It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

This past weekend was very Christmasy! On Friday my Mom and I went to the Nutcracker. It's a tradition we try to do every year. This year they had many changes to it, so it was like seeing it for the first time again. We loved it!

Saturday morning there was a Howl-I-Day party at the Dog Park. The party was not as great as the Halloween Party at the Dog Park, but we got a free photo with a decorated fire hydrant! We also did some holiday shopping- I am pretty much done, but a few things are still in the mail.

Saturday night we had dinner with friends then walked around Cranes Roost Park. They had lots of holiday light decorations out.

Sunday was SeaWorld. They had a Polar Express ride for the holidays and it was really neat! We also saw the Shamu Christmas show. Shamu splashes water to the crowd and it was cold out! I felt bad for the people who thought it would be fun to sit up close!

On Monday TJ graduated from Puppy Obedience School! He got a certificate, but no graduation cap photo- bummer!

Can't believe Christmas is less than a week away!

Fun, yet busy weekend!

Friday night we went to the Hard Rock Café at Citywalk for my brother in law, Jim’s birthday. It was a night of drama! First, we get seated next to a table of 30 annoying high schoolers, so we decided to move. After we finally got a table together the beers were watered down, my burger was raw, and our aunt who is allergic to onions got onions on her plate. After we ate, the drama settled a little as the whole restaurant broke out into the YMCA. Crazy place! Then, we went over to Pat O’Briens where they questioned his brothers ID. He is 26 people- learn how to read ID’s! Oh, what a night!

Saturday night I went to a Christmas Silent Auction and dessert with my new cousin Tiffany. I bid on a cake baking set and won! I also won one of the door prizes, a set of 3 Starbucks cocoas- yum!

This weekend I took the GRE and finished my 30 hours of volunteer work for Physical Therapy. I am so glad that these are done with. I turn in my application this week!

My plans for this week include: mailing my holiday cards, finishing decorating for Christmas, printing and mailing the recipe books, and finishing Christmas shopping. Plus, I need to clean my house. I have been so busy with everything else, that the cleaning has been pushed aside. After this busy week, I hope things settle down so I can enjoy the holidays!

Christmas meme

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper
2. Real tree or artificial? artificial
3. When do you put up the tree? After Thanksgiving
4. When do you take the tree down? After New Years
5. Do you like eggnog? It’s ok
6. Favorite gift received as a child? A bike probably
7. Do you have a nativity scene? no
8. Hardest person to buy for? Bob
9. Easiest person to buy for? My brother, he always has a wishlist
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Can’t quite remember
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? mail
12. Favorite Christmas movie? The Santa Clause
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? After Thanksgiving
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? maybe
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? cookies
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? colored
17. Favorite Christmas song? Jingle Bell Rock
18. Travel for Christmas or stay at home? Stay home
19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? I don’t think so
20. Angel on the tree top or star? star
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? traffic
23. What I love most about Christmas? Being with family and the Christmas spirit

Busy, Busy, Busy!

I have been super busy lately. Here is what I have been up to:

* I decorated the inside of the house for Christmas all by myself. All that is left to put up are the lights outside and 2 more wreaths.
* I am applying to Physical Therapy School at UCF. I take the GRE this weekend and also complete my 30 volunteer hours this weekend.
* I am finishing Our Family Cookbook as a Christmas gift. We have over 200 recipes!
* Puppy School ends in 2 weeks. Can’t wait for TJ to have a graduation cap photo! TJ also met Santa at Petsmart this past weekend. That will be the photo for our Christmas cards.
* I went to Christmas Tea with my Mom at the Ritz Carlton. La Tea Da! We got champagne, scones, tea sandwiches and desserts. I don’t like tea, so I got hot chocolate in a teapot instead. =)
* I got a new phone, it is a red Motorazr. It is so neat and cute! It is pictured above.

An Engagement and a Wedding!

On Friday my brother proposed to his girlfriend Jessica in San Francisco! Yea! I am so excited for them =) I knew he was planning on proposing, so now the secret is out! Congratulations! Above is a photo of the happy couple and the ring.

On Saturday we went to Betsy and Mike's wedding. Bob used to work with Mike. It was at a French restaurant called Maison and Jardin. The wedding was outside and the weather was very nice. There were about 60 guests. Betsy looked absolutely beautiful- she has the prettiest red hair! For cocktail hour I had 4 mimosas! Yummy! Everything was decorated so nicely and everything was coordinated. The colors were brown and a kelly green shade- I was so surpirsed that she got the linens and stationary to match perfectly! At our table we had a guy with a mohawk- who does that anymore? There were also some people from my high school there. Crazy how people from the same high school become friends with people from different schools. Bob and I danced to a few of the slow songs- he is the best slow dancer! Afterwards we were going to go downtown with some of Bob's friends, but by the time we got home to change and take TJ out, we were too tired. We are getting old =) Next year we have 4 weddings! Plus my brother and his fiance will be scheduling their wedding- not sure when yet. Wedding mania!

House Survey

1.) When you walk in your front door, which room do you enter? foyer
2.)Do you have a dishwasher? Yes
3.) Is your living room carpeted or does it have hardwood floors? Carpet
4.) Do you keep your kitchen knives on the counter or in a drawer? On the counter in a block
5.) House, apartment, duplex or trailer? House
6.) How many bedrooms is it? 3
7.) Gas stove or electric? Electric
8.) Do you have a yard? yes
9.) What size TV is in the living room? very large, not sure of the size though
10.) Are your plates in the same cupboard as your cups? Nope
11.) Is there a coffee maker sitting on your kitchen counter? no
13.) What room is your computer in? guest room
14.) Are there pictures hanging in your living room? no, they are in frames in the entertainment center
15.) Are there any themes found in your home? the dining room is an african theme, and in the family room there is a tiki bar area
16.) What kind of laundry detergent do you use? changes often
17.) Do you use dryer sheets? Yes
18.) Do you have any curtains in your home? only in the office
19.) What color is your fridge? stainless steel
20.) Is your house clean? a little cluttered, but clean
21.) What room is the most neglected? do the closets count?
22.) Are the dishes in your sink/dishwasher clean or dirty? no dishes in the sink, dirty in the dishwasher
23.) How long have you lived in your home?1 year
24.) Where did you live before? my parents house
25.) Do you have one of those fluffy toilet lid covers on your toilet? yup
26.) Do you have a scale anywhere in your house? Yes, in our bathroom
27.) How many mirrors are in your house? 3 I think
28.) Look up. What do you see? sky lights
29.) Do you have a garage? yes
30.) Do you own or rent? Own

Thanksgiving!

We had Thanksgiving at our house- a new family tradition that started last year. I got up early and took TJ to the dog park, so he could burn off some energy and not be so hyper for the guests. Then, I started peeling 10 pounds of potatoes while I watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I also watched the Dog Show. The day was pretty relaxing at the start. My parents came over at 3 and everyone else came over at about 4. Bob started gearing up the oil for the turkey- we fried ours for the first time. The oil took longer than we thought to heat up, but then once the turkey went in, it cooked fast! We were rushing around to finish the side items. Everything worked out great though and the table looked wonderful and sat all 10 of our guests. I used my grandmother's china and my parents sent me beautiful flowers for a centerpiece. Along with the turkey, we had mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, corn, rolls, cranberry sauce, stuffing and devilled eggs. Everything was delicious and the turkey was so tender. Then, came the fun part of cleaning. I did not think the dirty dishes would ever stop coming. Quite a task! Then, it was dessert time. I made my grandmother's pecan pie recipe- it was a hit! My mom made pumpkin pie and Bob's aunt made 2 apple pies- one with icing-mmm! The following is a short list of the things I am thankful for this year:

1. my wonderful husband

2. my fantastic family and friends

3. my puppy TJ

4. Not having to travel on Thanksgiving =)

5. Not having houseguests for Thanksgiving =)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Birthday Weekend!

On Saturday, Bob took me to the Hard Rock Hotel for my birthday. What a sweetie!
It is located at Universal. We met up with his Dad for lunch at the Nascar Sports Grille and then we went to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. For dinner we went to The Kitchen at the Hard Rock Hotel with Sam, Ron, Chrissy and Adam. It was character night so we saw Shrek and Scooby Doo. We had drinks at the Velvet Bar in the lobby of the hotel. The hotel was really hip and the people that worked there showed it. There were several with piercings and tattoos.

Sunday we went to Brio Tuscan Grille with my parents for dinner; it's a really yummy Italian restaurant.

On Monday my co-workers made me lunch and my boss baked me a cake. Bob and TJ met me for a lunchtime stroll around Lake Eola. To end the day we got Coldstone ice cream, yum! All in all it was a great birthday, I just wish I got that special birthday feeling that I used to get. I guess that just doesn’t happen when you are older.

I've been tagged

A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B. Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1. TJ is such a ball full of energy and can get me so annoyed. Sometimes I wonder if I will lose my temper when I have children, like I do with TJ.

2. I only have one blogging friend, so I end up reading the blogs of her friends. It seems stalkerish, but their blogs can be so interesting and informative, I just can't stop!

3. My husband amazes me all the time. When I met him I had no idea how smart and handy he was. Just this weekend my battery died and he spent 2 hours researching what could be wrong and replacing the battery all my himself. I would be lost without him.

4. I can get really bad road rage. I cuss and shake my fist at people. I have even flicked people off. I guess you would not expect that from me, but some drivers are just so terrible.

5. I feel I have a slight case of OCD. I double check that I lock doors and have even washed my hair twice in a row just to make sure I did it. Drives me crazy sometimes.

6. Sometimes I regret not getting a Physical therapy degree in college when I had the chance. I guess I was so concerned about graduating in 4 years that I did not apply. Now I hope I can still go back to school for it before it's too late.

This was easier than I thought it would be. I don't have anymore blogging friends, but if you read this feel free to comment. =)

Sad Day

Today is the one year anniversary of losing Bob's mom. It is hard to believe it has already been a year- time flies. It saddens me that life will never quite be the same without her; it will just be different. My heart aches for my husband and his family. I can't imagine losing one of my parents so suddenly. My husband has shown such strength and he has been the rock of our family. I am so lucky to be the wife of this great man. This has been the hardest death I have ever dealt with. She was so young and taken so suddenly- it just isn't fair. I will never get to know my mother-in-law the way my family knew her. Growing up I did not get to know my dad's father and it upsets me so much that when I have kids, they will not get to know her. There is so much I could have learned from her. We could have been really good friends. Things change though and you just have to keep going. I just wish we had had more time together.

Strike!

If you haven't heard, the Writer's Guild of America has gone on strike. My brother is a member, so picketing will be his new job until the strike ends. Above is a picture of him on the picket line, a little blurry, but I think it's a cool shot. His girlfriend drove by to take some pictures. =) This means delays in some of our favorite TV shows, but I know it is important for my brother. Hopefully the strike is short and successful and they get what they want.

6 Month Anniversary!

Today is our 6 Month Anniversary! I can't believe how fast this year has flown! Bob thinks it is silly to celebrate 6 months, but I feel it is a nice milestone. Halfway to one year! Enjoy the wedding collage above! I have decided to list the Top 5 Reasons I love my husband, since we are halfway to Numero Uno!

Here goes:

1. He makes me laugh and smile =)
2. He challenges me
3. He makes me stand up for what I believe in
4. He makes me a better person
5. The blue eyes and dimples are just too darn cute to resist!

I love you, Bob!

Trick or Treating

Last night we had a pretty good turn out for trick or treaters. TJ was all excited at first, and everyone wanted to pet him. Then, halfway through he went out back and didn't want to come in. At the end, he decided to come back in and greet the kids again. He was very tired from all the excitement. Some of the costumes we saw were: superman, spiderman, a clown and a witch. Nothing too unusual. One girl had my princess dress from Target. The kids were so funny. One girl said "Finally I got skittles." I can't believe it is November now. Only 18 days until my Birthday!!!

Wonderful Weekend!

This past weekend we had a Halloween Party. So, Bob spent all week buying decorations, decorating and cleaning. He worked so hard on the party and did mostly everything. It was so stress free for me; what a great husband! On Friday we bought the food and started baking. I made peanut butter cake and deviled eggs. Bob made homemade meatballs and sauce, sausages, rice pudding, and banana bread. I baked first so we would not get in each other's way. He baked second until 4am! Most of the recipes were our family recipes we were trying out.

Saturday was the day of the party and a busy day with other events. I took TJ to the Dog Park in the morning for their Howl-O-Ween event. I dressed him in his Shrek costume and took a few photos. He did not want to keep it on though, so he did not wear it to the park. At the park, they had booths set up with music and a cute Halloween scene. I tried many attempts to get TJ in front of the scarecrow and the beware of dog sign, but all I got was him in front of a pumpkin. Close enough! Then, I went home to clean the house before the party. In the afternoon, I went to Tiffany's Baby Shower. Everything was decorated so nicely and the food, punch and cake were great! I did the games: we made a calendar, guessed baby food and played Baby Bingo. Saturday night was the Halloween Party. I was Princess Fiona and Bob was Shrek. Our friend Sam was Wonder Woman and her husband Ron was a wrestler complete with spandex, a speedo and a fake chest! We also had the Flinestones, a Greek Goddess, a Jester, Shaun of the Dead, a ninja, a samurai, and a friend in a straight jacket. Sam brought over a graveyard pudding and I made Spooktinis! Bob used blacklights in the garage for beer pong and the fluorescent paint looked really cool! Our friend James used dry ice for a fog machine in the garage, then he decided to play Mr Wizard to see what he could do with the dry ice. He made dry ice bubbles, contrained dry ice in a tupperware bin and also tried to blow up a water bottle. A pretty fun evening!

On Sunday, I went to FL Hospital to volunteer in the Physical Therapy Dept. I am applying to UCF's Physical Therapy Program. It is very competitive, but I have all the requirements, so I figure, "what the heck?" That night we celebrated my Mom's birthday at Houston's. It is a beautiful restaurant on a lake and every seat gets a great view. The food was delicious and the company was great!

Puppy Obedience School

TJ started his Puppy Obedience School Training last night. It was mostly instructions the first night. TJ would not sit still though- he is the antsy puppy in the class. The instructor has the best behaved German Sheperd- I bet everyone thinks their dog will act like him at the end of the class =) The class is 8 weeks and each week we will have a homework assignment. This week we have to think of rules we want to enforce with him and also work on walking with him. This morning I put chili pepper in our potted plants because he likes to play with the dirt- I'll see if there is any dirt on the floor tonight. We walk him a lot, but he is beginning to pull us. So, it will be work to get to him understand to walk beside us. We got him a training collar, so hopefully that will help us out. It was fun to be around the other types of dogs and owners. A lot of the other owners have the same problems that we do with jumping and digging- so it is nice to hear the instructors suggestions on how to stop these behaviors. Only 7 more classes until his graduation!

Babies

Last week I went in Babies R Us for the first time. I have 2 showers coming up- one for Bob’s cousin and one for a girl at work. Babies R Us is huge and so overwhelming. I had to ask several people where to find things. There were items I tried to find on my own, but I had to give up and move on to another item. There were walls of pacifiers, bottles and strollers, oh my! I guess this is good practice for when I have kids and I’ll have to go there all the time.

On Sunday we got to meet Summer Jewel Ward, Bob’s cousin’s baby. She is so cute; she is a premie! She weighs about 5.5 pounds! I could not believe how little she was- tiny toes and fingers! I got to hold her on the boppy, which looks like half of an inflated inner tube. Bob was a natural holding her. It was funny to see Bob with the boppy, pink was always his color! He even managed to still use his phone while holding the baby- he can’t let go of that! I even got to feed her and burp her. I was not the best at burping though, because I put her to sleep =) Next week is the Baby Shower and I am in charge of the games- should be lots of fun!

Weekend of Fun!

On Saturday, Bob, James and I went to watch the England vs. France Rugby Game. Actually, they watched it and I walked around the mall. Then, we went to Celebration’s Ocktoberfest. It is Disney’s perfect little town. It is very nice, but a little creepy because it is so perfect. We met my Mom and Dad there and had a seat outside of a deli. We could have walked around the main street to see the booths they set up and get some dinner, but it just never happened. Bob’s brother and Dad were there, and also his aunt and uncle. I never saw his aunt and uncle though because they were at the other end of street watching the concert, and I never left our cozy table. We started drinking wine and after a while Bob was not looking good. He went behind a building and sat down then fell into a bush. I had to keep myself from laughing, even though he did not feel good. So, I said I would get the car after I found James. James comes over stumbling, what a fun night! So, on the way home they both passed out and Bob had his head hanging out of the window for most of the ride. At the rugby game they were both drinking beer and some liquor, so the mixing of alcohol and not eating dinner led to an eventful night! We still managed to have fun though, it was great fall weather; the music and company were great! They even had fake leaves that blew out onto the main street, a pumpkin patch and hayrides.

Baby News! (no, not me)
Bob’s cousin Tiffany and her husband Joe are adopting a baby girl and it was born Saturday night! I can’t wait to meet the new addition to the family. Her Bridal Shower was set for October 27th, so now the guest of honor will be there. Yea!

Halloween Horror Nights

Last night, Bob and his Dad and I went to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios. It is a family tradition for Bob's family, they have gone almost every year since it opened. I am not a haunted house fan, but it is a family event, so I go along. Last year was not too scary and not very well organized or decorated. This year's theme was "Carnival of Carnage" and featured Jack the Clown which they had in years past. New this year were the characters Freddy, Jason and Leatherface. They had 8 haunted houses, 4 shows and about 5 scare areas. I must admit I was scared to go in the haunted houses; I was counting them down until we were done. We saw the Bill & Ted show, which was so funny! They make fun of celebrities, TV shows and movies. They had a bald Britney, jailbird Paris, and a druggie Lohan. We also saw the Freak Show, which had a Scottish regurgitator, very interesting. He swolled fish- he has too much time on his hands! The third show we saw was a Rocky Horror Picture Show Tribute. I have never seen the movie, so it did not make sense, but it was a pretty good show. We saw all 8 haunted houses. They had a clown house with 3D glasses. I decided to go first in our group and face my fears head on. The glasses made things pop out and it was pretty neat. One clown popped out at me and I grabbed the guy in front of me, haha! After that I let Bob lead and I held onto his shirt. I did get surprised by several scare actors. I do not scream, but I would run into Bob or move the other way if they came at me from the side. They had a house for Freddy (Friday the 13th), Jason (Friday the 13th), and Leatherface (Texas Chainsaw Massacre). The other houses themes were The Thing, Mary Shaw, Psychoscarepy (Home for the Holidays), and a Vampire Club. For several houses, they used the studios, which are pretty big. In the Homes for the Holidays house, they had a little person running around, which scared me because I wasn't looking down. All in all, it was a very fun time, even though I was scared. The haunted houses were much better this year, so it looks like we will continue to go each year. Now I have one year to prepare for next time!

I'm a Loser!

I am down 4 pounds- yea! I couldn't believe the scale this morning. We got this really cool, new scale that tracks our weight. So, when we step on it says how much we are up or down. I guess counting points and walking is paying off!

Weekend Wrap-Up

On Saturday we went to Chrissy and Adam’s Housewarming Party. They live about 5 minutes from us now and have a nice, new townhome. We ate, drank, and socialized and watched some crazy kids run around.

On Sunday we went to SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular. It is mostly a trick or treat event for kids, but we have passes until the end of the year, so we figured we would check it out. They did a really nice job with the trick or treating and it looked like they were giving away tons of free candy (and apple sauce, very funny!) Definitely something we will come to when we have kids. We went to the Beer Tasting and tried about 4 different beers. The guy was very generous and I couldn’t even finish all my beer, another sign of getting older =) The weather was pretty nice because it had rained early in the day, but man was it packed there! I thought the rain would make people stay at home, but I guess they all came for the Halloween event. We ate dinner at Cricketer’s Arms Pub, an authentic English pub in Orlando. I have to brush up on my English food to prepare for our trip to England next April.

This weekend I also started organizing a Family Cookbook. I am going to send it out as a Christmas gift to the family. It will be nice to have all of our recipes in one place.

Disney Day

On Sunday Bob and I used our Disney passes we received as gifts for our wedding. We started the day at the Animal Kingdom. We thought we would get front row parking, but the car in front of us got the last spot, so we had to go all the way to the end of the next row. We definitely got our walking in yesterday. We went on the newer ride, Expedition Everest- which was fun, but not worth a long wait. We got the Fast Pass so that we didn’t have to wait. We also saw the Nemo Musical- which was a bit strange because people carried the characters around on stage. I wonder what the kids thought when they saw people holding Nemo. We ate at the Rainforest Café, which is a really fun place to eat. Although the service was very slow.

Then, we met up with Bob’s cousins at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival. We went to a Wine Seminar and tasted wines from Langtry Estate in California. Then, we headed off to the World Showcase to see the different countries. I tried some American Wines from Napa and New York. I also had Sushi in Japan, a sorbet from France, and an Apple Strudel in Germany. Yum! For dinner, we ate in Mexico. I had a steak with an enchilada and a beef flauta. We also went on the boat ride in Mexico. They redid it to have the Three Caballeros. On our way out we got a chance to see the fireworks and make it to the car without being trampled by everyone leaving. A very fun day with lots of food and wine, back to the diet today!

Book Tour

I read Family Tree, the latest on Angelle's Book Tour. Here are my answers.


1. In the book, many secrets had been kept. What kind of an impact did these secrets have on the characters once they were revealed?
Once Hugh found out his grandfather was black, I think it made him more understanding. At the end of the book it seemed he was going to have a better relationship with his father after he knew the truth.


2. How would you feel if your child looked like he/she was from a race neither you or your partner showed evidence of? Would you worry about your child's future?
If my child looked like they were from a different race, I would be quizzical. I don’t think I would worry too much about my child’s future- I really don’t think looking slightly different would make a big difference. I think in the book they over exaggerated her skin color. Her great grandfather was black, so her skin color could not have been that different from her parents.


3. When Hugh discovers that Lizzie is a different race than him he questions the paternity of the child. He doesn't understand why Dana is so upset that he wants to prove he is the father. Do you feel that the faith and trust you have in your partner should be enough in this situation? Would you need to prove to other people and to yourself that you were correct?
I guess it would feel different for a guy, since the woman definitely knows it is her baby. I would hope that faith and trust would be enough. Questioning the paternity of the baby would seriously hurt the relationship. I don’t think I would need to prove to other people or myself that I was correct. I guess if everyone was questioning you though, then you would eventually start questioning yourself too.

Fall TV

Yesterday was the official start of fall, even though it is still hot here. We have gotten a few nice breezes lately though. With fall comes the new season of TV. Tonight is the Dancing with the Stars premiere. I am excited to see which celebrities are good dancers. Also on tonight is K-Ville. It started last week and was really good. On Thursday I will be watching Ugly Betty, The Office, My Name is Earl, and my personal favorite Grey’s Anatomy. Desperate Housewives should be very good this Sunday; they left many cliffhangers last season. I am also going to watch Friday Night Lights, but I don’t know how long that will be on TV since they moved it to Fridays. Some shows are getting a late start; I look forward to watching Lost and Amazing Race when they come back on.

Weekend of Birthdays

On Saturday we went to New Smyrna Beach for our friend Kim’s 30th Birthday. We went to a Jazz Fest the city was having. The festival was not very big, but we did try one of the chef’s Key Lime seasonings on fish and it was delicious. We bought some to take home and the ingredients are on the package, so we will have to recreate it once it is gone. Bob made his homemade lasagna with healthy choices and you could not tell the difference. Then, we played Rummykub, which I haven’t played in years.

On Sunday we went to Seasons 52 with my parents for my Dad’s birthday. They had their autumn menu and we had a really nice time. I got my Dad speakers for his new Ipod. I bought Rummykub for us, and we played that. The game is addicting!

Odds and Ends

* Last Friday I was waiting in line at Publix for chicken tenders, this guy comes up to me and starts mumbling and pointing to his glasses. He says someone called him a freak because of them. He puts them on and asks if he looks like a sexual predator. I said I am just here to get my chicken. So, he says I guess that means yes and walks away. He also pointed out that I am married- what does that have to do with the conversation. How gross, why does he think he can just go up to strangers and ask questions like that?
* Last Saturday I went with Sam to a Bath and Body Works special event. They had breakfast and booths set up to promote their products. We were able to use 3 coupons and got $50 worth of free stuff!
* Last Sunday we went to Paw Park. It was voted #2 out of the 10 best dog parks. The park is very nice and we like it better than our dog park. This was the first time TJ was in the all dog area. TJ went around to every dog, he is so friendly. My parents dogs, Toby and JJ, came and went into the small dog park. Toby just hid under the bench, but JJ basked in the sunshine. There was a mud puddle from a hose and TJ decided it would be fun to roll in it. Good thing they have a dog shop called Paw Park Place across the way with doggie baths. The place was awesome. Bob and I were able to be on either side of him and the shower head also dispenses the soap. They have different scents like tangerine, raspberry and apple oatmeal. We got him some gourmet doggie treats and a Gator collar for the games. We entered him to be Dog of the Week- wish him luck! I will post photos from the park when I get them on my computer.
* I ordered a library book online and got it home delivered, how convenient is that? I also saw a neat website on someone else's blog called Bookmooch You send books you don't want anymore and get points to have people send you books. I sent one and 3 are in the mail for me!
* The other night around 7:30 at night a guy came knocking at our door for an alarm system. I wanted to blow him off, but Bob started talking to him. I took TJ out back for a little while and when I came in he had invited the guy inside. I was in my pajamas so I went in my room until they were done. They kept talking and talking and then Bob comes in and says we are getting an alarm system, without even asking me! Then, the door rings and the installation guys are magically at the house- how bizarre! So, there are more strange guys in my house until 9:30 at night! At least night, we are supposedly secure. I just wish Bob didn't get suckered into it. I hope it is a decent company and not some type of scam.
* I have extra vacation days, so I took Thursday and Friday off. I was a little bummed because I didn't really get to do anything or go anywhere. Bob can't really take any time off work right now. He did mention we might go to New York for his work in November. That would be cool if they had the Christmas decorations up! I just wish I had saved my days now. Next year we have several trips planned. We are going to England and France with friends. One of our friends is from England. We also have 4 weddings to attend. So, I guess I little down time isn't too bad.

Enough ranting for now!

Weight Loss Goal

I have decided that I really need to put my mind on my weight loss goals. I feel I have been doing ok with diet and exercise, but my weight just stays the same. So, Bob and I are back to being really good. Wish us luck!

Dog Park

Saturday we took TJ to the Dog Park for the first time, and he loved it! At first he was the only dog there. Then, about 5 other dogs came and he had fun playing with them. One of the dogs looked just like TJ. It was a great way to wear him out! I will take pictures next time we go. We could easily make it a weekly trip.

Labor Day Weekend

I had a great Labor Day weekend! Friday night Bob got us sushi and made shrimp and crab legs! Very yummy! TJ broke a tooth on Friday because he jumped up and hit it on Bob's wedding ring- titanium is strong! He is ok though, because it is a baby tooth.

Saturday, we went to St Augustine with Sam, Ron, Chrissy, Adam and James. We walked around St. George street and shopped. For lunch we went to The Columbia Restaurant. The food there is spanish and it is delicious. I had the 1905 salad and the Arroz con Pollo. We also went to San Sebastian Winery. The map said it was only a few blocks away, but we walked for a while and it was hot! They give free samples and there is a self guided tour. I thought most of the wines tasted woody. They don't have any vineyards on site, so that was kind of disappointing. Aftwerwards we went to the Fort called Castillo de San Marcos and got some fudge at Kilwins. That night we went to Bonefish and it was very good, except for the Sangria- I had them take it back. It did not taste very good.

On Sunday Bob and his friends fenced in the yard- yea! It was a lot of work for them, but now TJ can go outside by himself. He is pretty much housetrained now. I took TJ swimming while they were building the fence and he loved it. He kept jumping in. Sunday night we went to Sam's parents. They had a birthday party for Sam with BBQ and cake.

On Monday, we went to Tampa to see my friend Chrystal. Her sister Colette has a 7 week old chocolate lab, so we took TJ to meet her. The meeting did not go too well. Chloe was really tiny so they really couldn't play together. TJ looked so big next to her. TJ had fun though and he was great in the car. He had the whole backseat and mostly slept.

Tuesday morning I was flossing and broke part of my permanent retainer. So I had to go to the dentist to get it fixed, what a pain! TJ went to the vet, he is 31 pounds! He got his last set of shots, so we can go to the dog park soon! Hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend!

Favorite Time of Day

I read it, so I am tagged.

My favorite time of day is when I get home from work. TJ comes running and is so happy to see me. It is the first time I get to see Bob awake because he is asleep when I leave for work. TJ and I get to go on a long walk and Bob and I get to have dinner together. I love that we make time to have dinner together every night. Sometimes we get to relax on the couch, watch TV and cuddle =)

If you read this, you are tagged!

Doggie Sundae

Tonight we went to Brusters for ice cream. Brusters is so close that we can walk there. They give free doggie sundaes, and TJ loved his! We try to take him to doggie activities. So, far he has been to Petsmart and went swimming. He also loves going on walks. Once he gets all his shots we can go to the Dog Park. Here is a recent photo of him, he is 22.5 pounds and feels right at home!

Pineapples in our yard!

We have two pineapple plants in our yard, and they started growing pineapples! One fell off so we got to eat it! It was so yummy! We have 2 more growing, how fun!

Randomness

* I have decided to participate in Angelle's Book Tour. She is Stacy's sister in law. So, I got a library card and went to our local library. The place was a dump, it looked like a dirty old used book store. They said they had copies of the book and pointed to several shelves where the book could be. They said they were not in alphabetical order and "Good Luck!" I thought libraries were suppose to be organized. So much for that. I did find the book though and it did not take too long to hunt down. Yea! (Update: I went to the Orlando Public Library after the local library- what a difference. It was huge- 4 floors! They had a cafe and a gift shop. Too bad they can't spread the money around to the local branches)

* I got my wedding dress back from the preservation company. It looks so pretty in the box, but I don't know how they fit it in there. I can't take it out either because they sealed it, so it won't yellow. Maybe in 20 years I can take it out and look at the whole thing again. =)

* I cancelled my gym membership! Most people are excited to join, but I am excited to cancel. It was just a waste because the gym was so far away. I have been walking at lunch with a co-worker and I walk TJ twice a day, so I really didn't need to go anyway. They made Bob & I come into the gym though, they would not let us cancel over the phone. Like someone would randomly cancel someone else's membership. Stupid gyms!

Rivership Romance

On Saturday I went with my parents on the Rivership Romance, while Bob helped our friends Chrissy and Adam move into their new townhouse. It was a 3 hour lunch cruise down the St John's River in Sanford. We had appetizers, salad, rolls, lunch and desert. They have booths for lunch that were in the air conditioning and an outside deck to sit out on. They also had a bar and a small dance floor with a DJ. The tour director told us some of the history of the area. There were tons of boats on the water and some people docked them on the river for swimming. Even though we have lived here for 18 years, we had never been on the cruise. I recommend it to anyone in the area. It really gave you a feel of old Florida.

The Wedding Tag!

1. Where did you meet your husband?
We met on a cruise in 2005

2. What was the first thing you said to your husband?
I don't remember, but I am sure it was something like "Hi, I'm Jen"

3. Where was your first date?
On our first date we had a picnic at Crane's Roose Park, and went canoeing at Wekiva Springs. Then, we went to an arcade and got ice cream. We met up later that night to watch a Gator Game with friends.

4. Where was your first kiss?
In the Bahamas on our first cruise

5. Did you have a long or short engagement?
8 months, so I guess that is a short engagement

6. Where did you get engaged?
On top of the Empire State Building

7. Where were you married?
In Orlando at Dubsdread Golf Course

8. How did the reception go?
It was a blast! The food was great and the dancing was so much fun with our friends and family!

9. How was the honeymoon?
We went on a 7 day cruise to Cozumel, Costa Maya, Belize and Grand Cayman. We had a great time and it was so nice to be together.

If you read this, you are tagged!

Weekend Update

I had a fun-filled weekend. Saturday I met my Mom at Seasons 52. They change their menus for every season and have shot glass sized desserts called Mini Indulgences. The meal was delicious. Then, we went shopping, so a good time all around.



Saturday night, Bob, Sam, Ron, James and I went to the Central Florida Gator Club Football Kickoff Pub Crawl. We got 6 drinks for $15 and we got to go to 7 clubs. It was kind of like UF's Gator Stompin'. We had a lot of fun, there were so many people. They gave us real drinks too, not the watered down ones in Gainesville. I couldn't even finish all my drinks, I guess I am getting older. We went to Taco Bell afterwards, always good after drinking! Bob and I had not been there since Halloween, so we were ready for some Taco Bell! (The above photo is posted on the Central Florida Gator Club website!)

Sunday, Bob and I went to New Smyrna Beach to celebrate our friend Mike's birthday. Kim, Kaela, Mike, Bob and I had a great time at the beach! We went in the afternoon, so it wasn't as hot as it could have been. Then, we went back to their house and had some yummy hamburgers. Kim made them Paula Deen style with butter- yum!

Now, it's back to work- boo! I was late this morning because school started- too much traffic!

I'm going to be a bridesmaid!

My cousin Amanda just got engaged over the weekend and she asked me to be a bridesmaid! I am so excited! I had so much fun planning my own wedding, so I am so happy to help Amanda with her planning. She will be getting married in Michigan next July. I have always felt a special bond with her because we were both born on our grandmother's birthday. Congrats Amanda & Keith and thank you for letting me be a bridesmaid- I am honored!

(Plus this gives me motivation to start losing weight again. After the wedding I hit a plateau, so I am ready to lose again!)

I'm Famous!

This is old news, but still neat. My brother works on Desperate Housewives, as the Script Coordinator, and this past season he snuck my new last name into an episode. Above is the screenshot. Thanks Brian- so cool!

Walk Score

I thought this site was neat, Walk Score. It tells you how walkable your house is to restaurants, shops, etc. I got a 23/100- not very walkable!

TJ McPuppington