Happy Birthday, Brad!

Last weekend we took advantage of our first discounted tickets from my company.  They had family day at Six Flags: The Great Escape, so Brad and I got our tickets and headed north.  It was just $30/person for admission, parking, and hamburgers/hot dogs for lunch!  We've actually never been to a theme park together, so this was fun.

He was in the process of asking me why I'm taking a picture of us waiting in line.

Us on the roller coaster (jk, we didn't have friends to take our picture.  These are some random people.  But we did that)



The swings are my favorite!

The skyride, which I got surprisingly scared on and Brad freaked me out by shaking it.

Got up the courage to extend my arm out of the ride to take our picture

"Let's take a picture with the old man."

"Here, I'll take your picture."

Lady nearby says "do you want a picture with both of you?"

I say "Yes.  Yes we do."

I said I wanted one and Brad took me seriously.

Our handstamps to get back in the park.  "Sasquatch".



All in all, a fun day.  We went to the water park too, which was good since it was pretty hot (come on, this is New York, where's the "cool" weather??)

Then Wednesday was Brad's birthday!  Too bad I had to work all day...but I made him one of his favorite desserts, Butterfinger Blondies:

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/08/butterfinger-blondies.html

You know it's gonna be good when just the batter looks delicious

All set with homemade buttercream icing!

Happy 26th!

We talked about going to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown this weekend as part of his birthday present, but...we've been lazy again.  I mean, we've done a lot of laundry today, but...we planned to "get things done around the house" and...it still looks the same as it did this morning.  Oh well.  Probably hall of fame next weekend though!  And we'll get the birthday boy some new clothes since his are kinda falling apart (yikes).  It's just a lazy, rainy weekend!

Happy Accident

So Brad has been needing a desk for when he starts grad school, and I found one on the employee "trading post" at work.  We went to go buy it from the guy yesterday and brought it back in Brad's truck.  I was dreading getting it up our narrow staircase, but since we don't have any big strong guy friends up here, it was going to be a necessary evil.

So we got back home, went upstairs to clear out a path for the beastly desk, and came back out to get it from the truck.  Got it to the front door (I was already struggling) and...realized I had locked us out  (didn't turn the doorknob lock out, and the keys were inside!)  So there we were, a huge desk waiting outside of our apartment, 7 pm so the front office was closed.  And I didn't have the "after-hours" number on me...that was inside, too...

I had met our downstairs-neighbor, Kim, one time in passing.  She had seemed really nice, so I hoped she would be willing to help us out!  Knocked on the door and asked if they had the paperwork with the after-hours phone number on it.  Turns out her husband, Matt, has been at this complex for 6 years.  So he didn't know where the paperwork was, but I guess he had some phone numbers saved...came back out and told us someone was on their way!  He called 4 different phone numbers for us, till he got a guy who was actually in the complex at the pool.  That guy came straightaway, I was thinking about how we would pay the $50 unlocking fee, and the guy said "technically I'm supposed to charge you 50 bucks for this, but eh, here you go."  What a relief.

Then it got more awesome because Matt offered to help Brad get the desk upstairs.  Yesss.  They got it up there with (I think) not too much difficulty, while I chatted with Kim a little more.  I will be paying them soon in baked goods!

So, a dreadful moment (locking ourselves out) turned into a happy accident...we got to meet the neighbors and talk with them a little more, and I didn't have to attempt to lift a behemoth desk!

Kim and Matt seem really nice...we're happy to have good neighbors :)

Settling In

Wow, I didn't realize I had gone two weeks of working without posting!  The schedule has taken some getting used to...I'm on a 9/80, meaning I work 80 hours in 9 days and then have every other Friday off.  Which will be awesome when I have my first Friday off (next weekend), but for now...it just makes for some long days :)  I get started at 7:00 so that I can be done by 4:30 (3:30 on the non-off Fridays, woohoo), meaning I get up at 5:00.  The drive only takes about 20 mins, but I like to not feel rushed getting ready in the morning...and I need time for a Starbucks run ;)

Anyway, so waking up at 5:00 means I'm trying hard to get to bed early.  So by the time we're finishing up dinner, I'm starting to think about bedtime!

I'm excited about my job.  The engineers come to us statisticians with their projects, and these are always varying and it seems like the statistical needs are different each time!  So I think I will always be challenged...which I like.  Of course, I'll be feeling the pressure to do well and get it right (as Dan said, "people could die if you get it wrong, so it's good to want to get it right!")

It's a really good work environment.  One thing I'm really excited about is that our little office (about 5 people) goes on a walk in the park next door during lunchtime.  It's good to get away from the desk for awhile!

And on the home front...for July 4th we thought about going to fireworks somewhere...there are a few shows in the area that are apparently good.  But again, me and my early bedtime -- we ended up just hanging out at home.  We did mean to break out the ice cream maker to celebrate the 4th (a wedding gift we hadn't used yet!) but once I opened it up I realized we needed to freeze the container bowl for a really long time.  So, it happened on the 5th!

It was delicious!  We also had a Williams Sonoma ice cream mix my mom had given us, which made it extra-good.  Tasted pretty similar to Blue Bell...ah, I miss Blue Bell.  And...this week we made some more, haha.  We may be a little addicted.  But why not make use of the ice cream maker while it's hot outside, right??

Then, onto the weekend.  We got haircuts in the morning and chatted up our hairdressers for ideas of things to do in the area.  One immediate suggestion was the farmer's market going on at the time, in the park that we always go to run.  It was kinda small (actually I'm not sure if that was normal since I hadn't been to a farmer's market before!)  We came away with some blueberries, cookies, and "apple salsa" (interesting).  We also walked to the lake in the park so I could stare at the ducks.

That evening, we made our first venture up to Saratoga Springs.  Lots to explore in that place, but for now we just ate at a Mexican restaurant (they DO exist!) before going to the drive-in at Malta.

 Crowded!

Ready for the show to start

We watched The Amazing Spiderman and Brave.  Two movies in a row is quite a bit, but it was worth it to explore this new area of ours and have a fun evening! 

On Sunday we visited a third church.  The first church was about the size of the one we'd been going to in Temple, the second was pretty small, and this one was a mega-church.  I'm leaning toward the first church we visited.

As for this weekend, not much in the plans.  We're planning to sign up at a gym tomorrow...somehow I'm going to try to fit in aerobics classes after work every day! 

In Brad News: we went to an open house for his grad school this week, they talked about the importance they place on helping their graduates get jobs.  He's getting ready to sign up for his classes and see what undergraduate stuff he needs to complete to qualify for the CPA exam.  Classes start 9/5!  So in the meantime, he gets to chill out :)  Also, his birthday is coming up!  We talked about going to NYC for his birthday; he's never seen the NYSE in action.  But it would have to be next weekend, since that's my off-Friday closest to his bday.  Probably won't do that, since 1) we're trying to save some money after being paycheck-less for awhile and with moving expenses and 2) NYC will probably be more pleasant in the fall!

So, I'm still thinking about it.  Brad doesn't like to make a big deal out of his birthday, but I think we should :)



Big Girl Job

Well today I started my big girl job...it was an orientation day, full of powerpoints and a long list of acronyms to learn...sounds like tomorrow I'll be given some projects!  I'm still pretty nervous about getting started and what expectations will be right off the bat, but it was good to get the first day behind me and start getting used to the company.  The people seem great to work with and I think it'll be a good work environment.

Here's my first day of work outfit:

So exciting...I woke Brad up just to take my picture, ha.

Also, funny story about our church visit yesterday: we visited a different place from last week, just seeing what's out there...this one was closer to home but we were still arriving right-on-time, maybe a minute late.  We walked up to the door and...it was locked!  We could see people in the church inside, but we pushed and tried the door and...nothing.  We wondered, would a church really lock people out for being late??  Seemed crazy, but we didn't know what else to do (no other entrances) so we headed for the car.  When we were almost to the car, we saw a guy park and start to walk in, so I asked him if the church was locked.  He said it shouldn't be, so we followed him to the door.  And...he pulled the door open, and voila.  Can't believe we both pushed and didn't think to try pulling it open!  Dummies.  So, we made it to church after all and were glad they didn't have a strict latecomers policy.

Also yesterday, we went back to our park that we found during the apartment-hunting trip.  We ventured into a new part of the running trail and found some beautiful scenery:



I could get used to this (especially this at temps in the 70s/80s and not in 100+ weather)



And finally, the conclusion to my pantry-closet adventure: it stands up, and it doesn't wobble!  We did end up having to lean it into the wall a bit so it doesn't tip forward, but overall I'd call it a success.  I used a drill for the first time!  Made Brad demonstrate it though, so I can't take full credit for the pantry.  Just most of the credit ;)

Tah-dah.





Somethin' Bout a Truck

Big news for today: Brad got a truck!  2005 F-150.  We've been sharing a vehicle for over a year so I'm really excited for him to have this.  We also found out it's already equipped with remote start...we paid to get remote start in LuLu before we left Texas, knowing we won't have a garage right away and wanting something for those cooold mornings ahead!  So it was a pleasant surprise to have that in this truck.  I just asked Brad if he will name the truck....he declines ;)

 NY license plate...weeeeird.

He was 'done' with pictures after the first one, but I snapped this too!

A couple other things not nearly as important and awesome:

This squirrel came up on our balcony yesterday and was just chillin on the rail, I got really excited for some reason.  I was talking to Brad and looked outside and said "whaaaat?"  then immediately took some pictures.  Kind of like that dog in the movie UP..."Squirrel!!"

Sunbathing...or plotting devious things 

Brad went out there to snap this pic:

...and then he scampered away (the squirrel, not Brad).  Hopefully our squirrel friend will return.  (Is this a sign that we need some human friends here in NY?)

And also, I started a building project tonight.  That was probably a mistake.  Brad and I attempted to build an etagerie (cabinet that stands over the toilet) for one of my Waco apartments...it mostly stood up on its own, as long as you didn't breathe too heavily on it...anyway, I don't think I've attempted many building projects after that but we really need a place to hold our food (wedding-gift kitchen gadgets have taken over every cupboard).  The one Albany Craigslist pre-assembled pantry closet was taken by the time I called...so we bought a some-assembly-required pantry closet from Target.

"some" assembly. 

Brad's been working on commissions this evening, and this pantry closet has been yearning to be built for a couple days, so I took it on tonight.  The first step is to "familiarize yourself with the parts".  Overwhelming already.

But somehow, after about an hour of wrestling with screws and giving myself blisters, I have a backless pantry:

The remaining steps involve hammering...and since it's almost 11:00, I'll save that for tomorrow.  I met our downstairs neighbor yesterday on a trip from the laundry room, and she seems very nice!  So I think about her when I think about those loud hammering noises, and I'd like to start off on the right foot with the neighbors :)

The big test will be standing this thing up...that's when I'll know if it wobbles like the ol' etagerie, or if it is a building project Win for Stephanie.  Stay tuned for the riveting conclusion to this adventure.





Our Apartment

We've really enjoyed our apartment complex so far...it's set back a bit from the main roads, with lots of trees, and fellow residents seem to be friendly :)  (haven't met our neighbors yet!)  Here's a grand tour of the apartment, as it was when we first walked in:

Walkway to the apartment door

Walk inside: coat closet, and stairs...

Walk up the steep stairs to get to the apartment...

Turn right at the top of the stairs: living room, view into the kitchen and dining room

From the living room, to the right is the patio (pretty trees outside)

 To the left of the living room is master bedroom, bathroom, laundry closet, second bedroom with bath.  Here's a peek into the master bedroom

Looking into the kitchen (too small for all our wedding-gift kitchen appliances!) and the dining room 

Second bedroom (love that both rooms have walk-in closets...we're making full use of those!) 

One more look into the dining room from living room.

...a little boring right now, no?  But we love the spacious layout and I'm looking forward to getting it all pulled together.  Right now it's pretty much a mess, but maybe I'll post some pics whenever we get it organized and get decorations up!

Side note: having a moving company move your stuff is definitely the way to go.  We're spoiled this time because it's reimbursed by the company, but for the future when it's on our own dime...I may see it as a necessary expense.  Loved not having to haul all the furniture and boxes up those stairs.

After the movers brought it all in, reassembled the furniture and were on their way, we had a moment to just sit there amid all our stuff and I...definitely got teary-eyed.  I haven't had much time to think about the move, leaving behind all our family and friends in Texas, etc., so maybe that was one of the first times it really hit me.  I definitely miss our people back home already, but I need to focus on our new adventures and all the experiences we'll have up here.  And of course, there are phones, Skype, planes...we can still stay very much connected with our Texas family!

Plenty to keep my mind occupied as we try to adjust to life as New Yorkers this week.  I start next Monday and we still have plenty of little tasks to do before then!  We visited a Southern Baptist church on Sunday and it felt very similar to churches back home.  Went to a Sunday school and the people were very nice -- several of them had Texas connections themselves!  In other news, Brad's looking at getting a vehicle of his own...he has it narrowed down to a ranger and a couple of F-150's...I'm excited for him to have a truck again after we've been sharing a vehicle for over a year!  I'm sure he's excited too :) 

Oh, I guess I should talk about the weather since that's a big difference up here...actually, when we got in on Thursday I think it was 102...maybe a couple degrees hotter than in TX even!  But this week, it's supposed to be in the 60's and 70's...meanwhile, FB friends are posting pics of the forecast for the week: 100+ temperatures mostly.  So for this week at least, I get to be smug :)  but I know it'll be a rude awakening come October/November...we realllly don't know what we're getting into with this snow stuff.

Plenty of updates to come as we become New Yorkers, but I'll leave you with some fun pictures from the unpacking process.  The movers used sooo much packing paper (naturally, they don't want to break our stuff since they'd be held responsible) and rather than dispose of it as we unpack, we decided to build a giant mountain out of it in the dining room, just to see how high it could reach.

Easily amused.

We're Here!

Well, we've made it to our new apartment in New York!  We arrived last Thursday and we've just been getting settled in.  Boxes are mostly unpacked...still have a ways to go with the organizing/decorating but I'm happy with our progress for only having been moved in for five days.

Since my last update...I had my dissertation defense!  I wasn't too nervous for the presentation part (we've had to do so many presentations in the program that it's "old hat" now) but for the "Q&A" with the committee afterward, I didn't know what to expect (guests leave the room and it's just you and the committee members, they can ask anything about your presentation/dissertation contents/whatever).  It didn't turn out to be very scary at all...then they sent me out of the room to "deliberate", then my advisor came out and shook my hand, saying "Dr. Doherty"...pretty cool :)  So, I passed...still trying to get all the paperwork cleared with the grad school to be able to really say I'm official and graduating in August, but basically the hard part is behind me.  I've been a student for 20 years, so it's weird to be entering this next phase in life...with a Big Girl Job.

Some pictures with my friends/fam who came to the defense:

"Fat Kids Club"...all defending this year, I'm proud of us!

After the defense, it was a week o' craziness trying to get our things for the move pulled together (thankfully, there wasn't MUCH work to do since the movers packed everything as part of our relocation package!)  The weekend right before we left, we headed to Hearne to see Brad's dad's side of the family...his grandma (Mimi) turned 80 this past Saturday, so we missed her big birthday bash by one week :(  it was good to be able to see her before our trip!

Monday was the big packing up day...it was a little awkward to just sit on our couch and watch the movers take care of everything...I wanted to help out with something, but it's all up to them.  We had Whataburger for lunch...last time for awhile :-/  They arrived around 9 in the morning and didn't finish up till 8 pm!  A big part of that was trying to fit the mattresses...they had 3 other households loaded into the same van, so we were the last on, and they underestimated how much stuff we have...whoops...they ended up wrapping up the mattresses in all sorts of waterproof things and putting them on an attachment off the back of the truck.  This took awhile.  We finished cleaning the apartment and just stared at them while they tried to figure it out.

Anyway, we finally go on our way and just made it to Dallas that night.  Slept in and got on the road late the next day (this was a general theme for our road trip...) We had time for just one "fun stop" along the way, so we went to the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.  Also in Nashville, we did a Hotwire Hot Deal for our hotel, got a great deal on a 3.5-star hotel, and all they had left with a king bed was the "hospitality suite"...that thing was seriously bigger than our apartment that we just moved out of.  It was glorious.  Too bad we only spent about 8 hours in that hotel!  Some pics from the trip:

 It was our mission to load up on Shiner before we left TX...little did we know, there was a whole string of dry counties along our trip on 30 heading out of TX!  We learned this little bit of trivia: the Texas side of Texarkana is a dry county, while the Arkansas side of Texarkana is in a wet county!  Thank goodness the Arkansas side carried Shiner beer.

 Swanky hotel room in Nashville.  This place was great.

 Wall of gold records at the Country Music Hall of Fame

Yummy Nashville BBQ



 Finally in New York!

Our apartment door :)  So exciting.

It was a long couple of days for the drive but we saw some pretty scenery along the way, and LuLu held up beautifully!  (aside from having to get gas every 250 miles, bah...)  Check out the next post for a Grand Tour of our apartment :)