Maybe I do and Maybe I do

Life Changing Massage

2010-03-13T15:46:00.002-05:00

As a new mother of a 6 month old, I am here to say that I could use a massage at least once a week. It all started when Ryan was born and I did more "looking down" than ever before. I couldn't get enough of looking at his sweet little face. Along with that new neck move, came a constant tight neck. Since Ryan was born at 9 pounds and grew to be over 20 pounds in 6 months, picking him up also did a number on my back. I really need to go back to the Chiropractor. For a quick fix, I tried to book a massage from my favorite Masseur, Nick Shade at Amenity Day Spa in Ashburn. I don't know who I thought I was, trying to get a walk-in massage on a rainy Saturday afternoon. I mean, isn't that what everyone does on a rainy Saturday afternoon?

When I got the news from the receptionist, that they were all booked, I immediately got my sad face out. I called Jasmine Day Spa in Leesburg and asked if they had an opening. They said, "Sure, come by in 30 minutes". Sweet!

Let me back up a minute. I went to Jasmine one time to get a broken nail mended. I hate to generalize, but it was a very typical nail place (you all know what I mean). They definitely need a better vent in there, as it smells of methyl methacrylite.

For some reason, when I called to make the appointment, I thought I booked at Lotus in downtown Leesburg, then I remembered, "Wait, this is the nail place I went to before".

Well, the appointment was scheduled and I didn't care, I NEEDED a massage.

I am sorta a snob about sushi and vacation spots. I would add that I am a bit picky about day spas as well. I got into the salon and was greeted by the smell of nails (which made me nervous). I was escorted to a back room, which they must use as a catch all for waxing, facials and massages. Normally, when you get a massage, the room is simple, calming music is playing in the background and the smell of ylang ylang and sandalwood dance around the room. This room was quite the opposite. I actually got a little freaked out because it was so cluttered! Again, I put my feelings aside and hope for the best.

Ruba, I believe she is from India, comes in and starts the massage. She immediately makes a verbal note that I am quite tense in my shoulder area! I asked if she would spend most of the hour on my back, neck and shoulders. This is when a tiny bit of heaven started to kneed my muscles. I don't know if you are all like this, but when I get a massage, I like to feel it. When I am paying good money, I want my muscles to feel refreshed. I don't want someone to tickle my back. Ruba was stretching my neck, arms and legs. She moved my body around so that she could reach different parts of my muscles. I never had a massage like this before and almost questioned if she was even a licensed masseur. However, it felt so remarkable that I didn't care if she was a licensed truck driver. I just wanted her to keep going.

I was able to put the sounds of dogs barking (the day spa is connected to Pet Smart), I missed out on the smell of essential oils and didn't hear the soothing sounds of a waterfall or ocean. But I got one of the best massages of my life coupled with a chakra cleaning (which may have been the best part).

I chalk this massage up to one of those little hole in the wall Italian restaurants that serve the best food ever. You are a little nervous about clean silverware, but once you taste the perfectly roasted garlic, you are sold!

I have to also confess, that I was getting flu like symptoms (chills and an achy back) and they completely went away after the massage. They are moving to a new location, by Gold's Gym across from Super Target, next month. I am going to see Ruba before and after the move. This may be my new addiction. I feel as if I am cheating on Nick Shade, but Ruba is amazing!

Sweet mother of Jesus, I feel wonderful!

Coming Down To The Wire

2009-08-23T17:24:00.003-04:00

I can't believe I haven't blogged in 7 years. Its not that I don't have the time, I think facebook just took over. Most of you know that Marc and I are expecting our first child at the end of this month (Aug 28th). That is the official due date, mentally, however, I think its more of a range. So, I have been saying "toward the end of August". My prediction of Aug 18-22 has come and gone. However, Marc has been thinking Aug 27th for many months now. I guess we have no control over it, the baby will come when he is ready.

I have been trying to document the pregnancy through photos, but only really started at 29 weeks. I got big so early on, I guess it wouldn't have mattered if I started at 15 weeks or 30. Can I even tell you how many people months ago asked, "Any day now? Are you having twins". The answer is NO! Marc and I are not small people, its not a surprise we are having a big kid.

Anyway, if you are not on facebook, here are a couple photos to see what is going on with Marc and I.

So Cute

2009-05-14T13:17:00.002-04:00

Its little items like this, Marc and I are starting to collect, that is making me even more excited for our expected arrival. Seriously, look at these little slippers.

It's Been So Long

2009-04-08T20:42:00.004-04:00

I can't believe I haven't posted since the Superbowl. This is what has been going on since Marc and I left for Florida for the 'big game'.

For starters, as you know, the Steelers won the Superbowl. We were able to upgrade our tickets (for free) for club level seats on the Steeler's side. It was the best sporting event I have been to. What a great experience.

It was so nice to hang out with Aunt JoAnn and Ron for a few days!

Lets see, what else has been going on? Oh yeah, Marc and I are expecting our first child. The baby is due at the end of August. However, at our last ultrasound, not only did they tell us we are having a baby boy, they said I was two weeks ahead of the due date. Well, either the date is wrong or I am just having a big baby. Considering Marc and I are not small people, I could give birth to a toddler sized infant.

This news may very well be the reason I haven't written anything in such a long time. I am finally over the awful morning sickness, but I am still pretty tired.

All in all, we are doing really good.

Here are a few pictures of the happenings over the last few months.

Super Bowl Bound!

2009-01-25T17:12:00.002-05:00

Marc and I are going!!!

Go Steelers!!!!

Happy Birthday, Ray!

2009-01-02T14:50:00.003-05:00

Hope you have a great day!

Christmas List

2008-12-06T20:15:00.006-05:00

Dear Marc,
Just in case you wanted to know what I may want for Christmas this year...

1.) A kitten -- possibly an orange and white one.
2.) Yankee Candles and more Yankee candles (tarts are acceptable and welcomed)
3.) A fennec fox
4.) A trip to Aruba
5.) A trip to Ireland
6.) Bath and Body works bath bubbles
7.) A new coffee table
8.) More time with you...like we don't spend enough time together anyway. But its never enough.
9.) Tickets to the new Yankee Stadium (not against the Red Sox, please)
10.) A miniature donkey, which we will call Nicodemus.
11.) MyFarm trees and chickens (Peach trees and Black chickens)
12.) A massage with the one and only, Nick Shade
13.) Dance lessons with you
14.) A pigmy sea horse, which we will call peanut
15.) Skybars
16.) Coloring books and new crayons (I love coloring during the winter)
17.) New clothes for Isabella, our (or should I say, MY) dress up goose
18.) Gunga Din (the DVD)
19.) A Dwight Shrute $2.00 bill
20.) Perhaps a lunch with Johnny Depp or Rue McClanahan

These are just some general suggestions. Christmas is certainly not about gift giving, but just in case the 'media' gets to you and you feel like you need to reach into your wallet and spend money, you know, to pump up the economy.

I thank you for your support.

Your loving wife,
Amy

Pure Awesome-ness

2008-11-19T14:49:00.003-05:00

Wow, its really the little things these days that make me laugh. A friend of mine from softball, posted this story on facebook. I thought it was funny enough to put on my blog.

Man tries to pay bill with spider drawing (read email chain), click here.

Can't Handle This--

2008-11-12T10:02:00.003-05:00

Anything involving baby tiger cubs makes me totally insane. Actually, anything involving baby animals makes me insane. Two things I am pretty sure I need to add to my bucket list:
1.) Swim with dolphins
2.) Spend the day playing with a tiger cubs (alone). I don't want to be at a zoo and have to battle 100 kids to play with a tiger cub. Even if the 100 kids are the cutest things I have ever seen. I want to play with the baby tiger cubs too.

Cool Person- Alert!!

2008-11-12T09:52:00.000-05:00

Tracy Bowers, do you know her?

Steelers vs Redskins

2008-11-05T15:49:00.004-05:00

I know there are Steeler fans everywhere and a lot live in the DC Area That being said, it was awesome to be a Steeler fan during Monday night football. Steeler fans made enough noise to force the Redskins into a silent count. The noise was enough for even the Redskin's players to comment.

This was the second away game (the other in Atlanta) that I have experienced a massive turnout of Steeler fans. Job well done!!

Back From Vacation...Back To Reality

2008-11-01T20:10:00.003-04:00

We left the 90 degree weather in Aruba and was welcomed by 50 degree weather in Virginia. Not such a great way to be welcomed home. I am fairly confident that I can speak for the group by saying fun was had by all. Hurricane Omar stirred up the water a bit and brought a little bit of rare rain to Aruba, but it wasn't enough to keep us in doors and it was only for a couple days. We are already planning another trip. Is February too soon to go back?

Here are a couple pictures from the trip:

I didn't take a lot of scenic pictures during this trip. Maybe its because I have taken so many during past trips. However, I did capture a lot of our bar outings. If you want to see more pictures, click here. I have to warn you, however, there are over 500 pictures. If you want to see more scenic pictures of aruba, check out my Picasa site for previous trips.

The Countdown Is Over.....

2008-10-10T22:59:00.004-04:00

Walking + Picture Taking = Relaxing

2008-10-10T09:10:00.005-04:00

I took advantage of the wonderful weather we are having and I hit the W O&D trail a couple weeks ago to take some pictures. Its just taken this long to download the pictures from my camera and post.

If you want to take a look at the whole set, click here.

Trying Something New

2008-10-10T08:33:00.004-04:00

Last week, Marc and I were walking around downtown Leesburg and we went into a little antique shop to look around. I found an old, beat-up table for 20 bucks. For some reason, I looked past all the work that needed done and saw an awesome table. So, we bought it. Now, I just have to figure out how to restore an old wooden table (its all new to me). I am hoping I can get some 'pointers' from Marc's mom when they come to visit in Nov, that is if I don't try to work on it before they get here. I figure, if I mess something up, its only 20 bucks. I am excited to see if I can pull this off (it needs a lot of work). I am a little fearful that when I pull back some of the wood planks, bugs will crawl out (eewwww).

Here are some before pictures of my table.

Rub Mammal's Head For Luck..

2008-09-26T10:49:00.002-04:00

Mammal loves her some scratch-offs! She has won $1,000.00 twice in the last month or so. Can you even believe it? Maybe its time for her to move from scratch-offs to the big lotto!

Congratulations, Mammal and Company!

Separated at Birth

2008-09-25T22:01:00.011-04:00

Sandra Oh and Alice the Goon from Popeye cartoon fame

Good Bye - Yankee Stadium

2008-09-22T12:31:00.004-04:00

Even if you are not a Yankee fan, there is absolutely no denying the fact that Yankee Stadium holds more history than any other stadium. It was pretty awesome to watch the ceremonies that took place before and after the game last night. For those that may not know, the last game in Yankee Stadium was played last night in a 7-3 victory against the Orioles. The Yankees will move into their new stadium right across the street.

I was telling Marc I didn't notice any of the orioles during the game. It was like the Yankees were running around the field all by themselves. They were soaking up the last bit of energy they could grab before the stadium closed its doors after 85 years.

Joe Girardi (27) stands at home with Yogi Berra (8) and Michael Munson (15, son of late Thurman Munson) in a ceremony acknowledging alumni. (Kathy Willens/AP)

Yogi is one of the best baseball players of all time, not to mention one of the cutest little old baseball players, EVER. Just look at him standing behind the plate for the last time in Yankee Stadium.

Hhhmm.. What do I want for Christmas this year? Maybe tickets to a game next year in the new stadium....

All Clean

2008-09-14T17:28:00.002-04:00

I've had my current laptop for about a year now. Most of you know that I spend a fair amount of time on it. I am fairly good at wiping my keyboard down, cleaning my screen, using compressed air cans to clean under the keyboard, etc...

Not sure where (or why) I found the time to do this, but I took my cleaning of the laptop to a whole new level. I pulled off ALL the keys (making sure to place them on the table in order in which they were removed) and proceeded to do a heavy duty clean to the keyboard. Armed with Q-Tips and a water/cleaner solution, I started to painstakingly clean around each key. The amount of gunk that came out, completed surprised me. I mean, lets be honest, I eat while on my computer, but I certainly do not eat over my machine. There was crumbs, dust, and crud---quite disgusting. I almost took a picture of the proof, but decided against it. People may think I am the type of person that cleans her ears then looks at the Q-Tip or something. YUK!

Anyway, twenty minutes later, I am working on a clean laptop and feel great about. I only wish I could somehow install a little air freshener now, like when you go through a car wash. Do you and your computer a favor and conduct this heavy duty clean. You can thank me later for this little piece of advice.

So Cute!

2008-09-08T10:30:00.004-04:00

This is Katy, my friend Jenn's god-daughter. I can't even handle it. She has to be the cutest little girl EVER. I am not even saying this because of the Steeler jersey, but it certainly helps.

Its That Time AGAIN.....

2008-09-03T21:32:00.001-04:00

Mammal's Tattoo

2008-09-03T21:09:00.003-04:00

Mammal wanted to get a tattoo of the breast cancer ribbon and the word "faith". She is hoping that the breast cancer stops with her and granola and no one else in the family gets it, hence the word, 'faith'. Its a small tattoo, but has a strong meaning. So, this past weekend her and I went to get her ink. I need to get a couple pictures of the 'healed' tattoo, I will post once I get them. As for now, here are some pictures I took from the day.

Click here to see the rest.

Labor Day Weekend

2008-09-03T20:49:00.004-04:00

For some reason, the men never jumped into our group photos???

What a great weekend. Mammal and Ray came to town for a long weekend. Mostly to see Jimmy Buffett on Saturday, but also just to get out of town and celebrate the conclusion of Mammals radiation treatments. She is doing outstanding, by the way.

The Buffett show was (as usual) so much fun. We had such a fun group and a lot of visitors to our 'tent' area. We merged our party with the group next to us, Heather and Charlie (and company), I think we found parrothead friends for life. No kidding, I hope the next VA show we go to, we can meet up with them.

A few highlights of the day were:
* Good friends !!!
* Beautiful Weather
* Awesome 'special' fruit
* Great Jello-shots (thanks Vic)
* Cilantro Shrimp
* The swimming pool
* Two Buffett virgins
* Lovelady Punch
* Corona
* Rock Band -- playing a shark guitar (Darcy and I rocked on the axes)
* An outstanding setlist (Scarlet Begonias AND Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35), can't believe he played both songs in one show.

Thanks to everyone for making it a great experience. You can check out some pictures here.

Baby Birds

2008-08-19T21:29:00.003-04:00

These little guys are in a birdhouse in my mom's back yard. I tried to pull them out and dress them up (you know--hats and shawls), but the bird-mom got angry.

Champions!

2008-08-15T13:48:00.005-04:00

The Harvey Balls, the company softball team that I coach, won the Division II championship last night. We won 11 - 0. It was an outstanding game and a remarkable show of defense. In addition, our team was voted for and won the Geep Fisher Award. This award is voted on, by teams in the league, for the display of the best sportsmanship and corporate spirit throughout the season. It really is an honor to win this award and means a great deal to me (and the team). There are so many great people that play in this league (over 30 teams). Its been a pleasure to have this group of people play for the Harvey Balls.

See ya on the diamond in '09.

Bungalow's Breast Cancer Fundraiser

2008-08-15T12:51:00.003-04:00

Bungalow Billiard's in Sterling,VA is having a breast cancer fundraiser this Saturday, August 16Th. You can listen to some bands, get your car washed, try your hand at the dunk tank, play cornhole, darts, guitar hero, etc. Five ladies that work at the bar will participate in the 3-day walk and hope to raise money for the cause. In honor of my grandma, mom and Heather, I was planning on volunteering for the event and help raise money. However, Marc and I decided to go to Pittsburgh this weekend to see Mammal. She is finally done with her treatments--yeah!! I did make the breast cancer cornhole game and some ribbons for the ladies, volunteers, bartenders to wear during the event.

If you are in the Dulles area on Saturday, please stop by and donate for the cause.

Congratulations, Mammal

2008-08-14T10:13:00.003-04:00

Mammal will finish her radiation treatments this afternoon. This past week she has been pain and remains tired. I am so proud of her and happy that she is on the road to recovery! Congratulations, Mammal! See you this weekend!

God Bless America

2008-08-12T09:07:00.004-04:00

Chris (AKA Seinfeld) and Kerri's daughter, Lexi (4 years old), sings God Bless America in their church. I can't even handle this video.

AAHHH... San Diego

2008-08-02T13:19:00.002-04:00

I cannot wait to get away from this nasty 95 degree humid weather and get to this:

Dublin Square-- here I come.

Randy Pausch

2008-07-25T13:16:00.004-04:00

Randy Pausch, died today of pancreatic cancer. My sister use to work with one of his children, which is how I first heard about him. He is known for his inspirational "Last Lecture". If you have not watched this, please take 10 minutes to watch,click here. This is a concentrated version of the original lecture, which you can find here.. Seriously, take 10 minutes to watch this, it very inspirational.

His story can be found here.

Happy Birthday, JSF!!

2008-07-25T08:41:00.004-04:00

Now, just picture the two of us with birthday hats on or maybe we want to consider wearing top hats instead (I don't know--just a thought).

To good friends...to beautiful weather...and the air is just right for a birthday.

Enjoy the day, my friend.

OH NO

2008-07-22T17:05:00.001-04:00

Not Estelle Getty---she died. I guess I will always have my golden girl reruns. Seriously, I am not going to lie, I love the golden girls.

An Open Letter

2008-07-21T09:11:00.005-04:00

Dear Cheddar, Swiss, Monterey Jack and Gouda please step aside, I found something cheesier. It goes by the name "The Dark Knight". 150 minutes.. really?? And since when does everyone call him "The Batman"? It was always "Batman" as far as I remember. Oh and Christian Bale, when you put on your black rubber mask and try to sound like Jack Palance, please try to stay consistent with the voice.

July Photo-Outing 2008

2008-07-14T12:12:00.004-04:00

Saturday, our friend Jason, Marc and myself went out for a drive, so I can take some pictures. We only ventured about 15-20 minutes from our house, but came back with some good shots. I wanted to find some waterfalls and fun landscapes, but I ended up with train tracks, bridges and barns. I will have to go on a search for waterfalls another time. The highlight of the trip was the field of sunflowers that we stumbled upon. Here are a couple pictures from the day:

If you want to see all the pics, click here.

Blackstone, You Old Sailor-You

2008-07-13T22:48:00.002-04:00

Blackstone let me dress him up this weekend. It was short-lived, but I did it.

Mammal

2008-07-07T15:28:00.001-04:00

Mammal starts her treatments today, please keep her in your thoughts/prayers.

Well, Look At Us!

2008-06-25T10:46:00.002-04:00

June 23rd, marked the 10 year anniversary of when Marc and I made the jump into couple-hood. I know I should only pay attention to our wedding anniversary, but what the heck!

Pearl Jam Review

2008-06-24T19:49:00.004-04:00

Marc and I had some friends come into town for the Pearl Jam show. Our seats were pretty good and sat a few rows behind our friends, which was nice. Another set of friends got to hang out in one of the suites. I have seen better PJ shows, but I wasn't disappointed at all. They played 31 songs:

Hard To Imagine, Severed Hand, Hail Hail, Do The Evolution, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Evacuation, Corduroy, I'm Open, I Am Mine, I Got Id, Daughter, Light Years, Even Flow, Green Disease, You Are, U, Who You Are, Why Go

Encore 1 Comatose, Sad, Given To Fly, Come Back, Grievance, Black, Rearviewmirror

Encore 2 No More, Last Kiss, Crazy Mary, Alive, All Along The Watchtower, Yellow Ledbetter

The only song that I hated was Last Kiss, I never want to hear that song at a show. The crowd participation was good, probably one of the reasons they played so many songs.

Check out some of the pictures from the show:

If you want to see all the concert pics, click here.

Chocolate Rain

2008-06-23T12:25:00.003-04:00

Most of you may have seen this video by Tay Zonday, but I haven't (until this weekend). I love him. See for yourself.

FYI,Jimmy Kimmel had him on his show and this is his real voice. I think Tay Zonday should sing a song with Crash Test Dummies, specifically MMM-MMM-MMM.

My Husband: The Adventurist

2008-06-05T08:59:00.007-04:00

For the first time in a very long time, our area was under a tornado warning (not a watch). I know the difference because my lovely husband views himself as an amateur storm chaser/meteorologist. Yesterday, Marc left work to chase after the storm, using our friend, BVibe, as command central. He definitely got himself into the thick of things. He normally laughs at people when they pull off the side of the road when it rains, but he was one of 'those' people yesterday. He said the winds got so strong and the rain made for zero visibility, that he needed to take cover.

Here is what he had to say about the storm when he returned to work:

Just got back to the office. Wow, what a rush! I was on the toll road near Dulles and I saw the leading edge of the storm. Green sky backdrop with a line of dark clouds. Next thing you know, 50-60 mph winds and heavy rain start hitting the car. Cars stopped on the toll road. I pulled over and took cover in Ashburn. Very heavy lightning and strong winds. No hail or circulation though. After reading the last tornado warning statement saying that Doppler indicated rotation 8 miles west of Arcola, I was near there at the time.

When he got back to the office, he noticed that everyone was huddled in an underground parking lot.

As we were pulling into our garage (after dinner), our neighbor told us to come check out a couple snakes he had in his backyard. So, I grabbed my camera and we went over. One snake was on the side of the house and the other was curled up underneath the deck. The one under the deck was much larger than the one on the side of the house. Marc asked for a ladder and climbed up to get a better look. What?!? He hates snakes (so do I). He then tells everyone that we should get a broom and try to get him down. What?!? This would mean that the snake would be slithering around our feet. Next thing you know, he is over by the snake near the side of the house and started messing around with him. What ?!? Again, he hates snakes, now he is touching one. I don't know a lot about snakes, but I believe this is the 'strike' position. We left soon after this picture.

Wow, tornadoes and snakes all in one day. Watch out Bear Grylls, there is a new man in town.

If you want to see pictures of the snakes, here they are.

This Weekend

2008-06-02T10:11:00.005-04:00

Michelle, Dennin and Joey (Dennin's friend) came to town this weekend. Dennin is leaving to live with his dad in Hawaii in a couple weeks, so it was really nice to spend some time with him. We were going to go Six Flags or Kings Dominion on Saturday, but the AM weather held us back from our dreams. So, we just hung out in the AM, went to Relay For Life (did some laps for Mammal and Granola) in the afternoon, then to dinner and a movie.

We went to see The Strangers. Let me just say that I get scared easily, so don't gauge the scariness of this movie on me. I am not going to lie, it had me on the edge of my seat and I actually screamed out loud in the the theatre. Not sure how scary it would be sitting on your couch (as a dvd rental). I use to think that you only needed to see 3D movies and action movies in the theatre. However, I am adding thrillers to that list.

Here is a picture from Relay for Life

If you can believe it, I didn't take many pictures from this past weekend. But click here to see them.

Memorial Day Weekend: Recap

2008-05-29T20:00:00.010-04:00

Our very good friend, RW, and his girlfriend (Kristina) came to visit this past weekend. Its been quite awhile since we've seen RW, it was great to hang out with them. Kristina is lovely, so glad we got a chance to meet her. We started the weekend with lunch at Fireworks for pizza and a Tuskie-like beer list (Tuskie's own the pizza place). After lunch, we toured our little town of Leesburg, then hung around our house for awhile and played Guitar Hero. Later that night, we headed to Bungs to meet a few friends. I can't get into details about the night. Let me just say that it ended with the 'first time ever' QUAD Tennessee Side Sipping photo.

Its a good thing I was the DD that night!

Saturday, we had some landscaping done (pictures to come later) in the AM, then drove up to Inner Harbor. What a wonderful day for some sight seeing.

We had some tapas and a pitcher of Sangria at La Tascas', then walked around Inner Harbor a bit. We decided to take a water taxi over to Fells Point to look around and grab a couple drinks.

Look at my new favorite water taxi guy

We passed this awesome tug boat on our way to Fells Point. I couldn't stop taking pictures of it.

We ended up having a late dinner at M&S Grill. We sat outside so we could listen to a zydeco band that was playing near the water. Right after we ordered our food, we noticed a handful of cops run into the restaurant. The four of us were thinking, 'what in the world is going on'. Next thing we know 6 cops drag a man outside and start holding his money up to the little kiosk's lights. It was pretty obvious he was getting busted for counterfeit money. We were all saying that it would be some what hard to bust him right there, considering he could have been passed the counterfeit money as change. Before we know it, Marc makes the announcement that the guy is fleeing the scene. This guy, who probably would have been let go, decided to run from 6 cops. I felt like we were watching one of those "stupid criminal blooper videos". Instead of running into the crowd (to try to lose the cops), he runs into the empty space, making it very easy for 6 cops to catch him. I believe the guy got about 15 feet away, before he was tackled to the ground. Seriously, this guy probably would have been let go, but now, he will spend some time behind bars. It served as a great piece of evening entertainment while we waited for our dinners.

Sunday, Marc and I had a BBQ. We invited a few friends over for some eats, drinks, music, cornhole and pool. We had another gorgeous day for being outside. Everyone seemed to have a good time and it was a wonderful way to end a great weekend with friends.

I took a ton of pictures over the weekend, check them out here.

Mammal

2008-05-20T14:18:00.005-04:00

Mammal's (AKA Joey) surgery went very well today. Thank for all the thoughts/prayers/good vibes that have been sent to her so far. The battle isn't over quite yet, but I know she is going to beat this!!!

Look How Cute...

2008-05-15T19:37:00.002-04:00

....Mammal and Ray

Mother's Day Weekend

2008-05-13T09:23:00.007-04:00

'Something' surfaced this weekend and Marc and I decided to head to Pittsburgh for the annual Mother's Day cook out. My mom and I started the day with brunch at Eat-n-Park, then we came back to the house to prepare for the rest of the family to get there. It really is a blessing to have such a wonderful family. We always have such a great time with each other. A few highlights included:

1)Having the best mom - ever!
2)Great burgers
3)Watching the nephews learn new things
4)The Director's Cut
5)Sitting around the fire
6)Taking a ton of pictures, click here to see them

Side note: Have you ever heard the sound clip "Kerpal--You kicked my dog"? (its like a Jerky Boy skit, but I don't think they did it). Anyway, if you have heard the clip, you too, will think this video is funny. If you haven't, well, then you will think I make my nephew say weird things.

I Broke Every Finger On My Left Hand

2008-05-08T19:15:00.002-04:00

Marc and I have been playing Guitar Hero as dinner cooks. This seems to be the routine these days when we get home from work. Its a solid 20 minutes of G.H. time. I just noticed there are bonus tracks on the game and decided to try one (on Guitar Hero 3). The bonus track was Dragonforce's "through the fire and flames". Marc and I are at the medium level (you guitar hero fans know what I am talking about). We didn't get 'boo-ed' off the stage, but our hands almost fell off. I am not a huge fan of this type of music. However, you have to give credit to them for their speed. I would say they are three times as fast as Metallica (who I do like).

There HAS to be some kind of trick that I don't know about in this game. I guess I am going to have to consult my 14 year old nephew.

Here is a video of someone playing this song (many levels up from where I am). One day, I can only hope to be this good--ha ha ha

Seriously, if you have the trick to playing this fast, let me in on the secret!

My Ears Are Bleeding

2008-05-06T21:18:00.002-04:00

Rascal Flatts were on Dancing with the Stars last night. Gary LeVox's voice is so piercing and squeally, it makes my ears bleed. The band is horrible and wish I would never have to hear them again.

And I am done.

RIR

2008-05-04T20:29:00.004-04:00

The traveling NASCAR group made a stop at Richmond International Raceway this weekend. We could not have asked for better weather or better company. The day started at Hooters for lunch. Not my first choice for lunch, but considering I was the only lady in the group, I didn't have much say. We continued the trek down to Richmond to find that 'our' parking lot was full. But the owner remembered me from a couple years ago and made room for us and another car park. See, my love of tractors comes in handy.

This is a picture from a few years ago and the owner remembered it.

We all hung out, played corn-hole, beer pong and listened to music. What a great day! The first half of the race was very boring (not the norm at this track, then things picked up during the second half. I am a little sad that we don't have another race trip set up for the rest of the season.

To see pictures of the race, click here.

Bung's Fundraiser

2008-05-04T20:05:00.003-04:00

We went to the Bung's Fundraiser a couple weeks ago. Bung's, along with other local bars/restaurants raised a lot of money for little Sara Fortney. It was nice to be involved in such a great local cause.

We had a great time and even came away with a prize. Marc won a gift card for a tattoo. I am pretty sure my mom will be using that gift card--ha ha ha.

Here are some pictures from the night, click here.

Well Look At You, Little Tiny Baby Bear....

2008-04-29T21:20:00.007-04:00

This video makes me so crazy, I want to cry. I want to cut his nails (because they can rip me to shreds), wrap him up in a blanket and sing him a song. Then I want to wake him up again just to see his cute little face try to stay awake. Side note: I am fearful he is going to get splinters in his snout.

Yeah, go ahead and watch the video again. I can't stop watching it either!!

New Camera: Tested at Yankees/Os Game

2008-04-22T22:07:00.008-04:00

If you can even believe it, my old Sony (only 1.5 years) broke. I don't know if it's due to dropping it a couple times or from the sheer volume of pictures I took with it. We didn't buy the support package for the camera and figured it would be over $100 to fix it. So, we bought a new one.

I got the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H3 (8MP, 10X optical zoom, ISO 3200).

I was thinking of a digital SLR, but I am just not ready for that yet. Plus, I like the ability to take mini videos and that is not an option with the SLR. The H3 is an advanced point and shoot and I love it so far. I especially like the 10X zoom and the fact that I can change lenses.

If you check out the pictures, you will see what I am talking about the quality of the zoom (this is without the telescopic lense--can't wait to try that). We had decent seats (a few rows from the third base line in left field), but we were still pretty far from the infield.

Check these pictures out:

If you want to see the rest of the pictures, click here.

The Yankee game was fun. It poured the entire way up to Baltimore and the entire way back to NOVA. However, it cleared up for the game (until the 8th inning). Marc and I went to the game with a couple friends and ended up seeing a couple other people up there. It was a delightful trip, great turn out to the game and I got to test the new camera. We finished the day with dinner at Rio Grande (love the salsa).

Phoenix Nascar Race: Report

2008-04-22T21:29:00.005-04:00

The 2008 traveling group (most of the same group that went to the Daytona 500) headed out to the Phoenix race April 10Th - 14Th. We had perfect weather, high 80s/low 60s and not a cloud in the sky. We rented a house on a golf course and were 5 miles from the track. Marc and I would like to visit again, but we would not want to live there. I can't imagine what the summers would be like.

We hung out at our pool during the day and drank coronas. In the evenings we would call a cab and head to Westgate, a super cute entertainment area. By entertainment area, I mean an oasis of bars, restaurants, cinemas, etc. Our favorite bar, Hell's Half Acre, is where we spent most of our evenings. Its a very cool concept: small/industrial, low lighting, good looking bartenders, played music videos all night long, etc.

The first night we got into Phoenix, we went to Westgate and grabbed a bite to eat (at the Yard House). We ended up sitting next to Brian Vicker's jackman (Shaun Peet) and the Pit Crew Coach (Greg Miller). Vicki and I had a great conversation with them. It was fun to hear the 'behind the scenes' stories they had to tell.

A couple nights later, we ran into Erik Estrada and Daughtry. OK, so it wasn't Erik Estrada, but it was Daughtry. I am not a huge fan of Daughtry, but it was cool.

Looks like the next stop on the group's Nascar circuit will be the Richmond race. There are talks of going to the Chicago race, but that is TBD.

Most of the group will head to Aruba in October, that trip should produce some good pictures and stories.

If you want to check out all the pictures, click here.

Happy Earth Day!!!

2008-04-22T11:58:00.001-04:00

Take care of it.....

New Rec Room Furniture

2008-04-22T11:19:00.003-04:00

Finally, we got new furniture for our rec room. Nothing fancy, just some comfy pieces that we love.

Easter 2008: Update

2008-04-21T14:31:00.005-04:00

Its been awhile since I posted on the blog, a lot of activites have come and gone in the past month or so. One weekend to note is Easter. It has been some time since both Marc and I had been to Pittsburgh (at the same time), so it was great to see everyone. We celebrated a couple birthdays (Aunt Marlane, Dennin and Carl), celebrated the fact that Granola has recovered (without a hitch) from her surgery, had an easter egg hunt with the little ones and just really enjoyed our time with family.

The boys are getting so big!!

If you want to see all the pictures from Easter, click here.

Daytona 500: Update

2008-04-21T14:13:00.004-04:00

I finally received some pictures from the Daytona Nascar trip, while on the Phoenix Nascar trip. These pictures contain the massive Guitar Hero battle that Marc and I got ourselves into. Here is a picture of the competetion.

If you want to see the others, click here

Where Have All The Pups Gone?

2008-04-06T22:53:00.004-04:00

Well, I am sad to say that the pups have grown so fast and have made their ways to their new owners. They were not even my dogs, but I am sad to see them leave.

During the 'going away' party for the pups, the little guys played so hard, they just passed out and went to sleep.

We thought this a funny picture:

I think this is a funnier picture.

Marc is becoming quite a pro at the drums in Rock Band. A post about that will follow.....

5 Minutes...

2008-04-04T21:20:00.014-04:00

I was watching the Tampa Rays (aka Devil Rays) vs Yankees game. Kennedy is absolutely getting crushed (he gave up 6 runs in 2.5 innings) and the Yanks are not hitting. Normally, I would be screaming at the television, telling the Yankees to get their acts together (as if they can literally hear me). Not tonight!!

Let me tell you about 5 Minutes of mine on Friday night…

Marc asked (me) if I wanted to go to the bar. I said…”Actually, if I end up not working, I just want to curl up in our brand new couch, light my candles, get into ‘comfy’ clothes, wait for PIZZA and CINNASTICKS, and watch a movie. When I say “movie”...I mean “the game". Side note: I can’t tell you the last time I had PIZZA and CINNASTICKS. Anyway, Marc completely understands. He knows that I have been frazzled, as of late. So, he meets up with a couple friends at Bungs. I run upstairs and get into ‘comfy’ clothes, light my candles, melt into our ‘overly stuffed’ and ‘wonderfully soft’ couch, and know in 5 Minutes, I am going to have PIZZA and CINNASTICKS.

The countdown to PIZZA begins, 5 Minutes….4 Minutes and 30 seconds…., etc. I am all alone, which most of you know that I hate being away from Marc. But this evening was going to be different, I welcome the quietness. I smelled my Yankee Candle in ‘ocean water’. By the way, I can’t wait to buy 2 of Yankee Candles’ new summer scents (Amber Glow and Dune Grass). 4 Minutes….3 Minutes and 30 seconds…., etc. Hasn’t it been 5 Minutes?!?

The game is going bad, Kennedy is getting crushed (6 runs) and its only been 2.5 innings. Did I mention that already? I remain calm. I am sitting here actually enjoying the game and not having a heart attack while doing it. La La La…I am all cool, calm and collect.

THEN----

Bottom of the 3rd inning, Matsui is up and BLASTS a home run (this is after the text message I sent Marc telling him, “the Yanks will come back”). I went NUTS!! I went from being calm and relaxed to my heart racing. As if it were the bottom of the ninth---game 6---with a tie score.

This is what happened after that:

1.) Molina crushes a ball to left center, the crowd acts as if it is going to be a HR, it hits off the wall and Molina gets a stand up double.
2.) Damon strikes out (swinging).
3.) Jetes (aka Derek Jeter), TRIPLES to center---Molina Scores! I couldn't hear because the crowd was so loud. But I believe Jetes said (under his breath), “That was for you, Leesburg VA”.
4.) Abreu grounded out to second, Jetes scored.
5.) A-Rod singled to shallow center.
6.) Giambi doubled to left center, A-Rod scored.
7.) Cano fouls out to catcher.

The score is now 6 – 4.

Talk about black/white -- night/day. I went from calm/relaxed to heart pounding/anxious in about 3 Minutes.

That is quite an emotional roller coaster; I worked up quite an appetite.

The doorbell rings, its PIZZA time!!!

I guess I took longer than 5 Minutes, telling you about 5 Minutes of my Friday night……

Update #1
The Yanks fall 13 - 4 in the top of the 8th. Now, I am screaming at the tv, I think they heard me (all the way in NYC).

Update #2
Shelly Duncan has power! Its a shame he is just now coming up to MLB. He is 28 and could have improved so much, playing in this level of competition.

Update #3
Realizing that I really didn't want PIZZA, I only ate one piece. I head upstairs to put the pizza box away in the fridge. Sweet Baby Jesus, the pizza box fits onto a shelf in the fridge! Normally, the box doesn't fit in and I have to make an aluminium foil swan to house the left overs. Does anyone else get excited when this happens (the pizza box not the swan)?

Faith

2008-04-03T15:39:00.003-04:00

My friend TR finds the best stories online......

This is the story of Faith, the dog. Faith was born without front legs and has learned to walk upright.

Check out her story.

I Know.. I Know..

2008-03-31T18:59:00.004-04:00

I have fallen off the face of the Earth, its been weeks since I have posted. I have received emails asking of my where abouts. I just need to download, edit and upload pictures. I have stories of Seattle, pictures of puppies, bar news, etc.

I do have news. Marc and I are expecting a new addition to our home. Its been a very long time and we have had numerous discussions about this said addition. We are expecting new furniture! FINALLY, we are getting a new game-room couch and a new recliner. In a way, I am a little sad. I got a hand-me-down couch from my Aunt JoAnn, when I first moved to Indianapolis and got my own place. This couch was a hand-me-down of hers. I am not sure how long she had the couch or how long the owners before that had it. But I have had it for 10 years. It has done a fantastic job through the years, but its time to let go. There is something about your first couch, don't you think? Anyway, I am hoping that someone can benefit from it. We are donating it to Good Will, its still in decent shape (after I reupholstered it).

Tuesday, we will enjoy the wonders of a new couch and a new recliner (for Marc). I am SOOO excited!!!

Seattle

2008-03-09T17:27:00.008-04:00

Marc and I are in Seattle for a conference. We arrived Saturday late morning. We went down to Pike's Place, walked around, ate and drank. The other part of the crew arrived mid-afternoon, then met us out. The night was interesting to say the least. I will post more pictures once I download them. For now, these pictures will have to do. Seattle is more of a 'way of life', rather than a city. It's a wonderful place and has a great energy.

I am really hoping the conference is good. This is the first time attending GITA. If its not good, at least I am in Seattle!

Check out all the pictures, click here.

Granola

2008-03-09T17:04:00.005-04:00

Granola made it through her surgery with flying colors. She was a little nervous the night before surgery, as was the rest of the family. So, we decided to have a glass of wine (to help her sleep) the night before. Thursday, the day of surgery, was a long one, not only for her, but for all of us. She did a great job. The next AM, she got up out of bed and packed up all her 'stuff' and said she was ready to go home (that is so typical of Granola). The doctors, however, had another plan, she needed to stay one more day. Update: Granola is out of the hospital, spirits are high and she is going great.

Staying busy while Granola was in surgery.

Quote from Aunt Marlane, "This is my first time on YouTube"

I Am At It Again

2008-03-04T20:58:00.005-05:00

After seeing the Clemente jersey I framed, a friend of mine asked if I could frame her boyfriend's Sean Taylor jersey. I told her I would most definitely do it for her. I then found out that it was not just the jersey, her boyfriend had a couple (memorial) towels that she wanted me to put into the frame. Now its turned into more of a collage of Sean Taylor memorabilia.

Considering all the elements that needed to go into the frame, I think it turned out pretty good. I hope her boyfriend likes it!

If anyone has framed a jersey, I would love to hear some tips/tricks. I think Marc wants me to frame a jersey for him now. Well, that is if he can get Mattingly to sign a jersey.

Eight Great Dane Pups and Me

2008-03-01T22:50:00.007-05:00

Marc and I went to see some friends today. Our original plan was to head over, visit a little, see their puppies, then head to lunch and see Semi-Pro. One hour turned into 7 hours. We got into some beers, Rock Band and puppy watching. John, Danny, Marc and I had some rockin' jam sessions. I am pretty sure we need to get Rock Band. Anyway, it was a lovely unexpected day, mostly spawned from me not wanting to leave the puppies. Most of you know, I love animals. If the animals happen to be babies, WATCH OUT. I can't even handle myself. The puppies are 3 weeks old. I believe their eyes just started opening up and they walk like really drunk old men. Completely adorable. At one point, all eight pups were sleeping on my lap. It made me absolutely insane. Listen to this one little pup snore.

It will be two more weeks until I see these little guys. They will be twice their size and running around like crazy. I can't wait!

Look how cute:

If you want to see all 300 pictures and videos I took, take a look.

It Truly Is A Sad Day For Steeler Fans...

2008-02-27T11:29:00.003-05:00

Myron Cope died

Best Actor In A Leading Role

2008-02-24T23:37:00.002-05:00

Daniel Day-Lewis won "Best Actor" for his role in 'There Will Be Blood'. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I am sure this award is well deserved. Of course I was pulling for Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd), but it is what it is.

This totally makes up for Daniel Day-Lewis getting jipped on the 'Best Actor' in his role in Gangs of New York. Seriously, that performance blew my socks off.

Now, if Johnny Depp, Daniel Day-Lewis and Ed Norton could all be in the same movie...
I will start writing a screenplay now. Don't laugh, if a stripper from Minneapolis (Diablo Cody) can do it, why can't I?

Trying Something New

2008-02-24T22:57:00.005-05:00

A friend of mine asked me to help frame a jersey for his dad's birthday. Since I lost a bet to this said friend and had to buy a Roberto Clemente jersey for him, it seems only fitting that I frame it as well.

I did a pretty extensive search online to find step by step instructions on 'how to frame a baseball jersey'. The only results I was finding were, 'GO TO A FRAME SHOP AND HAVE IT DONE PROFESSIONALLY'. Lets be honest, that scared me a bit. I started doubting myself before I even started. Along with the 'don't try this at home' suggestions, the price of the framing (by professionals) were also made available (at least $300.00 - $600.00). Considering this was for a jersey that is not signed and lets be honest, it would be quite hard to get a Clemente jersey signed at this point. The only option was to give it a shot.

I need to back track a bit. I went to Michael's about a week ago to check out frames. The frame I wanted to get was close to 50in x 40in, it was huge. This frame would have allowed me to keep the jersey pretty much unfolded. Then I thought about the wall space needed to house a frame this big. So, I decided to go with a much smaller frame (half the side). I had to fold the jersey quite a bit, but I think it looks ok.

If I attempt to frame another jersey, I definitely have some lessons learned. But, for my first time, I don't think it turned out too bad. I just hope that after a couple days hanging up on the wall, the velcro and pins don't give out.

Take a look:

If you want to spend $50.00 vs $300.00 - $600.00, let me know!

Oh--since I am such a nice friend, I made my buddy a little 'something' to put on his desk, as he likes Roberto Clemente too. Well look at me!!!

Trip Report: Daytona 500

2008-02-20T22:43:00.003-05:00

A group of six of us, headed to warm Orlando Florida, from icy NOVA. We were so happy to be leaving the cold weather, we got a little crazy at the bar and almost missed our plane! We arrive in Orlando (early), then head to the rental car place to pick up our mini van. I was nervous about getting a mini van, because I knew at one point I would have to drive it. Lets be honest, I think my Honda Civic is big. Anyway, the minute I got behind the big beast, I loved it. I was instantly told that I couldn't enjoy 'the van', unless I had kids. SO... I will stick with my Honday for awhile.

We rented a house in Orlando (thanks to Marc for finding the house). It had 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, an awesome rec room, pool, hot tub, and PS2 (for Guitar Hero). We had a blast--from playing pool, to playing beer pong, sitting in the sun and watching Kane jump into the ice cold pool.

Friday, we had two more people join us (they drove up from Ft. Lauderdale). This completed our 'group' for the week. I would say, for the first time all being together on a trip, we got along great and had a blast. I can't get into all the details, but it was full of beer, music, pool, fun in the sun and racing. I took a lot of videos, but I can't put them on picasa site (there are parents looking at this). If you want to see any of them, let me know.

Some of the highlights from the trip were:
* You shut your mouth when you're talking to me
* Applesauce shots
* Jell-o shots
* Steak dinners
* Crazy drivers
* Sonic
* Breaking into the pool equipment to fix the freezing pool
* Rick being a lady for the afternoon
* Tim's limo ride
* Late night music sessions
* Pool betting
* Guitar Hero
* Rick's "would you rather..." questions
* Waffle House--smothered hash browns
* Motor boating
* I swear, just one more picture....
* Beer Pong
* Treasures at the bottom of the pool
* Phil and friends

There has been crazy talks about going to the Phoenix race in April. Who knows, this may be a group that travels all around the NASCAR circuit. Watch out for more trip reports. If you want to see the pics, check out Picasa.

Dancing With The Stars...

2008-02-20T21:09:00.004-05:00

...announced the 6th season celebrity dancers. Jason Taylor, Miami Dolphin DE, will be one of the dancers. For this very reason, beside the fact that I love the show, I will be tuning in to watch the movie (aka - show).

The Best...

2008-02-12T11:52:00.000-05:00

I have been looking for Kleenex with Vicks for sometime now. Finally, after a long search, I found a box at Super Target. I am not even sick, but I pull one out of the box and smell one everyday. Kleenex and Vicks have really out done themselves!

Question- If I put my face in a tissue and take a deep breath, is this considered 'huffing'? I sure hope not, because I don't want to give the 'tissues' up.

I Am One Of 'Those' People...

2008-02-11T09:50:00.000-05:00

Did you ever walk into a Best Buy to get, I don't know, an iPod accessory or a DVD and walk past 'those' people playing video games. I always wonder what in the world would possess someone to sit in a big plush black leather chair and play video games in a store all day.

Well, Marc and I go into best buy this weekend to pick up a couple Guitar Hero accesories. We notice they have "Rock Band" set up at a gaming station, along side of "Guitar Hero". Marc decides he wants to try the drums out. He begins to hit buttons to try to get it to work. Its taking forever, so I decide, what the hell, I am going to play Guitar Hero. So, I pick up the axe, set the game to 'easy' and start rocking out to Barracuda by Heart. I haven't moved to 'medium' yet, it freaks me out. Nonetheless, I start crushing the song--whammy bar, star power and all. I wasn't worried how ridiculious I looked playing the game, I just went with the flow. I now have an audience behind me watching, this makes me get into the song even more. I finish with an 98%. I decide I was going to end on a good note and step away from the game. At this point, Marc gets the game working and starts playing the drums. He did pretty well, considering it was his first time at Rock Band. We did come to the conclussion that you need to have the sound up high on Rock Band, otherwise, the drums are kind of annoying.

We wonder around Best Buy for awhile and head toward the check out. We pass the Guitar hearo gaming station on the way and find a 15-16 year old jamming out on EXPERT to Cliffs of Dover (or something like that). If you play Guitar Hero, you know that Expert is crazy. This kid was even using the whammy bar. I had NO time for him. Marc assured me that this kid must sit around and play the game for 12 hours a day and that my performance was still good.

I will no longer say (under my breathe) that the people playing games in Best Buy are freak-shows. I will simple say "Rock on Witcha Bad Self" and tip my hat, as I am now one of 'those' people.

PS BVibe, I now have a wireless axe AND wireless Pedal (whammy bar and star power). We all need to have a jam session when you return to the country.

Gotta Love Super Bowl XLII!

2008-02-03T22:00:00.000-05:00

Just to see Belichick and Brady's face!

Happy for Burress, what a great game winning TD catch.

Not going to tie Chuck Noll or Terry Bradshaw ;-)

Now--on to baseball!

PS. I can't believe Marc and I were jumping up and down for the Giants. What is wrong with this picture?

You Better Believe It

2008-02-03T21:22:00.000-05:00

You better believe I will be watching this. It makes me cry (with pure joy).

I Don't Even Know What To Say...

2008-01-31T13:19:00.000-05:00

A fellow blogger and friend, Sara*, posted this on her blog. I seriously have nothing to say.

Update: I guess this guy is involved in some 'freak-show-circus-act' and could potentially get help, but he has decided NOT to seek treatment, as he is fearful he will not be able to support his family, otherwise. Its really rather sad. Again, no words.

Thank You, Dr. Rhea

2008-01-31T10:15:00.001-05:00

A friend of mine suggested Vick's Vapor rub on Marc. Marc HATES the stuff. I on the other hand, oddly, love it. I would seriously wear it as perfume, if I could. Nonetheless, we went to the store last night and bought new cough medicine and Vick's.

Here is my 'Thank You' message to the Doc.

Dear Dr Rhea,
Last night was the first night Marc got more than 2 hours of sleep (per night) in over a week. Could it be his cold is subsiding? Could it be the Vick's sweater I put on him last night? Either way, we are doing exactly what we did last night, tonight (two doses of Robitussin and a Vick's sweater). Aahh--the soothing smell of Vick's--I LOVE IT.

I do thank you for your continued medical support and advise.

I tip my hat to you, Dr. Rhea!

Rested,
Amy

PS. My eye is all better.

It truly is a wonderful day.

Does This Term Make You Laugh...

2008-01-30T15:34:00.001-05:00

...Man Bag?

Baseball

2008-01-30T15:30:00.000-05:00

The Super Bowl has yet to occur and I am already excited about Pitchers and Catchers showing up for spring training Feb 14th. Just in case you didn't know, they will be arriving to FL the same day I get there. Anyway, I had to share my joy about Johan Santana going to the Mets. Don't get me wrong, he is an asset to any team. I just didn't want to give up Melky and some of the young pitchers for him. I may be taking these very words back in a few months when the season starts. But, as for now, I am happy.

GO BASEBALL - specifically the Yanks and the Pirates

What Is Going On?

2008-01-30T14:56:00.000-05:00

I am convinced that Marc has the Whooping Cough and I have Pink Eye. Ok, so maybe Marc just has a cold and I have a strained eye from not wearing my glasses. But Whooping Cough and Pink Eye sound much better. Now, I need to buy some of that yellow police tape and rope off our house.

If everyone can please keep their fingers crossed, that Marc gets more than 2 hours of sleep tonight (that also applies to me), the world would be a better place.

And I am done...

St Maarten Trip Report

2008-01-26T15:45:00.001-05:00

Sunday AM, Marc drops me off at the airport to meet Vicki. I kiss Marc goodbye and head into the airport, where I find Vicki sitting next to the smallest dog on Earth. I reach down, pet the dog that looked like a stuffed animal and then check my bag (No Line). We make our way to our gate and decide to walk around to find a cup-o-joe. Instead of sitting down with a cup of coffee, we find a bar and decide to have a Guinness. This is actually right before I tell Vicki that I can't drink before getting on a plane, because I don't like going to the bathroom on planes. Oh well, it was 7:00 AM and seemed appropriate. So, there we sit, at the bar, laughing at ourselves for drinking so early. I seriously think the last time I had a drink that early, I was in college. Next thing you know, I look up and see a friend of ours (from Marc's work), John. It was crazy. Just so odd to see someone in the same terminal, at that time of day in a bar. I knew it would be a start of a good trip.

The plane ride was smooth, as was the bus that took us all to the resort. We were with a group of people from the Chamber. What a great bunch of people by the way! We all arrived at the resort safely, then it rains (only for 30 minutes). Vic and I head to our room and that is when the room nightmare started. It had the strongest mold odor EVER! I must of talked to the manager 4 times in the first day. We wanted to change rooms, but they said they were booked. The odor was so bad that were were getting headaches, we then realized that we needed to shower with water shoes on, we had no rugs in our room, the AC barely worked and no remote to the tv. When you have such a bad room, there is only one thing to do--LEAVE. So, we tried to stay out of it as much as we could.

Minus the room and some features of the resort, the vacation was a blast. The weather was nice, beaches were nice and folks were friendly. We met a bunch of fellow travelers and locals.

Some of the highlights of the trip were:
* The Green House tractor and cat
* Cheap drinks
* Cruise Ship Dance-Offs
* DC Dames
* Random Canadians
* Exploring the island
* Bikini Beach
* Bikini Beach Bar views
* Airplane Landings
* Sunset Beach bar
* Tony Two-Times and Max
* Pina Coloadas and Vibrators (not what you think)
* Guinness Foreign Stout and Carib
* Terry Edwards, guitar player extraordinaire
* Folding Napkins
* Nude photographers
* Grape Smugglers
* Crab Olympics
* J5 and J7
* Front Street
* Fruit infused Tequila
* The Yoda Guy

I big 'thank you' to Miss Vic for making me 'plan B'. Thanks to Julie, Greg and Traci for being our traveling/party partners in crime, the Mendoza's for just being the cutest couple ever, Cathy for leading the DC Dames and Steve and Donna for keeping everyone 'on track'.

Now.. back to coats, cold weather and reality.

Check out the pics on the picasa site

St. Maarten Trip Report.....

2008-01-25T09:43:00.001-05:00

....Coming Soon (along with pictures)

Landing In St. Maarten

2008-01-14T13:55:00.001-05:00

Vic and I will be arriving in St. Maarten this weekend (just for a few days). Its going to be wonderful to hang out on the beach with her, we haven't vacationed like this since Spring Break when we went to Hilton Head. I am a little nervous about one thing....the LANDING!!

A Little Stroll...

2008-01-14T11:34:00.000-05:00

Marc and I decided to hop on the W&OD trail that runs behind our house and take a walk on Saturday. It was lovely. We walked almost 5 miles and I got a couple fun pictures. After the walk, Marc realized it would qualify for Fat Marc(h).

I never complain about living 'in the country', this is why.

Guitar Hero

2008-01-14T11:26:00.000-05:00

We had a little dinner party on Friday that led to Guitar Hero. Seriously, anyone who does not like this game is a liar and a thief (thief only follows liar because it sounds good). We hooked up PS2 to our big TV. This was a genius move! Guitar Hero is better played on a 50 inch Plasma than a 25 inch older tv. Its a whole new world. My nephew (13yr) would be so proud of us. Marc and I need to get the wireless guitar so we can play each other. Dare I mention that Marc and I want to get "Rock Band".

Anyway, the night ended with Marc and 'the Vibe' playing Freebird while sitting on a couple bar stools, only to kick the bar stools over at the end of the song (you know the part). It was a very fitting way to end the evening.

Toast: To Dinner Parties and Guitar Hero!!!

TV These Days

2008-01-08T14:39:00.000-05:00

I have a confession. I loved American Galdiators from the early 90s and I love it now. I can't tell you why, exactly. There is just something about the competition and the excessively dramatic and pumped up physiques. I may change my mind when Prison Break and Nip/Tuck return to new episodes.

Either way, I will be watching the "Hulk" host American Gladiators for a few more episodes.

End Of Year Recap

2008-01-03T20:31:00.000-05:00

Making Christmas Cookies! A few days before Christmas, Marc and I found a pretty decent sugar cookie recipe and decorated cookies. I got the bright idea to try to make pizzelles (Italian cookies). All my life, I have had these cookies. I have watched my granola (grandma), mom and sister make them.

How hard can it be, right?

I go out and buy a middle of the road pizzelle maker. First mistake! I should have borrowed one of the 20 old fashioned pizzelle makers that my granola and sister have.

I made the batter and everything looked and tasted right. I thought I was off to a good start, until I tried using the iron. I went through an ENTIRE batch of pizzelle batter trying to make a nice pizzelle. Instead, I burned my finger prints off and ended up with crazy looking pizzelles. It wasn't until I made the second batch of pizzelles that I got the hang of it. I ended up making a bunch of stuffed pizzelles because my regular ones were not looking pretty.

Better luck next year, I guess.

Marc and I had the pleasure of staying home for Christmas this year. Marc's mom's side of the family traveled to town. We had a wonderful time. We don't get to see them very often, it was a true Christmas miracle that we had everyone at our place at one time.

We ate a lot of cookies, drank a lot of beer, played a lot of pool and poker, and listened to a lot of guitar/banjo jam sessions. Guinness, jam sessions, food and family---that is my kind of Christmas!!

I was a little worried about cooking for 14 people, but it turned out great. Everyone pitched in and it was glorious. We did, however, need to use every available table and chair in our place to sit everyone for dinner.

Thanks again to everyone that traveled down to Virginia!

After everyone left, we just hung out with friends, went to some movies, watched football, etc. Sweeney Todd and National Treasure II were the movies we went to see. I loved Sweeney Todd--gotta love the Depp!

Thanks to Vicki, we all ended up going to the Ravens/Steelers game in Baltimore. It was fun getting out of town and watching the game. Who cares if it was cold, rainy and the Steelers lost. At least we got to experience the feeling of being heckled by drunken Raven fans--ha ha ha. We had a good time though!!! And nothing warms you up better than a trip to the Shiny Diner after the game!

New Years Eve was a little unexpected. I am not a 'dress up and go to fancy parties' type of person. It really makes me nervous being on the roads. We had a couple offers to parties, but we decided to stay at home. We made a bunch of appetizers, watched some tv for most of the night. Then around 9:00 we just got up, started drinking champagne, played a bunch of pool and sang (I mean screamed) a bunch of songs. Next thing we know, its after 3:00 AM. See--us old people can stay up past midnight! It turned out perfect, spending the last part of the year and the new part of the year with my favorite person in the world (aawwwwww).

Marc and I were pretty much off work from Dec 21 - Jan 1. I had such a great couple weeks just hanging out with Marc. I really hated going back to work--blah!

If you want to see pics from the last couple weeks, check out the picasa site.

Shock the Monkey

2007-12-20T09:26:00.000-05:00

Today at work, we are going to receive defibrillator training. Hopefully, we will never have to use it, but it takes me back to my health class days in high school. Remember using the alcohol wipes to clean the mouth of the dummy before giving CPR? Remember watching some of your classmates pass out during the birthing video? Good times, good times....

Its A Christmas Miracle

2007-12-18T12:01:00.000-05:00

The Hobbit, my favorite of the J.R.R. Tolkien novels, will be made into a movie. I was so sad to hear the movie was a 'no go', but now its back on (a true Christmas miracle). Fans of the movie will have to wait several years for the release, I am sure it will be worth the wait. Now I want to hope for a snowy day, curl up on the couch and watch all three LOTR movies. Think I can't sit on the couch for 9 hours, test me!

Speaking of curling up to watch a movie, I guess I can pass on the LOTR movies and settle for 'the Sound of Music'.

I need to bite my tongue...

2007-12-09T19:35:00.000-05:00

Serenity now...serenity now...

Hello, Miss Moneypenny...

2007-12-06T22:15:00.000-05:00

(spoken in your best Sean Connery accent).

This is a picture of Marc's grandpa. If you ask me, he looks like he should have a pair of smoking guns from a fight with Wyatt Earp. Truth be known, this photo is from 1968. I've always thought of his grandpa as a handsome man and that he looks like Sean Connery. I think you would agree with me (from the picture above).

How in the world did he get his mustache to do that? Was it some kind of mustache cream? Is there even such thing as mustache cream?

All I know is, I LOVE IT!!!

I would like to make a general announcement, I am a tiny bit upset that I have never seen this picture before. If I were a part of the Hoy family, I would pass this picture out to everyone I meet. Actually, I am a part of the Hoy family now (through marriage), maybe I will start doing it.

Poker--Go Marc!

2007-12-04T17:23:00.000-05:00

Marc was in a poker tourney last night on Pokerstars. It was a $5.00 buy-in, he beat out 2250 people and finished 5th. While Marc was at the final table, he got short stacked. I believe his final hand was K/Q (he went all in) and was called by someone with 9/7. The caller got a nine on the flop and beat him with a pair of 9s.

He won $1582.00.

Nice win!

Why????

2007-12-04T00:11:00.000-05:00

Why are Tom Brady and Belichick such A-holes? I can't stand to listen to their press conferences. They are 12 - 0, can't they be happy????

Makes Me Crazy

2007-12-03T23:43:00.000-05:00

This is way too cute for anyone's own good.

Tiger nurses piglets

And this baby duck. I want to put a hat and tap shoes on this duck and have him sing, 'hello my baby, hello my darlin', hello my rag-time gal'.

Steelers vs Bengals

2007-12-03T20:24:00.000-05:00

GO STEELERS! Does it get any better than spending a day with family at Primanti Brothers, a couple drinks at Bar Louie, then go to a Steelers game (and win). Well, that is what Marc and I did Sunday and it was glorious. We totally lucked out and sat under an overhang, which was wonderful because it rained the entire time. It wasn't as cold as we thought it would be either.

Next week will be a very tough game against the Patriots, but I have faith. Here is a little secret about Marc and I. I always think 'my' team will win, whether its baseball or football. Marc always thinks they will lose. I guess that way, he sets himself up for a loss and is surprised if they win. Sunday can't get here soon enough.

Look at the rest of the pictures on Picasa.

Seamus Kennedy

2007-12-03T20:09:00.000-05:00

I look forward to Seamus, almost as much as I do Jimmy Buffett these days. I am not a lick of Irish, but I love to be surrounded by happy table pounding people, Irish music and Guinness. A group of us had dinner and listened to Seamus Saturday night at the Harp and Fiddle in Pittsburgh. I am not sure what it is, but every show we go to, Seamus picks on either Marc or myself. This time, Marc wore a Yankee hat and caught a lot of sh*t from Seamus. Who knew Seamus was a Red Sox fan. This song was played specifically for Marc, by Seamus.

Side Note: I only captured this video because I wanted to show Iz and a couple other Boston fans. It was awful to hear the song, but rather funny. I prefer Red Sox Suck in place of Yankees.

See other Seamus Pictures on the Picasa Site.

Lights, Camera, Action

2007-12-03T20:00:00.000-05:00

Michelle asked if I could try to take a picture of the boys for their 2007 Christmas card. Not thinking this would be a hard task, I agreed. 3 hours later, I get one picture that we can use. I created this card for them, but Michelle is going with a different (and probably better) scene.

Check out the road to the one picture on the picasa link.

Thanksgiving - Its A Long One!

2007-12-03T19:08:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving this year, in a nutshell, was a treat. Marc and I hosted this holiday with nine other special people: Mammal, Ray, Michelle, three nephews and Loraine and her daughters. Before I start to tell stories, let it be known, that Marc and I are/were thankful for the time we spent with family and friends and love everyone.

On that note, did I mention that two of the three nephews are under the age of two. Yeah, I said it, two! If you have seen our house, its not the most ‘kid-friendly’ place in the world. I mean, its fun for adults, but it probably frightens most kids. Actually, if frightens most adults too.

Let me back up a bit. Michelle brought the little ones down to our place a few times already. Each time, resulted in a trauma of sorts. On one occasion, we had to go to the ER for an ear infection and fever. Another time, Patrick fell off the couch and landed head first into the corner of a table (can you say HUGE egg on the head and thank God for frozen peas). So, when we heard the babies would be back at our place, Marc and I needed to proceed with extreme caution. We tried to ‘baby-proof’ our place, but, we were not 100% successful.

Lets see, Mammal and Ray got to our place the day before Thanksgiving. Soon after them, the van showed up with the other seven people. At this point, we have six adults, three teenagers and two babies. Side note: from this point on, our three cats went into hiding and would only come out late at night, when everyone was sleeping and in between Jacob’s nightly crying sessions (which happened at least twice a night).
Twenty minutes after everyone arrived, Michelle informs me that one of the babies removed his diaper and pee-ed on the floor. What? Marc and I once had a dog visit our place and he pooped on the floor. But this was a first with a baby. Maybe this kind of thing is normal with little ones, maybe this was his way of marking his territory. Who knows, all I knew, was this was going to be the start of a wonderful adventure! Let the games begin. Babies - 1, Renkes/Lovelady house - 0.

Doorstops, everyone has these things in their home. Marc and I had no idea just how many we had until the babies arrived. Jacob, the youngest, somehow managed to gather and eat about 15 doorstops. I didn’t even think we had this many doors in our house. Ray, did his due diligence and removed the rubber stoppers on the ends of each doorstop, so Jacob wouldn’t digest them. Now, we have 15 doorstops and their rubber counter parts scattered throughout the house. Babies 2 – Renkes/Lovelady house – 0.

Guitar hero! There was a fair amount of guitar hero being played over the long weekend. Of course, Patrick wanted to play with the guitar and slam it on the floor. This couldn’t happen. So, a toy guitar needed to be purchased to steer him away from the guitar hero game. It was a major success. Babies 2 – Renkes/Lovelady house – 1. We are catching up!!!

Wedgies! We all remember this from grade school, pulling someone’s underwear up over their heads! Dennin is a special nephew and a wonderful brother. His early ‘life’ teachings included the wedgie. However, instead of giving Patrick a wedgie, he taught Patrick to give one to himself. Smart? I think so. Look at this….

Barney!! That damn purple dinosaur, I will punch him in the face and throw it in the river. I always heard stories of how adults hated this purple beast, but never understood it until the babies arrived. Patrick needed to watch this video over and over again or he would throw a tantrum. For those people around kids, you know what I am talking about. To avoid the possibility of Patrick turning into the girl from the exorcist, we watched Barney. It played so many times, that mammal and Dennin sang more songs than Patrick. What happened to sesame street? I think someone should plot against this purple beast and bring back the classics. Babies – 3, Renkes/Lovelady house – 1.

Jeter! You all know, the man in my life (behind Marc of course) is Mr. Derek Jeter. Patrick is at the age where he will say ANYTHING. So, what do you think I got him to say? You guessed.. JETER!! Babies – 3, Renkes/Lovelady house – 2.

Boobies! There comes a time when all kids need to learn human body parts. Patrick has learned a new word! We have a statue of Venus and Patrick will point to it and say this (listen carefully to the end). Michelle just shakes her head.

We did a fair amount in the five days that folks were at our place, considering the amount and ages of the people visiting. We checked out Beowulf (awesome 3D show—go see the 3D version in theatres), went to DC and did some sight seeing, sat outside at night a couple nights (it was 75 degrees), went for walks to the park, watched movies, played pool, had a lot of wine, sangria and beer (not the kids), etc.

We are coming up to D-day (departure day) and I am thinking, ‘heck’, I think we are going to get out of this alive. No major accidents as of yet. Until….. We hear Michelle come into our room and announce (to my mother) that she needs my mom’s help. Side note: Marc, me, Mammal, Ray, and Dennin were all in one room with a combo of air mattresses and beds. My mom darts of out bed and leaves the room. I am thinking to myself, here we go, we have to go to the ER for something. I start thinking to myself, where did I put my car keys (are they in my purse or did one of the kids eat them.. maybe this is why we had to go to the ER). Then I hear laughing. Not chuckles, but the kind of laugh where you just start crying. Please keep in mind its early, like 7:00-7:30 AM. My mom, Michelle and Patrick, come back into the bedroom. Believe it or not, Patrick woke up on his own and got into my sister’s make-up bag. He had lipstick, eye liner, mascara, etc all over his face and neck. The boy knows how to complete the look, he also got into Michelle’s hair products. The kid had so much ‘gunk’ on his face. Take a look. Loriane made the comment that she heard him just singing away in the bedroom, she had assumed Michelle was in there with him. We all know what happens when you ASSUME something. We had to use serious make up remover and real shampoo (not the baby kind) to get it all off of him. The laughing (the hard kind with tears) lasted throughout the bath. What a glorious way to start the day. Babies – 4, Renkes/Lovelady house – 2.

So, after five days, with six adults, three teenagers, two babies, a big Thanksgiving diner, a lot of dish washing and garbage changing, the Renkes/Lovelady house batted .500. Not too shabby!

Things I have learned over Thanksgiving 2007:

* Watch what you say around babies, they will say anything
* Never cry over spilled milk or pee on the floor
* How to put a sock on a squirmy child
* Guitar hero is one of the best games ever
* How to make a moist turkey and tasty enough that my mom wants the recipe
* You can never empty the garbage enough when dirty diapers are in there
* Strangers can become family in a matter of five days
* Wine pumps, plastic pot holders and empty water bottles make great bath toys
* Never under estimate how good a 13 year old can be at pool
* Photographers who take pictures of kids, don’t get paid enough
* Don’t attempt to shop on Black Friday, especially midnight on Thanksgiving
* Patience is a virtue
* We can easily sleep 11 people in our house
* It’s the stories above that make a family a family

Within 45 minutes after everyone left, Marc and I found ourselves at the bar. Was it a semi-crazy five days, yes! But nothing that some quality time with your spouse and a Guinness can’t fix.

Is there an open invitation for Thanksgiving next year.....Drum roll.....YES! We had a blast!

Check the Picasa link for more Thanksgiving Pics

Thanksgiving Update---

2007-11-28T10:26:00.000-05:00

Coming soon!! I have a couple stories and pictures from the weekend. Just haven't had a chance to post about it. Stay tuned.

Bungholes, Anyone?

2007-11-19T16:15:00.000-05:00

It's not a secret that a group of us meet up for 'Football, Beers and Brunch' on Sundays. Here are some pictures from the last couple weekends. You all know I am not a fan of the light beer, I prefer stouts. That didn't stop us from conducting blind taste tests. As a surprise to many, Coors Light fared best in our test (beating Miller Light).

To good friends, chilly weather and the air is just right for Bungholes on Sunday!

Um...

2007-11-19T09:49:00.001-05:00

Really...the Jets?

And I am done.

Happy Happy

2007-11-19T09:46:00.000-05:00