Friday, December 18, 2009
Welcome Olivia June McCall!
Justin's brother, Darren, and Darren's wife, Cortney, welcomed their daughter to the world this morning! Miss Olivia June McCall weighed 7 lbs, 4 oz. I will post pictures as soon as I get some. Congratulations to the proud grandparents, too!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Thai Chili
Justin and I decided to eat at Thai Chili last weekend. For some reason, I've really gotten into spicy food lately and Thai food is usually my choice. Thai Chili is located in a shopping center on Briarcliff Road near it's intersection with Lavista Road. This is also the same center that houses my beloved Artuzzi's and is across the street from Whole Foods. We visit Whole Foods nearly every weekend, so we drive by Thai Chili frequently.
This seems to be a popular restaurant because they were fairly busy on Saturday night. The atmosphere was pleasant and wasn't terribly loud when we were there. They also seem to do a lot of take-out orders because several people picked up orders while we were eating.
A lot of the items on the menu sounded appealing to me, but I decided to try the Spicy Veggie Shrimp (Spicy Veggie Chicken with shrimp instead of chicken). Justin had the Spicy Basil Leaves with chicken. The entrees were served with a small order of steamed white rice. Both of our entrees were designated as spicy with two chili peppers on the menu, which means they were pretty hot. We tolerated the spices, but both had runny noses and clear sinuses when we left.
The service was good and the restaurant seemed clean. The prices were good and the food was delicious. I'm sure we'll visit Thai Chili again. They had a wine menu, but neither of us ordered anything other than water and diet soda.
This seems to be a popular restaurant because they were fairly busy on Saturday night. The atmosphere was pleasant and wasn't terribly loud when we were there. They also seem to do a lot of take-out orders because several people picked up orders while we were eating.
A lot of the items on the menu sounded appealing to me, but I decided to try the Spicy Veggie Shrimp (Spicy Veggie Chicken with shrimp instead of chicken). Justin had the Spicy Basil Leaves with chicken. The entrees were served with a small order of steamed white rice. Both of our entrees were designated as spicy with two chili peppers on the menu, which means they were pretty hot. We tolerated the spices, but both had runny noses and clear sinuses when we left.
The service was good and the restaurant seemed clean. The prices were good and the food was delicious. I'm sure we'll visit Thai Chili again. They had a wine menu, but neither of us ordered anything other than water and diet soda.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Update
Justin and I spent the weekend dealing with the break-in issues. Our main goal this weekend was to get the door replaced. We purchased a new door at Home Depot on Saturday and arranged for a contractor to install it on Sunday. We also researched door hardware and purchased a new set that is supposed to be very durable and nearly impossible to kick-in. Our goal is to replace the hardware on all the exterior doors.
We also purchased a door reinforcement plate that adds extra protection against kick-ins and door hardware failure. If we had installed this before the break-in, it probably would have prevented the people from getting in. I'll try to post some photos of the new door and hardware. It looks nice.
( Photo source)
We also purchased a door reinforcement plate that adds extra protection against kick-ins and door hardware failure. If we had installed this before the break-in, it probably would have prevented the people from getting in. I'll try to post some photos of the new door and hardware. It looks nice.
( Photo source)Friday evening, Justin noticed one of the slots in our knife block on the counter was empty. This wasn't extremely odd. He began looking in the sink, drawers, dishwasher, and anywhere else the knife could be. He never found it. This discovery really disturbed both of us. The people broke into our house and grabbed a knife from our kitchen. Thoughts have raced through our mind. What if someone had been at the house when this happened? What if one of us had gone home for a few minutes and discovered the robbery in progress? The thought is nauseating.
We are in contact with an alarm company and will have that installed very soon. This is something we researched shortly after purchasing the house, but decided to postpone.
It was also discovered that a bowl of change was missing from one of the bedrooms. Nothing big, but it does show they "plundered" through that bedroom in addition to going through our master bedroom.
I am so glad no one was injured and that the tv was the only thing of any value that was stolen. The door wasn't cheap to replace, but we replaced it and have made some changes to hopefully protect ourselves and our home. We also spent some time this weekend cleaning. It's hard to explain, but I feel like the house is dirty now. I wiped down anything I know they touched, but it still doesn't feel "right". I also noticed the Christmas tree was rotated. Why did they move our Christmas tree?!
We also realized we need to write down serial numbers for anything of any value in the house. This will help identify any stolen items in the event they are recovered. We're also having a hard time wanting to replace the tv. Why buy another one that could be stolen, too? Justin called several pawn shops in the area on Friday and he and I visited several on Saturday. I guess our tv is really gone.
I never imagined a simple break-in could cause us to feel this way. Our house is supposed to be our safe place, our haven, a place to relax and unwind.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Tis the season to be...
Jolly? Merry? Robbed? Yep. Our house in Atlanta was robbed yesterday.
Justin and I were on the phone yesterday evening as he drove home from work. I was at Mama's in Nashville and she and I were eating supper. When he arrived at the house, he made some noise and I asked him if he was ok. He kind of stuttered and then said, "Geez! I'm really freaked out right now." I asked him what was wrong and he said the side door under the carport was open. That was odd because he's the only one at the house this week and he wouldn't have left the door wide open. He went back to his car and locked the doors. I encouraged him to go in and see if the television in the living room was missing. He said he just wasn't comfortable going in alone so he called Angie and her husband, Travis (Justin works with Angie) since they live fairly close to us.
He called me back after a few minutes and said Angie and Travis just left and the police were there. Our house had in fact been broken into. After the policeman made sure the house wasn't still occupied, he and Justin walked through to note what was obviously missing. Our television was obviously gone. Justin initially thought my camera and one of his Guitar Hero guitars were missing, but I told him where to find both of those items. Justin's computer and monitor were untouched.
It was obvious all the rooms were entered. Our bedroom was somewhat ransacked. There were items from our nightstands that had been gone through and thrown on the floor. The dresser in our bedroom came from my grandparents' house. Due to it being unused for several years, it was a little musty. A couple of months ago, we sprinkled some baking soda in all the drawers to give it a fresh smell. We haven't been using it so luckily nothing was taken from it. The policeman asked about the white powder (baking soda) in the drawers and Justin explained to him what it was.
The police, Justin, and I are all surprised the robber(s) didn't enter through the back doors. Why go through one of the most visible doors in the house when you're breaking in? Why did they take the television but leave the DVD player, Ipod docking station, and Xbox 360 that were all with the television?
Justin said it appears the robber(s) kicked the metal door repeatedly until it eventually bent and the deadbolt lock shattered. He called around last night to get it repaired, but that didn't work. He beat the door with a hammer until it would close and then went to Lowe's to buy a new lock. He begged a lady at the door to let him in because they were closed. He was apparently pitiful enough because he got in. He put a new deadbolt on the door so it was atleast somewhat secure for the night.
I hated not being there with him and helping him. I thought about driving up last night, but I knew there really wasn't much I could do. Justin and I were in constant contact with each other for a few hours. I really want to get up there and clean. It's kind of hard to explain, but I feel somewhat violated. Someone I don't know was in my house and touched my things. It's a weird feeling.
I know things could have been much worse and Justin and I are so fortunate that our television was the only thing stolen. The policeman said that he has worked our part of Dekalb for four to five years and he never gets calls to our area. He said this kind of stuff happens more often around Christmas and when the economy gets like it is now.
Justin and I were on the phone yesterday evening as he drove home from work. I was at Mama's in Nashville and she and I were eating supper. When he arrived at the house, he made some noise and I asked him if he was ok. He kind of stuttered and then said, "Geez! I'm really freaked out right now." I asked him what was wrong and he said the side door under the carport was open. That was odd because he's the only one at the house this week and he wouldn't have left the door wide open. He went back to his car and locked the doors. I encouraged him to go in and see if the television in the living room was missing. He said he just wasn't comfortable going in alone so he called Angie and her husband, Travis (Justin works with Angie) since they live fairly close to us.
He called me back after a few minutes and said Angie and Travis just left and the police were there. Our house had in fact been broken into. After the policeman made sure the house wasn't still occupied, he and Justin walked through to note what was obviously missing. Our television was obviously gone. Justin initially thought my camera and one of his Guitar Hero guitars were missing, but I told him where to find both of those items. Justin's computer and monitor were untouched.
It was obvious all the rooms were entered. Our bedroom was somewhat ransacked. There were items from our nightstands that had been gone through and thrown on the floor. The dresser in our bedroom came from my grandparents' house. Due to it being unused for several years, it was a little musty. A couple of months ago, we sprinkled some baking soda in all the drawers to give it a fresh smell. We haven't been using it so luckily nothing was taken from it. The policeman asked about the white powder (baking soda) in the drawers and Justin explained to him what it was.
The police, Justin, and I are all surprised the robber(s) didn't enter through the back doors. Why go through one of the most visible doors in the house when you're breaking in? Why did they take the television but leave the DVD player, Ipod docking station, and Xbox 360 that were all with the television?
Justin said it appears the robber(s) kicked the metal door repeatedly until it eventually bent and the deadbolt lock shattered. He called around last night to get it repaired, but that didn't work. He beat the door with a hammer until it would close and then went to Lowe's to buy a new lock. He begged a lady at the door to let him in because they were closed. He was apparently pitiful enough because he got in. He put a new deadbolt on the door so it was atleast somewhat secure for the night.
I hated not being there with him and helping him. I thought about driving up last night, but I knew there really wasn't much I could do. Justin and I were in constant contact with each other for a few hours. I really want to get up there and clean. It's kind of hard to explain, but I feel somewhat violated. Someone I don't know was in my house and touched my things. It's a weird feeling.
I know things could have been much worse and Justin and I are so fortunate that our television was the only thing stolen. The policeman said that he has worked our part of Dekalb for four to five years and he never gets calls to our area. He said this kind of stuff happens more often around Christmas and when the economy gets like it is now.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Happy Birthday, Annabelle!
Today is Annabelle's fifth birthday. She is such a sweet dog and I'm so glad she's part of our family.
Annabelle loves attention and enjoys a belly rub more than anything in the world. She gets a little jealous when I give Pete attention, but I think it's just because she's afraid she's going to miss something. The night before Thanksgiving, my mother and I were working fast and furiously in the kitchen until the wee hours of the morning. Annabelle was under our feet most of the time (except for those few minutes when she escaped through the open garage door and I was chasing her down the previously quiet street screaming like a mad woman at 10:30 p.m. running as fast as I could in flip-flops). You could tell she was exhausted and just wanted to sleep, but refused to go to bed because she might miss something.
I hope to be able to take Annabelle and Pete to the Dairy Queen in Nashville soon to make up for their missed birthday treats from last year and this year. I don't think I'll try that tonight since they just opened yesterday and the line was unbelievable. We'll probably enjoy a cupcake at home tonight.
Annabelle loves attention and enjoys a belly rub more than anything in the world. She gets a little jealous when I give Pete attention, but I think it's just because she's afraid she's going to miss something. The night before Thanksgiving, my mother and I were working fast and furiously in the kitchen until the wee hours of the morning. Annabelle was under our feet most of the time (except for those few minutes when she escaped through the open garage door and I was chasing her down the previously quiet street screaming like a mad woman at 10:30 p.m. running as fast as I could in flip-flops). You could tell she was exhausted and just wanted to sleep, but refused to go to bed because she might miss something.
I hope to be able to take Annabelle and Pete to the Dairy Queen in Nashville soon to make up for their missed birthday treats from last year and this year. I don't think I'll try that tonight since they just opened yesterday and the line was unbelievable. We'll probably enjoy a cupcake at home tonight.
This photo was taken the first night Annabelle came to live with us. She and Pete were so excited!
This is our typical Annabelle. She's always so happy!
Annabelle is posing on Justin's new rug. Naughty girl!
Miss Annabelle LOVES rolling around in the grass and dirt. Our friend, Grant, took this photo of Anne in our yard in Tifton. Annabelle also enjoys digging holes. She'll come in the house with a completely black snout. Her bath water is always a little muddy when I'm finished bathing her.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Instant Friend
Justin and I have decided to eat healthier food and count calories. Moe's is one of our favorite quick bite restaurants because it's quick, fairly inexpensive, and not the most unhealthy food we could find. I sometimes order the Instant Friend quesadilla. It is a regular cheese quesadilla with beans and sauteed green peppers, onions, and mushrooms. It is served with salsa and sour cream. I always get it with black beans and no mushrooms. It is very yummy, but I'm sure it's not low in calories. Justin stays away from flour tortillas because they usually contain partially hydrogenated oils (trans fat!). I, on the other hand, love flour tortillas! I do try to limit my intake, but they're so tasty!
We made our own version of the Instant Friend this weekend.
We grabbed some flour tortillas from Whole Foods so we didn't have to worry about trans fat because they only sell natural foods that do not contain artificial ingredients or that pesky partially hydrogenated oil. We also picked up an onion and bell pepper. Justin already had some fat free cheddar cheese and salsa at the house and I bought some fat free sour cream at Publix since Whole Foods didn't have any.
I chopped part of the onion and the whole bell pepper into pieces and sauteed them with a little olive oil and some salt and pepper. After that, we put a couple of tortillas topped with cheese and veggies on the hot griddle. After the cheese began melting, we folded the tortilla to form the quesadilla. I think regular cheese (i.e. cheese with fat) would melt better, but the fat free cheese did just fine. After they finished cooking, we removed the quesadillas from the griddle and cut them into triangles. I enjoy using the griddle because it's big enough for Justin and me to cook together. It's not a lot of fun to wash since it can't go in the dishwasher, but it's worth it to spend quality time together.
We cooked a few more and served them with the fat free sour cream and some salsa. They were delicious and so easy. I've been thinking of other items we could add to them to make them even better.
We made our own version of the Instant Friend this weekend.
We grabbed some flour tortillas from Whole Foods so we didn't have to worry about trans fat because they only sell natural foods that do not contain artificial ingredients or that pesky partially hydrogenated oil. We also picked up an onion and bell pepper. Justin already had some fat free cheddar cheese and salsa at the house and I bought some fat free sour cream at Publix since Whole Foods didn't have any.
I chopped part of the onion and the whole bell pepper into pieces and sauteed them with a little olive oil and some salt and pepper. After that, we put a couple of tortillas topped with cheese and veggies on the hot griddle. After the cheese began melting, we folded the tortilla to form the quesadilla. I think regular cheese (i.e. cheese with fat) would melt better, but the fat free cheese did just fine. After they finished cooking, we removed the quesadillas from the griddle and cut them into triangles. I enjoy using the griddle because it's big enough for Justin and me to cook together. It's not a lot of fun to wash since it can't go in the dishwasher, but it's worth it to spend quality time together.
We cooked a few more and served them with the fat free sour cream and some salsa. They were delicious and so easy. I've been thinking of other items we could add to them to make them even better.
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