Cinco de Mayo !!

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!

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

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:

1. you love TMNT too and already know the plot or
2. 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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sorry it's Been Soo Long

Last post was the 2nd, it's now the 18th. The irony of why I haven't been posting is that I've been too busy with work and I've had too much on my mind lately.

Also turns out that I got blocked from the website through work for the last week or so and we don't have a home computer. I found a loop hole and hopefully they won't find it.

During my hiatus I had some good post ideas but most have fallen through the cracks. At least one stuck so we all have something to read :o)

This morning's sunrise was incredible, it made me stop and really soak it all in. Intense oranges and pinks filled the horizon. I have been going to work way too freaking early in the morning, I'm usually there by 7 or 7:30. The reason I do this is not at all because I'm an early bird. By going in early, I get to leave early. This is my main motivation, having a flexible schedule has made me an early bird. A fact I still don't understand myself. Going in early also has other benefits though, I always get a great parking spot and I get to see the sunrise every morning which I end up appreciating more then I thought I ever would.

When Jamie and I lived in South Carolina, he kept pestering me to wake up early and go down to the beach and watch the sunrise together. Nothing could have sounded worse to me at the time. I tried to talk him into seeing the sunset instead, mainly because I'm already awake around this time of day. He wouldn't budge on it though and I promised that some day we'll see the sunrise together.

One morning we had woke up early and Jamie's ready to go to Hilton Head and see the sunrise! I went because he said he would buy me a breakfast sandwich. We hop in the car and pull out to make the short drive over the bridge to Hilton Head. Turns out, umm, it was rush hour traffic time with everyone in the state trying to go onto the island as well. We sat in traffic, lots of traffic. Our 15 min. drive turned into over an hour as I remember. We still went to the beach. By the time we got down to the beach to sit together, the sun was half way to high noon!

We still enjoyed it though, we walked the beach and laughed about it. I tried to have this count as "seeing the sunrise" but Jamie would have no part in that. I tried though.

A few days ago I woke up for work and was amazed by the sunrise out our back window. I find it interesting how it really isn't the same every day, each one is special. I went to work and then when I was leaving for the day I saw the sun setting over the water on the West side of the island. My work is on the water as well and has some terrific sunsets. As I walked out to my car, I really enjoyed the colors and glow, again trying to soak it all in.

On my drive home I was thinking, how many people get to see and really enjoy the sun rise and set on the same day over water. Jamie's right, this is paradise!

I appreciated the day and it's beauty instead of just rushing off to work and home again. It made me feel like a tiny piece in a much larger plan.

The reason why I blog

I just finished reading Bridget’s blog, it's part of my morning work routine. Bridget is the reason why I started my own blog, I had been searching for something and through her I was able to find it. It’s terrific so please check it out if you haven’t already: http://www.greetingsfromwaldo.blogspot.com/

I think I was searching for a way of capturing the small stories of day to day, try and capture what I feel living life is all about. I didn’t want to forget or let these things slip by. They aren’t things that you take out your camera and snap a picture for, they aren’t the big events that you think memories are made by: Birthday’s, Christmas, First day of things. They are the small events that truly make up your life. I don’t just remember my birthday’s from my childhood, I also remember how good it felt to get into my parent’s bed when I had a bad dream, or the jokes my father would tell us.

This morning her story rang very true for me and I realized why I wanted to have my own blog so much.

”To me, if I don't write about it, it's almost like it never really happened. If I don't put a funny spin on it the next day, I tend to lose my sense of humor all together.” - Bridget Heos

YES! YES, that was it! I realize why I need to get this written down so much, I do it for myself. I like writing about the funny stuff that happens to me, for my own sake, so I don’t lose them. If I don’t write about them then they slowly fade from my memory, there are too many laughs and great moments that I don’t want to lose. It’s nice also that it allows our friends and family to check in on us, see what we’ve been up too. I also feel that through these day to day stories a larger story is being told as well. Reliving and laughing about the good time seems to enrich everyone's life.

It's 2007 now! 2006 was a great year for Jamie and me, so much happened. We were hanging out during our vacation talking about all that has happened in 2006, it was fun remembering all the different things that has gone on.

Jamie and I had just gotten engaged, it seems like so long ago now but just a year. We watched the sun rise on 2006 at Chatham Bars Inn on the Eastern most point of Cape Cod, it was amazing.
- got engaged
- saw the sun rise on 2006
- Jamie got a new job in RI with me
- we moved in above the Beach House in Middletown RI after living at our folks apart
- Jamie put on a terrific lobster dinner for me and my bridesmaids at our apartment
- Got to see everyone at our wedding shower, beautiful cake and Judy hit a turkey on the way!
- May 20, 2006 married my best friend with everyone with us
- Volunteered at the US Women's Open at Newport Country Club on the 10th hole
- Swam in the largest waves of my life during hurricane Beryl
- Bought our house, and cleaned it up with lots of help from everyone
- Drove up to see our new nephew Brendan Peter Aug. 31, we saw a rainbow on the trip up
- Planted our own bulb in our own yard
- My good friends Lindsay, Ala and Robin all got engaged
- Enjoyed Christmas Eve at Joanne's and Christmas at my parent's
- Had our first Christmas as husband and wife
- Watched New Year's Eve 2007 fireworks over Newport harbor snuggled close to each other

Lots and lots of great things happened and it's fun looking back at it all. Jamie is hoping 2007 isn't as hectic but you never know! It was fun remembering all that's happened and I'm sure we left out some. Have a happy new year!!

Tis the Season

Jamie and I got all of our presents wrapped up and ready to go! I love the suspense of Christmas.

Jamie has learned a way of keeping me away from his presents to me. He said that one is very very fragile and if I shake it then it will break. He wouldn't tell me which one is the fragile one so I can't touch any of them!! That's why I love him, there aren't too many guys out there that can trick me at my own game of wits.

My mom and I had gone out and finished up the last of our shopping, it was a good time. I can't handle when it gets to crazy and packed in the stores. I like to do my shopping in August, I know I'm kind of on my own on this one but man it's great. No one else is ever shopping then, this is the key for a few reasons: 1. stores have huge sales to try and get people in 2. the shelves are stocked and super clean 3. no crowds or lines to contend with. It really is the best.

I must admit that I do always have at least one shopping trip a week or two before Christmas. It's nice to get a small flavor of the holiday shopping frenzy and there is always one more gift that you need to get.

I love seeing the stacks of gifts with the pretty wrapping and bows on it. Everything takes on a happier light when it's illuminated by Christmas tree lights I think.

Today is my last day of work for 2006, only an hour to go!! I can't wait to get out of here. Have a great Holiday and I'll see you in 2007!

Another Good One!

Another good weekend to report. Friday night we watched Jamie's Netflix movie, "Crimes and Misdemeanors" it's a Woody Allen flick about a guy who kills his mistress. Jamie enjoyed it, I thought it was ok but I enjoyed hanging out with him all the same. Saturday we drove up to the North Shore because I was having a Partylite show at my friend's Alicia's house. It was a great time, lots of food and fun people. Afterwards I joined Jamie back at his parent's house and we had dinner with them. It was a good trip, it was nice to finally see Alicia again. She's all engaged and planning her big day!

Sunday morning Jamie went golfing with Greg. *gasp* :o) I stayed home and later in the day joined my mom and her 2 close girl friends and we all went to see the mansions decorated up for the holidays. First we went to The Elms, it was nice and they had a headset that you walk around with and it tells you all sorts of stuff about the place. I loved the linen closets! We then went to the famous Breakers and toured there as well. It was super beautiful! They had done amazing things for decorating for the holidays. There was a giant, probably 2 story "tree" of real pointsettes! It was awesome. They had each room decorated nicely and the mansion itself was so impressive. I can't wait to go back there some time and see it all again.

Us for girls went out for dinner down on Thames Street in Newport at the Brick Alley Pub. It was terrific as it always is. It was a really fun time hanging out with them and talking and laughing. It was nice to see them all again and spend time with my mom.

That night Jamie and I watched my Netflix movie, "8 Below". It was really good and I'm not just saying that because it was a Disney movie! I'd recommend it to almost anyone. It made me cry a little. On an expedition to Antartica they had to evacuate and leave the beloved dogs behind for the winter. It was a very touching movie that's based on a true story.

Over all it was a great weekend, any weekend spend with Jamie and my mom constitutes as a good one to me!

It's definitely December now!

It was a pretty quiet week down here for us, though my work has been crazy busy. Yesterday was Jean's Birthday, so a big shout out to her!

Happy Birthday Jean !!

I hope that it was a good one :o)

Yesterday Greg came over for dinner and Jamie made up Jean's famous Stuffed Peppers for dinner. It was a huge hit, there was nothing left of it afterwards!

This weekend I'm heading up to Haverhill, Ma to host a Partylite show at my good friend Alicia's house. It should be a good time, it's been way too long since I've seen her last.

The days are so short now, when I go to work the sun hasn't risen yet and when I leave work it's pitch black outside already. Makes it feel so late once I get home, but after Dec. 22 they should start to get longer and that's not to far away. The cold has really set in now though, it was so great having all those warm days to enjoy so late in the season.

Last weekend Jamie, Greg, and I went to The Whale, which is a local golf course that Jamie and Greg like to play at. They played and I just went for the walk. I tried to fore caddy but turns out I walk way way too slow for such a job. Some of the holes felt like wind tunnels because you were so exposed but others we tucked in and the sun kept you warm. I took pictures of the two of them and of the course, it was a really fun time. Walking the 18 holes kicked my butt completely, I slept on the ride home. Thankfully Jamie was driving at the time. It was great to be out in the sun enjoying the nice weather and playing golf in December!

Always enjoy the good time, it helps get you through the cold winter. Have a good weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Jamie and I went to my parent's house for Thanksgiving, we went out Wednesday night and stayed over so we wouldn't miss anything. Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Ma. I'm telling you turkey just tastes better there! My dad cooked up a great meal and it smelled terrific, I love the torture of having smelling the turkey cook all morning long. My aunt came over with my grandfather. It was nice to have them over and to spend Thanksgiving at my folks. The turkey cooked fast and was done in 3 and a half hours, which worked out good because about 15 min. after we pulled the bird out the power went out! My dad was all stressed out about it but we made it through and ended up having dinner a little later when the power came back on.

On Saturday Jamie and I went up North for the day. I went with Jean to Erin's baby shower and Jamie went with Greg and Uncle Rick to play golf. It was nice to see Erin, Suzanne and Colleen all with their big belly's. They all looked super cute! Jean made a great cake, it looked just like Fenway Park with all the details. It was nice and taste-y as well! For dinner Jean made a terrific turkey pie. The best part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers :o)

All day Friday and Sunday Jamie and I worked around the house. It was nice to have the long weekend to be able to see our families and be able to check off a few of the things we had wanted. The insulation is in and looks great! Our house is all tucked in for the winter now. We cleaned up part of the basement and got the yard all cleaned up and mowed. We had a lot of leaves from the neighbors tree that had fallen. I finally painted the small last section of wall behind the refrigerator. I really thought it would be one of those things that gets forgotten for a few years, but we pulled it out and cleaned up and painted it all up. We also got our new sink and faucet installed. It looks so good and clean now, plus we don't have to empty the bucket under the sink all the time. The old one leaked when ever you used the faucet and had gotten worse as time went on. Looking good now though!

I'm hosting a Partylite candle party at our house on Tues. for the neighbors, so I wanted to get these things done for that. I sent out about 50 invitations but I have no idea how many people will be coming. For the most part I don't know any of them and was hoping this would be a fun way of meeting new neighbors. We'll see if anyone is interested!

The days are getting so much shorter, it's hard to get outside while the sun is up which is a bummer. Jamie and I watched the sun rise over the river this morning from our picture window in the kitchen, it looked amazing. So there are good sides to everything, they day might be shorter but the later sun rise means that I might actually catch it. It was nice to take a few minutes and just enjoy them with Jamie. I can honestly say that with out Jamie I probably would never see a sun rise! They happen way too early for me.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Time to get ready for Christmas, it's right around the corner now.

11-20-06

Today is Jamie and my 6 month - a - versary!!

Whoo Hoo!

4 - 1

I had a great time up in Maine! Jamie and I drove up Thursday to Colleen & Rich's house and stayed the night to try and break up the trip and see the new mom. Looking good!! She has just about the cutest belly I have ever seen on a woman. It was nice to be able to hang out with them, it seems like it's been awhile since we've seen them.

Friday afternoon we set out for Bangor, the weather was amazing out. It was nice and sunny and perfect driving weather. Jamie and I stopped at the visitor's center just outside Bangor to pick up some pamphlets and maps. A very sweet looking old lady who worked there helped us out and showed us our trip on a map, she asked what we were planning on doing in Bangor. We told her that we were visiting a friend and seeing the UMass Lowell vs. UMaine hockey game. She gave us a sweet smile and said, "That should be fun, too bad your teams going to lose".

Grandma's talking trash!! I wasn't ready at all for this and just gave her a look of disbelief. Maine 1, Sondra 0.

We made great time up to our friend Matt's house and got to hang out before the game at 7 pm. Matt's 6 year old son Devon was a riot! He is super smart and has a great dry humor just like his dad. We hung out and played soccer, I tried hard to make Devon a Riverhawks fan before the game. We had dinner in time for the group of us to make it to the game on time, I love watching them warm up.

Walking into the arena, I definitely stood out. I was happy to finally be wearing my UML Hockey Jersey even in a sea of UMaine jerseys. I got some stares...

Our seats were partially obstructed, apparently Maine didn't consider the fans when designing the arena. We could only see the bottom of the net on the left hand side. I was very excited to be there, it's been a long time since I've been to a hockey game. We got there in time to see the warm up!

A few minutes after we sat down a group of die hard UML fans sat in front of us! It was great, I wasn't alone! Maine 1, Sondra 1.

The game was very exciting. Lots of action and talents guys working hard. We all had a great time watching. Devon was cheering, "Go UML, Go Blackbears!" It was so funny, he'd cheer when either team scored a goal. The final score was UMaine 4, UML 1, Maine kicked our butts but we played a good game. Maine 2, Sondra 1.

The next morning we went out for breakfast at a local diner. We all had a fun time talking, laughing and enjoying a big breakfast. Walking back through the restaurant there was a couple of elderly ladies sitting together having breakfast. One noticed my UML sweatshirt and said to the other while looking at me, "Did you see how well we did in the hockey game last night, we really kicked their butts". I'm not kidding! What is up with the old ladies in Maine? Why are they all taunting me? Sigh, Maine 3, Sondra 1.

Jamie and I had a great time visiting Matt and his family and seeing the hockey game. It was so nice to do something different and fun for the weekend. I loved the game even though we didn't win. Leaving Matt's wife says something to me that I didn't quite catch and I ask her what she said. She said, "It was great to see you guys, thanks for coming up, sorry your team Lost!" Ohh man, I walked into that one...

Maine 4, Sondra 1.

Go Riverhawks!!

Tonight Jamie and I are starting out on the first leg of our journey to Maine to see the UMass Lowell vs. UMaine hockey game. We'll go up and stay at our friend's Colleen and Rich's place tonight and then tomorrow morning continue up. Google said it would be 6 hours up there, yuck, but it should go by fine because we are breaking it up and have all day Friday to make it up.

I've always been a big UMass Lowell hockey fan. I loved going to their games when I was in college. The excitement in the air, the smell of all the food and ice, the cool entrance of the players, seeing the guys get slammed up against the glass. I love these things! I have a luck red shirt that I wear under my hockey jersey that my parents got me for Christmas. I can't wait to put it back into commission again!

Saturday and Sunday we are going to Bar Harbor, which I feel was named that just to exaggerate the New England accent. I truly can't say it correctly even when I'm trying!

Baah Hahba

When Jamie and I had been living in South Carolina for a couple of months I distinctly remember talking to my mom on the phone. I thought she was joking around and super exaggerating the New England accent for me, I told her to cut it out. She had no idea what I was talking about! She was just talking like she always did, not joking at all. This was a distinct moment for me because my mom always had felt like Home, she was my measuring stick of Normal and now I had changed from that. I think that everyone needs to travel and meet and learn about people from a different area then they are used to, you are able to learn so much about others and yourself.

Maybe I'll learn something new about myself on my trip to Maine. Even though I've lived in Mass. my whole life I think that I've been to Maine twice. I'm excited to check out the UMaine arena and taunt the fans. I'm also excited to see Bar Harbor and check out all the local shops and people. I'll let you know how the trip went when I get back. Have a good weekend!

PartyLite

This past weekend Jamie and I worked down the basement trying to get it cleaned up a little. Jamie also continued to work in the attic, it's coming along great but sure is tough work. We both had a good weekend, I had a tough time getting up for Monday once it rolled around.

Last night I went to my first Unit Meeting for Partylite, I've signed up to be a consultant with them. Partylite sells the best candles and candle accessories that you'll ever find and I'm excited to be starting with them. I'm working hard to try and get off to a good start and really make it worth it. So far I have 2 shows set up and trying to set up another for neighbors at my house but I think I've been kind of shy about it because I don't know my neighbors too well and so I've been kind of putting it off.

I really think that I'm going to do good at selling Partylite candles. I've used and loved them for many years now because my brother Dax has worked there for a long time and gets us all sorts of stuff. I also have been good at sales in the past and have a good level of confidence to be able to talk to a group of people. Hopefully it goes well for me.

I've found that the conferences and meetings that I have been attending for work related to being a leader at work will also be useful for my new line of work as well. How to lead, be confident, speak to groups, dress properly, listening skills, knowing my own strengths and weaknesses; all these things will help me out when I'm up there and interacting with everyone.

I'm excited about it, let me know if anyone you know is interested in hosting a Partylite show! The hostess gets credit towards free merchandise!!

Trick or Treat

Halloween was a success. We kids all different ages come trick or treating this year. It seemed that me and Jamie were more excited then the kids. We would sit by the window and peek out when we heard people going by; the candy bowl was stocked and ready at the door but the groups would skip over our house sometimes. All the kids that came though were dressed up, even the older kids who travel in packs. It was fun to see the costumes and we met a few new neighbors which was nice.

Near the end of the night there was a gaggle of teenagers that came by at once, honestly must have been 25 kids. It was fun seeing all the outfits, my favorite was Raphael from the Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles. We ended up with just a little candy left which worked out good, I'm glad I had gotten the two large bags from BJ's to be on the safe side.

I remember canvassing the neighborhood as a kid and how much fun it was. I remember the stress of deciding on a costume. You'd stay up at night thinking of what you could be and all the super cool outfits that you would love to do. One of the guys at work was telling me how his son dressed up as the Grinch and they dressed the dog up in reindeer antlers to go along. They had done a dry run of the costume the night before to make sure that everything was just right. It brought back good memories of my own dress rehearsals.

Jamie carved his pumpkin last night. He had been talking about carving it for awhile now, about how he wanted a Chinese Jack-O-Lantern that had Chinese letters on it. I don't know where he comes up with this stuff! It came out really good, and it was fun to see all lite up at night. Overall it was a fun Halloween, I hope that all of yours was just as great!