where you are. Love your blog!!
thank you, and thank you for reading <3
Love your home.
thank you! <3
Love your home! It’s so pretty…and I love your attitude and outlook. So positive and encouraging! I also love that army green shorts jumpsuit, can I ask where you got that? Keep doing what you are doing!!
thank you so much, friend! the romper is from stitch fix. i couldn’t find the same one online but target has a super similar one on clearance:
http://rstyle.me/n/cqy6wcb5i37
So cute!!! Did the house come furnished? I’m a sporadic reader and don’t remember that amazing green piano 🙂
thank you!! nope that’s out piano 🙂 i painted it green when we were living in tucson. it was my little nighttime project when liv was a baby <3
Loved the house tour! We have similar decor styles. You probably know this, but there is a World Market in Jacksonville. And just curious — what’s the SF of the house?
YES. i saw it last time we were there! LOVE WORLD MARKET. the SF?
The house looks so spacious, so I wondered the square footage…sorry work (real estate) lingo creeped into my comment. 😉
i don’t want to post the exact specs because of internet creepers haha but it’s more than twice as big as our SD house. you get way more for your money out here hahah
Totally understand. <3 It looks big, and you confirmed that it is! Sorry that you still have to deal with Internet creepers. Do they ever go away?
Beautiful home! I LOVE the dinning room area with all the windows. So much natural light 🙂
thank you! that’s my favorite part of the house 🙂
Omg I hope you get some good use out of that claw foot tub! I had one in my apartment in San Francisco and it’s about the only thing I miss from living there 😉
Also, I had kind of a parallel experience of moving to far away when I was in my early 20s, not loving it, then coming back in my early 30s and it’s been like coming home. Funny how that works, isn’t it? I guess when you have to make a place that feels foreign into your home, it kind of just becomes home.
Such a cute place! I love how spacious everything feels. I think it’s always fun to come back to a place you used to live!
thank you! and yes, it’s comforting to come back 🙂
Love the new house!! Still wish you guys were in SD now that i am here. 🙁 I am loving the grey bedspread. where did you get it? (hoping its in SD) Our primary room color is grey.
please have a poke bowl for me! from target! 🙂
Lol i am afraid of raw fish. Ever since i had sushi when i was preg with Bella i have avoided fish.. which sucks cos i love it. I just cant look at it or smell it.
That house is dreamy!!
Your house is adorable!!
I can see why you love the house! It looks amazing, homey and spacious. Those windows in the dining room are to die for!! So glad you’re embracing your time in Valdosta. It sounds like it has a lot to offer!
Seems like you’re all having a great summer! I’ve been reading along but not commenting as much as usual 🙁 It’s been a crazy busy summer in our house! Just like I like it 🙂
Wow your house is amazing! You are so good at making your place look put together and decorated even though you move so often. I am…..not! I really want to get better at that! Such a cute place!
Such a beautiful home! Thanks for posting pictures, gives me some inspiration. Where did you get the gorgeous round wall art in the piano room? I’m looking for something like that for my front entryway, I have this table there with a vine plant I wanted to weave some of it through a wall art and this would be perfect.
It looks so charming and looks like it has a lot of natural light! The moving and lifestyle is most def what you make of it. =)
So glad you are settling in!
It’s great that you feel better about living there this time around. I have to say I’m a little put off by your reasons for liking it. They’re all rather materialistic or cosmetic. You like it because there are places for you to shop, drink Starbucks, and workout? What about the schools for your kids, the safety of the neighborhood, are there museums, and libraries? I’m sorry to sound so critical, but this really rubbed me the wrong way.
in the first part of the post i mentioned that the people here made the place. the people are the best part about being back!
i make it a mission to find find good schools, museums/libraries, stuff to do with the kids wherever we go. i was just emphasizing the fact that valdosta has grown, and that my attitude coming back is completely different.
So interesting to hear your take on Valdosta. I grew up about 30 minutes away, went to VSU and met my husband while he was stationed at Moody. We now live in Michigan (where he’s from) and it was a hard adjustnent but I love it now. Having four seasons is amazing 🙂 I’m always surprised how much Valdosta has grown when we visit!
it’s grown so much since the last time we were here!