Christmas from Hell

I apolgize in advance for the shocking title but believe me it describes the theme of my heartbreaking holiday just perfectly. My well-thought-out plan for a memorable Christmas came crashing down when I received a disturbing phone call around 9:30 pm Christmas eve night. It was my mom and she sounded very worried and concerned. She then began to tell me that Tucker was very sick and they were rushing him to the 24-hour animal hospital in West Bridgewater. Upon hearing this devastating news Cory & I were in Taunton celebrating Christmas eve at my mother-in-law's. I was sitting in their living room and I immediately started balling my eyes out. I just knew that it was something very serious just by the way my mom was talking. 


As a result, we left Taunton right away to head home to drop off the gifts we had received. Feeling beside ourselves, Cory and I immediately jetted right up to Bridgewater. We arrived at the hospital around 11pm. As soon as we arrived there we were greeted by my mom and aunt. Within the first five minutes of being there we all just cried hysterically and embraced one another. While we were waiting on word from the doctor my mom began to explain to me why exactly they had brought Tucker in. Around 7pm that night they noticed that all of the sudden he was not acting himself. He had been pacing back and forth and he was also very lethargic. After about an hour he started to deteriorate very quickly. He began limping around until he just couldn't walk anymore. My brother, Keith, was forced to pick him up and put him in the car because he just couldn't walk on his own any longer. On the way to the hospital my mom & aunt noticed that his breathing was becoming very shallow. When they arrived there the two assistants at the front desk ran out with a gurney and brought him in right away. They ran some tests, and to our dismay they found a mass near his spleen. Soon after this discovery they presented us with an estimated cost of 6,000 for surgery to see if the mass was cancerous. The doctor told us that she was very nervous for Tucker and that he was a very sick dog. She also told us that he was bleeding internally and the only way they would be able to do surgery is if they could stabilize him. They decided that the most effective thing to do was to give him a blood transfusion to see if his red blood cell count would increase. They preformed one transfusion but he still continued to bleed profusely. Miraculously they found a similar breed dog with the same exact blood type as Tucker. They were hoping that this transfusion would stabilize him enough to put him under for the surgery.


Meanwhile my mom and my aunt had been waiting anxiously for over four hours. To make matters worse my mom was scheduled to work her regular shift on Christmas day after being up all night long. At 2 am, in spite of  it all, they decided to leave their phone numbers with the receptionist and leave to try to get some sleep. In the event that anything changed they were instructed to call them at home. Cory and I had left the hospital two hours eariler, around 12am, I begged them to call me with any updates. We got home and tried to sleep, but there was no way I could knowing that my first baby was very sick. I lied there with my eyes wide open until about 3am when suddenly I received a call from my mom stating that the doctor basically said that it was time to decide what we were going to do. She advised us that they had done all they could do as far as trying to stabilize him. Tucker was losing so much blood at this point that it was near impossible to stabilize him. They had given him the blood transfusions and all the blood they were pumping him with just continued to drain back out again. In other words, we had one of two options: we could try another transfusion and see if by some miracle it was effective or to agree to terminate his suffering and just put him down. All things considered, we decided as a family, at 3:30am, on christmas to part ways with our best friend and first pet, Tucker James. He was only 7 years old and I truly believe that it wasn't his time. God took my best friend way too soon. This news came as a shock to my whole family due to the fact that Tucker really wasn't even showing obvious signs of previous discomfort. All of our family & friends were heartbroken when they heard of Tucker's passing on Christmas day. They were all aware how important he was to our family and everyone that had the pleasure of meeting him also shared in our sorrow.


Little side story on Tucker: I had always wanted a dog my entire life. I had grown up with the dogs in and around my neighborhood since I was six years old. I begged my parents for a puppy every Christmas for as long as I can remember. They finally gave in during the summer of 2003. My mom came home from work one day with a puppy in a cardboard box.  Originally the dog was purchased for me as a high school graduation present, but as the years went on he became the family dog. As the years went on, Tucker became such a enormous part of our family. We had birthday parties for him and we even gave him Christmas presents just like you would any other member of your family. Tucker wasn't just any lab mix, he was unique in a way that is almost indescribable. He loved every single person that would walk into our home. He was so welcoming to all our guests and  he was always so happy and full of life. He loved attention and thrived on the company of humans. He would go up to everybody individually and greet them. Everyone that had the pleasure of meeting Tucker instantly fell in love with him. This is truly proof that god only takes the best and takes them too soon.


It will be a week this Saturday that he has been gone and I can't even begin to describe the pain and emptiness that I feel inside. I feel as though I lost my best friend. I can speak for everyone in my family when I say that the pain that we endured on christmas day was worth it for the seven years of pure joy and happiness that he brought to our family. Tucker was one of a kind and he cannot be replaced. He will be greatly missed and he will always be my first baby. A friend sent me "The rainbow bridge" poem the day of Tuck's passing. I thought it was fitting to share my favorite part:  "....when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.... "

Until we meet again my sweet angel....Mommy will always miss you.


Rest in Peace-Tucker James- Mommy's sweet angel puppy forever. May 19, 2003-December 25, 2010

These pictures don't even begin to display the enormous collection of pictures I have of him. I would love to share all the pictures I have of Tuck..he was just that handsome.

My Mom's 50th Birthday Party

I had started to brainstorm ideas about my mom's 50th birthday party back in September. My original plan was to have a surprise party at a local restaurant with 50 of her closest family & friends. I had also spoken with a DJ that was going to give me a good deal. Well....that fool-proof plan was crushed when I found out how much it really costs to host a huge party of that nature. My dad offered to help me, but even with his help it was just going to be too expensive for me (I'm still trying to replenish my bank account from the wedding). I felt horrible knowing that I wouldn't be able to do this for my Mom. She does so much for me and especially this year with throwing my bridal shower, helping me plan my wedding, and finally paying for a huge portion of my wedding. I really wanted to show her how much I appreciate her. I decided I wanted to do something special even if I couldn't throw her a huge surprise party.

 I came up with the idea to host a small gathering at my house, and that is exactly what I did. I invited a few of my mom's closest friends & and our family. I went to a party supply store and literally bought everything with the number "50" on it. I also ordered her favorite flavor cake from White's Bakery in Brockton. Overall, everyone had a great time. It was nice to see my mom's friends who I don't see very often. Before my Mom opened her presents we did an ornament swap with the ladies that came to the party. Everybody really enjoyed that and a few people even suggested we continue the tradition every year. I know my mom had a nice time and I know she felt special and appreciated. However, I still feel badly that I wasn't able to give her the party that she deserves. Maybe I can throw one for her 60th!!! :::crosses fingers::::

Here are some pictures from the party:

                                                           Dining room decorated

                                              My Mom & her best friends from work

                               My Mom has been watching Days of our Lives since before I was born

                                                        Incredibly delicious Tiramusu cake

                                                             Blowing out the candles

                                                              My Mom and I

Amazing Macaroni & Cheese Recipe!

Last night I was in the mood for some good ole' comfort food so I decided to make a big pot of homemade macaroni & cheese. I had been preparing to make it since this past weekend, and I had been researching recipes online. I have attempted to make macaroni & cheese before and it really didn't come like I hoped it would. I decided to give Alton Brown's "Stove top macaroni & cheese" recipe a try. Boy, am I glad I did! It was beyond delicious! It was full of flavor and tasted like I had taken hours to prepare it.



Taken from foodnetwork.com
Alton Brown's Stove Top Mac-n-Cheese

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs
• 6 ounces evaporated milk
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 10 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

Directions

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente  and drain. Return to the pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes or until creamy.

Rescue Pet Parent Poem

Eyes fearful. paws worn

A sorrowful sight

so forlorn.

Love they said would be the cure

for the suffering

you had endured

So our family grew that day

We brought you home

with us to stay.

Slowly . gently the bond it grew

faithful.loyal ,loving,true.

Looking back it's unclear

how we got by without you here.

Trusted companion,

devoted friend,

you give and give ,it never ends.

they said we were a gift to you,but now we know who rescued who??

Our Christmas Card!

With Love Chartreuse Christmas Card

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View the entire collection of cards.

Colt- three month update

It will make exactly 3 months this Saturday since that memorable day that we adopted Colt. I can't even begin to express in words what a huge improvement he has made. It's almost as if he is a completely different dog. However, there are a few obstacles that we are still trying to overcome with him. For instance, his intense fear of loud noises. He is much better than he was but he still continues to crouch down, run away, or hide when he encounters any loud noise. Another obstacle that we are trying to overcome is his fear of going for a walk. When we first got him he had never been for a walk before so it was a challenge to even get him to walk 3 feet away from the house. When he would walk more than 3 feet from our house he would essentially take us "for a walk". He would pull so much that and it was near impossible not to feel like your arm was going to come out of its socket. To solve this problem we purchased the gentle leader and basically its a head collar  that exerts light pressure on the bridge of the nose in the same manner in which lead dogs naturally communicate. This has helped tremendously, but it has not completely fixed the problem. Even though there is pressure exerted on the bridge of his nose he still continues to pull when he wants to escape from a loud noise or a car. I'm working on being more calm and assertive on walks (I have been reading the Dog Whisperer books-they are fantastic). I want to try to work more on this, but with the winter weather coming..I'm not sure how that will play out.

Finally, the toughest obstacle of them all... visitors. Due to the fact that Colt was not exposed to strangers in foster care and he has passed the grace period of being introduced to many people as possible..Long story..short..Colt is terrified of strangers. In the past when we have brought him to our parents homes he seems to be fine after he warms up a little bit, but at our home forget it. As soon as somebody comes to the door he will either look like he is about to get hit or he will run upstairs to our bedroom, where his bed is, and just lie down until our visitors have left. We want to tackle this issue by inviting more people to come to the house and ignoring him until he wants to greet our guests. Then we will show him that our guests are nice and aren't going to harm him by allowing them to give him a treat(another tactic I learned from the dog whisperer). We have already tried this once with our friend that came over on Sunday and it worked wonders. He even gave her his paw! I was so proud of him. In order to continue with his training we are planning on taking him to Petco for doggie play classes to allow him to meet more dogs and of course more people. We are trying so very hard to make this the best home possible for him, and I think we are doing a great job so far. There are a few things that need work, but overall he grown into such a sweet & loving dog. Cory mentioned the other day how he couldn't imagine life without Colt now. I couldn't either.

Of course.. an update wouldn't be complete without ....pictures!

                                                  Colt giving daddy 2 paws at the same time!

                                                                Colt going "up" for Daddy

Colty's side profile

and my favorite..kisses from my best friend.

wedding photo 16 20

Blank Project Canvas Print

Unique party invitations and greeting cards by Shutterfly.

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Shutterfly-Get 50 free holiday cards

Shutterfly is a fantastic photo sharing website. I have only used it once before to create a custom photo book as a gift for my maid of honor. The quality & clarity of the book was phenomenal. I had so many people ask where/how I made it and what a thoughtful gift it was. Also, I've already started making us a "coffee table" book of our wedding. In addition, I'm planning on making parent albums of the wedding and giving them as Christmas gifts this year.
Finally, the reason for all the great compliments about this wonderful website  is because there is a promotion for bloggers to receive 50 free holiday cards if you mention it in a blog post.  This is our first Christmas married in our new home and a new fur-baby to show off that being said this is a great time to share our happiness with our family & friends. I'm excited to send out Christmas cards for the first time! 


Hurry! Go see for yourself!


Two of my other favorite products are:


·         Christmas photo cards to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards
·         photo mugs to http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-gifts/photo-mug

Getting ready for turkey day

I know... I know I haven't written a post in over a week. I'm such a slacker. It looks as though I've given up on this whole blog challenge ordeal. I think it was a great idea to get the ball rolling, but I'm not planning to continue with it. Anyway, I've been sick for almost a week now with this incredibly annoying bug/chest cold, and let me tell you it hasn't been fun. I was out of work for two days and basically out of commission. I was in bed all day for those two days and I did nothing but eat, sleep, drink tons of water, and watch food network thanksgiving shows. I'm still not myself but I did go back to work today.

After work today Cory & I decided to go shopping early to get ready for thanksgiving next week. This will be our first thanksgiving dinner together as a married couple and come to think of it..ever! Throughout our whole four years together I always spent thanksgiving with my parents. This year I will be spending thanksgiving with my father-in-law & step-mom in law in Weymouth. We always have a great time when we visit, and I'm sure the food will be spectacular. I'm planning on making three desserts this year. Originally, I was just going to make two (pumpkin pie & snickers cheesecake) but at the request of my husband we will be having a third dessert (chocolate cream pie). I always look forward to the Wednesday before thanksgiving because that is the night that I bake and prepare everything that I will need for dinner the next day. I have never hosted thanksgiving, but I hope to someday in the future because I love to cook! I know it's a week too early, but I'm in the mood.....

Happy Thanksgiving blogger friends! :)

Wedding Video Teaser

I know I'm a little early for this post blogging about the wedding isn't for a few more days, but I just received our wedding teaser yesterday morning so I just had to share!

30 day Blog Challenge- Day 15 - My dream house

Okay, I'll be honest...I cheated. I skipped Day 13 & 14 on the blog challenge list. Personally, I thought how are people going to get to know me better by posting about a fictional and nonfictional book? They won't. So, I decided to go straight to discussing my dream house!

My dream house would consist of a modern style colonial home w/ 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths....much like this one.


 The kitchen would be adorned with granite counter tops, tile back-splash, gas cook top, and a breakfast bar with stools (number one on my list since I don't have it now)

Next, a massive master suite with an attached bathroom with jetted tub, and stand-up stone shower.




These elements of a home are definitely the most important on my list. I would call myself a little home & decor obsessed. I watch HGTV and DIY network constantly. I love anything that has to do with renovating a home to make it more modern. It's safe to say that this home may not have to be a "dream"  for us. We might be able to invest in one very similar to this in the future if we play our cards right.

30 day Blog Challege- Day 12 - something you are OCD about

First off,  I'm very OCD about clutter in my home and on my desk at work. I'm a very organized and methodical person. I guess you could say I have a typical type A personality. My home isn't always as neat and tidy as I would like it to be due to all the dog hair and due to the fact that my husband isn't always the best at picking up after himself. However, I try my best to pick up the accumulated clutter each night before I go to bed. Also, I'm very OCD about germs. I always carry hand sanitizer in my purse wherever I go. I brought it with us to Mexico, and I was always reminding Cory to use it before he ate if we weren't able to wash our hands. He thought I was crazy.

Halloween Weekend Recap

This is actually the first weekend since our wedding that I've had 3 consecutive days off with Cory. Overall, we had a fantastic weekend. I decided to take a personal day from work on Friday the 29th. That morning I made chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. After breakfast we decided to do a little shopping and then we had lunch at our favorite place, Panera! After lunch, we proceeded to find a mason jar to complete my accessories for my halloween costume. As soon as we found one we immediately went home to get ready for our friend's Halloween party. This was the first time Cory and I have celebrated Halloween together and actually dressed up. We dressed up as Lorena and John Wayne Bobbitt. We got the idea for our costume from the heinous crime that occurred back in the early 1990's. The crime involved a woman (Lorena) who chopped a piece of her husband's "man parts" off while he was sleeping. We got tons of laughs from this costume and everyone thought we were so creative. We had a nice time but we really didn't know many people at the party.

On Saturday we had breakfast at the honey dew donuts in Carver and then did our weekly grocery shopping run. That night we went to my parent's house for dinner and we brought Colt with us. He had a blast playing with Tucker and we ended up taking tons of pictures. Here are a few that we took...

 Finally, on Halloween morning we went to Target to pick up some last minute candy and a couple of other things for the house. Cory watched football and I just relaxed and cleaned a little. We had a wonderful weekend, and I think we really needed that time together to connect as a couple again. Cory's schedule has just been so crazy it's been impossible to actually get a full day together. I'm excited for next week because I've planned a day trip to Boston on Veteran's day since I'm off from work. I hope everybody had a fantastic Halloween. :)

30 Day Blog Challenge- Day 11 - a photo of you recently

This photo of me was taken on our honeymoon in Playa Del Carmen Mexico in August of 2010. Our honeymoon needs a separate post....(stay tuned for that.)

30 Day Blog Challenge-Day 10- A photo taken over 10 years ago of me

This photo was taken on my first day of kindergarten at my previous home in New Bedford (circa 1990). I remember being very nervous for my first day so much so that all I had for breakfast that morning was milk. I recall meeting many new friends one of which I'm still very good friends with today.

30 Day Blog Challenge-Day 9 -A Photo I took

I haven't been very consistent with this blog challenge. I guess it's just not that exciting for me. However, I have decided to continue with it.

This is a picture that I took of Colt with my new Nikon D3000 camera. Isn't he such a doll? 

Day in the life of a Resturant Manager's Wife

I know I have complained about this numerous times on Facebook, but I haven't actually spilled about it on my blog.  It's extremely difficult to "watch" (via facebook) everybody always having plans and traveling with their spouses while I sit home alone and my husband is off working like a dog. I was particularly bothered this past weekend for some reason. Don't get me wrong I'm so grateful that he has a great job in this tough economy. I guess I'm just being selfish. I don't know. After a long week of work (which has been especially stressful this year) I want to relax my mind and forget about work for the 2 short days that I have off. Weekends are the busiest time for restaurants and it just so happens that I work Monday-Friday. It is extremely rare for Cory to have a weekend off, but it does happen every so often. Dealing with long work days, opposite schedules and varying hours has always been an issue ever since Cory became a manager. Sometimes I'm okay with it, but most of the time I just wish I had more time with him. I try to be supportive of him and I'm so proud that he is doing so well at such a young age. I know that in order to support us and move up in the company he has to give 110 percent at all times. I'm just scared that when we have children in the future that they will resent him for always working and not being there for them.. I don't resent him I just wish I had more of a "life" instead of  just working, cooking, and cleaning. I guess as a newlywed I'm at a crossroads. I need a hobby!

30 Day Blog Challenge- Day 8 - A photo that makes me angry/sad

This picture was taken on my first holy communion back in 1992, I believe. Both my grandparents are present in this picture, and they have been gone now for about 10 years. I was incredibly close to both of them. They essentially raised me from the time I was an infant until I was about 4 due to the fact that my parents work schedules were so demanding. I miss them so much, and I wish they were both here to experience all the important events and milestones that my Brother and I have experienced since they have been gone. It's very hard to look at this picture and not feel empty.

30 Day Blog Challenge -Day 7 - A photo that makes me happy

This is one of my favorite pictures of Cory and I. This was taken at a wedding that we attended back in July 2009. We had such a great time, and this picture makes me smile.
I love the picture so much that I have it framed and displayed on the side table in our living room.

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 6 - 20 of my favorite things

My favorite things (in no particular order)

1.) My new husband (of course!)

2.) My dogs (Colt & Tucker)

3.) My family

4.) shopping

5.) warm summer days

6.) the beach

7.) flip flops

8.) Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccinos

9.) My beautiful Ford Focus :)

10.) My ipod

11.) My home

12.) My friends

13.) weddings (ever since I started planning mine I'm infatuated with them now!)

14.) My laptop

15.) Cinnamon crunch bagels (just bagels period!)

16.) Panera Bread (Our favorite place to eat!)

17.) hooded sweatshirts

18.) HGTV

19.) The color blue

20.) my bed

I have to say I throughoughly enjoyed coming up with this list!

Our New Addition

In the weeks leading up to the wedding Cory and I were seriously contemplating getting a puppy next year for something excited to look forward to as newlyweds. Cory had always been raised with dogs, and I myself was around dogs my entire life I also owned one since I was 18. Realistically, neither of us have the time to train a little puppy. One night Cory and I stumbled upon petfinder.com and instantly we were hooked. They were so many adorable dogs on this website, and it just broke our hearts to know that some of these dogs would never find suitable loving homes. After a long discussion, we decided that adopting a dog would be the best option for us at this time in our lives. Also, it gave us the satisfaction that we were giving a dog that essentially had nothing, a loving caring home. There were over 300 dogs to choose from on the labs for rescue website and they were a few dogs that caught our eye, but one in particular, Colt, really caught our attention. We submitted an application and paid the $365.00 adoption fee via paypal. We heard back from the woman who was fostering Colt within 12 hours of submitting the application. The whole adoption process took about a week to complete, and after a few quick phone calls and one home visit we were all set to pick up our new family member!

We were scheduled to pick up Colt on Saturday-September 4, 2010. We arrived at a park & ride off a major highway in Connecticut feeling beside ourselves. Cory was very excited, and I of course was nervous. They assured us the trailer would be arriving at 12 noon, however they didn't arrive with him until 1:30. The anticipation of that trailer pulling up at any minute was unbearable because we were not aware that they would be over an hour and a half late. When the trailer finally arrived the dozens of other people waiting scurried to greet their new additions. Colt was the third petrified dog to come off the roaring truck. As soon as we got Colt off the truck he was shaking uncontrollably. Cory started walking to the car and Colt pooped right there in the middle of the parking lot. How embarrassing! He was so scared and had no idea who the heck we were so in turn he tried to hide behind a guard rail in the parking lot and wouldn't come out. This is when my tears started coming. I felt so bad taking him from the only home that he ever knew. I cried for the first 30 minutes of the ride back home. It truly was one of the most emotionally traumatizing experiences for me. I'm a huge animal lover, and I just felt so terrible knowing that he was on a trailer for 2 days with minimal food and water just to get to us. I felt so selfish doing this, but Cory kept reassuring me that we were giving him a loving home and that it was okay.

The trailer that Colt came on



First picture of Mr. Colt scared as can be



Hiding from Daddy


Colt did a little better when we got home, but he was still very unsure of us. The first day/night all Colt did was hide in his crate. We finally figured out that he felt as though the crate was his "safe place" due to the fact that was all he really knew back in GA. The first 4 days were the most difficult ones, because he was still so scared of Cory and I we couldn't get him to do anything all he did was lie down with this depressing "lost puppy" look on his face. A quick little back story on Colt: His foster mother found him and his siblings abandoned at 9 weeks old. This particular woman rescues labs and has over 40 dogs on her small farm in Georgia. He was not exposed to any real life situations while living with her. He was basically left in a crate, and was let outside to run and do his business a few times a day. This woman very rarely had visitors at her home so in turn Colt didn't meet people. Also, he had never been for a walk on a leash before. This is just a touch of the little things that we spoil our dogs with that Colt didn't receive in his foster home.

The first three weeks that we had him he got progressively better, but he was still petrified of being outside. He would do his business and run straight for the door immediately. He had no idea how to go for a walk, and he would pull us in every direction. We bought him toys, but he had no idea what they were because he had never had them where he came from. We essentially had to teach him to be a puppy. As the weeks went on, Colt got better and better each day. He began to slowly come out of his shell. He was running around the house and playing like a puppy should, he was giving kisses to us every chance he got. The fourth week he was with us I introduced basic commands (Sit, Paw, Come). He is a very quick learner and picked up on these incredibly quickly. Now each week I'm trying to add another trick/command to his repertoire. Currently, we have had Colt for 5 1/2 weeks, and I can't even begin to tell you how much he has grown and improved since that very emotional day that we picked him up in CT. We are so blessed to have such a sweet, lovable dog, and even in the short time that we have had him we can't imagine what our lives would be like without him. We are very proud pet parents. Finally, we are very excited to grow in our marriage and expand our family with Colt by our side.

Week 4 Colt Pictures

30 Day Blog Challenge- Day 5- My Favorite Quote

To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world.

Anonymous


Random Photo of Cory and I at a beach in Weymouth.

30 Day Blog Challenge -Day 4 - My favorite book

For a book worm such as myself it's diffcult to choose just one favorite, but for the sake of being decisive for once I have to say my favorite of 2010 so far is "Handle with Care" by Jodi Picoult.

30 day Blog Challege-Day 3- My favorite television program

Continuing with this blog challenge confirms that I'm a completely indecisive person. I was aware of this trait before writing this blog, but now I'm sure of it.:)

I can't chose just one "favorite" movie, song, or TV show! I enjoy watching many TV shows. But, the one that I have been stuck on lately is "Teen Mom". Please don't poke fun at my choice of trashy reality television. I really thoroughly enjoy this show from beginning to end. My favorite character on the show is Maci. I think despite the amount of support from her parents she is a great Mom. She really loves her son and tries to do what is best for him. Although, I do disagree with her choice to move to Nashville just to be closer to her boyfriend. In my opinion, it was a selfish move on her part.

And, as for the other teen moms on the show I think Farrah needs more than just one therapy session a week. She is so bitter and angry towards her Mother, and it's not a healthy way to be acting in front of your child. Amber seems to have gotten progressively worse as far as the violence against Gary. In the first season, I thought it was Gary causing the issues due to his laziness, but now I see that Amber is the one who has issues. In my opinion, She needs to seek counseling and anger management. Lastly, Caitlin and Tyler are truly two of the bravest and most mature teenagers I've seen. I think giving Carly up for adoption was the best decision that they could have made. They wanted a better life for her than what they had growing up. They had to endure Tyler's Dad coming in and out of a jail cell and Caitlin's Mom drinking all the time. I'm sorry that trashy household is not a fit place for a child to grow up.

Okay, I have said my peace about this show. I always look forward to watching this every Wednesday on my DVR. Next week is the last episode of the season, and if this show doesn't come back I honestly don't know what I will do!

30 Day Blog Challenge- Day 2- My Favorite Movie

Just like my favorite song it's very difficult to choose just ONE favorite movie of mine. However, one movie that came to mind almost instantly was "Happy Gilmore" starring Adam Sandler. Arguably, "Happy Gilmore" is one of the funniest movies ever made. Also, This movie reminds me of when My brother Keith and I were younger, and used to be very close. We would watch this movie very often, and we knew ALL of the lines by heart. No matter how many times I watch this movie it still makes me crack up laughing!

Finally, As I am writing this blog post my husband is clicking through the channels and Happy Gilmore is on ABC family. What a coincidence!

30 Day Blog Challenge- Day 1- My Favorite Song

Honestly, I don't think I have an all-time favorite song. You will find out very quickly that music is a huge part of my life. If I didn't have music in my life I would be an incredibly unhappy person! Also, If know you me you probably know that I can recite every word to almost every song on the radio (I call that talent!).

I enjoy all types of music from hip-hop/rap to soft rock to even some country music! Currently, my favorite song would have to be "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz. This song has such a great beat and every time I hear it I just want to get up and dance! Also, it reminds me so much of our wedding day due to the fact that some our bridal party was announced to this song! It's a song about celebrating so we figured it would be a perfect song for our bridal party. It will always have great memories attached to it.

30 Day Blog Challenge

I think this 30 day challenge is a great way for me to get back into the swing of starting a blog. I got this idea from a friend whose blog I follow. This might be a difficult challenge considering I don't always have the time to be on the computer now that I have a house to clean. :)

Here’s the rundown:
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of my favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where I live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - my worst habit
Day 28 - what's in my handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

I'm Back!

After the busiest 10 months of my life, I am finally back to starting my blog! Quite a bit has happened since I last posted. Let me give you a short recap of the last 10 months.

On April 22,2010 we signed the papers on our first townhouse together! It was a very difficult journey, but our family, friends and of course wonderful Realtor Regina were there every step of the way and we really appreciate all of their support. (more later)

Also!!! Cory and I got married on August 7, 2010 and words cannot describe how beautiful and breathtaking our special day really was. (Pictures to come)

And finally, Cory and I adopted a yellow lab puppy from down south on September 4, 2010 and he's such a sweet dog. We are so happy to have him.

This was just a small update. More Posts to come!

2009-

My 2009 Year
January- Rang in 2009 by myself due to a blizzard that dump

ed 9 inches of snow here. Also, I signed up for my first graduate class.

February- Our 3rd Valentine's Day together, which was very depressing because Cory was very sick with pneumonia. Also, I studied very hard for the MTEL's.

March-Wedding planning was in full swing. We booked our DJ and photographer. I took the communication and literacy MTEL.

April- I started field observations at the high school. The weather was surprising warm so Cory and I had a nice picnic at buttonwood park. Also, I attended my cousin's baby shower on one of the hottest days ever recorded in April!

May- I turned 24 and I celebrated at TGI fridays with Cory and some friends. I made some huge purchases this month! I bought a 2008 ford focus and my wedding dress. Finally, I got hired for a full-time position as a teaching assistant at my old high school.

June- It basically rained almost every day in June. We attended our friend's wedding reception.

July- celebrated Cory's 24th Birthday! We took our second session of engagement pictures, we attended and had a great time at wedding for Cory's family friend, and lastly my maid of honor Ashley came from Florida to visit!

August- We chose the bridesmaids dresses. It turned out to be a beautiful month full of sunshine and beach days. Also, we went on vacation to Maine to relax and visit Cory's family.

September- I started my new job as a teaching assistant.

December- We celebrated our last Christmas as an engaged couple.