30 Days of Thankful: Day 30

Today I am thankful for taking on this project. Over the past 30 days, even on those days that I didn't post, I kept thinking of all the people, opportunities, adventures, things that I/we have been blessed with. After each post, I had a sense of peace, the type that comes from keeping a positive attitude. I cannot promise to always have a positive attitude but hopefully I will be able to re-direct my energy to people and things that do matter.

I am also thankful for UAB. No, my story with UAB wasn't one of love at first sight but it has grown on me. I met Tom here, got a degree here, and met some wonderful people here. UAB also offered me a good job, with amazing co-workers who become closer friends everyday and a supportive mentor. A lot of what I do now wouldn't have been possible without the International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS, they have a new name now). From handling my paperwork when I was a student to providing much needed advice with my green card application. And yes, I am thankful that I am a resident of the US. 

30 Days of Thankful: Day 29

I am thankful for Birmingham. It will always have a special place in my heart - where I went to school, where I met and married hubby, where I met many of my friends, including BFF Susie. It's also close to other places, including Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Nashville, the beach, and Atlanta (Ikea and an international airport!).

30 Days of Thankful: Day 28

I am thankful for our Christmas tree, but in the general sense, we have made our traditions. The Christmas tree always goes up the day after Thanksgiving. It has taught us to compromise since Tom loves lights on trees but I don't. So Tom gets the lights and I get an almost monochromatic tree (tress in the past have had all pink, all purple, or green and gold ornaments). This year, we are doing blue and gold.

30 Days of Thankful: Day 27

I am thankful for the post office/USPS. They offer a great service at a great price - I've never had issues with them. I love that I can affix a forever stamp on just about any correspondence and use a drop box (conveniently located in the basement of my building or outside of Tom's building). More importantly, even though it might take 7-14 days for mail to and from Mauritius, it still is the cheapest option for cards. Which reminds me I need to start working on Christmas cards :)

30 Days of Thankful: recap

Day 23: I am thankful for having what we need. Yes, we have wants but we didn't need anything and it was one more day to stay in instead of braving the crowds.

Day 24: I am thankful for my time in Baton Rouge and Louisiana in general. I learned about southern hospitality on my first day in the US on campus, when everyone greeted you and smiled. I learned about football and I love my LSU Tigers. I got to spend a short three years on one of the most beautiful campus and got a good education. I was introduced to one of my favorite cuisines, Cajun.


Day 25: I am thankful for a long weekend of doing nothing, except for reheating leftovers, watching football, and playing video games.

Day 26: I am thankful for my cold weather gear. Today marks my first walking to work day and I was sweating by the time I got in, thanks to a thermal top. Note to self, don't wear thermal tops to walk to work :) Tom introduced me to what we call snuggle socks, which are fleece/fuzzy socks. I have several pairs and they are great to wear at home although I have been known to wear them out :)

30 Days of Thankful: Day 22

Happy Thanksgiving!

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

(http://quotations.about.com/od/specialdays/a/thanksgiving4.htm)

I am thankful for Thanksgiving: another year of the traditional potluck meal with Colm and Zak (who came back to Bham for the holiday!!!) and others. It's a great reminder of our friendships, our love for food and cooking, and of course an opportunity to watch football. I am also thankful for the meal since this is my favorite meal of the year and I almost always order a Thanksgiving sandwich when it's on the menu.

30 Days of Thankful: Day 21

I am thankful for World Market, especially at this time of the year: Electric Reindeer. At about $5 a bottle, their white zin and moscato wines are absolutely my favorite. We have been known to stock up by the case since Electric Reindeer is only sold in the late fall/winter.

30 Days of Thankful: Day 20

I am thankful for Craft nights. I am currently working on our travel scrapbook, wedding invitations, a drinks label board, and designing a label for Tom's creation: jalapeno vodka. It's great to relax doing something you love, in good company while sipping on favorite beverages.

30 Days of Thankful: Recap

Day 17: I am thankful for grandparents, both mine and Tom's. This weekend was marked by watching the Notebook, talking about my grandma (dad's side) who is a seamstress while I was at the dress alteration place, and actually talking to her on Skype on Sunday. I also received a nice card from Tom's grandparents for my birthday. It was very thoughtful of them.

Day 18: I am thankful for Costco. Some expert savers argue that warehouse stores are not a good idea, but I love Costco. On Satuday, I picked up their 6 quart Crockpot slow cooker with dipper for about $20. I wanted one with a digital timer and this was the same exact one that we had registered for more than twice the price. Crockpot cooking, here we come!

Day 19: I am thankful for Courtyard. The Packers game is not always on regular TV, like yesterday and two weeks ago. So on those days, I pack the Sunday paper and we head to Courtyard. The bartenders know us. We get unhealthy but oh so good food and pitchers of PBR and I get to read the paper and go through the ads.

30 Days of Thankful: Day 16

I am thankful for Aveda Institute. One of my RAs from back in the days had told me about them, and I had been treated to a refresher facial in Austin. Recently, I decided to try the one in Birmingham after getting great feedback from Kelly and Stacy. Since I went only once for a 30 minute facial, I can't tell too much of a difference, but the experience was great. Plus, it is cheaper than professional places since it's a training institution. I am looking forward to my next visit.

30 Days of Thankful: Day 15

I am thankful for the massaging chair pad that Tom got me at Christmas a few years ago. There are days that my upper back is really sore and full of knots, so a warm massage feels really nice.

30 Days of Thankful: Day 14

I am thankful for all the wishes, cards, and gifts. You have made my day/week so special.

30 Days of Thankful - Day 13

I am thankful for my cultural background. I have fond memories of switching lunch with my high school besties, having dim sum with my dad, mine frire (similar to lo mein noodles), boulettes (chinese meatballs), crepes and so on. I got to taste so many different (homemade) cuisines. And then there were the festivals. We had quite a few, and most of them are centered around food. And the exchange of food. Angie would bring treats for Chinese New Year, and I would bring her something for Diwali.
Today is Diwali - the festival of light and my favorite. I really hope that one year I will be home for it. For those who celebrate, I wish you a very happy Diwali.

30 Days of Thankful: Day 12

I am thankful for my graduate lab. My former mentor and his group were able to restore my faith in science. I was ready to quit in 2007 after a miserable experience until I transferred to Dr. P's lab. While I love my current clinical work, I will always have a soft spot for basic sciences and enzymology, which have made me a more well-rounded scientist. Now that I've graduated we have lab meetings at the J. Clyde every so often. We talk about science, and I get much needed advice on my project and lab dynamics.

30 Days of Thankful: Day 11

In honor of Veterans Day, I am thankful for the people who fought to make America the great country that it is today.

30 Days of Thankful: Day 10

I am thankful for our ability to travel. We are in relatively good travel shape and our jobs are somewhat flexible with time-off. We have visited many neat places and met up with family and friends. We have also been lucky to travel when one of us has a conference. Last year, I was in Rhode Island for a Gordon conference and Tom met me in Boston afterwards. This year, we are doing Destin. Tom has been very supportive of my desire to visit all the states.

Also, Happy Birthday Geoff!

30 Days of Thankful: Day 9

I am thankful for my car - she is now 7 years old, is paid off, and I haven't had any major issues. Oh the memories we share!

30 Days of Thankful: Day 8

I am thankful for our apartment. Yes, I am ready to tell my landlord that I cry myself to sleep every night for not having a dog. No, I don't really do it, but at least once a week, Tom has to hear me whine about wanting a dog. No, we can't move because Tom doesn't want to move the couches and more importantly a change of address could mean delays with the green card stuff. Our apartment has a great location, close to work, stores, and restaurants. With the cooler weather coming in, it's time to start walking to and from work again. It's relatively safe and our landlords are friendly.

30 Days of Thankful: Day 7

I am thankful for technology. When I first came to the US, I had to buy calling cards at $20 each to be able to talk to my family for 1 hour. Now, I pay about the same for a year of unlimited calling through the magic jack. Skype is another great invention. Through Skype, my parents were able to "attend" my public dissertation defense, they get regular tours of the house and the garden, and can talk to me while I cook Sunday breakfast. My sister gets to see my latest purchases, especially if shoes and purses are involved. We do a lot of wedding planning with Skype and email. My cousin's 3 year old daughter has been able to send her best wishes for our wedding (and danced for us), and I had a Google Hangout with my BFF Grace. I have faith that I will be able to Skype with my high school BFF Angie, who is all the way out in Australia.
Being able to text both nationally and internationally has become such an important way to communicate. The latest is trying to convince BFF Laura that the spider could be relocated rather than killed, and getting pictures of BFF Susie Beth's newborn. 
Words with Friends has been great too - from playing with my mother-in-law,  Tom's cousin, friends, co-workers to playing with my long lost friend, Moy, who lives in Birmingham, UK.
Streaming (movies, full episodes, football games) is another activity that has become popular and helpful in our household. For example, Sunday Tom wanted to watch the night game but I also wanted to watch Revenge, which aired at the same time. So I caught up to the show yesterday on the ABC app on the iPad. 
Yep, technology, you have made my life so much easier.

30 Days of Thankful: Day 6

I am thankful for the broader scope of Tasty Tuesdays - never going without food. Family and friends have been so generous sharing their recipes and we often find unexpected sources of recipes. For example, we are planning to make a New England clam chowder, recipe courtesy of the Pump House Restaurant in Fairbanks, Alaska. The restaurant gives the recipe on their business cards if you care to ask. Uncle Mike wouldn't say it was better than what he gets in Boston, but it was pretty close.

As for Tasty Tuesday per se, no pics this week. I wasn't feeling well this weekend so Tom took the reigns. Last night I made broccoli cheese soup, tweaking a recipe that I saw on America's Test Kitchen. Since our immersion blender is out, I brought out the monster blender. I managed to drop the blender pitcher and one part broke, making it terribly loud. One more kitchen electric item that needs to be replaced. Maybe. Since the only times I use the blender is for soups and sauces (I think we have crushed ice only once since we've been together), the immersion blender might just do the trick.

30 Days of Thankful, recap

Everyone is doing this, and decided to join the trend.

Day 1: I am thankful for my family - even though they are miles away, we grow closer every time we talk - about the serious stuff and not-so serious stuff. The don't-tell the parents stories with my sister that I eventually tell mom and dad on my own, the laugh-fest every Sunday, the supportive ears when I'm being emotional. I am truly thankful for a very loving family.

Day 2: I am thankful for a wonderful husband. There isn't a day that goes by without him making me laugh at least once. He loves me even when I'm having a bad day and knows how to take care of me when I'm feeling blue.

Day 3: I am thankful for my family-in-law. They have welcomed me openly and warmly into their family and make me feel as one of their own. I think that Tom takes after his dad because father in law is hilarious. My amazing mother in law is very caring and thoughtful. She's always up for an adventure, whether it's a hike, a gold mine, or a shopping trip. She's willing to listen and help. And of course, they are Packer fans!

Day 4: I am thankful for my friends. Like they say, friends are the family you choose. I am thankful for each of my besties and friends - even though life gets busy, I love how we reconnect instantly when we do spend time together or talk.

Day 5: I am thankful for my job. My boss and co-workers have been a great addition to my life. They have opened my eyes to a different attitude about life. We share so many stories and there is never a dull day. They are very supportive and provide good feedback, science and not science related. Bonus: we have discovered a favorite Chinese restaurant!

Crafting world

Here's the craft recap:
Painted canvas (Ruth 1:16), my take on a Pinterest inspiration:

I'm somewhat scared of hanging up pictures and what-nots around the house since we're renters. We have decided that what we have up now is more than likely it. But I want more stuff on the wall. For the longest time, I had planned this shelf made out of a couple of 2 by 4. I borrowed a saw from my co-worker, measured and measured, and Tom got to work. I finished the shelf by adding four L brackets.

The shelf went behind the smaller sofa in the living room. The gap is because of the baseboards, but it doesn't bother us. We also didn't stain or treat the wood since it is hidden and not a piece that we hope to keep for years and years (also I was lazy).

And finally our Packers stocks are in full display. I still think it needs something tall to bring the eyes up but I don't want it to look too cluttered, so who knows what I'll find. I added mini lights for mood or low lighting. And Bucky is hanging in his Christmas tree with our two Alaska ornaments - we are ready for Christmas but we are waiting for the Friday after Thanksgiving, which is when we traditionally put up the Christmas tree.

Weekend recap

This past weekend we were able to get away: a great 10 mile hike, beautiful Fall colors, and low temperatures. We have been waiting for good hiking conditions and this weekend was it. It was about 55 degrees when we hiked in. I had to wear a top base layer and my hat to keep my ears warm. We were amazed that our hilly hike took us about 2.5 hours with barely any breaks. We usually take about 3-4 breaks, taking our packs off, but not this weekend. So either the hike was easier or somehow we increased our endurance. We found a good camping site and started a fire. It was wonderful to warm up by it since it was in the mid 30s at night.

The hike out was a different story. It was warmer (mid 60s). We didn't stop but were considerably slower. The last 30 minutes were exhausting - we were so glad when we saw the last creek (about 15 mins from the trailhead) and the bridge to the car.

Other highlights: We saw deer tracks and saw what looked like rooting from a pig. So Tom did a quick recap on how to react to a wild pig. I also had my first roasted marshmallow. Not a fan. There will not be s'mores at the wedding. We also had chicken teriyaki with rice from Mountain High (previously cooked, dried camping food) for the first time. It was super yummy! On Sunday morning, I got up earlier than Tom (as usual). I went to get water, boiled it, made tea and another dried camping meal (beef stew, not all that good), and started the fire. I am feeling more comfortable in the wild, especially since I also set up the tent this time. I'm still not as good as Tom at gathering wood, telling time/how much daylight is left, and differentiating trails. 

We also met a black lab at the trailhead - her owners weren't around but she still was very playful and wanted to play fetch. We saw another family going on a hike at the trailhead and they took her with them, hoping to find her family on the trail.

It surprising how fast time flies. This past weekend, one year ago, Tom proposed.

Here is the link to the Facebook pictures:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101736476040125.3114817.23413201&type=1&l=6134cc1cd2

Oh November!

For November, I'm
Excited:  about Divali (November 13), upcoming trips, and birthday
Worried: The one lecture I'm teaching, Green card interview
Watching: football, Revenge, Scandal, NCIS, Bones, Big Bang Theory
Reading: Siddhartha
Listening to: nothing in particular
Creating:  scrapbook
Cooking: stews? crockpot meals?
Loving: cool weather
Thinking: rather, being thankful and counting our blessings.
Looking forward to: Annual beach trip, ACME oyster house, Thanksgiving and Zak's return, and maybe an Ikea visit while we're in Atlanta for Green card stuff