To Be Fair...

Here's a picture of one of the female leads on Battlestar Galactica. Mike just informed me that her name is Caprica Six, but I refer to her as "Hot Robot." Yes, I am 12.

Battlestar Galactica: Pretty Good Show

Mike has gotten me hooked on Battlestar Galactica. I can't believe I resisted watching this show for so long. Above is a picture of one of the main characters, Captain Lee Adama (Jamie Bamber). Meeooowww. I kind of love him. Yes, I have reached new heights of geekiness by admitting my crush on a fictional television character. Whatever. I'm owning it people.

In all seriousness, this show is actually quite good. Check it out.

Bubba Uses the Potty!

Breaking news: Evan William has used the potty. Parents, or anyone who has spent extensive time changing diapers, can appreciate the excitement surrounding this milestone. He may act like a big boy, but he'll always be my little Bubba.

I hope one day the little man can forgive his crazy Sissy for broadcasting such personal news. Really, the kid should get used to being embarrassed by the actions of his family members. OK, by me.

Chillin' and Grillin'

Today we purchased a fabulous gas grill. Mike and I are culinarily-challenged. We love great food, but neither one of us has the patience to cook a full meal. Part of my problem is my low-grade ADD; being easily distracted by shiny things means food often burns. Luckily, Mike loves to grill, we have a great deck, and the weather is cooperating with us so we went for it!

I marinated some steaks and Mike took charge of the grill. In the true spirit of outdoor cooking, he enjoyed a beer while expertly cooking our steaks. Once I was done steaming the veggies we sat down for our first homecooked meal together. Suck it Martha Stewart!

In less-exciting domestic news, our washer and dryer were delivered Friday. Thank God - my clothes haven't arrived and I was running out of shirts. It's starting to feel like a real home. Still on a hunt for dining room furniture... more shopping! Mike is thrilled.

Who is Sissy?

Quick clarification about my blog name: "Sissy" is a family nickname. My Dad and Judy (hi guys!) used to jokingly refer to me as "Sissy" in reference to their Beagle, Bella. Once I became an actual sister to Baby Evan ("Bubba") it was "Sissy" all the time. Seemed like an obvious choice of nickname and it's kind of an homage to my favorite munchkin.

Bad Boys, Bad Boys...

Well, it was bound to happen: I had my first run-in with the military police.

Mike and I stopped in Quantico to get some sushi take-out for the rockin' Saturday night we had planned (sushi, wine, Battlestar Galactica - good times). As we were heading out of the gate to the base, an MP came out of nowhere and pulled us over.

While we waited for the guy to come up to the window, we tried to figure out what happened and I immediately went into "let's get out of this ticket" mode. Unfortunately I wasn't wearing a halter top, nor am I 22 anymore. I've never been able to cry on cue. I went to plan C: plead explosive diarrhea and pray to God I never see this guy again.

Mike had a much more straightforward approach: wait for the MP to approach our window and deal with it from there. Apparently he sped past the MCX/Commissary (grocery store); the speed limit drops from 35 to 25MPH and neither one of us noticed. Mike was going 41. Oops.

Anyway, the MP was super nice and let us off with a warning. Since Mike had no previous tickets and wasn't driving recklessly, he politely suggested we pay attention when driving around base. I am not being the least bit sarcastic when I say he "politely suggested" anything. This kid (I swear he was 16 but is at least 21) was so nice, he almost seemed apologetic about the whole thing. Definitely authoritative, what with the gun and all, but respectful. He saluted Mike and wished us a good day.

Although Mike was completely cool during the whole thing, his exasperation with me (and my diarrhea suggestions) was apparent when I asked if it would be OK to have my picture taken with the MP to document the moment. I haven't been here a week and already I'm aging the poor guy.

Afternoon in DC

I continue to test Mike's patience by asking to do things that he would never do on his own. Like, I'm pretty sure he doesn't go to Target every day when I'm not around. Today's adventure? Checking out the cherry blossoms in DC! Hey, he's lucky we haven't gone shoe shopping yet.

Anyway, we enjoyed walking around the Mall and took a short cut through some of the gardens around the Smithsonian Museum for African Art. Gorgeous tulips, orchids and cherry blossoms...It was like walking in a postcard.

Here are some photos of us enjoying the start of Spring in our nation's capital. Woohoo!

Not Quite the Shopping Trip I Was Expecting

Today Mike took me to the PX for the very first time. We were on a hunt for dining room furniture, but the three options available did not appeal.

The PX, for those not in-the-know, stands for Post Exchange. Technically, we were at the MCX (Marine Corps Exchange), which I think should be called MCE since "exchange" starts with an "e" and I am a huge geek when it comes to these things.

Anyway, the PX or MCX is like a military version of Target or Costco. You can get pretty much everything you need (furniture, clothes, Clinique stuff, an XBox 360) and it's tax free. The catch? You gotta have your military ID with you, have a "dependent" card or be with someone who has an ID. Today's purchase? A hair catcher for the shower drain. The excitement never stops here. We should have our own reality show!

After that excursion we decided to explore Stafford a bit and ended up driving past a pawn shop. When Mike found out I've never been to one, he insisted we go in and check it out. I fully expected to find cops questioning the employees like I live in an episode of Law and Order but it was just us wandering around, pretending to be really interested in the table saws. The jewelry selection was pretty extensive and they had quite a DVD department, but we left empty-handed. It's pretty hard to top an object that keeps your hair from clogging the shower drain.

Do they make iron lungs in pink?

Ugh. I am so going to contract some wretched disease from all the second-hand smoke around here. My clothes and hair reeked after happy hour with Mike's co-workers last night. Gross.

I'm Home!

Well, my new home... The place looks great. Mike was nervous that I wouldn't approve of his furniture placement/decorating choices so far, but he's done just fine.

Here's something weird that happened: my flight was booked on US Airways, but when I got to SFo to check in, I (and everyone else on my flight) was directed to United. What? It seems weird that you can show up the day of your flight and be told you've been moved to an entirely different airline. My connecting flight through Boston was still on US Airways. Again, what?

My luggage was delayed in Boston on my layover, but Mike found it sitting on the porch this morning when he left for work so I at least have a few things here. I've always prided myself on not being a "stuff" person but I must admit I'm anxious about not having my belongings in my immediate control. I think my issue is more about "control" versus "stuff" but that's my Pscyh 101 analysis.

So far the people I've met here in Stafford have been incredibly polite and chatty. And the Target here is full of fabulous surprises: they carry Origins, Kiehl's, AND Bare Escentuals here!! My inner product whore is thrilled. It really is the little things.

The Great Migration East

So, the big move to Virginia is actually happening. Like, I-have-a-plane-ticket-for-Tuesday-and-all-of-my-worldly-possessions-are-being-shipped-in-this-POD-thing-and-I-am-for-reals-leaving-California actually happening. Mike (aka "the reason for the move") agreed that a blog might be a fun (OK, convenient) way to document this change and keep loved ones updated on new developments.

So, check back, feel free to comment (keep it clean, folks, this is a family-friendly site) and come visit!