The art of living well...or trying to

Fairy Name

2009-11-05T11:09:00.001-05:00

Your fairy is called Thorn Hailfly

She is a protector of the lonely.

She lives in brambles and blackberry bushes.

She is only seen at midday under a quiet, cloudless sky.

She wears purple and green like berries and leaves. She has cheery turquoise wings like a butterfly.

Get your free fairy name here!

Believe

2009-10-29T08:09:00.002-04:00

"One day I went to work and Grace was at her desk and she was crying. I asked her what was wrong and she said that she'd been driving to work and she'd seen an ambulance and she pulled over and the car in front of her pulled over and the ambulance passed them. She said that she suddenly thought about how when someone is in danger or is hurt that an ambulance is called and that everyone moves so that the paramedics can get to that person in the shortest time possible. She said that all of a sudden she realised how wonderful that was. We, all of us, in this society, move so that someone we've never met can get help."

And some wisdom from Dawson's Creek...

Pacey: When she's around, I just feel more... I feel more alive. I think people underestimate how important that is.

Jen: I think they overestimate it, too. I mean, as much as you want to, you can't rely on someone else to make you feel alive. It's an inside job.

Marriage Check-Up

2009-10-28T08:22:00.003-04:00

Yes, I know, I read this on Oprah's web site, but I liked it and thought I'd share.

Forget everything you've been told. Like: Don't be picky; plan dates with your mate to keep love alive; don't even try to change his annoying habits. Wrong, all wrong.

1. Does my partner feel safe being emotionally vulnerable with me?

2. Does my partner feel accepted?

3. When I feel that life is yanking the rug out from under me, can I go to my partner for nonjudgmental support?

Answering no to even one can signal a fraying relationship.

Uh-oh!

"Reasons and rationalizations abound and rebound. It doesn't matter whether the infractions are big or small. At a certain point, we stop asking why and start asking how. How did it come to this? How much longer can I go on? When there are no hows left, the jig is up.

To be sure, there will be throngs of angry women who will decry me for plunging a stake into the heart of holy matrimony. "My husband is my lifeline," I've heard said (and that's bad news for the aorta). "My husband and I never fight" is another marital chestnut—again, bad news (not to mention a big fat lie), since according to the experts, the strongest relationships are the ones in which people can continually agree to disagree. "My husband is my best friend," others will aver."

Your husband is not your best friend. Your best friend is your best friend. If your husband were your best friend, what would that make your best friend? True that. Carrie is my best friend. Don't know what I would do without her. Seriously.

So I have been search and researching and re-researching to find advice. And some of the content I delve into asks me how I got to that page.

Does thinking about your marriage cause you tension and anxiety?

Are you tired of endless fights, anger and disappointment?

Exhausted by another tired, sleepless night of worry and confusion?

Is there sleeping on the couch and in the spare bedroom?

Are you constantly battling over the smallest issue -- which only led to bigger issues?

Are you both desperately wanting to be accepted and loved, but not feeling it? The more each tried, it seemed the further they moved apart.

Well damn. I'm not the only one. I didn't really think I was, but I also didn't think I'd stumble across so many people who were wondering the same things!

Some advice I have read...

You don't need a whole weekend away or even a regular "date night" to keep the spark alive. Dov and Chana Heller, both Beverly Hills-based marriage therapists and the parents of five, take short walks alone to catch up when they can.

Another option: Pair up to chauffeur the kids to daycare or pick them up from an activity, and use the kid-free portion of the commute or waiting time to chat.

If you can appreciate that the challenging times in your marriage are temporary, you're less likely to feel trapped. Feeling disconnected from your partner while your kids are little is going to happen -- and it doesn't mean that your marriage is on the rocks.

"Instead, see your anger or frustration as a signal that you just need to back up and make a greater effort to connect with each other," says Lindquist.

No matter how hard it may be at times, investing in your marriage now, while your children are young, is vitally important. "One of a child's greatest anxieties is the fear that her parents won't stay together," says Rosemond. "So what is a child's greatest comfort? Knowing that her parents' relationship is as strong as it can be."

So what if you feel like it is the happy times which are temporary?

Maybe the fact that you know you want to save your marriage is your answer. Maybe. Bending and adjusting and supporting and trying to just be there for each other, help each other out. I don't know.

"I got gaps; you got gaps; we fill each other's gaps."
- Rocky

Rocky knows.

As for his secret to staying married: "My wife tells me that if I ever
decide to leave, she is coming with me."
- Jon Bon Jovi

Lol. Such a great quote.

Who I was when we met and who I am now. Fundamentally, quite different. But still, I know I want to be loved and treated well. I want to be a partner, a co-manager so to speak. I don't want to be in anymore "family" portraits without my husband.

Shit happens

2009-10-27T15:17:00.002-04:00

Shit happens.
So you get thrown down on the ground, so what?
Don't just lie there, get the fuck up and deal!

photo credit: 1425 by =afoni

Ghost Radar

2009-10-09T08:08:00.005-04:00

Perhaps in the spirit of Halloween, but most likely because I have an affinity for loving all things paranormal regardless of the time of year...I downloaded and installed the Ghost Radar app on my iPhone.

It uses quantum physics, a quantum fluctuation is the temporary change in the amount of energy in a point in space, arising from Werner Heisenberg's uncertainty principle.

And so right now I have it sitting on my desk at work to see if it picks up any anomalies. I realize with all the electronic equipment around me it would be futile to use an EMF reader and perhaps this quantum fluctuation reader is picking up interference as well, but it's still cool.

Readings from the flux are presented in a variety of ways. The most obvious are the blips on the radar. The colors of the blips are an indication of signal strength. Red indicates the signal is strongest. Yellow is a little weaker signal than red. Green is a little weaker signal than yellow. Finally blue indicates a very weak signal.

Each reading is also displayed in a set of ever changing numeric read outs. How your entities manipulate these numbers is totally up to them. The energy you are detecting can also try communicating with you through the scrolling letters. The letters on the bottom right of the screen are an interpretation of certain readings from the flux. An intelligent energy should be able to influence the letters and communicate with you.

Here are the readings from this morning:

Settings:
Scan Frequency: 5.0
Duplicate Detection Threshold: 5.0
Display Impedance: 5.0
Signal Timeout: 5.0
Signal Capacitance: 5.0

Words Spoken:
8:04 AM : number
8:04 AM : face
8:07 AM : spell
8:07 AM : planning
8:08 AM : truck
8:08 AM : usually
8:09 AM : you'll

Signals Detected:
8:03:12 AM : BLUE
8:03:13 AM : BLUE
8:03:14 AM : RED
8:04:00 AM : RED
8:04:01 AM : RED
8:04:02 AM : RED
8:04:08 AM : BLUE
8:04:09 AM : RED
8:04:13 AM : BLUE
8:04:14 AM : BLUE
8:04:16 AM : RED
8:04:17 AM : RED
8:04:20 AM : BLUE
8:04:21 AM : YELLOW
8:04:30 AM : BLUE
8:04:54 AM : BLUE
8:04:55 AM : BLUE
8:04:59 AM : BLUE
8:07:37 AM : BLUE
8:07:38 AM : BLUE
8:07:44 AM : YELLOW
8:07:45 AM : YELLOW
8:07:51 AM : RED
8:07:52 AM : RED
8:07:53 AM : RED
8:07:56 AM : BLUE
8:07:57 AM : BLUE
8:07:58 AM : BLUE
8:08:03 AM : GREEN
8:08:04 AM : GREEN
8:08:05 AM : GREEN
8:08:08 AM : RED
8:08:09 AM : RED
8:08:10 AM : RED
8:08:13 AM : RED
8:08:14 AM : RED
8:08:15 AM : RED
8:08:21 AM : GREEN
8:08:22 AM : GREEN
8:08:25 AM : BLUE
8:08:26 AM : BLUE
8:08:27 AM : BLUE
8:09:06 AM : RED
8:09:07 AM : RED
8:09:08 AM : RED

President Obama's Speech about Success in School

2009-09-08T12:08:00.004-04:00

I just have to say that I don't understand why any parent would disagree with their child hearing a motivational speech about education and schooling. The President of the United States is making a strong effort in helping children around our country to appreciate their education and yet some parents are keeping their kids home from school just so they won't hear his speech. That is just ridiculous to me.

The prepared text of President Barack Obama's back-to-school address scheduled for Tuesdays, as released in advance by the White House:

Hello, everyone — how's everybody doing today? I'm here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we've got students tuning in from all across America, kindergarten through 12th grade. I'm glad you all could join us today.

I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it's your first day in a new school, so it's understandable if you're a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you're in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer, and you could've stayed in bed just a little longer this morning.

I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived in Indonesia for a few years, and my mother didn't have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday — at 4:30 in the morning.

Now I wasn't too happy about getting up that early. A lot of times, I'd fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I'd complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and say, "This is no picnic for me either, buster."

So I know some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I'm here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I'm here because I want to talk with you about your education and what's expected of all of you in this new school year.

Now I've given a lot of speeches about education. And I've talked a lot about responsibility.

I've talked about your teachers' responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.

I've talked about your parents' responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don't spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with that Xbox.

I've talked a lot about your government's responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren't working where students aren't getting the opportunities they deserve.

But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.

And that's what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.

Every single one of you has something you're good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That's the opportunity an education can provide.

Maybe you could be a good writer — maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper — but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor — maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine — but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a senator or a Supreme Court justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.

And no matter what you want to do with your life — I guarantee that you'll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You're going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You can't drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You've got to work for it and train for it and learn for it.

And this isn't just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. What you're learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.

You'll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You'll need the insights and critical thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You'll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.

We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don't do that — if you quit on school — you're not just quitting on yourself, you're quitting on your country.

Now I know it's not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.

I get it. I know what that's like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn't always able to give us things the other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn't fit in.

So I wasn't always as focused as I should have been. I did some things I'm not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our first lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn't have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.

Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don't have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there's not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don't feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren't right.

But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life — what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you've got going on at home — that's no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That's no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That's no excuse for not trying.

Where you are right now doesn't have to determine where you'll end up. No one's written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.

That's what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.

Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn't speak English when she first started school. Hardly anyone in her hometown went to college, and neither of her parents had gone either. But she worked hard, earned good grades, got a scholarship to Brown University, and is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to being Dr. Jazmin Perez.

I'm thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who's fought brain cancer since he was three. He's endured all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer — hundreds of extra hours — to do his schoolwork. But he never fell behind, and he's headed to college this fall.

And then there's Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods, she managed to get a job at a local health center; start a program to keep young people out of gangs; and she's on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.

Jazmin, Andoni and Shantell aren't any different from any of you. They faced challenges in their lives just like you do. But they refused to give up. They chose to take responsibility for their education and set goals for themselves. And I expect all of you to do the same. That's why today, I'm calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education — and to do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending time each day reading a book. Maybe you'll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you'll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you'll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. And along those lines, I hope you'll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don't feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.

Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.

I know that sometimes, you get the sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work — that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, you're not going to be any of those things.

But the truth is, being successful is hard. You won't love every subject you study. You won't click with every teacher. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. And you won't necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.

That's OK. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who've had the most failures. J.K. Rowling's first Harry Potter book was rejected twelve times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, "I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

These people succeeded because they understand that you can't let your failures define you — you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time. If you get in trouble, that doesn't mean you're a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to behave. If you get a bad grade, that doesn't mean you're stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.

No one's born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work. You're not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don't hit every note the first time you sing a song. You've got to practice. It's the same with your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right, or read something a few times before you understand it, or do a few drafts of a paper before it's good enough to hand in.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don't know something, and to learn something new. So find an adult you trust — a parent, grandparent or teacher; a coach or counselor — and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.

And even when you're struggling, even when you're discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you — don't ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.

The story of America isn't about people who quit when things got tough. It's about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best. It's the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google, Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.

So today, I want to ask you, what's your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?

Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I'm working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you've got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don't let us down — don't let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

Mama of Two

2009-06-02T09:32:00.002-04:00

On May 12th our little boy Finnegan Todd was born. I haven't been blogging much at all since then. Things have been busy, not so much hectic but learning the ropes of being a mama of two.

Finn is a great baby. He cries when he needs to let us know something, but for the most part he is pretty content and we are quite blessed.

Braeden is enjoying AND adjusting to being a big brother. He enjoys his baby brother, but isn't always keen on sharing me, fortunately he only takes it out on me and not on the baby. Unfortunately, it breaks my heart even though I know this will pass and he doesn't mean everything he says.

Yesterday Brae had surgery. He had his adenoids taken out. The surgeon came out and told us it was really great that we had them taken out because it turns out they were rather enlarged, had green mucous and pus coming out of them. Bleck! With that being said once he gets through this healing process we're hoping for major improvements in his health. Now that infectious elements have been removed he should be able to breathe better and should get less sinus infections/headaches. I'm praying it all turns out good. Last night was really rough for him. He spiked a fever and was in a great deal of pain before we were allowed to administer the pain medicine again. Needless to say he is taking time to actually sleep this morning.

For Brian and I it has been difficult taking care of a newborn (3 weeks old today) and a five-year-old in pain. But we're enduring and knowing that this too shall pass. For me..well I am exhausted and losing whatever is left of my sanity but I know the boys will grow up too fast and someday won't need me to take care of them...so that puts the exhaustion and chaos into perspective a little bit.

And now it's time to stop blogging. My boys need me. And I need them.

Photo Included by Schmap

2009-04-25T14:33:00.003-04:00

You may or may not be interested to know that a photo I took during our recent trip to Baltimore has been included in the "Sights & Attractions" section of Schmap for Baltimore.

It's exciting to me. =o)

The photo they asked to use was one I took while we were touring the Geppi's Entertainment Museum. I honestly don't even know the character in the photo, I just liked the way it was looking at me.

I didn't get paid or anything, but how sweet is it that my name is listed in the guide? Woohoo! I guess it's a good thing (sometimes) that I love taking so many photographs!

Wait, Watch, Wave

2009-04-22T09:29:00.004-04:00

This morning I was running a little bit later to work and due to the Murphy's Law of a time factor crunch I found myself behind school buses most of the way in to Newark. They stopped and picked up kids, some which ran to the bus excitedly and other which took their time. The kids were all young, so it wasn't like I had to stop so some 13 year old could shuffle to the bus as turtle-like as possible because s/he didn't want to go to school.

The last bit of flashing red lights I sat behind was at a corner house. The little girl was standing outside with her Dad. He watched her get on the bus, they waved at each other. And even as the bus drove away he stood there at the end of his driveway watching. Here it is April, not the first day of school, more near the end actually and this Dad waited and watched his little girl being driven away on her school bus. He waved one last time before he turned around and walked back down the driveway to his house.

I knew when I saw it happening that I would write about it. The sweetness of that moment. And I'd like to thank the man who waited, watched and waved to his little girl. I hope she remembers the moment later in life.

The B Updates

2009-04-22T09:20:00.003-04:00

So at Braeden's ENT appointment the doctor said he would like to have Braeden's adenoids taken out. So this means he will be having out patient surgery on June 1st. This will be Braeden's second surgery, though he doesn't remember his first because he was only 7 months old when he had tubes put in his ears.

The adenoid procedure is only supposed to take 30 minutes which is wonderful. Unfortunately, the hardest part as a parent is waiting in recovery while your child is still sedated and you just want them to wake up. Braeden has been sedated four times for the ear tubes and other x-rays. So I have been in that position and I could cry just thinking about it.

Brian is still home recovering from his surgery. Yesterday he showed huge improvements, even made a spaghetti dinner which ended up being so delicious even though I made it "gross" by having American cheese melted under the sauce. I craved it, I had to have it, seriously. It was taking over my sensors! He also walked down to get the mail which he said was difficult, but it's good he did it, I'm proud of him.

As for me, I wish I could be out weeding the garden and planting pretty allergical flowers. My belly is just too big. I'd have to lay on my side to dig, I'd look like a beached whale. So it'll have to wait until later or just not happen this year.

And so we move on.

Fam updates

2009-04-15T11:32:00.003-04:00

So the updates... Brian's surgery went well on Monday. He'll be home recovering for about two weeks. Today we're on day three and he's still in a bit of pain but the doctor says the first to 7 days are the hardest. We're just glad everything was fixable and went as planned for the doctors on Monday morning.

Thank you for all you support and prayers, you've been wonderful friends and family.

He has some fun projects to think about and start on while he is home. He's going to reformat an old laptop for Brae. And then I'm going to Braedenize it which we're both excited about. And he's also going to be building a super awesome PC from scratch. The casing came to the house yesterday. I got him a hard drive for it last week and then other pieces should be rolling in shortly. He's psyched.

Braeden will be seeing an ENT specialist on Friday morning. I have no worries, I really feel like everything is going to be okay. I think they may want to schedule a CAT scan of his sinuses and check on his adenoids, but hopefully they'll look at him and say he's going to be A-OK.

As for me and Baby, we're hanging in there. Counting down, literally, until our due date. I know I had Braeden a couple weeks early, but maybe this birth will be different. I'm trying to stay as comfortable as possible, but this is not easy. It's a pain to waddle, it's a pain to sit and laying on my sides makes me need to flip over and over like a flapjack because I get so sore. Fortunately, I know this too shall pass and as long as Baby is doing alright then we're set. My next appointment is tomorrow.

Such a big helper

2009-04-09T10:42:00.004-04:00

Seeing as how I have 36 days left until my due date I haven't been able to get around very quickly and sometimes getting off the sofa just tires me. In addition, Brian will be having surgery on Monday and I have been very strict in telling him all I don't want him to attempt doing, because I want him to get better and recover quickly without any further damages to be dealt. You know what I mean?

And so, last night Braeden cleared the dinner dishes and put them in the sink of his own accord. No one asked him to do it, he just did. He is five years old, eye level about 2 inches above the sink and yet he completely took over and helped out.

He gives us trouble some times it is true, but he is the sweetest little boy ever. I told him he'll have to teach his baby brother how to be such a big helper.

STRESS &(#&(@%

2009-04-02T19:42:00.004-04:00

People keep telling me to relax, not to be stressed out, to learn to unwind. And then when they start stressing me out I just want to shake my head. So here I am trying to maintain sanity, while also showing everyone around me that I am trying not to be stressed out WHILE THEY ARE BUSY STRESSING ME OUT!

Yes, I'll be the responsible, calm 34 weeks along pregnant woman, with incredible tolerance. Meanwhile I'm swelling up like a balloon and every nerve in my fat body is tensed to the extreme. But that's okay. Don't you worry about me. I'm a super hero. I'm a Mom. I'm a wife. I will persevere gosh darn it.

"Reality is the leading cause of stress for those in touch with it."
Jane Wagner

"There cannot be a stressful crisis next week. My schedule is already full."
Henry Kissinger

"Stress is like an iceberg. We can see one-eighth of it above, but what about what's below?"

"The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another."
William James

"Every stress leaves an indelible scar, and the organism pays for its survival after a stressful situation by becoming a little older."
Dr. Hans Selve

Sunny kind of morning

2009-03-31T09:04:00.002-04:00

This morning I stopped in at Wawa to get some hot chocolate. It was just so cold!

When I got up to the door I held it open for a lady, she thanked me and then told me she liked my purse. Very thoughtful and sweet of her. Then when I checked out at the register the cashier told me to have a blessed day and enjoy the sunshine. I replied with the same sentiment and went on my way. It's so wonderful when people are pleasant in the morning. I just had to share this with those of you who read this section.

They think I know!

2009-03-26T17:06:00.002-04:00

Very exciting news.

Back in February I had received an e-mail from the Executive Editor of SheKnows.com, her name is Nancy Price. She was writing to let me know I had been selected to be one of the 100 ladies to write reviews for their MomKnows message board. This is not only incredibly flattering, but it's also a wonderful honor. AND I get samples of products to try out and right about that can be used by my family.

I'm currently working on my first reviews and when they have been posted at SheKnows.com I will link back and let you all know.

Yay!

The 81st day of 2009

2009-03-22T07:40:00.004-04:00

Today is my 28th birthday and since I was born bright and early in the morning I am already officially 28 years old now.

All I really want is to be able to spend time with my family today. Making memories and having laughs with people you love is the best gift ever. But I had also signed up on Facebook to raise money for the American Association for Cancer Research as a birthday gift. I just need one more person to donate and then we'll have reached the goal I had hoped for which was for five of my friends to donate $28 to the cause.

Here are quotes from people born on March 22nd from thinkexist.com. One of them is from Reese Witherspoon. She said, "Many people worry so much about managing their careers, but rarely spend half that much energy managing their LIVES. I want to make my life, not just my job, the best it can be. The rest will work itself out." I like that. Reese turns 33 years old today.

Today is Sunday, March 22, the 81st day of 2009. There are 284 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On March 22, 1765, Britain enacted the Stamp Act of 1765 to raise money from the American colonies. (The Act was repealed the following year.)

On this date:

In 1638, religious dissident Anne Hutchinson was expelled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for defying Puritan orthodoxy.

In 1820, U.S. naval hero Stephen Decatur was killed in a duel with Commodore James Barron near Washington.

In 1882, President Chester Alan Arthur signed a measure outlawing polygamy.

In 1929, a U.S. Coast Guard vessel sank a Canadian-registered schooner, the I'm Alone, in the Gulf of Mexico. (The schooner was suspected of carrying bootleg liquor.)

In 1933, during Prohibition, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a measure to make wine and beer containing up to 3.2 percent alcohol legal.

In 1941, the Grand Coulee hydroelectric dam in Washington state went into operation.

In 1945, the Arab League was formed with the adoption of a charter in Cairo.

In 1958, movie producer Mike Todd and three other people were killed in the crash of Todd's private plane near Grants, N.M.

In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson named General William C. Westmoreland to be the Army's new chief of staff.

In 1978, Karl Wallenda, the 73-year-old patriarch of "The Flying Wallendas" high-wire act, fell to his death while attempting to walk a cable strung between two hotel towers in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Ten years ago: Acting as his own lawyer, Dr. Jack Kevorkian went on trial on murder charges for the first time, telling a jury in Pontiac, Mich., he was merely carrying out his professional duty in giving a lethal injection to a man with Lou Gehrig's disease as shown on CBS' "60 Minutes." (Kevorkian was convicted of second-degree murder.)

Five years ago: Hamas spiritual leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, enraging Palestinians. Terry Nichols went on trial for his life in the Oklahoma City bombing. (Nichols, already serving a life sentence for his conviction on federal charges, was found guilty of 161 state murder charges, but was again spared the death penalty when the jury couldn't agree on his sentence.)

One year ago: Vice President Dick Cheney, visiting the Middle East, said the U.S. had an "enduring and unshakable" commitment to Israel's security and its right to defend itself against those bent on destroying the Jewish state. Jeffrey Buttle of Canada won the men's title at the World Figure Skating Championships in Goteborg, Sweden.

Thought for Today: "Kindness consists in loving people more than they deserve." - Joseph Joubert, French moralist (1754-1824).

Happy Birthday to everyone born on this day! I pray your lives are as blessed as mine!

Birthday Weekend Fun

2009-03-21T19:04:00.003-04:00

Mom and I went to the Perryville Outlets today. This has become a tradition for the two of us and we typically go twice a year. Once in the Fall and once in the Spring. This typically coincides with Braeden's birthday and then my birthday.

Each time we head to the outlets it's exciting for us because we know we'll be eating lunch at Chesapeake Food Works. They make THE BEST sandwiches, all kinds, I'm not lying. We seriously look forward to their sandwiches each time we plan a trip. This time I had one with pastrami, coleslaw, russian dressing and swiss cheese. DEELISH!

I also enjoy looking in Rue 21 and the Osk Kosk B' Gosh store. But my favoritest store of all is the Book Cellar. You can get excellent paperback books for $1! Since I love books, LOVE THEM, I always find it hard to remain disciplined while in this store, but today I think I did very well. In fact I ended up buying more for Braeden then for me and I think that is perfectly acceptable.

The only bad thing is that each time we go to the outlets there are less stores. They can't seem to stay open. This time we noticed the Mikasa and Claire's stores were gone. I hope they are able to remedy this and get more shops opened soon. I'd be bummed if the outlet center shut down.

Mom and I had a great time walking around and talking about life. I'm so happy we were able to go and that my feet didn't swell up too big by the time we headed home. Thank you to my Mom for making my birthday weekend more special.

When I got home Brian was busying cleaning the grill. This is great news! I can't wait to have more grilled dinners. Brian makes the best grilled chicken and of course Brae and I love turkey burgers.

He had also fixed the shelf in one of our kitchen cabinets and gone grocery shopping. this was a very productive morning for Bri and I'm thankful for all he did.

Now I'm eating dinner and relaxing. Tomorrow will be my 28th birthday. Braeden is coming home early from his father;s. Greg and Jada are coming down for dinner, as well as my parents and my in-laws. It will surely be a wonderful day!

Weekend Trip to Baltimore

2009-03-16T08:00:00.003-04:00

On Friday evening Brian, Braeden and I made our way to Baltimore for a weekend of fun. We booked two nights through Harbor Magic to stay at the Brookshire Suites with a package rate that included VIP tickets to the Baltimore Aquarium. The tickets also included admission into the dolphin show and their 4D theater experience which this weekend was about the "Shallow Seas".

This was Braeden's first experience staying in a hotel and as a family it was our first experience taking a trip together, just the three of us. Braeden was very excited!

The Brookshire Suites were far less than spectacular. Turns out the hotel used to be a parking garage, I did not know this when I booked the package. Maybe then I would have realized it might not be the most comfortable of environments. The giant bay windows in the room provided absolutely no insulation to the weather nor did they keep out even a decibel of sound. Even on the 9th floor there were times we could hear people talking down on the street. In addition there must have been three dozen times when emergency vehicles drove by during the two nights. And the big metal sheet covering the pot hole right outside the hotel also made for some great noises every single time anything drove over it.

On top of the sounds, the parking garage made into hotel also meant very low ceilings. Brian could touch the ceiling without fully extending his arm. Anyone six feet or over would have had to duck to get through the short doors. Even I was able to look over the shower curtain and into the mirror, and I'm only 5'3".

Oh the fun doesn't end there...

The carpet was also used as trimming around the bottom of the walls. It was folded up and glued, which as I am sure you can imagine did not look good or work out well and it was sort of flapping over. The sofa which was supposed to be a sofa bed looked more like a piece of furniture which had been thrown out on the street after a domestic violence situation. There was what Brian and I deemed a stab wound in the middle cushion and each cushion you sat on was grossly stained. Plus all of the pillows were sewn together AND sewn into the sofa, so you couldn't move them at all.

Then came the complimentary breakfast. There was supposed to be a shark character dressed up in costume for the children, but there wasn't. And the breakfast included cold scrambled eggs, cut up red potatoes (also cold) sausage and what I am surmising was supposed to be fresh toast. On the other side were danishes (probably from 7-11) and slice fruit. You could also choose dry cereal, a bagel or toast. They had three toasters and only one and a half of them worked. To drink they had water, juices, coffee and tea. They ran out of orange juice on the second morning. They also ran out of watermelon during the second morning.

Needless to say we won't be staying at the Brookshire Suites ever again.

Saturday morning we walked to the Inner Harbor, took pictures and looked around on our way to the Baltimore Aquarium. The aquarium wasn't too packed when we initially walked in, but everyone and their brother showed up quickly. We went almost immediately to the dolphin show which was packed and so we had to sit way up high. There really wasn't a bad seat in the house though, and Braeden liked watching the dolphins do their tricks. The show only lasted 15 minutes and I felt it had more talking than dolphin tricks, but it was still pretty cool to see how intelligent the dolphins were.

After the dolphin show we fought the crowds walking around and looking at anything we could get close enough to look at. At times we had to coerce Brae to push his way to the window so he could at least see the fish and ocean life through the windows. He says he liked seeing the sharks, but I think he liked the turtles the best. He ended up buying a stuffed sea turtle which he named Tortoise and a notepad with turtles on it as well.

Before heading back down to the bottom floor for the 4D theater show we attempted grabbing a bite to eat at the top floor cafe. Where I stood in line for 25 minutes (with four people ahead of me) waiting to purchase a $3.50 soft pretzel and $3.00 bottle of water. Nothing had been prepared, even the french fries were fried only when ordered. It was well after noon and so a lot of people were hungry and waiting. But while Braeden was eating his soft pretzel and telling us it was the best soft pretzel ever, what could we do? The long wait and expensive pretzel was worth it to see him smiling.

The 4D show was a 3D movie with extra effects. The theme was "shallow seas" and it was pretty interesting. After we were crammed like sardines into the little theater of course. Braeden laughed nearly the whole time because we were getting sprayed in the face, our chairs were shaking, things were bristling at our feet and we could feel the wind from the movie. When the water snake was coming at us 3D we also felt a poke in our backs, the chairs had all sorts of effects programmed into them, it was really quite interesting.

After the aquarium we walked on the Chesapeake. Braeden chose this ship, probably because it was bright red and placed right outside the aquarium entrance. But it was pretty cool. Although difficult for a 31 week pregnant mama to climb around in. He was curious about everything and was running around looking at things. I think he liked the steering wheel area the best.

Now it was time to take another potty break and eat some food. We went into the gallery at the Inner Harbor. We ended up choosing Chicago Uno's Pizzeria for food. Brian and I shared a deep dish Chicago's Classic and it was delicious. We also had onion straws, also delicious. Braeden ordered iced tea and cheese pizza but he fell asleep on the table before the food arrived.

We stayed in at the hotel the rest of the night. My legs were swollen, I was having painful contractions and it was clearly time to rest up. We weren't sure what we would do when we woke up, but we were thinking about the Children's Port Discovery Musuem. When we found out it didn't open until noon we ended up going to Geppi's Entertainment Museum in Camden Yards. It was super cool. Brian and I loved looking at all the old toys and comics, everything pop culture related from he 1800s on was in this museum. Braeden was pretty bored in some of the rooms, but he liked the comic book room and he enjoyed the more recent pop culture where he recognized Star Wars, Batman, Superman, Ghostbusters and such things.

Then we drove home. We picked Mya up at my parent's house. And we pretty much sat and watched movies in our pajammies Sunday night. While I uploaded nearly 200 photos from our fun-filled weekend.

Brae is getting better

2009-03-10T10:27:00.003-04:00

Braeden is back at day care today. This is his first day out of the house, aside for the doctor and hospital visits, since last Tuesday. When he got out of the car to see his Gram this morning he said, "Look, I'm walking." I could have cried right then.

He really had been too sick to walk. Nearly a full week of just laying on the sofa, whimpering during his naps and throwing up or having diarrhea completely wore down his body. He has lost a noticeable amount of weight and his eyes are still very dark and sunken in, but he has made huge progress. Yesterday afternoon he actually wanted to eat something and he started drinking his grape propel (courtesy of Barb) without me having to remind him to drink. It was like a miracle to me. The sudden will to get better he began displaying.

He had a stomach bug of some sort. It's going around and it seems to be just destroying the children who catch it. He only had a fever one day which is good because he dehydrated even without running a fever.

Saturday we spent 8 hours in the ER at A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children. It was packed in the waiting room. They did an abdominal x-ray which showed a blocked/impacted area of his intestines which was something he was dealing with in addition to the bug. It was causing him great pain.

I won't get into everything they did to help him get better, but let's just say that little boy has been through hell and back over the last seven days.

I am so, so, so very grateful to see him perking up now.

Thank you to everyone who has helped out and prayed for him!

Here's the run down

2009-03-05T11:42:00.003-05:00

Okay, so last Friday we went to have dinner at the in-laws for Brian's birthday. Aunt Gerri, Uncle Bill and Kevin were there as well. Terri made delicious baked ziti and there was also yummy salad. In my eyes it was essentially the perfect meal. The only thing which would have made it better would have have been a glass of red wine. And that will have to wait.

Brian was given a shop vac and a blu ray dvd player. And shockingly enough I was also given something. Terri and Todd bought me a FANTABULOUS digital SLR camera for my birthday which is coming up in March. The early gift was a huge surprise and I am already getting a lot of use out of it. I love it. I could not have asked for a better present.

It's a Nikon D60, 10.2-megapixel DX-format CCD imaging sensor and exclusive EXPEED image processing. Yes, the very same you see Ashton Kutcher with in all those camera commercials. It really is just incredible.

On Saturday Braeden was sick, he threw up and had a horrible headache. It was a rough day. Fortunately, it was only a 12-hour bug apparently because he seemed better on Sunday. In fact, he wanted to go to his swim lesson with Team Delaware and so we went.

Much to my dismay Team Delaware practices at the 1614 in Newark and the building is very run down. In fact, if I didn't already have Brae excited about the lesson I might have backed out upon seeing his dirty the area in the locker room and around the pool was. I really hope they work on it, I know Team Delaware is just renting the pool, but they should know the atmosphere is very underwhelming.

Braeden was afraid at first to get in the pool and do things without his life vest. However, the coaches were very good with him and he ended up having a great time. He bobbed in the water by letting his face go underwater, he blew bubbles, he practiced kicking and for a millisecond he even attempted floating on his back. They ended by jumping off the side and into the deeper water. Braeden tried it as long as the coach was within arms reach and I was super proud!

Sunday night it started snowing and we were warned of a major snowstorm. Monday morning when we woke up there was about 6 inches of snow. Work was closed and we were in for a fun snow day. By the end of the day we had a little over 8 inches I think, but the wind was fiercely blowing snow drifts in areas so I'm not sure if we got more or not.

Brian, Brae and I played outside for a bit, but it got bitter cold very quickly. There are a lot of fun photos which you can see at the link in the above paragraph. Braeden got both Brian and I good with his snowballs. Very fun.

And then Tuesday morning Braeden was throwing up again, coupled with diarrhea. He was so, so sick. So I left work and went to get him at daycare. And we've been home since then. Today is the first day he has been able to keep water in and he also had a half piece of toast and half a banana. This is definite progress. Although he still has not gotten off the sofa, he is laying down and very, very tired. This bug definitely got the best of him. Yet, bless his little sick heart, he's craving chocolate glazed donuts from Dunkin Donuts.

**update** He's throwing up again, this afternoon. Prayers needed my friends. 1:30 p.m.

And so here we are. Thursday. I'm getting some work done from home. I'm watching Two and a Half Men dvds as requested by Braeden. And I'm just hoping this weekend will bring intense rest.

Cliffnotes on the past few days

2009-02-24T09:14:00.004-05:00

Lots to update you about and yet so little energy on my part.

Friday Braeden was pretty sick. He had a migraine and actually asked to be placed in a dark room away from the noise of the other children in daycare. Of course I then went to pick him up and upon pulling up in our driveway he threw up all over the car. It was gross. And my Jeep still smells even after being cleaned and aired out. The night before he had slipped off the sofa and the left side of his face slid across the carpet. He had a wicked rug burn which is now fading quickly. Brian thinks he probably had a mild concussion from the fall and that might have contributed to the headache and vomiting. But his pediatrician said he had no signs of a head injury when we took him in to be checked out. Who knows.

Saturday morning Braeden was feeling better and his father picked him up. As you all probably know I ache when Braeden is away, even if only for 24 hours.

Saturday afternoon, Brian and I went to Baltimore for David and Emily's wedding. I took many photos and posted most of them on Flickr which you can peak at using the above link. The wedding was beautiful. Both David and Emily looked elated the entire time. The reception was also lovely and I had a great time observing the crazy dancing of people who had gotten tipsy and the children who were just loving life.

We came back on Sunday after having stayed the night in Baltimore at the Hilton Garden. Neither of us slept very well and naps were needed before Braeden was to arrive back home. Braeden and I played a bit of Monkey Ball on the Wii that night.

Yesterday was Joy Sparks' Memorial Service at Clayton Hall. Carrie and I drove over together along with everyone else here at work. The service lasted about an hour and a half and I think I cried the entire time. I didn't know her as well as others since I have only been working here for a couple years. However, from the time I did get to know her she always lived up to her name. She was a joy in every respect. She will be missed dearly by many.

Today is Brian's 28th birthday. I got him a new home theater system and it's already hooked up since it came early. Braeden woke him up this morning by jumping on the bed and singing Happy Birthday. He also gave him a handmade card and framed painting, both of which he was extremely proud of and I wish I had my camera to snap a picture of his Cheshire grin.

Braeden and I made a vanilla/vanilla cake for tonight. And we'll have something special for dinner though I haven't quite figured that part out yet. Either way it should be a very nice birthday night. And I only wish we all could have spent the day together instead of having to go to work.

And now I must get back to work. And try to stay awake.

P.S. Today is National Pancake Day!

Caprese and Potatoes

2009-02-18T14:38:00.003-05:00

I didn't have my camera on me, but hopefully this post will explain just how awesome lunch was today.

Cafe Gelato, in Newark, has delicious food and a decent enough atmosphere now that they have renovated, but their service and prices sometimes bring their ranks down and keep them off the radar for regular lunch visits.

Today, however, the lunch experience for me was wonderful. I explained to our waiter, Jason, that I was craving their red potatoes with the balsamic dressing. Carrie of course then had to tell him to note the pregnant belly, as if an explanation for my weirdness was needed.

Carrie and I ordered their Caprese Panini with pesto which comes with a side of these YUM potatoes. Chris and Katy ordered their own things and then we waited. The wait was long, it normally is and it is frustrating. I wondered how my potatoes were coming along. I wondered if I'd even get them.

**cut back to a couple weeks ago**

When Katy, Jim and I went to Gelato and they ended up giving me white, creamy scalloped potatoes and claimed they were out of the red kind. Me = Not Happy!

**

When our lunches finally came out I was famished and excited. Jason had brought a whole extra plate of the deelish roasted red potatoes! I cannot even tell you how thrilled I was to see all those potatoes. I ate all but one!

My Caprese Panini was also amazing. How can you go wrong with fresh mozzarella, roma tomatoes and pesto on fresh baked homemade focaccia? You can't. It was awesome.

And so said to Jason, "You're awesome!"

"No, you're awesome," was his response.

He also made sure to refill my water. As did another waiter AND the owner of the place while we were there.

To make the entire experience even better, when we received the check at the end I was not charged for the extra potatoes.

When we left the other ladies sampled or bought gelato to go, but I didn't need it. I was filled and happy!

Thank you to Jason at Cafe Gelato and to your lovely chefs!

A sad time

2009-02-18T08:02:00.003-05:00

It is with great sadness that I write to tell you a co-worker of mine, Joy Sparks, has passed away. Last night at home with her family we lost a great lady. This morning there was a message to all of us from the Dean of the College.

Joy worked as the 4-H coordinator for UD Cooperative Extension for the state of Delaware. She has worked with 4-H practically her entire adult life. I know there are going to be thousands of people all over the nation mourning.

"Sparks was presented the Perpetual Lighthouse Award, the highest award that a UD Cooperative Extension employee can receive, then was honored with the Distinguished Service to Ag award from the New Castle County Farm Bureau. More recently, she received yet another Distinguished Service to Ag award, this time from the Delaware Farm Bureau."

Home brew and golf balls

2009-02-16T11:04:00.002-05:00

Well, Braeden was supposed to start his swimming lessons with Team Delaware yesterday, but apparently I got the location wrong. Though I thought I verified everything on Thursday...

So maybe in the upcoming weeks we'll be able to get him into a class. It just might not be with Team Delaware now. Oh well.

We did take him to the little park near our house so he could use his kiddie golf club set. He did very well, he can really hit the ball far and it's fun to see how excited he gets.

Brian's home brew finished up in the fermenter and so he and Brae bottled it. Now it has to sit in the bottles for a week and then he'll be able to put some in the fridge to get cold and drink.

We went to American Signature and bought an entertainment center which should be delivered on Thursday. It finished up most of the gift card we had for that store. I think it will help with the look and organization of our family room. I feel good about it.

That's all I've got for you at the moment.

Happy Monday.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T08:47:00.003-05:00

To the men in my life Brian, Braeden, Baby Finn, my Dad, brother and Grandpa.

According to Wikipedia, Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world. In the West, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The day was originally a pagan festival that was renamed after two Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

This year people will be spending less on Valentine's Day. I know my brother and his girlfriend are hitting the Italian market and then making dinner for themselves at home. Brian and I will probably be doing something similar, except we'll be including Braeden this year since he's home with us and hasn't been feeling very well.

Be a thrifty Valentine this year!