a list

too many thoughts. too little time.

• its monday january 28th already. this year is already going by so fast. i can't believe it.
• happy belated birthday to my friend jessica! hope she did something extra special yesterday
• saw 27 Dresses this weekend. absolute cutest, funniest movie i have seen in a long time. great romance, so freakin' laugh-out-loud hysterical
• learned that hard alcohol just doesn't seem to agree with me anymore. 4 drinks and passed out on friday night. what?!?! ok back to beer. the time has come to relent (i guess that makes sense since i drink maybe once or twice a month now).
• dan was a freakin riot at stacy's roast this weekend! i should have known that he would 'kill', but he seemed nervous beforehand so i was nervous for him. he totally stole the show. he hit everyone- including me (good thing i'm easy going with a good sense of humor. if it was anyone else he might be single now ;)
• yesterday afternoon we spent at shawn's dad's wake. so sad. he was so young. i didn't know him well, but i know he was extremely well-loved and respected. i hate to see those types pass on early.
• at the other end of the spectrum is my 100 year old aunt mary. mom called to say she passed away yesterday. you would think that would be expected with someone of her age, but it always seemed like she'd be around forever.
• life has been really busy and really stressful lately. i finally feel like i'm getting my head back on my shoulders, and i'm hoping to keep it there for awhile.
• i've loved getting back to scrapbooking. Winter Scrapfest is in full swing on Lifetime Moments. i've only done a few layouts so far, but this should be good incentive to keep me going (it runs through march)
• gram asked me to come down for a long weekend to visit and to see if i can arrange to come at the same time as karen. need to give her a call to compare calendars.
• this week i sent in my deposit check to LM for the 2008 crop of a lifetime to be held in michigan. i had so much fun this past year that before we left christine and i decided we were definitely going back. the money's on its way!!!

back to scrap

When I was in PA I finally got back to scrapping some layouts for myself, which I haven't done since I was at the LM Crop in Michigan in November! It was great to pull out these pictures from the summer and relive the memories.



I love these pictures of Dan and Curly from the Soule's annual cookout- August 2007.



Dan was tickling Timmy and he was laughing up a storm. It was contagious. Then of course, being boys, they turned it into wrestling and I thought Timmy was going to explode with laughter! Nothing like an afternoon of entertainment with Auntie Feefee!





















Then, once I had the camera out all the kids wanted a piece of the action. They were posing and smiling. Cute as pie!

















This pair of pictures is probably my favorite set of action shots ever! Jordan was climbing up Steve's legs and then flipping over. Its something that brings back so many memories of being small enough to do that... and then not 30 seconds later, Dan scoops up Erika and is juggling her all around as if she was 5 years old too!! Some things just never get old! I love that! :)








Halloween 2007

Is Will not the cutest pumpkin you've ever seen!?!?! I went over on Halloween to see him all dressed up. Unfortunately I missed that part. He slept all through dinner (in his cute little pumpkin bottomed pj's) but he woke up after I left and Kris got him into this adorable costume!!














Apparently it was only fun for a little while though. He was still too young at this point to stay sitting up/leaning for too long on his own. And tipsy + bulky costume doesn't work so well I guess. His face is just priceless in this one though!!!












Will at Christmas- 2007
So I haven't scrapped anyone else yet, but let's face it, a baby's first Christmas is far more fun than the yearly tradition for us adults.





Krissy asked me to come over and take pictures of Will so he could star in his first Christmas card.

Always the ham, he was ready to smile as soon as he saw my camera.





















Will was playing with, and trying to eat his stocking. It was his first time really getting a hold of it. His great grandmother knitted it for him. Beautiful isn't it?



I love how in the far right picture he looks like he just got caught doing something he wasn't supposed to. Its especially funny because in that one you can't tell if he's wearing a diaper or not!! LOL!
















These were the two pictures Kris chose for the Christmas card (which will go in the top left spot here, but the picture was in MA and I was in PA scrapping).

And Will's first Christmas tree. Terrible pictures. I don't care. Love the sentiment. The fact that Dan was even within 3 feet of a Christmas tree is worth catching on film! :)

So that's what I've done lately. There were a few more, but the pictures are fuzzy and I need to do some reshoots. Feels good to have gotten this much done, and getting my creative juices flowing was just what I needed!

Goings on...

Its already Thursday. This week is flying by. And if I can make it through two meetings and a 2-hour survey for pumps on the inpatient units tomorrow, I'll have paid my dues and will be on my way to Philadelphia!

Which reminds me, Its Always Sunny in Philadephia is such a rocking show! I hate that their season is already over! Ok. Sidetrack finished.

Why am I going to Sunny PA? To see this lovely lady, of course.
--->

I won't get there until late Friday night.

Saturday we are meeting up with Keri and Gayle from Lifetime Moments.

I met both Keri and Gayle at the LM Crop in November in Michigan. This is Keri scrapping away-->

Saturday we're going to this place called Rouge for what looks like a fabulous breakfast (I saw picture from the last time the three of them got together there). Then its off to the streets of Philly to do some shopping!! What better girls' day out could I ask for?!

Sunday, Christine and I are going to scrap and hang out at her house all day.

And Monday I'll head back to Boston mid-morning to try to avoid some traffic.

As busy as its been the past couple months, I am so looking forward to getting away again and visiting my good friend Christine! Can't wait to see you, my friend!!!! :) :)

Back to the Routine

Who knew I liked routine so much? After a week away, and let's face it- an incredibly hectic, busy, dramatic, overwhelming holiday season-- getting back to work on Monday just felt right. I remember thinking on Sunday night how much I was looking forward to getting coffee at Coffee Central in the morning, reading on the train, listening to Stern on the radio, babysitting Will on Tuesday. Normal, everyday things that don't always warrant much thought or credit. But these little bits make up my life and I enjoy them.

The week is flying by!

Saturday: I did laundry and ran errands during the day, then packed up and went to Dee's surprise 50th Birthday Party at the Crop Shop. We had a lot of fun chatting and cropping. I got two 2-page LOs done.

Sunday: Day 2 of Dee's crop weekend. I got Will's Halloween pictures scrapped and completed a mini-album for my Baby Chipboard class at the end of the month. I came home mid-afternoon and relaxed. I stayed up until midnight chatting with Christine online. Late night and yet amazingly I wasn't tired on Monday.

Monday: Back to work. It snowed like crazy. Stark contrast from the weather we experienced just one week ago!

Good day of catch up. Not too overwhelming. I came home and made Shepard's pie for dinner. Poor Dan is still sick as a dog and went to bed early again.

Tuesday: I babysat Will for the first time since before Christmas! I'm so glad I babysit him every week because it forces me to carve out that time to get over there and hang out with him. He's gotten so big since Christmas- he'll be 6 months old on Monday. Can't even believe that. He can sit up on his own. He got his first tooth last week and he can wave!!! Such a big kid. Seeing him sit up on his own is so cool. He was a complete show-off last night- laughing and giggling and making eyes at me. Such a charmer.

Today is Wednesday. I am teaching Creative Cafe at the Crop Shop tonight then heading home to {finally} take down the Christmas decorations.

Let the routine continue :)

On the seashores of Old Mexico

I'm back. Its snowing like crazy by now it feels like 80 degree weather is a million miles away- but Mexico was wonderful and hopefully glimpsing these pictures will give me the warm, sunny feeling every time I look at them.

Dan and I went to Iberostar Tucan near Playa del Carmen, Mexico with Dana, Sheri, John and Nancy.
It was a great trip. The hotel was beautiful, with really yummy food and lots of sun under which we could tan and read books (my only two pasttimes on vacation).

I'm not going to lie, the beds were hard as rocks and I have about 50 bug bites still itching like crazy on my legs, and we did get stranded in the forest during a torrential downpour all the while Dan was sick with a terrible cold---- but still it was a nice week away.

We laid on the beach, drank in the swim-up bar, went to Senor Frogs for Margaritas, went snorkeling (well not me, of course- but the rest of the non-fish-fearing tourists), paddled like crazy down a "lazy-river" because the wind was against us, read a great book, listened to some newly downloaded music.

Hanging out at the resort. They had lots of wildlife there! Gorgeous scenery.

Then we spent one night at Senor Frogs on 5th Ave in downtown Playa del Carmen. Gotta do a tequila shot in Mexico right? If not, Sheri will remind you- its necessary :)

This was the last day there. At the end of Dana's grand scheme to have a pub crawl around the bars within the hotel property! I joined them at the swim-up pool for a little bit, but as you can see, they were having enough fun for everyone in the whole resort! :)

And then the week was over all together too quickly.

Now I'm home. Its snowing like crazy... Back to work. Back to reality.

Happy 2008!

I've been super busy lately, but here's some fun pictures from the New Year's Eve festivities at the Canoe Club.
I don't have a picture of Dan and me, but Sheri took one and hopefully I'll get that from her soon :)


Dan's beautiful Mom. Look at that gorgeous smile! And a little love from her son.










Dan's silly Step-father :)

The Coat-Room crowd (groping Stacy)- and enjoying it! :)


The bartending staff of the Canoe Club- and Dan popping in the picture for old time's sake.

Eric, Dan, Erika & Jamie
My favorite bartender, Jamie.



Danny copping a feel! :)

Dan behind the camera. Not something you see everyday! :)

Happy New Year Everyone! All the best for a happy, healthy 2008.