Taking the Plunge

JW and I are a little in the dark ages when it comes to cell phones.  We've never had smartphones or a data cell phone plan.  Well, we have decided to take the plunge...

 A couple of weeks ago we ordered the new iPhone 5.  I don't know anyone who doesn't love their iPhone, so we are joining the club.  Our new phones were not supposed to arrive for another week, but I received an email today saying they had shipped and should be in tomorrow!  We are pretty excited.

You know I already started looking for cases to make mine look stylish.  Here's the one I ordered.

Source

Watch out world... the Hance's are getting tech savvy! :)

Working Man

As a law school graduation present, my parents wanted to give JW a briefcase.  He wanted to get a few weeks of work under his belt to better know what he wanted.  This weekend, we met them to shop for one.  The whole Mullings crew came, and JW appreciated all the help. :)

Here's the one he ended up with. 

Manly and lawyerly, right?

After brief case shopping, we went to show them JW's office.  I should have taken a "before" picture, but, JW inherited an office with mismatched furniture that was also pretty poorly arranged.  A few attorneys had their last day with the firm last week and their offices were newly empty, so we went furniture shopping too.  Dad helped JW switch out furniture with an office on the floor above... no small feat!  Thank goodness for the freight elevator.  And me and mom rearranged.  Here's what it looks like now.  Still need to hang a few pictures and add a few things, but it's on its way.

Momma Hance, as a law school graduation present, wants to frame JW's diplomas for him.  Those will go on the wall along with a big world map.  We haven't found one yet, but JW wants a large old looking map in his office as well.  Stay tuned for pictures of the final product.  My hubby is a working man! 

Working like a dog

It's been awhile since I published a blog post, and it's been in the back of my mind that I needed to write one, only nothing notable or interesting has happened around here lately.  I asked JW tonight when we were both finally home from work what I should post about, and he said work.  How boring, I thought.  Only he's right... we have both been working a lot lately.  I've always said that I write this blog to document what is going on in our lives, and well, sometimes it's not glamorous.

My Signature Chefs event at work is only a month away and we are all starting to feel the pressure at the office.  I worked some this weekend, started working a little early this morning, and got home late today.  I wake up thinking about my to-do list and have a pretty constant knot between my shoulder blades. I should probably be doing my yoga, but don't feel like waking up early to do it and by the time I get home, I just want to sit on the couch.

I love my job and don't intend to complain.  I usually make an effort to leave work at the office and to not work or be thinking about work while I am home, but there are just some busy seasons, and this is one of them.

JW is in his third week at work and has stayed pretty busy.  He is waking up early to work out before heading to the office.  I know it's been a tiring routine to get used to, so I am proud of him.  JW's firm has had plenty of work to occupy their staff and then some over the last year.  So, they have welcomed the new associates and the opportunity to share the workload.  Late Friday night, JW got an email from an attorney at the firm with a last minute research project he needed help with for a law suit that had to be filed on Monday.  So, JW went to the office on Sunday after church and worked until dinner.  Working on the weekends shouldn't be a usual occurrence, but as Joey said this morning, at least he is staring the week with four billable hours already. :)

Jennifer closed on her new house this week and enlisted JW to help her move on Friday night and Saturday.  They did all the heavy lifting to load the U-Haul, and then I helped JW unload while Jenn ran some other errands.  Needless to say, JW did a lot of the work, but I wish I had a picture of me carrying one end of a couch. One of Jenn's neighbors walking by brought over a dolly after he saw us struggling through the front door. :)

 

In other news, Papaw was in town this week on Wednesday and Thursday night.  JW and I had Community Group with our new church on Wednesday night, so we went over to my parents to see him on Thursday.  Mom had a girls' night out planned, so I brought over some things to cook for dinner.  It was a fun evening. 

JW's Aunt Donna and Uncle Jimmy were in town this weekend too, so we went over to Nana and Papa's to see them on Saturday night.  They live in New Jersey, so it was neat to get to spend time with them.

We have been working a lot around here lately, but life is good.  It's a busy season, but we can't complain. Hopefully I don't go missing here on the blog, but if I do, you'll know why!

Labor Day Weekend

We enjoyed the long Labor Day weekend.  It's amazing the difference one extra day can make.  The month of August was "Restaurant Weeks" in Houston.  This is basically four weeks that over 150 nice restaurants in Houston offer special value dining and part of the proceeds benefit the Houston Food Bank.  It's an opportunity to eat at really nice restaurants for a great price.  I went to Del Frisco's with Em and some girl friends on Tuesday earlier in the week, and then JW and I had date night at Flemings on Thursday night.

Me and JW at dinner

Saturday we drove out to Montgomery to visit Joe, Angie, Matthew, Macie, and Jenn.  Matthew was home for his first visit from college, so we spent the afternoon with them.  Papa Joe grilled out for lunch, and the girls ran some errands while the boys watched football.  It was a good afternoon.

Sunday we went to church and met Momma Hance for dinner and a movie at Studio Movie Grill.  And then Monday, we went to the Houston zoo for the first time in years.  I didn't remember it at all.  I haven't been since I was a kid.  It was hot, but the zoo was pretty cool.

This momma lemur had a little baby on her back... so cute!

They fed the orangutangs frozen berry popcicles while we were there.

JW liked the snake guy.  I kept my distance.

Pretty jelly fish

Momma and baby elephant

Monday afternoon we were really productive and did things like grocery shopping and cleaning the house getting ready for our first week with both of us working. It was a good weekend!

Welcome to the Workforce

I hope you had a great Labor Day weekend.  We did, and I'll write more on that later.  We had a nice, relaxing weekend before JW starts his new career as an attorney.  That's right... today is Joey's first day of work! 

It's been four months since JW graduated law school.  There was some studying for the bar exam during that time, but he's enjoyed a good break and is ready to put to use all he has learned and join the workforce.  He was worried about being rusty, but I know once he gets into the swing of things it will all come back to him.  I snapped a picture of him this morning before he left, of course.

Isn't he handsome? :) 

Prayers for a smooth first week are welcome.  Nana and Papa are coming over for dinner tonight to celebrate JW's first day with us.  We haven't had them over to see our new place yet, so we are looking forward to having them.

Happy 1st day of work, hubby!  I love you.