Thursday December 4th.

I think I'm a little behind on the blogging scene!

I have so much going on these days. I can't even list the things that have been happening .. Well, maybe I could - but it would take a lot of time and thought to document it all.

Let's see...

I've taken on a new responsibility at work. I'm now working one day a week over at our Princeton Campus. Westminster Choir College is our Music school. It's located in the heart of Princeton. It's absolutely beautiful. The school is small, and it's very old. My office is located in a building where they hold classes in the main entrance of the building. I hear singing all day long. I'm talking Opera... big big singing. The Choir is amazing. They've been practicing for the Readings and Carols... SO, I listen to live Holiday music. It's amazing. Beautiful....

I'm also preparing for Christmas. I have gotten much of my shopping done, and I've made some plans for our trip. It's a juggling act. I have to make sure our Christmas is all figured out here, and I have to think and plan for our trip to Alabama. The kids will not be joining us this year. They didn't go last year either. I think it's just too much for all of us. Emotionally it's tough on Fred, and the ride isn't the kind of thing the kids would enjoy. We plan on making it a positive trip. Last year it was tough. We traveled in a ton of rain, and we stayed in a pretty lousy Hotel. There was a lot of stress, tension and stuff... which of course is totally understandable. This year we know the visit won't be much better, but we're lucky in that his Dad has lived this additional year. Hospice was telling us last December that he had 6 months at best. He's made it to this Holiday season, so we're headed back down to see him.
Alabama. We're staying in Dothan this year. I booked a great room at the Marriott. I think I might be spending some time there on my own while Fred makes a few visits to some old friends. I may take advantage of the time and use the pool or the hot tub. I hope to relax a little. Heck, I might even bring a book and read for awhile! Or blog about our trip. Last year I waited until I got home to blog about the trip.. It was just yesterday that I realized how much I missed writing about. Like our Christmas dinner at the rest stop. I think it was a Bob Evans or something. I think we had breakfast for Dinner. This year I'll do better with my tracking. :)

Other than that, things are much the same. Work is great, and the family is wonderful. We're all pretty busy with work and school. Our free time is often spent with our awesome friends and their kids... and that's about all that there is to report.

It's been really cold up here so far this winter.. Luckily though, no snow yet! We're keeping our fingers crossed for a snow free winter (although the kids may not agree). It would be nice to take a break from the battle of driving in the snow.. or the whole snow removal issues.... I am hoping it doesn't happen at all this year.

Hope it's a happy day for anyone who reads my blog :)

Peace!

Now that is really going back in time....

Mom sent me this picture of my best childhood friend and me.

Alison and I have just reconnected after 30 years... it's been really fun, and so interesting. I have had a great time sharing stories with her.

I have been absent from blogging. I'm here, just really busy with life..

I am doing really well with my program to lose weight. I'm going to beat those winter blues weight gain that so many of us pick up over the long cold winter. And I'm not giving in to all the goodies over the holidays. I'm going to enjoy a few, here and there.. but that's all I need. :)

Work is steady. I am still grateful to get in my car each day and have such an incredible job to go to each day.

Speaking of.. I am soon going to begin working at Westminster Choir College in Princeton on Tuesdays. It will be a fun and new experience. I look forward it a lot. What a great opportunity my boss is giving me. I look forward to it :)

It's cold like the most frigid winter weather ever.. and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Time is passing so quickly... I can't believe it's almost 2009.

Happy Sunday.

Peace.

Friday Nov 7 (day 5)

Whew! It's FRIDAY!!!! YIPPIE!!! YAHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

There was no question in my mind what day of the week it was this morning when I woke up! I couldn't wait to turn on the news to confirm that I wasn't just dreamin' that it's Friday! It sure is! Happy Happy Friday!

What a week! Whew! I KNOW for sure that I'm going to be incorportating Limoncello into my flex points this weekend. I'm allowed 35 floating points. I think there's a chance that they all may be coming from Limoncello! lol! Even though the week wasn't as stressful as I had expected, it was still different kind of stressful. I know, sometimes it's very hard to understand me. Imagine how I feel? lol!

What's on the agenda for the weekend. Hmmmmmmmmm well, first of all - my sweetie pie son is sick :(
I don't think it's anything serious. He's got a sore throat and cough. So, this morning I gave him some medicine and told him to go back to bed. I hope he's feeling better today. Maybe the rest in his comfy bed will help.

Brooke is off to a friends tonight. She's thinking about spending the night. I have mixed feelings. I don't know this family. And, although she's in 7th grade, and old enough to feel things out to see if she's comfortable in her environment, I worry about her. I decided that I would stop over at the friends house with some spending money for her. I have to at least feel things out. I don't want to shelter her as much as I sometimes do, but I worry so much......

Today is a light work day at the office. I am working on a HUGE project that's changing direction, so I'm at a dead end for now. I'm doing this mile long spread sheet, and now we've decided to put the whole thing into our program, Raiser's Edge. What I can't merge I'l have to manually do. SO, to make it easier, I'm not going to continue with the job until I know EXACTLY what "they" want (big bosses). UGH!!!!!! I have been working on this thing for over a month!

Any ideas for the weekend??? :)

HAPPY HAPPY FRIDAY!

Oh... I have been 100% faithful to my plan this week. I'm aiming for another perfect day with my points. So far, so good!!!!!!!

The exercise has been good too.

Thursday Nov 6th (day 4)

I am doing this!

Day 4.

SO yeah.. this blog may get a little boring to those who have no idea how tough it is to take off a few pounds... But, to those who know the deal...you might find my posts a bit fun or amusing to read :)

I am on a roll baby! Nope... not a Cinnamon roll...or buttered roll! I'm on a roll with following the program!

I'm staying within my guidelines of the program, and I'm exercising.

You may think...well, it's the first week. Isn't the first week a breeze? NO. It's not. When your mind isn't set on doing it, it's never easy. Sometimes you even have to wait until something clicks to be able to take on the challenge.

It's clicked for me. I'm excited about it. I want this. For me. Not for anyone else.
I'm not setting a deadline, or an end date as to when I should reach my goal... too much pressure.

So, today is a rainy, dreary day. I could have stayed in bed all day! It would have been a perfect day to watch movies. Old movies even! I love black and white movies. Something that I have actually just grown to love over the past few years. They are so much more interesting sometimes than your every day modern movie! Such fun seeing what's in the background. Or the clothing they wear, cars they drive... just everything about them .. fun!!!!

Tomorrow is Friday! I am so happy! This week went by fast, but slow at the same time (make up your mind Erin).

I am so much looking forward to a nice, relaxing weekend!!!!

Ok...so that's about it for now. I have some stuff to catch up with today here at the office!

Blog more soon!

Wednesday - November 5th (day 3)

It's Hump Day! I know.. I have been a total slacker on my sexy and fun hump day pictures! Well, please understand this.. I work in an office now where it would be a total mess if my blog ever came to the surface with pictures on there like that! Believe me, I can't take the chance right now, or I'd be posting Hump Day pics like a wild woman!

So, here I am - Day 3. It's fine. Somtimes It's easy, sometimes it's hard. Just like anything in life that takes effort. Yesterday I was hungry. I learned really fast that Egg salad was not a good choice for the amount that would be on my sandwich. I was so hungry. Now, once I ate it... I felt Ok. BUT, I know for next time that tuna would sure go a lot further. And so, I know this for the future. :)

I felt less bloated when I woke up this morning. I hopped right out of bed! I feel SO much better when I'm eating right. If I could just always remember how it feels to have this much energy! I'd be in perfect shape!

What else?? Not a whole lot. My boss has been sick for 2 weeks now. SO, I have had about 50-75% less on my desk. I'm hoping she gets better soon. I really worry about her health. I have to say, she is the best boss I have ever had in all of my working years. She supports me and my ideas, and she really mentors me. I am so blessed to have her as my supervisor. :)

Speaking of work.. I think I'll get back to it.

1/2 way through the day.
So far, so good.....

Tuesday. Day 2!

I have successfully completed 2 days on the program!

Not only did I stick to the plan (I'm doing flex - not core)

I exercised! Yep! Mary and I went on a very huge walk! I have to say, it was a very good break for me. I think we're on to something here. I think I'm going to walk every day for at least 30 minutes during my work day. I felt so much better when I got back to my desk.

I know. This weight loss stuff is sorta boring to those who don't need to worry (or just don't care) about having to lose weight... BUT, it's all part of my Journey. It's part of my life, and who I am. I have always struggled with my weight. It's just been that way for me.

If you find my blog boring because it's about things like pretty fall leaves, or trying to lose weight, or a boring story about finding kittens.... (lol) Feel free to go. But, here's the deal. This is my life. And, I have real life, regular stuff going on - Just like you. I happen to want to document it. I enjoy sharing. Good, bad, happy, sad.... It's my life.

:)

P.S - I Rocked my Vote today!
Obama.

Good Morning, and Happy Tuesday!!!!!

Happy Election Day!

I have to say this, and it has nothing to do with today. :)
Yesterday when I was leaving work at 5:00 p.m. it was DARK out! I can't get over what a difference it makes when we change the clocks! I thought maybe it was about to rain (and all 5 of my umbrella's were in my car) and then I realized that it was just dark out because of the time change! Wow....

What else? Well, not too much.
I can talk about the past weekend, since I'm trying to catch up with my life.

Halloween. Hubby and I snuck away for the night. It was nice. It was a lot of fun! We enjoy getting away when we can. It's good for us. The weather was beautiful, and there's something about being away near the beach that always makes me feel really good. I love it.

Saturday. We went out for a nice Breakfast. After we checked out of our Hotel, we worked our way to Chrissy and Tom's house. They had invited us for Dinner and Bowling. What a fun time we all had! I love bowling, although I'm not great at it. It was silly fun. I am sometimes the QUEEN of silly, so it worked well for me! I took some pictures, visited with good friends, and enjoyed the game! Oh, and Tom made us his famous ribs for Dinner. They were delicious! YUM!!!!! I can't wait to have them again ( hint hint ).

Sunday.... (lol) Well, I have to say..once we picked the kids up from their cousin's house, we went back to Chrissy and Tom's for Dinner again! LOL Next step is moving in... :) Chrissy made Taco's. We had a nice time :) And the food (again) was yummy! What's next on the menu?!?!?! We didn't get the chance to visit too much though. Fred was busy installing a garbage disposal, and they had other company to entertain! But, it was fun! And, I look forward to the next visit! I think we owe them a home cooked meal or two!!!! :)

Today is good. I'm not as busy as usual because my Boss is out sick, and I have a whole lot less work coming at me. I hope she's feeling better soon. I actually haven't seen her in a week. BUT, there's still enough for me to do. I have a huge, neat pile on my desk that I've been chipping away at. I'll get to the bottom of it eventually!!!! :)

Well, that's about it for now. I should get back to what I'm supposed to be doing.

Oh, I have to mention this. I am having so much fun with Facebook. I have discovered more old friends on there than I would have ever imagined. It's so amazing how easy it is to find people on there. I even got back in touch with someone who I haven't seen since I was 7 years old. We're emailing every day, sharing little stories about our life. It's so awesome. I would encourage anyone who doesn't use FB to use it! It's a great way to be in touch!

:)

Happy Day!

Day One

I stuck to the plan 100%

Started back with healthy eating 101.

:)

Day one, complete.

ugh. Wednesdays will be weight loss results.

I must survive the Holidays.

First weigh in, next Wednesday!

Wish me luck, and strength!

It's November! Can you believe it?

I'm at work. It's November... and I can hardly imagine where the time has gone.

I feel like I just stared this job.
I feel like I'm still the "New" girl in this office suite..
Yet, I'm not.
Since I arrived in May, we've welcomed 2 new people to our department. I'm not the new girl at all...
I've been here for almost 6 months. Why does it seem like time passes so much faster as we grow older? It's scary if you think about it.

And so much is happening in my life right now.
I used to have little to nothing to report...
Now I find that there's so much going on, it would be way to time consuming for me to even imagine taking the time out of my busy schedule to document it all.

But, I want to. I don't want to lose track of what I'm doing. And where my life is heading... and how I got where I am..and how I'm feeling. Isn't that why I created this whole blog site to begin with? Of course it is.

So, I can share the story about the kittens. It's 2 weeks old now, but it's still something to share. It's part of my life.....

2 weeks ago yesterday I was going out to my car with Fred. It was a Sunday night.
We just arrived home from a weekend on Long Island with family. It was a family reunion. My brother was here visiting....
Anyway. There we were, heading to the car when all of the sudden I heard some screaming animal. I was so worried about it. Anyone who knows me knows that I worry to much. I worry about things all the time! Anyway.. I went towards the screaming. I was a little scared. I will admit, I was worried as to what I would find. Really I should have been more worried about what was about to find me. 2 tiny little kittens. Sitting on the curb, about to go into the street. They were precious. The absloute smallest kittens I have ever scooped up into my hands, ever.... So, what am I supposed to do? I took them inside. Of course.
Fred and I went to the store, bought baby bottles (special one's for kittens) and formula for kittens... and we bottle fed them for the next week and a half...until we weened them from the bottle. Yep. Dr and Mrs Doolitte to the rescue. Now, 2 weeks later and we're proud parents of 2 more animals. I am not kidding. What are we supposed to do? We can't seperate them. We can't give them up. They honestly think we're their parents. They adore us. It's sweet. It's actually pretty special.
Names? Who knows. I named one Tootsie. lol. It just came out one morning. Tootsie is a sweetie. Very loving, quiet, and so affectionate. It's nice. The other one. I have no idea. I'm hoping a name comes to mind for this one. She is a fluff ball. She's going to have very long hair. lol. Just what we needed..... lol

Okay... there's an "Erin Story"

I'm such a sap. I know it. I'm beginning to feel that it's "okay" to be exactly who I am. I'm getting more and more comfortable in my own skin as the days, months, years pass... :)

It's all good.

More tomorrow. :) I'm getting back on track.

Fun with friends! xoxoxxo

Where's Erin Been?? Still here. I really am... Just busy lately.

Monday Monday....

What a weekend..
The weather was incredible..
The sun was shining as though we were living in the midst of spring..
But the mood was a little blue...

But, here's an update on what's happening...

My brother and his family came in on Saturday from Switzerland. They're here to visit for two weeks.

Sadly, My brother woke up Sunday (his first morning here) with a bad rash, and a fever. Today he went to the Doctor. Seems he has Scarlet fever. So, he's resting and on medication, and working on getting better.

Tomorrow I am taking the day off from work to go on my annual shopping trip with my sister in law. We head up to the King of Prussia Mall and shop til we drop. It's so much fun to spend the time with her. We usually have a nice lunch out somewhere too. It's a great time! I look forward to it, and I know she does too.

Sorry, not doing the best time blogging right now. I have a lot of distractions. 2 extra kiddos here right now. :)

And this weekend. We (the whole family) are headed to Long Island. It should be a great weekend. I haven't seen a lot of mu family in a long time. And, I'm going to Stony Brook, the town I grew up in. I can't wait to walk on the beach. It brings back so many memories from when I was a little girl. I do look forward to it.

I can't think much about what else to write...
so for now, goodnight...

Happy Tuesday!

Here I am! I have all sorts of people pointing out that I haven't blogged in awhile, but at no time have any of those people stopped to leave a nice comment on my blog! Comments are free, folks! Encourage me to blog by leaving me a message once in awhile!!! :P

So, I've been working...
Been out of town...
And, I've been very busy doing regular life stuff.

What I really need to do what I always suggest everyone else to do..
Stop, and smell the roses. Or, for right now.. Stop, and smell the crisp fall air. Look around at the beautiful leaves on the trees. Everything looks so gorgeous.
Hurry and take a look, before you know it - the colors will be gone.
Today was the first day of 2008 that it really felt like Fall to me. I walked outside this morning and I could feel this cool air through my hair, and on my face. It felt amazing. I enjoy this kind of weather. If it stayed like this all the time, I'd be quite content. I don't mind feeling a little cool. :) It's all good....

Did you ever feel like your wheels were spinning but you weren't really getting anywhere? Well, lately I've been feeling a little bit like that. I had this 7 million dollar project thrown into my lap at work and I've been plugging away at it for the last 3 weeks. It was only today that I felt like I was finally getting somewhere.. It's been crazy. I've had co-workers asking me if I was tired, depressed, etc.. because I have been so engrossed in my work. I see the end. And now I am VERY excited! The best part about this job is that I always see positive results. I cannot say the same for my last job.

Tom & Chrissy came over for pizza with the kids. We had a really nice visit. When we saw them it honestly felt like it had been about a month. It was really only a week. :) lol

My brother and his family are coming to visit us this Saturday for 2 weeks. I haven't seen my neice's and nephew in a year. I can't wait to see them. I also really look forward to visiting with my sister in law. She and I have a great time together. We already have a shopping date set for King Of Prussia Mall. It's a lot of fun when we shop together. She get's so excited over everything. In Switzerland the shopping is nothing like it is here in the states. I love to see how happy it makes her. I can't wait!

And that's about it for me tonight. I am all cozy in my spot on the couch with my sweats on. I feel good. I'm pretty happy that tomorrow is Wednesday! I am really looking forward to Friday.

I'm looking forward to the whole weekend. It should be nice..

Peace.

Has it been more than a week??

I miss blogging :(

Happy Sunday
Happy Fall
Happy Rainy Day
Happy being in my comfy's by 6pm!
What a happy weekend it's been......

I haven't blogged in a week.
Why?
I don't know really. A lot going on I suppose...

Let me think if I can go back in my memory and recall where I've been and what I've been doing for the past week....

Last Friday. Hubby and I went to see Alanis Morissette in concert. We went with Chrissy and Tom. It was fun. The concert was not exactly what I was expecting, but we were in good company, and it was a nice experience. We had never been to the Tower theater. It was tough getting to, but it was very old, and very nice. I liked it! After the concert, we all went down past Philly to the Chester waterfront. Harrah's Casino. Chrissy and Tom had never been there, so it was fun going along with them! I don't know who we think we are staying out until 4am! We're not 20 years old anymore!

It was fun..... we left with lint in our pockets, but we had a nice time. Me, Fred and Tom went to breakfast in the middle of the night. Chrissy couldn't pull herself away from the machines. LOL. It was fun. Needless to say... We got very little sleep, and were feeling it the next day.

Which brings me to Saturday (last Sat!)

We went to a party. Punt and Pass intro Party to the Football season. It was an overnight party. Well, for us it was! We booked a room at the hotel it was held in. We didn't want to worry about driving home late that night, plus we always enjoy staying over...
It was strange. It seemed like it was 2 or 3 am before we knew it. We saw some nice friends, had a few drinks, some fun conversation, etc... it was nice getting out and seeing everyone. Oh, and Tom and Chrissy were on this adventure with us :)

Sunday....

The four of us got up from a very late night (again) and went out to Breakfast. I'm afraid I might not even be able to talk about our breakfast experience. LMAO! It was by far, one of the most disgusting, yet hysterical, gross, awful, terrible breakfast experiences ever... LMAO! Sitting here thinking about it now is making me laugh, yet feel sick at the same exact time.
Our Waiter:

The look on Tom's face had me laughing so hard I thought I was going to pee myself. And Fred had his menu up in front of his face so he didn't see the sweat pouring down the waiters face.... or, as he mentioned, he was was trying to protect his coffee from the drips of sweat falling from the waiters head... Meanwhile, Chrissy is sitting there looking at me, Tom, and Fred...saying something like, "You don't even have to tell me" (why I was laughing, and the reason for the hysterical look on Tom's face).... Chrissy could hardly look either. It was terrible. Just horrible. I am vowing right this second to never ever go back there again! Need I say more?

Monday - Thursday.....
Work Work Work....
AND, more work.......

Friday:
We had some friends over. Just a few. But, it was nice, and it was very peaceful. I made a couple of my favorite drinks, and enjoyed visiting with some good friends. Everyone left before Midnight (I think) and I went straight to bed. I think the drinks went right to my head. :)
I'd say I was a bit "tipsy". :) It was fun.

Saturday. We took the girls over to Tom and Chrissy's house. It was nice and relaxing. Tom wasn't feeling well, so I felt bad for him :(
But, it was still nice to see them, and just hang out together.

Today was really nice.
Family day!
Shopping at the mall
Bowling
Out to lunch
home in Pj's with nothing to do!
Rain...
Cozy fun day...
Subs for dinner..

AND, our favorite shows are back on tonight for a new season! :)

I had a great weekend. :)
It's been crazy. Sorry I haven't been keeping up.

Sometimes my wheel spin and spin and I feel like I'm going 1,000 mph. Sometimes I don't take a moment to stop and smell the roses.....
Today I took it all in.
And, I enjoyed it.

Happy Sunday.

ALANIS TOMORROW NIGHT!!!!!!!

I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!

This has been a HELL of a week.......

I can't wait til Friday. I'm hanging in there, but feel like I can hardly make it!

Tomorrow should be nice. Going to The New Hope / Lahaska area for an all day retreat with my division at work. We're having a nice breakfast, lunch, a guest speaker, and we're doing some shopping. There's going to be about 50 of us. It should be a lot of fun. I'll have to post about it after I go.

The rest of the week has been pretty uneventful. Kinda even sucky. Not worth blogging about.

CAN'T WAIT FOR THE WEEKEND!

I admit... the video is not the best.. and the words are so corny... But, they are perfect for the way that I feel. And, about the postsecret thing... I would have walked every mile to get to you. There's a reason this all played out the way it did all those years ago....

I cried a tear
You wiped it dry
I was confused
You cleared my mind
I sold my soul
You bought it back for me
And held me up and gave me dignity
Somehow you needed me.

You gave me strength

To stand alone again
To face the world
Out on my own again
You put me high upon a pedestal
So high that I could almost see eternity
You needed me
You needed me

And I can't believe it's you I can't believe it's true
I needed you and you were there
And I'll never leave, why should I leave
I'd be a fool
'Cause I've finally found someone who really cares

You held my hand
When it was cold
When I was lost
You took me home
You gave me hope
When I was at the end
And turned my lies
Back into truth again
You even called me friend

Repeat Chorus

You needed me
You needed me

YOu absolutely were.............

And, I'll never forget where we came from.

Well, this week has gone by pretty fast! :)
I'm seriously looking forward to the weekend. This is the first weekend that I can actually recall in a couple of months that we don't have solid plans from beginning to end! I'm not exactly sure how to handle this! lol Hubby may hang out with some of the guys on Friday at the shop or here at home, after work.. and I may run my silly self over to the Mall to see what's happening at Macy's! I'm sure it's all set up for the Fall, and I don't wanna miss a thing! It's going to be a weekend close to home. If nothing else, that being on call stuff tends to keep us grounded a little bit. It will give us the opportunity to empty all of our suitcases and finally get them back in the garage! Of course we'll leave one out! You never know when we might take a quick ride for the night to Atlantic City, or something fun like that. I'm missing the AC trips and the late night stay ups! I'm feeling a weekend (or night ) in AC coming on! Now all we have to do is persuade our friends to join us. :)

Last night was fun. It was my girlfriend's Birthday. Hubby and I hopped in the car and drove over to their house. Just as we were pulling up, they were getting out of their car from a night out to dinner with the family. We shut the car off (and the headlights) and called out Chrissy's name. She totally didn't expect us. It was cute. I think she felt good that we made the trip there to see her. It's been so long since we've had such good friends like this where we feel so comfortable... we want to make the best of it whenever we can. So, we went in and visited for awhile. It was nice. And, it looked like she had a nice Birthday! :)

Today I went to lunch with Pam. We went to this Restaurant in Lawrenceville that I have always wanted to check out. It was an Indian Restaurant. It was good. A lot different looking on the inside than I had expected. The food was good. Some of it was so spicy that I thought my mouth was on fire. No big deal if I had something to drink! But, no! lol. The guy came around once and poured me a diet soda. I never saw him again! I was so thirsty I couldn't stand it! lol And I didn't know what types of food would set my mouth on fire, and what was mild or bland. overall, it was a good experience. And I'd go back again.... providing they promise to give me something to drink! LOL

Tonight should be pretty mild. We have to run the kids to the Doctor, but then there's nothing pressing going on. I'm almost not sure what to do with myself! LOL. I think my spot on the couch has forgotten who I am. I don't even know if there's anything on television that is familiar to me! I just might be forced to relax. :)

Remembering
Our
Past
Eventually
Relaxes us

(This post deserves a comment or two)

:)

More blogging to come. This particular message had to be taken care of first thing this morning.

^..^

I Can't believe all that's been happening during the past few months. I am sometimes so overwhelmed with the changes, that I suppose it might show on the outside at times. I don't mean for it to. I want to think of the new job, friends, experiences, trips, weddings, cruising, family stuff..etc... are all things that I can embrace and smile about. And I do. But often times I find myself exhausted and somewhat confused. I'm going to assume that the confusion comes from the exhaustion. I guess the only way to really know the answer to that is to get some sleep once in awhile. If I'm still confused, I guess I have some issues to iron out. (lol).
My goal for the next few weeks: Relax. Even if just a little. And, more family time. AND, more one on one time with my hubby. Yeah.. that's my goal. It's funny... we used to find time for everything. There was always time to play a game, rent a movie, order out for pizza and wings...heck, sometimes we'd even take a nap! Lately it feels like there's such a rush to do even the little things, or there's not even a spare moment to stop and look around............Relax. Even for just a moment.......

We went to Paul and Lori's wedding this weekend in Maryland. I am normally pretty good about loading and posting my pictures right away, but as I mentioned a moment ago.. I have had a lack of time to do so. I'll catch up. I will. BUT, in any event. It was a nice ceremony. It was quick. When they were given the blessing as husband and wife, and went to give each other a kiss, Fred asked me if they had said their vows. They did, but it went so fast. At the blink of an eye, they were finished. I would guess that they really wanted to get that part done and over with. Sounds funny I know, but all the time they were at the Church, I'm betting Paul was praying that his ex wouldn't charge through the doors to try to ruin the whole wedding ceremony. I know her, and I wouldn't put it past her for a minute. She is a poor, lost soul. She honestly needs some professional help. I actually feel really bad for her. BUT, it does not give her the right to storm back into his life and try to take away the happiness he's finally discovered in Lori.
So, back to the wedding. It was nice. And the reception, it was nice too. Different than I expected. But very sweet. We mostly sat at our table the whole time visiting with some really good friends that we hadn't seen in awhile. It's great to catch up with them when we get together. We're all so different in so many ways, yet so much alike. One thing we always enjoy.. the laughter. We've been blessed with some really funny friends. And so, we all get together and make each other laugh. We tell silly stories, and enjoy the moment. It's all good. Jimm and Monica are pretty darn special. They are so completely different than Fred and I, but such amazing good company! There's never been a time that we've gotten together and didn't enjoy their company!

Sunday. Well, it was kind of a downer. You know, all days aren't going to be good days. We do what we can to make it great, but the truth is, we're only human, and sometimes we have days where our faces won't smile, and our happiness is lost in an another place for the moment. It's life. And, Sunday was a shitty day. And, shitty days sometimes wear us out more than good, fun days! But, what I'm learning about life is.... lord willing, the sun will shine again... and it does. And it is...

Last night (Monday) we met some friends at a cute little place in Washignton Crossing. I gotta say, Chrissy and Tom will always put a bright and happy smile on my face. They are really our very best friends. And last night was really nice and actually kind of peaceful. What I liked best was that I had the chance to visit with Chrissy one on one ( A little) spend time with Tom one on one.. and spend some one on one time with Fred. It was great. The times that we spend with them are always fun and full of laughter. We could spend hours and hours with them, and when it's time to go home, we can't believe where the time went. We feel so lucky that we have them in our lives. It's nice when you find a couple that has as much interest listening to our stories, as we do theirs. It's nice that we're all so upbeat and positive about being together. There's not a single stick in the mud in this group. And that is the key to a long lasting friendship.

Wow, I guess I had a lot to say this morning. I had a little time put aside for myself this morning (here at the office) so I decided to get some of my thoughts and feelings out there. Blogging has been such a good release for me. I always feel good when I finish throwing my thoughts and stuff on here. Even if nobody ever understands what the heck I'm saying.... I do. And, this is about me, and my life......

Okay.. time to go for now. If you've made it to the end of this one, you get a gold star. lol. I don't even think I'm going to proof read this one. I can't imagine going back over all this right now! (lol)

Happy Tuesday.

Friends.... for those of you I'm currently in touch with, I thank you for being a part of my life.
For those of you I haven't seen in awhile, I hope you're doing well, and feeling good.
For those of you I've never seen, hugged, shook hands with.... thank you for stopping by to read a little about me. It's always nice to know that you're out there.....

Peace!

Happy Tuesday!

(Photo by Erin)


All day I thought it was Monday. I'm sure I wasn't alone on that one!

It was a busy day back to work. I had a major project that consumed most of my day. I had to create and organize the Gala Golf event that's taking place next Monday. It was fun, but it was a lot of work. I was actually very happy when this work day came to an end.

I'm finding that there's no perfect office to work in. It's a shame. I was hoping that one existed, and this would be the one. But, no. I was sorely mistaken. You see, here's the thing. In every office there's going to be a petty person (usually a woman), a jealous person (usually still a woman), a gossip (most of the time a woman, but in this particular case it's a man), and someone who has nothing nice to say at any time. Then, there might be the one that's been there the longest, and despite how times have changed, and technology, they seem to know all the answers. Oh, and sometimes it's that same person that wants to be your additional boss, although they have no authority over you at all. I also love the one (or one's) that mistake sweet and kind and trusting for stupidity. They're the best. And, for some odd reason, I think often times I look a heck of a lot more stupid to them than I am. I am the one who you'll see in an office with a smile and a kind word. Even if I can't stand the sight of you. Why would I be kind to nasty people? Well, most of the time it's to keep the peace. Sometimes it's to let them know in some way or another that I know there's a good heart or soul in there, and I might just be the only one in the office to be kind to them on a regular basis. Why am I going off like this? Because once again I let my guard down and thought for a moment that I could just be myself, and be a nice friend in my work environment. Not so much. I ended up in HR filing a darn complaint against 2 people that embellished a story I shared, and before you knew it, the darn woman who's out to get me turned me into some kind of hooker. You see, these are the people I could do without in my life. No doubt. SO, that being said, I make no friends in this work environment. It's going to be strictly work for me there. Long long story. But, it was a lesson learned. And a reminder that not everyone is good on the inside. Funny thing is, I was being so nice and kind to the one person that tried to hurt me. Who'd a thought.

So, Erin Montgomery... what can you do?

Business as usual I think. And keep the twist of niceness for the one's that truly deserve it. Not the sour, nasty ones. I can't change the world.....so I won't even bother trying any more.

WOW....I just did a major ramble. I had no idea that I had that much to get off my back. I guess I'm pretty good at holding it all in. Sometimes.....

The kids went back to school today. It was bittersweet. I was happy and sad. I can't believe that Brandon is in his last year of middle school. I also can't believe that Brooke is in 7th grade. I really need to be available to them this year in every possible way. It's not the easiest time in a kids life. I'm hoping they don't have it hard though. I hated middle school. I hated the kids. I never felt much like I fit in. I wish all the good things for them. I hope they have a wonderful school year with a lot of great, positive experiences. That is what I wish for, for them.

Tonight I am taking it easy with my sweetie. We had a nice run out to see Donna. She has been a part of our lives now for almost 10 years. When I ran my own business she was an incredible connection. I am happy that we've maintained such a good relationship with her over the years. She is so different than us, but still so much similar. She is honestly a good hearted person. One of the best I've ever met. A little crazy.....but heck, aren't we all????

Tomorrow is Wednesday. Wooohooo! I'm already looking forward to Friday! And, if all goes well, I'll be out the door nice and early so hubby and I can get on the road and head to Maryland. We have a wedding to attend. I am looking forward to it. We have a nice group of friends who we'll see. It's been a long time for some of them. It should be fun. And Paul, who's getting married... has to be one of the best men we've ever met. He is close to a saint. What he's been through.... How he's come back from it all, and god bless Lori. She is his exact perfect match. I better bring tissues to the wedding. I know it's going to bring me to tears. Yeah, I am looking forward to it.

Happy Tuesday. May you sit and read this with a smile. If you've read this whole page, you must be a special friend of mine. Who else would be able to get through this post today? lol

Is it really over?

Where did the summer go? WoW..... Heck if I know!

It started out slow.. then before I knew it, we were so busy that we almost forgot what day it was!

I've had less sleep and made more memories just during the month of August than I can even imagine! It's been interesting....

And now, the kids will go back to school -
I'm back to regular hours at work -
Fred has regular work hours - (not that he had summer hours)
It's beginning to get darker earlier...

Damn.

Today is strange. I have very little energy.
I'm nervous about work tomorrow.
I'm nervous for the kids going back to school.

My head is pretty full.
BUT.. I'll be okay. And, so will the kids.
Everything will fall in to place, I'm sure.

Overview of this summer.
-We had an incredible cruise vacation.
-Met our awesome and amazing fun friends in Baltimore.
-Made the greatest friends ever, and love the fact that they live so close, and seem to be a lot like us. Hey, they even think we're funny. :)
-I've become really comfortable with my new job, although I found myself in HR submitting a report against some nasty people last week.
-Pool parties
-A couple of trips to Atlantic City
-Hot tubbin...
-Pool hopping
-A few good drinks
-Dueling Piano Bar
-Meeting friends in York, Pa.
-Laughter
-Sitting on my spot on the couch
-Playing Board games with the kids
-Playing Board games with friends
-A Baseball game

I think it's been a pretty fun summer.
Yeah, it's been good!

Happy Labor Day. Happy End of the Summer.

Go Phillies!

And.... After a crazy sleepless weekend in Baltimore... We're off to the Phillies Game with our great friends, Chrissy and Tom!

Baltimore Weekend

WOW! What a weekend we had with our "Cruise" friends!!! How cool it was to spend quality time with them at the Inner Harbor, and pool hopping at 2 a.m! I can't even tell you how hard I laughed when we snuck in to the pool at our neighboring hotel. I felt like a teenager all over again. It was like swimming in the fountain of youth...

The inner Harbor was great. Who knew I would really love the Dueling Piano Bar? What fun it was!!!

ESPN Sports Zone outside was fun!

So was Hard Rock Cafe outside!

And trains, cabs, and walking was so different than hopping in the car and driving!!!!

GO YANKEES!!!! You'd think that we were in NYC with all those crazy Yankee fans in town for the game!

Friends.... special stuff. Chris, Trish, Donna, Maria, Tresa, Scott, Judy, Michael... and the rest. It was so cool being together. Fun fun fun!!!!

The "Hots" had a fantastic time!!!!!

Here's a few pictures of us on our "Land Cruise" weekend in Baltimore. Sorry I don't have any of the pool hopping!!! The group dropped from 16 to 5, and I didn't want to get the camera wet. Where were the rest of them? They were dropping like flies all night, and we were the only one's hanging in there. See, it paid off that I didn't consume gallons of alchol like the rest of them!!! (LOL)

Let's do it again... real soon!