newborn practice

As many of you know, Mr. D. and I are adopting. Last night, we got a little unscheduled newborn practice. I can't even count how many times I looked to see what time it was on my ceiling clock. With my back hurting I can't lay in one position for too long so I was tossing and turning most of the night. This in turn was keeping Mr. D. up. Then around 3:00-- something happened and the surround sound in our room came on very loudly and with only static. It was crazy. I jumped up (ouch!) and didn't know what to think. Don't worry- our amazing attack/guard dog just snoozed on. Then after that about 20 minutes later I decided my contacts were bothering me- and so I had to get up to take them out. Then around 4:15, Mr. D. was up with tummy issues. Again around 4:45. At 6:00 Brady (in a big no no move!) jumped on up my side of the bed and licked my face. I really have to teach him 1) not to jump on the bed and 2) we don't get up at 6am on Saturday too. Then I think I passed out and at 8:30 Mr. D. was up with tummy issues again so I just got up. So while it was a crazy night and we are tired today.... we can't wait!!

Thursday 13: thirteen random things to share with you

1) This week has been crazy! I have hurt my back and have really realized how much bending and lifting I do in a day. Hopefully I will be healed soon!

2) I went grocery shopping this week and have menus planned for the next 2 weeks.

3) My new year's resolution is to plan (and stick to) menus and go to the grocery store and out to eat less.

4) Mr. D. and I have a lot of errands to run on Saturday.

5) This is my new favorite blog. No, I don't know her- but I am hooked on reading it. This is my favorite blog entry so far. SO SWEET!! You will love it!

6) Summary By Sandy welcomes GAYLE PARKS to the readership. Make yourself at home!

7) I am still shelling pecans!! (shh- don't tell my Granny - I promised to have them put up by now)

8) I am working for the weekend- It's been a week.

9) Fab-O news here.

10) I am trying to plan my Spring Break.

11) I wish Karen had the same week off!

12) I am ready to go to bed!!

13) Somehow- I have 13 onions in my pantry.

the cheese stands alone

Meghan and I went to the grocery store. She was getting some sting cheese. This is the kind that she got. She came to my house and I was preparing dinner. She and Mr. D. decided to have a piece of string cheese as an appetizer. I wish I had a video of the whole experience. Apparently this cheese is pretty gross. In fact, Mr. D. is quoted as saying "I would rather vomit, freeze it and eat my vomit as a Popsicle that to eat another bite of that cheese" WOW!

Sunday updates

It is Sunday- the last day of my winter break. In typical "being me" fashion- it was a day spent starting and completing a lot of the task I had planned to do over the past 2 weeks. So now, I am done- and catching all of you up on some things going on here.

I have learned a few things in the last two weeks.

1) I am not missing anything on daytime TV while I am at work.

2) My internal alarm clock does not go off until 10am. (It was WONDERFUL sleeping in every day!

3) I love a panini. I have been making them for the two of us at lunch. I love love love them. I am sure come lunch time tomorrow I will be thinking - where is my hot panini??

Saturday, Mr. D. and had to spend some time in the back yard. We were both working on projects in which Brady would have loved to help- but neither of us wanted his assistance. I was chemically treating the pond for algae and Mr. D. was installing the anemometer for his new weather station. Look at this picture- isn't it the most pitiful thing you have ever seen?

I could just image all 87 lbs of fun trying to climb up on the roof with Mr. D. and both of them being seriously injured. Fear not- the anemometer is installed and now I can give current wind direction and speed at a moments notice.
Now, for the good news- I have pecans-a-plenty. 16 lbs of cracked pecans. I have spent the day shelling them. If you have a great pecan recipe let me know. My Granny's and My Daddy's trees gave us 75 lbs of pecans this year. Thank goodness my aunt took them to the crackery ( I am assuming that is what the pecan cracking place is called). So, I am shelling and sorting and putting these up. Today was also a day for sock liberation. We have this basket of unmatched socks. Mr D. declared that after we finished laundry today- any unmatched socks were moving on to that great sock farm in the sky.

So, at the end of it all- 18 socks were dateless at the prom. Two of the socks were chewed to pieces by Brady and we suspect many of the other socks met their demise that way as well.

The fish tank survivor game is still going strong. Another on bit the dust today.

We are down to two rainbow fish, 1 striped zebra danio and 1 red wag polly (Phelps). We will see who is the last fish standing. We have already picked out our next group of fish. I still am not sure who the killer fish is- but since my shark died, I have ruled him out as a suspect.

Brady got hooked on a new reality TV show today. I dusted off the old rotisserie machine and rotisseried up a hen.

Brady was hooked and drooling watching it spin around. I mean, he did get an omelet for breakfast- so you can bet his odds were good on a yummy chicken dinner.

Last, but certainly not least- here is the best and worst gift of 2008. Mr. D. gave me these helpful little tools to help get me out of the door earlier in the mornings.

These little gems attach to your keys or whatever and when you whistle for them they beep. In theory- great... in reality... hysterical!! These things beep all the time. If you talk- they beep. If the TV is on- they beep. If you open or shut a door- they beep. We laugh and laugh and laugh when they go off. Now- if I could only find my keys-- I could attach one.

OK- that's it in a pecan shell!!

you are going to be so sad..

...that you missed this awesome performance in my living room!!

the first dinner of 2009

A few days ago I watched the Oprah show about Gayle going around the country and trying sandwiches. One of the sandwiches they made was a beef brisket sandwich. The man on the show showed exactly how to make it at home. So- I did. Yesterday I picked up a beef brisket at Publix. It marinaded in red wine vinegar for 24 hours. Then today, I put it in my "Sunday Baker" (even thought it is Thursday). I call it the Sunday baker because anything I make in it takes a long time and so I usually only cook in it on a Sunday. Anyway, I put the brisket with a little water. On top I put onions and garlic that I had sauteed in butter. I covered it and it baked for 7 hours at 250. The brisket was very tender and falling apart, and oh-so yummo!! I made the sauce out of ketchup, brown sugar and molasses. I shredded the meat, covered in sauce and put it on a bun. We also had homemade crinkle cut potato chips (yes Tiffani! I finally found my crinkle cutter) and black eyed peas. It was yum yum yummy!!

OK- I will admit I am a big baby

So yesterday, I was hopping around on the Internet and happened upon this blog entry. I do not know these people or their dog, but I cried and cried over reading it. I feel so bad for this family! Later in the day, Mr. D. suggested we go see Marley and Me after dinner. This being our first year in 4 not to go to Hats and Horns, we didn't have solid plans. All we knew was we were NOT starting 2009 in the same way as 08 in a hope to change the luck. Anyway, I said to him "go on the Internet and check- if I have to see the dog actually die- we aren't going". He came back to me a while later and said- "no, it just goes to the vet and then they show highlights of it's life". I reluctantly agreed- but warned everyone involved that I was upset about the dog dying before we even got there. I was nervous about it all through dinner. I was nervous about it all during the ride to the theater. I was nervous about it all through the movie. I loved the movie for the most part. I laugh and laughed. I guess every lab is the same and it reminded me so much of Brady. Parts of their life reminded me of parts of our life. The movie was sweet- and sappy and all the good things good movie have. Then it happened- everything I didn't want to see was right there in front of me. I cried and cried and cried-- and I wasn't alone. When I came home Brady licked every dried tear off of my face. He was my first kiss of the new year!