On the mend in NJ, but not in PA

I feel much better today and David is back to his old (?) self. He still has 5 days of Augementin left, but you'd never know he had an ear infection. I woke up this morning without a headache and could breathe - which is always a good sign. Aside from looking ill, I do feel ok. My new concern is my niece Ally. She has been sick since last week but has gotten worse instead of better. When I spoke with Tracey yesterday, she told me that Ally has had a fever and is very tired and weak. She was taking her for blood work. When I did not hear back from Tracey last night, I actually thought that was a good sign. I was wrong. I called Tracey this morning and she was about to take Ally back for more tests and she told me that she'd call later. She just called. The doctor did more tests and has narrowed down the possibilities. They are putting a rush on todays tests, so when Tracey hears something, she'll let me know. I sure hope whatever it is, that Ally is on her way back to healthy soon. It is so sad when kids are sick and it is so scary when even the doctor is not sure what is wrong. I feel so bad that Ally is this ill and that I am so far away. I wish I lived closer so that I could help Tracey, even if it is just for moral support. I can only imagine how this is weighing on her. Hopefully we'll get some news before days end - good news that is. In the mean time, I'll be impatiently waiting...

Change in plans

So here I sit on this ugly Saturday morning blogging with a horrible head cold. Our contractor just left. I asked him to come by and quote us on a few things I'd like done. Yes, you guessed. This means we decided not to move. After not seeing anything even remotely nice available in our price range and realizing we would not want a longer commute then we already have, we decided to stay put. AND add on. So, we should have some numbers by next week and I will be calling at least 1 other contractor for a quote. Our cousins Walter and Laurie just had a house built and were kind enough to give us the name of their guy. I am hoping he can come quote us next week. I'll keep you posted...

April Showers bring a cold?

That is what seems to have happened in the Boettger house. When I got home from NY on Monday, I noticed a runny nose on my little guy. So before we went to bed, I gave him some meds, but in the middle of the night, he was up. He was so stuffy he could not sleep. I gave him a dose of cold medicine, thinking it was his and it was mine! I was so tired I couldn't see straight and when I realized I had given him the wrong medicine, I wanted to die. Luckily, there was not a full dose left in the bottle, so all it really did was give him a peaceful sleep. Tuesday he woke up ok, but as the day went on he started a fever and was very sleepy. Yesterday my Mom said he acted better, but had a cough and a slight fever. I also woke up yesterday with a sore throat and runny nose. So, when I got home from work, we napped. When we woke up, we both felt worse. David was complaining of an ear ache and my throat was on fire. I gave him some Tylenol for the fever and pain and it seemed to work. I too took some Tylenol. We both slept through the night and woke up with our colds still hanging over us. David is home with my Dad today, so I told him to call me if he does not feel better or the cough gets worse. Hopefully, David and I will start to feel better today, but with the crazy weather we are having, I doubt it. Wish us well!

**UPDATE
I took David to the pediatrician late this morning and she diagnosed him with a severe ear infection! He is now on Augmentin. I hope it works...

I LOVE NY!

Today was great. I got into the city by 7:30 am and it did not take me long to get a cab. The cab driver was even nice, but I had to tell him slowly where to take me - hehe. When I got to W 66th St, the line for Tony Danza had already started, so I joined it. After about 10 minutes, Tracey, Maria and Kimber arrived. At about 8:15 am, they let us in the building to a cafeteria where you sat at a table and filled out a questionnaire. None of us could think of anything good to write down. At about 9 or so, they had us line up to walk to Tony's studio. On the way, we passed a bathroom and were told if we did not got then, we'd be waiting a long while. I was the only one that took advantage of the facilities. The girls got themselves to the front of the line, so I met them up there. When we got into the studio they sat us in seats that were going to be on camera! It took a while for them to seat the audience - they are specific about who goes where. Once we were all in, the warm up guy (RC) began warming us up and telling us about the show. Before we knew it, we were on air. I was amazed at how tiny Tony Danza is. I mean, I knew he was short, but he is super thin (but built). He looks fantastic - still very handsome. During his monologue, he announced we were all getting a copy of Liza with a Z on DVD. After his monologue, he aired a pre-recorded interview with Orlando Jones. Next Marc Summers(from UnWrapped on the Food Network) did a segment on Ballpark food and we all got free CrackerJacks. Up next was Brian Cox. He is a Scottish actor that as been in a ton of movies and he was promoting something to do with Kilts, so he wore one and had Tony put one on. Well, all of a sudden, some of the audience screamed! It seems Brian was not wearing any underpants and flashed a few people. Unfortunately there were little girls in the section - fortunately, we were not. To end the show, Tony cooked up some eggplant Parmesan. The studio smelled delicious and I don't even like eggplant. Then we got a real treat. They asked us to stay to tape 2 segments with Jerry O'Connell for an upcoming show. When he came out, the audience was very excited. He looked awesome - SO handsome and tall and thin. His segments were great - he was hilarious! The girls and I really enjoyed him. Now we have to watch for when that episode airs, so I can DVR it. When we left the show, we got our DVD and a t-shirt. Then we hoofed it a few blocks to the Carnegie hotel for the girls to pick up their luggage. We are all starving by this point so we took a cab to Carmine's for lunch. Lunch was delicious and a lot of fun. We had fried calamari, salad and penne vodka. There was some calamari left over, so I brought it home for Steve (he is eating it now). After lunch, 3 of us headed to Penn Station and Kimber made her way to Grand Central. On our way to Penn Station, we caught them taping a scene for CSI:NY. I am a huge fan, so I was THRILLED. Once we got to the train station, we went our separate ways and I bought my ticket and waited for my train. I was so tired that the train ride was actually soothing. My Dad was waiting for me when I got off the train and so was David, but he was snoozing. When we got home, my parents left and David and I took a much needed nap. I was glad to be home snuggling my little man, but I did have a fantastic day and hope we can do something like that again soon.

Picture People, Opening Day and TV Stars

Yesterday we took our first family portrait! We had it done at JcPenney. Aside from it being 110 degrees in the studio, I think it went well. We took a few family shots, a few of David with each parent and then a few of David. Deciding which poses I liked were pretty easy, but their computer screens were pretty blurry, so I hope we look ok. I certainly ordered enough pictures, even if we don't. After, we took a ride to the Jackson outlets. When we arrived, we were starving so we went to the food court. It turned out to be the right thing to do - it down poured while we ate. Once we were ready to shop, the sun came out. We were on a mission for workboots, sneakers and jeans for Steve. The only store we did well in was the GAP - as always. Steve got 2 pairs of jeans, a pair of jean shorts and a nice linen shirt. I came away with socks and a sweatshirt, while David got 2 pairs of PJ's, a t-shirt and a sweatshirt. David and I napped together when we got home. We had dinner plans with our friends for 7 pm and we ended up bringing David. It was a great dinner. The food was delicious and we had a real nice time. David was so well behaved.

Today was so gorgeous. I could not believe the weather. We had a nice lazy morning - just the 3 of us. After I showered, I went into South River to drop off some Creative Memories orders and to stop at a Stampin Up party. It was nice to squeeze in some girl time. Before I headed back home, I hit the A&P to pick up dinner and a few items. My cousin John and my parents were over when I got home. Steve BBQ'd some burgers and I made some corn on the cob. It was a great way to spend a spring day.

Tonight is opening night for the 2006 baseball season! Although the Yankees are not playing, I do have a fantasy baseball player on each to make the game even more interesting. Tomorrow is actual opening day and the Yankees will be playing, however it is not a sure thing that I will be watching the 10 pm game. I will probably start to watch it and fall asleep or if I get back from the city early enough, I can take a nap and prepare. I am obsessed with baseball, but the west coast games for east coast people are rough - to say the least.

Tomorrow I am taking a very early train from NJ to NYC to meet my sister-in-law Tracey and her two friends, Maria and Kimber. Tracey was kind enough to get us tickets to the Tony Danza show! I am so very excited. I have been to Ricki Lake and GMA, but never made it on TV. I think tomorrow we'll get on. I plan on taping it, to see if I get an appearance. Hopefully after the show we'll grab some lunch before I head back home.

Happy Anniversary to ME!

That's right...Today 3/27 Steve and I are married for 7 years. It does not seem that long ago that we were planning and getting everything just right for our wedding day. Our actual wedding day was a lot like today. The weather was nice, but it was windy. We were married at Kirkpatrick Chapel in New Brunswick, NJ and our reception was held at Seabra's Armory on the water in Perth Amboy. The ceremony was perfect, my Uncle Jack did a wonderful job. The reception was awesome. Everyone had a great time dancing and singing along to the DJ and the food was spectacular. The groom had a little to much to drink (understatement), but other than that it was the best night ever. I loved our wedding.

Now here we are 7 years later. In my opinion, not that much has changed. Yes, we have since bought a house and done a lot to it. Yes, we now have a almost 3 year old son. And Yes, I have a different job. But all the important things have stayed the same or gotten even better. We still love, honor and repspect each other and have a great time together. Steve still makes me laugh, which is one of the first things I remember about meeting him. Marriage is not always easy, but if you can make it through your toughest day with love in your heart and admiration in your eyes it will all be worth it.

In case you were wondering, I am not even the least but itchy!

My crazy life

This week I have been SO crazy busy. It actually all started last weekend with the Draft and then I taught a Get Together on Sunday. Monday after work I ran home to cook dinner before leaving for a CM meeting in Flemington only to find my At Home America order waiting for me. So I sorted through and bagged that then started dinner. I shoveled food in my mouth so I could leave for my meeting. My meeting was great. I feel so inspired after having talked to the other consultants and listening to Melissa - she rocks. Tuesday I had a 5 pm trainer appt at the gym and then Frank was coming over to give us some ideas about our house. We talked to him for about an hour and showed him around. Then I ordered dinner from the diner and Steve went to get it. After we ate, I did some CM paperwork and thought about what we would do with our house. We decided we would put it on the market and see how it goes. The only thing we need to do before listing it, is put the carpet back in the basement. Wednesday after work I met with Laurie to drop off some of her orders and to discuss becoming a CM consultant. I am so excited that she is thinking about it. She would be great. She loves to scrap, is so creative and knows tons of people. I hope she signs on. I went back home to pick up the family and we all headed to the diner (MomMom, Gramps, David, Steve and I) for dinner. After dinner, we drove all over delivering At Home America orders. Today I need to run into South River to drop off 1 more order and to pick up 2 orders from the Get Together I did on Sunday. When I get home, I need to place the CM order and then get dinner ready. After dinner, I am hoping to plop on the couch and unwind. The NCAA tournament starts up again tonight, so that's what I hope to be watching. Let's go TEXAS! This weekend will be busy again, my in-laws are up for a visit. But hopefully, not half as busy as the last one. We plan on just having a nice dinner and getting together with the family. I'll let you know how it goes. Oh yeah, wish me luck on Saturday afternoon - we are going to Penney's for our 1st family portrait! I hope we all look nice and that everyone agrees to smile. This has been a long time coming. David will be 3 in June! If I can, I'll post the picture once I get them. I am still trying to decide what we should wear. Decisions, decisions....

Javy Lopez wasn't taken in the 1st round?

This past Saturday, Steve and I hosted our annual Fantasy Baseball Draft. The group started to gather around 12:30 pm while I was at the food store picking up lunch meat and rolls. Jack arrived early to put the $100, I mean $40, draft board together and Mark and John arrived early out of excitement. We started drafting around 1 pm with John having the 1 st pick. He chose David Wright which left Sheffield out there for me until Walt picked him up with his 1st pick. I was third to go, so I chose Ichiro being that Walt stole Sheff. That is pretty much how the rest of the afternoon went. Every time someone chose a player, the person that was due to choose next got bummed out. Well, I should not say EVERY time. There were a few surprise 'picks' that no one else seemed to want and believe me, when they were chosen the jokes came flyin'. Overall the day went well and quick. We were done drafting by 4:30 pm, but that was when the critiquing started. The guys that stayed, stared at the draft board admiring their team and ripping apart the other 9. I was real happy with the team I had chosen. I guess we just have to see what the season brings...

I did it!

I would like to take this time to pat myself on the back. My Memoranza event went really well this past Saturday and I am very proud. Everyone in attendance had a lot of fun and got a lot accomplished. I gave away quite a few prizes and everyone seemed pleased with those. The food that everyone contributed went over real well and I'd like to thank those that cooked or brought something. We had more than enough great food. It was also nice to see people that did not really know each other sharing ideas, giving advice and praising one another. For this being my first big event, I think it went well overall. Next time I would like to have a bigger room with more tables and I would get my press releases out sooner (THANKS MIKE!), but those would be the only things I would change. I hope to get together with the group again soon, even it if it's in smaller groups. I myself was so inspired I scrapped last night. I also encourage those that say they can't do it or don't have enough time to try it - you'll love it and want to make the time.
Happy Scrapping!

Dreamin' of surf and sun

Although it is early March, today was one of the best 'Spring' days ever. The weather was terrific and I had the day OFF! I originally took today off to get ready for tomorrow, but I worked my butt off every night this week and had very little left to do today. So, I treated myself and David to a trip to the beach. We drove down to Spring Lake and picked up my parents. Then we headed to the Breaker's for lunch. My Mom and I shared a delicious egg salad wrap with a side of fruit, my Dad had tuna and David had mozzerella sticks. After we were full, my Mom headed to work and the rest of us went to the beach. David and I actually went on the beach. We picked up smooth rocks and tiny shells. The surf was rough, but the sound was so soothing. It was great, we were the only 2 people on the sand. The boardwalk was hoping with walkers and my Dad, sitting on the bench. After a while, we jumped in my car and took a ride to Lavalette to check out my Aunt Mary and Uncle Bob's new shore house. It did not take long for David to fall asleep. When we got there, I got out to peek in the windows. It is really nice and very roomy. There is a little more work to be done, but it looks like it will be ready for the summer. I drove my Dad to Manasquan (where my Mom works) to pick up his car and then David and I drove home. He slept the whole way home too. When we got home, he woke up and we picked up our findings from the car and headed inside. David was very upset when he took off his shoes and sand fell out. He came running into me asking for the 'little vacuum'. He is going to make a wonderful husband! We had a really great day and I hope there will be a lot more like them, and soon!

Inspirations

We don't always think about what or who inspires us to do what we do, but it is something we should all think about now and then. After we realize our inspirations, we should let the people that inspire us know it. I don't think that people realize that they give others inspiration. Here are some of mine (in no particular order):

1. Mom & Dad, to strive to better myself personally and professionally and to love unconditionally.
2. Grandmom, to accept people for who they are and not try to change them.
3. Tracey, to be the best mother I know how to be and not follow the rest of the pack, instead have them follow me.
4. David, to see things as he would. Full of promise, love & acceptance for everything.
5. Steve, to stand behind and believe in the one you love, even if you think he/she is crazy.
6. Melissa, to take every opportunity to believe in what you do & the people along side you and let others know what you believe in.
7. Aunt Dottie, to never give up and take life as it comes.
8. Amy, to fight for your right even if you are the only one that thinks you are right.
9. Mike, to follow your dream no matter where it takes you and to know that you will make it big one day.
10. Laney, to follow your heart and know that God will bring you to where you belong and keep you safe.
11. Laura-Ann, to keep family first and know that they will always have your back.
12. Jill, to fly by the seat of your pants and have the confidence to pull it off.
13. Laurie, to not get caught up in the stuff that does not matter in the long run.

I am sure that there are more people in my life that have inspired me, but these were the ones that I have thought about recently. Thank you to all of my inspirations and for those of you that I forgot to mention. I love you all.

Signs of Spring?

This Friday Steve will start another baseball season with Vo-Tech. He seems real excited about the potential of the team. I hope they have a great season. Our Fantasy Baseball draft is scheduled for 3/18. I am not sure who I will be keeping and have not a clue as to who I should draft, but I have some time to figure it out. Thank goodness for Baseball because when Spring Training starts I know Spring is not far away. However if you looked out our window right now, you's think it was the middle of winter, not the end!

Short N Sweet

I was owed some comp time at work, so I decided to take 3 Fridays off. Last Friday, 2/24 was my first one. I decided to take a trip with David to Chester Springs, PA to visit my sister-in-law Tracey, my niece Ally and my Godson Tyler. We were on the road by 9 am with a stop for gas(while I was at the gas station, I noticed that someone had left me a voicemail on my cell. It was my cousin Laura-Ann telling me that my cousin, Kelly was at the hospital in LABOR!) and the car wash. David fell asleep shortly after we left. I sang along with my Sirius satellite radio to Hair Nation and Totally '80s and I was there before I knew it. Tyler and Tracey were awaiting our arrival. It was great to see them, we had not seen them in almost 1 month! Tracey and I got caught up while the kids played in the basement. Tracey's girlfriend Maria was coming over with her 2 kids and picking Ally up early from school on her way. When they arrived we all had lunch. Tracey made the kids chicken nuggets and she made us the best chicken salad I ever had. After lunch we talked and laughed and the kids ran around like crazy kids. Unfortunately, the afternoon was over quicker than it began and it was time to leave. David slept like a baby the whole way home and I sang. On my way home, I talked to my cousins Mike and Laura-Ann and they reported that Kelly had her baby girl! She was 6 lbs 14 oz and beautiful. It was really a great day. I wish I could get more of them.

What's your chalkboard sentence?

I would have to write:

I will not drink milk through my nose.

How about you?

Thanks for the idea Laney!

A clean slate

Aside from a bad night's sleep (David has growing pains), I feel refreshed. Yesterday Steve and I started cleaning out our basement. And it needed a good cleaning out. While we were cleaning, Steve was also building. We had finished our basement in the summer of 2002, but after a few floods (our fault) and 3+ years of throwing stuff we do not use in the basement (instead of the garbage) it was a disaster. So, Steve put in 2 new doors, took down a few walls, put up a wall and fixed some ceiling tiles. It is actually starting to look like a place I can make a playroom for David. Some of the big stuff we threw out, we put on our street and it was gone by morning. I am glad someone could use it. Most of the other items are from when David was a baby and I plan on donating them to a place my cousin Laura-Ann's mom volunteers at. It won't be long now until I can put David & his toys in the basement for playtime. Then I want to build myself a nice office. The work never ends!

A family that races together, stays together

Today I walked in the Mid Winter Beach Run in Manasquan with 15 or so of my other family members. Most of my family has been doing these races together for a few years. After walking in Oct. with my Mom for Alzheimer's and enjoying myself, I decided to do another one. This one benefited the Manasquan First Aid Squad. If you live in NJ, you know that today was the coldest day yet of 2006 and you'd know that Manasquan is down the shore. So, it was at least 5 degrees colder down there and much more windy - oh and did I mention that is was flurrying? I bundled up and power walked. The race was 2 miles long, with the last 1/4 mi ON the beach. That's right - walking in the sand. Now that is a task without shoes and in the summer, so forget about it when you are wearing sneakers and it's winter. I really gave my hind quarter a workout! I walked with my Aunt Judy and her brother Mike (who are also my cousins - that story at another time). We finished in 28 + minutes. I could not wait to get a drink of water and while I was drinking it, I ate a snowflake. It felt good, because it was so cold. After the race, we all went to Legget's bar for some food and drinks. I had a margarita and Steve fed me ziti, meatballs, pierogies and bread because David fell asleep on my shoulder. When he woke up, I took him to the beach to replace his seashell that he dropped and broke. We were freezing but had fun looking for the shells. I could not wait to get home and take a nap. It was a great afternoon and I can not wait to do the next race.

Sorry Laurie!

Last night went well. The girls and I scrapped and Steve and David went out. However, they did not go to Chuck E Cheese. Instead, they went to Steve's cousin Walter's house. Steve called Walter's dear wife Laurie and invited himself and David over. Even after Walter called to tell Steve that their little guy Tom was sleeping, they still went. I felt bad, but was not going to tell him he couldn't go to his cousins house. So, here is my public apology to Laurie - SORRY! I was really hoping that when Steve and David got to their house, that she would pack up her scrapbooking stuff and come over, but she just wanted to relax and I can't blame her. I do want to thank them, Steve and David had a great time and I was able to host my workshop without interruption. Next month we should do the same, but this time, Laurie can plan ahead so she can have a girls night scrapping with us.

Boys night out/Girls night in

Tonight I am holding my monthly Creative Memories workshop at my home from 7 pm until midnight. This gives my customers time to work on their albums without interruption and to see the new products. I really enjoy having the girls over, it gives me that girl time and let's the creativity flow. I have been having these for a few months now and Steve has always taken care of entertaining David while we scrap and giggle in the kitchen. They have the whole rest of the house to play in, but last month, the only place David wanted to be, was IN THE KITCHEN. So, I decided this month to make workshop night, boys night out as well. I checked the web and Chuck E Cheese is open until 10 pm - PERFECT. Not that I expect them to stay there until 10 pm, but they can hang out until 8/8:30 and hopefully David will fall asleep on the ride home - exhausted from all the playing. Wish me luck!

Happy Valentine's Day

I hope you all spent your special day with the ones you love. Steve and I took David to Bennegin's for dinner. Aside from some 2 1/2 year old boy antics, we had a nice time. I am not sure the couple sitting behind us can say the same, but that is why we chose a family restaurant and not a fancy one. After stopping off at Aunt Carol and Uncle Tom's, we headed home. David had his night cap (strawberry milk) and he was off to dream land. He is the best Valentine's Day present ever.

Winter Wonderland!

I guess I spoke too soon. Last week I mentioned that this was a mild winter. All in all, I was right - I mean this was only the second time it snowed all season. It just happened to be a BLIZZARD! I am just glad that it did not ruin our plans for Saturday night. My Dad babysat so Steve and I could meet Matt & Kerry for dinner at Mad City Grill in North Brunswick. We had a great dinner. I had Hell's Kitchen (sesame calamari, veggies, noodles in a Thai peanut sauce), Steve had South Street Seaport (seafood and noodles), Matt had the special (seafood and pasta) and Kerry had chicken and pasta (I forgot the cute name for it). I really enjoyed my dinner - it was HUGE and delicious. The restaurant is bring your own and we did. We talked and laughed a lot. We decided it was too early to call it a night, so we drove in the storm to Cramer's Corner. It is a small bar in New Brunswick that I used to work at when it was called Shea's Place. My girlfriend Michelle still works there and we were hoping she was there, but she wasn't. In fact, we did not know anyone there, BUT we had an awesome time. We all drank WAY too much but had SO MUCH FUN. When we finally decided to leave, the snow was pretty bad. To my surprise, we made it home safe. When we got home David and my Dad were sitting on the couch waiting for us. David was very cranky because he had been sleeping so I took him up to bed. I could not WAIT to hit the pillow. When we woke up there was SO much snow and it was STILL snowing! David was SO excited and I had the worst hang over. Steve was in worse shape than me and he got called into WORK! I made everyone breakfast and we headed outside to dig my car out so Steve could leave. After he left, David and I dug a little more and then we went inside for Hot Chocolate. The rest of the day we spent with my Dad in the den, playing. I did some laundry and tried to straighten up. I had dinner ready for when Steve got home - he was starving. We ate, I cleaned up and now I am ready for bed. It was a great snow day and it still looks beautiful outside. Let's see how easy it is for me to get into work tomorrow!

High-Tech House

If you do not know what I do as my full time job, I am an Analyst. That means I work with computers all day. I do not 'fix' them like a computer tech would, instead I implement computer programs and tailor them to our customers needs. Having said all that, you'd think I would have the latest technology at home. Yes, I have cable internet service, I was not that bad off, but I was lacking wireless connectivity. I was, until last night. I installed (with the help of a co-worker over the phone) a wireless router! Now, I can use my laptop anywhere in the house & probably on the deck, even while Steve and/or David is on our desktop. This will really benefit me when I am working from home or when I am running my Creative Memories business. I will get a lot more done and be more organized. I also bought a print server so I can print wirelessly and a new all-in-one printer. I will be hooking those up this weekend. We will no longer be living in the stone ages when it comes to technology in our house!

As Dorothy said, "There's no place like home."

She was not kidding! I arrived back in Jersey at 10:30 pm last night and was never so happy to be in NEWARK! Like I posted while I was gone, Kansas was good. The training was great, I met some nice people and the state is very pretty (in a plain way) but it's nothin' like JERSEY. After grabbing my bags from baggage claim, I walked out to find Steve and David waiting in the car. Steve gave me a big kiss, helped me with my bags and told me how glad he was that I was home. David was SLEEPING! I was so upset, but he looked SO cute. Steve picked me up Dunkin Donuts hot chocolate and a Mommy donut, but I was not ready to eat it, so we just walked about my trip and how his week went without me. David woke up when we arrived home. When I got him out of the car, he clung to me for life and I was SO happy! We went in the house and shared my Mommy donut and I drank my hot chocolate as he told me about his week. I could tell he REALLY missed me. After, I gave him his presents: boxing gloves, candy hearts, play-do, water color books and a Kansas State sweatshirt. I gave Steve his gifts: Kansas State long sleeve T-shirt & hat, steak rub & BBQ sauce. Then we were all so tired, we went up to bed. It felt so good to crawl into my own bed and I slept like a log (after giving my men a kiss good-night). Not that I had any doubts, but being away really made me realize how much I love my family and New Jersey.

The latest on my trip

I started class yesterday and it went well. The building they are in is fantastic. The people are very friendly. I met some nice people in class. 2 of the people in my class are staying at my hotel and sit next to me in class. They asked me if I was interested in going with them to The Plaza after class yesterday and I went. It took about 20 minutes to get there. The Plaza is an upscale outdoor shopping area with great restaurants. We ate at a pub type restaurant that reminded me of Tumulty's and Bennegins from home. I had a Peanut Butter Chicken Salad - it was delicious. After dinner we walked around and checked out some shops. Then we headed home. I was on the computer most of the night and watched some TV. I did not sleep well for the 2nd night in a row, so this morning I was very tired. But, I got myself up and ready so I could get to the company for a tour of the building. This place was incredible - I'll tell you more about it when I get home. Class went well again, I knew most of everything they went over. After class, I came back to my room to unwind and make some phone calls. Then I headed over to a near by Target. I bought David some surprises and got some things for myself. I ordered a burrito from a near by Mexican restaurant and brought it back to my room. It was pretty good, but I have had better. Now I am just watching TV and reading some magazines. I really can't wait to get home, I miss David and Steve like crazy. Oh, I almost forgot...
DAVID IS GOING ON THE POTTY!
He still wears a diaper at night, but otherwise, he is doing GREAT! I am just so upset that I missed it. I can't believe he is so grown up already! I hope my Mom is taking pictures...

Toto too!

I have arrived in Kansas! The flight I took was on a small plane and it was 3 hours long. I then drove 40 minutes from the airport to my hotel. The hotel is great so far and I got myself a delicious dinner from a local brew pub. I watched the SAG awards and surfed the web. I am going to hit the hay so I can be ready for my class tomorrow. I'll post again soon.

P.S. Thanks to Laney and Mommyblogr for getting my and Mike's pix on our profiles!

I promised...

I was paid surprise visit last night by Laney. I was so happy to see her! We only got to spend a few minutes together because I had a kitchen full of scrappers but it was a great few minutes. She is a beautiful person and I am going to miss her when she moves. I am just glad that I will get to catch up with her through her blogs. So, my promise to her was to update my blog. I like to keep promises, so here I am.

My new job is going very well. I love the product that I am supporting and my new boss is wonderful. I will be leaving for Kansas on Sunday for training and I am nervous, but I am looking forward to learning more about ImageNow. I will fill you in next week while I am sitting in my hotel room missing my Men.

My parents are coming home tomorrow from their month long trip to FL. I know that had a lot of fun, but I think they are looking forward to coming home to see David. While they were gone, they stayed with my sister mostly, but did take trips to South Beach, St. Augustine and Orlando. When they were in St. Augustine, they had dinner with my in-laws and had a great time. I really missed them and so did David. I won't really get to catch up with them until I return from KS, but it will be nice for them to have David all to themselves while I am gone.

On January 17, 2006, the mother of my cousin Mar's husband Frank passed away. It was a horrible shock and my heart aches for the entire family. She was a wonderful woman that loved her family dearly and received that love right back. My sister was close to her and was very upset that she was unable to be here for the services. She is coming home Monday to lend her support for a few days. May God Bless them.

Hug and kiss your loved ones and let them know how you feel. The only person who knows how long we are here on Earth is God, so if you live everyday as it is your last, you will never had any regrets.

Now, I need to start following my own advise!

Jen, David and Mark 

Thanks Aunt Kathy! 

David, Mike & Laura-Ann 

Should we stay or should we go?

I have been debating in my head for a while now, whether or not we should add on to our house or look for something bigger. I finally decided to open up the flood gates and talk to Steve about it. Believe it or not, we were on the same page. We agree that we need more room but neither of us are sure how to get it. We really love our home and we have put A LOT of hard work into it, but at the same time, if we could purchase something larger with a few of the things (fireplace, garage) that we are lacking and not raise our mortgage payment a whole bunch we'd really think about moving. We also agree that we'd want to move to a town that has everything ours has including great schools and nice people. So we've chosen Freehold and the surrounding areas as possibilities. As of today, no decisions have been made. We want to speak to someone that knows a lot more than we do about real estate and mull it over some more. I am also going to talk to our contractor and see what the damage would be to do the things that I have in mind here at our house. If you have any suggestions, please leave us a comment. Otherwise, stay tuned!

Playing video games in his new chair 

Fingerpainting 

Happy 33rd Birthday Steve! 

Doctor Appointments

David and I both had doctor appointments this week. I had my yearly OB/GYN checkup (4 months late) and David had his 2 1/2 year check up. Both of our visits went well and we are both healthy. David's visit was a lot more fun than mine and Steve and I enjoyed watching him react to the Nurse. He was so excited to get weighed (unlike his mother) and thought getting his height checked was a game. He was showing off left and right and even developed a special trick to show her. Everything she asked him to do he did with a smile. We were cracking up. She said he was great. We think so too!

Sangria sure is good...

I would like to begin this post by congratulating my cousin Laura-Ann on obtaining her Master's Degree - CONGRATULATIONS! She worked very hard and missed a few NJ summers to get it and I am extremely proud of her. Her parents are also proud and so they gave her a kick-butt party this past Saturday at Ria Mar in South River. Although David was invited, we decided to call Megan, our trusty babysitter, into action. Steve and I had a great time. The party was a blast. I drank WAY too much Sangria and danced for hours. I can honestly say that I have not had that much fun in a while. The food was delicious too, but I was really into the Sangria. They hired the same DJ that was at their engagement party and he was awesome. He played all the songs I love and apparently all the songs Mike, Laura-Ann, Jill, Joe, LeAnne and Katie love as well. Most of us were on the dance floor for the entire party. I have to admit, we are some crazy dancers. Steve made a few dance floor appearances - twice he did the WORM! He is paying for it now with bruised knees, just as I paid for all the Sangria I drank on Sunday. I woke up on Sunday morning needing to go pee-pee only to find that my head was THROBBING. I took Tylenol and went back to bed. Our phone rang at 10 am and woke me up - still with a headache. Joe was on the phone asking Steve to pop over to their new place for some help. Sunday was Steve's 33rd birthday, so when David woke up we did the gift thing and then we drove over to Jill & Joe's. I asked Steve to please make a stop at D&D so I could get some hot chocolate and a croissant which he did. I was so excited to see Jill & Joe's place and it was adorable. Very pink, but adorable none the less. I chatted with Jill while the boys fixed some leaks and then we headed home to get ready for the Giants game. Well, I almost did not make it home. My head was still throbbing and now I was nauseous. We had to drive home with the windows down. I made it home without getting sick - thank goodness. I took more tylenol and hit the A&P for chili making supplies and appetizers. My cousins came over for the games and to spend time with the birthday boy/man. We ate all day and had my chili for dinner. At 7 pm, my grandparents and aunts came over to join us all for cake. Steve got some real nice gifts and had a real nice birthday (except for the Giants debacle). Overall another great weekend.

Happy New Year!

Sorry it is almost a week late, but I mean it all the same. My parents left for FL on New Year's Day, so we were lucky enough to grab them to babysit for about 1 1/2 hours on New Year's Eve. Steve and I ducked out to dinner at Covello's - one of our favorite restaurants. We made a 5 pm reservation at their new establishment. They used to be located in Sayreville on Washington Ave in a small bar/restaurant. They moved to Rt. 35 N in Sayreville to a great building. It is a little bigger then the last one, has a nice bar (that they own) and is like being in Italy. Our food was delicious as always and the waitress was great. We have had her before and it was nice to see she still works there. After dinner we headed home to relieve the parents so they could get to there New Year's Eve celebration at the Breaker's. They had not expected to be home, so it was nice that my Aunt and Uncle invited them to join them for dinner at a place they love. The rest of our evening was pretty uneventful. We watched TV and went to bed right after the ball dropped. I know - sounds like a real kick butt time. It was nice to get out to dinner with the hubby. We don't do that as often as we should. Maybe that can be our joint New Year's resolution.

I love to read! 

From Santa 

Gifts for David 

John's new girlfriend 

Tickets to Disney on Ice 

Masked 

The kids 

How the Boettger's Spent Christmas

Our Christmas celebrations start on Christmas Eve at Aunt Mary & Uncle Bob's house with my Dad's family. Everyone was there, with the exception of my sister Amy and her husband (they live in FL) and my cousin Dan (he is in CA in the Navy). We began with delicious appetizers and then moved on to dinner. Aunt Mary always has a lot to choose from, there was fish, ham, salad, potato salad, lasanga, meatballs and sausage and I am sure I am forgetting something. We ate like D'Alonzo's. After dinner, we exchange gifts. Now that most of us kids are older, we all get gifts from Grandma and Grandpa, and Allison and Tommy get gifts from the Aunts and Uncles. I buy for Grandma & Grandpa and Aunt Mary for being a gracious hostess. David got gifts from everyone. He loved his Power Rangers clothes from Aunt Debbie and his book and Gap clothes from Aunt Mary. Grandmom and Grandpop gave him a remote control truck and money. He played all night with the truck. After some tasty dessert, we left & headed to my cousin Barbara's. David could not wait to get there and play with the kids. As soon as we walked in PJ & David gave David his Little People gift. He loved it. I then gave the boys their stuff, Maggie was sleeping (what a good girl). Aunt Marylynn gave David 2 beautiful outfits and then he was off to play. I got to spend some nice time with Meghan and Barb while sipping some wine and watching the kids play so nice together. We left there about 11 pm. David fell asleep on the way home which was perfect. Steve put him in his bed when we got home and then Santa did his thing. The next morning David was SO excited to see that Santa left him LOTS of presents. He got air hockey (tabletop), trains, power rangers, DVDs, clothes and lots lots more. Santa left me Sirius satelite radio, bras, expensive jeans, lots of CDs, CSI DVDs, and a beautiful necklace. Steve got shirts, thermals and a Flat Panel HD TV. MomMom & Gramps stayed over and they got stuff too. MomMom got a wine bottle opener, Anita Baker Xmas CD and Oprah DVDs. Gramps got Donald Duck Pj's, Jamie Foxx CD and Train DVD. Amy, Andrew, Steve and I also got them tickets to Jersey Boys on Broadway. We all had a great Christmas morning. David played with his toys while Steve and I got ready to head out to Aunt Kathy and Uncle Bob's to celebrate with my Mom's side. It was real nice for all us to be together especially with Nana passing away the day before. Aunt Kathy's is always lots of fun. We do a grab bag with the whole family. We choose names on Thanksgiving and there is a $50 limit. Before we exchanged gifts, we eat a yummy dinner. Aunt Kathy also makes way to much food and we chow down. Her sweet potatoes are to die for so I had seconds. After dinner we start the grab bag exchange. I host the event and this year we went from oldest to youngest. Before you can get your gift, you have to try and guess who had you. I allowed the guesser to ask me 3 yes or no questions this year to make it easier. My Mom went first and my cousin Jackie was last. We all got loads of great stuff and had a blast. I will not mention everything that went on, but I must tell you about my cousin John's gift. My cousin Mike had John and on John's wish list was Seinfeld DVD, something else and a new girlfriend. Yes, you guessed it, Mike bought John a new girlfriend - a Fat Ass Party Doll that blows up. It was the most hilarious thing I ever saw. We all hung out having a great time drinking, eating and reminiscing. We needed that time together. We left there real late and drove home in major fog, but made it home safely. The next day we drove to Tracey and Rich's in PA for a Boettger celebration. We opened gifts as soon as we arrived, because we had a surprise planned for later that night. Tracey and Rich got Steve, David and I plane tickets to FL in July to celebrate Mom Boettger's 60th B'day along with Atari Flashback for Steve, a candle and Disney Xmas book for me and clothes and toys for David. We got Tracey Tinkerbell PJ's, slippers and shirt and a Mickey Initial bracelet, Rich Karaoke for PS2 with 2 mics and tennis stuff. The surprise was tickets for the kids to Disney On Ice in Phillie. Ally also got Disney Scene It and a Baby Doll and Ty got Charlie and the Chocolate Factory game for PS2 and a Power Rangers Boppin Bag. Rich drove us all in to Phillie for the show. The kids, Tracey and I loved it. It was really good and lots of fun. I bought all the kids programs that came with Incredibles masks so they can remember our trip. When we got home, we ate take out and just relaxed. I spent the next day with Tracey and the guys and kids hung out at the house. Before we left we went for lunch at a great restaurant near their house - David slept through the whole thing. It was a good thing we ate a lot, cause it took us 2 1/2 hours to get home! Overall we had a nice Christmas. We spent time with our family and received some great gifts. Nana was missed, but not forgotten.

Christmas in Heaven

My Nana passed away on Christmas Eve after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. I am sad that she is gone, but glad that she is not suffering anymore. Her passing was quick and she was with my Mom and Aunt Carol, so she was not alone. I will miss her and think of her often remembering the times we spent together. She had a good life, great kids and grandkids (even great-grandkids). My grandfather passed on before her, so we think they were in Heaven having Christmas dinner together. All the meat and potatoes two irish people can eat! I love you Nana, God Bless You.

Beautiful Tree 

NYC

Every year for the past few years, my family makes a trip into NYC to eat, drink and see the tree. This year it was a little different. First thing that changed was Steve's presence. Usually he ends up having to work, but not this year. To most, that would be a nice thing to have your husband be able to join you on a trip to NYC, but not for me. Aside from the fact that he is not a NYC fan, the Giants were playing at 5 pm. We had discussed this during the week and I had told him to PLEASE stay home, but he insisted on coming. Of course, he was NOT a happy camper which in turn made my trip unpleasant. Another change was that Aunt Mary, Uncle Bob and Christopher joined us. This was a GOOD thing, actually a great thing. It was really nice to see Chris, he lives in NYC and I do not see him as much as I'd like to. It was more like old times when all our family used to hang out - like at Brookside. The final change was the independence. Normally, we meet and hit all the sites as a group. This year, everyone did their own thing and we only met up for lunch. Because Steve had ants in his pants, I did not get to do much. We went to Toys R Us, ESPN Zone and the tree. I wanted to go to the Disney Store, FAO Schwartz and just see the sites. I guess I'll just have to hit them up next year, when I fly SOLO.

Time Flies!

I love this time of year for many reasons, but one of my favorite things is opening Christmas cards. It is great to hear from family and friends but most of all I love the picture cards. You get to see how the kids have grown - it makes me so happy. Our friends Cathy & Niko have 2 boys and we have not seen them in at least 1 year - we got their card the other day and they are the 2 of the most handsome boys I've ever seen. My cousin Christa sent a card with her 2 girls gracing the front and even though we just saw them in November, they look even more gorgeous and grown up then I remember. My friend Michele from work sent one of her pretty little girls that I have never met in person, but adore all the same. My cousin Barbara sent a picture card that Disney could use in promos. It has all 5 of them with Mickey on Main Street USA. Talk about a great looking family! My sister-in-law sent one of my beautiful niece and strapping nephew hugging, they have matured so much. Our cousins Laurie & Walter mailed one out with Thomas (the cutie) all bundled up sitting in the snow. I could kiss his little face all up! My friend Sandy sent us a photo card of her 2 munchkins in front of their fireplace. How adorable! A long time friend of mine, Melissa, sent one with her handsome sons and a surfing Santa - very original. I just sent our cards out on Tuesday. I hope others enjoy it as much as I enjoy theirs.

My two sons 

Hanging ornaments 

Helping Dad with the tree 

David & Vo-Tech Santa 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

This past weekend was one of the best weekends I've had in a while (not that any of them were bad). Friday morning we woke up to snow, so I was fortunate enough to work from home. I really love working from home. I just pop out of bed, make my way downstairs to the computer and start my day. I always seem to get so much more done on WAH days. My Mom made us grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch and before I knew it, my work day was over. Steve had gotten home a little early cause he went in VERY early, so I was able to jump right in to cleaning the house. After taking a shower, I ran over to the A&P to pick up food for Saturday. When I got home, we took a ride to the diner for dinner, but it was jam packed so we ate at Gavlan's. This was only our 2nd time there - I was boycotting because they cut down trees and now I can see Rt. 18 too clearly - but we were hungry. Our dinner was delicious and HUGE. We made the mistake of ordering nachos (much better than the 1st time we were there) and ate all of them. David got pasta with butter and a big salad and that was off the kids menu! Steve had a cajun chicken sandwich and I ordered a southwest pizza. I changed the sauce from marinara to BBQ - awesome. Once we got home, I started to put the house together for my Holiday Shopping Open House that I held on Saturday. I did not go to bed until well after 1 AM. I woke up bright and early on Saturday and got to cleaning. Steve and David went to Vo-Tech for the Santa Breakfast. It was perfect, I cleaned, prepped and showered all alone. When they came home, Steve helped me do a few things and then Jean showed up. She set herself up and I got the food ready. Steve, David and Zach headed upstairs. Megan and her friend were our first customers. Then my Aunt Carol came in. Corey dropped by with Jean's Mom, she stayed, he left. Aunt Kathy and Jackie showed up and then Theresa came too. We all hung out, ate, drank, shopped and gossiped. Jean sold some pieces and I sold some product too. It was a really great day. After I cleaned up, Steve, David and I went to get our Christmas tree. There was slim pickings, but we got one. We wanted a skinny one and we got it. I have to tell you, for a good Xmas tree story, visit Mike's blog. Anyway, David helped Steve set the tree up and unwrap it - he was very excited. Steve cooked a london broil on the grill for dinner - it was very tasty. David wanted to play poker - yeah I know - so we played and then it was time for bed. I slept right through my nail appt on Sunday morning - oops! So we had a nice lazy Sunday. I made David pancakes (microwavable) with whipped cream - he loved them. I ran to A&P and Kmart for some little things. When I got home, we decorated the tree and the house. At first David was very into it and helpful, but then he got distracted, so I finished up. During this time, I was watching the Giants beat the Eagles - YAHOO! I made chili for dinner and then we ran back to Kmart for more outdoor lights. Our trip served 2 purposes - the lights and David falling asleep. We succeeded on both fronts - until we walked in the house. David jumped out of arms with more energy then ever. Steve and I just looked at each other in amazement. David played on the computer and we watched the ever so boring Sunday night football game. When it was time for bed - I was elated. I was exhausted. I really had a great weekend.

Modern Technology

We had an addition built onto our humble abode right after David was born in June 2003. We were instructed by our contractor that we had to have fire and carbon monoxide detectors hard wired into our home. They were to be placed in all bedrooms, on the first floor and the basement. Well, for the past 3 nights, our alarms have been going off. The first night it happened we assumed that it had something to do with the battery. The second night, I opened a window to get in fresh air and it worked. Last night, I called the EB Police Department. The operator sent over an officer and the fire department at 1:30 am! The firefighter told us that it was probably the sheet rock dust (from Steve fixing and painting the stairway) blocking the sensor. He told us to vaccum the detectors. So Steve did. He put them back up and they were still going off. The solution - take them out of the ceiling all together. So as of now, we have no detectors - not a great thing. I will be calling Steve's cousin Walter (an electrician) to come by and take a look. I can not live with the high pitch alarm in the middle of the night, but we might not live through a fire or CO2 without a detector!

Shopping Fun

I started my Christmas shopping yesterday - at least the mall part. I had purchased a few items online this week. I needed to be out of the house a while, so Steve could paint some of the walls that never got done, so I headed to the Freehold Mall. I was going to meet my Mom there and she had some things to do first, so I stopped off at Best Buy and Modell's on Rt. 9. I bought gifts for my 2 brothers-in-law, Steve's grab bag person and Steve. By now my Mom was on her way, so off to the mall. It was crowded, but I have seen worse. I had a few coupons, so I wanted to check out, The Children's Place, Disney and American Eagle. I bought stuff for David and myself - I know real good. We had pretzles for lunch and David spotted an arcade - not good. I told him we could go in, but thankfully he never asked for money, so we didn't stay long. All the other stores I needed had long lines and are at my crappy little local mall, so I headed home. I called Steve and he was not done, so I thought I'd hit that crappy mall. But, my bladder took over and I stopped home. David really needed a nap, but wouldn't take one. After a 1/2 hour of trying, we headed to the crappy mall. I got a gift for my babysitter, my grab bag person & my sister and the December cards I'll need. After a smoothie, we went back home. Steve was finishing up, so I made dinner and got David in his PJ's. I feel that I am half done with my shopping. There are a few people I am clueless about, but I'll think of something. Now I am on my way to Kmart to get some money back - wish me luck!

Swimming in Orlando 

Poolside 

Rehearsal dinner