Don't spill the grits.

Last night I had the brilliant idea to spill the grits. I know what you're thinking. Why would spilling the grits be brilliant? Well let me just tell you of the many advantages of why to spill the grits. Despite the over-spilling in the microwave and the fact that the grits are boiling lava hot and can produce many speckled and splattered shaped burns on one's arms and legs, you can find much laughter, amazement, and joy in life. Those three things usually come after the shouts and tears from the much wanted pain that you will receive. Now, back to those three wonderful things that come after---the advantages. Please, to really enhance the advantages, use a plastic rubbermaid dish that becomes pliable when it warms for best results. Of course after asking if you're okay, the laughter comes after your husband comes out and looks at you with a rather confused look and then the two of you look around to see the damage. It's amazing how one serving of grits that falls to the floor, just 3ft down, can spread to the walls on the opposite side of the kitchen to the tune of as tall as 6ft and get in all the cracks and crevices of the cabinetry. But wait! Then it hits! BAM! The amazement. Can you feel it? You'll find, for the ultimate experience, to drop the grits about 2 ft from the end of the counter. That way when you go to the closet next to the end of the counter to get the mop and look towards your nice and clean living room which is behind, to the right of, and blocked by the 2 ft of counter, you'll have a nice surprise awaiting you on the carpet. Now, for the final advantage--joy. Ah, the joy you will feel after you clean for an hour to get all those tiny little grains up. They make such a nice coating on the floor and it's such a great feeling to know how soft the floor has become. You'll look around and be completely satisfied--no not exhausted--but satisfied to know your kitchen is sparkly clean. Then you'll feel like your day is complete.

Laugh of the day...

So, Daniel made a funny. Here's how it goes:

Me: I didn't see the gooses (yes, I say gooses) anywhere today.
Daniel: I'll be your gooses. Onk! Onk! Onk! Onk! Onk! (While he's making his goose noise, his hand is opening and closing like the goose's mouth.)

Okay- so if that doesn't make you laugh...well you need to use your imagination more! 'Cause it was funny for me. The "onking" came outta left field.

Well I've been working the temp job the last 2 days and it's going pretty well. It's the same stuff day in day out of just entering a large amount of data into an excel spreadsheet. Each entry has between 20-25 pieces of information to enter. I think I'm averaging about 25 entries and hour. Not great but, not bad. There's a lot of deciphering. Most of the information is foreign so there's a lot of figuring out the order of stuff especially when it comes to the addresses. I think it's taking longer then they expected and I think they thought there would be more of the information pre-entered. When I started they told me that I should find a lot of the names already on the computer...not the case. Anyways, it's money and it does feel good to be working. I've realized how much I've missed working.

I hope everyone is doing well. We miss everyone so much. We especially miss seeing our little nieces grow up -walking, crawling, talking, and all the fun things of growing up. I look at the pictures online and I can't believe how much each of them have changed! Three little cute girls! Talk to ya later!

Nothing creative today...

It's been a little bit since we last wrote, so we have some catching up to do. Daniel's been in a testing phase so he's had a few later nights and earlier mornings, but not as bad as before. He's only had to stay a little later a few times. The metro has been having some repair work done and this morning it took him 2.5 hours to get to work. As for me, I've signed up with a staffing agency and they are helping me to look for a job. In the meantime though, they call me when a company needs some part-time or last minute help and I get to work even though I don't have an official job. I interviewed/screened and took all the computer tests on Thursday with them. I had a interview with Wachovia on Friday and I think it went pretty well. Hopefully, I will hear from them soon. The staffing agency found a place for me to work for a few days and that starts tomorrow. It'll be some data entry from what I know, but maybe it could turn into something else. At least I'm making a little money.

This weekend was nice. We had our weekly date night to Sam's on Friday. We like to "eat out" and walk around the store. Kinda sad, but we have fun and that's all that matters. On Saturday, since the game was at 12:30 our time, we went to DC to the alumni spot. It was pretty fun and we really enjoyed the atmosphere and hanging out with all the Alabama fans. It felt like we were kinda home and watching the game with our closest friends. Daniel knew a guy there that was one of the project managers while he was still in school and so we sat with him. I recognized a few people, but that was about it. I'm not sure if we will go this weekend since it's on national tv. I think this time around, we might try to drive to DC instead of taking the metro. It might be faster and then we wouldn't have to walk the streets late at night. That's why we waited until an early game before we went to DC. Sunday, we went to church and then Daniel was a good sport. He went to the mall with me while I looked around at shoes and clothes. We also checked out Bed, Bath, and Beyond and Linens and Things. Our LNT is closing so they have a decent sale going on we had a gift card to use up. We were able to get a nice, big, wooden rolling pin, tongs, and a wine opener. We also visited Target and enjoyed looking through all the Halloween, Fall, and beginning Christmas stuff. I found a delightful, fall table runner and finally, I mean FINALLY, some Kraft caramels. I've been looking for some of those since we've moved here. I was getting somewhat desparate and was either going to have Mom mail me some or get Daniel to bring some back after his visit to Tuscaloosa to conduct interviews for Accenture. (He'll fly down on Oct 2nd and he'll come back on the 5th.)

The weather has been absolutely beautiful here. It's been in the 70's since the beginning of last week. I've had the windows open since then with the air off. Janet will be in town this weekend and I know that we will be doing something with her and Uncle Bill. There's a new restaurant opening in the town center and I think Uncle Bill knows the owner so we will probably check it out Friday night. Well, I guess that's all I got for now. Have a good one!

More new pictures!!!!

We've added some new pictures of the geese that we have been talking about for a while now. We finally got the camera out on a day when the geese were in the pond next to our apartment. Hope you enjoy!

We had a nice, relaxing weekend. We had dinner with a friend from work and her husband on Friday night here, in Reston. We got up on Saturday and went to Sam's to get a few grocery items that we were out of and then came back to watch some football. To our surprise, one of the sports bars in the town center (Americn Tap Room) had the Alabama game available! So, we went there Saturday night to enjoy another Alabama victory. Hopefully, they can get another win next week at Arkansas! Sunday morning, we went to church and then to Barnes & Noble. We then came back to the apartment to do a lot of laundry and made hamburgers for dinner. Not quite ready to return to the workweek, but I guess it has to come around at some point, oh well. Hope everyone is doing well and we look forward to talking with everyone soon!

New Pictures!!!!

We just put up pictures of our apartment so that everyone could see it! Take a look!

Labor Day Success

We've had a great Labor Day weekend! Maw-Maw is in town and it's been nice getting to visit with her. Friday was Judy's and Uncle Bill's birthdays. We went out to dinner with Uncle Bill, Maw-Maw, Tom, Kathy, and Michael to celebrate. Judy- Happy Birthday to you! I hope you enjoyed your day! Tom and Kathy are some of Uncle Bill's long-time friends and Michael is their son. We went to this place called Jasmine Cafe and it was really good. I enjoyed it. Afterwards, we met up at Uncle Bill's where Maw-Maw had made a German Chocolate Cake.

On Saturday, Maw-Maw and I went shopping. We went to Macy's, Penney's, Nordstroms, Lady Foot Locker, Zales, and Old Navy. I got a new pair of tennis shoes, a brown pant suit at an extremely good deal, and a shirt (courtesy of MawMaw). I also turned in my rings to have them soldered together at Zales. They said it would take about two weeks to get them back. MawMaw found her a pair of comfy pants, a shirt, and a suit. We really did find some excellent deals. We had a wholesome meal of McDonalds for lunch and then went to Wal-Mart. I think I have decided to give up on Wal-Mart here. You just think it's bad in B'ham, Tuscaloosa, or anywhere else in 'bama. Not the case! This Wal-Mart is awful! 'Course, I should have known better than to go on a Saturday afternoon, Labor Day weekend, with schools starting here tomorrow. Everyone was school shopping. But--it is really disorganized here too. So that doesn't ever help. Saturday evening Daniel and I grilled a steak, had a baked potato, broccoli, and squash for dinner while watching the Bama game. Roll Tide!! That was a great game. So much for the sucker who was a Clemson fan in our complex. HeeHee...she quickly took her flags off her truck. I'd like to think that it's because we have our flags up on our cars and porch. :) We both thought the team looked better than it did last year. I don't want to jinx us though so, I'll stop.

Sunday, we picked MawMaw up and went to church. I think we've decided to join this church now. We've really grown to like it and have adjusted to the small differences. I've learned the new mass parts. The things that do bother me still but I guess are negligible, is that not everyone joins hands at the Our Father, sign of peace isn't very welcoming in that people don't seem willing to shake hands outside of their own clan (I mean they do shake hands if you stick your hand out, but otherwise...I don't know, it just seems a bit awkward. Maybe that's 'cause we don't know anyone yet.), and finally the Priest sits down before the Eucharist is back in the Tabernacle. I guess he does that because it is such a large parish and for older folks, but it does bother me. And of course as always, people leaving early. I do like that after Mass is over the whole congregation (at least what's left) claps for the musicians. That's always appreciated. Anyways, Sunday evening we went over to Tom and Kathy's for dinner with them and Uncle Bill and MawMaw. It was delicious. I had barley for the first time. I liked it probably better than rice. It was different but in a good way. I think I might try cooking it sooner or later.

Today, we cleaned in the apartment and invited MawMaw and Uncle Bill over for dinner. We fixed sweet potato casserole, marinated some chicken in Dale's, broccoli, corn, blackeye peas, and crescent rolls. For dessert, we made a strawberry cake. It turned out pretty well considering it was my first time cooking a real layer cake in a gas oven. I think I'm finally getting the hang of cooking with gas. I know it cooks faster, but I think really deep down, I'm an electric girl. I don't like having the open eyes. I know these are on electric stoves too, but I think I want a solid surface whenever that option comes available for me to utilize. We've started to really get used to our little 4 in 1 grill too. We cooked the chicken and the steak on there the other night and it really does a great job. I mean it's not got that full grill taste but it works. On a more thrilling note, our toilet over flowed this morning. That was semi exciting but luckily I heard it and got the water turned off pretty quickly. Daniel got to sleep in til like 11 or 1130. I think he really liked his sleep. I talked with Brian for a little while this afternoon and got to hear Sam talk a little bit. Mostly some ooo's and gargles...the norm but I think it won't be long. She seems to be getting some of the right sounds out. I learned that she got another tooth within the last couple of days and that she's starting to try to pull up. That's so neat and I wish I could be there to see it! Congrats Sam!

Today is Day 1 of the Health-A-Thon. I weighed...did you? In actuality, we may need to post-pone the start a few days because of Gustav and because of Labor Day. I forgot that it's Labor Day and everyone probably had big plans of good food. Plus it was a big weekend for football. I don't know. We'll see what some of the consensus is. I sent out an email with the guidelines. I do hope everyone is doing well and that all family is safe from Gustav. I hear that Mom and Dad potentially had a large crowd, but now it's just looking like it may be Mary Margaret and Keith from New Orleans pending how much damage Gustav does. I know they are in Florence or at least should be in Florence now. Aunt Therese, I understand kinda went in the Northeastern direction , but not all the way to Florence like she had originally thought she would. Hopefully, the levees will continue to hold. Our prayers are with each and everyone in the storm's path.

I guess that's it for now. We miss everyone so much. We are looking forward to coming home at Christmas and seeing everyone on Daniel's side at Uncle Bill's wedding. I plan on taking some pictures of the apartment in the morning and getting those up tomorrow. So no more waiting...hopefully. TTFN. Love Always!