The first large snowstorm of 2010

The storm started late on the 5th of February. Continued into late on the 6th.

This is our back yard. Zuki is the second car from the right.

Snow up to my "snow" window clings!

What happened when we opened the front door! The stoop is like 6 inches below this.

I just think the solid snow pack looks neat.

There is a subaru car under there!

The view from the garage.

Back of our neighbor's house. You can see the drifting from the wind. Yikes!

Josh being silly.

What a great husband shoveling (even though we PAY someone to do that).

I brought him beer to go with his shovel. It made it more enjoyable for him!

It's like a winter wonderland.

If you have an AWD car it's like MANDATORY to drive in the snow.

Until you get stuck like we did here. It's okay, we are experienced and got it out.

(Although we were passed by two plow trucks and then OMG a police car and I was afraid he would stop and yell at us. Dude didn't even stop to HELP us. Whatever.)

It looks so funny with all the SNOW in our yards.

Thankfully we enjoy driving in the snow and made a trip out on Saturday night and found frozen bread. Although I totally wussed out on trying it - a big thanks to my awesome cooking blog friend Uncanny and her bread making loveliness. I linked her blog in my previous post. I do want to make the bread, but I got scared I would totally screw it up and then have nothing to take to the SUPER BOWL parties we attended. Another thanks to my friend RockThis who gave me the idea for the pizza bites - which I did use.

We did end up at two Super Bowl parties. I had a great time. I tried to have a little alcohol at the first one. It made me sick. One of my friend's sons asked everyone who went to the bathroom if they pooped. It made me laugh until I hurt (which doesn't take tooo much). We also taught him to fist bump. WITH fireworks. SCORE!!

Then we almost got into an accident when Zuki came out of 4 wheel drive. Weeeee... Josh is a good driver though, so almost just means he lost a little traction, but we were fine.

I was really tired at the second one. So we left early. *sigh*

Guess what is happening right now?

MORE SNOW on it's way.

Awesome. I STILL can't sled ride. Boo.

Oh well.

*hugs and kisses*

mj

Details later, but I just needed to say

Friends and family are the best.

I survived surgery although it was really rough. My mom stayed up with me all night in the hospital. She brought me another orange snuggie!, chocolate covered raisins for when I start eating more and some books and magazines.

My friend Nina (and her husband Greg) sent me a super cute card and a book.

Kandice and Jason stopped by yesterday with a bag full of goodies (fudge pops, cookies and cream ice cream and juice bars) and some awesome flowers.

Doug and Lisa stopped today and dropped off a coloring book (Yay!), flowers and a card.

Josh also had flowers waiting for me when I got home.

A BUNCH of other friends have texted, emailed and facebooked me so many good wishes it makes me feel warm and snuggly.

I may feel awful and have been sleeping non-stop really (and when I'm not sleeping I'm drugged up, so you are lucky this is all coherent), but all the love and support makes things just a little easier.

THANK YOU!

*hugs and kisses*

mj

I realize it's December and all...

but can I add to my wishlist??

I want THIS.

It is a freaking heaven in brownie form!! And I can make rice crispy treats, and mini cakes, and any other tiny snack I want!

Please Santa, if you are listening... I NEED this. :-)

I found out about this from some internet friends. I participated in a gift exchange and sent my exchangee her gifts on Monday. She got them today!! Her husband had gotten her the magic posted above and had it sent to their house. Silly husband forgot she gets home first. Lol. BUT she's excited none the less.

People also started getting my Christmas/Holiday cards. Yay!!

I'm currently sick (boo) with super sore throat and monster head congestion. Tomorrow I meet with the surgeon about my alien baby.

Only 8 days until CO!

Only 21 days until Mole Removal!

Only 22 days until Operation too busy Christmas Season begins!

And Only 23 days until CHRISTMAS!!

*hugs and kisses*

mj

Happy Thanksgiving!

From our house to yours.

We have lots to be thankful for this year.

I am especially thankful for the friends and family who have supported us both in real life and through this blog, email, facebook and good old snail mail.

*hugs and kisses*

mj

Oh November...

I don't love you as much as October. October brings my family's birthdays (Pap AND Mom), in college it brought fall break (time to visit with said family), it brought falling leaves and most importantly it brought HALLOWEEN. Orange and black and ghosts and orange and pumpkins and orange and candy. I get to dress up, make a fool out of myself and wear crazy underwear that glows in the dark.

This year October was busier than usual, but just as great. It ended with a surprise whirlwind of activities.

Originally I wasn't sure if anything was going to happen. Things kind of kept falling through, but the week before the nothing happened everything happened. We made trick or treating plans with our little friend Fia. There was a Halloween party invitation. THEN last minute my Mikey called and asked if him and Amie (and a friend) could come up and spend Halloween with us.

[I will blog about all THIS in my very next post.]

That was fine, BUT we already had plans to drive to Newark, DE for Josh and Jason to go mountain biking at White Clay while I visited a very good friend in the hospital.

I've never met this friend before though. Strange as that sounds. We met on a chat board and bonded. She is such a strong positive girl. Unfortunately life has been handing her lemon after lemon. Michelle's blog is here. Check it out when you get a minute and give her some much needed encouragement.

We spent about two hours together talking about our mutual chat board and about life in general. She's transferring to Georgetown soon so she'll actually be further away, BUT I have friends down that way so I may be able to make a two for one stop soon. It would totally be worth it to see her again.

Now, I have to tell you a funny story about how I first "met" Michelle at the hospital. I got to the hospital and tried to get in. Door one - nope. Although it said "Temporary Main Entrance" it was locked. Uh huh. ER doors? Nope, the ER is temporary and you can't access the main hospital from there. Finally ALL the way on the OTHER side of the building is the "Main Entrance." Ugh.

Walk in the lobby and there are signs EVERYWHERE "Please check in at the visitors desk to obtain a visitors pass." I walk up to visitors desk and the lady asks "May I help you?"

"Yes, I am visiting a friend."

"Okay."

"She is on the 6th floor?"
"Do you need her room number?"
"No... I was getting a visitors pass."

"Oh, you don't need one! Just go on up."

*blink**blink*

Okay then. WHY are there all those signs??

So up the elevators I go. The 6th floor has a bunch of offices when you step off the elevator. Not what I was expecting. Now I was on the hunt to find the patient rooms. Five turns (and one back track) later and I made it. I find her room and she isn't there! Lol. Her FI was, but he was sleeping. I felt bad but I had driven all the way there...

I had to wake him up. Poor guy. He told me Michelle was at PT and he had no idea when she would be back. Okay then. Off to the gift shop I go. I am walking down the hall out of her room and I see a young woman in a wheelchair. Then I notice a little bit of pink and orange bra sticking out. It's Michelle! I bought her that bra!! Lololol.

Yes I noticed her because of her bra. Only I would find a friend due to what undergarments are encasing her breasts.

I was super happy to visit my friend and super sad to leave her. The stay seemed WAY too short so I am hoping to make it to visit her again very soon.

After leaving her I went to pick up the boys.

Here is what I came back to

Ew and ugh. At least the foliage was pretty...

The ride home not so pretty. This is what I rode next too. It smells worse than it looks.

And that was the end of the first half of my Halloween day.

Whew.

*hugs and kisses*

mj

I managed another good picture!!

It wasn't of Josh... but oh well.

This is Andy, one of Josh's teammates/coworkers at the bike shop.

Here are more pictures from the race on Saturday.

And since he is my husband and all... here are two pictures of him from Saturday too. :-P

This is Josh off the front (WAY off the front) on the first lap.

And here is one of those blurry background pictures.

Not as good as the one of Andy though.

It was a HOT day (the first one of those we've really had this summer) and things were all out of whack. Josh got some pretty bad overheating and DNF'd. He actually ended up sick all the rest of the day. Stupid weather.

That's my only update currently.

I do appreciate all the messages, emails, comments and chats I've had with everyone who is still reading my blog and likes it. :-) Thanks for stoking my ridiculously narcissistic ego. It needed it.

*hugs and kisses*

mj

April Showers Bring May Flowers

and weddings.  And... more showers?

So this past weekend was a BUSY weekend.  I feel like I say that a lot.  Eh, well.  It's the life I lead.  

These were the events to choose from this past weekend:

1. Friend's wedding on Sat at 1:30PM in York, PA

2. Josh's cousin's wedding on Sat in Kentucky

3. YCP alumni thingy that some OOT friends would be IN town for

4. Josh's cousin's wedding on Saturday at 4PM in Boiling Springs, PA with reception and after party

5. Turkey Hill Bike Race on Saturday

We ended up choosing numbers 1, 4 and 5.

UNFORTUNATELY the non-swine flu sickness I am suffering from really ruined all my fun and plans.  Well not really, but I felt so sick I did not enjoy myself as much as I wanted.  Boo hiss.

My Saturday went as follows:

7:30AM - wake up and shower

8AM - pack, curl hair, pin curls up so they keep, etc

9:30AM - leave for Turkey Hill

10:22AM - the cat 3/4 race starts *Josh had ridden his bike in the morning and met me there*

We saw a friend who had run the 10K and won it!!  I took some pictures of him.

After 4 laps we had to go though since we had to get home.

More pictures can be seen HERE

11:30AM - leave race and head home

Noon - Josh showers, I finish my hair and makeup, we get dressed, pack the car

1PM - leave for the first wedding

1:30PM - start of first wedding for the day

    the groom 

(yes I KNOW the pictures are crappy.  I have a point and shoot and it is not low light indoor friendly.)

    the happy couple

    A friend and I.  We were just the cutest wedding guests there!

More pictures HERE

2:45PM - wedding is over and we have to LEAVE before the reception.  Off to wedding number 2 of the day!

*note I was feeling crummy (blowing my nose every like 2 minutes and coughing a LOT), but I managed my typical car pictures.

3:40PM arrive at second ceremony site.

4PM wedding ceremony #2

    the bride and her dad peeking around the corner before the processional (this is Josh's cousin Ann)

    The bride and groom saying their vows.  Awwww...  love them!

6:30PM cocktail hour started

8:30PM The reception began!  Unfortunately it had already been a long day and I was crashing.  I didn't take many pictures at all, my socialization was nil and I didn't even really dance.  Boo.  I just felt crummy.  I hope to see "my" (aka Ann and John's) friends again soon since I barely talked to anyone.  Here are a few pictures though.

 

The first dance.

The husband and I.

There MAY have been a LITTLE dancing (Aunt Barb started a congo line).  

Other than a few slow songs with Josh this was my ONLY dancing.  Boo.

Josh broke it down though with his little sister.  So cute!!

The bride, bridesmaids (LOVE these girls) and the groom peaking in behind.

The final picture of the reception.  Me and the bride!

More pictures HERE

Here are just some pictures of me at the end of the night (this blog is about ME you know).  The fully outfit.  I loved it.  The hair band I made myself.  A headband from Target, some fake flowers from Michael's and some hot glue.  Walla.  Lol.

Midnight - we headed home.  We were supposed to share a room with Josh's cousin Scott and his date, but I was feeling miserable (the pictures are VERY deceiving as I can put on a good face).

Sunday Josh and I SLEPT.  And relaxed.  And Josh went into work for a while.  We grabbed some chinese food when he was done and relaxed some more at home.  Lol.

It's Monday currently and it's RAINING.  Ugh. It was 90 in April, it's mid 50's and raining in May.  *sigh*

Tomorrow is Tuesday and my friend is getting her BREAST REDUCTION tomorrow.  YEAH!!  Good luck Whitney!  You are definitely in my thoughts.  :-)

*hugs and kisses*

mj