Simply Happy by the Sea

July in Pictures

2009-08-11T09:52:00.001-07:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

Here are some pictures from our July. We enjoyed a very foggy day at the beach to start July off this year. We had a great time at the 4th of July party this year, it was so great seeing all of our friends and family.

We all went to the Boston Swan Boats and had a fun time walking around, Ajax enjoyed the Make Way for Ducklings statues! There are also pictures of playing in the baby pool and blowing bubbles at Nana K's house.

We closed July out with a camping adventure...

We got set up and enjoyed a dip in the pond on the campground, proud of how easy we got set up but sweaty from working in such heat and humidity. The campsite we stayed at is in RI called Burlingame and is about 1 hour and a toll bridge from our house. After the pond we went out for food and took a few pictures of Ajax. After hanging out at the campsite for a bit we went down to the Charlestown beach to hit the huge waves of the ocean. I got tossed and thrown about in them and ended up feeling sandblasted from top to bottom. It had now been a long day and Ajax was getting hungry so we call it a day and head back to camp.

The key would NOT turn in the ignition, we tried everything and still it would not turn. Called AAA and wait the half hour or so till he comes, he tries the ignition and the key just wouldn't work. We're screwed. Ajax and I end up back at the campsite with a pile of the camping gear we had in the now broke car. He is starving, it is now almost night, I don't have a lighter and everyone is staring at us as the huge tow truck with the flashing lights is pulling away. I really really wish I hadn't left the camera in the car for all of this.

It's now dark, we didn't pack a light and Ajax is still awake well past his bedtime. The tent is hot and humid when I get the late night call from Jamie... the tow truck taking him and my car back to Portsmouth has broken down... We're really screwed now. I think it was about 11 at night once Jamie got back to the campsite with his car. The night was freezing and humid, something I didn't think was even possible before this trip.

We packed for home in record time, I don't think that we'll be camping again anytime soon. Through all the terrible events of the trip though we stayed in pretty good spirits and actually laughed a little at it all.

$30 bucks to get rid of your extra fridge

2009-06-05T05:25:00.000-07:00

From Boston.com I found where you can sign up and get your extra fridge removed and get paid $30 ! Great deal all the way around :) www.coolturnin.com This is for Mass & RI National Grid customers

18 Month Pictures

2009-05-08T06:03:00.000-07:00

Coastal Wine Trail Kick-Off

2009-04-30T08:09:00.000-07:00

I'm going to this and would love to have people join me!! Let me know if you're interested:

Coastal Wine Trail Kick-Off
Coastal Wine Trail Kick-off Event
Sunday, June 7, 2009 1pm – 3pm

Sakonnet Vineyards will host this year’s Coastal Wine Trail Kick-off event under one tent on our lawn at our winery in Little Compton, RI. The 8 wineries of the Coastal Wine Trail will all be present promoting the beginning of this year’s Passport Season. The area’s farmers, finest food providers, cheese makers, bakers, and more will be on hand to sample what they do best as we take in the beautiful setting at the vineyard and the sounds of live music. This is a rain or shine, 21+ event, under the tent and we encourage all to dress comfortably and weather appropriate. Space is very limited and this wine & food event will sell out! Local farmers, caterers, and producers will be offering small samples to taste, as well as an array of locally grown and produced wines and beer. Some vendors and participants will also have items for sale if you’re interested in bringing something back home with you. Price $40.00 per person advance registration required.

He will not be denied

2009-04-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

He is going in the water. He doesn't care that it is April. He doesn't care that the water is 50 degrees.

"Just get the hell out of the way or I will bite you."

And yes, he bit me.

Easter Candy

2009-04-14T20:27:00.000-07:00

Ajax loves his stuffed animals and Flan

2009-04-05T10:25:00.000-07:00

March 21 2009 at the Boston Garden

2009-04-05T10:22:00.000-07:00

I am still a little sad about it all. This is a clip of the video they played at the Garden.

UML--Go Riverhawks!

2009-03-21T08:18:00.000-07:00

UMass-Lowell overcame all obstacles in advancing to the Hockey East Finals, by defeating Northeastern 3-2 in overtime at the TD BankNorth Garden Friday Night. Sondra was in rare form. She was smoozing with Marty Meehan and talking so much shit, she got a headlock from a giant freak. She waited until right before the national anthem, when the arena was silent and when they announced that the singer was a Northeastern student, she totally ruined the young girls self-esteem by yelling, "You're FAT!" at the top of her lungs. Even Marty and I cringed at that one, but that was how big this game was. Glory was on the line and the fans were a giant factor in the game. UMass-Lowell was down 2-1 with a minute left when Northeastern was called for too many men on the ice, the scoundrels. Blaise, the Riverhawks coach pulled the goalie and with the fans in a frenzy and the 6-4 advantage, they knocked in a rebound to tie it with 19 seconds left and the UMass-Lowell fans went ballistic. They weren't sitting down now and as overtime started, you could see the Huskies confidence ruined and the Riverhawks revitalized by the crowd. Three minutes in, they put the icing on the cake and scored the winning goal leaving everyone in disbelief and realizing they witnessed history in the making. BU #1 in the country is up for tonight in the finals...do you believe?

2008 8x8 book

2009-03-04T06:21:00.001-08:00

View Project at Shutterfly

Back to the Doctors

2009-01-29T05:57:00.000-08:00

So far I haven't really been liking 2009. We are going back to the doctors again today for Ajax and his ear infection. I believe we are now at $100 just in co-pays and I have chosen to not even keep track of the money for all the medicines.

Last night I spent over an hour cleaning up the floor because Ajax threw fish and pasta everywhere, I guess he was done. I found fish in the heater, which isn't where it usually goes.

With him not feeling good he wants me to pick him up, then put him down, then pick him back up again then back on the ground. Over and over. I've taken to just sitting on the floor recently.

I'm hoping its just January that is tough and that February will be better. I believe in karma so this has to bounce back eventually. Not sure how much more I can take!

Favorite pictures

2009-01-20T11:50:00.000-08:00

How to opt out of getting the Yellow Pages

2009-01-16T05:39:00.000-08:00

http://www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org/stop-yellow-pages/

Movement Against Unsolicited Phone Book Delivery

YellowPagesGoesGreen.org

PUKE ON MY NUTS!

2009-01-15T09:17:00.000-08:00

Well, Ajax finally got his first bad illness, a double ear infection, and he went on antibiotics on Monday. He was all out of sorts on Sunday and had a low fever, but by the time he woke up Monday morning, his fever was up around 103 and we went in to the doctors to get the bad news. Nana came out to help take care of him and he rested most of the day, but he was still pretty unhappy. That night he woke up around 2 with a bad choking cough, so I went in, changed his diaper and gave him a few ounces of milk. Second later a shower of vomit covered us. I got Sondra to help clean him up, I jumped in the shower to wash the puke off my nuts, and then he puked all over Sondra. Although she cannot relate to having vomit on her scrotum, she was nonetheless not excited about the predicament.

I just wanted to catalogue this in the blog so that Ajax understands that he owes us big and that he better not give us any shit

Last post of 2008

2008-12-23T08:58:00.000-08:00

So today is my last day of work for 2008 and so basically last chance I'll be posting. 2008 has come to a close. Its been a good year though it certainly had its sad moments. To sum it up in one word I'd pick, Family.

This year Ajax has changed so much and has made us a Family. It seems we've been on the go and running around for most of the year, it certainly felt like it moved by fast! This next week and a half Jamie and I will be both home and able to take it slow and really enjoy each other as well as make memories for our own new little family.

A few nights ago, we took out our wedding album and the photo album I made of Ajax' first few months. It was such a nice thing to shut off the tv and just meander down memory lane together talking about the good times we've had. For 2008 I have undertaken a big project of creating a photo book for the entire year. It's turning out to be a lot of pages and I wasn't sure if it was even worth it until we had looked through the pictures together. I still love hearing my parents talk about us growing up and recanting the funny stories. It might be a great new tradition to sit down as a family and look through the years and tell the stories over and over.

We'll be traveling all around seeing extended family and friends, it should be a great time! Can't wait to see everyone and catch up, Merry Christmas !!!

Not too much

2008-12-17T05:59:00.000-08:00

December is just going by pretty darn fast! Here are some video's of Ajax that Jamie took:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCP5mzWS1DE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmNOSMpQ9ZM

Enjoy and have a good Holiday!

2008-12-04T05:57:00.000-08:00

Last night was the premier of Fox's Secret Millionaire TV show. It's going to be on Wed. at 8pm. I ended up watching the entire 2 episodes that they ran and I love this show. The idea behind it is that they take millionaires and have them live in a very poor area and pretend that they are down and out. They have to live a week on a welfare check, about 100 dollars.

They meet some incredible people along the way and learn a lot about others and how tight money can be. Did anyone else out there catch this one? What did you think?

November's Come and Gone

2008-12-02T09:14:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving was a very fun time, hope everyone else had a good one too! Here are some pictures of the day at our house. Jamie took them all, I never even got my camera out even though I had meant to.

My family can never keep their eyes open for a picture :o)

Barbara, Amanda and Ajax

Thumbs up on the turkey!! Me and Dad

It was great seeing everyone and so glad we could all get together. We had Thanksgiving Trivia with prizes for correct answers and also played Apples to Apples which got lots of laughs.

Other pictures of stuff that's been going on are here: http://ianhockeywineandmore.shutterfly.com/

Jamie and I went to the UML Hockey game and had a fun time hanging out with Dan and his girlfriend. He is an even more die hard hockey fan then I am! Impressive I know.

I went with my good friend Robin and a dozen other ladies on a wine tasting tour. It was such a great time! It is called the Coastal Wine Trail and we went through Newport Vineyards, Greenvale Vineyards and Sakonnet Vineyards. They had rented a van that took us to each vineyard, it worked out great and we had lots of snacks in the van while we were driving. The pictures are from the last stop at Sakonnet Vineyards which was my favorite. It will be fun to visit again when the vines are ripe with grapes so if anyone wants to give it a try let me know!

November was a very fun month but sure did go by quickly.

Macy's Excursion

2008-11-18T04:34:00.000-08:00

We had a laptop meltdown at the house so no new pictures to post. Hopefully we'll get it up and going again.

This weekend I reviewed the Christmas list and inventoried what I already purchased for gifts. I went out to Macy's to pick up a gift and brought Ajax with me. It was overcast most the day but we made it fine. I dressed him up in overalls, my favorite on him :) We park pretty close for such a busy mall day and dash inside. No stroller, I'm just winging it.

Inside I find what I am looking for need to compare a few things so I put Ajax down next to me. This is the first time in a store my baby has stood by himself with me I realize. Pretty cool and cute as a button.

He stood by my side for exactly 1/10 th of a second... then he was out to explore. I actually think I saw him run! I am chasing/following him all around the department, wondering how he can walk faster in a store then at home. Maybe there is just more motivation.

4,195 Americans

2008-11-13T07:41:00.000-08:00

Right now we are all thinking about the economy and how tight our money is. Christmas is coming and Thanksgiving is just 2 weeks away! We worry about where our house value is heading and the Fall Season line up on TV. What's for dinner and the latest celebrity to have a baby/ get divorced/ or gain weight.

Today's top headlines on most news sites and stations are covering:

jobless claims surge
the bailout
Sarah Palin
Aniston's jab at Jolie
CMA highlights

I just want to point out that Veterans Day was 2 days ago. We remembered for a day and now we've moved on it seems. At least 30,774 U.S. troops have been wounded in action, according to the Pentagon. Please take a moment to read about the 4,195 Americans who have lost their lives for our country. As I read through, I found people from our own area, people with the last name Martin, and it just really touched me and I wanted to pass it on.

Most of these people are 19 and 20 years old! They chose to fight for our country and they have paid the ultimate sacrifice, they will never see 21, they will never see their kids, they will never grow old, they will never see grandkids.

Lets take some time and really be Thankful this Thanksgiving for all that we have and also never forget these soldiers.

Ajax is 1 !!!

2008-10-31T07:49:00.000-07:00

We had a small party for Ajax on his birthday 10/28 it was a great time. I made him a birthday cake and he seemed to really love it. Here are some pictures from the day.

Hockey Mama For Obama

2008-10-31T07:47:00.001-07:00

Aren't I crafty?! I made this myself :o)

Providence College vs. UMass Lowell Hockey home opener !

2008-10-28T09:55:00.001-07:00

Rowdy

Scott & Me

Me & Dan

Friday Oct. 24th was the home opener for UML's hockey team and I was there sporting my jersey and Rowdy Rag. Rowdy the Riverhawk has gotten a make over and is looking much tougher now, I guess its part of the intimidation factor. The team is looking absolutely awesome and I can't wait to check out more games. They won 4-1 ! It was a great time and fun to catch up with other UML Mech engineering alum that night. Next game is Nov. 7th be there or be square!

Facebook

2008-10-22T04:03:00.000-07:00

So umm funny story. Lets start off with a statistic - The chance of accidentally hitting Reply All to an email in your life is 19%

Email conversation concentrated down,
Me: Do you have any pictures of the wedding you went to this weekend.
Buddy: Not yet but they'll probably be some on Facebook soon.
Me: What are you 19, why the heck do you have Facebook?
Buddy: Yea I know, but all my friends have one so what are you going to do.
Me: Fine I'll sign up, but I don't want anyone to know.

Later that day,
Thought: I can't believe I'm signing up for Facebook, what have I become?
Thought: Invite friends I know?? I guess I'll add the 4 or so buddies always bothering me to join.
Action: Click next, click next, page is now loading...
Thought: AHHHHHHHH Did that last screen just say it was emailing EVERYONE in my aol account to see if they want to join!!!!!!!! AHHHHH it automatically assumes YES are you kidding me!
Action: Close window while still loading
Thought: Maybe, it didn't go through, I bet I caught that in time, there is no way I just accidentally emailed everyone I ever knew to join.
Thought: I think I dodged that bullet.

Later then later that day,
Me: Hey Jamie anything interesting happen today?
Jamie: Ajax this and that
Jamie: ohh and what the heck is up with " Come join me on Facebook to check out some video's"?
Me: .......
Me: ohh no, ohhhhh no
Jamie: What are you 19?
Me: I can't believe it

Next day,
Action: 25+ emails about people adding or confirming or inviting me on Facebook.
Thought: The nightmare continues. Everyone's giving me a hard time though they sign up as well.
Thought: Well if Everyone is signed up now then I should at least check my Facebook page, right
Action: Check out my page, see all the friends added read 'My Wall', post on a few others
Thought: This is getting addicting, time to call it a day

Through out the next day,
Action: checked Facebook over 10 times
Thought: Well, just in case anyone posted to My Wall. What are my buddies up to. What else can this site do.
Thought: Ohh no, there's no going back, I'm hooked. I love it and can't seem to get enough.
Thought: Maybe just maybe its not just for 19 year olds...

So I would just like to apologize to every single contact in my aol account, especially all my work contacts, that I'm really sorry that I mass spammed some of my favorite peeps. And for those many people who joined cause I emailed them, I'll see you in Facebook world; come on in, the water is fine.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!

2008-10-16T10:01:00.000-07:00

~~~ OK OK this wasn't so "Happy" and I guess it was more of a rant. Its just unfortunate the economy is in the state that it is right now is all I was trying to say. No need for bold red letters right. ~~~

Stupid banks with their stupid ARM loans and stupid greedy people screwing up our economy...

401K:
Personal Rate of Return from 01/01/2008 to 10/15/2008 is -40.0%

College Fund:
Rate of Return since Inception (of the plan not the baby) is -36%

You have to be kidding me!! How about another 700 Billion?

I know in the long run it will be fine but at this rate the 'long run' might out last us all. The only bright side is that we are buying more shares for our money right now. Hope these shares don't disappear all together though.

So I've decided to find out the Upside of the Economic Downturn, here we go:

In times of economic uncertainty, certain products still prosper. Lipstick, is a cheap pick-me-up alternative to the more extravagant retail therapy. Sales have been up.
For men, suit sales plummet, while tie sales go up as a cheap wardrobe refresher
declining divorce rates
Lobster prices have dropped
Lighter traffic reported in L.A.
thrift stores have seen a big upturn
interestingly I've read that there are more babies from this down turn ( guess more people are staying home instead of going out.)
People are cutting back on their 'keeping up with the Jones' spending and actually trying to live within their means, something that has needed to happen for awhile now
People like Paris Hilton and everyone on MTV's Sweet Sixteen show now really look like the out of touch idiots that they are
Did I mention the Lobster prices!! - best part of it all I feel

Feel free to add to this list, I'd love to hear other reasons!

Pumpkin Pickin'

2008-10-16T07:49:00.001-07:00

Ajax picked out his own pumpkin to take home!

Halloween with the Hennessy's

2008-10-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

Smile, smile, smile ohhh take a picture, take a picture, take a picture!

Lobster Man and Super Girl

Love the cat costume!! I seem to be reminded of a Ralphie from The Christmas Story...

Have you ever seen a lobster dance?

Bob the Builder
Can we fix it?
Bob the Builder
Yes we can!

Papa John is looking hungry!!

Time for an Activity!

We had a fun time at the little kid's Halloween Party! It was great to see everyone and dress the kids up in stuff they will hate us for later :o)

Diaper Derby

2008-10-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

Clements Market had their annual Huggies Diaper Derby on Oct. 8 this year. Jamie had been running Ajax through sprint drills for weeks before hand getting him ready. We had talked about it and made a game plan on how we , ... sorry Ajax, was going to win.

Jamie and I were there and we cheered and encouraged him on. The people that worked at the store were placing bets and most went to Ajax, we had him all hyped up to win. He was robbed of first but its a long story and Jamie always tells it best. He came in Second and won some packs of diapers and bibs! It was a fun time to see all the babies competing and the parents.

Speaking of the parents they were either 28+ or 18- in age. I think that is the way society is going right now. It was strange to see the reflection of our country as a whole in the produce section of a grocery store though.

At any rate, congrats to our little man! #4 Ajax

Uncle Rick

2008-10-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

In loving memory, we will always remember you Uncle Rick.

Jamie, John & Rick

Greg, Dennis & Rick

32

2008-10-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Jamie!! This past Sunday, the 5th was Jamie's birthday. We got an ice cream cake, of course, and celebrated with my folks. We had chicken wings and watched sports all day, I think it was a good one :o)

Haiku for Paul Newman

2008-09-29T05:53:00.000-07:00

An amazing man,
a humanitarian,
actor, car racer.

With baby blue eyes,
You will be forever missed,
Thanks for all you gave.

Paul Newman is one of my favorite actors and I have always highly admired his efforts off camera. His personal humanitarian efforts that have raised over 200 million dollars is amazing and is quite an inspiration. I love the salsa and I love the idea behind it. Plus those eyes!!

Summer Mourning / Fall Afternoon

2008-09-24T06:13:00.000-07:00

The last day of Summer has passed by and I'm a little down about it. Summer had treated us so good and we enjoyed its great weather this year as well as the time at the beach. Maybe I'm being a little childish about it all but I wanted more... more beach time, more sunshine weekends, more walks in the neighborhood with friends and more laughs in the pool with my son.

Part of the secret to a happy life is to be appreciative of what you have. I have some great memories with family and friends and they were the key to the Summer joy. Thanks everyone for making this Summer a fun one!!

Every turn of a season I seem to have this strange split of emotions. Longing for the one that has passed and anticipation for the approaching one. I feel guilty for my excitement for the start of Fall, as though I've abandoned Summer already. I will miss you Summer, see you next year!

I started getting my decorations in order for Fall, though I haven't put them out yet. I'm going all out this year! It's going to be a Fall extravaganza! Apple picking, watching the leaves change, Thanksgiving, wind storms that drop leaves everywhere, cool mornings, pumpkins, apple cider, crazy looking gourds ... I really could go on and on but I think you get the idea. I'm ready to enjoy this Fall, please don't tell Summer! :0)

High Five!

2008-09-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

Jamie has taught Ajax how to high five now, its pretty funny. He hits your hand then laughs hysterically at it. I will try and get some video of it to share.

The weather has been great out and I can't wait to enjoy this weekend! My girlfriend and her husband are coming down on Sat. and we are going to explore Newport. It should be a fun time since the last time I saw her I was pregnant and at her wedding!

Have a great weekend and enjoy it before the winter swoops in! High Five!

New Blogger Feature

2008-09-18T09:45:00.000-07:00

Blogger has a new feature where you can follow this blog! Seemed pretty interesting so I set it up to the right here --->

Sign up and get the latest and greatest. Plus don't forget to check out the wicked cool links right above and below this post.

Ajax learned the word No

2008-09-17T05:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went out as a family to Fieldstone's for dinner. The food is terrific and it has a comfortable atmosphere. Ajax was a ham and smiled and flirted with all the ladies there, they couldn't get enough of him. He's really good at reeling them in with the half smile and making them work for a full one! I think we are going to have a pretty hard time when our little man gets to be a teenager. I can't even picture what Ajax will look like when he's a teen, its amazing just to think about it!

As I was getting ready to go out Ajax was hanging out with me in our bedroom. There was a cord for the fan on the ground and he went over to pull/bite it. He was sitting on the floor and his hand is on it and I said " Ajax, No" not yelling just in a not playing around tone. He scoots around to face me, looks up at me, takes a deep breath, waits a beat and then starts BAWLING his eyes out. The word No had caused him to cry! He cried hard too, like he had hurt himself and if I didn't see the whole thing unfold I would have though he had. I stood there and watch him to see if this was one of his cry for 5 seconds then stop ones. It wasn't. Jamie came in to see what was going on and asked what happened. "I said No to him"

I picked him up and he had a tiny tear on the side of his face. He stopped crying and snuggled in. It was pretty darn cute. I can't believe my little man understands the word No. I wonder which other words he understands that we say?

My parents have said that its still amazing to them that their baby has a baby of her own. It seems impossible that my little Ajax will some day be a husband, a father, even a grand-father. The little baby I brought home on Halloween will be turning 1 soon, he understands words that we say, he laughs at our smiles, and he is comforted by our hugs. I'm scared that he will be riding a bike and going to the prom in another blink of the eye.

I laughed, I cried, I played Guitar Hero till 11pm

2008-09-05T04:30:00.000-07:00

I had a great birthday, thank you everyone who called and emailed me :o) You made my day super special.

Jamie got me Guitar Hero Aerosmith with a wireless guitar! I had been wanting this for so long but never thought we'd actually get it. I've been playing it when ever I have some free time.
My folks got me some new workout cloths that I needed and a gravy boat. Seems like a strange gift and it got a big laugh out of me. I've needed one now a few times but never had one and had to improvise each time. It will come in very handy come Thanksgiving! My mom also made me a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting that was Yum-O as Rachel Ray would say.
Ajax gave me a card (with my mom's help) and it got me a little choked up reading it. He also gave me a big hug and a chuckle. Jamie and I went out for dinner at Ching Tao and shared a Scorpion bowl to celebrate. It was a terrific birthday and I can't think of anything else I would have wanted to do instead! Thank you to all my friends and family!!

Happy Birthday to Me!!

2008-09-03T06:04:00.000-07:00

29 today! Wow.

Turns out Newport is on the list of great American beach towns!!

http://information.travel.aol.com/across-america/beach-towns?photo=4

Here is the whole list of them: (This seems like a great to do sometime in my life list for me)

Ogunquit, Maine Sand: Three and a half miles of white-sand beaches on a long hook of land.
Things To See: To avoid the traffic of crustacean-seeking crowds, you'll want to ditch the car. Snag a parking spot at Footbridge Bridge early in the morning ($15 for the day) and take the trolley back into town for blueberry pancakes at Bessie's. Then stroll with a cup of coffee through the galleries and too-cute shops. Cross back over at Ogunquit Beach to find the spot you've staked in the sand.

Mexico Beach, Florida Sand: Three miles of confectioners'-sugar sands, you'll see bald eagles, sea turtles, dolphins -- and only a few footprints.
Things To See: The 1,200 residents focus is on small-town fun, with gumbo cook-offs, kingfish tournaments, and fireworks fundraisers. You can kill two beach birds with one stone at the souvenirs-and-seafood shop Shell Shack. If you want to get off the beach, take a scuba dive through a sunken oil tanker just offshore.

Newport, Rhode Island Sand: Exclusive clubs beaches to free, secluded spots on Aquidneck Island.
Things To See: Newport has a dramatic, ocean-crashing-on-rocks side facing the Atlantic; a cutesy, colonial side facing Narragansett Bay; and a third, Rhode Island Sound?oriented side that's swept with beaches. Easton's Beach (better known as First Beach) is the classic Americana spot, with a carousel, snack bar, and cabanas; Sachuset (Second) Beach is a 1.25-mile stretch below St. George's prep school that catches the crowd runoff. Third Beach is a quiet spot for kiteboarding, kayaking, and bird-watching.

Folly Beach, South Carolina Sand: Six-mile barrier island with surfers, beachcombers, and shellfish aficionados.
Things To See: Communing with nature is more common than commuting to the office, honking is what the birds do, and a board meeting is a bunch of surfers hanging out at the Washout. Newcomers' first stop should be McKevlin's Surf Shop, here since 1965. They'll set you up with a rental and one-hour lesson for $40. Folly Beach County Park is quieter than busy Center Street beach, but still has boogie boards, umbrellas, and bikes for rent. At Folly Beach Crab Shack, grab a hammock chair, and munch on buckets of seafood.

Saugatuck, Michigan Sand: Dunes that will remind you of Cape Cod, and beaches that mimic Malibu -- right in the heart of the Midwest.
Things To See: The historic, gallery-lined town has long drawn visitors. Beachgoers can cross the bridge or board a 1913 hand-cranked ferry. The ride costs a $1 and rewards passengers with the unspoiled stretch of Oval Beach, which frequently finds itself listed as one of the world's best -- despite being miles from any ocean. The nearby Saugatuck Dunes State Park has two miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, 200-foot-tall dunes, and 1,000 acres of hiking terrain.

Coral Bay, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands Sand: More than 40 beaches on the island -- many protected by a national park.
Things To See: Long a hippie-ish hideout for old salts and new beach bums, the funky little town has none of the bling and bustle of sister islands St. Thomas and St. Croix. Here, the economy depends on the sale of tropical trinkets from rickety shacks and bikinis from a VW bus. The unofficial town hall is Skinny Legs, a beachfront bar where the burger selections are scrawled on an old windsurfing board and an old sail serves as the awning.

Port Aransas, Texas Sand: An 18-mile stretch of beaches, marinas, and seafood shacks on the Gulf of Mexico.
Things To See: Port A has a Sandcastle Guy, who can whip up intricate turrets, archways, moats, and stairways faster than you can whip out your towel. (Mark Landrum also offers lessons.) Afterwards, surf the swells off the town jetty, kiteboard off the beginner-friendly sandbars, and cast the bays and flats for trophy tuna and tarpon. Fishing tournaments nearly every weekend in July and August add to the competitive spirit, but everybody's chummy over burgers and beers back at the oceanfront Beach Lodge.

Santa Cruz, California Sand: 29 miles of beaches.
Things To See: Eat cotton candy and ride the roller coasters at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. At this college town on Monterey Bay, bookish students and buff Laird Hamilton types spend their downtime mountain biking, long-boarding, and refueling on organic, farm-fresh fare (or at least a great fish taco). Rookie surfers should head to Cowell Beach, while volleyball players can pick up a game -- or maybe a new friend -- at Main Beach.

Jekyll Island, Georgia Sand: A barrier island with ten miles of dune-swept beaches.
Things To See: You can go horseback riding on the beach, kayak and canoe through salt marshes, bike along 20 miles of trails along the sands, or visit a water park. This bounty of outdoors options is matched by the historic district, a 240-acre compound on Jekyll Creek. Named in 1734 for a financial backer of the Georgia colony, the island long belonged to co-owners J.P. Morgan, Joseph Pulitzer, and William Rockefeller, and their moneyed manners still linger in elegant boutiques.

Cannon Beach, Oregon Sand: Four miles of Pacific Northwest grandeur, with towering rocks, tidal pools, forests, and waterfalls, all connected by soft stretches of sand.
Things To See: Picket fences, surf shops, and glassworks boutiques have helped tame Cannon Beach, a town of 1,700 artsy and outdoorsy souls, into a perfectly stroll-worthy seaside escape. Born of volcanoes and still constantly smashed by the sea, the Oregon outpost overspills with fascinating formations, from the 235-foot basalt Haystack Rock and the forest-shrouded waves of Indian Beach to calmer spots at Arcadia Beach and the Tolovana Wayside.

Haleiwa, Hawaii Sand: 40 surf breaks -- known as the Seven-Mile Miracle.
Things To See: Haleiwa inspires with tumbling turquoise waves that swell to 25 feet, pineapple plantations, and dozens of hip little eateries, shops, and studios. Surf N Sea, one of the island's oldest surf shops, has rentals and lessons, plus scuba diving. The Haleiwa Arts Festival takes place in mid-July and exhibits sculptures, watercolors, photos, and jewelry by local artists.

Komen Maine Race 2008

2008-09-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

My buddy Matt is participating in a race on Sept. 21 to help cure Breast Cancer and I would love it if you could check it out and help support the cause. I've donated to Devin Rautio, his son, already and just wanted to pass along this chance to make a difference. Thanks so much everyone!!! Go Team Groundpounder!

From the Komen Maine Race website:
Our Vision: A World Without Breast Cancer Our Promise: The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Promise is to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures. Our Story: Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure series, we have invested $1 billion to fulfill our promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight to breast cancer in the world. Our Local Story: The Komen Maine Race for the Cure began in 1997 with a small group of women working out of their homes, trying to make a difference. We've grown from our humble beginnings to be the largest 5K in the State of Maine, drawing over 3,800 participants last year. Still locally driven, the Maine Affiliate has granted out over $1.3 Million Dollars in the State of Maine since 1997, funding education, screening and treatment programs throughout the state. We have also contributed well over $350,000 to national breast cancer research programs.

https://www.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=250633&lis=1&kntae250633=9F10D3F5F37B4431A43E055BABBF8FF2&supId=0&team=3155671&cj=Y

10 Months Already

2008-08-29T09:51:00.000-07:00

Who Knew!!

2008-08-27T13:14:00.001-07:00

So who the heck knew that paint could go bad??! Turns out it can and we learned it the hard way. Last Sunday my mom watched the baby for a little bit for us. So we considered going out for dinner but I said I was happy just hanging out with Jamie so lets do something around the house instead of spending money on dinner. Sometimes it doesn't pay to try and get ahead though.

We decide that we'll paint our bedroom closet, we never got to it since we've moved into our house. We had our clothes in there and it was something that just got put off for later. So 2 years later we were both ready to go to get that finished up and done with.

We whip out the painting job and clean up in an about an hour and a half. Sweet, job done! Jamie says it smells funny and if paint can go bad. I tell him he's just being crazy its just a paint smell.

The smell gets worse and worse as the days go by. Its clearly not just a paint smell, it was some where between a moldy towel in the summer and a wet dog smell. Freaking gross. Do some research online and yes paint can go moldy and its a pain to fix.

Since then we haven't slept in the room, our house has been a mess with the contents of our closet in every other room of the house and we've had to apply 2 coats of Kilz. It's been a horror show with all this.

So this 'quick' project that we started over a week ago has turned into a forever type of project. Just last night we got the clothes back in the closet after the second coat of paint aired out.

Moral of the story is that oh yes paint can go bad, real bad. If it goes bad, don't use it, thats bad too.

Jamie still thinks it smells funny.... we'll see :oP

Bath Time

2008-08-26T11:19:00.000-07:00

Sunday night at Nana K's house. Ajax like to try and eat the bubbles and ended up with this bubble beard! He also liked to try and eat the water, there seems to be a theme here...

This Past Month

2008-08-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

Ok, Ok I know its been forever and I apologize for taking so much time off. I don't know what happened there but time is flying by!! Something about the summer makes me feel like I'm going through a time warp. Here is what's been going on. Ajax turned 9 months old at the end of July, which I know is about a month ago but here are his pictures from that.

He is smiling and laughing all the time still, his Papa is a big part of all the laughter! Ajax is crawling as fast as can be now. He is also climbing all over everything and stands by himself against the furniture.

I don't understand why he likes the bathroom so much, he is always racing for it if the door is left open. So one day I'm like "fine kid lets go check out all the wonders it may hold" and we go in there to see what we can see, he just ended up sitting on the floor and looking around and touching the floor tiles, nothing to interesting. So I'm thinking I've solved this problem and he'll be done with it, nope, he still races towards it when ever he can make a break for it. Luckly he is like his father in the fact that he can not tread softly, I know you can walk loudly but how the heck do you crawl loudly ?!!

This past month I also went to my girlfriend Barb's wedding in South Carolina on August 9th. It was a great time and I had such a fun time hanging out with her and seeing some buddies from down there as well. It was a back yard wedding at their house and there were 16 people all together. I'm not bragging or anything but, I was the Maid of Honor!! :o) I was very excited about that! The day turned out beautiful even though the few days before there were extreme thunderstorms going through the area. Here are some of the pictures of their big day:

It was such a beautiful wedding and I am very happy to have been a part of it. Congrats to Barb & John!!

July 30th was Ajax' first time in the pool. He loved it and kicked his legs like a frog the whole time he was in it. Turns out he also likes to lick the water, I tried to keep him from it but he thought it was awesome and kept doing it. He was laughing the whole time and his diaper got filled up and super huge!

Jamie's cousin Melissa came up from Florida with her baby girl Maya and we got to all hang out the first weekend in August. The babies got along great and had a fun time seeing someone else in the world their own size!

Also we went to Ajax' good friend Ridley's 1st Birthday party on Aug. 5th. It was a fun time for kids and adults. Ajax loved checking out her new toys, especially the wheels of the new toys!

We also got a new TV, Jamie is very very excited about it. Jamie's cousins Mike and Greg had come over and helped us out hanging it out and checking out the picture. It looks great and now I'm told we 'need' to get DirecTV with the NFL Sunday ticket. :o) It does make my cartoons look really amazing I must say!

This past weekend we went to my girlfriend Lindsay's house for a BBQ/ 30th Birthday party for Brandon. It was a fun time and good to see them. The food was tasty and just kept coming!!

So it's been a very busy month with everything going on!!! Hopefully this is a quick catch up for everyone who still checks out this blog, again sorry for it taking me so long! I can't believe it's already the end of August next week, Ajax will be 10 months old and fall will be on us quickly. The mornings are already starting to feel chilly and the sun has been setting earlier on our evening walks.

8 Months !!

2008-07-23T06:24:00.001-07:00

Here is the little man enjoying being 8 months old! In the top picture you can see his top front teeth that have come in.

Lindsay & Brandon 6-22-08

2008-06-26T07:51:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of Lindsay & Brandon's wedding that I was in this past weekend. We had a blast and the ceremony was beautiful!

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-16T08:37:00.001-07:00

This was Jamie's first Father's Day and we had a great time. Jamie went golfing in the morning and later in the day my folks came out and we celebrated together. Later Jamie and Ajax went up to Nana Jeanne's to watch the Celtics game and slept over. Overall it was a busy Father's Day but it turned out to also be a good one!

Happy Father's Day :o)

So what are the chances of getting the same exact card from different people on your first Father's Day?? Guess we all agreed that the guy in the picture resembled Jamie!

2008-06-13T06:37:00.001-07:00

Jamie and I went to Portsmouth Abbey for the Wind Turbine Tour and Presentation on Tues. night and here are some pictures from it. It was a great place to visit and learn about wind power. Turns out this wind turbine will end up paying for itself in only 3 years!! I am so glad that Portsmouth has this here and that we were able to learn all about it. The above pictures are ones that I took during the tour. We were able to go right up to it and check it out.
And here is the picture that Jamie took during the tour....

Cousin Greg came through like a champ and babysat Ajax while we went on the tour. He did a great job but was pretty wiped out from the 2 hours we were gone. It was pretty fun to hear the stories from Greg when we got home.

It was a great evening to be able to check out the turbine and also have a night out with Jamie.

Ajax enjoying his new chair

2008-06-13T06:21:00.000-07:00

These pictures say it all for me!

Happy 2 years!

2008-06-12T12:11:00.000-07:00

Here are the Adirondack chairs that Jamie and I got as a gift for our second anniversary. They are super comfy and nice. We also got little Ajax a chair as well that he really loves. He is able to sit in it by himself with out toppling over and he likes to slide his foot off the side and touch the grass with his toes. He loves the outdoors so much that just sitting out there can keep him pretty entertained for awhile.

Almost 2 years!

2008-05-19T16:49:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Jamie and my 2nd wedding anniversary! I can't believe that's its been 2 years already :o) We are planning on going out to dinner at Candleworks Restaurant , it looks like a great place and my parents gave us a gift certificate to use there.

The little man got his first tooth on Saturday this past weekend! It's sharp as could be and is just poking through his gums right now. The second front tooth is right there too. He's been more fussy but overall handling it pretty good. It's hard to get a good look in there though, every time you pull his lip down his tongue shoots out! He keeps thinking that food might magically appear that he might be getting. He is still smiling and laughing most the time which is great.

These Boots were made for Walking

2008-05-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

It's starting to get nice out!! Hopefully it will decide to stay this way for some time. I found a great site to figure out the distance that you walked when you are out enjoying this wonderful weather. It is pretty easy to use and fun, I played around with different walking paths in my neighborhood to see how long they are. Check out www.mapmyrun.com

Ahh Mother's Day!

2008-05-12T04:16:00.000-07:00

I must come clean, I've been laying on the importance level of this being my "First Mother's Day ever" how should I say, umm a little thick!! Guilty as charged on this one. But hey, whats good for the goose is good for the gander right?

For Mother's Day we went out to my parent's house and spent Sunday with them. Every once in awhile my mom's birthday falls on Mother's Day; which it did this year so there was even more to celebrate. My mom and I had a great day, she got gift cards and candles and I got a beautiful Mother/Child necklace from my parent's. Jamie and Ajax came through like champs, they got me horseback riding lessons!!! I'm so excited, I've never gone before and had really wanted to try it.

When I was pregnant it was just one more thing that I couldn't do because I was pregnant, this list was too constricting for me and drove me nuts. It was basically the fact that I now wasn't allowed but other people were that really burned my biscuits. Not only did I have to waddle around with a big old belly but I wasn't even allowed a freakin' hot dog?! You have to be kidding me! Though I resented all the restrictions I followed each and every one of them to the T though I was like a little kid dragging my feet through the entire thing :o) I must come clean again though, I did eat hot dogs..... My doctor said that it was fine and I just didn't have the will power to resist!

Being pregnant wasn't the funniest time ever but we got an amazing little baby boy out of it. For him I am so thankful for each and everyday. His love is the best gift of all. Ajax has made me a Mom; I hope I can live up to be as good a mom as he is a perfect son. I thank Jamie for being so gentle and loving with our little man, I thank Ajax for all his smiles that light up everyone in the room, and I thank my mom for showing me how to love unconditionally in a home full of laughter and love.

I realized all this and thought "And I'm the one who gets a gift today?" I have been given so much that I am truly appreciative of all ready. I felt a little bit sheepish. Looking back I am amazed at how far Jamie and I have come together.

Then I remembered the 2007 7th inning stretch....... ouch, Yea bring on the presents for that one!!!! You guys DO owe me big :o) Thanks so much for making it such a special day, and sorry I laid the pressure on so heavy!

Happy Mother's Day to all the great moms out there!! I hope that you all had a great one!

So that's a Crumpet!!

2008-05-06T18:13:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend visiting Jamie's parents. All of the ladies got together for tea at Crumpets Tearoom in North Andover. It was a great time being able to catch up with everyone and the food was terrific. The teapots came with their own cozy, something I have never seen before! We dressed up in some swanky hats that they had there to take some pictures. Looking good Ladies!!! Also if you were wondering those two flat things in the picture are crumpets :o)

What's in a name?

2008-05-01T18:21:00.000-07:00

So the people have asked for an explanation on why we named the man child Ajax. The original Ajax is from the Trojan War. He was Achilles cousin that went to battle in one of the first incidents of the west battling the east. He was the tallest and strongest of all the Achaeans, second only to Achilles. The derivative of his name is 'eagle'. He was trained by the centaur, Chiron, along with Achilles. He commands his army wielding a huge shield made of seven ox-hides with a layer of bronze and a great hammer or war. He is not wounded in any of the battles described in the Iliad, sired by Homer and passed down in the oral tradition for five-hundred years before it was finally written down. Ajax became a central character towards the end of the war. Achilles was killed by the Trojans, but Ajax and Odysseus continued to battle and while Ajax fought off the enemy, Odysseus was able to save Achilles body and bring him back to the Greek camp. Seeing the valor of their countryman, many wanted Ajax to keep the armor which had been crafted on Olympus, but Odysseus swayed the majority with his wits and Odysseus indeed kept the armor. Ajax was pretty pissed off, but everyone had a greater foe to deal with, penetrating the Trojan walls. Crafty Odysseus had devised the scheme of the Trojan Horse. They constructed a giant horse as an offering and sign of peace to the Trojans, and they packed up their tents and sailed away back to Greece. But inside the Horse were a few brave Greeks in hiding, and the Greek army had only sailed up to the next harbor. The Trojans didn't know what to make of it, but in the end they thought the war was over, they brought the horse inside the walls and they began a giant celebration. Later that night after the city was drunk in false valor, the Greeks crawled out of the horse and opened the gates as the Greeks sailed back to the shore and charged into the city and laid down pretty much the biggest beating the world had ever seen. They killed all the men and enslaved the remaining women. The city was entirely destroyed, watering the vines of hate which has never been calmed between the Greeks and the people of the east. The gods did not enjoy watching the world they formed burnt with hate and misery. They punished the remaining greeks and trojans and they each endured many trials for the remainder of their days. We love the story of Ajax. He was a true hero who sacrificed his life to save the remains of his fallen brother in arms. We love how emotional he was and how hurt he was that Odysseus betrayed him. We want our little man to carry forth these virtues. A true hero, loyal to what is good and right, unafraid to stand up and defend those he loves. And yet only permitted happiness by the gods, who must be revered at all times.

Lucy's Hearth

2008-04-25T10:21:00.000-07:00

Lucy's Hearth is a local woman's shelter that takes in homeless mom's and their kids. www.lucyshearth.org I got in contact with one of the ladies in charge at Lucy's Hearth here on Aquidneck Island about what sort of donations that they could use.

Here are some of the things that she said they could really use right away:

baby clothes sizes newborn - 2 years
diapers - any size
baby wipes
teenage girl clothes
woman's clothes - any size & could really use larger & plus sizes right now for some of the moms there
maternity clothes - any size as well

This is the time of year when everyone is cleaning out their closets so anyone who has clothes to donate let me know and I'll put it all together with my box of stuff for them. So anything that you could give would be appreciated and used immediately.

Kansas City Trip

2008-04-11T05:11:00.000-07:00

We had a great time in KC! The boys loved meeting Ajax and having him sit on their lap to play with him. We went out to get classic KC BBQ which was delicious and we all went swimming at the pool at our hotel. I'll put up some pictures of all our adventures in a little bit but I wanted to get this video up first. It is so adorable and always makes me smile. It was so great visiting Justin and Bridget at their house. Thanks so much for having us!

It's not easy being Green

2008-04-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

A buddy of mine is clicking around on the websites I had put up and was doing the opt out of junk mail that was on one of the links. He goes to fill it out and there is a word verification part that makes sure you are not a computer and this is what his was:

fuca Yw

What the heck is up with that!!

Well fuca Yw too buddy >:P

He didn't end up filling out the form, fuca that. Made me chuckle and I wanted to pass it on.

Green on a Wednesday

2008-04-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

Just plain funny: 100 Ways to try and go Green

Found a new site I like Ideal Bite

Ahh, the constant struggle of being green and worrying that being green is somehow turning things brown instead. We can all use a little common sense and take some small steps to move in the right direction.

The Green Life

2008-04-01T10:18:00.001-07:00

I've been really interested in Green living and have wanted to learn as much about it as I can. Overall there seems to be a shift in society towards being more eco-friendly and hopefully it will become easier and more affordable to do what's right for the Earth. I've found some interesting websites and I'm going to start having links and ideas that we all can do to implement some of these ideas.

William Clinton Foundation
Energy Star Green Building
Energy Builder
EarthDay
NESEA
Green at Home

It seems like a great thing to help the environment and you end up saving money so I want to learn as much as I can about it all. It feels like there is general info all over the place but I'm going to try and pull it all together and make it simple. Some of the things I read seem to not really make sense, others seem way too extreme and some of it just seems like its not really going to help. If anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them!

Countdown to KC!

2008-03-27T10:58:00.000-07:00

So the countdown is on for our big trip out to Kansas City to visit Jamie's brother's family. We are very excited and can't wait to see everyone, it should be so much fun. Hopefully we are all nice and healthy come time for us to fly out.

We are heading out April 5th out of Boston and we have a direct flight to KC. I'm nervous enough about having to fly with Ajax that there is no need at all to add a layover to make it that much tougher. So direct flight it is which will be great.

We have our flight all booked as well as the rental car we'll use when we get out there which will work out nice. We had been putting off finding a hotel because we weren't sure what we wanted to do for it but we recently made a decision and I made the reservations today! I am super excited about it because we will be staying at The Embassy in KC and they have great looking rooms AND check out the picture of their pool!!!!! Yea baby! We are going to have a blast and we can bring the boys over too so we can all play in the pool when we are there. This will be Ajax's first time meeting his KC cousins, first time on a plane and first time in a pool! A lot of first's happen when you have only been around for 5 months :o) Hopefully everything goes smoothly with the travel and we get to enjoy it all.

Time to kick Leukemia's butt

2008-03-27T10:41:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine is running in the Cox Providence Rhode Race as part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training. They are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives.
She is completing this marathon in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers and in memory of her father-in-law who lost his battle with myeloma in September of 2004.
Jamie and I have already donated to help her out, it was real easy to do from her website: http://www.active.com/donate/tntri/tntriKLau
Take a look at it and donate if you can, it's a great cause and honestly who the heck can run a marathon?! I know that I'm certainly going to support someone willing to run 26.2 miles to help fight leukemia. I'm giving her huge props!!

Do you think he has my ears?

2008-03-27T10:30:00.001-07:00

For Easter this year we all went out to my parent's house and stayed over for the weekend. It was a fun time and we had some really good laughs. Here's a picture of my dad with Ajax. I think I see where he gets his looks from :o)

We are all still trying to fight off a cold that we've had for awhile now. Hopefully we'll get better soon because it's so difficult trying to take care of a baby while he is sick and you are sick.

I hope that everyone had a great Easter!!

PS, this picture was taken with my new camera :o)

Camera!!

2008-03-19T09:52:00.000-07:00

So I finally found my camera and can't wait to pick it up. The place I had pre-ordered it at was being wicked retarded (shout out to my Boston peeps) so I canceled it and moved on to Circuit City where they had one red camera left at the Dartmouth store. I'm picking it up after work today so I can try and learn all the features before our trip to Kansas City. I'm so excited I can't wait to get it! So I should be able to throw up more clips of our cute little man sometime soon.

Hockey

2008-03-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

So this weekend we had a great time going up to Maine. The hockey game was fun and we got to taunt the UMaine crowd when UML scored first! It was perfect, the entire place is stunned into silence from the UML goal. This is when we strike, Jamie and I stand up and start cheering, and not just cheering so that the people around us could hear. The entire arena got to experience our enthusiasm :) I was wearing my UML hockey jersey and screaming up a storm, Jamie has the loudest sports cheer/taunt voice ever and used it to it's full ability. We were in the last row of our section It was a Riverhawk trifecta.
The entire arena is staring at us and getting angry now, we ended up cheering a nice long time, we start getting yelled at and 'gestured' at but we just cheered louder. I love Jamie's ability to be so incredibly loud at these sporting events, I love him even more for liking the Riverhawks just because I like them.
UMaine ended up scoring and we got taunted, they scored again, we got taunted more, they scored a third time, we were taunted, they scored a fourth time on an empty net and the place erupted. So, UMaine won 4-1. Maybe next year.

4 Month Check-up

2008-03-05T05:21:00.000-08:00

So Ajax got more shots at his doctors visit last Friday. He was a little out of sorts for a couple days but was back to his old self by Monday. He weighted in at 16 lbs 2 oz and was 26 inches!! The doctor said because he is growing so much to hold off feeding him food until he starts giving us signs that he is interested.

He has been smiling and laughing all the time now. Jamie can get him to laugh sometimes just by looking at him. It's so much fun in the morning before we go to work, the three of us sit in the living room and he is in a great mood and we get lots of giggles. Recently he sticks his tongue out when he's happy just like I used to do when I was a baby.

Last night we set up an Easter photo shoot with Ajax. It was hilarious all the props we had gotten and how cute he was. He is probably going to be so embarrassed by these pictures when he grows up but that's what you get when you are such a cute baby!

This weekend we are going up to UMaine to watch the UML vs UMaine hockey game. It should be a great time and I'm looking forward to cheering on the Riverhawks.

Here are some of the pictures of our cute little bunny!

Tears of Joy

2008-03-03T16:16:00.000-08:00

Ok, honestly almost peed my pants from these. Tears running down my face and choking on my laughs. I can't even handle this level of funny!!

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/all/

Happy 1/3 Birthday !!

2008-02-28T04:26:00.000-08:00

Today Ajax is 4 months old. He woke up today and was in a great mood, giving us tons of smiles and laughing a lot. He is so funny and ends up making everyone laugh too. Tomorrow he goes to the doctors for his 4 month check up. He is getting so big, it will be interesting what his official measurements are this visit. I'll put up the numbers on Monday.

Last night cousin Greg came over for dinner. We had apple cider baked haddock with seafood stuffing, glazed carrots and pasta on the side. It was delicious, filling and not to hard to make up. Greg got lots of smiles and giggles out of Ajax last night, he loved having someone else to entertain.

Kansas City Here We Come!

2008-02-22T04:49:00.000-08:00

Jamie and I have booked our trip to Kansas City!! We'll be visiting Jamie's brother Justin and his wonderful family out there, we are very excited about it. We are going in April so the weather should be good and Ajax will be about 5 months old by then. It's going to be a real fun time playing with the boys and being able to see Justin and Bridget.

We can't wait to see you guys!!!

I came across a new website that has all inspirational stories in it, http://www.forallthewaysyoucare.com/ Take a look and read some of the stories if you are looking for a good heart warming story. Some of them are amazing, some are long winded and I think almost all are written by women :o)

Traffic Cam Site

2008-02-19T08:28:00.000-08:00

Traffic camera's on Aquidneck website: http://www.tmc.dot.ri.gov/comment/camcenterMapView.aspx#

Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T17:06:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!!! I hope you all had a good one. Jamie and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner of lobsters for our special day. It was very delicious and a perfect dinner for the two of us. I made up a cake for dessert to top it all off.

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone out there!

Women & Money - Free

2008-02-14T05:29:00.001-08:00

Suze Orman was on Oprah yesterday and is giving away copies of her book online for free today! Check it out at http://flv.oprah.com/suze_orman_eng.pdf

It will only be available till 2 pm today so get a copy quick. I love Suze Orman, I always watch her show and I have read her book The Young, Fabulous & Broke book three times now.

Let's See Where You Stand

2008-02-13T07:02:00.000-08:00

I found an interesting website: http://www.pricegrabber.com/survey/start/?office=1

It asks you questions on the issues of the 2008 election and then matches you up with the person who aligns most with you. Give it a try, get involved, vote, and care. You can also see the latest standings at: http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/

Nana Jeanne's

2008-02-10T09:28:00.001-08:00

Ajax at 3 months and giving Nana big smiles!!

A short clip of Uncle Jamie and Brendan - Feb. 10 at Nana and Papa's house. (There's no sound on this one but still cute)

This weekend we went up to Nana and Papa's house for Sunday dinner. We had a great time and had a wonderful meal. Jon, Erin & Brendan came over to visit as well. The boys are getting so big!

This weekend cousin Melissa had her baby too!! Maya Elizabeth was born on Saturday Feb. 9 early in the morning. We are so happy for her and Mike and we can't wait to meet the new little addition to the family. Congratulations!!

Online Shopping

2008-02-09T17:00:00.000-08:00

I ordered my new digital camera! I'm very excited about it and can't wait for it to come. I went with the Olympus FE-340, it can do the short video clips like my brothers and it comes in red which I was very happy about as well. So once I get that and figure out how to use it expect some more video postings.

I had a whole online shopping extravaganza time this past week. I also ordered the detox kit from Method, I love their products so much. They are all non-toxic and safe to use around kids and pets as well as being some of the best cleaners I've used. They are good for the environment and they also use recycled plastic for their containers. I'm a big fan especially of the daily shower cleaner, left my shower sparkling clean!!

I also ordered a kit from footpetals This is another great site that has all sorts of cushions and stuff for your shoes to make them more comfortable, even high heels. I had heard about them from some of the message boards that I read and had heard great things about them. I had a pair of shoes that I really liked and were almost wearable but you know that you couldn't really go a whole day in them so I had ordered up one of these kits to make them feel much more comfortable. FYI use coupon code FPVIP081 before 3-31-08 to receive 20% off your order, can't beat that! It also says on the site you get a free gift of orders over $25.

I also ordered flowers online as well through usaflorist
I had found them through my works discount program but they ended up having some great specials that were even better then what you got with the discount. With Valentine's Day right around the corner this might be something to consider. FYI if you do go with www.usaflorist.com then use this hint: fill in the infomation on the deliver to and bill to page, making sure to include your email address at the bottom. Hit continue to bring you to the next page, once at the next page close the page. You'll lose your info so no need to fill it in all correctly the first time but make sure to do the email address. They will then email you an offer to complete your order and skip the 13 dollar service charge! Use the link in your email to receive the free shipping on your flower order.

Also check AAA/discounts for other great discounts if you are a member. There are discounts at Circuit City, Dell, DirecTV, CVS, FTD.com, Mill Stores, New York & Company, and Target.com as well as a bunch more.

Here are some of the deals I found with AAA:

- Bob's Stores: All members of AAA SNE are invited to shop at any Bob's location and receive... 25% off their entire purchase!* This specially designed week long shopping events runs from Sunday, February 24th through Saturday, March 1st. Employees and members can present their AAA card at any Bob's Stores location to receive 25% off clothing, footwear, cool gear and much more.

- Linens 'N Things: Download the exclusive AAA coupon and you can choose either a 10% off your total purchase, or take $10 off any purchase of $50 or more. Link to coupon

- Reebok Outlet Stores: AAA members save 20% everyday!

- Payless Shoes: SAVE* 10% on all regular priced merchandise in stores or online, Simply enter your three-digit AAA club code (240) as a coupon code at check out.

As you can tell I've been on a discount hunt lately, I'm not sure what got into me but it's come up with some great savings. If you have any online shopping to do make sure to check for discounts, a good place to start is www.retailmenot.com

Have a good weekend, the weather is cold and snowy out so might as well shop from home :o)

Almost the Weekend; Almost SuperBowl

2008-02-01T11:22:00.000-08:00

Can't wait for the weekend over here. I'm excited for SuperBowl as well, not so much for the football that goes with it but for the food and getting together with family. Should be good times.

I checked out a few charities that have a click here once a day to help support and I put up the link in the top left corner of the blog. I checked all of them out on www.snopes.com and they are all honest and official websites that help people and animals out. So check them out and if you can click on them once a day.

I joined a book club and we are trying to figure out what book we should start with. They've been throwing around the idea of The Senator's Wife, I haven't heard of it but I like to read anything so I was up for it. It's not official yet so if anyone out there has any suggestions on what would be a good book club book please let me know, I'd love to hear it.

In response to Jen's question on where we came up with the name Ajax:
We had looked all through the baby name book and came up with a long list of ones we liked. The baby name books didn't help that much though, the names we liked they didn't even bother printing. Picking a name turned out to be much harder then I ever thought that it would be. Jamie liked Greek names, I liked unique names, and we wanted something that went well with Heos. We were willing to go away from the norm because honestly this kid is going to be a house when he's older, there really wasn't any worry about other kids picking on him over it.
The list was about 20 names long and we had a heck of a time picking our top 5 and then from there a hard time picking just one. We like that it's strong and a short name, easy to spell and is Greek.
I didn't want to officially pick a name until we saw the baby so we had 3 lined up, though by we I mean me, Jamie had just Ajax and was sold on it for a few weeks before he came. Jamie and I both really like it, I hope he does too when he gets older. If not he can go by AJ or even Joseph or some form of that. He's got the perfect name if he becomes a professional sports player though :)

Nana K on the Job

2008-01-30T08:17:00.000-08:00

My mom came to our house Monday morning to start her new ‘job’ taking care of Ajax two days a week. It was great to have her over and watching him. The stress of trying to get ready in the morning was much less as well as was me worrying about him through the day. I went home at lunchtime and fed him, it was so much easier not having to run all around getting what I need done in time. Nana K slept over and be watched Ajax again on Tuesday. He has a great time and Nana loves it too which is the best part.

I’ve decided to put my classes for my Masters on hold for awhile. There was another class starting up the same week that I returned to work and it just seemed like to much to take on right now. Between everything I felt that I would be stretched too thin and it just wasn’t a priority for me right now. Plus I’ve learned more then I ever want to know about the Theory of Elasticity from being pregnant, or at least the lack there of.

Easing back into work is going better; I’m getting into a routine some what now. I’ve been packing up and getting ready the night before which is helping out a lot. Turns out I can’t make any decisions or figure out what needs to be done at six o’clock in the morning. I don’t think that I was ever good at it but with baby brain there is no hope at all.

I’m looking into getting a digital camera. Since Dax took that short movie clip of Ajax I’ve been hooked on the idea and can’t shake it loose. Jamie and I have been doing some research and checking out prices. Hopefully I’ll be able to get one and then I’ll be posting clips on here all the time.

Back at it

2008-01-24T11:09:00.000-08:00

So I’m back at work now and back to blogging. Three months went by faster then it has ever before for me, Thanksgiving and Christmas felt only a week apart. Ajax is doing great; he has already doubled in weight and grown 5 inches longer. How a person grows 5 inches in 3 months I honestly don’t know.

It’s strange to be back to work now. I feel like I never left at some points, same old thing and routine. I am always thinking about how he’s doing and miss taking care of him all day but he seems to be doing ok at daycare. The daycare is close to work so I’ve been able to go there at lunch time and nurse and see him and put him down for a nap which is great. He seems dazed by all the stuff to look at when he is at daycare. Heck I feel overwhelmed with everything going on there when I’m there too! Music, other babies, bright colors, toys and swings everywhere. It’s a lot to take in.

I’m still trying to figure out how to make work and nursing and pumping all go smoothly. So far I’ve failed but I’m going to keep trying. Today is the second day of work for me and forgot a part of the pump at home so that I couldn’t pump at work like I was planning. Then as I’m about to get back to work from pumping and nursing I realize that I’ve forgotten my ID badge at home, ugh. Hopefully tomorrow will go smoother but who knows, this is tough.

I remember at a Woman’s Network meeting I was at I was asking if we could have a speaker come in and talk about how to balance working full time and feeling fulfilled as a mother. This sounded great but turns out you have to either sacrifice work advancement or your time at home is what I kept hearing from others. Seems like this is what everyone is looking for and no one has totally figured it all out yet, so I’ve decided not to put to much pressure on myself to get it perfect and just do the best that I can. It would be great if someone could figure out how to do it though.

2008-01-20T11:37:00.000-08:00

Ajax Joseph

2007-11-11T14:15:00.001-08:00

October 28, 2007, 10:57 pm during Game 4 of the World Series Ajax Joseph was born.

7 lbs 12 oz
19.5 inches

TGIF

2007-10-26T08:31:00.000-07:00

No baby yet but at my doctor's visit yesterday she said that I'm 85% effaced and 1 cm and she is thinking that he might come this weekend!! We'll see though. If he doesn't I'll have an ultrasound and baby stress test next week at the hospital to make sure things are still going ok.

Happy Due Date to Me!

2007-10-24T14:29:00.000-07:00

So today is my big due date and no baby yet. World Series Game 1 is tonight at 8 pm, Go Red Sox! Maybe it will happen during the seventh inning stretch :o) Still no signs of our little guy coming any time soon though but you never know. Tomorrow is my doctor's appointment so hopefully she'll have some news for us.

39 weeks and 5 days

2007-10-22T11:29:00.000-07:00

Still no baby yet.

The Red Sox game last night was great to watch, I stayed up till the end to see it. It was hard to stay up that late, I think I passed out 2 minutes after it ended. It was a such an amazing game to watch, I'm so glad they came back from 3-1 to win the series. Next in line is Colorado and they are coming here to Boston which is great. I'm glad that Colorado made it, I think Matt Holliday is a dream boat and happy as could be that he'll be hanging out in Bean Town. So get ready and fyi, Game 1 is Oct. 24th, our due date! I'm still behind the Red Sox all the way every day but Holliday's behind I could look at all day.

Statistically though, they say that only 3% of babies are born on their due date. 3% ?!! Why do they even bother to guess if they only get it right 3% of the time? I almost feel like I have a better chance with those odds of NOT having him on our due date. We'll see, I like being punctual so maybe he does too. ;)

October 21 - 39 weeks and 4 days but who's counting?

2007-10-21T09:30:00.001-07:00

Still no baby yet. This is now how I answer the phone, or when I call anyone this is my opening line. Thursday we went for our weekly check up and things are all still looking good. My official due date is Oct. 24th, Wednesday of this week! Right around the corner.

I started my maternity leave last week, Oct. 12th was my last day of work for the year!! How strange to think of it that way. I'm glad I decided to stop when I did, I was really starting to feel sore and tired all the time. This week it's been even tougher but so much easier to deal with at home then at work trying to just make it through the day. I've been doing a lot of reading and resting. I watched some movies and got the house all cleaned up and ready to go. It's nice to be able to get these last few things finished up at my own pace and be able to stop and relax when I need it.

Not much else to report here except feeling big, sore and tired :o) and very very excited!

36 Weeks Picture

2007-10-12T04:58:00.000-07:00

This is me at the Annual Harvest Festival on Sept. 29th at 36 weeks! We had a fun time walking all around, seeing the crafts and kids activites. What a big belly!!

Birthday Bash

2007-10-08T05:55:00.000-07:00

Jamie's birthday weekend was a lot of fun! I got Jamie a Kevin Garnett Celtics jersey. I bought it awhile ago and had the hardest time waiting for his birthday to get here to give it to him, I had been tempted a few times to make it an early present but I'm glad that I was able to hold out. He loved it and it fits him great. Under all the tissue paper in the gift bag I hid the two Celtics vs. The Lakers tickets that I had gotten him as well. When he saw them he was amazed! It was like making a 3 point shot from mid court to win the game with this birthday gift!!

On Saturday Jeanne and John came down for Jamie's birthday as well. It was great to see them again and show Jeanne the baby's room all finished up. Everything is ready to go in there, now we are just waiting for the baby! John and Jamie installed a new mixing valve on the furnace so the hot water isn't scalding anymore. I was so thankful to get this done before the baby came. They also cut down a tree out back that overhung the pool. Its great getting it down before all of the leaves fell down and filled the pool.

We went out for lunch at The Mooring and it was spectacular! The Mooring is located at Sayer's Wharf in Newport right on the water. We sat out on the back deck overlooking the water and the docked boats. It was a great location and the weather was perfect, warm with a nice breeze of the water. The food was amazing and unique. We started out with scallop chowder, clam chowder and seafood fritters all of which was absolutely terrific. For lunch we got the lobster croissant and it was packed with tasty lobster meat. It was a great time and we were all happily stuffed by the end of it. It was nice to be able to relax, talk and hang out with Jeanne and John for the afternoon. Thanks for coming down, I know that Jamie had a great birthday weekend!

Apple Picking and Birthday Time!!

2007-10-05T08:12:00.000-07:00

We had a nice weekend and got to do most everything I was hoping for. Saturday morning we walked up to Foodworks for breakfast. We hadn't been there before and it was good and it felt great to get out for a walk and enjoy the wonderful weather that we had. Jamie and I went to the Harvest Festival in Middletown later. There were a lot of people at the festival and plenty of games and crafts to check out. After the festival we went to my favorite farm, Sweet Berry, and did some apple picking! It was strange having the weather be so nice during apple picking, usually your fingers are frozen by the end of it.

After all that walking on Saturday I completely passed out for the evening. It was worth it though because it was such a great day, I enjoyed being able to spend some quality time as just Jamie and me. The whole weekend went great, we got lots done that we were hoping to but also took it easy and relaxed.

Today is Oct. 5th and is Jamie's birthday!!! Happy Birthday babe :o) Jamie's parents and Erin are coming down tomorrow to celebrate with us which is great. I'm trying to talk him into a lobster dinner on Sunday for his birthday ;) I'm not sure if he's going for that yet though. We'll have to see but I'm really hoping.

36 weeks

2007-09-28T05:14:00.000-07:00

We had our 36th week check up yesterday after work and everything is still looking good. The baby is still dropped (guessing they don't "un-drop") and is in the right position, things are moving forward. So another clean bill of health for me and our little one. Now we start seeing the doctor every week, next visit is Oct. 4th.

This weekend is the Annual Harvest Feast, Jamie and I are going to try and check it out. Not too much else planned for the weekend besides that which is nice. I think that we'll also go apple picking this weekend too, this is the best time to go. Then it's apple crisp, apple sauce, and all things apple time :o) Escobar's Farm has hayrides too so I was hoping to go there this season, it's a great family farm right in Portsmouth.

Next week is October! Time has really gone by quick. The weather has still been pretty warm and I'm loving it. Apple picking isn't as fun when you can't feel your fingers. I think I'm ready for October though or more specifically the baby coming. The nursery is all set up and ready to go, everything has been washed in Dreft and put away. We finished up the child birth preparation classes and toured the hospital. I got the car seat installed and checked by the local police department. We put the deposit in for the daycare and have that all set up. Jamie and I put together the list for the hospital bag and have started packing stuff up for it. So seems like we are pretty good to go, now we just wait around for a month or so!

Have a good weekend, there won't be many more like this one so get out and enjoy it!

September ' 07

2007-09-26T04:27:00.000-07:00

Time keeps sliding by pretty fast for me! My 28th birthday was great, I had a hankering for lobster and Jamie delivered! With a 4.5 pounder, it was huge and extra tasty. We picked him out ourselves down at Aquidneck Lobster on the wharf in Newport. Half the fun is the experience of going there, it's amazing to see all the different seafood they have set up. We cooked him up and enjoyed every minute of it. I was so stuffed afterwards, I've never felt this stuffed before off of lobster, it was great!

The baby shower was on the 16th and was a hit. It was great having everyone over to see the house and to catch up with people. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and be relaxed. The food was delicious and my mom and Cheryll had the house decorated up perfectly. I couldn't believe how many presents there was when I first went downstairs! Everyone was so generous, it was a mountain of gift bags and tissue. I had a wonderful time and am so thankful for all that my mom and Jeanne have done for us. I'm also so blessed to have such great family and friends!

Since the shower I made up special Thank you notes for everyone. I did a scrapbook/stamping style card and each was different. It was fun to make them up and to customize them for each person. I must be nesting!! :o)

I'm feeling really good about everything that I had wanted to get done before the baby comes. Thank you notes are in the mail, all baby cloths are washed and put away, crib is all put together and has bedding on it, the changing table is all stocked up and ready to go. I made up a list for the hospital bag and Jamie and I have started packing that as well. Last night my mom and I put up the curtain in the baby's room that Joanne had made. It looks great! It's nice feeling like things are all set and that I don't need to be worrying about some big detail or project.

Over all we're looking ready for our little guy. My mom has been a huge help, I don't know what I'd do without her. Last night she also cleaned up some of the baby things for me. I just didn't have it in me and she did such a great job of it.

Greg came over last night as well to play with Jamie on the softball team. Jamie and Greg cooked up a great meal for the 4 of us and we all hung out talking until they needed to head out. I loved having them over, it's fun to catch up on the latest adventures. Greg just came back from Finland and sounds like he had an amazing time.

It's been a great September, I can't believe that it's almost over!

Friday!!

2007-08-31T04:53:00.001-07:00

So it's Friday before a long weekend!! It will be nice having the extra day off, plus it's birthday time. Sunday is little Brendan's 1st birthday, the party is at Jeanne's and should be a great time. Monday is my big 2-8 :o) I can't believe it's already September!

This summer has seemed to fly by pretty quick. I say that every year though, so people stop listening I think. I spent too much time sleeping or resting in my free time. I think I also worked to much, having to save up all my vacation time I didn't take any days off to enjoy a good day when it came by. It will be nice to have the time off later though.

I had my doctor's appointment yesterday and everything went fine. The doctor felt my belly, (pushing rather hard!) and said, "Wow this is a big baby!" It's not good to surprise your doctor who has been doing this for years with the size of your baby. She is guessing he will come in at 8 and a half pounds. We'll see...

Have a good long weekend!!

32 Weeks

2007-08-29T08:06:00.000-07:00

So we're at 32 weeks today! Only 8 weeks left, I can't believe how fast time is going by. I now go to the doctor's every 2 weeks, my next appointment is tomorrow. Last check up we got results back from blood work and an ultrasound, and got great news everything is looking good and I'm measuring right on with what I should be. We also started our Childbirth Preparation Class at Newport Hospital this Monday. It was nice to check out the birthing center at the hospital, it seems like a great place to have a baby. I put together the baby's crib and changing table, they look adorable! Time has seemed to go by so quickly, I can't believe I'm already 7 months.

So outside of baby stuff, Jamie and I just had our 1 year mark in our house, Aug. 25 th. We've done so much in the year with all the different improvements and different projects we had going on. It feels like home and is looking pretty darn good!

So we all have a long weekend ahead of us to look forward to. My birthday falls on Labor Day again this year, which seems appropriate :o) I was actually born on Labor Day back in '79, I love hearing the story of the drive into the hospital with me. Labor Day weekend traffic leaving the Cape and my dad trying to get us to the hospital in his purple gremlin, white knuckling the steering wheel and inching along. Just makes me laugh. Who doesn't love the story of their birth?

Ok I'm going to try harder to keep up the posts now, sorry for the lapse.

It's a BOY !!!! :o)

2007-05-31T15:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had our 2nd ultrasound! I was so excited to be able to see our baby again. At the first one the baby was so tiny in there but we saw the small little heart beat going nice and strong which was so great to see.

The technician has a whole bunch of things that she needs to do, take a picture of this, measure the length of this and that, so it takes longer to actually get to see your little baby in there. It was incredible once we got to see our baby on the screen. We could see all the little bones and when she scanned over the face we were able to see the details of the face! When we first started the ultrasound the baby was sleeping but after the rubbing and poking the baby woke up and rubbed it's face with it's hands and squirmed around. It was by far the cutest thing that I have ever seen in my life, it touched my heart and made me so happy.

The baby was in a kind of tough position for the technician to see between the legs but we were able to get a clear shot. We were excited to find out and I'm glad that we did. It's a BOY!!! :o) I'm so excited about it, I can't wait till he is born and see his tiny little features and kiss his small hands. I can't wait till he is a toddler and I can amaze him with my magic tricks. I day dream about when he is ten and we play games in the backyard and go swimming at the beach as a family. I'm getting a little tear-y eyed now!

Anyone who knows me before Jamie must think I've absolutely lost my mind!! How things change, I am certainly an example of that. Married, settled down with a baby on the way and I couldn't be happier!!

The Paper Anniversary

2007-05-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

Jamie and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary, May 20th. It turned out to be a great day for both of us. We've been working real hard around the house now everyday and we decided to take the day off for our anniversary, which was very welcomed! It was a quiet day of hanging around the house and not needing to check things off the TO DO list. The funny part of not working towards a TO DO list is that you end up getting a lot of things done. We decided to go out to breakfast at one of our favorite spots in Newport, a small place called Annie's. The food is incredible and was worth the drive to Newport center. It was also nice to get out of the house so early and see what was going. Afterwards we went down to the beach and watched the water and surfers. There was a potential storm coming in and everyone was hoping for some big waves to happen including us. It was so nice to sit and relax, listen to the waves and smell the salty air.

For dinner Jamie took me to the Atlantic Beach Club restaurant, it was amazing! I had never been there and it was very impressive, it was a perfect choice! The restaurant is located right on the beach so we could see the waves coming in and the down pours that went through. The food was so delicious that I ended up eating it very slowly to enjoy every bite. I got the baked lobster topped with breadcrumbs and Jamie got the yellow fin tuna steak. Both were full of flavor and cooked to perfection. It was a perfect 1 year anniversary dinner. If you're ever down in Newport I would highly recommend a stop to the Atlantic Beach Club!

It is amazing to think that it's already been a year since we were married on top a bridge in Plymouth. I feel like I've been with Jamie for as long as I can remember but that the wedding was just recent. Kind of a contradiction but I can't remember life with out his spark in it and at the same time I still feel like a newlywed every day. When I wake up and see him I can't help but smile.

We've been able to accomplish so much in this year. Maybe when you are busy it feels like time goes by quicker on you. I'm so happy that we were able to buy a house, it was something that we both were working very hard towards for a long time and it's terrific now that it has happened and is working out great. I remember thinking that it would never happen, how does anyone ever afford it! We've done a great deal of work around the house as well, it looks terrific now and feels like home to us. There have been many other smaller things happen along the year too that we've had a great time enjoying. Another great one, we have a little bundle of joy on the way too! It's been a great year, so many of my life long dreams have come true this past year that I honestly could not be happier.

It's great looking back on this wonderful year we've had and it's exciting to look forward at all that the future holds for us.

Cinco de Mayo !!

2007-05-11T05:21:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, May 5 2007, Jamie and I went to Robin and Steve's wedding! It was a beautiful event and we had a great time. Robin and I worked together at ITT in Gloucester and had more fun then we should there. She was also in my wedding party so I was very excited to enjoy her big day.

The reception was at The Congregational Church of Wilmington and was a simple and elegant ceremony. I loved the church that they got married in, it was nice and bright and simply decorated with a very welcoming feeling to it.

The reception was in Boston at the Hampshire House. It has an amazing view of the Public Garden and the rooms inside have an old world Boston feel, it was just perfect for them! Jamie and I walked through the Garden on our way to the Hampshire House, the day was beautiful and there were many people out enjoying it. We sat and enjoyed it all and were able to see Robin and the whole wedding party taking pictures which was fun.

The reception was a very intimate and fun event. Her sister, his brother and her father all gave speeches. They all were terrific, filled with humor and love and got the whole crowd teary eyed. The whole evening was a great time, everyone enjoyed themselves and danced all night long.

I'm so happy for Robin & Steve, Congratulations you two! Enjoy the Honeymoon!

Living for the Weekend!

2007-04-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's been over a month since I last posted, it seems strange to me that it's been that long. Time has a way of getting away from me lately, might be because all my free time I choose to sleep.

This past weekend was terrific, we got lots accomplished around the house and hang out with family, plus the weather ended up being much nicer then they had predicted. On Saturday Jamie and I worked around the house. Jamie started the trench for the drainage system he has in mind for the front of the house. It was a huge project but is coming along nicely. We also ordered the new carpet for downstairs! I'm very excited about it, to be getting it done. We are having my brother's graduation at our house in June and they were able to get it in before that so it will be great to have that all finished up for the party.

Jamie's family all came down on Sunday to visit. Brendan is getting so big and is still such a happy baby. Greg and my brother Kirk also came out to visit us as well, so we ended up having a nice full house. We were able to get so much accomplished around the house. I wasn't expecting to be able to get everything done in just one weekend!

Jamie and I had taken the pool cover off this past week and it needed lots of TLC. We had no idea at all what to do though. The boys went out there and got the pump and filter all hooked up and running and we were able to vacuum out the pool. It took about 5 back washes of the filter and we still aren't finished yet! It's looking much better though, and I can't wait to be able to get it all working good and clean and then to take our first swim!

Greg and Jamie ripped out all the carpet downstairs by themselves!! It was a huge job and I honestly have no idea how they were able to do it all at once and so quickly. It looks great down there now, and we are moving right along.

It was incredible how much we were able to get done around the house. Plus it was really great to see everyone, it's been along time since we've had company over and it was fun hanging out and joking with everyone. The weather worked out terrific as well, I was expecting rain all weekend but both days were nice and sunny. It's finally starting to seem more like summer is right around the corner, and I can't wait!!

Two Thumbs Up

2007-03-29T12:41:00.000-07:00

Tuesday Jamie and I went to see TMNT. If you don't know, it stands for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I had been very excited about this one coming out, I love the Ninja Turtles. I can't explain why, but I really love them. I used to watch the movie TMNT 2: Secret of the Ooze at least once a week in college, and then sometimes switch it up with TMNT 1 occasionally.

The movie had a good balance of nostalgic qualities, comedy and action. The computer graphics in this movie was incredible, especially the turtles themselves which looked life like. The movie theater we went to was full and everyone cheered when they introduced a turtle which was fun. Tickets were only $4 because it was Tues. which worked out great for us and is probably why it was so packed.

I'd give you an overview of the movie but either:

you love TMNT too and already know the plot or
you don't really care so why bother trying to explain why fighting ninja turtles are so freaking cool.

It was great to get out of the house finally. We've been staying in most nights lately and it was fun to break it up now that it's staying light out later. There seems to be some good movies coming out soon. I'm looking forward to Meet the Robinsons, the commercial for it honestly makes me laugh so hard every time I see it. This one is in Disney Digital 3-D so I'm going to try and see it at Jordan's Furniture in Reading when we go up to visit. This is going to be another good one!

Spring, is that you?

2007-03-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

So it’s finally starting to look like Spring out there! This weekend Jamie and I were able to get outside and enjoy the sun and warm weather on Saturday. Well I enjoyed the sun, Jamie did a lot of work around the yard. Getting things cleaned up and thrown away, he was busy most of the day. Greg came over to visit and he helped out as well. Later the two of them went out and played golf at Montaup.

When they got back I made up a pizza and we all watched March Madness. I still don’t understand why college basketball has 2 half when all other basketball has 4 quarters, but maybe that’s just me. Sat. was a great day, it was so nice to sit outside in the sun and watch the birds and the water.

Sunday afternoon my mom came over to visit. We ended up cooking up some great lasagna for dinner. We also made up a turkey pie for later in the week. Both smelled terrific cooking and got us all hungry. It was great to have her over and be able to hang out with just her for most of the day. We are still attempting to figure out what I’m going to do with the curtains in the living room, for some reason this is one of the toughest things to solve. So after a few hours put into it I ended up with exactly what I had started with.

It really felt like Spring had started this weekend and it felt terrific. For the last couple of weeks I feel like I’ve done nothing and just have been tired and lazy. So that is my excuse for not posting anything since March 6th, I just have nothing to interesting to say. The dreary cold weather seemed like it would never end and work hasn’t been exciting at all either. So I ended up just kind of going through each day it seemed without much to show to it. March can be tough like that though, seems like I feel this same way every year.

At any rate though, I feel the wind is back in my sails. April is almost here and we are that much closer to enjoying the outdoors again. I can’t wait to go swimming and get some gardening done. I hope you made it through March ok, this is that last week of it!

The Weekend

2007-03-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

This weekend Jamie and I went up to Rich's Grandmother's house to visit everyone. We got to meet Evan, Rich and Colleen's new arrival. He is adorable!

Suzanne was there as well with Devon, and Mikey brought Nolan. Johnny and Erin were there with Brendan so it was a huge baby party! The baby's were all mostly sleeping the whole time but us grown up's enjoyed passing them around and seeing them. At one point I was holding Nolan and Evan at the same time, this caused the paparazzi to come out of the wood work and there were flashes everywhere!

It was a great time and it was wonderful to see everyone and have all the little babies together. They are all so cute and adorable! Also, Johnny and Erin announced that they are pregnant again!! Due in October, so another little one is on the way as well!!

Calling In Sick

2007-02-21T09:16:00.000-08:00

This whole week I've been home sick. It's been terrible. Extremely sore throat and now it's moved into my head. I finally am starting to feel a small amount better. I was getting tired watching tv, it was crazy. So it's just been bed rest for me now since Sat. morning.

I guess it's just that time of year when everyone gets sick with something. I'm ready for the spring to get here, I miss the warm weather and going to the beach. At least I'm sick when it's cold out, better then when it's nice and sunny outside, that's what Jamie had said.

Hopefully everyone else is doing better then me right now! Talk to you all soon.

Chocolate & Snow

2007-02-13T12:23:00.000-08:00

Everyone’s talking about the big snow storm tomorrow. It’ll be a Valentine’s Day Nor’easter! It seems like though with all the talk about it that we aren’t going to end up getting hit too bad. At first they were saying some pretty high amounts but last I heard for our area we are getting 1-3 inches. Not to bad at all. It seems strange to be this far through winter without having a good snow storm. Usually by this time of year you dread the news on another potential snow storm that is going to hit us with feet of snow. I love watching the snow fall though. I always find myself squinting up to the sky trying to see where they are all coming from.

Snow storms are great if you are home and have no where to go. I always go outside and shovel and play in the snow. I am one of the few people who honestly loves to shovel! At college I used to help out the maintenance staff by shoveling out my dormitory after a snow storm on the weekends. I did it when they weren’t around but I think that they caught on because they started leaving the shovel out right by the front door.

I also love how quiet it is after a snow fall, this is a great time to go for a walk. Everything is covered in snow and there aren’t any footsteps or people anywhere. It has a sense of calm and purity.

So we’ll see how much snow we end up getting in the morning. It should start sometime tonight and go through the morning. Have a great Valentine’s Day!

Portsmouth High School Science Fair

2007-02-06T11:15:00.000-08:00

Monday, Feb. 5, 8:55 am.

I'm outside the Portsmouth High School where I’m going to be one of the volunteer judges for their Science Fair. It was nice to check out the school and get involved with helping out at the school.

I signed in and got the score cards of the projects that I was assigned to review. I judged 9th grade projects and one 10th grade one. The projects were really interesting, I was impressed with the overall work and knowledge that went into each of them.

The first project was about mold. It compared organic foods to ones with preservatives. It was great to see the thought process and all the hard work that was put into it. There was pictures of the before and after, and trust me it was very gross! Turns out spaghetti sauce should not be left out in the open! Preservatives are supposed to help with the shelf life of food

One student did the classic grow plant experiment. He tested how salt water affects lettuce. Using water right out of the river he watered different plants with a variety of salinity levels. It was pretty interesting to learn that a small amount of salinity actually helps the plant grow, about 1 ppt. Interesting. Over all though, I found that the students didn’t understand that you need to have more then one test for each test case. This was most apparent with the lettuce, at 12 ppt the plant never grew, but at 14 ppt and on it continued the previously establish downwards plant height decline. The conclusion was that 12 ppt killed the plant, humm, umm, ahh No I said. Here we learned the importance of having more then one test case to determine their results.

One of the students came up with her project idea with her mom. Which laundry detergent best removes a variety of stains. Turns out red wine is the hardest stain to get out no matter what you use, and ketchup is the easiest. It was so much fun asking about their Variables, Hypothesis, Scientific Methods, and Conclusions. Turns out the results were the opposite of what most would have guessed, the Stop & Shop Store brand laundry detergent ended up working the best overall and was the least expensive. Interesting again.

One was on what melts ice fastest. The student looked at what the state currently uses and compared it to other potential options. Living in RI, ice happens. It was great to hear the explanations of my many questions for them. Turns out table salt melts ice the fastest and plain dirt had no effect. Interesting.

One of the other girls decided to determine if crickets had a color preference. She decided to do this project because she hates bugs and wanted to know if wearing a certain color will make them stay away. I thought that this was a great use of science. It turns out that they were significantly drawn to the colors brown and red and stayed away from pink and orange. It was a great project and you could tell that she worked hard on the display. I knew that there would be a great reason to keep my Easter pink and orange striped socks around!

The final project that I had judged was the only 10th grade one that I did. The project looked at the best way of getting rid of bacteria found on house hold sponges. It was an amazing project that went above and beyond any science fair project that I had seen. The regular sponge left out on the counter collected around 1,000 colonies of bacteria! Yuck!! She then tested 3 methods of disinfecting the sponges, soapy water, microwave and boiling water. It turns out that the best way to disinfect your sponge is by microwaving it for 2 minutes. By doing this the test showed you’ll only 1 colony of bacteria left, soapy water and boiling had more. She also tested to see a comparison of how long you can let the sponge sit out, 1, 3 and 5 days. If you only let the sponge sit out 1 day the results were the best. The project we very informative and properly run, I had a great time learning all about the topic. I know that I’ll be microwaving my sponges from now on!

I had a great time volunteering at the Science Fair, it was great seeing all the different projects and ideas that the students came up with. I liked being able to help them think of ways that their project could be used in the real world, and I loved hearing their response to the questions that I had for them. It’s something that I will definitely do again next year. I've done a few activities that revolve around incouraging math and science in middle and high school kids and I've really enjoyed them all.

Weekend at Chris's

2007-01-31T05:32:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday Jamie and I went up to his parents house to visit and help out with the new construction. It's coming along and is going to look terrific once it's finished up. It was a nice time, Erin came over with Brendan and I helped put him to sleep for his nap, I think I enjoyed this more then he did.

Later in the day we went over Chris's house and saw all the baby's and mom's to be! Devon is adorable and is the spitting image of Suzanne. They had an old picture of Suzanne as a baby and it was incredible how it could have been Devon, I think they even had on similar outfits. Chris's daughter in law Erin was there as well and she seems to be doing good. She looks nice and healthy and just ready to have her baby.

Brendan was looking at Devon when they were next to each other and seemed really fascinated by her. It's amazing how much bigger he looks next to a new born, to think he was just as small 5 months ago!

Colleen and Rich came over later in the day and it was terrific to have everyone together. Colleen is looking adorable as well. It was such a fun time being able to hang out with everyone and not be at a wedding or baby shower. Things certainly have changed, now at the 4th of July party there will be lots of kids around.

And now a quote from one of my favorite movies:
"Babies, their BABIES!" - Shredder from Ninja Turtles II Secret of the Ooze