Sorry

Sorry I haven't posted all week, I've been in training and just recently escaped! Well actually it finished, I didn't escape. Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing, if you're wondering, nothing interesting unless you want to dimension part drawings.

Last weekend Jamie and I went to an amazing little farm right on the island that I fell in love with! Sweet Berry Farm, what a great name. They have a grocery store and all sorts of pick your own stuff. I'm really hoping to get out there soon and do some apple picking, it's one of my most favorite things to do and I'm hoping we didn't miss the season.

This past weekend Jon and Erin came down with their new baby boy Brendan. It was great to have them all over and have two days of baby holding time for me and Jamie. They slept over Friday night so we got to really hang out and relax. Friday we all went down to Second Beach, it was windy out but a great time. To celebrate Brendan's first visit to the beach we put a little water on his hand, I think he liked it! It was really nice to have the trio down. Erin and I had gone out shopping and Jamie held the baby the whole time we were gone. Jon asked Jamie to be Brendan's Godfather and Jamie was all excited about it and said Yes.

We also went to our neighbor's 2nd birthday party on Saturday. It was good to meet some more of our neighbors and there was a cake shaped like a truck, which is always good. I don't remember the last time I went to a two year old's birthday party though, strange. Same night we also went to Greg's for his 24th birthday party. It was a good time too, but more in a beer and video game way. I'm glad that we get to see him so much and were able to make it out for his big birthday bash.

Have a good weekend!!

Happy Fall Equinox Day

Today is Septemeber 22 which is the Fall Equinox, a unique day in the sky. Here is a quick explanation that I found at www.solar.physics.montana.edu:

The Sun is at its lowest path in the sky on the Winter Solstice. After that day the Sun follows a higher and higher path through the sky each day until it is in the sky for exactly 12 hours. On the Spring Equinox the Sun rises exactly in the east travels through the sky for 12 hours and sets exactly in the west. On the Equinox this is the motion of the Sun through the sky for everyone on earth. Every place on earth experiences a 12 hours day twice a year on the Spring and Fall Equinox.
After the Spring Equinox, the Sun still continues to follow a higher and higher path through the sky, with the days growing longer and longer, until it reaches it highest point in the sky on the Summer Solstice.

So make sure you all take a moment and enjoy today, especially with it being so sunny and nice out. Today is one of the longest days of the year so soak up every bit you can! Have a good Equinox!!

How to Change you Last Name

For all those lovely ladies out there who are getting married and will be changing your name I've put together a list of where you need to change and what you'll need to do it. It's a big headache trying to get everything changed over and I wanted to try and make it simpler for you ladies.

Changing Name Information:

___ Get a copy of your marriage license at the town hall where you applied. They don't mail this too you and should be ready within a week after your wedding day. Once you get this make about 10 copies because you will need them to get everything else done.

___ Social Security Card: You'll need to fill out a SS-5 form and take it with your original marriage license to your local SS office. They can be located by going to www.ssa.gov and in the bottom left column there is a link to find an office by zip code. They also give you the phone number, directions and times they are open.

___ go to the DMV for your new driver's license, you'll need to bring your new SS card and current driver's license. You can check on www.mass.gov/rmv click on the second link in the left column for branches & wait times. You'll also have to update your auto registration AFTER you get your new license but check the website and go at the right time and it's not to painful.

___ Employer: you'll need your SS card and drivers license possibly, each one is different

___ Bank: They'll need your SS card and drivers license I believe, we had opened a new account so I didn't have to deal with changing my name on the old one.

___ Credit Cards: The weird part about this one is that you don't need to show proof at all, you just call the number on the back of your card and they'll do it for you.

___Passport- Fill out a DS-19 form and mail it with a copy of the marriage license & current passport to:

Charleston Passport Center
Attention: Amendments
1296 Holland Street
Charleston, SC 29405

It felt strange to mail my passport out but this is the way that they do it.

___Post Office if changing address
___IRS - you'll need to fill out an 8822 form and mail it to:

Internal Revenue Service

Andover, MA 05501

You can get it at and information at www.irs.gov

___Voter Registration this can do this at DMV
___ Doctors and Dentist
___ Insurance Companies
___ State Tax Board
___ Clubs
___ Memberships
___ Retirement Plan
___ Medical Plan
___ Online Accounts

This is the list I have been working off of to try and update my name with everything, it's amazing how many places it came up where I hadn't realized but hopefully this list will help get you through it easier. I have a pdf of each of the forms if the links don't end up working for you, just drop me an email and I'll send it out to you.

Congratulations to my favorite girls!!! Lindsay, Alicia and Robin I am so happy for you all!! I can't wait for all of your special days to come. I'm more then willing to help out with anything you need, just let me know.

Have a great Friday, I'm sure not too much work is getting done with wedding bells ringing in your heads.

Back in Line

So it's official! I got my license and registration changed over to Rhode Island, what a process! I was trying to change states, change my last name, and register my car at the DMV... need I say more.

I made it through though and came out with a new license and new plates! Jamie had given me a heads up on the level of inefficiency the RI DMV was so I headed there 20 minutes before it opened to be first in line. Turns out even with that I was third and by the time they opened the doors there was a line of over 30 people, I'm not exaggerating this. So in my round about way I got my license then my registration.

I turned in my Mass plates to the DMV in Fall River and expected the worse, I went around 4:30 and there wasn't a line anywhere!! It was terrific and they had a person set up for when you first go in to help you know where to go and what forms you need. It was like night and day dealing with RI and MA DMV's. At least now I can just mail in the renewals.

The house is coming along very nicely. I got all the bedrooms upstairs painted and moved stuff in. I'm still working on the trim in the kitchen, living room and hallway. Well to be honest I should be working on the trim but I am so painted out right now I'm waiting for my second wind. Jamie is doing a great job on the outside, it looks like a whole new place. The grass is mowed and the crab grass is dying off and the flower beds look amazing!

I've got to run Jamie just called and his car won't start! Darn that Caddie!! Anyone know of a cheap car that we could get??

Bright-Dim-Dimmer-Almost Dark-Off and a Few Inbetween

Jamie and I continued working on the house after work yesterday. I'm still painting the last bedroom and Jamie has been outside cleaning up and getting rid of ants. It's coming along and looking pretty good overall.

My brother Kirk came out and visited yesterday and did some of the electrical work that we needed done. He changed out some outlets and we put up a ceiling light in one of the bedrooms. Kirk and I went out and got another gallon of paint late last night and we went to Home Depot. We had a fun time and ended up getting a remote controlled dimmer switch! I'm very excited about this one and kept playing with it once he had put it in. This went on for a long time, I liked to see every setting and see them all again. From outside our bedroom must have looked like a light show! He did a great job putting everything in and it's looking a lot cleaner and safer now.

It's going to be nice to have all of the bedrooms done upstairs so that we can start unpacking all of our things and get things settled down. I can't wait to have our family and friends over once we are finished!

Yesterday

Yesterday after work Jamie and I went down to Second Beach in Middletown and enjoyed the sun and read. It's nice being so close to the beach that you don't have to plan a day trip, you can just go hang out for a few hours and then make it home for dinner. This is just what we did too.

It was a beautiful day out, I was amazed at how bright all the colors were. The grass and trees out in the bird sanctuary was a deep green and there wasn't any fog at all so the sky was a strong blue with puffy white clouds. The ocean water was a blue green instead of the stone gray blue you usually think it will be in September. We sat and read for an hour, the sun kept us warm and the view was perfect. It's a super charge to your batteries to be able to sit on the beach, it complete erases the work day and gives you energy for the rest of the day.

From the beach Jamie and I went to Home Depot and the paint store, again. We have become regulars at both. When we got home we both worked on house stuff. Jamie was out in the yard, it's looking amazing out there! He has done a terrific job, I can't wait to see what spring time brings us. I worked on prep-ing and painting the final bedroom upstairs. It feels like a never ending project getting everything painted but it has slowed down because it's just been me after work and there is only so much you can do with out sun light.

My mom is coming by later today to help out, I'm very excited to see her. It always feels like you get so much more accomplished when there is a second person so I'm looking forward to it. My brother Kirk said that he'd be able to come out on Wednesday to help out too which should be great as well. Yesterday was a good day for me almost made me forget what day it was....

Yesterday was Sept. 11 th, a day that when you hear it sends a shiver down your spine. Sept. 11th is also my brother's birthday, it feels strange to have something so terrible happen on a day that was memorable to our family even before 2001. My cousin's birthday is Jan. 28, which was a tragic day in 1986 when the Challenger Space Shuttle exploded and something that we are reminded of each year.

I feel bad that such terrible things happened on a day that should be happy for them. I get excited when I see my birthday as the expiration date on a carton of milk. "Whoo hoo that's my birthday!!" and the milk always tastes better to me. I asked my brother how it feels to see his birthday everywhere, he said that he grew numb to it. I think that we all kind of grew numb to it though.

Watching the recreation of the 9/11 attacks on t.v. last night made me feel sadder now then when I had watched it all unfold in real time back in 2001. Now I know how many people are still in that building, that there will be very few survivors pulled from the rubble. Now I know what it means for our country, how everything has changed. I have heard many stories of the people's lives that were cut short that day, no one was ready. The pain is worse now knowing that almost 3,000 people lost their life that day and over 2,000 men and woman died in the resulting war.

Knowledge is power, though sometimes it causes more pain. Stay informed and empowered.

Where 22-27 Went

Labor day weekend - the last hurrah of summertime. We had a good time, we continued working on the house and it's really coming along nicely.

Both Jamie and my parents came and visited us this weekend. It was terrific to see them all. It was Jean and John's first visit on Saturday and they seemed to really love our place. We explored the neighborhood and went out for lunch. My parents helped out around the house painting and installing a new stove hood on Sunday.

Sunday was my 27th birthday. I can't believe how quick this year has gone and how much has happened. While I was 26 Jamie and I moved into our apartment in Rhode Island, got married, bought our first house, moved out of said apartment and welcomed our new nephew into the world all with in the span of 1 year! These were the big events, there was also many weekend adventures that took place as well in there.

Time is moving fast. September has never come so quick for me, it really feels like Christmas wasn't that far ago. 27 has come amazingly quick as well. While I was holding baby Brendan at the hospital I was thinking about how time has so simply gone by. I find myself wondering what happened to 22-27 they seemed to have slipped by quietly. What happened in between college and now?

The night of my last final for my last class in college I met Jamie, I sure remember that amazing moment! I took a summer looking for a job with no luck. I decided to take Jamie up on his offer and moved to Hilton Head, South Carolina and we lived there for 3 months. It's strange that these three months created so many memories when the following years created so few, it was an amazing time and place for us. I worked at Kigre and loved it but we decided to head back to New England for family and the job potential. Spent another few months looking for a job once we arrived. I moved in with Jamie's family and started working at ITT Industries in Gloucester, Mass. I enjoyed the job and people so Jamie and I got a house along Walker Creek in Gloucester, some great memories there as well.

After a year there Raytheon finally got around to calling me back to see if I was still interested in a job that I applied to over a year and half before, I figured I'd see what they had to say though I wasn't looking to change jobs at the time. They came with an offer when things were getting shaky at my current job and Jamie and I decided to go for it. We moved to an apartment in Andover, well technically Lawrence but we called it Andover, and I started my new job at Raytheon. Things were going ok but the commute was terrible for Jamie and I felt that something was missing and it took a while to figure out what, I was missing the ocean.

So we uprooted again and I transferred to their Portsmouth RI facility and we both lived at home. This was a tough time, too many things felt up in the air. Christmas Eve Jamie proposed to me on the swing in his parent's back yard, it was so special and I cried and cried. When Jamie found a job on the island we moved into our apartment above the Beach House. It felt so good to be living back together again. In May we married on the bridge in Brewster Gardens.

From here I've already covered it above in my synopsis of my 26th year, so I guess I do know where 22-27 went, it just seemed to have passed so easily. These moments we've shared I'll always treasure, it feels good to go back and remember them.

Birthday Trio

September!?!! Holy cow the summer went by fast.

Jamie and I drove up to the hospital last night and visited baby Brendan, Jon and Erin. They all look great and happy. Brendan seems like such a great baby, he didn't cry the whole time we were there and though he didn't like it he was fine with getting a million pictures taken. He loves to play with his hands and touch his face and just move them around in general. Everyone was excited to see him and hold him and he didn't mind at all, he just kept on napping and waving.

It was a day of birthdays with Brendan coming in as the third to have his birthday on August 31. Erin's mom and Uncle both share the same birthday as well! They'll be the birthday trio from now on!

Mine's right around the corner as well, Sept. 3, I'll be turning 27. I really don't know where the time has gone, I can't believe I'll be 27! It's always works out nice having my birthday fall around Labor Day because I usually get an extra day off to enjoy it.

I love to hear stories of when I was born. I think that everyone must love their own story as well. I was born on Labor Day, for longer then I should I believe I was the reason it was so named. Living right off Cape on Labor Day means traffic, lots and lots of traffic, and so was the case when I came into this world. My mom tells me that my dad drove them to the hospital in their purple Gremlin, yes a Gremlin. Traffic was bumper to bumper and crawling at best, my dad sat rigid in the driver's seat with a white knuckle grip on the wheel the entire ride. I can picture him doing this quite easily, it must have been such a relief once they got there. They got to the hospital fine after all that and I was born at 1:01 in the afternoon.

I love to hear stories about when I was born, the one above and how my grandmother forced her way into the delivery room to see me. It's amazing to think that I will be the one telling Brendan about the day he was born. Jamie and I took a picture of a rainbow we saw on the ride up to see him, it was special and something that I will always remember. I hope that the picture comes out good so that I can show him when I tell him about his birthday in the future.

New Beginnings

This morning Brendan Peter Heos was born at 1:09 am. He was 7 lbs 1 oz and 20 1/2 inches long. Jamie and I are going up to see him tonight and welcome him into the world. What a cutie!

Last night was the first night that Jamie and I got to sleep in our new house! It was hard work getting everything moved in. Jamie's cousin Greg and his roommate came and helped with his truck and my brother Dax came to help with bringing things in. Many thanks to them for their hard work and time.

It's a time of new beginnings all around. Beginnings are always fun and exciting because they hold the possibilities and hopes for the future. Change is always unnerving though, you never know what to expect. Beginnings of something Special make you excited to see what's in store despite having to go through Change to get there. I'm excited to see what the future holds for the Heos family!

It's a time of new beginnings!!

Our First Weekend in our New House!!

It was a busy but great weekend! Jamie and I signed the papers at the attorney's office and got the keys!

I went back to the house and started washing down the walls with T.S.P., there was so much dirt that came up that I'm really glad that I put in the time to do it. I also found that the power got shut off! Jamie called the electric company and they said that they can't come back out till Monday to turn it back on. So we could only work during daylight this past weekend but it ended up working out fine.

My mom and Kirk came and visited us after their work on Friday. They had packed some of my stuff up from the house and brought it along with some cleaning supplies. They were both very excited to see our "New House".

My dad came out and helped on Saturday. Jamie and I were at it early in the morning, cleaning and carrying boxes in. We got a good amount done, walls cleaned and got the joint compound on and sanded. We went on the first trip to Home Depot, got new switch and outlet covers and new outlets so it will look all clean and new. I can't wait to get them installed.

So the walls were are prep-ed for painting when my mom came and visited again on Sunday. We bought the paint and started in on the master bedroom and small bedroom. Primed the walls and painted the ceiling in the small room and got to put color on the walls in the master bedroom! Whoo hooo!!

It's always exciting when all your hard work in prep-ing finally pays off. I attached a picture above of the color we went with, Gourmet Mushroom from Sherwin Williams. It came out terrific and looks great against the bright white of the trim that we painted as well.

Jamie worked hard in the kitchen all day, he got the cabinets washed and lined. It was a huge job because there are so many cabinets and they are all extra tall. They came out looking terrific as well!

Today my mom is coming out again and will be putting up the color in the small bedroom. We are doing a light sage green in there. I had gotten the ceiling and trim all painted up last night so that we were ready to go for today.

I can't wait to have everyone over to check out our new house! We'll need to get the rest of our stuff moved in and settled though but please consider yourself invited :o)

It's Only a Day Away!!!!

Tomorrow's the big day!!! I can't wait! We are closing tomorrow at 11 am, then we'll have the keys to our new home. I'm planning on going through and cleaning up as much as possible that first day and moving stuff in a few days later. Jamie and I are both too excited to wait to move in though so that might happen right away.

I can't wait to decorate our own place! You never bother when you are renting and now we have a whole house to fill. I keep finding myself day dreaming about what we would like and where to put things and the colors to use.

I'll be taking plenty of pictures and post them here when I get them developed. I hope that everyone will be able to come visit sometime.

Things have been so busy with everyone lately. Jon and Erin find out today if she'll be induced tomorrow as well!! Could be a very busy day in the Heos Family; new house for us and a new bundle of joy for them. I can't wait, I've always been bad at it but the excited waiting is half the fun.

We got Saco-ed !!

We canoed, we camped, we conquered.

Day 1 we canoed 11 miles down the Saco River out of Conway, New Hampshire to Fiddlehead Campgrounds in Fryeburg, Maine. Early Sunday morning it started to rain and continued for the rest of the day but we still made it the 6 more miles down past Walker's bridge to the take out.

The Saco Bound people pick you up and drive you and your canoe back to your car, which was nice. By the time we finished we were soaked to the bone and sore, but we both had a good time.

Traffic was tough coming home, but Jamie came through with flying colors and got us through it.

www.sacobound.com
www.fiddleheadoutdoors.com

Saco it to me baby!

Friday, August 25 11 a.m. Eastern Time we are signing the papers on our house!!

Everything is all set and things are looking good. I'm planning a whole day of cleaning next Saturday. Then we'll try and move our stuff in on Sunday. I'm going to try and take lots of pictures, the dorky kind where you stand in front of the Sold sign, us with the keys, and others along the same lines. If anyone is interested in helping clean or move or just come visit you are more then welcome!

Jamie and I are going canoeing and camping on the Saco River this weekend. It should be a great time full of adventures. I'll let you know how it went when we get back on Monday.

Have a great weekend!!

Who's afraid of a Sand Castle?!

Monday night Jamie and I went for a walk on the beach after sun set. The ocean's edge always feels different when the sun has left. During the day people leave their belongings sitting out on their towel as they swim and laugh; in the evening you are cautious of people walking anywhere near you and find yourself scowling at them.

Some how the sun makes us all feel safer; at dusk the water appears black and gives the impression that it is hiding something Unknown below. As we walked on the beach last night I put my feet into the water. I went in only up to the top of my ankles, the darkness enveloped my feet. My heart raced and I tried desperately to keep my toes in view. It felt that there was something unseen that wanted to grab them lurking in the shallow water. I ended up running back to Jamie and continuing to walk on the sand instead.

It was interesting how different I felt being on the beach at night time. The ocean's waves sounded too loud, a distant sand castle looked like a crouching villain, seaweed on the sand looked like black holes, the usually warm breeze was now too cold. These things had not changed but my reaction to them was affected by my feeling of Insecurity or Not Knowing.

Honestly, who is afraid of a sand castle?!?!

It made me think that possibly this same affect happens in other aspects of our lives. When I used to work at Polaroid in Waltham I would drive to and from work in bumper to bumper 128 rush hour traffic. I really enjoyed it at the time because people weren't driving crazy and I got to watch people in their cars and wonder about them. I would actually see some of the same people in traffic day after day. I always got to work at the same time, the traffic was very predictable and I knew the in's and out's of it.

Now I don't like traffic. No, I hate traffic, I feel trapped and that I have no control. My mind races trying to think how to Get Out, when will it end, will I be stuck here for the rest of my life, what if I have to go the bathroom? That always leads me to feeling that I have to pee right then and there. It's tough and I realize that it's all in my head but that doesn't make it easier.

The only thing that has changed is my own view of traffic, how could it appear so differently? I try and keep this in mind when I find myself overwhelmed, maybe things aren't as terrible as they seem.

Maybe it's just a distant sand castle in the evening light.

Weekend Wedding

This past weekend Jamie and I went to one of his old college friend's wedding. It was at the Daniel Webster Inn on the Cape. It was beautiful, the ceremony was in a small garden off of the Inn. The garden was full of all different types of flowers and packed full of color. They said their vows under a giant tree in the early evening, when I always feel magic is possible. There was dinner in a big sun room that overlooked the garden, which was then lite up with small garden lights.

Jamie and I had a great time. We enjoyed sitting in the garden, eating terrific food, and dancing to the 80's!

www.danlwebsterinn.com/

Fried-day Friday

Sorry that it's been so long. It has been an incredibly busy work week, I'm drained and there has been nothing left of me. Thank goodness it's soon to be the weekend, I can't wait to get out of work!

We are going to a friend's wedding Saturday, it should be a fun time. Going to visit my parents and then go to the beach with my cousin on Sunday. Sounds like the perfect way to recharge my batteries and I'm really looking forward to it.

I try and not get caught up in the small details and remember to enjoy life but it seems that life itself sometimes gets in the way of doing just that. I find that kind of strange. "Get out of here life and your details, I'm trying to enjoy you" just sounds off doesn't it?

I haven't figured it all out yet but I have made sure to stay in bed a little longer in the morning and tell Jamie that I love him and spend time just smiling and looking into his blue eyes. These are some of the best mornings, and that's saying a lot, I hate mornings!

So nothing philosophical, comical, special or interesting here, just me being over worked me. Have a good weekend!

Home Inspection

Today was the home inspection! I went and both of my parents drove out to see as well. The inspector did a great job, we went through everything inside and out. The inspection turned out good, there wasn't any surprises or big problems that he found with the house. There was a long list of small things to do though. I'm glad that my dad was there to help me remember it all.

There is plenty of small things to do that will keep us busy and broke for many weekends to come. I can't believe that we are going to be owning a home! I can't wait to have everyone come down and visit!

Things are moving smoothly and should continue, I'll keep you posted on what happens next with the house.

Home Depot/Lowe's Gift Cards welcomed and appreciated :o)

Baking a Diaper Cake

Here is a picture of the diaper cake that I had made for Erin's baby shower. It was fun to put together once I got the hang of it! At first the diapers kept popping out everywhere and it took a few practice tries to get it right and help from Jamie. Here's how I did it:

Supplies you'll need:
50 or so disposable diapers
elastics
ribbon
baby receiving blankets
baby socks
baby wash cloths
baby outfit
baby accessories

How to make pull it together:
1. Take one diaper and roll it tight length wise
2. Roll more diapers length wise around first
3. Once it has reached the diameter you like secure with an elastic
4. Continue making different size tiers until all diapers are used, securing each tier with an elastic
5. Fold a receiving blanket to the height on the bottom tier and wrap around
6. Secure by wrapping around elastic in back (baby pins could be used as well)
7. Cover all tiers with a folded receiving blanket and secure
8. Embellish with folded washcloths, baby socks, outfits, accessories & ribbon
9. The top was made by putting an elastic around 3 pairs of baby socks and having the tops all stick out
10. Secure the entire assembled cake with ribbon wrapped from the bottom to the top and cover with sock topper

You can add anything small you like to it as far as baby items go, rattles, stuffed animals, pacifiers, ect. It helps to have a second person help you out holding it as you add the diapers to the larger size tiers. Give it a try and happy 'baking'!!

Friday Joke of the Day

I took my car to my mechanic for a checkup.

He told me that my battery needs a new car. :o)

Have a great weekend!!

How Time Flys is in the Way You Measure It

In the summer time when you are young there is chance to do something everyday, it's great and amazing. You would wake up and go humm maybe I'll play on the swing set or go down and swim or possibly jump through the sprinkler in the front yard. There is an entire day that needs filling with Things To Do.

In the summer time as an adult you only have weekends to fill with Things To Do. I've noticed that no matter how you try every weekend in August is always planned out for you well in advance. These things are usually fun things like visiting friends and family or them visiting you, weddings, and weekend trips. Even though I look forward to all of them I miss waking up and deciding what will I'll Do today. My entire month of August is already planned out for me and it's only the 3rd day into it!

Adult summer times pass so much quicker then kid summer times because adults count the summer by weekends while kids count it by the day. If I have 4 weekends planned then I'm set for a month but a kid has things planned for 4 days and they still have some of that week left. The time is the same it's just how you measure it that changes.

I try and make memorable moments in an attempt to keep a small part of kid time in me. It gets tough though when you wake up and go to work, come home, clean up some dishes, cook dinner, and then get lunch ready for the next day of work right before it's time to go to sleep early for work, again. Jamie and I have been trying to do things after work but since signing up for the house it seems to be taking up most of our time, hopefully we'll get back to going to the beach after work, those are always great moments!