Sorry, folks, but I'll be taking a bit of a haitus until Monday or Tuesday. BUSY WEEK, and Manny has secret birthday celebrations planned on the weekend!

Well - - -

Well, on Wednesday, Manny had a day off and we decided to go to the Houston Zoo. The zoos where I come from were nothing like this one - Manny asked me what my favorite part of zoo was - if I had a favorite animal - I told him that it was the proximity. You should have been there when we saw the lioness sleeping. Truly, I was only inches from her, through the glass. However, like I said abefore, it was brutally hot, and honestly, I was a real wuss about it. It was nice to go there and spend time together doing something simple. Well...enjoy the pictures!

Vampire Bats Cheetah

White Alligator Sleeping Lioness

Sea Lions Piranha

Oh brother!

So, I have been raving about my mother's beef stew to Manny for months...Yesterday, I decided to make it, homemade bread, and a blueberry cake for dessert. Well, the cake was fine, the bread came out well, and so did the beef stew - in the end. I burned it, and ended up having to cut the burnt parts off and start over again. But, in the end, I must say, it was every bit as good as Mama's...it just didn't yield as much with having to cut so much meat off.

Now, I hope I don't offend anyone's sensibilities with this short little story, but I think it's hilarious...I'm learning to laugh at myself in the kitchen - I kick butt at baking, but while I'm a good cook, I still mess up a lot and get really frustrated. Well, I had calmed down, and the "redone" stew was almost finished. I reached over the pot to turn off the oven (the bread was done) and what should I do, but unwittingly burn my left "girl" with steam seeping out between the lid and the rim of the stewing pot! So, I have a nice 1.5" blister there. FUN! I am such a klutz, but I guess all's well that ends well, eh?

(Hope you all got a chuckle out of that!)

My apologies

So, I had the time yesterday to post, but it was just kind of a "blue" day, so I didn't do it. I'm sorry. I will do my best to get the pictures up soon...I'm making Mama's Beef Stew (the food I would request as my last meal), Homemade Bread (hopefully it doesn't flop!), and Nanny's Blueberry Boy Bait. I LOVE IT WHEN I GET TO USE UP LEFTOVER STUFF I HAD (Blueberries in this case). I'm in the process of applying for a review of my certifications by the Texas Board...so...AND I have an interview on Monday. So, keep your fingers crossed everyone!

Love you! - Me

Zoooooo...

'Went to the zoo today...It was SOOOOO hot. I will be uploading photos soon (hopefully tomorrow) and I'll be telling you all about it, but honestly, the heat just wiped both Manny and I out, and we've pretty much been couch potatoes for the rest of the day.

Love you all!!!

Manny's words

He breaks my heart with the beauty of what he says sometimes.

"I love you desperately. It should truly be a sin to love you as much as I do."

And on the sweet side: "I'm so happy that you're such a good cook. And an ever better baker. You haven't made one thing that I haven't enjoyed!"

(You all know I sweat a lot of bullets over that.) That's all. Interviews tomorrow - pray, cross your fingers, complete any superstitious actions that aid in the passing of good luck to a person from whatever "Old Country" your family's from!!!

This is Weekend Update... :)

Well, as usual, Saturday was movie day/night. Manny unfortunately had to work, and he brought home Whataburger Chicken Tenders for lunch (I think they might be my favorite chicken tenders ever!), and after taking a nap, I did my hair and makeup, and we set off to watch SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD and, of course, THE EXPENDABLES. I liked Scott Pilgrim better, but The Expendables was still a good movie. Seeing Sly Stallone all Botoxed and Plasticked up was sad, though. He was such an ugly beautiful when he was younger. :*(

I got to choose where we went for dinner, and I picked the Golden Corral around the corner from our apartment. Golden Corral was one of my family's favorite places to stop when we were on the road...usually down to see aunt Sandy in North Carolina, and we always enjoyed the food, and that we were each able to get whatever we wanted. When we walked into the restaurant, I had to tell you, I was horrified by how dirty it seemed. I wasn't gonna say anything, but Manny told me he wouldn't come back just because he felt "dirty." Unfortunately, aside from the lack of cleanliness, the food wasn't up to par, either. But, I got to have lima beans - Manny hates them. So, it was worth it for that, but I wouldn't go back either - that makes me kind of sad, I was expecting a rush of nice memories from trips to North Carolina. No such luck. :(

Sunday morning, we woke up and I told Manny that I'd seen a little French cafe around the corner from us tucked away in a little strip mall. I suggested we go there for breakfast. Well...it was closed. Manny continued driving along the strip mall, and I saw a sign in a storefront called "Dawn's Donuts" that said "We have Kolaches." I asked him, "What's a Ko-losh?" Apparently they're pronounced "KO-LA-CHEE" and they're like little breakfast sausages stuck in a really fluffy buttery bun with cheese. We ended up eating our breakfast at "Dawn's" and it was so nice...we had just thrown on our clothes and were still rubbing sleep from our eyes. It was bright, but quiet, and we sat at a little corner table and ate our breakfast sandwiches and shared a yummy Apple Fritter. It was just a really nice laid-back morning, and we got to just enjoy the quiet and the sunshine, and people-watch a little bit.

In the afternoon, we watched The Thomas Crown Affair (the newer one), and looked for recipes online to make ribs and shrimp on the grill. (We got a new grill a few weeks ago,

and Manny likes to grill on the weekends.) We ended up running to the grocery store, and picking up some stuff for dinner and for the house. I tried a new cookie recipe...a molasses cookie recipe with cardamom, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, etc...it was good, but it tastes more like a Thanksgiving or Christmas cookie, so I'll save it for those holidays. I actually took some over

Molasses Cookies!!!

to the neighbors and the little boy (2 years old) walked over and thanked me

for the cookies. Manny and I made marinades for shrimp and ribs for grilling. It was delicious!!! That was our weekend. It was so nice, and relaxed...we just enjoyed spending time together.

My handsome grill chef ----------->

<-------- Hoot-N-Holler Ribs

&

Garlic & Herb Shrimp

We're so happy! (He's saying, "Woman, why are you laying on top of me and taking pictures!?")

Lots to write tomorrow - 'cross my heart!

Oh my gosh!

I HAVE SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT FOR TWO WHOLE NIGHTS!!! I'm so happy (and rested)! I didn't write about it, but on Thursday night, I made Chicken Marsala (my mom's recipe) with buttered noodles. I was really intimidated because Manny's mom (Lucy) is an AMAZING cook, and apparently she makes a killer Chicken Marsala. However, MANNY LOVED IT! I even served it right off the stove in my apron and everything. He went back for seconds (usually he doesn't on a meal because he likes the leftovers for lunch the next day), and I was just SO pleased.

The headaches seem to be going away, but I think that they have something to do with congestion. I need to go and see an allergist, be retested (I was tested when I was like 13), and start getting shots. I'm hoping that the sniffles aren't because of Manny's cats. They're really sweet, and I don't want my allergies to force us to get rid of them!!! :(

'Went out last night with Justin and Sheri for Sheri's 30th birthday - it's not till the 18th, but she'll be really busy that day, so we did it last night. We went to Katz' Diner in Montrose (a neighborhood in Houston known for its very gay-friendly population and it's cool non-chain shops and boutiques) and had dinner. Then off to "Wild West" - a country dance club that was Sheri's request. Justin and Manny just rolled their eyes and gritted their teeth, but I thought it was a neat place. However, I'm the kind of girl who doesn't really want to dance unless I know the steps, or they're told to me, so... We were only there a little time, but when we got there, Sheri and I went to the bathroom. When we walked out of the stalls to wash our hands, there were some VERY loud, very Jersey Shore (the tv show) kind of girls getting ready to go back out to dance. I stopped them, speaking over their uproarious and whiny conversation, and pointed out that one of them had paper towel stuck to her boot. They thanked me, I said "You're welcome" and turned back to the sink. "She's so nice!" said one. "Smack her ass!" said the other, and promptly, my behind was given a resounding *SMACK*. As they walked out, I heard "She's got a nice ass!" Needless to say, the minute they left, Sheri and I cracked up, and once we reached the guys, they laughed, too. ONLY ME, I swear. Then, on to Dave and Buster's. I walked in, holding Manny's hand, and said, "Hey! It's like a Chuck-E-Cheese, but for grown-ups!" We played racing games, and basketball games, and all sorts of fun stuff, and got this aborable picture of ourselves made. If I can put it in a digital format, I'll put it on here, because it's completely candid and is probably my favorite picture of us together so far.

'Not much planned for today...searching for Manny's lost Kroger card, maybe IHOP for breakfast with the book I'm reading...and supposedly we're going to the movies this weekend - Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and of course, The Expendables. Well, Happy Weekend, everyone!

Love you all!

Well...

What can I say? We had spaghetti and bruschetta last night - I added oregano this time and it was even better than the previous amazing bruschettas! I also made blueberry cobbler and surprisingly, Manny loved it. He even (sheepishly) asked if he could have seconds! YAY!

On a different note, I haven't been sleeping well. I've been dealing with migraines and congestion a lot recently. I woke up every 15 minutes last night! After over a month of being here, I have to admit, I'm kind of blue. I would love nothing more than to hop in my car and pick up one of my girlfriends or watch a sappy movie with my mama. The days are so long waiting for Manny to get home.

Made Mama's meatloaf last night, and then went swimming in the complex's pool at aroun 9:30. SOOOOOO nice to swim in a lagoon-style pool under balmy skies and palm trees!

Hello, everyone! Sorry for the haitus! Unfortunately, I've been dealing with some rather incessant migraines. There's not much to tell...we had a really nice weekend - really laid-back. We went to the movies on Friday - to see "Despicable Me" and "The Other Guys". Both were really good...for different reasons. I laughed a lot. That night, we got to Carrabba's just as it was closing, and I treated Manny to dinner - it was SUPER YUMMY. Saturday, we didn't go out until late. I wore one of my pretty dresses and Manny looked handsome in black shoes, nice slacks, and a polo shirt. We went to the Heights - a neighborhood in Houston that is VERY EXPENSIVE. They have a celebration called "White Linen Night in the Heights." Apparently, in New Orleans, to escape the heat and to celebrate music and art, there would be an exposition at night and everyone would come out to support their local artisans and businesses, and wear white linen to stay cool. We walked through an antique shop. Bless his heart! Then, we went to a place called the Grand Luxe Cafe by the Galleria (the GINORMOUS mall)...I had fish and chips, and Manny had Chicken Madiera. It was a lovely place - really groovy architecture.

Sunday, however, I didn't feel good at all. I had the kind of migraine that makes you sick. He took care of me. Held my hair back when I thought I was going to be sick, and brushed my hair away from my face while I tried to sleep and ignore the throbbing in my head. Such a good man. I did get him to watch an old movie, though. Murder By Death with Peter Falk - he liked it!

No obvious headache today...going to the post office to send some things off...found a lot of things that belonged to our family when we moved! That's pretty much it! Not much else to tell. Manny works till 4.

Some random thoughts and a recap

I decided to post today for tomorrow. Not much to tell. I had an awful migraine all day. My Excedrin didn't help at all. I even tried to sleep it off, but it didn't help at all. I ended up lying on the sofa until Manny came home from lunch...well even longer...until about 5:15. I did end up making Snickerdoodles when Manny got home, though. He changed into his comfy clothes, walked into the kitchen and automatically got this HUGE smile on his face. "YAAAY! You're making SUGARDOODLES!?" Then, after a bit, Manny offered to cook dinner for us - however, he'd never had or much less made Manwich. It was such an ordeal for him..."Are we shredding this meat or are we leaving it whole? Should I use a spoon or a spatula for this? Do you think I could put Adobo in this? Maybe I should use some olive oil? Do I need to wait 'till it's almost done to put the Manwich in?" He's adorable. But, he did put Adobo in it, and it was the BEST Manwich I ever had. AND we had corn on the cob with lime. YUM!

Now for some randomness:

My favorite Manny quote of the day: "I love you. I don't want to find out what my life is like without you." (I feel the very same way about him!)

Strange Texas fact: They don't call it "Rump Roast" here - they call it "Pork Butt" - yes, in advertisements, too.

PLANS FOR TOMORROW: Take out the bag of cat poo. FUN!

Might be going to Kemah for the laser show/concert tomorrow, and movies on the weekend!

'Made something called Italian Chicken Pasta. I wan't sure how it would turn out, but the man of the house went CRAZY over it. I honestly didn't like it too much, but I think a lot of that had to do with how much fresh parsley I was supposed to put in it...it overwhelmed the other flavors. So, I wrote the recipe down, but tweaked the portions so it will be even better. I made bruschetta again, but this time I topped it with mozzarella and baked it - We both decided we like it better that way. Next time I make it we're going to add oregano and see if we like it even better. Manny even poured some of my favorite wine - it is inexpensive to begin with, and was on sale at the grocery store. (Beringer Moscato - YUM! Cheers, Daddy, for the love of wine. Would've loved to share a glass with you.)

I think I'm going to surprise Manny with Snickerdoodles today. I woke up with a migraine that is pulsing in my head, so I will take a shower and see if any of it has to do with shoulder muscles...Depending on how I feel, I'll make them. TONIGHT we're having Manwich and Corn on the cob - I know I said that was last night, but Italian sounded better. If the headache doesn't get better, I might ask Manny to order out. Sometimes the medicine doesn't help. My stomach's upset, too. :( Put my resume on Monster.com yesterday. We just keep praying that something is going to come along. There was a job on there for a legal secretary who speaks Castilian Spanish. Unfortunately, they want 5+ years experience in international law. So, we'll see. If worse comes to worse, I'll apply to Chase as a full-time teller. But, we'll turn out all right.

Dinner and a Fight

Well, dinner went marvelously well. However, we had our first fight. It was over something stupid that had to do with dinner, but it had more to do with a difference in the way people "entertain" down here than we do up north. I mean, when people get there (if they're not family) dinner should be in your hands hovering over the table. Apparently, that's not how it goes here in Texas. Manny called me at about 5:30 and told me that Justin would be at our house any minute, because he wasn't going to go home from work - just straight here. Well, like most women (I think), I had planned out the day...I was going to clean and put dinner in the oven and while that was cooking, I was going to take my shower. So, I hung up the phone, ran through the shower and ran around trying to get things done out of the order I had originally planned them in. I CHANGED MY SHIRT THREE TIMES BECAUSE I WAS SWEATING SO MUCH! Oh, and did I mention that Justin never showed!? When Manny walked in, I was fuming. I had 20 minutes to make the pie, and he hadn't bought enough chicken, so we had to use frozen chicken...it was maddening. When he walked in, he goes "You look beautiful!" (I had gotten my hair done.) I said, "Hi." I essentially reamed him out, and once I had calmed down, I apologized for "lashing out unfairly". He goes, "YEAH, THANKS." So, his sarcasm just rubbed it in more, and he made me feel awful. I cried, he apologized, and we moved on. Justin and Sheri came and...they brought the BABY! YAAAAY! :) (She's adorable!) Dinner was ready about 20 minutes after they arrived, and we sat down. They loved the food, and despite our argument, Manny was proud and pleased about the dinner.

I made Mama's Parmesan Chicken, Garlic Redskin Mashed potatoes, and succotash (Sheri's favorite). AND I made homemade apple pie. I got to use our special cakeserver for the first time, too. It's an antique and it says "Manny & Lydia" on it. Manny showed it off. (I thought he didn't like it - too girly. But he seemed kinda proud of it.) So, dinner was a huge success, but by the time they left after playing a game, we just kind of organized the dirty dishes and hit the hay. I still have a lovely mountain in my sink. So, I've gotta go clean them. Manwich and Corn on the Cob tonight.

Oh, and my hair turned out really nice! Re-hilighted and everything! THANK GOD! It was looking so scraggly!

It's gonna be a late posting today, because I'm busy getting the apartment ready for our first "couples" dinner - we invited Justin and Sheri over for dinner and a couple rounds of SceneIt! I'm excited and nervous all at the same time! I mean, maybe it's incredibly old-fashioned of me, but how I pull this off (food-wise) reflects on Manny to his friends. I want very much to not only be the woman he's in love with, but also to be a credit to him. So, cross your fingers! MUST FINISH CLEANING!!! AAAAAAAAARGH!!!!

Fun day

114 DEGREES IN HOUSTON - 'NUFF SAID!

Houston Saturday Night!

Well, like I mentioned (I think), we found out that Manny was going to have to work on Saturday. We had plans to go out to the Museum District originally, and we didn't think we would get to go. I slept late yesterday - and then got up just in time to get a couple things done. Manny walked in the door around 12:30, and went straight into the bedroom and came out with comfy clothes on - HE WAS DONE FOR THE DAY! So, we played a video game together, and then after a bit, we got ready to go out. I fussed - I did my eyes up, did my nails, ------>

and wore pretty jewelry and just felt really...beautiful. We went to Niko Niko's in Montrose (GREEK FOOD!!!!) So, we were going to go to a laser show/concert at the Planetarium at the Museum of Natural Science, but when we walked in the door, the night guard said that they were closed! Manny was pretty bummed, b

ut then we went off walking - we climbed a hill and watched a little bit of the open-air Shakespeare Festival (Much Ado About Nothing), and then we walked around the park - sat on a park bench near a fountain, and just enjoyed the sound of the water. To top the night off, when we got close to home, Manny stopped at Marble Slab - it's like a Cold Stone Creamery, but I must say that the ice cream is better! Manny had Sweet Cream ice cream with Reese's Cups and Chocolate Chips. I had Mango with Fresh Strawberries - YUM!

We got some really nice pictures - so I thought I would post some of them here! (Did I mention that we ran across 4 lanes of traffic in a roundabout just to take pictures by a fountain!?)