Baby Update and More!

Yesterday afternoon I had my weekly appointment. Besides waiting forever in the waiting room, nothing has changed. So, we'll wait until next Wednesday for the next appointment and see if there is any news to report. I am actually glad that the baby is not ready to arrive. I only stopped working this past Tuesday, so I'd like some time to do my own thing and be with David.

Speaking of David...he has a lot going on. Steve and I got him a big boy bike and he loves it. We finally got him the helmet and knee/elbow pads so he can ride without fear. He does real well riding his bike and when he does fall, he gets right back up. Yesterday was the Halloween Parade at David's school. He was Buzz Lightyear and looked great! My parents, Steve and I went to watch. All the kids did a nice job. After they marched in the parade, they stood in a line and sang songs for us. We loved it!

The other night Steve carved our pumpkins. David wanted a mean face on his pumpkin and I asked for a funny face on the other one. They came out great. Steve is very talented in the carving department. For our 1st married Halloween, he made me a NY Yankee pumpkin! I loved it.

My Mom helped me (did most of the work) to sponge paint the babies room. Instead of doing a border, we chose to randomly place the Palm Trees around the room. I think it looks awesome. There are a few spots I will do after she is born, like where we hang her name.

Putting our Pumpkins in order

Saturday morning David, Steve and I ventured off to Cheesequake Farms in Old Bridge to do some pumpkin picking. We happened to pick a very chilly morning, so we bundled up. When we arrived, we walked through to see all the unusual gourds and fall crops. Then we headed over to the ponies so David could take a pony ride. Usually we take the hayride out into the farm, but I opted to pick from the pre-picked crop this year. I was afraid a bumpy ride would bring on labor! David picked out all our pumpkins. He got one for Steve, one for himself, one for his baby sister and one for me. I wanted one with a little green on it - just to be different. On our way to pay, he noticed the gourds and picked out 4, again, one for each of us. I wanted to buy him a candy apple, but they all had nuts, so luckily he was happy with a chocolate lollipop. When we got to the car to load it up, he insisted that he help Steve. It was so cute to watch him act like a big boy trying to lift those pumpkins. He did a great job. At home, we unloaded the car and he and Steve cleaned the front yard and decorated the porch. We now have a Fall house. It looks great - I love it!

Week 37 Baby Update

We just returned from our 7:20 pm doctor appt. Steve and David joined me to listen to the heartbeat and exited during the exam - smart move! I gained only 1 pound - yeah! The baby is still head down, but not fully dropped. I am 1 centimeter dilated. We are not getting excited about that because I was 1 cm dilated with David for 4 weeks! Either way, look for more updates. My next appt is next Thursday.

What a day!

Yesterday we had some great things occur. Two of them were surprises and one was just a blessing.

• David slept in his OWN bed the WHOLE night!

To some people this would not be such a big deal, because you'd think a 3+ year old was already doing this. Well, in our house, it was not happening. Our baby boy was an awesome sleeper. He slept through the night at 3 weeks old and every night until he turned 2. Then, it was ALL over. We've tried in the past to get him to sleep by himself, but this time we had to put our foot down. With some great advice from Tracey, Wednesday night was the night. AND he did it! Last night I was able to get him to go to bed on time and in his room, but he did end up in our room. I am not as upset about this, because he is learning that he has a bedtime and that he needs to sleep in his own bed. We talked this morning and he told me he forgot he needed to stay in his own bed and he'll try again. That is all I can ask for. I know he can do it.

• I was thrown a baby shower at work!

On the days David goes to school, I work from home until I pick him up - then I go into work. Yesterday was one of those days. Before I left to go into the office, I got an email for a meeting with my director. I accepted the invite and headed to the office. When I arrived, my co-worker was waiting for me to go over some things she'll take over for me while I am on leave. After we finished, I was called into the meeting with my director that in fact was my SHOWER! I had no idea and was so surprised. All the ladies on our floor were there. We had some delicious cake, cookies and fruit and I received a Target Gift Card, some clothes and bibs, a Pooh doll, a cd and a grooming kit. David was given an Elmo pinata! The card had some really nice wishes written it in. I was very happy.

• Steve was given a promotion and a raise!

When I returned from my desk after my wonderful shower, Steve called me. He informed me that he just left his bosses office where he was told that he would be bumped up to the next level in his job and would get a nice raise! I was so surprised and happy. Not only for our family, but for him personally. He is well deserving of both. I told him how proud I was and that we'd go to dinner to celebrate.

So, as the title reads....WHAT A DAY!

Picture of Nursery

Baby Update

Today I am 36 weeks along with 4 weeks to go! I went to the doctor this afternoon and the baby's head is down, but she is very high and there is no dialation. I did not think she dropped just by the fact that I still have trouble breathing when I am sitting down.

My maternity leave starts 2 weeks from today and I sure am looking forward to it. I am VERY uncomfortable at work because I sit most of the day. Not to mention that I get tired after lunch and I a little swollen.

The babies room is coming along. There are just a few finishing touches and it will be all set. I had ordered some decorative items from Target after my shower last Sunday and they should get here within the next week.

Speaking of my shower, it was great. The weather was perfect, the food was delicious and Laurie was the greatest hostess. I received LOTS of great clothes and other gifts. It was so nice to have my family and friends together.

I think that is all for now. I return to the doctor next Wed. evening, so you can expect another update then. Maybe I'll have more to tell you!

Memory Walk

This past Saturday, my sister in law Tracey, niece Ally, cousin Jeffrey and his girlfriend Lisa and I walked in the Pt. Pleasant Memory Walk to raise money for Alzheimer's research. They had a great turn out and between Tracey and I, we raised close to $800! The walk was great. We could not have asked for a more beautiful morning. We walked along the boardwalk all the way to the Manasquan inlet and back to the end of the Pt. Pleasant boardwalk. The sun was shining and the air was cool but not cold.

Raising money for Alzheimer's research is important to both Tracey and I because both our maternal Grandmother's passed away from the disease. It is a horrible way to live for the one suffering and for the ones watching the person suffer. Most of the time (like in the case of our grandmothers), the victims are not sick in any other way, but their minds. They reside in nursing homes for years in perfect physical health before their minds forget to have them eat or breathe, and then they pass on.

If you or someone you love has been touched by Alzheimer's and you'd like to make a donation, please visit www.alz.org . Every little bit counts.

Thanks Tracey for teaming up with me!

IT WORKS!!

If you have not noticed, I have been slacking in the post with picture department. Reason being, our 3 year old photographer broke my camera back in the early summer. My lovely sister and brother in law were kind enough to give us theirs (they got an upgrade) on vacation. To no fault of their own, they forgot to pack the software and upload cable but I did get them recently. When I tried to install the camera on our PC - I got an error. So, I attempted to download the software and again, an error. I FINALLY got smart today and removed everything I loaded and downloaded the driver from the web. Low and behold - IT WORKED! So after about an hour of uploading, I can post a picture. YA HOO! Enjoy...

I can see clearly now, thanks to Rich

I know that is not how the song goes, but it is true. I bought Steve a HDTV last christmas from QVC. Well, after a few months, it went on the fritz. So, our great brother in law spoke to his peeps and got us a replacement. Well, unfortunately, this one has fritzed also. Rich was determined to figure out what exactly was going wrong. He came up last Saturday and together with Steve, got down to the nitty gritty. Basically, we are getting 1 more TV and need a longer, better cable. So as of next week, our TV will be shipped and I will be making a HDMI cable purchase at the local Best Buy (unless Rich can find one - so nice!).

I can not tell you what a difference seeing football in HDTV makes - not only it is clear as heck - but Steve is not bitching in the background!

Thanks Rich - you ROCK!

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL!

As you can see, I am very excited that Football season is upon us. I am partaking in 3 fantasy football type leagues this year and am off to a good start in 2 of them so far. I won't know the results of the first week of my fantasy team until after tonight's 2 games. I am tied for 1st place in a pick 'em league (you have to pick EVERY game EVERY week) and lived for another week in our survival league (pick 1 team each week to win, but can not choose the same team twice in the season). The games have been great. I've seen some awesome catches and hard hitting - the way the game should be played. Steve was fortunate enough to actually go to last night Manning Match-Up. Even though the Giants lost, they looked really good. I am hoping for a fabulous season! Enjoy the games.

Sat out this year

For the past 2 years, my cousins Mike and Laura-Ann plan a Kenny family softball game/picnic during the summer. It's held at Johnson's Park off River Rd. The first year it was hotter than hell. Last year it was hot and then we had a thunderstorm. This year, it was FREEZING! Go figure. Aside from the weather, we had a great time. The game began at noon and was very intense. My husband HATES to lose so thank GOD, he was on the winning team. He passed off his MVP trophy from last year to Jen. She is amazing! Next it was time to eat. Hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill and lot of side dishes. I had the tortellini salad, the ziti and the potato salad. All delicious. My Mom made her Friggin Dip in a huge aluminum pan and it went like hot cakes. Everyone loves that dip. The rest of the day was spent trying to stay warm and chatting. David had a lot of fun with Mike's other godchild Matthew. They played ball and tag. Towards the end, some wild and crazy family members (they shall remain nameless) did keg stands! That was hilarious. Before leaving the dessert was put out so my Dad and Anna made a trip to Dunkin Donuts for a Box of Joe and some hot chocolates (1 for me, please). After the keg was kicked, we decided to take the party back to our house. Jill, Joe, Laura-Ann, Mike, John, Jay and my parents came back and we ordered some pizza. Joe had picked up beer. The guys hung around the computer watching silly YOUTUBE clips and the girls ate and gossiped. By the end of the night we were watching chapters of R. Kelly's In the Closet. VERY STRANGE, however addicting. We ended at chapter 12 and I feel that my life is incomplete without the rest. I sure hope we can watch the rest on Sunday at Uncle Tom's Labor Day bash. Anyone care to join me?

Tomorrow, another year older

I love my birthday! Not only is it in the best season of the year, I am born on my Dad's birthday and therefore get to share my celebration every year. Tomorrow I will turn 31 and Dad will be 58. I usually take my birthday off to do something fun, but with my impending maternity leave, I need to save all the time off I can get. So, I'll work during the day and my parents, David, Steve and I will grab dinner in the evening. At 7 pm, I have invited our families over for cake and coffee. Our family LOVES a reason to get together. I can't wait to see what Steve bought me - he spent his hard earned Fair money at the mall yesterday. The gift he bought for me from David I already have been given. Once Steve told and showed it to David, he HAD to give it to me. It's a beautiful heart locket with Mom engraved on the front. David told me it's to put a picture of him and his new baby sister in. I love it and can't wait to wear it. He was so proud of it. I also already received money from my in-laws that I bought a Yankee wristlet and backpack with as well as got my hair cut. My sister and Andrew bought me my perfume that I needed desperately. The rest will come tomorrow on my actual Birthday. I will be headed to the mall tonight to pick up something for my Dad from David. I have my gift for him and the cards all set. I'll update this post tomorrow with some pictures so you can see what I get too!

Gift update:

• I am embarrased to admit that my sister in law DID in fact buy me 2 birthday gifts while we were in FL. The first was a lilac visor and the second was a beautiful purple Brighton anklet. So Sorry Tray!
• I received money today from my Grandparents and my Aunt Mary and Uncle Bob!
• This morning my friend at work bought me a cute maternity outfit!
• My parents gave me maternity clothes, the Yankee hat I wanted, a beautiful seaglass starfish necklace and belly smooches.
• Steve got me flowers and more perfume.
• Mark and Jen got me a gift card to Sephora.
• Aunt Carol and Uncle Tom gave me money.
• Jill and Joe and Aunt Judy and Uncle Jack gave me scratch offs.

5 things you can only feel as a Mom

• Recently I said to my husband "I feel bad for David". He looked at me like I had 3 heads and asked "Why?". I explained that when the baby arrives he will not be 'THE ONE' anymore and I don't want his little heart broken. Steve said he understood but that I should not worry. When I asked if he felt bad for him he simply said "No".
• David is a boy and LOVES to play rough. His favorite people to rough house with are my cousins - ages 22 to 28 and of course his 33 year old father. Every once in a while ( not on purpose) he gets knocked around pretty good and I gasp in fear. It is only then that he gets upset. If I were to keep my gasp and fear to myself, he's get up and attack his attacker. Steve is constantly telling me to not be so sensitive or I'll turn David into a wimp.
• Ever since we brought David home from the hospital, I have jumped up to soothe his every little wimper or hard cry. I know that as a baby that is ok, but know he is 3 and I still can't bear to hear him upset. I am smart enough to know, that at 3 years old he is playing me but that cry just breaks my heart. I remember one specific instance when we were trying to get to sleep and David was being a bear. The last straw came when he hurt me somehow. Steve took him out of our room, threw him in his bed and locked our door. David got out of his bed, walked back to our room and tried to get in. When he realized the door was locked he started to wail. Steve would not let me go get him so I started to wail. After a good 5 minutes, I could not take it anymore and climbed over Steve to get David. When I opened the door he was sitting on the floor a mess. I got down on the floor, held him in my lap and he fell fast asleep.
• I work a full time job and everyday, I feel guilty. I know that I HAVE to work in order for us to live, but I still feel the guilt. I hate to leave David in the morning whether he's asleep or awake. While I am at work, I am constantly wondering what he is doing and wishing I could be spending my day with him having fun. It's not that I do not want to work, it's that I would rather just be Mom. Mom is a the only title I want.
• Being pregnant is wonderful. I have not gotten morning sickness or any of the other bad things that can come. I feel great and if I can say so myself, I do not look too bad. There is nothing like the feeling of the babies 1st 'kick'. Although you can have your husband feel your belly from the outside, he has no idea the sensation on the inside. Same goes for the birth. Obviously there is pain, but he has NO idea how it feels, no matter how hard he tries to say to does. A kick in the testicles, is just NOT a comparrison. I am not complaining about the pain - to be honest I have forgotten all about it. Then there is that unbelievable feeling of seeing your child for the first time. That immediate out pouring of love and bonding that happens after all the pain is over. I almost feel bad for Steve and the other Dads in the world. I do not think that moment is the same for them. I do believe they have a similar feeling, but nothing like a Mother.

Daddy Blues

Last week my husband helped his cousin out by working long hard days at the Middlesex County Fair in our home town. At first, David thought this was WAY cool, until about the 3 or 4th day when he realized that Daddy was not home. See, Steve would leave in the morning by 7:45 am before David woke up and would come home after midnight and after David had gone to bed. We would venture to the fair around dinner time everynight to visit Daddy, but most often, he and Walter were still turning on the lights and putting out fires (not real ones). There were a few days that Steve was able to spend some real time with us, but unfortunately David did not respond well. He missed his Dad so much, that he acted like a raging maniac and then Steve would rather we just went home (sort of). Well, that week has now ended and tonight when Steve gets home from work, he and David will have time to get some bonding done. I asked my Mom to go home as soon as Steve walks in and I am going to get my nails done right from work. That should give them a good hour and a 1/2 to play rough or whatever it is they want to do. When I get home, I'm going to take them both out to dinner at Outback Steakhouse. Steve deserves it - he did a great job last week. I am very proud of him!

There was an attempt..

to post after we got back from our vacation, but my computer tossed the post before I could publish so I gave up.

Where should I begin?

Well, we went away for a week at the end of July to visit Steve's parents in FL. The main reason for our visit was my mother-in-law's 60th birthday. I think she was glad we were all there (my sister and brother-in-law and the kids came too). We did a lot in a week - a trip to St. Augustine, a visit to the Magic Kingdom, a boat trip, many dinners and a visit from my sister and her husband. It was nice - great to get away.

Since we've been back life has been just as crazy as before we left - although my parents missed David so much they took him to their place for a mini vacation for 3 days the week we got back. Steve and I got to catch Pirates of the Carribean (loved it) and grab dinner. That was a treat.

Business has been good. I had a kids crop that went well and I have 3 events this month - one of which is another kid crop. I completed an album for my niece as part of her birthday gift and I hope to start David's album soon. Creative Memories just unveiled all their new items for fall and I am SO excited. I think I can really move forward.

This week Steve is helping out his cousin Walter and putting in a lot of hours. David and I have been going to visit him and get a bite to eat. We miss him when he's not home. It's hard to go to sleep without him there. He is working hard and enjoying the time he is getting with his cousin and uncle. Maybe he'll decide to become an electrician!

Today I had a OB appt and my glucose test. All is well with our baby girl and I'll find out my test results next week. Heard her heartbeat - nice and strong. I stopped off at Home Depot over the weekend and got some paint swatches. Once we get that bed out of there, we can get to work on the nursery. I can't believe she'll be here in only 3 months! We are all so excited to meet her.

I guess that is enough for now. I will post again soon.

Johnnycakes

I have a special relationship with my cousin John, but for this post, we'll call him Johnnycakes. He is like a mix between and younger brother and a son. I am more than happy to report that my husband and Johnnycakes are also close and to my son, well he is his bestfriend. We can always count on John if we need help or to come along for some fun. When we built the addition on our house he and my cousin Mike helped us move our crap. When Steve built on to our deck, John was his partner. If I am stuck for a sitter, he'll watch David. On a lazy Sunday afternoon, he'll join us for dinner and a game. He'll go to Great Adventure or the boardwalk and be Steve and David's ride companion. He is an all around great kid that I am proud to be related to. Although he'll always be a kid to me, he will be finished college soon and be moving on with his life. I hope he knows that whatever he decides to do, he has our support. If he needs help, we are here. If he needs guidance, we are here - (well for that he should come to me and leave Steve out of it. JUST KIDDING DEAR!) When it comes to the ladies - well, I need to approve before he gets too involved. Girls can be cruel and I am not taking any chances on a broken heart.
So, thanks John, for everything. We love you.

Swim Class Pix

Here's my SWIMMER!

Next: The Swim Team!

For the past 2 weeks, David has been taking swim lessons at our swim club. He had 4 lessons the 1st week and 3 (due to rain) this week. My parents have taken him to all but 1 of his lessons. I was fortunate enough to be off on Monday and got to take him myself. He is great. All the other kids are crying because they are scared or because they want their parents. David goes off with one of the instructors - happy as a clam. They practice kicking, going under water, jumping in and using the noodle to float. He's a natural and loves every minute of it. I am SO proud of him. Today was his last lesson. I sent the instructors a card and some cookies for doing such a great job. When David got home, he had a little certificate with 2 stars and a list of things he learned to do. Perfect for my scrapbook! I think every kid should know how to swim and I am so glad David is on his way.

Summer in full swing

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July weekend. We kicked ours off on Saturday by spending the day at the beach and the night at the boardwalk. We could not have asked for better weather. David loved the ocean. We jumped in the waves and I took him in a little farther so he could feel the waves break. At the boardwalk, he loved the rides. He even got to go on a few with his cousin Thomas. It was a great time.

Sunday we took a lazy day. David and I hung out outside for a while. I read my book and he played in his pool. Then I we went inside and I was hoping he'd nap, instead I napped. He and Steve played Playstation. We cooked dinner on the grill and ate outside. It was a much needed break from our busy schedule.

Monday Steve took on some overtime. I took David to swimming lessons. This was the 1st one I witnessed. He is GREAT! A natural in the water. He jumped off the side and went under water. I was so proud of him. After, we picked up my cousin John and headed to my parents. We popped in and headed to the beach. It was another beautiful day, but hotter than Saturday. We sat and watched David in the ocean. He did not come out for a second. My cousin Jackie and Aunt Kathy met us at the beach. Lucky for me Jackie brought David in the waves. Late afternoon, we headed back to my parents for the Pre-4th Party. We cleaned ourselves up just in time for Steve to arrive. We all ate a big dinner and relaxed. After dessert, we headed home.

To celebrate the 4th of July, on Tuesday we went to the swim club. My parents went early to grab a table and it was a good thing they did, because it was PACKED! Laurie, Walter and Thomas joined us mid-afternoon. David was in the kiddie pool ALL day. He got out to eat some grapes and that was about it. Thomas hung out in there too. It is so great for the kids. They guys made their way to the grill and cooked up some great burgers and hot dogs. Not long after, the rain came and we all headed out. The Danley's went home and we went to my Aunt Carol and Uncle Tom's for a BBQ. We always have a great time over there. Uncle Tom is a great cook, not to mention funny as anything. My couins Mark & Jen had just returned from France, so I got to hear all about their trip. David had a blast, as he always does. He loves playing with the big kids. We were exhausted by the time it got dark, so we headed home. As soon as we walked in the door, David was out like a light. We never did get to see any fireworks, but that was ok with me.

Wednesday was back to the old grind - WORK. One of these days, I'll hit the lottery and work will be a thing of the past. Right?

Congratulations Jill & Joe!

This past Friday, my cousin Jill married her adorable fiance Joe. Although I missed the actual ceremony (damn job!), I was able to celebrate with them later during their reception. Not that I expected anything less, but she looked stunning and they were so happy. I was so excited for them. They had bought a condo earlier this year and spent a lot of time fixing it up. Sunday we went over to see what they had done. The place looks fantastic - I love the colors and furnishings they chose. It was so cute to see them 'playing house' - but for real.

I wish them the very best!

We just got back...

from my OB/GYN appointment. Everything is going well with the baby. We had an ultrasound and found out we are having a GIRL! I was shocked...Steve knew all along. Now it's time to work on a name.

First and foremost...

David is all better. As a matter of fact, he woke up Thursday and was back to his old self - PHEW!

On another happy note, Steve was able to fix our air conditioning! We noticed it was not working Wednesday night, but it was too dark for Steve to go outside and see what the problem was. So, when he got home Thursday evening, he and David got to work on it. I had some of the girls over for scrapping - I even got to work on 2 pages! My scheduled workshop is this coming Thursday and I am hoping to continue working.

I worked from home on Friday. Steve came home a little early because we had to get to PA by 5:30 pm. Rich got us tickets to the Phillies game for 7 pm, and we had to drop David off at their house. It was not pretty, but we made it. David went right down the basement to play with Ty and the adults headed to the game. We picked up food before heading to our seats. We all had cheesesteaks - YUM! The seats were great - 31 rows behind home plate. The stadium is real nice but small. It reminded me of the Somerset Patriots field. We had a lot of fun at the game, even though Phillie lost. When we got home I was surprised to find David ASLEEP! I asked Mary the babysitter how she did it and it seemed so simple. Maybe she can come live with us - hehehe.

Saturday the guys had their annual golf outing, so Tracey and I took the kids to Lancaster and shopped the outlets. I was able to pick up a few Father's Day gifts and use my Pottery Barn gift card. We had lunch at Cracker Barrell - it was good. When we got home, Tracey's neighbors invited us over for a swim. They just had a beautiful pool put in. Ally and Ty were water rats and David would not go in. He was only interested in throwing everything and anything in the pool. We did not stay long and when we got back to Tracey's, she threw the sprinklers on for them to run through. The kids played while we sat out on the deck reading magazines and eating chips and salsa. After a while we ordered pizza and calzones to be delivered. The guys got home about 8:30 pm and Steve was smashed. He played a little while roughing up the kids and then went to bed. I stayed up long enough for David to fall asleep on me. The 2 of us slept in Ally's room that night.

Sunday was Father's Day. When we woke up, David gave Rich and Steve theirs cards and wished them a Happy Father's Day. I gave Steve the shirts I had bought him the day before. Tracey had made us reservations at Brickside Grill for a 10 am brunch. There was a lot to choose from. First, I had an omelet, that they cooked in their pizza oven! Then David and I had pancakes that they made to order. Steve had an omelet too, but was not all that hungry. After breakfast we said our thank yous and good-byes and headed back to Jersey.

We unpacked the car and did a few things around the house. At about 2 pm, we went to my parents house. My grandparents were already there when we arrived. David got to play in his Banana Boat on the deck while the rest of us enjoyed the weather. For dinner, we went over to Brielle and ate at the Riverhouse. We were the only people in the dining room. Everyone else was eating outside. We all enjoyed our dinner and the beautiful view. Our ride home was not good. Right before the Tennent/Morganville exit, the traffic stopped. Steve and I argued about taking Rt. 9 and because I was driving, I stayed on Rt. 18. We finally made it home.

Once again, another great and eventful weekend. Boy, do I need to relax! Speaking of relaxing, I did finish Honeymoon by James Patterson. Loved it!

Sick Child

When David woke up yesterday he complained to my Mom that his foot hurt and he would not walk on it. When she called to tell me, I figured he slept on it. She emailed me a few hours later, that he was still complaining and not walking. I told her it was probably growing pains and to give him some Tylenol. At lunch time, my Dad called to suggest I call the doctor. I did and got him an appt in the evening. Well, he has been diagnosed with Toxic Synovitis. It is basically a virus in the hip and is seen mostly in boys between the ages of 3 and 6. His course of treatment is 3 days of Motrin 2 times a day. He should be walking by Friday. The weirdest thing is, he is happy as a clam! He was sleeping like an angel when I left this morning, so I have no update for today yet. I'll post again, if there is any change.

Quick Update

Monday June 5: David and I met Steve at the SCVTHS Activities Banquet in Manville, NJ. Very long and drawn out event, but Steve gave a nice speech about his Baseball team and we were happy to be there to support him.

Tuesday June 6: Theresa's Birthday! The girls from the office and I took her to Ruby Tuesday's for lunch. Had Corey and Jean & Mark and Jen over for a BBQ dinner. Corey and Jean had just returned from France and Mark and Jen leave next week. They got to talk and get/give advise. We had a nice time.

Wednesday June 7: Mom's Birthday! Went out to Damon's for dinner. We had a good time, but Damon's was not all that great. Used to be better.

Thursday June 8: Steve worked on the paver walkway and I went to the new BJ's on Rt. 9 to shop for David's family party. LOVED BJ's. I belong to Sam's, but will let that membership expire - too crowded and no variety.

Friday June 9: Took my Mom into New Brunswick to Crossroads theatre to see my good friend Derrick in When a Man Loves a Woman. He was fantastic! Not only can he act, he is an awesome singer! We loved the play. We met Dawn, Shahida, Liz, Theresa, Birthe, Michele and Marci there. We all had a great time and it was so nice to see everyone outside of work.

Saturday June 10: Cleaned the house from top to bottom all morning. With 15 minutes to spare, I ran to Macy's for 2 maternity outfits. The Yoegel's had arrived while I was in the shower. As soon as I got myself and David ready, we were off to his Pirate/Princess Birthday Party at Sandy Deck's Parties on Summerhill Road in East Brunswick. It was a great party. For 1 1/2 hours they played games, ate pizza, danced, went on a treasure hunt, decorated a treasure box, got tatoos and had ice cream. I got to see some people I never see, Barbara, Sandy, Cathy and Niko as well as their kids. Everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves. Went back to our house for a break. Had dinner at Frank's Pizza, then went bowling. What a blast! Tracey kicked all of our butts, but I was able to squeeze in 4 strikes in my second game. The kids did real well too. It was David's 1st time bowling and he did pretty well. At least they all enjoyed themselves.

Sunday June 11: DAVID'S 3RD BIRTHDAY! Steve went out and got us all Dunkin Donuts for breakfast. The kids played and Tracey and I ran to Sam's to pick up the cake, a veggie tray and a fruit bowl. When we got back, they had to leave - Ally had a birthday party in PA to get to. Then I went to Toys R Us to get David's presents and A&P for some last minute party items. Steve set up the backyard while I showered. My Mom and I got the appetizers ready and my grandparents were the first to arrive. The party went off without a hitch! Everyone showed and David had so much fun. Steve cooked on the grill and I prepped in the kitchen. Great team work. Half way through, David opened his presents. He loved them all - especially his Red Game Boy! Mom Mom and Gramps worked extra hard to find that. We had a pirate cake that David enjoyed. We hung out a while and then the guests were gone. Another great birthday for my baby boy!

Monday June 12: David had his 3 yr check up and was horrible! He did not want to listen to anyone or do anything he was asked. The topper was that they never gave him his 4th DPT shot, so he had to get that. Not a good morning. After we picked up Johnny Cakes, we headed for Great Adventure. We did the Safari first - it was great. So many animals! When we got into the park, it was more crowded then we expected. Lots of class trips. The lines for the rides were crazy - 3 hour waits! After lunch, we tried the rides again and had better luck. It turned out to be a great day after all.

I think that is enough info for now. Stay tuned - we have another busy weekend ahead!

Happy Birthday to MOST of the people I know!

June is a crazy birthday month. It's starts off with my nephew Tyler. He turned 6 on the 2nd. Next, my cousin PJ was 7 on the 3rd. My sister-in-law Tracey was 30 something on the 4th. David's due date was today - the 5th. My good friend and co-worker Theresa will celebrate her birthday tomorrow - the 6th. My Mom will be 58 on the 7th. Uncle Richie's birthday is the 9th. My angel baby David was born on the 11th and will celebrate his 3rd birthday. PJ's Mom, my cousin Barbara was born on the 16th. My other friend and co-worker Kristen will be 20 something on the 17th. Do you think I will be spending a lot of time in the card store??

Reading

For Mother's Day, Steve bought me the new James Patterson book Beach Road. I finished it this past Monday - it was great. Loved it. I decided that I should read more books and was tempted to join Laney's challenge, but knew I could not commit. I did however decide on 3 books that I would try to read over the summer. I bought them yesterday and finished one last night! All 3 books are by James Patterson, by the one I read last night was by both James Patterson and Peter Dejonge (both wrote Beach Road) called Miracle on the 17th Green. No, I am not a speed reader, the book was short (149 pgs) and it was good. I plan on reading Lifeguard next and then Honeymoon. I'll let you know what I think...

Weather Happy

It feels as though summer has arrived and I am loving it. That coming from Ms. Prego says a lot. Although I was a tad uncomfortable Monday evening, the sunshine during the day made up for it.

Saturday Steve spent the day putting lattice up under the deck - the yard is getting there. Today he is putting new steps on the deck and if he has time, will build a bump out for the grill. We'll have some more room - that will be nice. I doubt he'll get to the pavers for the walkway- but you never know.

Monday during the day I filled up David's little pool and he had a blast. I even put my new suit on (still fits) and sat out to catch some rays. I wish I was home everyday to do things like that. Boy do I need to win the lottery!

Last Wednesday I went to the OB/GYN and all is going well. My next appt is June 21 and we'll find out what we're having - YEAH! Can't wait.

This past Sunday my Aunt Kathy and Uncle Bob threw a huge graduation party for their twin girls (my beautiful cousins). We had so much fun. I ate too much yummy food, but Steve and John drank way too much - surprise, surprise. Jen and I got to catch up and David played video games. The girls had a lot of fun and got so many gifts. I always have a great time with my family - I am lucky.

Looking forward to getting home from work and seeing the progress Steve made. I'll post pictures if there is something to see.

May Days

We had another good week last week. Steve had some baseball games and some cancellations. David and I even got to go to the St. Peter's game. It was a lot of fun. On one of the nights the baseball game was cancelled, Steve, David, John and I went to dinner at the Sayreville Bar. The food was awesome as usual. It is so much nicer to eat there now that there is no smoking in restaurants. David attended nursery school on Friday and did much better than previous weeks. On his way home, my parents brought him to my office and then we all (and Theresa) grabbed lunch at Tony's pizza in Bound Brook - YUM! Friday night we ordered pizza and John came over to watch the Yanks vs Mets game. On Saturday, Steve worked some OT, so David and I ran errands and did some shopping. That evening, we attended Jean's 30th birthday party at the Hyatt in New Brunswick. She hired a company that does Casino themes, so we played Blackjack most of the night. The food was very good and I enjoyed the company. At the end of the night, you traded in your chips for raffle tickets. She had 5 gift baskets that you could try to win. I did not win, but the whole night was a lot of fun and a great idea. Sunday afternoon was my 'Aunt' Kathy's retirement party. Aside from getting there (traffic) it was a nice party. The restaurant was in Asbury, NJ - Asbury Willows - very pretty. There was a band, so David got to 'play the drums' - he had a blast. My friend Melissa was there with her boys, and David enjoyed playing Power Rangers with them. Steve and I got to see people we have not seen in a while, so that was cool. We got home just in time to watch the final Yanks vs Mets game and relax.

So far this week, I attended a Creative Memories meeting on Monday night and am working from home today. Tomorrow I have a doctor appointment and Thursday I am holding my monthly worshop. This weekend is Memorial Day weekend - YEAH! Summer is almost here - can't wait. Love that warm weather.

Happy Mother's Day 

Pony Ride 

Pirates and the Lady 

Lions, Tigers and Mommies - oh my!

My title is a little deceiving, because we did not even see the Lions or Tigers, but we did see lots of other great animals at the Zoo on Saturday. David and I met Tracey and the kids at the Philadelphia Zoo on Saturday. We had not seen them in way too long. Unfortunately, Steve was working and Rich was busy so they missed another good time. We had fun anyway. Tracey bought David a zoo key and a canteen - he was so happy. We saw the monkeys, turtles, snakes, gators, lizards, elephants, kangaroos and hippos. The kids played in the tree house and took a ride on a pony. They even got their faces painted! Ty and David got Pirate faces and Ally got flowers. As we were eating lunch (next to some interesting people) the thunder started. By the time we were finished the rain started to fall. We had made it to the petting zoo where there was some cover thinking we'd wait out the storm but after about 30 minutes, we were smart enough to realize it wasn't going to stop. So we braved the rain and headed to our cars. My ride home was dry as a bone and it never did rain in NJ. Tracey did not have the same luck. Although we ended the day with rain, the rest of our trip was a great time.

As we all know, yesterday was Mother's Day. We started off my special day with breakfast at The Breaker's with my parents, grandparents, Uncle Bob, Uncle Jim, Aunt Debbie and cousins Jeff, Tom and Allison. I ordered chocolate chip pancakes and they were terrific! My Grandfather gave all the Mom's scratch off tickets and I won $1. After breakfast, we went to my parents so I could exchange gifts with my Mom. She gave me a gift certificate for Old Navy and some prego undies. I gave her the Mother/Daughter Willow Tree figurine and a book. David gave her sunless tanning stuff from Bath and Body works. My Mom left for church, so we headed back to East Brunswick. When we got home, David and Steve gave me my presents. I got a beautiful Pregnancy Journal, Beach Road and 50 First Dates (DVD). My parents came over later along with my Aunt Judy and Uncle Jack. We ordered some Chicken Holiday - it was tasty and NO COOKING! After dessert (Dunkin' Donuts) everyone headed home and Steve and I were settling in to watch my new movie. Just then, there was a knock at our door. It was my cousins Kate and John. They came to wish me a Happy Mother's Day - aren't they sweet! Best of all, John got me a card that made me teary. What a great kid - love him! He really is like a son to me. Once they headed out, Steve & I did watch the movie. It was great - Adam Sandler can do no wrong with me. I love ALL his movies, but this one was really sweet. I recommend it.

So there you have it. A great trip to the zoo and a fabulous Mother's Day! I hope you all had a great day too.

Appreciation

We can all take things and people for granted. For example, my husband. Overall, I know he is a great husband and father and I do tell him so, but I still get on him from time to time for things that he does or doesn't do. This past weekend I got a reality check. We took David to Pt. Pleasant boardwalk to go on rides and play games. As I was waiting for the boys to ride the roller coaster, I heard a familiar voice and when I looked up there stood my ex. It was his voice screaming at his son, that I recognized (scary). We said Hello before he took his 2 kids on the coaster and left me with his current girlfriend. She was a real sweet girl and we had a nice conversation. When Steve and David got off the ride, we went on our merry way. I told Steve about my encounter and he laughed. As we were walkling to the arcade, my mind started going. A feeling of great appreciation fell over me. I realized that my life could have been much different and certainly not for the better, had I not married Steve. So I reached for his hand and held it tight. I am so very blessed to have Steve as my husband and best friend. Although we have our disagreements and he does things that I don't like sometimes, that is nothing compared to what I could have been going through. Thanks Babe!

Feliz Cumpleanos Miguel!

I am embarrased to admit, that I forgot to call my cousin Mike on his birthday (yesterday). Now, some of my relatives are probably reading this saying 'how come she does not feel bad enough to post about missing my birthday?'. Well, the answer is that David is Mike's Godson, there is no good reason why I shouldn't have remembered to call Mike so David could say Happy Birthday. Now I said GOOD reason, because I sure have reasons. For example, we went over Mike and Laura-Ann's Friday night to celebrate, I cleaned the house Sunday morning before taking some of my CM hostesses to brunch, went food shopping for 2 hours Sunday afternoon only to come home to do laundry and cook dinner and last but not least, NEVER looked at me calendar. Oh and did I mention that I don't think my memory is as sharp now that I am pregnant. All in all, I really do apologize to Mike. Please do not be surprised if you get a phone call later this evening from your Godson singing Happy Birthday and please do not tell him Mommy messed up. We'll keep that between you , Me and the blogosphere!

Keeping the Peace

As I sit here crying and typing I decided to try to make peace with my brother-in-law. He left me a message a little while ago about how he is neglected by me in Blogland. He is right and I feel horrible. Not only does he do real nice things for us, he is a great guy. David absolutely loves him and so do Steve and I. He works extremely hard at QVC where he unfortunately has to spend a lot of time. Sometimes when we visit or Tray and the kids visit, we don't even get to see him. We miss him. So Rich, please accept my deepest apology. We greatly appreciate all that you do for us (all 3 of us) and think you are a terrific brother-in-law, not to mention a great guy. I know you said that you aren't reading this Blog anymore, so hopefully Tray will read this to you.
We love you!

Weekend Update

This weekend was beautiful. I started my Saturday off by purchasing a new couch on-line. We want to install a sliding glass door in our den so we will be getting rid of the sectional - putting 1/2 in the basement and 1/2 to the curb. I originally thought I wanted a brown leather sofa, but then realized I would need to completely redecorate to accomodate it, so I stuck with blue. Well, to my surprise, the only blue sofa on www.furniture.com was on sale for $199.00! Steve was cutting the lawn, but as soon as he came in, I got his approval and snatched up the sofa. After a quick shower, I headed out to Target (by myself - woohoo!). There were a few things I needed, but I came home with that and some things I wanted. I got a new comforter and sheets set, 2 new table lamps, new bed pillows and some shelves. Before going home, I went to Home Depot and bought some flowers. When I got home, the lawns looked great and the fence was fixed. After we ate our Wawa subs, Steve planted the flowers in my planters. They look beautiful. David played with the new bubble gun I bought him and I relaxed. We did not do anything Saturday evening and it was perfect.

Sunday was my cousin Jill's bridal shower. Her sister, sister-in-law and bridesmaids threw it in Spring Lake at the Spring Lake Manor. I stopped at my Mom's on my way and picked her up. The place looked real nice. She had a lot of gifts waiting for her. When she arrived, she was SO surpirsed - it was great. After a tasty lunch, she got right to opening the gifts. She received some beautiful stuff and thoughtful gifts. I think she really enjoyed herself, as did I. On my way home, I dropped off my Mom. I was home in no time and was greeted by my boys and the new flowers they planted in the front of the house. I could not wait to take a nap, so I did. We watched Sunday night baseball and never really ate dinner. I was not hungry after all that we had at the shower and Steve and David had eaten a late lunch. It was so nice to crawl into my bed dressed in it's new sheets and comforter.

We are looking forward to our new couch being delivered this week - I'll post a picture when it arrives.

Have a great week!

Much needed changes

I will be the first to admit that when Steve wanted to put our new flat screen TV on the wall, I said "No". Well after the basement was finished and we could move David and his toys down, it only made sense to put the TV on the wall and give us more room. Now, I could not be happier. David loves his new play room, Steve loves his TV and I have room to scrap! We are just one big happy family!

David is going to be a Big Brother!

Yes, that's right...I am pregnant! I found out on March 13, but wanted to know everything was good before making the announcement. Yesterday, David came with me for my 1st ultrasound. He was so cute. At first he could not tell what was on the screen, but then he figured it out. The tech turned up the volume so we could hear the heartbeat. It was really neat. David called his MomMom and Gramps to give them the news and they were very excited. He also called his Aunt Amy and Aunt Tracey to give them the news and there were thrilled too. The baby will arrive sometime in early November. In the mean time, David will be a Big Brother in training!

It's been a while...

We are in the midst of yet another very busy week. Last week just seemed to FLY by. Once I recouped from my bug, I had a hair appointment (trim) on Tuesday & a mini girls night out (in) on Thursday. Steve had a baseball game everyday except Wed, when he had practice. Oh yeah, and I worked - sometimes I like to block that out. Friday after Steve got home, John came over and we ordered Italian and watched the Yanks. Saturday the weather stunk so Steve was able to work on the basement and David and I hit the mall. Saturday evening, we had our babysitter for a few hours and attended a 40th birthday party for a wonderful woman, Yolanda, I met through scrapping. Sunday Steve continued to work on the basement and den (mounting our TV) and I did a scrapping class at my Mom's in Spring Lake. She invited her cousins, sister and sister-in-law. It was a nice time and it was great to see them. John came over to help Steve so I cooked dinner. We watched some baseball and talked Fantasy sports. Then the work week began again. Monday I had to be in Newark to do a demonstration for our VP. The weather on my way in was horrible, but I made it and the demo went off without a hitch. When I got home from work, I moved most of David's toys to the basement and set-up his new playroom. Steve brought home some needed tools so he could hook up the cable and Playstation. David was in his glory! Yesterday was just another day at the office. I had some stuff to catch up on and a conference call in the afternoon, but nothing crazy. On my way home I stopped to pick up healthy snacks for my Longaberger demo and pizza for dinner. After we ate, my Mom helped me finish up cleaning (she did most of it) and set up for my guests. The demo went well and I will be purchasing some of the baskets I have been wanting. I knew that 3 of the 5 people that showed were coming, but I was pleasantly surprised by the other 2. It was nice to have some girl time with my relatives. Today the weather is nice (a little cool for me - mid 60's) and I am at work. I have an appt at 5, Steve has a game and then we are taking my cousin Kate to dinner. Looking forward to it and the weekend of course!

Let's dye eggs! 

Cool as ice 

A walk after dinner 

Scrapping at Memoranza! 

A visit to PA in February 

Monday Monday

I hope you all had a Happy Easter! Our family had a good one. We went to a HUGE diner in south Jersey for breakfast with my Dad's side and then over to my Aunt Carol's for dinner and dessert with my Mom's side. The bunny was very good to David and he had a great day. By the end of the day I started feeling very sick. Not sure what it's from, but I still do not feel good. I have horrible stomach pains and a constant feeling of nausea. I had to call out of work this morning and it was a good thing I did. I never really felt any better. As I write this, I just want to lay down. So, I really just hoped on the PC to let you know we had a good holiday and wish you one. I am posting some pix that were left in my camera - enjoy!

Ally Update

Tracey called this morning to let me know that Ally's doctor called with a diagnosis. She has strep throat and scarlet fever. With this news at least she can get on some antibiotics and start getting better. We are all wishing her well and a speedy recovery!

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