East Side Maria's. And Shaun's.

So the move is complete. Shaun and I got (most of) our stuff out to the apartment last weekend. It feels weird to be way over on the East Side now. Well, the Northeast side. Our apartment is right on the edge of Sterling Heights, Shelby Township, and Clinton Township. When I was trying to explain the location to my mom, the conversation went as follows:

Me: "Mom, it's right next to Lakeside Mall."

Mom: "Where's Lakeside Mall??"

Dad: "Your mom doesn't know the East Side."

Well, she'll learn. Just like me.

So far I love our apartment. It is huge, the location is great, and I love that the place I call home is the same place where Shaun is. That's my favorite part. For sure.

If you still need my address and new ph # email me.

Banksy On It

Thanks Matt. And Banksy.

What a Retard*

Yesterday I realized the true depths of Britney Spears' stupidity. I know what you are thinking, my dear reader: But Maria, we thought you were smart enough to have realized this long before now. Alas, I admit, sometimes I overestimate people.

Two days ago I traveled to no less than 3 stores in search of Justin Timberlake's new CD, which has the somewhat odd title of Futuresex/Lovesounds. After going to 3 different places with no success, I postponed my quest. Yesterday I finally managed to locate a copy, at Meijer of all places, while on my lunchbreak. Since then I have been unable to stop listening to it. It is as if some strange power of nature is protecting my stereo with a force field that keeps me from being able to turn it off -- or turn the volume down.

A few months ago I bought a copy of GQ magazine, only to have Shaun point out astutely, "Babe, that is a men's magazine."

To which I replied, "Yes, but it has Justin Timberlake on the cover."

Exhibit A:

So, after listening to the CD, and repeating his new single, "My Love," (probably written for Cameron Diaz) and loving it more than I've loved a song in a while, I started to think, "Britney is a moron. Who would ditch Justin Timberlake for that toolbox Kevin Federline?? A retard, that's who."

As much as I doubt that any of you are going to defend the self-dubbed K-Fed (that makes me giggle!), I will assume that one of you might say, "But Maria! He is kind of cute sometimes."

To respond I have exhibit B:

I thought that this was Sean Paul the first time I looked at it, but nope! It is Britney's husband and the selected father of her (soon to be) two kids.

Could he look like more of an idiot?? ....Probably. He could be standing next to her.

Case closed.

*Do not lecture me on this use of the word retard.

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Kristina and Chad

Yesterday Shaun's wonderful little sister, Kristina, got married to a great guy named Chad. Here is a sample of the pictures that I took at the wedding. Personally, I think they came out GREAT! These are mostly from the reception, but there might be one or two in there from the rehearsal and the ceremony. A good time was had by all, and the bride and groom looked amazing. They were surrounded on all sides (several times over) by people who love them and wanted to wish them well at the beginning of this new adventure in their lives. I think they leave on Tuesday to take their honeymoon in beautiful Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. All the best and more to Kristina and Chad, and have FUN!

I have to say that I felt very honored to be invited to share this event in their lives with them, but even more so because everyone treated me as if I were just a part of the family. I couldn't feel luckier to have such open arms around me.

Stuff

So I've been working a lot of overtime lately. Good for my paychecks, bad for my social life. Labor Day weekend I had one day off, Saturday, and Nik was in town so I spent the day with her and Kira and Linda. We got our hair done, had some lunch, did some bargain shopping, and vegged out with pizza and the MTV VMA's, which I recorded earlier in the week.

This weekend was much more relaxed, thank God. On Friday night I went with Shaun to the new BW3 on Mound and 12 Mile Rd. where all his co-workers came out to wish him luck in his new position and say goodbye. A ton of people showed up and I think he was even a little surprised at how many people came out for him, but it's no surprise to me, Shaun is the nicest guy ever! Everybody loves him! Plus he's going to do amazingly well as a salesman, I just *know* it!

Yesterday I went out to Mom's office and she cleaned my teeth (it'd been 2 years since my last cleaning, eek!), and then Shaun and I went to lunch with her at my FAVORITE Mexican restaurant of *all* time, El Nibble Nook. Then we came back to my house and watched football, napped, ate pizza, did laundry, you know, just stuff. But it was really nice to just chill. Last night we went back over to his place, he played poker for awhile, I put a bunch of songs on my iPod. While digging around in the pictures on his computer I found these pics of me and Nik from when we went to Pearl Jam in May:

Next weekend is Chad and Kristina's wedding and I can't wait to wear my dress!! Shaun is going to be looking sharp in his tuxedo and this time I am DETERMINED to get more pictures of US all dressed up! Kristina is going to look so, so beautiful in her dress. Exciting stuff!

That's about all I've got to say at this particular moment in time. Later y'all!

Greatest Boyfriend Ever: