45 Days

That is all that's left until A.R. and I are sailing the clear blue seas once again to celebrate our first anniversary. We booked this cruise a few months ago when the prices were dirt cheap and still ended up getting a free upgrade to a junior suite last month when the prices fell again. Check out The Cruise Outlet if you are interested in finding a cruise for yourself at a great deal.

Our itinerary

We both LOVE cruising and being out in the open ocean. Prior to boarding the boat we will be spending a day and a half in Puerto Rico to visit A.R.'s family and site seeing on the island most of his family has called home for years. Once we board the boat it is off to the clear blue seas for a week in the Virgin Islands. I'm most looking forward to the tours that involve swimming with sea turtles and riding an ATV. My favorite part of cruising is standing out on our private balcony at night just watching the waves crash against the boat as we slide through the water with the moon bright in the sky and glowing off the water. Not to mention the never ending ocean and sky, food, and ping pong tournaments we established on our honeymoon cruise. We even have a ping pong table now in our basement so I can improve my skills (or lack thereof) and finally beat Alexi one of these days.

I can't beleive our anniversary is coming up so quickly. At this time last year I was a bundle of nerves before my bridal shower (7-19-08) as my Matron of Honor, mother, and sister arrived in town and I was living with my sister-in-law as our house was merely a cement slab with some matchsticks placed on top. For both of us, this trip is almost a little bittersweet. We love taking cruises, but we also really want children and this trip will most likely be our last sans children and our last major vacation (outside of long weekends and get-a-ways by car) for awhile. It's a happy bittersweet, though, and I know we will cherish every moment of our time together as we look forward to what the future brings our little family. I just hope Tomas, Lily, and Sebastian are ready for the challenge!

H

Riverfest 2009

The City of Hartford hosts a festival every 4th of July to celebrate our Nation's independence. There is an area downtown known as Adriaen's landing with lawn steps and a stage along the Connecticut River. It's really beautiful there. Along the walk-way to the landing various vendors set up booths with fun things for adults and kids to do including face painting, henna, radio contests, newspaper contests, bouncy things for kids, and of course food vendors. For some reason (ah-hem budget cuts) they opted to have the celebration on July 11th, a full week AFTER 4th of July. A.R. and I attended anyway and had a great time visiting the various booths, eating Thai food and funnel cakes, listening to the bands, watching the crowd, and then enjoying the fireworks at the end of the evening.

The bridge over I-91 to Adriaen's Landing

The Mayor of Hartford made a small speech which was surprising considering some recent allegations against him late last year. There were a few "boos" in the audience when he was announced. He was actually invited to our wedding as he's an old family friend of A.R's side of the family, but he didn't come. There was a Navy orchestra that performed and there were 3 Army sky divers that jumped from a plane and landed in the river. They are nuts for swimming in the polluted Connecticut river but hopefully their sky diving suits will prevent them from getting Montezuma's revenge!

The Navy band plays with the CT River in the background

A fetching self portrait listening to the bands (Eek!)

We thought the fireworks might be postponed due to some looming thunderstorms, but the city pushed the fireworks up to 9pm and they finished just as the first rain drops were beginning to fall. It was nice to walk back to our car hip-to-hip under the umbrella we used on our wedding day. Here are some of the fireworks taken with my crappy point and shoot. I need to get a new camera stat.

I am figuring out this green thumb thing

Our vegetable garden is starting to thrive now that the sun has decided to return to the Northeast AND I fought and won the battle of the weeds over the last two weekends. The slugs are staying away now and my only looming threat is the baby bunny who is starting to eat the squash leaves (any suggestions?). I'll take some pictures of the new and improved garden soon. Everything (Cucumbers, Dixie Squash, Butternut Squash, beans, tomatoes, watermelon, and pumpkin) are blooming like crazy but no baby vegetables yet.

My new found green thumb can also be seen by the flowers blooming on our porch. Check-out my very first Gladiolus bloom...gorgeous. I'm so proud of it! A.R. loves it and wants me to plant them all along the lattice work on our porch and ya know? I. Just. Might. I have some bulbs leftover, but I'm not sure if they'd still grow. I think I have to wait until the fall to plant them now.

Rainbow Connection

This beautiful rainbow was the view we had from our front porch last week after some passing thunderstorms.

A Pain in Tomas's A**

Many of you know that Tomas had quite a week and he certainly gave new meaning to having a pain in the ass. On Wednesday morning he woke up with Lily for her early morning puppy potty run which is basically unheard of. Tomas isn't fond of early mornings (much like his owners!), so he usually sleeps through Lily's first potty break. A.R. noticed he had some diarrhea and was straining a big but didn't think anything of it. Sometimes when Tomas gets too many treats or an extra table scrap he gets an upset belly.

He's too embarrassed to look at the camera.

When Lily asked to go out for the 2nd morning potty run Tomas immediately wanted to come along again. I'm in charge of the second run and right away I could see something was wrong with him. He kept trying to poop, but only a teeny bit came out. I noticed his hiney looked funny, so I took a closer look and it was raw like he had been licking it and swollen. I called the vet and they squeezed him in for a late morning appointment. I decided to work from home to be with him until his appointment, but I had to run into the office to get some paperwork. By the time I had showered and dressed Tomas was lying on the bathroom floor shaking from the pain he was in. I rushed to my office and was halfway there when A.R. called to tell me Tomas was bleeding from his hiney.

I rushed back home and by the time I got there Tomas was dripping blood although he wouldn't let me close enough to see where it was coming from. He had just been groomed on Sunday, so I immediately thought of his anal glands. Once I saw the blood, I said the heck with his appointment time and rushed him to the vet where they saw him right away. The nurse made me feel like an overreacting fur baby mommy upon initially examining him by saying she thought he just had a hot spot that he'd licked raw. Then the vet took him to the back room for a closer examination and came back right away to tell me she suspected a ruptured anal gland and that he would need surgery to drain, clean, and pack the gland. I was speechless.

A very sleepy Tomas when he got home

I signed the release for surgery and then the vet (LOVE her!) let me say goodbye to our Little Bit before he was put under. A long 4 hours later I called and found out he had done well in surgery and was just waking up. We brought him home a few hours later and set him up in our bathroom (so he wouldn't bleed/ooze on the carpet) for the night. He now has one of those totally "hawt" collars so he can't lick the healing wound and is on two pain killers and an antibiotic. We (insert "I" here as A.R. has been a bit squeamish) have to apply hot compresses and hydrogen peroxide twice a day to keep the wound open so it drains and heals from the inside out.

Today, Tomas is doing MUCH better! He has enlisted Lily to chew on his collar to bust him out of it (I swear they are going to gang up on us one day and take over rule of the household...) and is starting to try and play again. Watching him with the collar on is painful and funny. He walks into walls and furniture constantly (I cringe with a 1/2 smile every time- poor guy!) and when he sniffs the ground outside he gets caught as the terrain shifts. We had to switch his original collar out for a larger one because he managed to maneuver and still lick his boo boo. While he was at the vet, she took a look at his wound and said it was healing perfectly.

Thank God my baby boy is feeling better and also I'm completely relieved that just last month A.R. and I got pet insurance through VPI, so his illness and surgery is covered after a small deductible. Pet insurance is by far one of our better investments and I'm so thankful our little guy received the best care possible!

H

I Want To Be a Pampered Chef

I hosted my very first Pampered Chef party yesterday and now I want to be Pampered 24/7. No, I'm not talking about becoming a sales consultant (at least not now anyway, but it does sound like an intriguing way to be able to stay home with our kids in the future!). I'm talking about wanting one of just about every cool kitchen gadget and beautiful bamboo serving platters from the catalog. My show was only the second Pampered Chef party I've attended and I'm in love. I ordered the food chopper and a cake decorator from the first show I went to and have been hooked since. My wishlist is long, but I'll be able to cut it down quite a bit after receiving the rewards for hosting my own show (yay!).

My party was luau themed and so we made two tropical themed Pampered Chef recipes and both were delicious. I made Pineapple Salsa (so we could demo the pineapple slicer) that got gobbled up before I could even take a picture. The colors of the salsa were beautiful together. The main demo recipe was called Paradise Dessert Pizza and there wasn't a scrap of it leftover. Check out these yummy recipes below:

The Pampered Chef ®Fresh Pineapple Salsa Recipe
2 plum tomatoes
1/2 small red onion
1 4-in. piece seedless cucumber
1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
1 jalapeño pepper (I omitted this because I don't do spicy.)
1 medium pineapple
1 lime
1/2 tsp salt

1. Hull and remove seeds from tomatoes. Dice tomatoes, onion and cucumber. Chop cilantro. Combine tomatoes, onion, cucumber and cilantro in bowl. Cut jalapeño in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Finely chop jalapeño; add to bowl.
2. Dice 1/2 fresh pineapple (at the party my host demonstrated the Pampered Chef pineapple slicer which was so cool!). Juice lime to measure about 2 tbsp juice. Add pineapple, lime juice and salt to batter bowl. Mix thoroughly until combined.

Yield: 16 servings (3 cups)
Nutrients per serving: Light (3 tbsp): Calories 20, Total Fat 0 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrate 5 g, Protein 0 g, Sodium 75 mg, Fiber 1 g

Paradise Dessert Pizza

1 package (18 ounces) refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 container (8 ounces) vanilla, strawberry or banana low-fat yogurt (I chose vanilla)
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple in juice, well drained (we used 1/2 of fresh pineapple)
1/4 cup flaked coconut (optional)
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup red grapes, cut in half
1 can (11 ounces) mandarin orange segments, well drained
2 tablespoons whole, unblanched almonds, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Form dough into a ball and place in center of Classic Round Stone. Roll dough into a 12-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Bake 16-18 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Carefully loosen cookie from Baking Stone; cool completely.
2. Combine yogurt, pineapple and coconut; spread mixture evenly over top of cookie. Slice kiwis and cut grapes in half using Paring Knife. Arrange mandarin oranges, kiwi slices and grapes in a circle over yogurt mixture.
3. Chop almonds with Food Chopper; sprinkle over fruit. Slice and serve.

Yield: 16 servings Nutrients per serving: Calories 160, Total Fat 6 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol less than 5 mg, Carbohydrate 26 g, Protein 2 g, Sodium 135 mg, Fiber less than 1 g

CT Wine Trail

A.R. and I both enjoy a nice glass of wine. Early on in our relationship we used to pack a picnic lunch, Tomas (when he was a teeny pup), program the wineries in our GPS, and then tour the Connecticut countryside tasting wines produced in our own state. Our state has something called the Connecticut Wine Trail. Each year there is a contest where you can win a trip to Italy to go wine tasting. The wineries participate on the trail and you are issued a passport that you can get stamped after you visit each winery. After 14 stamps you can submit it into the contest to win the trip.

J, R, me, & A.R. at Hopkins Winery

Completing the wine trail is fun. You learn about wine, different types of grapes and other fruits used to make wines, aging, fermentation, and you get to drive the beautiful Connecticut countryside while tasting what Connecticut has to offer. Many of the wineries have won awards for their wines and sell them at liquor stores throughout Connecticut. For a minimal fee you typically get to taste 6 or more wines and keep the glass you tasted with. There are festivals in the summer where you can enjoy local wines, food, art, and music. In June, A.R. and I went to 4 wineries with two friends of ours and had a fabulous time. One of our favorite wineries is Hopkins. Their wine is delicious and the view from the property is gorgeous.

A.R. & I learning about wine at Haight-Brown Winery

So, if you're ever in Connecticut check out the wine trail. It's too long to do all in one day, but we easily do 4 wineries in an afternoon.

H

Happy 4th of July!

The aroma of cupcakes baking is wafting through the air as we get ready to go to my sister-in-law's for an evening of family, food, and fireworks. After spending last weekend with my family I'm looking forward to spending this evening with A.R.'s family. As crazy as our families are I'm so glad we have them in our lives. I can't believe this year is half over now...it is flying by! This time last year I was doing frantic last minute wedding preparations, psyching myself up not to be terrified at my bridal shower, and our house was just a cement foundation poured into a mound of mud. Crazy, huh?!

Last night after the thunderstorms passed we did some serious weeding in our vegetable garden. The grass and weeds were starting to take over and it was hard to see our vegetables. This morning we woke up early to beat the heat and the storms and did two more hours of weeding. I was so excited to see the tiniest baby bean staring to grow! Our squash, watermelon, and one surviving pumpkin are growing well with the lack of sun and tons of rain. The tomato plants are catching up and the cucumbers are now blooming. After weeding both days our garden actually looks like a garden again. I think after one more weeding frenzy tomorrow I'll beat the weeds at their own game of course I'm not sure my legs and back will forgive me. I must say that gardening is hard work and I got a good workout the last two days digging all the roots up. Who knew that weeding was really a great workout involving squats and lunges?!

Have a Happy 4th! I'm off to frost some cupcakes for dessert.
H

Mango Pork Chops

Despite the incessant rain and over 3 weeks without more then a 1/2 day of sunshine, it is summer time and one thing I love in the summer is mangos! Tonight I got the idea to make some pork chops topped with mango salsa; however, I was out of tomatoes and too lazy to go to the grocery store so I tried this recipe instead. It was delicious! The only thing I'd do differently next time is use the lighter raisins instead of brown ones. They did add in some color to the chutney, though. It took me less then a 1/2 hour to prepare and cook the meal. I actually grilled on the counter top using my Cuisinart grill/panini/griddle because yet another thunderstorm was passing through.

Mango Pork Chops (it may not look good, but it was delish!)

Recipe is courtesy of Recipetips.com

Ingredients:
- 4 pork chops
- 1 large mango, divided
- 1 small onion (I used a red onion for color)
- 1/2 cup raisins, preferably golden raisins
- 2 cloves garlic, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 cup water
-salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
*Peel the mango and then slice half and dice the other half. Set the slices aside. Chop onion and garlic.
*Mix diced mango, onion, raisins, ginger, cayenne pepper, garlic, salt, pepper and water in a saucepan. Simmer until onions are soft and mixture is thick, but not dry, about 10 minutes. Add a little more water, if necessary. Set aside (this can be prepared ahead, if desired).
*Preheat the grill. Trim excess fat from the chops. Lightly salt and pepper each side and grill to desired doneness. Briefly grill the mango slices, if desired. (They are good either grilled or not).
*Serve chops with sauce spooned over and around them with slices on top.

Enjoy!

Family Ties

I have to admit I was a little hesitant while anticipating my family gathering this past weekend for my Grandmother's burial and memorial service. My hesitation was uncalled for as it turned out to be a pretty great weekend despite the circumstances warranting our meeting. When my parents relocated to the South I was only 10 years old and we have only gathered together, in the same state, once since then...when my great grandmother turned 100 (I was 17) in 1997. On Saturday, I saw some cousins that I hadn't seen in almost 12 years! It's funny when you haven't seen someone in such a long time yet you can pick up right where you left off. I wish my family was closer, especially seeing how close-knit A.R.'s family is. I remember gathering every Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter when I was a little girl with everyone and being so excited to see everyone...especially my two older (high school age at the time) cousins.

The burial service was for family members only and was a very intimate and reflective moment for me. I shed a few tears, but I still haven't had the "good cry" I thought I would. My grandmother was laid to rest alongside her husband and infant son who passed away in 1960 and next to my great grandmother's grave (which I don't remember existing!). After the service we went back to my uncle's house for pizza and while the boys talked smack and played around with my younger cousin's go-karts a few of us went through two huge boxes of photos my grandmother had left behind. It was such a treat to go through the photos and see her memories and rehash who was in the photos and what we were doing. I discovered that I rocked a nice mullet in the 80s (thanks Mom!), my grandmother rode horses in her teens, my dad was a band geek, and it's a good thing the hair perm era has ended!

We found photos dating back as far as the 1930s (I didn't even know they had cameras back then!) including my grandmothers prom photo, senior portrait, a shot of her at probably about 10 years old with her 1/2 sister and parents, photos of my grandfather (who is a spitting image of my dad) who I never got to meet, and her wedding photos. Each of us took a little bundle of photo treasures home to scan and burn to DVD so that we will always have them even as the photos age. I'm actually surprised at what good quality the photos are, too. After going through all the photos we made collages for the Memorial Service and called it a night.

We stayed at the Renaissance in Brockton, MA and it was really nice! I even had fresh waffles for breakfast on-the-house in the morning. Sunday morning we went to the memorial service which was part of the normal church service and I was doing well holding back the tears until the organist played Amazing Grace. I think I cry every time that song is played let alone if it's at a funeral! I only teared up again when the final hymn was one of my grandmother's favorites:
In the Garden I remember her humming it clear as day.

After the service the church held a reception for us and I got to see some old church members that hadn't seen me since I was 10 years old. One thing I noticed was that not one of them had to ask what was going on in my life. My grandmother had already informed them...she talked about all 6 of her grandkids regularly and was so proud of us (insert thoughtful smile here). Once the reception ended we went back to my uncle's house for awhile longer before making the drive back to CT. I think we are all at peace now and I know that my grandmother is in a much better place with her husband, son, mother, and 1/2 sister playing the handbells, singing, and teaching the children of Heaven like she did here on Earth.

I love you Gram, may you rest in peace!

H

I have a Lily (the flower this time!)

I was so excited to find a real live Lily blossom in our yard today when I was walking the dogs. It's my first flower bloom in our new yard. I'm actually surprised the plant bloomed because the stem isn't even upright...it's been lying flat on the ground since I transplanted it back in May. Lily (the dog) actually trampled the other Lily (the plant) that I planted and I don't think it's going to bloom at all this year.

My Hostas are all about to bloom as well and my vegetable garden is coming to life now that the sun has started to shine again. I might just have a green thumb afterall!

Adventures in Gardening- Part 2

The tomato cages are up (on the left with white tags)

I will start adventures in gardening the second installment with a funny story. I am terrified of snakes. I can't even see them on the television without cringing and fumbling for the remote control to change the channel. I was causally preparing the next mound of dirt to plant the last of my seedlings (carrots) when I grabbed what I thought was another clump of old grass roots. I mindlessly threw it behind me only to notice from the corner of my eye that it moved. I looked closer to discover a garden snake...at which point I screamed, dropped everything, and ran. As I was shivering with the heebie jeebies my husband saved the day and went into the garden to save me from the "mean" 6-inch long snake. I have been back in the garden since, but I am MUCH more careful where I stick my hands. I know garden snakes are harmless but I'm still sceeved out.

The bean poles are up!

This week my beans have really taken off growing, so I bought some stakes from Ocean State Job Lot and set them up. A.R. and I also set up the tomato cages and discovered I'm two cages short. I really hope we get some serious produce with all the time, money, and work we are putting into this garden. We also added two watermelon plants into our garden along with the row of carrots I planted.

The butternut squash blossomed!

Yesterday, I noticed from our window some flower blossoms in our garden. My butternut squash is blooming! I love squash and I'm so glad it's growing well. I just hope the tomato plants catch up...I've been craving home grown tomato sandwiches.

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

I would like to wish my Dad a very HAPPY Father's Day! On days like this I wish we lived closer so I could show my appreciation with more then just a phone call. I think my Dad feels the same way. My dad and I aren't that close but I know he loves me and he knows I love him. I remember the first time I really saw him show how much he cared about me and was proud of me...it was the day I moved out of my parents home soon after I turned 18. He didn't want to help me move my things because he knew it would mean I'd be gone that much quicker.

The first time I saw him cry that I can remember was when he helped me pack up a moving van with all my things and watched me pull away for a new life in Connecticut in October 2001. He gave me the biggest bear hug and hesitated to let go with tears of pride in his eyes. I brushed him off like it was nothing that I was moving 12 hours away and starting a new life and finally going to finish my Bachelor's degree and continue my career. I promised him I'd move back in 3 years after my degree was done, but deep down we both knew I would not be back. He knew I'd find and build a life all my own in my new state.

The next time I saw my dad cry was just before he walked me down the aisle at my wedding September 6th, 2008. He was so proud of me and his new son-in-law. His little girl had finally found her Prince Charming. I still think he sees me as the freckle faced girl with pig tails begging him for ice cream before I ran outside to climb trees and ride my bike with my best friends...and for that I love him. It is good to remember the kid in you.

Happy Father's Day, Dad. Never forget that I love you!

Blast from the Past

I visited my Aunt in Massachusetts last Sunday and went through some of my grandmother's things with her. We came across a box filled with old pictures of my grandmother, her wedding, her sons through the years, and many of my cousins. Some of the pictures she had were quite incredible with the oldest photos dating back into the late 40s. The older photos were tiny...maybe 2" x 2" on much different paper and of course in black and white. My grandmother was very beautiful when she was younger and I have to say that I resemble her quite a bit. I also got to see what my grandfather looked like. He died in 1960 when my father was really young. My dad is a spitting image of his father only with darker hair...it was incredible to see the resemblance.

While going through her stash, I came across these photos of my parents at 3 of their proms. My mother hand-sewed all of her prom dresses. She looked so young and beautiful...I have a picture from when I was 16 and I look JUST like her. My parents were high school sweethearts and because my mother was younger they attended 3 proms together. Here are two of them. The 3rd one is a bit bleached out from being displayed in the light. I think I'm going to take it to a photo store or even CVS and see about having it restored to give to my parents who just celebrated their 35th Wedding Anniversary on June 15th. I believe these shots would be from the early 70s. My parents got married when my mother was 19 and just graduated from high school.

Also in the box were some baby pictures of my older brother and I! I don't have many baby shots being the younger sibling, so they are like liquid gold to find. My brother and I are only 15 months apart in age (I was an OOPS!) and are best friends today. May were we two cuties...I hope A.R. and I make such beautiful children. LOL

Me- 9 months old and Pete- 1 year old (Dec. 1981)

Pete- 2 yrs, Me- 21 months (Nov. 1981): I love my grin & tiny hands!

Enjoy!
H

Our 1st Lawn Mowing

Over the weekend we went to just about every home store shopping for the perfect lawn mower. A.R. wanted a rear-wheel drive, self propelled, push lawn mower for now and once our entire lot is excavated and cleared he'll add in a ride-on. After consulting with the other men in his family (his Dad and two of his brothers) and bringing them to all the stores on Sunday, A.R. brought home a Sear's Craftsman lawn mower and he even found it on sale! I'm so proud of my self-trained bargain shopper.

Yesterday he mowed our yard for the first time! We still have a long road ahead of us to establish our lawn and kill the weeds that are growing, but it really looks like home now. I can't believe how much more it looks like a real yard now. Last year at this time our foundation had just been laid. This photo was taken on June 26th, 2008:

It took him a couple hours to mow the side and rear lawns, but he didn't get to finish the front before the sun set. It was so cute to see him out there in his wife beater with his latest man toy. He was so proud of himself and I think he felt pretty manly after mowing the lawn for the first time ever. A.R. grew up in a home with 3 older brothers and a father so he never had to mow the lawn as the baby of the family. (Spoiled!) I can't wait until our whole yard is established. I think it'll be bigger then we anticipate and have plenty of room for our deck, patio, shed, and one day a play scape for our children. It'll be nice to watch our future children play on our yard one day... :)

A.R. mowing in his wife beater (that's our neighbor's house)

Our side yard all mowed (my garden is in the background)

My Recent Reading List

FINALLY, after sitting on my book shelf for over two years collecting dust I was able to read the last Harry Potter book. A.R. got it as a gift for me in December 2007 and I just finished reading it in May...see what Grad school does to a girl?! I honestly can't remember the last time I read a book that wasn't a textbook or required by a professor for the shear joy and fun of it. I was always a book worm growing up and now I'm happy to get back into reading a book a month. My favorite authors include Nicholas Sparks, John Grisham, and Dick Francis to name a few.

I've greatly enjoyed the Harry Potter series, but I have to say that book 7 was a bit long and pretty much the first half of the book could've been omitted and still told the story successfully. I did enjoy reading how the author tied everything together and ended with a look forward to Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermoine's children traveling off to Hogwarts. BUT, but I feel like she left it open for a sequel (the last horcrux lost in the woods could still be rediscovered by accident, right?!) and that disappointed me a bit. I hope she doesn't reconsider and Book 7 remains Harry Potter's last.

I also read a memoir written by one of my favorite Glamour bloggers, Christine Coppa (Storked!). Her book is called Rattled! and it is about her life as a single mom coming to grips with life as she discovers herself single and pregnant at 26. It was a quick read and a great book with a Sex & the City meets suburbia twist. I look forward to her next book (and I hope there is one!).

Lily & I enjoying Rattled!

Next up on my list is a book by another (former) Glamour blogger, Erin Zammett. It's called "My (So-Called) Normal Life" and talks about her diagnosis of cancer in 2001 at age 23. Her blog just ended on Glamour and she is now happily married with one son and another baby on the way. I can't wait to read her book as I remember the very first article I read about her in Glamour many years ago. She is a strong woman and a survivor in more ways then one.

H

Adventures in Gardening- Part I

I'm the one in our relationship that typically comes up with special projects for us to undertake together. A.R. simply comes up with more electronic gadgets for us to buy...his latest dream gadget is a 58" flat panel TV which he emails pictures of daily and points out while we are in various stores. First, it was a 46" that he HAD to have. Then, he talked me into getting a 52" inch and now I think he's pushing his luck with a 58" on his wish list. We plan on purchasing a flat panel to go above our family room fireplace at the end of the month and I think he's going to win on getting the 58". Sneaky. He knew I'd cave. Especially after he had two of his brothers coerce me. Plus, I don't really think I have much choice in the matter after all the sweat, blood (yes, my DH has scars from our garden already!), and aggravation that went into starting up my latest project for us.

The seedlings start to grow!

"My" vegetable garden has now turned into "our" vegetable garden and after all the work we put in just starting it, we both have a greater apprecation for all the farmers out there in America and the world. Gardening is NOT easy, but we're hoping in a few months it WILL be rewarding if only we can get one vegetable after all the labor we've put in. I think I was a bit ambitious with our first garden and perhaps we both got a little over-excited over the thought of fresh, home grown tomatoes. This year's garden will consist of green beans, cucumbers, Dixie Squash, Butternut Squash, tomatoes, carrots, and pumpkin. I started all the seeds indoors myself in special trays. Much to my surprise a lot more of them then I anticipated actually grew, so I didn't transplant all of them. Of course we tilled and planted in the middle of a mole's wonderland, so we'll be fighting the rodents for the fruits (er, vegetables) of our labor!

Farmer A.R. with his hoe in hand...he hates this pic. LOL!

Two freshly hoed rows, with strings line up for two more...

Our gardening adventure began on Memorial Day weekend when we arranged to rent a tiller and a truck from our local Home Depot for 24 hours. We both thought it would be a piece of cake to till our land which borders wetlands and has great soil. What we didn't anticipate was the subsequent 4 trips BACK to Home Depot for more supplies including a trimmer with a bush wacking attachment to weed wack the waist high grass where our garden was to be. It turns out that the tiller couldn't handle tilling the ground until we cut the grass down. DOH!

Saturday, we wasted the first 12 hours with the rented tiller making trips back and forth to Home Depot getting additional supplies we didn't anticipate needing. It was actually so bad that our bank card got put on fraud alert and the company actually froze our card until we called to tell them we were idiots and that Home Depot now owns a small share of our home. Bright and early on Sunday A.R. woke up and started weed wacking the grass with our new trimmer when he got his first battle scars slicing his knuckles while changing the blade on the trimmer. Then, he staked out the 4 corners of our garden. With just 4 hours left on the tiller rental he began tilling the spot that would become our garden. After tilling we loaded the tiller back in the rented truck and headed once AGAIN to Home Depot. It turns out we mis-read the time the tiller was due back and turned it in a mere 3 minutes before we would've been charged another day. PHEW!

The 1st rows are planted...the stakes have a deer fence hooked to them that you can't really see.

Learning to use the tiller on Saturday was quite an adventure as well. When we first got it we tested it out by trying to till some of the land by a fence that is on our property so I could plant some Hostas under it while A.R. tilled the vegetable garden. The tiller started once but then sputtered out and we couldn't restart it prompting a call to the rental department of Home Depot (I think they know our names now!) and come to find out there's a teeny tiny switch on it that shuts on and off access to the gas tank. A.R. soon had it up and running again and practiced for a bit before taking it down to the vegetable garden spot.

Next year we will plan a lot better BEFORE we rent the tiller as far as doing all the prepwork, so we can maximize our time with it. Unfortunately, we wish we had the tiller a few more hours as now there are a lot of grass roots in our garden and some grass is re-growing. One more pass with the tiller would've really helped break them up more. We learned so much this year and after two days of hot baths to ease my aching muscles I now swell up with appreciation when I drive by a home that has beautiful well-kept gardens. It is HARD work. Every muscle in my body ached for an entire week as we finished hoeing the rows and planted the seedlings. This weekend I get to weed it for the first time and plant the last row (carrots) of vegetables. I also have to put bean poles and some form of trellis contraption that my cucumbers can use to grow on.

Our garden is pretty big. Now we have the tomato cages up as well.

If you have any tips for a gardening beginner feel free to comment away. I'm learning about fertilizing now (1st application went on last weekend) and stablizing those veggies that need cages, poles, and trellis' to grow well. Remembering to water has been a challenge, but the rain we've had this week has really helped. Now I have to make sure little bugs aren't eating the leaves on my tomato plants!

H

I am a VERY proud granddaughter

My grandmother's obituary was in the newspaper over the weekend and I finally looked it up online Tuesday. I didn't know my grandmother was so involved with her church and did so much for them and her community over the years and especially after her husband and young son died in a tragic car accident. She was left a widow with 3 young boys in a time when single mothers were not the norm. My eyes welled up with tears and I swelled with pride when I read about her accomplishments which I have excerpted below. I think she is inspirational in the hardships she overcame and yet she was so humble as to not boast about her good deeds. I really hope she is at peace now in heaven with her husband, son, and 1/2 sister frolicking in the clouds, painting, and playing her hand bells.

I have one of the last items she painted at my house on our front porch. She made Alexi and I a birdhouse painted hunter green to go along with our shutter colors as part of a house warming gift to us. I will cherish it always...this picture of it is kind of crappy, but it's on the bottom of my garden rack.

"Her main stay was her faith in the Lord and she was an active member of the *** Congregational Church in *** for over 60 years. She served as a Sunday School Superintendent, sang in the church choir, when needed served as a substitute organist, directed the Junior Choir and played in the hand bell choir for many years. She was active in the Prayer Shawl Ministry and was a member of the Ratcliffe Guild, the Whats-So-Ever Club and the Lunch Bunch.

In the 1960's, following the tragic death of her husband and son, she was very instrumental in a major renovation project at the church. She helped oversee the addition of Sunday school classrooms, the church parlor and fellowship hall, complete with a kitchen. "Sweet Hall" was attached to its original building to where it stands today.

A resident of *** for over 60 years, Eleanor enjoyed painting, tole painting being her favorite. She was also an avid knitter, enjoyed playing and teaching piano and playing the accordion. Mrs. T was a former Girl Scout leader and led many *** girls (including my own mother!) from the starting point of a Brownie to becoming a full-fledged senior Girl Scout. She loved children and had donated over 200 hand made baby booties and hats for newborns at *** Hospital. Her proudest accomplishments were the ways in which she raised her devoted sons as a single mother and reaching out and helping other children in many different ways."

Everyone Needs A Little Lily Love

Because I'm infatuated with her and she is going to think I'm the paparazzi following her around, here is Lily's latest adventure...she has determined that our coffee table is a great place for sleeping/playing.

Gotta love the little tush and her "stubby" (tail). :)

A.R.'s New Throne

He won't be facing Bobby Flay anytime soon for a grilling ThrowDown, but A.R. sure does love his new grill. We stalked it at Home Depot for a month before we finally broke down and bought it. So what that our deck isn't built yet (we have a design layout in mind!) and that our stone patio (complete with fire pit and beautiful path with trellis to our vegetable garden) is probably another good 3-5 years from being started or even fully imagined. A.R. swiped a few stone steps our builder had piled up and made a home for the grill outside our walkout basement for now.

The funny part: we aren't so good at grilling. I swear I think it has to be an art. Either our food comes out blackened beyond recognition or it's raw in the middle and we end up having to finish cooking it inside. It's sad, really, that we suck at using it. I hope by the end of the summer A.R. will have mastered his throne and I can revel in delicious shrimp skewers, kabobs, ribs, and hot dogs that actually still resemble hot dogs when removed from the grill.


He practiced every day for a week before my graduation party to try to figure out the right temperatures and how long to cook various foods insisting that the directions were wrong. Yes! My husband actually reads the directions for his man toys instead of crumbling them into a ball and discarding them as useless. Shocking, I know. Alas, at the party, the tongs were relinquished...ah-hem, taken...from A.R. by his brother who saved the day and the last 1/2 of the pack of hot dogs! My poor hubby was deflated, but he will try again later this week to conquer the grill once again. Let's hope the chicken comes out resembling chicken this time!

Happy summer and happy grilling everyone!

11 Years Ago Today...

...I became a mother. It isn't something I normally shout out from the rooftops, but it isn't something I try to hide either. Afterall, I have the stretchmarks to prove it! I went into labor on a Thursday afternoon, but was sent home because I was only 2 cm dilated. Friday morning, after a sleepless night, I returned to the hospital and was admitted. My labor continued all day and finally the doctors broke my water at 8pm. My son was born screaming at 5:26am Saturday, June 6th after over an hour of pushing. I melted when I saw him. Cried. Laughed. Smiled. I held him in my arms in awe at what I had just done. I gave my son the best gift a mother can. Life.

He weighed 9 lbs 4 3/4oz and was 21 1/8" long and arrived over a week late (I was due May 25th!). I named him Jacob and as I gazed at him it was bittersweet. I knew our time together was coming to an end. My son was being adopted by a wonderful family as I was just a teenager at 18. I still shiver when I remember the day I found out I was pregnant. It was on my mom's birthday. My father had taken her out to dinner, so my best friend had come over to be with me as I took a pregnancy test. I already knew the results deep down before I even took the test, but I still couldn't look at the test. My friend looked first and just sat on the toilet dumbfounded and handed it to me. I was 17 and pregnant. When I dropped out of high school, as class valedictorian, to homeschool the last half of my 10th grade year my classmates assumed it was because I was pregnant. I laughed it off, saying it was rediculous. A year later, I was pregnant albeit I had already graduated highschool with my GED and was in college. I was smart. I couldn't be a pregnant teenager. Impossible.

I agonized over the decision I had to make. Abortion was never an option. I decided to keep my son and raise him as my own until I was 5 1/2 months pregnant and started to really think about how exactly I could do that when I had nothing. My parents weren't rich, they were struggling to raise my younger brother and sister and couldn't afford another mouth to feed. I was working my way through Community College, but I knew flipping burgers wouldn't cut it. After many conversations with my mother, my son's father (we were still dating), and a counselor, I decided that my son would be adopted by a family that I picked out. I began searching through the stack of profiles and was amazed how many loving families are waiting out there for a child of their own. I knew who my son's parents would be the instant that I saw their profile. They had lost two children of their own. As toddlers. There was a photo in that profile I will never forget. It was of my son's future mother holding her dying toddler while the child was covered in tubes and looking lovingly into her eyes. I cried. A lot. My decision had been made.

My son's father and I were still dating, but it was long distance. He was very supportive over the phone but only saw me twice during the pregnancy. When I was 6 months along he flew down to see me and then again when our son was born. He was supportive of my decision towards adoption as he was in no way ready to be a father. I think in some ways I am still bitter that all he had to do was show up and sign his name, while I carried our child for 9 months, went through a long and painful back labor, and then took months (years) to cope with my decision and finally be at peace. He should've been there, but he wasn't and that is something he has had to live with. I know that I made the right choice and I'm so thankful that my son has a wonderful family. He is doing so well.

I had a semi-open adoption through the agency where my parents adopted my younger siblings. I received pictures of my son every month for the first year and now, 11 years later, I still get an update and photos once a year. I send him gifts on his birthday and Christmas and he knows that he is adopted. His family and I communicate through the adoption agency. Although we have never met, I cannot thank them enough for doing such a wonderful job raising my son. He is their son now. I will never search for him, that decision is up to him when he is old enough (18). He knows his story, has letters that I've written, and he has seen what both his birth father and I look like through pictures. If he wants to meet me someday I will welcome him with open arms, but if his story/letters/pictures are enough for him, I am at peace with that. He knows he is loved and I think he's a pretty lucky kid to have two moms that would do anything for him. Happy Birthday to my "baby" boy!

H

Coming to you via video: Lily

Here is a short clip of Lily & Tomas bonding on Monday. They are going to be such best buds before long! Please ignore the talking in the background...it's my mother-in-law and A.R.'s aunt speaking in Spanish. I hope they aren't saying anything dirty because I have no clue what they are saying. :)

Minor Oral Surgery Today

I had one (out of two) skin grafts done today for my lower gums. My brother had the same surgery when we were younger for the same thing. The gums in two spots on my lower jaw are receding to the point where I was in danger of losing some of my teeth which is why I needed the procedure. The periodontist took the skin from the roof of my mouth and stitched it in place where my gums were receding too much. I was supposed to have two skin grafts done today, but he didn't want to take too much skin all at once so he ended up only completing one.

As soon as the numbing meds wore off it was excruciating and if I bend over or do too much standing up the blood rushes to my head and it hurts. Right now I'm on 2 Motrin, but I have Hydrocodone (generic Vicodin) in case I need it. I can't believe I have to do this AGAIN once the first one heals in about a month. :(

The stitches on the roof of my mouth...top right

I have to say that the surgery itself wasn't too horrible. Getting the shot into the roof of my mouth was the most painful part of the procedure. I felt it all the way up in my sinus! Once I was numb it was smooth sailing besides the fact I could watch and hear everything. Seeing a scalpal head towards you isn't really my cup of tea and it gets a little unnerving when you see your own blood on it (sorry if TMI!). One of the grossest experiences I've had in life was definitely watching my doctor actually sew me back up. I wouldn't have minded being knocked out for that! I told him he should put posters on his ceiling to occupy his patients for that part of the procedure. :)

The skin graft is under this special putty which is like a band-aid.

My lower lip is a bit swollen but I shouldn't bruise and I can still eat soft foods. I had good old fashioned mac & cheese in a box tonight accompanied by homemade mashed potatoes. Mmm, carbs. I have to be careful while eating for a couple of days for the stitches on the roof of my mouth to heal. I'm also not supposed to bend over and exercise excessively to prevent the blood from rushing to my head and I've already learned that lesson. Potty training a puppy while recovering is going to be a challenge!

H

10 Things We've Learned about Lily

Our little Lily came to live with us on Sunday...a bright spot to a crappy day. She is already giving us a run for our money (and her big brothers, too). Here are 10 things we've learned about her in the short 48 hours since she joined our family.

1. She is stinkin' cute. As in the pouty look from her eyes with the drooping Cocker Spaniel ears you can't say no or call me "bad girl" too many times cute.

2. She learned how to climb stairs in less then 24 hours. Yes, we are in trouble! She is only 8 weeks old and it took Tomas until at least until he was 12 weeks to figure stairs out.

3. She is definitely a "cocky" Cocker...all piss and vinegar and sassy to boot.

4. Lily LOVES bling. She regularly tries to chew my e-ring, earrings, necklace, and her Dad's watch. I wonder if that goes along with her pick pocket abilities as demonstrated at my last meeting with her.

5. Lily doesn't play nice on the playground. She pulls hair. Hard. She even gets her razor teeth around A.R.'s short hair and pulls it.

6. She is a bed/couch space hog. We've been suckered into letting her onto both the couch and our bed to sleep to stop the pitiful whining. I know, it's sad and bad for training. But. She makes it a point to spread out as much as possible once on said bed/couch.

7. Like her Dad and big brother, Tomas, she likes electronics. I am typing this blog from Alexi's desktop because she chewed through my laptop power cord today and my battery pack has been dead for awhile and won't hold a charge. We've ordered a new power cord to tide me over until Santa brings me a MAC.

8. Lily has an uncanny resemblance to her big brother, Tomas, in so many ways. The way she sits, plays, wiggles her whole butt instead of just her stub of a tail when she's happy, "play growls" at you to get your attention, lies with her back legs stretched behind her, sleeps. It's kind of freaky how similar they are!

9. She already respects the king of the home, Sebastian the cat. He already swatted her and now she runs from him. I can't get a picture of the two of them because she keeps her distance.

10. Lily loves belly scratches. Loves. Scratching her belly puts her to sleep.

Alas, when I get my power cord or figure out where the USB port is on A.R.'s computer I will download and post some pictures and videos of our little Lily. Until then, I must say that she has already won over our hearts. She is quite a little girl. I hope Sebastian grows to accept her and stops pouting at me and Tomas learns to love her even as she grows.

H

Endings & Beginnings

Today a very important person in my life passed away before my eyes and a few hours later a new life joined our family. It has been quite a day and I am numb, exhausted, saddened, excited, and comforted all at once. Thank you to all my family and close friends for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

One of the strongest woman in my life passed away as the sun rose this morning. My grandmother was widowed at a very young age losing not only her husband, but a son in a tragic car accident. She worked to support the 3 surviving small boys in a day and age where a single mother was virtually unheard of. Eventually she ended up purchasing a tract of land and designing a house for her young family and provided them the best home she could. When my older brother and I were little she showed us the arts taking my brother to countless piano lessons and both of us to plays at a local college (Wheaton College). She babysat us and our two younger cousins, showering us with love and affection and her delicious cooking.

I shared a special bond with my grandmother as I was the best birthday gift she received in 1980. I was born the day before her birthday...the first girl on my Dad's side of the family in over 60 years. When I came home from the hospital she was in such disbelief that I was really a girl that she asked to change my diaper right away. :)

Grandma: I will always cherish the memories we shared. The good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful, the laughs we shared, and tears shed. I am so thankful that you had the chance to see me grow up, graduate (not once but 3 times!), marry the man of my dreams, and see photos of the places we have traveled and our beautiful home. I hope you look down fondly on us from above and smile with pride. I kept the yellow Mum you thought was so beautiful in your room and will plant it in our new yard to keep your memory alive. I love you. May you rest in peace in heaven with your husband, son, and sister. You will be greatly missed on this earth.

Eleanor S. T. Born: March 15th, 1922 Died: May 31st, 2009

My grandmother & I back in February 2009 when she was 1st diagnosed.Today was also a new beginning for Alexi and I. After debating and hemming and hawing for awhile we have a new addition to our family. Tomas and Sebastian are now big brothers and we have entered the realm of a two dog household (Eek!). Little Lily joined our family today. She is an American Cocker Spaniel (Tomas is an English Cocker) and was born on April Fool's Day 2009. I debated on whether we should postpone her homecoming with my grandmother's passing, but decided we needed stinky puppy breath and a a few sloppy puppy kisses to cheer us up so we still picked her up as scheduled this afternoon.

When she met Tomas for the first time she was unleashed. She took one look at Tomas, spun around, and ran into the backyard yelping the whole way! LOL, it was the saddest yet funniest thing. Within ten minutes she warmed right up to Tomas and I think before long they will be running us ragged.

Lily checks out her big brother from the safety of my legs:

Big brother meets Little Sister

All wiped out from a busy day (and a total couch hog!)

Here's to new beginnings...

Pork Chops with Country Gravy

I made this meal the 2nd time I cooked for Alexi and it was a winner. It used to be his favorite meal until this came along. I think last night's version was the best I've made it yet. The gravy was a bit browner then normal but it tasted delicious.

Recipe is courtesy of Cooking Light June 2006. It is estimated to have a 40-minute prep and cook time.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried marjaram
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried rubbed sage
4 (4 oz.) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 3/4-inch thick)
1 tablespoon butter
cooking spray
1 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk

Directions:
1. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour, salt, dried marjaram, dried thyme, and dried rubbed sage in a shallow dish. Dredge pork in flour mixture, turning to coat; shake off excess. Reserve remaining flour mixture.
2. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add pork to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Reduce heat, and cook for 10 minutes or until done, turning pork once. Remove from pan; keep warm.3. Combined reserve flour mixture and milk in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add milk mixture to pan; place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly.
Yields: 4 servings, 252 calories, 9.6g of fat, 28.9g protein, 10.6g carbs, 0.3g fiber

Enjoy!