Finally an update

Good morning!

Things are finally starting to get back to normal around here and it is high time for an update.  We made it into Maryland a week ago and had our stuff delivered to our new apartment the next day.  Then we spent Friday and Saturday preparing for and weathering hurricane Irene.  We were very fortunate that we didn't even lose power for more than a few seconds at a time, but I found out yesterday that the other side of the apartment complex was without power for three days!  Overall though our area was spared the worst.

James started work on Monday and so far he hasn't done much - just orientation and badging and things like that.  I've started a little routine for myself because I don't do spontaneous very well.  After James leaves for work, I read blogs/facebook/etc.  I am a hopeless night owl so doing anything productive first thing in the morning isn't going to work for me.  Then quiet time and exercise.  I am excited to have this time to actually take care of myself since I have been neglecting my body for the last three years and feel very unfit.  I'm planning to do the Couch to 5K program and pilates and I'm really hoping to get in a good routine before I get a job so that perhaps exercise won't go by the wayside again.  Then shower, lunch, and unpacking, errands, and organizing in the afternoon.  Anyone who has moved knows how much there is to do at first.

I like our apartment and will have pictures when the boxes go away.  We have a real laundry room which is amazing and we have two bedrooms and two bathrooms.  The balcony and our bedroom windows look out onto a lot of trees which I love.  James will tell you that I have a weird love for trees, and Maryland has lots of them.  It is refreshing to drive down the street and see grass and trees rather than cement and buildings, and I love it.  My one complaint is that we get zero cell phone service in our apartment!  We have to walk out the building and down the street a ways before we can call, which is making things difficult.  AT&T said that our apartment complex is known for being a dead zone and that we'll have to get a micro cell tower, which is a little box that looks like a router that provides cell service through the Internet.  We're going to drive up to Waldorf on Friday to get one as well as go to the bank and Bed, Bath and Beyond.  Waldorf is 45 minutes away but is the closest location for all of those things - the fun of living in a small town!

Maryland is different, but so far I like it.  We're right next to Pax River Naval Base which means that during the day LOUD fighter jets fly overhead, but fortunately they usually wait until after 8 to start flying.  The weather is beautiful!  It gets down to about 65 at night and up to about 85 during the day.  Right now it's 70 degrees and sunny.  The grocery stores here are kind of rinky dink.  There is one Giant store that feels like a smallish Kroger, and that's where I've been shopping.  However they have practically no selection of organic food, so if I want that I'll have to find a farmer's market.  They also have a lot less brand selection than Houston - there's only about 2 choices for foods instead of 5 or 6.  Again, the fun of living in a small town!

So far, it still feels like I'm visiting here.  I wake up in the middle of the night and think I'm back in my old apartment.  I kind of feel a little bit like an impostor!  I often wonder if the people can tell I'm not from around here...which, judging by the amount of A&M T-shirts I've been wearing and the amount of  times I've said "y'all," they probably spot it right away!  I'm sure once we've been here a while and met some people, it will start to feel more like home. 

Ok, I think it's time for me to go soak up that beautiful sunshine!  I'll post pictures from our trip soon.  Have a lovely Wednesday!

I'm a free woman!

Today it is Monday and I did not have to be at work at 8:30.  Weird.

My last day of work was both exciting and a little sad.  I had to say goodbye to a lot of people that I have enjoyed working with for the past 3 years and that is never fun.  But I can't help feeling a little bit liberated.  I'm pretty excited to have the opportunity to find something new, something that I really enjoy.

But first, it's cleaning and packing and errand running day.  And I've been dallying on the computer for too long.  The movers are coming on Wednesday and we have a lot to do before then.  Time to be productive!

Who named this "Kentucky Caviar?"

I came across this recipe on one of the blogs I read and it was so good I had to share it with you.  The best part is it's so healthy!  This recipe makes a huge bowl of salsa; I didn't even add all the ingredients and it's still enough for a party or large family.  It's great with chips, and tomorrow I'm going to try some in a pita for lunch.  Enjoy!

 

 

Kentucky Caviar

Finely chop/dice the following into a large bowl:
1 Green Pepper

1 Red Pepper

1 Yellow Pepper

1 Orange Pepper

1 bunch of green onions

1/4 cup fresh cilantro (remember a little bit of cilantro goes a long way!)

2-4 tomatoes

Then add:

1 can corn drained

1 can black eyed peas rinsed and drained

1 can white hominy rinsed and drained

1 can black beans rinsed and drained

2-3 limes squeezed over entire mixture

Salt to taste

stir, cover, and chill at least 8 hours before serving.

 

 

 

I'm back baby!

We flew, we toured, we leased.  And now we're back with a new address and a lot of stuff to do.  I was nervous that I wouldn't like Maryland, but I have to say, it is beautiful.  Trees everywhere with these cute little farmhouses and rustic red barns off the highway.  And yet enough civilization that our new apartment building looks like this:

It's a two bedroom/two bathroom and a lot more square feet than I have here, which I am excited about.  It definitely hit me that this is real though once we settled on a place.  I'm trying not to focus on how far away from home I'll be and how much I'll miss the family, but I got a little emotional on the way over to secure the apartment.

Our new home is in Lexington Park, MD. 

This was taken from the car driving down the highway.

Unfortunately it is almost just as hot there as it is here!  We managed to go to D.C. on Saturday since we found our apartment earlier than planned, and I think we both got heat stroke (exaggerating but not by much).  But it was still worth it!  To me this is one of the biggest perks of moving: so much to see so close by!

The reflecting pool is a pile of dirt now; I hope they are planning on putting it back eventually! 

We learned how to use the Metro system!  Pretty fun until the afternoon when the trains were so packed we could hardly move.

Good Ole Abe.  We'll definitely have to go back and see more when it's cooler.

So now that we're back it's been a whirlwind of work, coordinating the move, purging the house, running errands...it's going to be a tiring few weeks, but I'll try to keep you updated!

Update

It has been over two weeks since I have posted!  Things have been rather crazy lately, and the blog tends to drop to the bottom of the to-do list, so here is an update.

Last week I was sick with a cold, so as soon as I got home from work I just dropped on the couch and stayed there most of the evening.  It was very unproductive.

Also last week I turned a quarter of a century old.  It's funny how 25 doesn't sound that old, but a quarter of a century sounds reeeeeaaallly old.  Because I wasn't feeling well I didn't celebrate my birthday until Saturday, and even then James and I just went to Texas Roadhouse.  But it was delicious!  And my sweet hubby got me an iPod touch, which is pretty much the only gift idea I gave him.  I'm not going to lie, a lot of my time has been wasted with this new toy!  It can do everything an iPhone can do except call, (and it works on wi-fi, not 3G, so I can only use the Internet apps if there is an Internet connection somewhere) so I've downloaded all kinds of apps.  Maybe I'll do a post on my favorite apps sometime.

The rest of my time has been spent looking through houses and townhouses for rent and running errands to get ready for our trip.  We are headed to Ft. Worth for some family time and a wedding, and then we're jetting off to Maryland to secure a place to live!  I am excited and nervous.  I have this idea of what Maryland looks like in my head and I'm afraid that the real Maryland won't be as nice. 

So that's been my life the past few weeks.  The next few weeks promise to be just as busy, but eventually I will get back to blogging more frequently!  Hmm maybe they have a blogging app...:-)

4th of July

July 4 is one of my favorite holidays!  The music, the fireworks, the patriotism, the family gatherings, burgers and watermelon...it's just fun.

Side note:  I've noticed that my favorite holidays are the ones that have their own music.  It just makes everything better!

The fourth of July is shooting Roman Candles at light posts.  Watching the boys almost blow their fingers off with black cats.  Shooting Bebe guns at glass bottles.  Eating watermelon.  My mom's stars and stripes cake.  Decorating bicycles with patriotic streamers and riding in the neighborhood parade.  Catching candy thrown from the fire trucks.  Blue bell ice cream on sticky summer evenings.  Laughing with cousins.  John Phillips Sousa and patriotic music all day long.

Happy birthday to America!  I am so grateful for the freedom that we get in this country.

Sunday morning

For your Sunday morning listening pleasure, here is a worship song I am loving these days!

Ruin my life, the plans I have made,

Ruin desires for my own selfish gain,

Destroy the idols that have taken Your place,

'Till it's You alone I live for,

You alone I live for!