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It is the most beautiful New England day today. The humidity has finally broken, so you can breathe a little! My hair is at a fairly normal size, so that is a win for me, as I had my first official meeting with our new President today and wanted him to be able to look me in the eyes instead of searching for my face under the layers of frizz. It is the kind of day that lets you know, despite being 85, that fall is right around the corner and you should enjoy these moments because the end is near and it will be mere days before you are reaching for a fleece jacket, or even a snow shovel.

My mood is directly tied to the weather some days, and today is one of those days. I'm in such a great mood, despite being totally screwed at work. I've got no chance at catching up, but I can't be worried or even annoyed today. My windows are open and the breeze is blowing the piles of papers off my desk and I'm still just a happy girl.

The baby and I are listening to Sorcerer Radio online. I'm teaching here all of the music of Disney so when she gets here, she will feel comfortable with the sounds she will hear so often and she can start begging Daddy to take her on her first trip with her first words. This half hour is sounds of Epcot, so I think we are listening to the music of Morocco (or Meg's bathroom) right now. You can almost guarantee that we'll be rocking out to the sounds of Off Kilter, the Canadian bagpipers before the hour is over!

Football tomorrow night. Yahoo! I've already started the shopping. I need to pick up Dr. Pepper for Taylor and something light for dinner, so it doesn't interfere with the game time snacking. We should probably have a salad so the baby actually gets something nutritious. Maybe we'll get buffalo chicken salads from someplace, then it counts as healthy (lettuce) and football (buffalo)!

we had a nice family time this weekend. It was Ross's sister's wedding, so we all piled into the in laws house for the weekend. The wedding was a lot of fun. I was bummed, because with this sore ankle I wasn't really able to dance (it has re-swollen :( ) But, Emilie and David sure had a ball dancing! It was a great time, but I've realized weddings are much more fun when you can partake in the open bar!

This weekend was likely the last time we'll see Alexander for a few months too. He leaves in early September for his International MBA program in France (insert your own Alex in France joke here). We're so excited for him-and jealous-what a great thing to do. Plus, unlike Taylor and I with the world's longest graduate school, we'll be done in something like 13 months. He'll be back in the states in late December, just in time to meet his little niece or nephew. I'm sure the baby with think Auntie Em and Uncle Alex are just the coolest, so she/he will be happy that he'll be home in time for Christmas!

I'm going to have to go to a really crummy work event on Sunday night. Seriously-a semi-professional woman's softball game. Yeah-not much fun at all. Hope for good weather at least and maybe some yummy snacks!

I'm so hungry today! I haven't been able to get enough to eat. Yesterday I made Taylor stop and get me an Awful Awful on the way home, claiming that the baby needed a piece of his RI heritage. Yes, it was a stretch, but sometimes a girl needs ice cream and I had spent the morning dealing with a weepy MIL, so I had earned the darn thing! I'm trying some Italian chicken bake thing for dinner-it is from Giada, so who knows how it will turn out!

We had a blackout today at work. At the same time, our copier/fax machine broke, my phone died for the afternoon, and food service took our coffee maker. I don't know if I've ever felt more like we should just call it a day and head home. We again have power (as you can tell by the useful computer work), but going home still sounds like a nicer idea, doesn't it?

Four days until the Patriots game! Stupid NFL network! The Hall of Fame game was on last night and I missed it because we don't get that channel. I hate the makers of cable/satellite/whomever took away football from me!

The first preseason Patriot's game of the season is August 10th. To you and me, THAT IS NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT! Happiness is chips and mango salsa, curling up on the couch with a boy (I guess my husband will do), and the Patriots!

Taylor-I NEED A NEW JERSEY! STAT!

Del's! It is possible we can now get Del's close to where we work! This is a huge development in life-as before now, you had to travel over an hour for this delicious and refreshing treat! Yeah Del's! I'll be doing more research this afternoon when I go back to the garage to pick up my (again) broken down car! Yahoo for Del's!

By the way, the baby is whatever pronoun I feel like using at the time. I switch randomly between he and she, because my child is not an "it". The baby has a sex, just because we don't know it, doesn't mean we should brand her with the term "it". So, if I use one or the other, I'm not giving you a cryptic view into my womb, just being my random self! Thought that was worth clearing up :)

Also-I finished Harry. I know Emilie hasn't started yet, so don't talk about it here, but I'm willing and excited to talk about it with anyone at anytime!

Back from our weekend getaway to Maine. Nothing like 16 hours in a car in three days that says vacation! Still, we had a nice visit with my parents. It was cool and rainy most of the weekend, but we did get a chance to go walk on the beach, which is always nice. Sadly, it was so foggy there (but sunny at my house just 5 miles away) that we couldn't really see the ocean, but we knew it was there so all was well. Ask Taylor if the water was cold...

Not too much else to report. I feel in love with a house that we didn't get. It was somewhat traumatic for me, but I'm over it now. We're still looking and hoping. If you know anyone in our area, ask them to put their house up for sale so we can buy it please!

We have a wedding this weekend-Ross's big sister is getting married. It should be a fun time as the whole family is going. Alex and Emilie will be up, and I haven't seen them in forever, so that will be a nice visit. I'm off Friday, so I'll be doing some dress shopping and hoping for the best. I'm huge now-and just this week, my butt has decided it should try to grow to the size of my belly. Yeah-pregnancy is gobs of fun.

Work has been no fun lately. I've been working pretty late in an effort to get more done. August is the scariest month of the year in higher ed. It doesn't make sense, because it isn't really the busiest (though it is pretty busy), but it represents the end. It is the end of summer, the end of the rest, the end of the quiet and signals that in a few short weeks, the students will be back. Yes, we all do our jobs for the betterment of the lives of the students, but we like it when they aren't here. I enjoy not fighting for a parking spot, waiting in line in the cafeteria, the peace and quiet, and not inventing jobs for work study students. I'm just spouting off-I actually think that the students give the campus the energy it needs to come to life and be productive. Things get done in the summer, but not like when the kids are here to keep us motivated. And, hopefully our graphic design intern will be back to make my life happy and easy once more. Still, August is a scary month...ask the poor people in student affairs-to them it is the absolute worst!

Must work...three day week for Heather!

Things I miss in my current life...(in no particular order)

• muffin tins
• automatic ice maker
• a basement
• the cord to the printer
• surround sound
• lunch with the cool kids
• cookbooks
• a garbage disposal (and if they were in order-this would likely be number one)
• Tupperware in a variety of sizes
• bread pans
• pictures on the wall
• a backyard
• tomato plants
• red wine
• hardwood floors
• central vac
• blue cheese
• saucers
• a land line
• Sunday's not designed around open house times
• a kitchen table
• hot dogs
• a sunroof
• Dr. Mario
• organized chaos
• shopping at Ann Taylor
• stationary
• a football jersey that fits
• Taylor mowing the yard on a Sunday morning
• the ability to make waffles
• sleeping on my stomach
• a mailbox
• Rick's Summer Drive-In and their free Wi-Fi
• Playing the game at big y

The baby loved seeing the Harry Potter movie last night. He was dancing in there, trying to distract me with all of his movements. Me, I was just excited that the theatre had power.

There are very few things in life that annoy me as much as the automatic hand dryer. Not cool people, just not cool.

I just had a great peach for breakfast. Peaches are the greatest!

I'm working from home this morning and then heading out to a clam bake in a world far far away. I love event days, but I'm not really all that jazzed about driving three hours to get there. Oh well, a day in the car and at the beach is better than any day behind a desk!

I had a great time with Krissy this past weekend. We went sailing a few days, got pedicures, ate ice cream and just enjoyed being girls! We usually get about three days a year together, so we like to make the most of them. I came home nice and relaxed and with a great tan! Now I've just got to get some girl time scheduled with JJ and life will be good!

I'm off to find something that makes me look both casual and professional, while keeping in mind that I own about a dozen things...

Emilie and I like pop culture. We read people and visit eonline. Right now, I'm thinking if we had a third (you know, like another sister-in-law who was cool, for example), we could have our team in the world series of pop culture. I've always said I think everyone has a sport they could be award winning in, I guess I always thought my sport would be curling or badmintion, but now I've found my place in the world. Who knew all the reruns of Full House would come to be useful!

I'm going to see Krissy tomorrow. Her family is up, so I'm going to spend a few days with them at their summer house. I think tomorrow we're going sailing, so that should be lots of fun. Of course, that means I'm going to be wearing a maternity bathing suit, which is anything but cool, but I think I'll live! Still no more blogging this week.

There isn't really much to report from this week. Taylor and I didn't get the house we made an offer on. We're bummed, but both doing okay. We've been playing the Wii a lot. Taylor is obsessed with Zelda and I'm a fan of Animal Crossing. Yeah-we have no life.

Bring It On was just the answer to a question on the world series. I'm a very happy woman right now!

One of my coworkers quit today. I'm really proud of her, I know it wasn't an easy decision, but I do think it was the right choice for her. I'm sad to see her go, but I look at it like just another email buddy.

Oh-Shoop so has to go on the baby mix! Yeah, that came to me when they were just doing the "ass song" category. I love VH1

Happy 5th of July! Okay, so I missed the 4th, but I'm sure back in the day, the party continued to the 5th, so have a beer and play with a sparkler and call it a day! We did have a nice 4th. We watched the competitive eating hot dog contest at Conney Island. Kobi had it until he had the unfortunate "reversal" problem. Now, I'm all for American pride, especially in terms of sports, but Kobi is someone I'll always root for over the rest and so I was sad to see him lose to that darn Joey Chestnut.

After watching the eating, we went out with friends to a late lunch and to watch a parade. Well, we were able to watch the parade from lunch, otherwise we probably wouldn't have bothered. Seriously, 8 fire engines and some old, fat, line dancers does not a parade make! We had some ice cream and came home. Then we got a very random call from a friend we hadn't seen in years (Dudek) that he was going to be driving through town and did we want to get an ice cream, because he had a coupon! It was fun and we got to meet his not really new anymore, but new to us because we're crummy friends and never see him, girlfriend. She was a peach! It was a good day, and ice cream twice in one day is really my dream, so I was extra happy!

This morning we went to our big doctor's appointment. Okay folks, we've decided not to find out the sex of the baby. We like the surprise! We want the surprise! I'm sure the kiddo won't mind coming home from the hospital in something green. Actually, depending on the day, we'll probably just bring him/her home in babies first Patriots jersey and call it a gender neutral day! It was awesome to do the ultrasound. Last time we had one, it was because there was a problem and the baby was only 8 weeks old, and quite literally looked like a rice krispy. Now we've got a real, human, half pound baby! The kiddo was good and wiggled for the camera and let us get some good photos. Unfortunately for you, the cord from the printer got separated from the printer in the move, so we can't scan in the photos right away.

The rest of the doctors visit was uneventful. I finally added some weight, up two pounds, which puts me back exactly where I started. I'm almost halfway there, and more than happy to not be carrying the 10 to 13 pounds they say I should have gained by now. The excuse to eat double ice cream is helpful too! So, I'm really looking forward to a good night's sleep tonight-no worries that something is wrong and hopefully no more dreams that Drew Lachey is Taylor's brother! Yeah, I had some seriously weird dreams last night!

HSM soundtrack is a great idea! I'm going to steal a copy from you, Emilie, next time we see each other! Also added to the mix will be a song from the Lizzy McGuire soundtrack, Rascal Flats and Vanilla Ice.

I want to make a mix for my iPod for giving birth. I don't have lots of good ideas yet, but I'm a music girl and really think it will help me focus. Right now, I've got the Spice Girls (yeah-it's spice girl day), Aerosmith and Eminem. Your suggestions are welcomed. Oh, and I plan to listen to this with headphones so the doctors don't think I'm a nut, and so the baby doesn't have to hear any explicit lyrics.

It's like 1997, when I really liked the Spice Girls...well, it isn't like 1997, but I did really like the Spice Girls. God I miss Jim!

Campbell Brown is having a baby! I've seen her in person and wonder how she can even stand up she is so tiny. I'm so excited I have hips--my baby is going to shoot out compared to hers!
Still, I love Campbell and wish her all the best!

Welcome new reader Cassie! For anyone who hasn't heard me gush about Cassie, she is my work BFF. Despite the fact that she is incredibly young (there was an 8 in the wrong part of her birth year) and doesn't know Silver Spoons or Growing Pains, she is simply the greatest.

So, Cassie and I should be in Italy this week. I like to imagine I would be having breakfast with the Pope today, touring Rome with a cute boy on the back of a scooter, then performing in an International Music Awards show...wait, that's the Lizzy McGuire movie. I like to imagine I would be sleeping late, visiting some sites, eating incredible pasta, afternoon ice cream, and partaking in some seriously good red wine late into the night (in my dream of Italy, I'm not knocked up). Oh well, probably better not to be there-it is terribly hot and they are having some kind of bizarre weather pattern, all the people going are old, and the travel guide was pretty annoying. See, no reason for a passport...

Life is pretty quiet. I'm off tomorrow and have no real plans. I should go dress shopping for the weekend's fancy pants wedding, but I'm going to try to squeeze myself into a little black dress I already own. I might go get my nails done, but I might not bother. It isn't my hands that people are going to be looking at anyway! I might as well save the $10.

Taylor and I are looking at a house tonight, so that should be intersecting. I'm tired of looking at houses, so if he likes it, I'm just in. It is too exhausting to think about the number of bedrooms and the size of the yard. Besides, this house has a separate first floor laundry room, so my life would be good. We'll see.

I'm in denial that next week is the 4th of July. It is such a sad day. Not only is it kind of a stupid holiday (especially when it falls in the middle of the week), but it marks the midpoint of summer, and to be honest, we haven't done a darn thing that is either summery or fun yet this summer. There will be no floating down the river in an inner tube this year, not silly cocktail nights at book club. I am desperately looking forward to my annual fake vacation with Krissy at the Cape in two weeks. Though it is only two hours away, and in general I hate the Cape, I find Krissy's house to be the most relaxing place on the planet. It is the color scheme and the type of furniture, and the yes ma'am and no sirs. It is such an incredible time. Rumor has it Jenny might join us, so I'm super excited. PEER PRESSURE!!! PEER PRESSURE!!!! PEER PRESSURE!!!!

Okay-back to work...yahoo (from the girl with the three day work week, I know, Shut Up Heather!).

Happiness is Dawson's Creek on a Monday morning! And, I suddenly like the taste of coffee again, so I've got a warm beverage by my side and life is good.

The girls are happily staring out the screen door at a chipmunk playing on the patio. I can practically see the thought bubble over Liz's head thinking about why she doesn't have thumbs and can't open the door herself.

Sadly, on Dawson's Creek, Bessie is delivering a baby at home and is having some random complications. This is why I won't be more than 40 miles from a hospital for the last three months (so, clearly I won't be visiting my parents for Thanksgiving). I've seen later seasons, I know it goes well and we get our TBS happy ending.

I think I'm going to go do a little shopping this afternoon. Yesterday I sat home alone all day and wallowed in self-pity. Actually, I took a two hour nap, then woke up and wallowed in self-pity. Today, I'm going to be productive and have some fun. I need some clothes, and the baby must need a present or two. I'm on the lookout for a local friend to have lunch with, so if you are reading this and in a 100 mile radius, give me a call, and you can help in the fattening of Heather plan!

I have so many things I want to blog about that I've been afraid to take the time to write. A brief overview of possible topics

• The AFI Top 100 Movie list
• The "Girls Maternity" section at Old Navy
• The best Father's Day gift in the planet
• 5 hours in the back of a station wagon with no air conditioning

Taylor got the Nintendo Wii for Father's Day because the kid and I are the greatest. I have to say, it is a ton of fun! For those who might not know (Julie), the controller measures your movements and mimics them on screen. For example, you swing the controller like a bat when playing baseball. It is the coolest. My right arm was actually tired after the first day we got it because we played so much. Taylor got me my own controller, so now we battle it out in bowling, golf, and baseball. I'm the better bowler, which is awesome because I stink in real life.

Jenny (who is now happily in DC and just a few hundred miles down the road, and more importantly, in my time zone) and I watched part of the AFI top 100 movies last night. I have some serious issues with this list. West Side Story and The Sound of Music were both below 40. Forrest Gump was in the low 80's. I mean, a girl is to believe that Bridge over the River Kwai is better than West Side Story? It is a classic love story and it is so beautifully done. It is a timeless movie and nothing blows up! When you're a Jet you're a Jet all the way is all I've got to say. I wish I had live blogged-Jen can tell you that I was fired up and kept interrupting our first real conversation in weeks to complain about the list. Not cool.

Krissy is in Bermuda. I'm so jealous! Her dad finished the race, coming in 6Th in his class. This is very respectable, especially for their first time doing the race. 6 months ago I thought our family might be there too-but how times change quickly. Now that I'm hoarding my vacation time for the kiddo's arrival, I'm glad I didn't book a weekend trip to go with her. I hope she has a ball! She'll be here in two weeks and we'll be relaxing with a good book and our feet up. I love Krissy vacation week!

I had to use a Netflix as my proof of residency last night to get a new library card. It was pretty sad, but I haven't changed my address on anything really at this point. Luckily, my work ID also has the capability to be a library card, so it didn't end up being a huge deal, but I did have to go home and find something with my new town address. Thank god we're movie whores or I never would have been able to find my book (which was numbered wrong in the card catalog).

I've got a ton of work to do. I'm working tomorrow and taking Monday off instead. I'm looking forward to the peace and quiet of the office. It should be a relaxing day and I hope to get a ton done.

My car is at the mechanic getting new brakes right now. I can't go see my mom until I get it fixed, so it seemed like it was now or never. I'm so tired of putting money into our cars, and Taylor needs his AC fixed. oh well.

If you haven't heard from me, my work email has been up and down (and is way down right now) at work. It is very frustrating! It takes email 24 hours to get down the hall some times. Not cool!

I just got back from lunch where a woman, who I know to say hello to in passing, but who's name I'm not sure of, just said "you're blossoming nicely!". Well, what do you say to that? I'm blossoming nicely? I knew that this dress really showed that I'm knocked up, but even still, I really just look kind of chubby. It cracked me up!

Had she looked down, she would have seen the world's largest lunch. I had my leftover steak from lunch yesterday, along with Pam's veggies, Alexander's mac and cheese, and some rolls. It was awesome! I'm taking this challenge to eat for two to a whole new level! Bring it on!

CABLE ROCKS! My little 15 year old cable boy just hooked me up and I'm able to watch Bob Barker's last Price is Right. This is for some reason quite important to me. I love this guy. I guess when I was a kid I used to call him Hobby Barker-so my whole family does now. It is nice to know that on this quiet Friday that my mom is watching this in the hospital, all of my aunts in NJ are sitting around, and likely my brother and any of my cousins who are randomly home from work are all watching this show. My grandmother instilled the love to the Price is Right in all of us-so this is like our living tribute to her!

I have the apartment torn apart right now. I was working in the box room, trying to put the futon together, when the cable boy came, so I have to get back up there and straighten up because it is driving me nuts. I just want all of the boxes out of the living room, and right now there isn't really room in the box room for boxes!

Dude waited in line for five days to get in the audience for the PIR and he lost. Sucks to be him! And to think he was Bob's last guy. What a shame.

I love my Friday's off! What a great way to spend a day. I didn't put my contacts in today in an effort to try to knock out this tension headache I've been sporting on and off all week. So far so good!

Oohh...the food network! I've missed you so! Tlyler's Ultimate kitchen is an exact replica of the kitchen in his house. I learned that on Unwrapped. See-television is educational!

And how is it that the NBA finals completely happened and I didn't see a single moment or highlight. Now, I'm not saying that I really care about basketball, because I don't, but this sensory deprivation has been too much!

Have your pets spayed or neutered! Goodbye Everybody!

The baby name of the day on babynames.com is Cruella. It means evil, or cruel. Yeah, that is the perfect name for my kid...thanks for nothing! Stupid website!

Mom's out of surgery and doing fine. She's actually a little drugged up, so she's kind of funny.
Jen called and she was sitting inside of a McDonald's in Mobile, so she must have found Krissy.
And, I just had the best talk with my brother that we've had in years. He bought a Harley today-just because he decided he wanted one. He doesn't have a license and doesn't know how to drive it, but he is happy and for someone who works 100+ hours a week, that is pretty rare. Go team!

Today is a tough day for me. My mommy is having
knee surgery in a land far far away, and I'm stuck behind my desk. Also, Krissy and Jen are together for the next 24 hours or so, and again, I'm stuck behind my desk. I would rather be in either location. I'm a sad girl!

Emilie is my hero! Yesterday she taught me that Ann
Taylor Loft (ATL for those of us on a first name basis) now has a maternity line. It is super expensive, but I'm hoping they come out with a few good basic work pieces. All I want is a simple maternity suit, but I'm not sure when that will happen. Yes, I haven't gained any actual weight with the baby, but believe me when I tell you that what I've got has shifted and I've got a nice little bump going on. It literally all
happened last week. My clothes fit and then they didn't-I justdidn't understand what happened! Amy gave me some stuff this weekend, so I have to weed through it and find what I still need to get. I'm going through the in between weeks, where my stuff is too snug (for the most part)
and maternity stuff is falling down. Thank goodness for the fat clothes I saved a few years ago for just this
reason. Plus, I'm only working four day weeks, so I really can get by with a limited clothes rotation right now. I did say goodbye to my jeans this weekendthough. It was a sad day :(

What else is new...we still don't have cable. It is
tough, but watching Taylor scream at the cable company on Saturday morning was really more entertaining than a week of prime time summer television. It was the greatest!

Work is annoying right now. I'm not in the mood and everything and most everyone bugs me right now. Oh well. Part of my job this week has been researching the "beertruck". You can't really
complain about your job when it is tracking down the adult version of an ice cream truck :) I wish it was the Del's truck instead.

I finally started loading my music onto my iPod last night. I had moved a bunch of Taylor's things, and our community property music over, but now I've got NKOTB and some good, old school country, so I feel a little like me. Unfortunately my work computer is so old it doesn't have a flash drive, so I have to listen through headphones. Hey-if they can't give me what I consider basic technology, they can come to the door if they want me instead of yelling down the hall! Anything for a little Joey and Hanging Tough in the middle of the afternoon!

well, we did it! we found a place to go and we moved. I wouldn't go as far as to say life is good, but life is at least all back under one roof and is slowly finding its way out of boxes. No harassment about not blogging-we don't have real Internet at the apartment yet (just "borrowed" from a neighbor), but I'll try to write at work when there is a chance.

Things are fine with us. I start my summer schedule tomorrow, which means Friday's off! I'm super excited and I'm looking forward to sleeping late tomorrow. We don't have cable yet, so no Dawson's Creek, but I have found out where the library is, so I think I'm going to wander off and find a book to enjoy. Yes, I have serious unpacking to do, but I feel like surviving the last two weeks has earned me a bit of a break, don't you?

Just got back from the doctor's office. Turns out pregnancy is the best diet I've ever been on. Somehow, and believe me, it wasn't intentional, I've lost another pound. I'm in month four and have lost weight total! The doctor told me I'm not eating enough or often enough. You don't have to tell the fat girl that twice! I'm counting down the minutes to lunch as we speak! Otherwise, the kiddo is doing well, except her mom is under too much stress and needs to relax for every one's sake. Ever notice how when someone tells you that you are under too much stress and tells you to relax it stresses you more? I hate people sometimes!

We Have An Apartment! We aren't going to be homeless!

Tiki's on the Today Show! He is talking about kids vitamins, so I could care, but he is so cute! I love this guys!!!!

Okay-so update--we're closing on Tuesday. We didn't get the lake house and so we don't have anyplace to go. I'm home today looking for apartments and packing up. Wish us luck-we know we'll be okay, so don't worry, but it is a going to be a long couple of days.

Apocalypto is the most violent movie I've ever seen!

Taylor was hogging the computer during the finale of American Idol. You don't know it blog readers, but you missed out of some very hysterical reading! The material they were providing for a live blog would have been great-but he had to play his silly pirate game online. Oh well, it is better than VMK (right Emilie!).

Speaking of live blogs, there was no Internet access at the golf course on Wednesday. I was more sad than you, believe me. The day went well and was very successful. I spent most of my day riding around on a golf cart providing water and bag lunches to the players. It was a good day overall. You would think a day in the sun might have given me some color, but I'm still nearly transparent. I need a few hours in the sun with a good book!

This weekend isn't a time for sun worshipping sadly. I'm packing like a mad woman! The spare bedroom is totally packed and is about to become the land of a million boxes. The living room is in good shape too. I've got most of the linens in the bathroom packed and really just need to tackle the clothes in the bedroom. We've got to pack summer and work clothes to get us through the summer in one place, and everything else in another. My best guess on how to do this is to pack summer stuff into big plastic containers and suitcases,and then use the empty drawer space for items from the closet that are going to storage. I bring a whole new wrinkle to the plan with my expanding belly. Most of my clothes won't fit in about two weeks. Most of my shorts already don't fit, which was a tough development yesterday morning. Like every other woman in New England, I put on 5-7 pounds every winter while inside watching football and hiding from the snow. We all lose this weight in the springtime when we're running around outside, gardening, and enjoying the nice weather. This spring, the 5-7 pounds didn't get to come off, so my normal shorts are snug already! I was definitely bummed to find this out yesterday, but I'm still well within my weight range for this stage of the game. I'll be interested to see how much weight I've gained with the little munchkin when I go to the doctors next week. I had lost weight last time I was there, but think I might be showing a little bit already, so it is really any mans guess.

This is my packing break. Taylor is snoozing on the couch and I don't want to wake him by dragging more empty boxes up the stairs. I'm running the move like I used to run my old golf tournament. I'm in charge, I like to do all of the planning and organization myself, then have people come in and help execute my plan. There is a clip board involved, index cards, sharpie markers, and a detailed time line. I love this kind of thing-this level of organization is what I'm cut out to do in life! Luckily, after years of helping me carry things at the golf tournament, Taylor understands and recognizes the beauty of my plans and basically stays out of the way and lets me do my thing. It takes a strong man to be married to a control freak at the level I am at and to handle it and me with grace. It also takes the occasional nap :)

I'm watching the NBA lottery right now. Given all the time in the world, I wouldn't have guessed that this is what I would be doing tonight. I hate the NBA, but I love a good lottery and a good draft! Go Celtics, I guess.

I'm flipping to American Idol. I picked Jordin for the winner when she made it to the top 12, which I didn't think she would ever do. She isn't great, but she is certainly better than beat box Blake! Plus, right now she is singing Martina and I love Martina! Oh, but her hair is caught on her lip gloss! Whatever, she's living my dream, so I shouldn't judge...

I'm doing a golf marathon tomorrow. Dear lord I'm ready to be done with golf. I'm taking my laptop and if there is wireless, I'll be blogging from my assigned location on the deck. I'm playing the role of concierge. Just call if you would like a warm towel!

What the hell is Randy wearing? Are you kidding me? Randy, Michael Jackson circa 1992 called and he wants his jacket back!

Evil Stephano is still alive? Or is that Tony something or other?

Amy Fisher and Joey B are getting their own reality tv show. You should know that I once had a real obsession with these two in high school. My best friend Jodi and I made the Amy Fisher Memorial Bridge out of toothpicks for a high school assignment. We had real problems, but I guarantee that I'll be glued to this show!

I've gotta go make the bed. Lizzie threw up on it this morning--while I was in it. Gross! If I wasn't already queasy this morning, that would have done it!

Hi Friends-

I'm a delinquent blogger. Things have been hectic. We signed the papers on the house on Monday. We've been looking around for a summer rental and have decided that it would be cool to rent a lake house if we have to rent anyway. We found two to go look at this weekend, so that will be cool.

Work is nutty, so there likely won't be many from work posts, unless I'm having one of those moments when it feels like the world is spinning away. If that is the case, expect lots of posts!

It is pouring here right now-like build an ark pouring. I'm glad I'm inside.
Yes, I'm home early. We had a plumber and an electrician here today to do work on the house. Luckily the electrician is a friend, because all of the things I dragged him to the house to fix weren't really broken...

I balled my eyes out last night at the series finale of the Gilmore Girls. Taylor thought I was losing my mind. And, to be honest, I felt that way too. I don't even really watch Gilmore Girls, though have seen plenty of episodes through the years, but it was the end of an era and so I was sad. Sue me for being a sap!

I wonder what to make for dinner...trying to clean out the freezer right now...moving is Hell!

WEEKEND UPDATE:

Friday: we received two offers to buy our house! let the bidding war begin!
Saturday: I graduated. It was a lovely day and we were joined by Taylor's Dad and Ross for the festivities. I was 40 minutes late to line up and almost missed the processional, but all was well that ended well. The bidding war continues!
Sunday: Happy Mother's Day! We got two new and higher offers on the house and began the great debate-money versus stability of buyers. Dinner with Taylor's "School Wife" Sarah who is off to Chicago. Ironically, we ate at Uno's Chicago Bar and Grille!
Monday: We accepted the higher offer on our house. We have to be out in two weeks! Anyone know someone in the area who is looking to sublet an apartment for the summer? We come with two cats, which makes things a little difficult, but we're sure we'll find someplace to go!

So, all is well. We're a little stressed, but nothing we can't handle. I'll be packing non-stop for the next two weeks if you need me!

Janel Maloney is getting a new show! She's going to be on Brotherhood, a show that takes place outside Providence airing on Showtime. I think seeing the news article and photo about it counts as part of the cycle. Jeniffer? A ruling?

We had an offer put in on the house this morning. We haven't talked to our real estate yet, so we don't know if it is good or not really. I'll keep you all in the loop!

It turns out the flowers my coworker got were for Mother's Day. 20 long-stem red roses sent to work in honor of Mother's Day. You can tell that she is the mother of four!

Just got to work, and an off campus appt. this morning. It is beautiful out, but it is going to be muggy this afternoon. My building doesn't have central air, as it was built in 1778 or something like that, and my window unit isn't in yet. I fear as the sun comes around the building it is going to get HOT! I might have to use my mom's theory of closing the blinds and windows to keep the heat out. What a great problem to have! A month ago, I was still using my portable heater.

I have a meeting in 12 minutes. I could do work, but I thought I would blog instead :) I'm a naughty worker!

Have you talked to me in person in the last two weeks or so? If you haven't, you need to call the house so I can catch up with you. I think I've talked to all of my loyal blog readers, but I miss you all and want to make sure we've all touched base recently. So, Call Me!

Commencement is this weekend. What an utter waste of time. Poor Ross is being dragged up so Taylor doesn't have to sit alone. I still don't know why I'm bothering to go, especially a year out, but I'm committed and I even have my cap and gown now, so I guess I'm in. At least this year it should be sunny instead of raining like the last few.

I was recently thinking about the vast difference between graduating College and Grad School. Leaving college is so bittersweet. You say goodbye to your friends, your home, the place that you've grown up. You're sad--especially if you're a girl. Finishing graduate school is sheer joy. Nothing to be sad about. You make more money in your pocket (no more books or classes), you make more in your pay check, and you get your life back. It is all positive!

Someone in my office just got the most beautiful flowers from her husband. What's that about? Flowers on a random Wednesday? He must have done something wrong...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMILIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stockard Channing--check off another one! Also, Ed or Larry was on Grey's the other night.

Taylor's watching the GOP Presidential Candidates Debate right now. It is a riot-there are about 12 people debating, and it is hysterical. Most of the people can't even be identified, even by my geeky husband.

We had our open house today. We had five families come through in an hour, so that is a win. Poor Grace is sick, so having the stress and drama of all of this going on hasn't been good for her.

Oh! Mitt Romney, the flying Mormon! Massachusetts is happy to see you run for president, mostly just because it means you're off Beacon Hill!

So we didn't do anything this weekend at all except clean. The house is pretty spotless right now. We've got flowers all around, we even staged the porch so it looked like we were having a dinner party. It was cute. Cross your fingers to hope one of these people wants to buy the house, I hate being this neat!

Rick's, our local ice cream place, opened this weekend. Now this is a little hole in the wall place that you go for a burger and a shake, but for some reason are proudly hyping that they have free wi-fi. Why on earth would you bring your computer to a place like this? The few picnic tables they have are always sticky and gross. It really is about the last place on the planet you would worry about checking your email, but I suppose if you want to, you now have that option. I'm going to try to convince Taylor we should walk down there later today and get a baby ice cream cone. Yum! Maybe he'll come if I tell him he can bring his laptop...

I'm rocking out in my office to Disney music this afternoon. Taylor, can we go back? Please? We've already got passes...Mickey misses me...

Holy draft weekend. I can't believe the Patriots got a pair of thugs. First, Randy Moss. That just is just an ass. And then, their first round pick is a face stomper! He literally likes to stomp on guys faces with his cleats on. I'm not down with Meriweather. He better get her and be a superstar on and off the field.

My car died on me last night on the way home. It literally just turned off as I was driving down the road going about 60. It looks like it is just a $50 censor. Turns out Opi is a good car after all.
This, unfortunately, means I have to come to work early, as I have to take Taylor and drop him off, then come to my own job. It isn't fun, but he is an all-star for helping me out and sharing his car with me and changing his plans multiple nights in a row just to help me out. Thanks T!

48 hours until the draft baby!

we're having a mini-family reunion in RI to watch. We've got snacks, we're ordering pizza, there will be Del's...life will be good!

All new Grey's tonight-and the one I've been waiting for! YAHOO!

Congrats Julie and welcome to the AMC family! I hate you for your flat screen monitor, but I'm happy to have you back in my world every day :)

The buyers backed out of our house last night. I don't really feel like getting into all the details, but basically they freaked out over a bunch of little things that came up in the inspection and instead of waiting for us to fix them, they've backed out of the deal. We're both pretty bummed out. We're putting the house back on the market tomorrow, once all the paperwork for the removal of their deposit goes through.

I don't really feel like talking about it to be honest. we're fine and we'll be fine, it is just very crummy and I feel like moping about it a bit for the day. Hope your day is better than ours.

Yes, my Yankees got swept by the Red Sox. Congratulations on winning three games in May. I hope these warm fuzzy feelings keep all of you Sox fans warm on those cold, lonely, October nights when you're watching the Yankees win the division and take on the playoffs!

Busy weekend! Friday night I went out with my old coworkers which was fun. Saturday was work on the house day. Taylor was super busy putting in a new automatic garage door opener while I prepped the inside for our home inspection, which is this afternoon. I worked on Saturday night. Let me tell you, it was a wild night of hanging out with the nuns and the Bishop. Sunday we had Taylor's parents up for lunch and then we went looking at houses. We got home last night around 8:30, signed a bunch of papers, then went back to finishing up the house for today's inspection. I'm already ready for next weekend!

I had the crummy part of inspection prep. I had to remove every item from the inside of my closet so the guy can get up into the crawlspace. My clothes are currently strewn all around the house! I've got a bunch in Taylor's closet, some in the hall closet, some packed (still on the hanger so I can rehang them quickly tonight) in a variety of duffel bags tossed around the room, and the rest just thrown on the bed. I'm really not looking forward to reassembling it all tonight, but there is no way to go to sleep until I get it done!

Let's take a moment to be thankful for the weather. It is supposed to reach 85 degrees tonight! I've currently got my office windows open and I'm enjoying a nice breeze. I got my car washed on the way in today and my toes are happily free from shoes and thankful for sandals.

How sweet was Grey's last night? I got Carol from TWW on the elevator hitting on the cheif (yuck!) and Lord John Marbury was the creepy want to be chief candidate. Plus Hogan (CJ's niece from our favorite JJ-The Black Vera Wang) was in a commercial for her new movie.

Plus, Grey's was just good. I like Callie and I feel so bad for her. And I would like Addison to be in the episode for more than 10 seconds, but otherwise, I was a happy girl!

btw: I hate my job today!

Hargroves-I got Mrs. Landingham!

Nemo Two is here! A sweet little boy, Fletcher, born last night. Everyone is happy and healthy with Mom and Baby doing fine. I've got an off campus appointment this afternoon, then I'm blowing off the afternoon and heading to the hospital for a baby squeeze! Who can resist squeezing a new baby!

Nemo: The Sequel is about to be born! Amy is in the hospital in the delivery process as we speak. Everyone think positive, pain free thoughts for her.

We looked at a million houses this weekend. Okay, so it was really like a dozen houses, but it feels like more than that! It was exhausting! We saw lots of nice places, and two that I would say we are considering looking at again. Emilie told me looking at houses is fun, but I don't think I would take it quite that far! It isn't really fun after the 7th or 8th house. Hopefully we finish up looking at the other places we want to see this weekend and then can sit down and make some serious decisions about what we want to do.

Julie didn't know that Tiki Barber had a brother. He not only has a brother, he has an identical twin brother, Ronde! Ronde plays defense (I don't know what position) for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ronde is also married to one of my friends cousins. I've been begging for years for her to introduce me, so he can tell Tiki about my love affair and we can walk off into the sunset together. Probably never happen, but it is nice to dream. Yes Jules, Tiki has a brother!

Drew Bledsoe is retiring. How is that the story that comes on at 6:17 on sportscenter. It just isn't right. I'm a Brady fan, but I feel awful bad for him. Drew "the Pirate" Bledsoe is good people. I've gotta go console my poor Taylor. He loves that guy. How sad :(

I feel like I should talk about baseball a little bit. It's time. Here's the thing--I like baseball, but to me it is just a filler sport. I like to watch a good Yankees/Red Sox game because it is always fun to see the Red Sox fans cry, but to sit down and watch a random game from start to finish is too much. My real problem with baseball is there are just too many games. I can't keep up with who's in first place on any given day because it changes too much. And with games being postponed due to weather and then made up or not in a system that just doesn't make that much sense, it is too hard to keep up--and I watch ESPN every morning as I get ready for work! Anyway, I hope my Yankees do well this year. I've got two sets of tickets to Red Sox games for work, so I'll be hitting Fenway a few times. At least I can get an ice cream in a plastic baseball cap and a hot dog to make the event go faster!

On a positive sports note, I heard an interview with Tiki Barber on the radio this morning. I love that guy so much! Keep in mind Taylor and I want to name our first born (regardless of sex) Tiki in tribute to Barber. I sat in my car and listened to the interview even though it made me late for work! I forgot he is doing work on the Today show. I might have to alter my morning routine to get a little Tiki loving in!

16 days until the NFL Draft!

I feel like I should talk about baseball a little bit. It's time. Here's the thing--I like baseball, but to me it is just a filler sport. I like to watch a good Yankees/Red Sox game because it is always fun to see the Red Sox fans cry, but to sit down and watch a random game from start to finish is too much. My real problem with baseball is there are just too many games. I can't keep up with who's in first place on any given day because it changes too much. And with games being postponed due to weather and then made up or not in a system that just doesn't make that much sense, it is too hard to keep up--and I watch ESPN every morning as I get ready for work! Anyway, I hope my Yankees do well this year. I've got two sets of tickets to Red Sox games for work, so I'll be hitting Fenway a few times. At least I can get an ice cream in a plastic baseball cap and a hot dog to make the event go faster!

On a positive sports note, I heard an interview with Tiki Barber on the radio this morning. I love that guy so much! Keep in mind Taylor and I want to name our first born (regardless of sex) Tiki in tribute to Barber. I sat in my car and listened to the interview even though it made me late for work! I forgot he is doing work on the Today show. I might have to alter my morning routine to get a little Tiki loving in!

16 days until the NFL Draft!

my friend Suz had her baby yesterday...he was 9 days late and weighed 9 lbs 10 oz. when he came out, he asked for a sandwich. that is a heck of a big baby. god help her!

the papers for our house are coming tonight. once we sign them, we start a whole new merry-go-round of house fun with inspections and appraisals and all that fun stuff. Things should go smoothly though and we aren't anticipating too many problems.

I'm going to a baby shower tonight for my friend Amy. This is her second and she is due at the end of next week. It should be fun because I'll see a ton of my old coworkers whom I haven't seen since December. It has the potential to be overwhelming, but I am looking forward to laughing. I didn't realize how much I enjoyed my work friends until I didn't see them every day. We used to laugh all the time and the work day sure goes faster when you're giggling around every corner! No food at this thing tonight though (well, cake I think) because they are coming from a big reception. I've gotta poke around and see what I've got in the fridge here to munch on before I go!

I love the show "How I Met Your Mother". Did any of you see it this week? Barney cracked me up with his 15 reference. It is the little moments that make that show great.

Our work email is still mostly down. I'm going crazy over here!!!!!!!!

You know what this blog needs that my wedding daily rant had? Ralphy eating paste. Taylor, want to help me out with that? He was the greatest...

Post number 150 baby! Go Team! What to talk about to make the post special...

Oh, I know! How about the fact that Taylor and I have (unofficially) sold our house! Yup! We found out Saturday that an offer was made on the house. We countered and expected them to come back with a third number, but instead they said okay! We haven't signed the official papers yet as there is some funky wording that has to be worked out, but hopefully we'll be able to do that tonight. We'll be closing on May 31st, so we've got about 7 weeks until we are homeless. Please think happy thoughts about our buyers and their financing, the quick and easy inspection on our house that will find nothing wrong, and me and Taylor finding a place that we love with sellers who want to be out by May 15th!

Oh, and Happy Easter! We ended up canceling our plans to go to Maine on Saturday. I woke up early with a nasty stomach thing. It was gross, you don't want details. We really just laid around the house the rest of the weekend since I wasn't feeling great. I didn't even end up cooking Easter dinner. Instead we rented movies and ate Chinese food. All and all, it wasn't a bad way to celebrate Easter, all be it quite different from the norm in our house. I'm so sad to be back at work today!

Happy Passover! Enjoy your Manischewitz Wine!

JJ-I got John Hoynes!

I love Good Friday! working for the Catholics has its privileges! Now I don't get nearly the same vacation I used to get, but one and a half days are more than none, so I'll take it as a win!

We've got no real plans for Easter this year. We're heading to meet my parents halfway tomorrow to meet for lunch. I can't wait to see my parents! Living far from them is one of the hardest things in the world, so even just a few hours together is a fun night.

I've got no idea what we're going to have for dinner tonight. Usually when I'm home I like to make a nice meal, but I've been kind of lazy today and just not in the mood to cook. I didn't even make the bunny cake I planned on. Keeping the house so clean all the time for showing makes the thought of cooking or baking just too difficult. Maybe I'll become reinspired once the darn house sells! I guess the people who saw the house this morning really liked it, so we'll see if they make an offer or decide something stupid like the ceilings are to low or something.

Daytime television sucks. Well, Dawson's Creek aside, there really isn't much on during the day. I've been in and out today, but I've watched some stuff and there really isn't reason to bother. I'm glad I've got laundry and cleaning to keep me busy today! Seriously, a rerun of Dharma and Greg is the best thing on right now. Terrifying!

See-I had the right winner of the NCAA tournament. I picked Tennessee to win it all. It is just a technicality that I picked the men and not the women. Go Lady Volunteers! Way to win the tournament. I told people we should have done the ladies bracket instead this year, but no takers!

So we had an offer made on our house. It was crummy, but we made a counter offer of sorts to show good faith. I doubt that we'll see anything come of this, but Taylor and I agree that it has been a good exercise for us to go through in what will happen when a real offer is made. It also has kicked our butts a little and made us start thinking a little more about looking. We've got to get busy!

Going to a hockey game tonight with Ross and Kate. I've never been to a hockey game before, so it should be interesting. I'm hoping that a puck breaks the glass somewhere (that is no where near us). Seems like it would be an interesting turnout for a hockey game.

Jenny-I got Margaret from TWW last night! She was on a really old episode of Friends. It was the "PIVOT" one where they were moving the couch up the stairs and the one where Phoebe had the police badge. She tried to arrest Margaret for putting out a cigarette on a tree. When it rains TWW, it pours! Either that, or I watch too much TV!

Good weekend. Did some yard work, great dinner with old friends, and relaxing with the boy. Late last night we got a call that someone wants to put a bid in on our house, so that is pretty major. We should hear in a day or two what they are offering and decide what to do from there. I'm starting a sign up sheet for those who want to help us move (for all the pizza and beer you can take) and for those who are willing to let us and the two kids move in until we find a new place! Something tells me that more folks are willing to carry boxes than live with the crazy Macs! I would make that choice too if possible, but I'm related to all these folks now so I'm stuck with them. Just kidding family, you know I love you!

Very frustrated at work today. I've been working for an entire day on something that isn't my job (which is a frequent occurrence) and then got in trouble for not having my job done. Anyone else see a problem with that? Oh well!

I'm starved. I had the quickest salad at lunch this afternoon and didn't even really have time to eat all of it. I'm going to scrounge around the building and see who has what to share with me! I'm going after work to get a pedicure with Amy (who dreams of seeing her toes again at 8 months pregnant) so we'll have a late dinner. Must snack!

For those who don't know what we're talking about, Jen and I like to "hit for the cycle" in terms of seeing all of the West Wingers on TV or Movies in a certain time span. I had a few good spotting's, so we're in the process of making a go for the cycle. Look for updates, even though you don't care!

JJ-I also got Martin Sheen in The Departed and Rob Lowe in the commercials for Brothers and Sisters (do commercials count?).

Congratulations to Emilie! One part down and passed! Remember, the first is the toughest, so take a few deep breathes and enjoy this! Seems like Alex should make dinner/take you out tonight! Time to CELEBRATE!!

i had something I wanted to blog about, but by time I opened the web page and logged in, I had forgotten what it was. I've got some serious short term memory issues today!

I had my Boston Reception last night for work and it went really well. I've got a happy boss, so that's what I call a win. I'm pretty beat today since I got home around midnight. I didn't come in until 10:00, but I couldn't really sleep, so it was kind of a wasted morning, unless of course you are Grace and you got lots of snuggle time on the couch with Mommy!

Rent-a-paloza 2007 is still well under way. I've listened to nothing but since this weekend. I've got to call my mom and tell her, I think it was the longest summer of her life when that was all I listened to when I was home from school. She was ready to kill me by August! I've never seen a parent so happy to send their kid back!

I'm homesick for my kittens today. I just want to go home and cuddle up. I've got a great picture of Liz as my background right now and she just looks so soft and lovable. Clearly, I'm still very tired!

okay...I've killed some time and I still can't remember what I actually wanted to blog about, so I'll be back later when it comes back into my head. What a space cadet!

It is supposed to be 70 degrees today! Yahoo! I'm just about to go get lunch and I can't wait to get outside. My work study just came in wearing shorts and a tee shirt. Now students are kind of dumb, but even still it must be a sign that spring is here!

I have an event in Boston tonight and the people I work with are acting like I've asked them to drive to the moon instead of to the city. It will take less than an hour. It is literally on the road the exit drops you on from the highway. You simply go four blocks and park. It couldn't be easier and I'm tired of the complaining. Move to Machias Maine if you never want drive in traffic. I didn't drive on the highway until I was leaving for college. There isn't a stop light for about 50 miles and multi-lane roads don't exist. Suck it up people! Carpool and then one person can drive and three others can give her a pep talk about the big bad city. Give me a break!

JJ-I'm close to hitting for the West Wing cycle and I need your help! I had Zoey on Grey's Anatomy this week. Kate Harper was in the movie Mystery Alaska and I saw someone else, but they are escaping me at this point. You seen anyone else? I say four counts as a cycle in this post wing world!

I'm watching the Food Network Unwrapped on the Food Network (one of my favorites) and Mark Summers (yes, from Double Dare) just called Paula Dean a cross between Jesus and Oprah. Are you kidding me? I adore Paula and feel privileged to see that she actually shoots her shows in her own kitchen, but a Jesus-Oprah combo? Even I think that's pushing it!

Taylor is off on his way to visit his mom and dad for the day and I'm home alone. Home alone is such a strange and rare thing. To commemorate this, I'm happily doing laundry (I had a dream that my parents were coming to visit so I had to change my sheets, so now I am washing all of my bedding today, from mattress cover to bedspread and everything in between, just in case). I took a long shower, I'm sipping coffee, and blaring Rent and singing along at the top of my lungs. Book club is this afternoon so I can visit with the girls and have yummy food. I still need to wrap my books though. Whenever someone in book club has a baby (which is often, in a year we've had five babies delivered once Amy and Suz drop theirs in the next few weeks), we have a book shower for them. We all buy cute baby books so mom can keep reading and spend time with the baby and she'll think of us and know she has lots of women thinking of her and supporting her. It is a cute tradition and today we're doubling us with two births coming. Fun stuff! Sadly, I didn't read the book at for this meeting--I took it out the library though, so that should give me some points!

Oh, it is the series of songs from Rent that we used to sing at the top of our lungs freshman year. My roommate Kayee and I each had an assigned part and would sing the same three songs over and over. Poor Erin, my sweet conservative third roommate, could have killed us. Singing about AIDS and AZT and lesbians was too much for her. What a fun memory. I should call Kayee and sing to her, but sadly it is like 2:30 am in Hawaii right now, so that probably wouldn't work. Oh well, I'll mentally send her a hello!

I've had the busiest week at work! I had a huge project dumped in my lap that absolutely 100% wasn't my job. But, five days and lots of cups of coffee it is done! I'm a happy girl!

So it is the weekend again already. One thing about working at Santa Maria is that it is so stinking busy that you don't have time to feel like the week is going slowly. As I was wrapping up with the drama of the afternoon today, I could hardly remember the drama of Monday. It is almost Easter and I don't really remember much since Thanksgiving--does time go faster as we get older? What will 60 feel like?

Speaking of Easter, this year I'm making my world famous Bunny Cake again. It has been a few years, probably since I ran the phonathon and could bake anytime and take it to my students who would eat anything on the planet. I think I'll make it anyway this year and take it in to work and tip my hand that I love to bake. At my old job it was bad that they knew that, because they make me bake a few times a month to have birthday treats. Once, in high school, my best friend at the time, Jodi, and I ate a good portion of a bunny cake I took to her house as a treat for her mom before her mom got home from work. In an effort to hide the evidence, we got some coconut and frosting and tried to make the think look natural. It didn't really work, but we had so much fun that it was well worth it. I love the silly memories that you get to have as time fades--Jo and were so close in high school, despite sharing a series of boyfriends, and though time and distance have cooled the friendship the fun memories get to stay. I'm sure we were wearing the same shirt that day too...we were too much!

I'm thinking about marching in my grad school graduation this May. I'm not really sure why, it has been almost a year since I finished classes and I already have my diploma, but for some reason I really feel like I should march. If nothing else, it gives me a chance to visit all of my Assumption friends and hang out for a day. My dear friend Linda recently got stuck with running the commencement ceremony and I would like to be there to help her survive and since I don't work there, being there to help her spot check and problem solve is the best I can do and I can certainly do that in a long black gown. Besides, it will give me a good reason to get a new outfit and some kick ass black sandals!

So it turns out that the cat food drama was caused by rat poison. This is extra dramatic for us, because we feed our cats said food and have essentially been poisoning them without knowing. They are doing fine-no symptoms at all-but I still feel like a horrible cat mom. When I heard about it, I gave them both the biggest squeezes ever. It is a rough month for pet owners as multiple friends have lost cats this month and my niece-puppy Tiller has to have surgery to have her second ACL replaced. Poor puppy! Everyone give a pet a hug tonight!

I promised my number one fan some blogging tonight. I hope you've enjoyed my random stream of consciousness. I'm going to go pretend to read my book for book club on Sunday, but more accurately I'm going to try to convince Liz it is time to take a nap with Mommy!

Scroll to the bottom of this page for a few Disney 2007 photos. I want to go back!!!!!!

I had half a snow day today! I came home (which included skidding going around a corner and landing on my neighbors lawn) and used my time wisely: I watched the Little Mermaid, baked cookies, and took a nap with a kitten. I love a snow day!

Emilie gets a gold star for the week. I wrote the world's longest blog and only got one comment. It was a little disheartening. Thanks for the comment Em!

So last night I'm at a work event with my friend Cassie. She is a sweetheart-but she's so young! Case in point: We're both big fans of the show 24. We both missed last weeks episode, but I caught this weeks, so I was catching her up. I told her how not that much seemed to have happened in the episode that we missed but Ricky Schroeder is on now. She looks at me and responds, "The guy from NYPD Blue?". Are you kidding me! She thinks that is where Ricky's from? I yelled at her, "Ricky Schroeder is from Silver Spoons", and she just looked at me with a blank stare. It was a devastating moment for me. Cassie is six years younger than me, but we're the only two people on campus who are under 30, so the six years don't normally seem like much at all. I almost cried. If I hadn't been at a work event, I would have pulled out my cell phone and called someone for some counseling!

NCAA tournament time. I've done my sheet of integrity and thought I was sure I wanted to pick Florida (yes, I know no team has repeated since Duke in the 91-92 season), but found myself writing a different name in my bracket...Tennessee! That's right-I'm riding the five seed Tennessee all the way to the top! My theory you ask? Well, first their color is Orange, and I love orange teams. I myself was an orange and black team in high school (Go Machias Bulldogs). Next, Peyton Manning went to Tennessee and he had a pretty good year. I'm hoping the luck continues for the school. Finally, I picked Tennessee because their mascot is the Volunteer. How can you not like the Volunteers? It is the greatest mascot ever simply for the randomness of it! I work with volunteers every day, so it's time to put my bracket where my mouth is and back the Volunteers. Go Orange!

Okay-I stink. I haven't done the Disney recap for anyone yet--here is a quick go at it!

We had an absolute ball! The weather was great-upper 80’s the first few days then in the low 70’s. Not sweating and not freezing, so we were both happy. I got the slightest hint of color, but I wouldn’t call it a tan. Oh well, no vacation is perfect.

It was ESPN the Weekend, which most of you won't care about--but we thought was cool--so there were lots of athletes roaming around. We rode on Everest (9 times in one day) with Ben Rothlesburger of the Steelers twice and once with Trey Whingo who is an ESPN host. We went to a few Sports Center tapings and were on TV once. We got to meet lots of cool athletes and TV hosts. Richard Seymour was there doing a little talk one day, and I knew he would be, so brought my Seymour jersey in and wore it-he thought that was really cool. They weren’t really allowed to give autographs there-they put them in cars and drove them down the main street in the studios and took them right out-but he pointed me out a few times and waved while he was on stage and again while he was in the car in the “parade”. It was neat. I didn't get to see the taping of Mike and Mike, my favorite show that I get ready for work to every morning, but I did get a chance to see Greenie roaming around the park with his wife and kids. I've got a celeb radar-we could be standing on top of a famous person and Taylor wouldn't notice but I could spot them two attractions away!

The lines weren’t bad at all. The longest thing we waited for was Soarin’ and that was with a fast pass. They were redoing the floors in the normal fast pass line, so they were directing people back through the exit for fast pass. It was a nightmare. You missed the pre-show (which I love...Puddy!) and so the load/safety stuff all had to be done in the room and it took a lot of time. That said, we still road 3 times!

We did the dining plan and would highly recommend it (especially for Emilie--we said that while we were eating every single table service meal- Em would just love it!). We ate our last night at the California Grill on top of the Contemporary. We had late reservations and asked to wait for a window table. We were right on the corner overlooking the Magic Kingdom. We had the best seat in the house! We saw Wishes from up there as well as the fireworks for the Princess and Pirates special event that was taking place. They dim the lights and pipe in the music-it was unreal. We also at in Morocco, at the Kona Café in the Polynesian (yumm-o!) and at Boma in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Boma was good, but the cool part is after the meal we went out to where they have a pen of animals and watched them thought the night vision glasses. It was feeding time, so they were all out roaming around and we got a real fun view of everything.

The other new stuff for us (besides Everest-which is awesome) were the two Nemo events. The new Nemo show in Animal Kingdom was neat-it is puppets, kind of. The other was the new clamshell ride into the Living Seas (which is now The Seas with Nemo). That was a fun little ride too. Taylor made me ride it about 5 times-I guess he really used to like the sea cabs that were there, so he wanted to fully check out the clamshells.

Oh, and we got a dream! We were in the Animal Kingdom in the afternoon about to go on Tough to be a Bug when they herded together a group of us in the line and gave us an extra hour in the park once it had closed. There were maybe 1000 people left in the park, so you could just walk onto rides. It was neat, but we got stuck on Primeval Whirl (which is still one of my favorite rides) for about 30 minutes and missed most of the “magic”, but it was fun to say we had a dream!

We had a little drama our last day there with our house—the realtor called and said our door was wide open and she thought we might have been robbed-but we were only concerned that our cats got out. It definitely took us out of the moment and ruined our last day, but we weren’t going into the parks anyway, and were able to go to Downtown Disney and pick up the few gifts we needed to get for folks (and eat at yummy Earl of Sandwich). It turned out we weren’t robbed and that we just had a silly agent who couldn’t close a door, so it was all fine, but we were ready to come home and check on our kids.

What else...I got some guy really angry at me in the line for the Tiki Room. It was really one of the highlights of the trip because he was just steaming angry because we didn't walk all the way up to the front of the queue and then looked like a jackass when the little show happened by the waterfall that you can't see from the top of the queue. It sounds dumb when I write it down, but it was funny at the time. We called him Grumpy for the rest of the trip. It cracked me up!

Oh! We went to a soft opening of the Laugh Floor in the Magic Kingdom. It a show based on Monsters Inc. It still needs some work but was cute and it was cool to go to a soft opening of something. It is a show similar to Turtle Talk where there is some audience interaction with the animated characters. The kids eat that up!

Taylor was really happy because it was warm enough to go on Splash Mountain, which is his favorite ride. I of course got far more wet than he did, but it wasn't that cold. Speaking of getting wet, Taylor also volunteered us to be in the show on the backlot tour. We were the two deck hands who get shot at. Again, I somehow managed to get far more wet than he did and walked around the park for an hour looking like I was lactating! I wasn't impressed, but we got an adorable picture, so it was worth it I guess.

It was a great trip. It had been long enough since our last one (almost 2 years) that there were new things to see and do and that we didn’t remember every single detail of every ride. I’m glad we went, even spur of the moment. It wasn't our normal method of planning for months, but the whirlwind nature of the trip added to the fun. We really enjoyed every moment and already can't wait to go back! I'll put my pictures up on ophoto this weekend for anyone who is interested.

We're back!

We had an awesome time. It was sunny and warm the first few days, then cooler but still nice. We only had one of those famous Florida rain storms the whole trip and we even escaped most of that by hopping into a ride. No lines, no waiting. Great food, great company, a great time.

I'm super bummed to be home, but was glad to kiss my babies last night. More later-just a fast hello for now! Missed you all!

Thinking magical thoughts...thinking magical thoughts...please let us not have screwed up our vacation plans...I've already cried twice this morning and it is only 9:30...please let the AAA gods and Mickey work together to let me into the Magic Kingdom in the morning...oh pretty please...I hate being on hold!

my favorite game this week has been where will I be next week at this time. In case you're wondering, I'll be getting ready for my fun dinner at California Grill. We're going during the fireworks, so they will turn down the lights and pipe in the music. I can't wait!!!!!!!! Sign me up for the express monorail!

If you're a fan of The Office, you recently enjoyed the wedding of Phyllis and Bob Vance of Vance Refrigeration. If you're a fan of Talladega Nights, you recently enjoyed watching Will Farrell pray to Baby Jesus, as that is his favorite Jesus. If you were with me on Saturday at the wedding of Max and Tori, you almost cracked up at two very inappropriate times!

On The Office, Michael Scott gave a toast at Phyllis's wedding and quoted the Princess Bride with the strange pronunciation of the word "marriage". It was funny. It was less funny that every time the priest said the word marriage in the wedding ceremony, I could hear Michael Scott's voice in my head. I was biting my lip not to laugh.

Next, one of the bride's brother's decided to give a grace at the wedding (well into the first course by the way, not cool). He kept saying the phrase Dear Jesus over and over--about 25 times in a two minutes talk. Thank goodness I was in the back of the room, because I had my head down with my shoulders shaking with silent laughter. It was too much for me to take. As I read this, it isn't really all that funny on paper, but it was crazy funny in real life! All of this was before I had a drink too (as was my little tumble down a set of stairs), so it wasn't even just drunk girl things everything is funny funny. Oh well!

The house was shown three more times this weekend. My poor little girls-they are very high stress at this point-never knowing who is coming in. I wish we could take them out each time like you do with a dog, but you just don't do that with baby kittens. Good luck to them while we're away.

WDW hear we come! ADR's are made and we'll be eating at California Grill, Marachashe, Liberty Tree, and Boma. I'm dying to have a zebra dome-I hear they are all the rage. Nothing say fun like time in the parks!

long post yesterday about fat tuesday, peanut butter, my boys weekend, and the house. unfortunately, technology hates me lately and my computer literally shut itself down as I was posting. So instead today I'll say a quick hello and promise to write more later. I'm swamped at work right now and we're doing presidential interviews and I'm trying to get everything put to bed before vacation. I miss you all and promise to write more soon!

In an effort to find a picture of our stream, I went onto our old wedding website this morning and while there read my original daily rant. Alexander says I was much more fun when I was stressed out. He is right, it must have been fun to slowly watch me unspool. Lucky for him, now that the house is listed you can expect more stress! Get ready to laugh at me.

The first showing of our house is tonight. Let's hope the cats don't do anything particularly destructive or disgusting between now and 4:30. Early this morning--around 2:30--Gracie decided she was hungry, so she climbed onto the counter, opened the cupboard, and took down (from the top shelf that I need a stool to reach) Taylor's giant box of Jelly Belly's. Luckily, I don't really sleep anymore, so I heard it hit the floor and I was able to get to it and take it (and scold her) before she had a chance to eat through the box and get 40 flavors spread across my house. What a mess that would have been! I can't imagine waking up to that, and I can't imagine how on earth that box fell from the third shelf and landed upside-down and closed, but the jelly bean fairy must like me and gave me a bit of a break.

Ross's welcome back from the sandbox party is tomorrow and Alexander is coming for the weekend to get out of Emilie's hair so she can study. Looks like it is just Heather and the boys this weekend since Pam is still in NJ with her mom. It's been years since it was just the me and the boys. I'll have to brush up on "man talk" between now and the morning!

Thank you to the snow gods!!!!!!!! I'm home today enjoying my first snow day of the year. Taylor went into the office, against my recommendation, and called to say the roads are pretty terrible. I'm happy to be home!

We listed our house last night. The MLS listing isn't up yet, but should probably be up later today. I won't list the link here, but if you are interested, I'll email you personally so you can check it out. I'm scared out of my mind. God forbid the house sells, we've got no where to go. And God forbid that we don't sell the house, how can we stay here forever? I know it will be fine, I just don't expect to sleet all that well for the next few months.

Oh! Snow day treat! Dawson's Creek is doing a documentary on Witch Island--a take off of Blair Witch. I hated that movie. I saw it in the theater, though I don't remember with who or why we saw it. The chick's name in the movie was Heather, and they screamed it for hours. It was so annoying. Hopefully Dawson's will be better.

My day, though a bonus day, will be about packing and cleaning. Shocking I know! Upstairs is really empty and clean. I've got about one more box to come out of the bedroom and maybe another from the kitchen cabinets. I really need to spend some more time in the basement. It is all but done, unfortunately all the stuff that isn't packed is thrown in the middle of the room, so I have to get that all wrapped up before the good folks decide to come tour the house.

have to stop writing now...lizzy has decided to lay across the keyboard! later folks!

I gave hugs and squeezes to my friend Ross today! His plane came in at 11:00 into Providence and I had the honor of joining his family for this special moment. He looks really good-he's definitly lost weight and bulked up. Ladies, if you're single and looking, I've got the guy for you! Welcome Home Ross--we truly missed you!

Ross is out of Baghdad! He is in America's airport (Kuwait) and will back in the states on Sunday. Everyone take a collective sigh (though small because he isn't home yet) of relief!

Another Monday morning...another episode of what fun painting projects did Heather and Taylor do this weekend! Well, since I know you're just dying to know, I'll put an end to the suspense! This weekend we, painted my closet doors and put new pulls on, polished the hardwoods in the spare bedroom, painted the heater grates to most of the rooms in the house, cleaned up the basement, painted part of the basement, and put in a new bathroom floor. Most of this was done on Sunday, as Saturday we spent time shopping for the supplies for the above projects as well as other touches of "home" for the purpose of staging. We had to go to three stores before we found a welcome mat that actually says "Welcome". We also bought a fun dry erase board (yes, we feel like we are in college) for a message board by the phone in the kitchen to cover up some yuck the woman before us left on the walls. A lovely arrangement of Ivy was purchased to draw your eye to the top of the fridge in the kitchen, some colored blankets to give warmth to the bedroom, a rug to go in the spare bedroom, and a lamp for the bedroom. I am one of the only people on the planet that looks forward to Monday to get away from the house! Still, we finally sat down together during half time of the Super Bowl last night and agree that we think we beat the house in the battle this weekend. Taylor is the MVP (which is happening in his life a lot lately) because he spent the better part of the day putting in the bathroom floor, which meant figuring out all the cuts for behind the triangle toilet. The house had a good shot at beating us this time, but we were victorious!

All that said, I'm sleepy! Tonight, it is back to the basement for some time. I'm scrubbing the floors and the shelves so we can pack all the boxes we've packed tightly into one area, while making the other look like a place we hang out. Now, we don't really hang out in our basement (thought I do love to do laundry), but it will sure look like it is the place to be when all is said and done. I think it will be a short night of work though, because my hands are covered in little cuts and are so dry from being washed constantly that they sting! Plus, 24 is on tonight, so I know I'll lose Taylor early.

I worked Saturday night for a few hours and missed book club. I'm really bummed out, because not only did I miss my few hours of girl time a month, I missed meeting Meg's new baby and having a chance to love and squeeze him. Stupid work! Stupid Basketball Alumni messing with my schedule!

Ross will be home in a week!!!!!!

Someone pooped in Taylor's pants last night...

I'm having an unproductive day at the office. I won't lie, it feels pretty good! I had a long lunch with a friend off campus (it was so good)! It was nice to have a conversation with someone who knows me well and who I can speak to candidly without the worry that they will think I'm a freak! I've done some personal business from my office, and I've really just taken my time on the projects I'm working on. It isn't a bad day, but I'm sleepy from working last night until almost 9:00 and I'm a little cranky with some of the people I work with, but all told, it isn't a bad day. I got three of my favorite pens and some dry erase markers that I ordered, so I'll have some fun organizing later this afternoon. I know, I'm a wild woman!

Anyone who wants to come on my Italy trip this summer is welcome to come. The dates are June 23-July1 and the trip is to Rome. It should be an awesome time. Anyone who is interested in learning more, give my a call!

I miss my friends today. It seems like everyone is so far away and that we aren't lucky enough to see each other as much as we should. I still love you all, just wish you were closer right now and that we could meet for an hour for a glass of wine and silly chats. Wherever you are tonight, have a sip of wine for me and think of a fun memory of being together!