We survived our move! And there weren’t even any casualties. I have war wounds though — huge black and blue bruises up and down my legs from when I was lugging stuff in a cart from the old apartment to the new apartment one evening and the cart hit a bump in the sidewalk and toppled over and I fell on top of it. My muscles are sore too from carrying things down three flights of stairs and then up three flights of stairs. And we didn’t even move the heavy stuff (we hired pros for that). We thought we were saving ourselves trouble and money in the long run doing a lot of the move ourselves (not to mention all the painting), but I think that was a mistake and next time we will let movers do ALL of the moving, if not a lot of the packing, too. We’re just too old and too busy with a rambunctious little boy for everything we went through the last couple of weeks. We’re exhausted. And we still have so much unpacking to do now. I did drop like five pounds though, so that’s something I guess.
Anyhoo. Can you believe the holidays are like right around the corner? Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away. Oh! That reminds me. I’ll do a separate post for this, but in the mean time, if any guys want to send me some links for products/ gift ideas you like for men, please do. I want to put together a Guys of DW Gift Guide to help us women with our holiday shopping this year. Why are men do hard to shop for? (I’m also doing my usual men’s and women’s gift guides, though they may be a little shorter this year).
What else? How is everyone doing? What’s new? Does anyone have fun weekend plans? Any dates? Parties, vacations, birthdays or anniversaries you’re celebrating? I’ll be spending most of the weekend unpacking and settling in. We also have a 3-year-old b-day party Saturday afternoon, and I might break in the new kitchen with a batch of cookies or something like that. Our new landlord lives below us, so I thought I might start sharing some of my baked goods with him to help counter the effects of Jackson’s little feet running up and down the hallway. He has been super nice to us so far, but I assume the early and warm welcome will cool eventually and I want to endear us to him as much and as long as possible. Anyone have a cookie recipe you like?
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Portia November 14, 2014, 4:39 pm
Wendy, I’m so glad moving went well! I got movers a few times when I was living in another city and I agree with you that it made moving so much better. It was just one persons-worth of stuff, so I had them do everything and it was amazing. They even set up a pully to bring in a particularly large piece of furniture through a window. I was shocked at how quick they were too! I’ve also had crappy movers who overcharged and underdelivered, though, so it can be a mixed bag.
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Oh my gosh, guys, I don’t want to jinx this, but I just got my last little administrative hiccup settled! As long as I don’t completely mess up, I’m going to be done with this grad school thing in a few weeks!!! I just started dancing around my apartment and I’m so glad no one was here to witness me being an absolute nut…
othy November 14, 2014, 4:53 pm
So the vagueness wasn’t bad?
Portia November 14, 2014, 4:59 pm
Lol, sadly enough, I still don’t know! His meetings today ran over and he said he’ll email me this weekend. So, small enough to fit in an email is probably good? He did say “nothing to worry about” with a smiley face, so I’m slightly more reassured. But grad school is maddening.
othy November 14, 2014, 5:08 pm
Oh, I hear you on that. I loved when I was trying to clear up a policy, and my department would refer me to the dean of the college who would refer me to the registrar’s office who would refer me back to my department. And people wonder why I only got a master’s….
Portia November 14, 2014, 10:29 pm
I hear you. It’s so ridiculous when they don’t even know their own policies. Isn’t it great when they change every so often and without warning? It’s a fun game to play! Ugh, it’s not a sprint or a marathon, it’s an obstacle course…
CurlyQue November 14, 2014, 4:58 pm
Yay Portia!!!!!!!!
CurlyQue November 14, 2014, 5:06 pm
Nothing major planned for this weekend, though i am going to see my bf’s play this weekend (he did the special effects for it) so that’ll be fun. Overall though, life feels stressed. The bf and i have some things we need to work through before we can get engaged/married (which would be the next step) and it just feels like maybe those things are insurmountable (sp?) and they’re stressing us out.
On the bright side, ALL of my Christmas shopping is done; so now i can focus on planning on my Christmas Eve dinner (tamales!)! One of my favorite things i bought was on etsy, they’re called “dunk mugs” and i bought them from a shop called InAGlaze and they’re the cutest things! They’re a mug, but then there’s a slot underneath for cookies! I bought two cookie monster ones for my dad and youngest brother, a Mario one for another brother, and a zombie one for the bf. I think they’re going to LOVE them. 🙂 I love shopping for other people.
Moneypenny November 14, 2014, 5:34 pm
Congrats for having your shopping done!! I have a few things purchased, and a list for the rest, so I plan to keep Christmas shopping as easy as possible. 🙂
othy November 14, 2014, 5:10 pm
I’m a huge fan of these. They’re super easy and super delicious. And Jackson could help push the kisses into the cookies:
Dear Wendy November 15, 2014, 7:59 am
Yes!
MissDre November 14, 2014, 5:20 pm
I’M MOVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Moneypenny November 14, 2014, 5:35 pm
Where?! Did you get your own place?!
MissDre November 14, 2014, 7:21 pm
Yes, moving back into the city, into a 2-bedroom condo!
Moneypenny November 16, 2014, 1:40 am
Congrats!!!
Crazy_Pug_Lady November 14, 2014, 5:26 pm
These are my favourite cookies for this time of year. However they are a little time consuming, definitely worth the effort though.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chocolate-caramel-thumbprints
cinnamonwhiskk November 14, 2014, 7:53 pm
Those look divine! I am on a no-sweets challenge until January 31st 🙁 But I want!!
Dear Wendy November 15, 2014, 8:00 am
Yum, thank you!
Moneypenny November 14, 2014, 5:36 pm
Sooooo tomorrow morning I’m going on a walking tour for my conference and it’s supposed to be 34 degrees outside. But then I’m going with Call-Me-Hobo to the Jack Daniels Distillery for a tour and then to dinner with live Bluegrass music! Yay!!
muse November 14, 2014, 5:39 pm
Waving HI!!
Moneypenny November 14, 2014, 5:42 pm
OH HIIIIII!!!!!
muse November 14, 2014, 5:46 pm
Have fun at the distillery! Be sure to enjoy some samples 😉
Moneypenny November 16, 2014, 1:41 am
I did not have samples- there was a separate tasting tour, plus I was already hungover. So no drinking for me.
LadyinPurpleNotRed November 14, 2014, 5:55 pm
I went to the Jack Daniels Distillery with call-me-hobo…it’s really fun. She’s awesome. Love that girl!
Addie Pray November 14, 2014, 6:11 pm
I feel left out. Call-me-hobo never took me to the Jack Daniels Distillery. ….
LadyinPurpleNotRed November 14, 2014, 6:13 pm
Have you gone to visit her yet? If yes, then BAD CALL-ME-HOBO. If no, then BAD ADDIE.
call-me-hobo November 15, 2014, 11:20 am
It’s definitely BAD ADDIE. And now she’s so in love she’s never ever going to come down and visit me. :'(
Addie Pray November 15, 2014, 5:00 pm
well now we’ll BOTH just come to Nashville!
Moneypenny November 16, 2014, 1:43 am
AND I got to see her house. AND I ate chicken fried steak and sweet tea!
Addie Pray November 16, 2014, 6:59 pm
wait, what’s chicken fried steak? is it chicken? or is it steak?
jlyfsh November 16, 2014, 8:34 pm
it’s steak fried like chicken 😉 and i don’t know what they do in TN but here it’s served with white gravy. super healthy for you! hah.
Moneypenny November 16, 2014, 1:42 am
Seriously! It was super cool. And Call Me Hobo is the best!!!
LadyinPurpleNotRed November 16, 2014, 8:30 am
She really is!
Dear Wendy November 15, 2014, 8:00 am
Hsve fun, you guys!
Dear Wendy November 15, 2014, 8:02 am
And take a picture!
Moneypenny November 16, 2014, 1:40 am
We did! I mean, we had fun and took a couple of pictures. 🙂 I’ll have to email them to you!
Addie Pray November 16, 2014, 7:00 pm
I had an unofficial DW meet up too, and we took pictures! We should post our unofficial meet up meet ups.
Dear Wendy November 17, 2014, 6:44 am
Yes, send me pics!
Moneypenny November 16, 2014, 1:50 am
OH ALSO! Last night I wen out with some dudes I met at my conference from DC. One of them (the ahem, hottest) wound up hanging with me one on one and ended up falling asleep on my bed. BUT he did ask for my number, and my response was, “MY number?” ha. Totally PG evening. Which was great bc I was unfortunately hungover.
Moneypenny November 16, 2014, 1:52 am
And by PG evening, I mean evening AND morning. Ha!
muse November 14, 2014, 5:37 pm
This is the only thing I am ever asked to bring to parties: http://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2012/09/nutella-stuffed-brown-butter-sea-salt-chocolate-chip-cookies-my-favorite-cookie-ever/
A little bit of work, but oh so worth it!!
I’m glad you are settling into the new place, have fun making it home 🙂
Dear Wendy November 15, 2014, 8:01 am
Omg.
snoopy128 November 15, 2014, 5:42 pm
Ditto Muse, I get frequent requests for those cookies
mylaray November 14, 2014, 5:49 pm
I love the New Pornographers! I saw them last week and they were so great.
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It’s finally getting chilly here and I’m going to make plenty of hot chocolate this weekend, with marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate curls, and peppermint. Yum.
Also, I heard Reese’s just came out with a chocolate-peanut butter spread (aka their version of Nutella) and oh my gosh, it’s too good. I don’t think I can buy it anymore or I will eat it all.
Addie Pray November 14, 2014, 5:49 pm
Because I like typing out my weekend itinerary for you guys (and because I’m sure you’re waiting with bated breath), here’s what AP is doing this weekend.
Friday: Crossfit from 5:30 to 6:30 pm (Crossfit is the best thing in the whole wide world; I”m drinking the juice); then I’m having a puppy play date at a friend’s – Moose’s BFF is a little rescue named Elvis.
Saturday: Crossfit from 8 to 10 am. (And the cool thing about Crossfit is Moose can come!); then I’m having lunch at the Walnut (at Macy’s) with this new friend I met at my dog walker’s memorial service last weekend – my new friend is 70 and she was so fun to talk to and a breath of fresh air at the memorial service which was full of really phony plasticy old ladies); then I have a puppy play date with this lady I met at the dog park; then I’m having dinner with my old neighbor (BUT IT’S PLATONIC)
Sunday: oh oh oh I think I’m going to the burbs with JillieZ and Herself b/c that got canceled last week. Right? Sunday am? Then I have ANOTHER puppy play date up in Evanston with a friend and her two dogs (btw, I can totally see how when you have kids, you start hanging around friends with kids – it’s like i only see my friends who have dogs these days), and then – oh oh oh and then Sunday night (I’m really excited about this): I’m going to an Assyrian thing. I’m half Assyrian, so this is me getting in touch with my roots. The name of the event has MY REAL NAME in it so it was meant to be that I go.
And goddamnitalltohell it’s basically already Monday again. Geez.
_s_ November 14, 2014, 6:57 pm
Hiring movers for everything is always worth the money. ALWAYS.
Dear Wendy November 15, 2014, 8:01 am
Agreed.
Portia November 15, 2014, 11:12 am
I did have bad movers once for a cross-town move. Terrible. So bad I found them on yelp just to leave a bad review. I’ve gotten some messages since from people who said they had the exact same terrible experience. They definitely have to be good ones (it’s been a few years and I still haven’t heard of any good movers in DC, so the problem could be location).
bittergaymark November 14, 2014, 7:18 pm
I am recovering from my NYC vacation. I am worn out! So. Much. Fun. Oh, and I need to send in my gift suggestions to Wendy’s… We talked about this over coffee in Brooklyn.
Dear Wendy November 15, 2014, 8:04 am
I think I saw an email from you, but haven’t had a chance yet to read my messages. So fun coffee chatting with you this week. Looking forward to your gift suggestions!
Sue Jones November 14, 2014, 7:54 pm
I am going to see my son perform in a local children’s theater production this weekend and will also be helping backstage for the other cast. Fun!!!!
Lyra November 14, 2014, 9:32 pm
Navy Guy has drill this weekend so I’m hanging out with two kitties all weekend! I love when I can be a two-kitty household.
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Tomorrow, Cassie, Sunshine Brite, and I are having a wine, pizza, and movie night! We met at last fall’s big Minnesota meet up and we really connected and have met up a few times since then so they’re coming over and we’re going to hang out in yoga pants and drink lots of wine and talk about boys…and DW of course! It shall be fun. 🙂 We should live blog it in the forums.
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It’s been RIDICULOUSLY cold recently. It feels like January and I’m not ok with it. I wore my winter coats every day this week and the roads are icy and it’s like people forgot how to drive in snow and ice. My apartment people FINALLY turned the heat on today which has been glorious. The upside is that soup and bread and hot cocoa were an order for dinner!
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In good news, it’s looking like I will be selling some of my crocheted pet toys/accessories/clothing through a local vet! I reached out to them last week and they said they would review my application and get back to me soon! I was definitely feeling like an entrepreneur and it’s exciting to turn something I’ve done as a hobby for years into a second source of income. 🙂
Addie Pray November 15, 2014, 7:03 am
Oh fun! I like Cassie and Sunshine – have fun and tell is all the gossip and deep thoughts you spill
Lyra November 15, 2014, 1:46 pm
Hahaha, what happens at the meet up stays at the meet up! 😉
Dear Wendy November 15, 2014, 8:02 am
Have a great time at the mini DW meetup. Take a pic!
Lyra November 15, 2014, 1:46 pm
Will do!
Sunshine Brite November 15, 2014, 1:10 pm
I can’t believe they just turned on the heat, I thought it was supposed to be Oct 1st in MN. My building’s been on forever, before it was needed as I was in my shorts and had the window open there for awhile. We didn’t have ours on but the building collectively was just hotter. Mine’s already had a frozen pipe it looks like the next building over.
Lyra November 15, 2014, 1:46 pm
Yeah I was going to email them soon if they hadn’t turned it on yet, especially after the snowstorm on Monday…
Lyra November 16, 2014, 10:28 am
The Cassie/Lyra/Sunshine Brite meet up was suuuuuuuper fun. We may have drank almost 3 bottles of wine…mostly me and Sunshine hah! But anyway, we had lots of laughs, lots of secrets were shared, lots of deep talks, DW came up a few times, and unfortunately we FORGOT to take a picture! 🙁 We were so into the conversation and I was pretty tipsy so it just slipped my mind. Next time!
Addie Pray November 16, 2014, 7:02 pm
Did you talk about Navy Guy?
*
Ok give us ONE secret. Just one.
Lyra November 16, 2014, 8:06 pm
Yes indeed! Navy Guy was talked about a lot. We *may* have talked about which DW people would be my hypothetically be in my hypothetical wedding party…
Ellis Bell November 15, 2014, 3:43 pm
These are great if you substitute in white chocolate chips and root beer:
http://www.coca-colacompany.com/food/coca-cola-chocolate-chip-cookies
LadyinPurpleNotRed November 16, 2014, 4:09 pm
Today is beautiful day–I had to get my tire fixed and I was so worried I would have to get a new one, but instead of a new tire, I got the air valve (the issue) replaced…for free. I almost started crying in the tire place I was so relieved and thankful.