This year marks 10 years since the Hubs and I moved to Carlsbad, California. A DECADE. Holy Moly.
We were young, in love and did something totally out of character for both of us. While dating we decided to move in together. Okay, that part isn't totally unheard of, but rather than finding a place to rent and test out the waters of living together, and maybe something less binding, we both threw all that to the wind and bought a condo together. Our parents, I'm sure, thought we were crazy. Crazy in LOVE I suppose!
We had a great REALTORS® Pat & Connie. They were so helpful in finding us this awesome condo that looked right onto the famous La Costa Golf Course. Our tiny piece of heaven.
A few years later, us crazy kids, got a puppy and were married! AWWWWW! We then decided it was time to make the move to a house. There was only one way to do it and it was working with our favorite REALTORS® Pat & Connie once again.
While driving around looking at houses, we talked a lot to Pat & Connie about what we were looking for and they told us something that has stuck with me. They told us that their favorite part of being a California REALTORS® is not only helping families with their dreams (AWESOME) but that by selling a house it helps all of California through stimulating the economy. UMMM... What a great way to think about it!
The California Association of REALTORS® (CAR) is now in the second year of an integrated campaign they are calling 'Ripple'. This value of this campaign is that it goes beyond the story of the individual REALTOR® and focuses on the powerful positive economic impact that REALTORS®, buyers, and sellers are making throughout California. One job is generated from every two homes sales and that one home purchase stimulates the economy by $60k. I LOVE THAT!!! Look at us stimulating the economy. 🙂
After living in Carlsbad for a few years we told Pat & Connie how we were really loving living in this community and that if we could swing it, we would love to find something close. Wouldn't you know, we found our forever house just about a mile down the road. 
We love our house and truly feel like we hit the lottery. Yes, it needs upkeep and improvements, but honestly we live in our little bubble and LOVE IT.
Raising our kids in Carlsbad has been nothing but a blessing. YES, we have some big perks like....
Legoland. Its just a hop, skip and a jump down the way. With an annual pass, we can stop in for a few hours each visit and not feel like we need to spend the entire day and ride every single ride. Good for kids and good for Mommy's and Daddy's (sanity). 🙂
We also have the world famous Carlsbad Flower Fields that bloom the most spectacular ranunculus flowers each year. This year we even took a school field trip there and were able to soak up all the beauty up close and personal.
We are an outdoor family and one of our absolute favorite things to do is to get out on one of the many hiking trails around town. 
One of our favorites is located right along the Batiquitos Lagoon just about a mile from our house. Its relatively flat trail (good for the little legs) but gets us out into nature where we can breath and talk and laugh as a family. HAPPY!!! 
Secret to happy living in a bubble? Happy marriage. Happy marriage = making time for each other. One of the hubs and my favorite things is date days and even date hour. Ever had a date hour? Its on those days when for one reason or another, we're both off early from work and while the kids are at school and daycare, we sneak down to our favorite wine shop, The Wine Loft, for an hour and have a glass of something tasty and catch up. Date hour is AWESOME!
Last, but certainly not least, it would be unjust to not mention that one of the HUGE draws to living in our neighborhood is that we are so incredibly lucky to have seven miles of sunny sandy beaches right at our doorstep. 
Being a native San Diegan, I sometimes forget what an incredible gift we have seeing the ocean everyday. There is not much more relaxing on a hot day then sitting with your toes in the sand watching the kids make sand castles and jump in the waves. The best is after work packing up dinner and a blanket and go down to the beach and eat it and spend the evening watching the sunset while the waves crash.
To say I feel lucky and blessed to live where I do is an understatement. I am thankful to Pat and Connie and all the other California REALTORS® for really making our dreams come true here in Carlsbad.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
