2010- My year in review

Needless to say 2010 was a truly memorable year for me. It was filled with happiness, joy, accomplishment, stress, and most recently deep sorrow. 2010 was without a doubt the most eventful and jam packed year that I have experienced in my life so far. I planned my wedding, watched two of my best friends get married, bought my first home, married my best friend, adopted a best friend, and lost a best friend all within a matter of a year. Here is a look back at some of the great and not-so great moments of 2010.

January- House hunting was in full swing we looked at at least 6-8 houses this month. This month was also filled with rounding up bank statements, pay stubs and countless other documents which helped us complete our pre- approval.

February- I attended Reni's bridal shower.

We were still house hunting up until the middle of February, on a snowy day, we found "The one" we immediately put in an offer and it was accepted! Finally, I had a friend from college pass away in a car accident. It was devastating.

March- March was filled with countless arguments, stress, and phone calls with our mortgage consultant. We were also interacting daily with our real estate agent. I attended Katie's  Bachelorette party and we took a limo to Boston to see the Blue Man Group. I will never forget that it was 70 degrees in the middle of March!

                                                                          
  Next, was Reni & Mike's Wedding. Her ceremony was absolutely beautiful and nothing like I had ever seen before.

Finally, to end the month we experienced the worst flood Massachusetts has seen in decades.
                                                            

April-The stress of wedding planning became more apparent and the day was fast approaching. Most of the month of April was stressful due to the fact that we were rounding up last minute documents, funds, and appointments to get ready for our closing. It was a long month of waiting anxiously on word from the bank. We finally closed on our first home on April 23rd!

                                                

May-I turned 25 in the beginning of the month. I had a small gathering with some friends at my parent's house and we had a bonfire.

                                    

The day after my birthday, on May 8th, we attended Kenny & Steph's Wedding.

                          

and finally, the highlight of the month..was my Bridal Shower!

                                                  

June- I witnessed my life-long friend get married on June 5th.

At the end of June I flew to Florida to visit my best friend & maid of honor, Ashley. I had such a fantastic time while I was there. We went to universal, had a few beach days, went out to eat at one of her favorite Japanese restaurants, and had a night out at a local bar with her friend's from work. I was also able to stay at her first home that purchased back in 2009 and meet her new puppy, Fenway.

                            

July- This month was filled with stressed due to the wedding, I had a few beach days here and there but mostly wedding planning consumed my life for that time.

On last day of the month, I gathered up my 14 of my closest girlfriends and headed to Boston for my Bachelorette party!    Yes, we had a pink limo :)

                                                                  Jello shots!

All of us in front of fenway park 

Riding the bull!

                                                                      
August- I married my best friend and we had the time of our lives on our honeymoon in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico!!

September- We adopted our first dog together, Colt.

October- We began to start to settle down and enjoy newlywed life, we had a play date with Tucker & Colt, and had our first Halloween in our new home with almost 90 trick or treater's come to our door!

November- We had our first thanksgiving together as husband & wife and we decorated for our first Christmas together.

December- I threw my mom a 50th birthday party at my house and on Christmas day I  had to put down my first pet, Tucker.

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

Shop Shutterfly.com for elegant Christmas photo cards.

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.