Christmas in New York (better late than never)!

Ok, so I am a little late on my Christmas blog but I have been busy so here it is! I was in New York for Christmas and it was great! It snowed 3 feet the day after I got there and was very cold! By the time I left a week later, the snow was almost gone and it was 60! Gotta love winters in New York! On the 22nd, I went to a Syracuse Orangeman basketball game with my friend, Chris. I had never been and it was a lot of fun! Christmas day was very laid back. We went to my aunt's house on Christmas morning for homemade bread and hot chocolate! I was able to see family that I have not seen in awhile which was nice. Then my parents and I came home and opened our gifts from each other. I got the one thing I asked for which was a new digital camera! It is an Olympus and I love it. It takes great pictures and has more memory than my old Kodak camera. I also got a new outfit for my internship and lots of little gifts! My friend Amanda, her husband Nate and their 20 month old daughter, Sabrina came over on Christmas night. We just hung out and chatted! My sister, brother in law and 3 nieces came up on December 26th and we celebrated our Christmas together that night after we went sledding and 4 wheeling (before the snow melted)! My friend Amanda and I went to see Marley and Me on the Saturday after Christmas and it was a great movie! I knew it would be sad but I forgot my box of Kleenex so I used my scarf instead! If you are an animal lover, I highly recommend going to see the movie. Even though it was sad, it was mostly funny and cute, a great holiday film! Overall, it was a great Christmas and it made me realize I am truly blessed with awesome family and friends:)

Snow when I got there


...and when I left!


Amanda, Nate and Sabrina Mueller


Sabrina


passing out gifts


Linsey, Jordyn and Kalli


fun in the snow with Granpa

WINTER STORM WARNING!!!

Ok, I am very glad that I came today! We have a winter storm warning beginning Sunday morning at 7 am and continuing until Monday at 1 pm. We are expected to get 12-20 inches of snow with winds between 30-40 mph. It said at times that some places will have blizzard like conditions!!! I guess I might get snowed in after all!!! Now I know why I moved to North Carolina!! Well I guess we will definitely have a white Christmas!

Five Years Ago....

Five years ago today, I graduated from Oswego! Its hard to believe its been 5 years already...time flies! So much has happened in the last five years...I left my comfort zone of living with mom and dad, moving by myself to North Carolina, my first 'real' job, being completely responsible for how my money was spent, whew, the list goes on and on. I can still remember the feeling I had when I received my diploma...accomplishment, excitement, nervousness and pure joy. But then it started to sink in that I was an 'adult' now and that meant a whole new list of responsibilities. I moved to North Carolina a few weeks after graduation and leaving that day was the hardest thing I had ever done. What was I going to do in North Carolina?? Was this the right decision? Did I think this through? I had my sister, brother in law and nieces there (who I lived with for 8 months) and my friend, Rebecca, who I had met while I was there the previous summer. I admit I was lonely the first few months, so much so that a month after I moved there, I booked my first trip to New York for May, only 4 months after I left. I was so excited to go back to Oswego and see my friends that were graduating that May but it wasn't the same. Life in Oswego had moved on without me. It was disappointing but it also made me realize that it was time for me to move on with my life, just like my friends did. Even though they moved on, they did not forget me or any of the memories that we made together! So I took the opportunity and moved on with my life, taking the memories with me. I came back to North Carolina and I moved out of my sister's a few months later and began making my own life in Raleigh. And now five years later, I do not regret moving and now I cannot imagine living in New York again. Even though I still have friends and family here and many good memories, my home is now Raleigh, North Carolina. And just think, I will be graduating again this May, this time with my Master's degree! I can't wait to see what the next five years has in store for me!!!

PS-I made it to New York! It was a great trip up and went surprisingly fast. They have a good amount of snow but its VERY cold, it only got to 18 today and now it is -5 with snow expected all week! Pray that I don't turn into an ice cube or get snowed in!!!

Its been a crazy year....and I am relieved to see it come to a close

I know its not the official end of the year yet but to me, its close enough. I am more than ready to be done with this year so I decided to blog about the many downs and few ups that have been dealt to me and my family throughout the previous 12 months.


It all began a year ago today. I was at my sister's house celebrating Christmas with them before I left for New York. My brother in law, Rob had been having some vision problems and some headaches and he was going through testing to figure out the cause. Never in a million years would I imagine that he would be diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. The phone rang as we were sitting down to dinner and he disappeared upstairs and Trish went with him. A half hour later, it was confirmed, Rob has MS. I was shocked and upset. This couldn't be happening, this is just a dream, he's too young. But unfortunately it was not a dream, it was reality. The good news was they caught it very early and he had very minimal symptoms and the doctor reassured us that there are medications to deal with this awful disease and he did not think Rob would ever get to the point of needing a wheelchair. It took a few days for the shock to wear off and then it was time to deal with it. i felt I had dealt with it and accepted it until May when my entire family participated in the MS Walk/Run. I decided to run while everyone else walked and on the course they had signs up stating statistics of MS and that's when it hit me that Rob had MS. I think I cried for most of the 5 mile run. Of course, a few days before, Rob's mom had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and given 3-6 months. At this point, I was angry. Why was this happening to my family? We were good people, we did not deserve this! But I knew I had to be strong for my family and we could get thorough this if we stuck together. I thought things were improving until June 14th came and my life was turned upside down yet again. I was working at PaDoodles and Zach called but I was busy. He left me a message and I could tell something was terribly wrong. Once again, I was not expecting to hear what he told me I called him back. Our friend Brandon was killed in a car accident on June 12th. WHY was this happening, this can't be true, I just saw him a few weeks ago, NO! But it was true and I told Zach I would be there on the 17th for the memorial service. Driving to Mooresville, NC was difficult because I knew why I was going, to say my final good-bye to a friend who died too early. It didn't seem fair to say goodbye to someone who should be out enjoying his life. The next morning was also hard because Zach moved to West Palm Beach, FL. Even though we lived 2 hours away, he was my best friend and my rock, what would I do with him so far away? Once again, I had to say goodbye again but at least this time wasn't forever.

Bad things happens in 3's right? I thought by this time, the worst was over but the summer did not improve after this as it should of. I found out the following week that the little boy that I was a nanny for was starting preschool and I had to look for another job. I had been with him for almost 2 years and I couldn't imagine not seeing him everyday. But I had faith that I would find a new job and I did, in the same neighborhood!! Then over July 4th weekend, I went to urgent Care in severe pain and it was diagnosed the following week with ovarian cysts but the good news was there were most likely benign and would disappear on their own (as of October, they had not, hopefully in January when I go for an ultrasound, that will show they are gone).

Finally, the summer slowly improved and fall came and even though some little bad things happened, I made it through the fall without too much going wrong. Finally, life is slowly getting back on track and 2009 looks to be a good year with me graduating with my Master's and hopefully beginning my career in Public Health. Even though I have been through more than I can ever imagine in the past year, I know it all happened for a reason and I am a stronger person now because of everything. I know now I can handle life's bumps and weather the storm and make it through with only minor bumps and bruises. I have always believed that everything happens for a reason and God has a plan for everyone and I truly live by those words now. Even though I was angry at Him for causing me all this pain, I have the peace I need to move on. Thank you to all my friends for helping me through this difficult year...Here's to a wonderful 2009!!

Haha, very funny!

Jill and I ran some errands yesterday afternoon and we had quite the fun time. Check out http://jillrq.blogspot.com/ to see what I mean!

PS-I found the very last Gingerbread House Kit for Jill at Target today:)

4.0 Baby!

I got a 4.0 this semester....YEAH!!!!!!!! I am definitely still in shock. It has been a goal of mine for awhile now probably since I was in undergrad. I was thisclose during my first semester at Oswego, I got a 3.7, all because I got a B- in my Stress Management class...hmm, I wonder if that says something about me... Anyway, I have FINALLY achieved my goal and this will not be the end of this, I WILL get a 4.0 next semester and graduate Magna Cum Laude...Watch out, I am on a mission and when I am on mission, NOTHING gets in my way! And to think this all started at The Mary Walker Health Center at SUNY Oswego with me selling condoms to embarrassed freshman girls:)

Are you sure it isn't Friday the 13th?

Today has been an interesting and freaky day and its only 10:30 am!!! It all started at 1 this morning when I heard my cat Molly start hissing at my other cat, Twix. Honestly, I didn't think much of it because she does that to him sometimes to tell him to leave her alone. She can be very moody. Needless to say, I still got up and trudged into the living room. I could find Twix but not Molly. When I was leaning down to look under the coffee table, I noticed our front door was about halfway open. I of course shut the door and freaked out by turning all the lights on and checking to make sure no one was in the house. I then found Molly under the bed. So I turned the lights off and attempted to go back to sleep even though my heart was pounding! Twix them jumped into bed with me (he likes to snuggle) and I realized he was wet and he smelled different. Then I realized that had been outside! He wasn't soaked so I am not sure how long he was out there or how far he went but it explains why Molly was hissing at him! At least he came home:) He knows he has it made at my house!

Then this morning as I was leaving for work, I noticed my moon roof was open! I thought that was strange since I know for a fact it was not open yesterday because it poured rain here all day and I know it wasn't open when I came home last night. Jill even noticed it was not open last night when she came home around 10 pm. HMMM??? The funny thing is that my car was not wet at all. I called Jill this morning and told her my crazy story and she remembers shutting the door last night and she went in her room and she heard it open. She assumed it was me getting something and thought nothing more of it. She did mention she didn't think she heard it shut again but figured I did it very quietly. So we figured the wind had blown the door open around 10:30 pm and I found it open at 1 am. A 2 1/2 hour window that no one knows what went on. FREAKY!!! All we know is that nothing was taken and Twix came home safely. I know from now on that both of us will check that door (probably numerous times) to be sure it is shut tightly!

And sadly, my sister had to put asleep Fletcher, their 15 year old tabby cat. He was the very first pet that my sister and brother in law had when they began dating in 1993. He was a very sweet and affectionate cat. When I lived with them, he always greeted me and stretched out so I could rub his belly and man could he purr! He had been losing weight lately and having a hard time eating so the vet took some blood and it was found that he had bladder and kidney cancer. So they put him asleep this morning. He had a great life full of love and companionship and he will be deeply missed by our entire family.

So this has been my day so far and it isn't even half over yet. I hope the rest of the day improves, otherwise I may really think that it is Friday the 13th rather than the 12th.

I'm stuffed

I am never eating again...Jill made me do it (see her blog: http://jillrq.blogspot.com). We had our Christmas dinner tonight, cheese fondue and monkey bread....YUM! But now I can barely move. We are now watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation to hopefully laugh off some calories!

I was nosing around on one of my favorite sites, Newzjunky.com and I came across this hilarious article. Be sure to scroll down to see the entire picture, I promise you won't be disappointed!!
http://www.obscurestore.com/
Go to this site and click on the story: FOX Apologizes for Nude Shots of Minnesota Vikings player and then click on these photos!

Like Clockwork

The semester ends, I get sick. This is the way it has always been for me after the fall semester, dating way back to 1998. I am very prone to bronchitis because of my asthma and December seems to be the month of choice. I ALWAYS get bronchitis in December and it is always around this time of the month and it so happens, right after the fall semester ends. Even though, I still end up with bronchitis even when I am not in school. Oh well, at least school is done so I don't have to worry about trying to finish up schoolwork while feeling like death. I can just feel like death with limited responsibilities! The good news is I went to the doctor this morning and I caught it early (I should since I get it every December and I know the symptoms by now)! I am on an inhaler and antibiotic so after a day of rest tomorrow, I should be almost as good as new:)

Three semesters down, One to go!

Drum roll please....I am officially finished with this semester and have only one more semester to complete! It actually went by pretty quick, let's hope the last one goes just as fast! Its hard to believe that this time last year, I was getting ready to start grad school and this year, I am only one semester away from finishing. It is also a little bit scary to think that this time next year, I will have my Master's degree and out there working! I have been there before but it has been almost 3 years but I am very excited to be moving on to the next chapter in my life. It has been a goal of mine to get my Master's degree fr as long as I can remember and its still hard for me to believe that I am so close. I have the next 5 weeks off from school. It will be nice to get home fro work and not have to finish up schoolwork. I will be able to lay on my butt and watch TV and that's exactly what I plan on doing:)

I'm Thankful

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I did! I spent the day with Zach and his family in Mooresville, NC and it was a great day! We hung out, cooked, ate lots of yummy food and the guys played football outside. Zach, his mom and I went to see Four Christmases and it was a great movie! It was nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of Raleigh for the day and enjoy good food, friends and family. Even though this has been a year of few ups and many downs, I am thankful for everyone in my life. I am blessed with great friends, a wonderful family and most of all my health and happiness. I hope everyone realizes that you should never take anything for granted and to always appreciate what you have for it could be gone tomorrow. Believe me, that has been the one lesson I have learned repeatedly throughout the past year and will keep with me for the rest of my days.

Weekend Recap

I had a good weekend. I actually had a 3 day weekend, well sort of anyway. On Friday, I went to my nieces' school to do my data collection for my project on Eating Habits of Elementary Aged Children in Wake County, North Carolina. It was nice to eat lunch with my nieces (I didn't eat, I just sat with them while they ate), meet their teachers and some of their friends. Then my sister asked me if I could work at the store for a few hours and I said I would. Then I ran a few errands and came home and chilled. I worked Saturday at the store too and afterwards I went to Melissa and Denny's house for dinner. It was nice to meet some of their friends and catch up with old ones too. Of course the food was absolutely delicious as always. Melissa made 3 kinds of chili, beer and cheese bread and Pumpkin Pecan Pie. It was all very yummy and I am glad I went:) Yesterday, I did some much needed cleaning around the house, went for a 6 mile run and made some tacos for dinner. All in all it was a great weekend:)

Tonight, I am making double chocolate brownies and peppermint bark to take to the Reff's house for Thanksgiving. YUM! Let's hope I don't eat it all before I leave on Wednesday!

Internship Project

Below is the project I will be working on for my internship!

14 local health departments receive $2 million in funding for obesity prevention projects

RALEIGH - Fourteen community grants to enhance existing efforts to reduce obesity have been awarded to county health departments across the state, the N.C. Division of Public Health announced today.

Childhood Obesity Prevention Project grants went to five counties. The Division awarded $380,000 each to the Cabarrus, Dare, Henderson and Moore county health departments, and to the Appalachian District Health Department for work focusing on Watauga County.

Another $150,000 was divided among nine other health departments and health districts for smaller projects in support of the Eat Smart, Move More North Carolina movement. Those were chosen from 43 applications from local health departments aiming to increase opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity in their respective communities.

The five Childhood Obesity Prevention Project counties will use their grants for strategies proven to prevent childhood obesity that support the Eat Smart, Move More: North Carolina's Plan to Prevent Overweight, Obesity and Other Chronic Diseases. Each will run a comprehensive public awareness campaign in conjunction with existing county bicycle and pedestrian plans, as well as programs in preschools and child care centers, pediatrics practices, YMCAs, hospitals, schools and the faith community.

"We have never had the opportunity in North Carolina to bring together all our childhood obesity prevention programs and resources in one, much less four communities," said Dr. Marcus Plescia, section chief for chronic disease prevention with the N.C. Division of Public Health. "We hope the concentrated efforts in these communities will begin to move the needle on the scale of childhood obesity back to a more healthy weight and activity pattern."

"We will be evaluating these efforts very closely to ensure their success and to learn what we need to know in order to expand obesity prevention efforts to other counties in the future," Plescia said.

The nine smaller Eat Smart Move More grants went to local health departments in the following counties and health districts: Buncombe County, Carteret County, Chatham County, Davidson County, Durham County, Granville and Vance counties, Lee County, Wake County and Warren County.

The funded projects will build upon existing effective programs or will try new approaches to increasing healthy behaviors. The proposals ranged from worksite wellness programs to building new parks and walking trails. The projects receiving grants must be sustainable after the year of funding has ended. Complete descriptions of each funded project can be found on the Eat Smart, Move More NC website.

North Carolina was recently ranked 16th in the nation in adult obesity in a national report. More alarming is the state's ranking of 5th in the nation in overweight adolescents. The percentage of children and adults who are overweight or obese rises each year, and despite advances in medicine, the current generation of children may be the first to live shorter lives than their parents. Eat Smart, Move More NC strives to reverse this trend by creating environments where healthy eating and physical activity are the norm instead of the exception.

For more information on the statewide Eat Smart, Move More NC movement or to find out how your community can promote healthy eating and physical activity, visit www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com on the Web.

One week closer!

The fall semester is winding down. Its hard to believe it is almost over. I am almost done with my two huge projects and one is due November 28 and I cannot wait to turn it in and then only one more to finish! My huge 15 page paper is almost finished and then I have to prepare my presentation by December 7 which should be no problem at all! I was finally able to do my data collection for my 15 page paper/presentation and it was a relief to just have to put the finishing touches on my paper. I can say that my observation for elementary school lunches was more shocking than I imagined. I knew that the school lunches are not healthy but lunches brought from home fared no better. Some children had donuts and only junk food in their lunch! Can you imagine?? This information hits me hard because I will be a part of the Childhood Obesity Prevention Project for my internship and after this observation, I realize even more the challenge that lies ahead for me and the Public Health Department. But all I have to say is BRING IT ON!! For those that know me will understand that I will do whatever it takes to change school lunches and decrease obesity in children. After all, this is why I started grad school and it is my ultimate goal to work at the state level and with the Public Health Department. I am even more motivated than before to kick butt at my internship and land myself a permanent position working there. You better watch out, I am on a mission and I will let nothing stand in my way to achieving my goals!!!!

ARGH!

ARGH! I am so frustrated and I am not sure that is even the right word for how I feel. I got a phone call this afternoon from Capital One and they wanted me to confirm some charges on my credit card. I said ok. He read off the first charge and I immediately told him that I did not make that purchase, it was for $268 worth of groceries in Tijuana, Mexico. The last time I checked, I live in North Carolina. So of course I told them it was fraud and of course they are going to send me a new credit card. This is my 2nd credit card in the past month. I just got my new one from when that transvestite stole my purse and now this. I cannot even imagine how they got my cc number but anyways, my new one is on its way. UGH!!

3 weeks and counting:)

The fall semester will be done in 3 weeks...WOOHOO!!! This semester has actually flown by, let's hope next semester goes by just as fast! I am a bit stressed right now not because I am behind but because of circumstances beyond my control. For my qualitative research class, we had to do a class project which involved working with a specific health problem and we had to either interview or observe. I choose to do an observational study on the eating habits of elementary aged children in Wake County, NC. I decided to observe three lunch periods at my nieces' school and I had to go through the entire process of submitting my research project for review. I contacted the principal of the school and she told me she would love to have me come in but I needed to submit my proposed research to the Wake County Research and Evaluation Department. I looked on their website and it clearly stated that observational research for a class project was not considered research and I would just have to contact the principal. I informed the principal and she had spoken with the head of the department and I still needed to submit my proposal. I of course called the department to be sure and he said that yes, I did indeed need to submit my proposed research project. I pointed out what the website had said and he said that the information was not correct on their website. WHAT?!?! Anyway, so I did what I needed to do and submitted my proposal the second week in October and they said I would know if I was approved within a few weeks. I called a few weeks ago and they said they were in the process of reviewing it and I would know by Thanksgiving. I politely pointed out that my FINAL project was due December 7 and I needed to have my data collection done by November 14 at the latest. He said there was nothing he could do to help me! Its not like I am going to publish this study and have unlimited time to finish this!!! My final grade depends on this!! Thank goodness my professor is very understanding and knows that this is not my fault because I did exactly what I was supposed to five weeks ago!! So my professor and decided to just have me go eat lunches with my nieces and do the best I can with the data collection. Originally, I was supposed to walk around the cafeteria and observe but since I haven't been approved to do that, I can only eat lunch with each niece and one friend so my data collection might be more limited. The good news is that I have done my research and I know what they offer at school and I am very observant normally in my surroundings so I should have no problem. UGH!!

Other than that, my project is on track and I hope to get another project started and almost finished this weekend and upcoming week. I hate leaving things to the last minute and the sooner I finish up everything, the sooner I can relax and enjoy the Christmas season:)

I'm Special!!

When I got to the beach on Friday night, my niece Jordyn asked if she could borrow my laptop and I said sure. She then proceeded to tell me that I could not look at what she was doing because it was a surprise!!! A few minutes later, she showed me this:

Aunt

Sweet, nice

Happy, joyful, joyous

loves her beloved nieces
Queen Sara

I guess this just shows how much I am truly loved by my nieces!!!

Beach Weekend

What an awesome weekend! I went to the beach with my family and it was so relaxing and fun! I stayed at my sister's condo in North Myrtle Beach. It was so quiet with hardly anyone there and the weather was nice. It was windy and alittle cool on Saturday but the sun was out:) My sister and I ran 5 miles in the morning and then we hung out on the beach in the afternoon. My nieces had been there since Tuesday and had been working on a 'sand house'. Basically, they dug some holes and made steps, couches, and chairs. My sister and I sat there all afternoon and chatted! Kalli and I collected shells on the beach and I got some cool ones and some that were bigger than I normally find on the beach. My sister and brother in law went out with some friends that stayed with us too and they stayed in their 2 bedroom condo at night while I stayed in the 3 bedroom with the kids. I didn't mind, I got the master suite which looks out to the ocean and I slept with the balcony door open and fell asleep to the waves crashing on the beach:)

Kalli rode back with me yesterday and we went to watch the Hurricanes play the Thrashers. The Canes lost which they typically do whenever I go but that's ok because I got to spend some time with just Kalli! I have already taken Jordyn and Kalli to a game this season so I will take Linsey next time. It did take me longer than normal to get home because I accidentally went East instead of West on I-74 and went thru Wilmington. So a 2 1/2 hour drive became a 3 1/2 hour. Good thing I left MB early or we would have missed the beginning of the game! It is very unlike me to go the wrong way because typically I am very good with directions but I'm not perfect! Oh well, I just took the scenic route home, that's all!!

Needless to say, I had a very relaxing but tiring weekend but it was worth it because for the next 3 weeks I will be swamped with work and school. December 7 can't get here fast enough!!! At least I get to go back to the beach in February, can't wait:)

digging the 'sandhouse'

Jordyn digging my chair

Linsey working on the kitchen

beautiful day at the beach:)


start of the game

Kalli and I

Three of my fave things...

Its almost Friday and I couldn't be happier! I get to do THREE of my favorite things this weekend: the beach, spending time with my nieces and a Carolina Hurricanes Hockey game:) It starts at 12:30 tomorrow when I leave work and then I am off to pick up my brother in law and a friend and off to the beach we go! My sister is already there with my nieces and a friend and her children. I am looking forward to spending some quality time with my nieces and lounging on the beach. I won't be sunbathing or swimming but it is supposed to be in the 70's there this weekend. What a perfect fall weekend to spend at the beach! Of course, I have the rough draft of my huge final paper due next week so I will be working on that a bit (while sitting on the beach, of course!) but other than that, it will be a nice and relaxing weekend. On Sunday afternoon, my niece Kalli will ride home with me from the beach and go to the hockey game with me. She is not a big hockey fan but she is a BIG Aunt Sara fan so she will do anything to spend alone time with me. Plus, I already took Jordyn this year and Linsey just went with Rob (my brother in law). We like to keep things even between the girls so no fighting or favoritism will occur.

All in all, a great weekend is ahead for me!! I better enjoy it because I do not have a free weekend until the first weekend in December. I am working the next 3 weekends at Padoodles and since the fall semester is coming to an end in a month, all my spare time will be spent finishing up my final two projects of the semester.

Have a great weekend everyone:)

Relaxing Weekend

What a relaxing weekend! I hate to see it end:( Friday night, my friend Meda and I ate dinner at the YoHo Asian Diner off of Tryon Rd. in Cary. It was very good, I highly recommend it! Afterwards, I came home and lounged on the couch and hung out with Jill. As mush as I was looking forward to sleeping in on Saturday morning, that did not happen, I was up at 8 BUT I did go to bed by 11!!:) I stayed up for a few hours and then went back to bed til 1pm...that was great! I went Xmas shopping and finished Jill, my brother in law and my dad up. I know what I am getting everyone else so now I just need to find the time to do it.

Today, I got up and ran 3 miles with my sister since we are training to run a half marathon together on Valentines Day in Myrtle Beach. I had so much energy when I got home that I went out and ran another 2.5 miles! I'm crazy, I know! I got alot of homework done this weekend and not only am I caught up but AHEAD...but that will not last long I am sure. I will procrastinate and get behind again and hand everything at the last minute as always!

All in all in was a weekend of accomplishments and relaxation. Next weekend should be even more relaxing, I will be at the beach Friday thru Sunday!!!

Even though I am not a big Halloween fan, I need an excuse to post pics of my precious nieces in their Halloween costumes...ENJOY!

Kalli (the witch), Jordyn (the cat), and Linsey (the gymnast)

Jordyn

Kalli

Linsey

Random facts about me!

Thanks to my friend, Michelle for tagging me to post some random facts about myself. I will try my hardest but I do not lead a very interesting life.

1) I dated a freshman when I was a junior in high school. Everyone always said I was a cradle robber but he was definitely more mature than the guys in my class! Joe and I stayed together for 4 years! We at one point talked about marriage but it just wasn't meant to be, we grew up and grew apart. But those 4 years with him were some of the best in my life. We are still friends today and even now, I still have better luck with younger guys!

2) I have been known not to have the best luck at times. Well, in the course of one year, I was in 3 car accidents and NONE of them were my fault. The first one was the day after Xmas and 2 friends of mine were on our way home from the mall. Well, on State Street in Watertown, all of a sudden, 8 deer ran across the street and one had the fate of smashing into the driver's side, taking the mirror with it and smashing my windshield. of course, it was a dark, cold and snowy night and it took over an hour for the police to come!!!! I don't think the police believed our story but there was a witness who backed us up! We were all ok but my friend in the backseat had to go to the hospital to get glass removed from his face! The following December, I was getting ready to graduate from Oswego and one day I came out of my friend's house and saw that someone had backed into my car and left. I did file a police report but they never found who did it. The next day, I got a parking ticket so needless to say, I think it was a sign to leave Oswego! When I got home, I always parked my car at the end of the driveway on my dad's side so both my parents could leave in the morning when I was still home and no one would be blocked in. Well, one morning, my dad seemed to forget that my car was in the driveway and he backed into it!!! He felt horrible about it even though you could barely tell he had hit my front bumper. His truck bumper was in rough shape though, all bent up! I called the garage where my family gets all their cars fixed and the owner recognized my voice! That's a sign that your car has been there way too many times!!!!

3) I have been robbed my a transvestite! This is very recent too! I am a nanny and I took the kids to Barnes and Noble and a transvestite stole my purse!!!! It was hidden under the big pink diaper bag in the stroller so I think I was targeted because only someone watching me would know I had put it there! I was only away from the stroller for 30 seconds when we walked in and I leaned forward to open the door and the only person behind me was the transvestite! Needless to say, my purse and belongings were never found but my cc's were never used either so the cop joked with me that the transvestite actually stole my purse for the purse and not the $$$!!!

4) When I was 5, my mom had me dressed in a white shirt and she fed me tomato soup for lunch. Well, I somehow got it all over the BACK of my white shirt and not a drop on the front. Its still a mystery today.

5) I had the quite the imagination as a child. I had tons of playmates (real, too!) but my favorite one was my imaginary friend named Angela. She went with me everywhere and people always sat on her because they couldn't see her. Then my sister brought home a friend named Angela and that was the end of my imaginary friend.

6) I purposely did not miss a day of school or come in late during my senior year of high school. I was determined to get the perfect attendance award and you know what, I did! I came in late the following day.

Ok, I did the best I could, these are all true stories!!! Hey, I never said I was normal!

The weekend is over already???

I had a good weekend, went by quick though and I didn't get much accomplished. I stayed at my sister's on Friday night since she was in Atlanta for her big breast cancer walk and my brother in law had a poker game. The girls and I were all tired so we just chilled out and relaxed. I worked all day Saturday at Padoodles and then went to hang out with Ry so Grant and Michelle could have date night. Ry is getting so big!! He has started potty training and he actually told me when he had to go, not very common for 2 yr. olds. I was so proud of him!! then he wanted a bath and he pooped in the bathtub!!!!! That didn't make him very happy so bath time was cut short. Then we just snuggled on the couch. And of course the night would not be complete without Ry pulling on my heartstrings. I put him to bed and he started to tear up and I asked him what was wrong and he said he missed me. I told him I would see him soon and that I loved him. He told me he loved me and I told him I think of him everyday and he was my buddy and that brought a huge smile to his face:) Michelle even showed me the ultrasound for baby #2 and even though there is still a possibility of it being a girl, it definitely looked like a boy to me. She has another ultrasound in another month when they will definitely find out for sure.

All in all it was a good weekend but I am already looking forward to the next two weekends, no Padoodles until November 15 so I can sleep in for 2 days in a row and 2 weekends in a row, very rare for me. Next weekend should be very low key and relaxing as well as the following weekend when I am at the beach:) Fall semester is done in 6 weeks (but who's counting??)!!!!

Its Official!

Its official, I start my internship on January 12 for the North Carolina Division of Public Health, working on the Eat Smart Move More NC Campaign and working specifically on the Childhood Obesity Prevention Project. I am very excited to begin in January!!! I met with my mentors today for the first time and they were super nice and really excited to have me be a part of their team. They even said if it works out, then they will set me up with a job after graduation:) I have a badge with my name on it, my own office and telephone number:) I am looking forward to finishing grad school in the next 6 months and moving on to the next phase in my life:) As much as I enjoy being a nanny, once grad school is finished, it will be time for me to move on. I can definitely see the light at the end of the tunnel. It will be different being out in the workforce and working with adults again but I am definitely looking forward to it:) It will also be a huge adjustment for me to no longer have to do grad school work, what will I do with myself after work?? I am sure I can find plenty to do and it will be nice to have a life outside of school and work again:) Wow, as its looking now, my 29th year is going to filled with exciting new experiences and I can't wait to get to that point...only 6 months left:)

I'm sick

I hate being sick, its just a cold but its still annoying. I can't taste anything and my nose is constantly running and if I laugh too hard, then I start coughing and nearly choke....not fun. I did go to the Dr. today just to make sure it wasn't strep and it wasn't so that's good. Hopefully I'll being feel like my old self in no time. Doesn't it always seem that you get sick at the most inconvenient time? On top of school and work, I also have to meet with my internship advisor to discuss my internship project for next semester plus I am hanging out with nieces on Friday night plus work Saturday and watching Ry on Saturday night so I am very busy for the next few days. I am miserable to be around when I am sick so the sooner I feel better, the better it will be for everyone around me. Until next time....CIAO!

Weekend Recap

I had a good weekend! I got to sleep in both Saturday and Sunday which is a rarity in my life. Yesterday, I went to good friend Melissa and Denny's to celebrate their son, Dylan's first birthday:) I can't believe he is one already, it seems like he was just born! Afterwards, I went and voted and started some Xmas shopping, I didn't do too well with that. I was only able to find something for Jill but I have plenty of time to finish the rest of it. My sister had also called to see if I could watch my nieces while her and Rob went out to celebrate his birthday (its the 21st). I said sure, I rarely give up the chance to hang out with my nieces. So they met me at the mall and I got dinner for the girls and then we came back to my place to hang out. We all watched TV, I got them hooked on reruns of the Cosby Show and we also watched out they make Tootsie Pops an and other lollipops on a show called Unwrapped on the Food Network.

Today, I just did stuff around the house and went for a run. My sister wants me to run 8 miles with her on Nov.1 since we are training for a half marathon together in February. So I guess I should get back into running at least 3 times a week again. I also spent some time in the kitchen and made some eggplant parmesan. For those of you who don't know, I consider myself a vegetarian that eats fish/shellfish on occasion and rarely beef and never chicken. So I am always looking for recipes that I can cook up that do not involve meat. I love eggplant and this is a classic so I made it for the first time. It was awesome:) Kudos for me! The recipe is a bit long (but very easy) so here is the link for it: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/juan-carlos-cruz/eggplant-parmesan-recipe/index.html. I hope you enjoy!!!

Here are some pictures from last night with my nieces:

Me with orange Halloween teeth:)
Linsey, Jordyn and Kalli

Kalli with her missing 4 front teeth....how cute:)

I'm Alive!

Jill let me live...HORRAY! I can say that the candy went pretty quickly! But I of course love chocolate so I bought more but I bought dark chocolate with almonds, not too bad for you! I also bought white chocolate peanut butter cups which are horrible for you especially if you eat half the bag in one day (who me???). Anyway, I hid them in a high place where it is hard for me to reach them so hopefully, this will work to my advantage (but knowing me it won't).

Yeah its Thursday, almost the weekend! I only have one thing going on this weekend and that is Dylan's first birthday party!!! He is the son of my high school friend and fellow Raleigh resident, Melissa and her hubby Denny! I am looking forward to the party and catching up with Melissa and Denny! Other than that, I am looking forward to a quiet and hopefully relaxing weekend, after of course I catch up on some reading for grad school!

The end is near..........

This could be my last blog because my roommate says she's going to kill me for bringing home too much Halloween candy!!!! (Refer to her blog: www.jillrq@blogspot.com for the complete story). HAHA! I'm sorry, Jill:( I promise no more candy because I need to be good too!!

I'm Pooped

I feel like this week lasted forever. I worked 50 hours between Monday and Friday and I am at Padoodles today working another 7. My stupid kidney infection has still not cleared up and I started my third round of antibiotics yesterday so hopefully it will get knocked out this time. I feel out of whack because my schedule has been all messed up and I do much better when I am in a routine. Hopefully, next week will be better. I have a half marathon in a few weeks and I haven't run in at least 2 weeks and then I only ran 3.5 miles. So I guess its safe to say that I won't be running in it. Typically I probably would try but since I am running a half marathon with my sister in February, I don't want to risk getting injured. Plus its probably not the best idea to go run 13.1 miles when you haven't run more than 3.5 and I haven't even been doing that regularly, maybe once every week or so. I am so ready for 2008 to be done with. The first half of the year was great but the second half has sucked and that is putting it lightly. At least grad school will be finished in May and I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Next semester is going to be rough taking my last 2 classes, my internship and working but it will only be for 4 months and then I will be done with school and hopefully working in my career. All right, enough complaining for now, all I need is some good sleep and life will be good again, at least I hope anyway!

My favorite time of year!

Fall is definitely my favorite season! There is so much that I love about this season. I love the cooler weather and sleeping with my windows open. I also love layering of clothes because of the cool mornings and comfortable afternoons! I love it when the leaves start to change color and everywhere you look, you see a variety of reds, yellow and orange leaves. The air smells so fresh this time of year too. I love walking outside in the morning and feeling the cool breeze on my face. But my most favorite part of fall is the start of HOCKEY SEASON!!! That's right, its that time of year again!!! The Hurricanes begin their season tomorrow night at 7 pm against the Florida Panthers right here in Raleigh! Even though I am not going to the game, you can bet that I will be watching every second of the game on FSN! I am still disappointed that they traded Erik Cole but we still have Brind'amour and Staal. Its going to be a great season! GO CANES!!!!

Good News Times Two!

I have some really good news:) First all, congrats to Grant and Michelle on expecting their 2nd child!! Ry is going to be a big brother in late April 2009! I am so happy for them, they are awesome parents and I am so happy God has blessed them with another child. Too bad I still wasn't their nanny and then I would have 2 but everything happens for a reason and this leads in to my other good news...I will be finished with grad school on May 8!!!!! I found out today that I will be starting my internship with Eat Smart Move More NC campaign in January. I am very excited to get experience in the field plus being working on the obesity epidemic in North Carolina...exactly what I want to do! Hopefully, it will go well and I will have a job after graduation! I can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel...only 7 months til its all over, just in time for my 29th birthday...what a great way to start my final year in my 20's!!!

Bessie

Bessie...that is the name for the cyst that has decided to take up residence on my right ovary. This all started back over the July 4th weekend. I felt really sick to my stomach and I had heavy bleeding and severe cramps. I knew something was wrong because I just had my cycle 2 weeks before. I had been under an extreme stress at the time but the cramps and my heavy bleeding told me something was wrong. Jill ended up taking me to Urgent Care and they gave me a shot in my butt to slow the bleeding (that was the highlight of my whole weekend...lol) and a bunch of tests which all came back negative. The next Monday, I went to my regular doctor and she ordered a ultrasound for me and low and behold, it showed a 6 cm cyst sitting on top of my right ovary. My doctor told me they are very common and typically go away after a few months. BUT I went for my follow up ultra sound today and its still there!!! Hence, I named her Bessie. I figured if she's going to camp out awhile longer on my ovary, she might as well have a name!

Midweek Update

This week has been alittle better. On Monday, I got my driver license, credit card and debit card in the mail...finally, I feel like I have an identity again! Life is slowly getting back on track. I had an ok weekend, the first half was good, the second half, not so much. Friday night I went and hung out with my friend, Mike and we watched a movie. I worked at Padoodles on Saturday and we were super busy. Fuquay had a cake baking contest and then you could taste them afterwards plus they had a gelato (italian ice cream) and chocolate eating contest. I got to watch the festivities from the store but my sister did bring me 3 pieces of cake (cheesecake, apple spice cake and my fave...carrot cake). I felt a little sick afterwards with all that sugar in my system. Then the day went drastically downhill. Later the night, I found out I had a kidney infection and I was supposed to stay the night with my sis and nieces but I just wanted to sleep in my own bed but unfortunately I did not sleep well. I finally am starting to feel better today so I am on the mend.

Hopefully, things will continue to improve. I feel as though my life has been a constant roller coaster since June 12, that is the day that changed my life forever. At the moment I am only taking each day at a time, that is all I can do.

Overwhelmed

I feel so overwhelmed right now. Of course I am sure it is partly my fault for trying to make everyone happy and in the end, everyone is happy and I am miserable. I just can't help that I love to help others and when others are happy, typically I am too, except now I realize I am taking on way too much but will I cut back? Probably not, even though I sometimes complain about being so busy, I do prefer to be busy rather than not. Its just that I have so many goals I want to accomplish and knowing me and my type A personality when it comes to my accomplishments, I won't rest until I have accomplished all my goals. And of course knowing me, I will always finding another one to add to my list. But of course at the moment I feel overwhelmed and I am sure because this week has been the week from hell. It was getting better but only for a few days and it has gone downhill again. Ever since June, my life has been a constant source of frustration with the exception of a few weeks, like my trip to Florida and NY. I am staying as positive as I can and I am blessed to have a great support system of friends and family as well as a strong faith in God. I truly believe he never gives anyone more than he can handle and he knows I can get through this time in my life and I him because of my faith in Him.

Ok, I am little depressed tonight but tomorrow is a new day and I have faith that my life will turn around for the better. All I need is a good night of restful sleep and I feel like a new person in the morning:)

Midweek Turnaround

The first 2 days of this week have been horrible (refer to the previous blog for Tuesday's horrible day recap) but by Wednesday afternoon, it looked as though my luck changed:) Its about time! My sister called yesterday afternoon and told me she had 2 hockey tickets to the Hurricanes/Capitals Preseason game last night at the the RBC Center. She asked me if I wanted to go and take my oldest niece, Jordyn. OF COURSE! I rarely get to spend any one on one time with any of my nieces and I love hockey so why not combine two of my favorite activities? I picked Jordyn up and we ate dinner there (hot dog and popcorn for her, nachos and cinnamon covered almonds for me). We sat in section 102 which is mid ice and awesome! Jordyn and I didn't really watch the game intently (this was a first for me), we were too busy laughing at people on the jumbo tron and goofing off!! You can see everything from that section. We ended up getting beat 4-1 and only the 3rd and 4th string players played but that was ok. It was their first preseason game and the season has yet to begin. OCTOBER 10-THE STORM IS COMING.....!!!! Ok, can you tell I love hockey and am very excited for the season to start??? Overall, last night with Jordyn was exactly what I needed to feel better after my horrendous Monday and Tuesday. Thanks again Trish for the awesome tickets and thank you Jordyn for a great night spent with Aunt Sara, I had a blast!!

Jordyn and I before the game!

Jordyn is cold!

Jordyn and her fave Aunt Sara!

Mugged by a Transvestite

I had an interesting day to say the least. I took the 2 kids that I nanny for to Barnes and Noble to play in the children's area and my purse got stolen by a transvestite. Yup, you read right, transvestite. Now I am not 100% sure but that person was the only person near me at the ONE time it could have happened. When we were walking in, I had to move in front of the stroller to get the door open and that was the only time I was not pushing the stroller. The kicker is I had my purse underneath a big pink diaper bag and it was not visible. This person had to be watching me while I was getting the kids out of the van and saw me hide my purse, otherwise no one would take the time to search for something that was not visible. I noticed within 5 minutes of getting there and I alerted the manager at Barnes and Noble and they called the police. The little boy I watch said he saw who did it but didn't tell me because he was mad at me (I am not sure why) but I am not convinced he saw anything happen. Anyway, the police searched the bag and my purse was not in there. So I spent most of the afternoon calling my cc companies and Verizon. The good news is no purchases had been made when I called and I suspended my cell phone and my new one will be here tomorrow. I loved my purse and wallet and I have to get a new asthma inhaler because that was in there but oh well, life happens and it does go on. One thing that urks me though is I need to get a new driver's license and I can do it online but I need a cc to pay for it...hello, I don't have a cc, they were stolen! So now I have to wait until my cc's come to get my driver's license...oh well!

My life is definitely interesting but I wouldn't want it any other way!!

Happy first day of fall!

Today started my favorite season of the year...fall! I love the weather this time of year, pleasant in the daytime and cooler at night which means the air conditioner gets turned off and the windows get opened:) I also love it when the leaves start to change color and you see all different color on the trees. I especially like the trees with red and orange leaves. It will still be at least another month or so until the leaves start changing here. We also get warm again and by warm I mean mid 80's and sometimes 90. Personally, I prefer in to be mid 70's during the day and low 60's or high 50's at night.

Nothing much else going on. I have a pretty light week for school work, I have finally caught up on my readings and I have a 3 page paper to start but its not due until Oct. 3 so I have some extra time to get it done. I am looking forward to this weekend because I am staying the night on Saturday at my sister's and we are having a girls night with my nieces, I can't wait!!! Other than that, my life is pretty boring this week. Hopefully it will be an uneventful week.

One last thing... My little buddy, Ry turned 2 today...HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RY! I love you:)

Is it Friday yet???

This has been a horrible week. First off, I haven't felt good since last Wednesday. I have had a splitting headache since last Wednesday and nothing helps!!! I am way behind on schoolwork (but yet I am blogging, go figure) and have not been sleeping good. It has been cloudy and rainy all week and its been very depressing but the weather has been much cooler which has been great. The sun is supposed to be out tomorrow so hopefully that will help. At least this weekend will be very low key and hopefully I can catch up on some much needed sleep and get some work done! Ok enough bitching for today, I'm going to bed...pray for a good Thursday and Friday!!!

Recovering

I had a great weekend:) It was busy but great! On Saturday I worked on my sister's boutique which was busy because she has people there making ornaments by putting children's thumbprints in clay, very cool! It was so crazy in the morning, I didn't get to eat my breakfast until after 1!!! Oh well! Then after I finished there, I went over to Grant and Michelle's to see Ry, it was great! I can't believe how much he has grown in just a month! He is talking much clearer now and saying so many new words. He even told me he loved me which made my heart strings flutter! I love him so much:) I will get to see him again on Saturday because his birthday is on the 22nd and his birthday party is on Saturday!

On Sunday, I was up bright and early to run the Friesen 5k Fun Run. My sister ran with me too. It was great. We started up in front right behind Rod Brind'amour, Cam Ward, Ray Whitney and Eric Staal. It was very cool! I really wanted to jump on Brind'amour's shoulders and have him run with me on his shoulders but I didn't...LOL!! The run was at 9 and it was already 85 out and it felt much hotter. I finished in about 30 minutes which is pretty typical for me. After the race, they did a raffle to give away some autographed Hurricanes memorabilia. They were close to calling my number a few times but I came home with nothing...oh well, there is always next year.

So my sister also talked me into running another half marathon in February in Myrtle Beach. At least this time around I will have someone to train with since my one in November is 6 weeks away and I have yet to run more than 4 miles...oh well, I will still do it and I will finish it even if I run/walk it. My sister will definitely motivate me and it will be fun for us to do it together especially since when I ran my first one in 2004, she said she would never run a half marathon. She's eating her words now:)

Should be an uneventful week...more later:)

Busy Weekend ahead!

So last weekend was quiet and very laid back but this one won't be. I told you it would be awhile before I have a quiet weekend like that again! I only work til noon today but I have so much to accomplish that it definitely won't be a lazy afternoon (might take a short nap though). I have some school work to finish and stuff to do around the house. I haven't done laundry in a few weeks so I guess I should catch up on that. Tomorrow is going to a long day but a good one. I am working at my sis's boutique tomorrow which is always a nice change of pace and interesting to say the least. They have a great coffee place next door so every Saturday morning I work, I trot over the and get myself some coffee and they also make awesome breakfast sandwiches. Tomorrow night though is going to awesome:) I get to see Ry!!!! I haven't seen him since August 14, my very last day with him. Michelle (Ry's mom) and I have tried to get together but it hasn't worked out since he's been sick. So I talked to her on Monday and she asked me to come over and watch him so they could go out to dinner. OF COURSE!! I know most people think being a nanny is a cake job and honestly, sometimes it is (like now when the baby is sleeping) but it is also very challenging. Children get whiny and cranky too. Ry is an easy job though because we play the whole time and if you know me well at all, I am a big kid. I love children and I love to have fun and be silly. I may be 28 but I don't always act like it:) As my grandma used to say "You are only as old as you feel" and most days, I feel 12 (and look it too) so why not act like a carefree child once in awhile or in my case, Monday thru Friday 8-5!!

So Sunday will be fun too. I am running the Friesen 5K Fun Run with my sister on Sunday morning. The head coach of strength and conditioning for the Hurricanes sponsors it to raise money for the eastern NC Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. They also have a 100 and 200 yd dash for children which my nieces will do as well. This is the third year of the run and they host a pancake breakfast for all participants after the race. So not only to I get to run and eat BUT the Hurricanes coach and some players will be there...WOOHOO!! Hopefully I will have the opportunity to meet them since I am a huge Caniac!!

So all in all it should be a great weekend, busy but great!!

Weekend Recap

Ok, so Hurricane Hanna never strengthened into a hurricane but we still got the effects of her. She made landfall early Saturday morning on the NC/SC border and moved inland. The eye of storm was about 30 miles east of us. We mainly just got heavy rain (over 5 inches in Raleigh) and some wind. Some places did have minor flooding including my side yard and sidewalk but the rain had stopped by noon and the sun was out by 2. At that time, you would never know with the exception of some minor flooding that we were even affected by a tropical storm. Jill and I went shopping on Saturday morning and did some errands while everything was quiet. It was like a ghost town and by the time we finished, people were just getting out and about. Overall, it wasn't as exciting as I thought it would be, oh well!

This was my first full weekend at home since July and was nice to chill out and not have anything (except schoolwork, of course) to do. I took a nap both Saturday and today and just hung around. Last night I did print some pictures and it put me one step closer to putting out new pictures and moving some stuff around. I also did some homework for grad school and become certified via East Carolina University to do human subject research (a requirement for my Qualitative Health Research class).

Overall, it was a nice relaxing weekend at home and will probably be the last one I have for awhile. Ah, the life of a full time professional and grad school student!

A Hurricane's A Comin!!!!

It looks like Tropical Storm Hanna is going to strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane and expected landfall could be Wilmington, NC! WOOHOO!! Did I just say woohoo?? I sure did!!! I am excited for Hanna. Why you ask? Well I have been here almost 5 years and have only experienced some leftover rain from past hurricanes, nothing like Hanna. Ike looks brutal, now he can go elsewhere but come on Hanna!!! My roommate Jill and I are probably the only ones excited about Hanna but oh well, she's coming and there is nothing you can do about it!! I figure since I have lived through blizzards, ice storms (3 to be exact), earthquakes and a tornado, then why not a hurricane?? Life is all about experiencing things so I figure once Hanna is over, I will have lived through pretty much every major type of storm, which I think is pretty cool!!!

Crazy Week!!!

Why is it that you feel so rested and relaxed while on vacation and as soon as you get home you feel as though you have never even had a vacation?? That's exactly how I have felt this week. This has been a crazy week and this is the first chance I have had to blog about my NY vacation and I have been home almost a week! I don't even know if I can remember what I did in NY!!! This week, I started my new nanny job. It was a hard week. I now have 2 children, ages 4 and 1 instead of just Ry. Ben is almost 4 and in preschool but he didn't start until Thursday so I literally had no break during the course of the day because Ben does not nap anymore. Its not that I minded but I just came from Ry who napped at least 2-3 hours every day, a big adjustment. On top of that, it rained on Tuesday and Wednesday which meant being inside all day. I did take them to the play area at the mall on Wednesday which did help alittle. If anyone is familiar with children, you know they typically behave better when outside playing and not holed up in the house. Ben started school on Thursday so it was just me and Claire which was nice. Next week will be much better with Ben in school and hopefully I can get Claire on good schedule. For those who know me, I do much better when in a regular routine.

So my trip to NY was fun. Every time I visit I realize why I left and its make me glad I did. As much as I miss my parents, I am a much happier person in North Carolina. I found myself crankier while I was there probably because it does get boring up there. I do enjoy the weather there in the summer though. Its much cooler there and once the sun begins to set, it gets noticeably cooler where here it stays hot until midnight and by 6am its hot and humid again. I enjoyed wearing jeans and a short sleeve shirt and sleeping with my window open!!! I enjoyed it all week because I won't be able to do that until at least October here. I also like eating all the foods that are native to Upstate NY and can't get here in the South. I love Jreck Subs, soft ice cream, fresh veggies from roadside stands, fresh picked blackberries and real pizza!!!!!

I did do some things that I haven't done in awhile and it was nice. On Saturday, I went to Oswego (my Alma mater) with my dad and my very best Oswego buddy, Chris! We drove around Oswego and reminisced about all the great times we had. We drove by my old house and Chris's old house. Then we went and drove around campus. I finally got to see the brand new hockey arena they built. It was great! I would love to be able to go back for a hockey game but I am not brave enough to go in the winter, unless its Christmas and campus is closed then. They were just beginning to build it when I graduated. I cannot believe it has been almost 5 years since I had been back there. Time sure does fly by!!! Then we went to the Oswego Speedway to see the super modified races they have on Saturday nights during the summer. I had not been since I was about 5 or 6 so it was nice to be back there. Chris had never been there and he loved it. Overall it was a great day!!!! I got to see my friends Amanda and Nate and meet their 6 month old daughter, Sabrina. She is absolutely gorgeous and pictures do not do her beautiful blue eyes justice!! They all came for dinner one night and I made my famous meatloaf and macaroni and cheese. Zach was also there the week I was. We went shopping and out to lunch one day and I did pick his drunk ass up and take him to his friends' house. I didn't see him as much as I wanted to BUT he was there for a good friend's wedding and he does not visit very often so he wanted to try and see lots of his peeps. I have seen Zach alot this summer and I did just fly to West Palm Beach and visit him for 3 days so it didn't bother me very much. I wanted him to enjoy his friends that he rarely sees and that is exactly what he did!! I also went blackberry picking with my dad and rode on the 4 wheeler. My parents and I went to the outlet mall and I got some brand new running shoes for $40 at the ADIDAS outlet. All in all, it was a great week with the exception of grad school starting again but as much as I complain about how busy I am and have hardly any time for me, secretly I love it!!!

Sabrina and I

This picture need no description

me in front of the new hockey arena! Dad and I overlooking Lake Ontario

Chris and I

Chris and I, my fave lighthouse is in the background (barely)

Dad and I at the races!

Back to the Grind

Well, that was a quick summer break! I made the most of it though with going to West Palm Beach to see Zach and my trip to NY (I am here until Saturday). School started again yesterday and already I am feeling overwhelmed. I am only taking 2 classes but they are time consuming classes because they are research classes. Not only has school started again but I also start a new job on Monday and it has not fully hit me that I won't see Ry on Monday morning. On top of school and my new job starting, I am also in the midst of interviewing for a data collection job with the North Carolina Community Health Center Organization and the American Diabetes Association. This job will only be part time but it would be a great opportunity for me, pray for me that I will get a call back within the next few weeks!!! And of course, let's not forget my part time job at my sister's boutique and my half marathon training! I sometimes wonder how I get myself in over my head but I do enjoy all the things I do and being in NY for the last week just confirms that I do better when on a routine and busy. I have been a little bit bored this week even when I have been hanging out with friends. I am just restless and looking forward to getting back to NC and back into the swing of things. But by the end of next week, I'll be wishing I was still on vacation because I will feel like I have no time to get anything done.

Ok so enough for now, I'll be blogging about my NY trip once I return to NC!!

My last day

Today was my very last day with with Ry. They leave for Alaska tomorrow and I leave for NY and I start my new job on Aug. 25. Today has been difficult for me. I cried on the way to work knowing this was my last day and I cried when I put him down for a nap. He gave me a huge hug and that's when I lost it. I held him for about 5 minutes and then put him in his crib and he saw me crying and looked at me like I was crazy!!! And of course I cried again when I left tonight and Michelle cried too which made me cry more. I keep telling myself its not goodbye but see you soon because I will still watch him on weekend nights when his parents want to have a date night. I was taking his car seat out of my car and he told me no, keep in Sara's car and that broke my heart! I explained to him that today was my last day with him but he will see me very soon! Everything happens for a reason and I know that this is for the best and Ry and his parents will always be an important part in my life, they are part of my family after all. This job came at the best possible time for me and for them as well. They were desperate to find a great nanny because Ry was miserable in his home daycare and I was desperate to leave LA Weight Loss. I put my profile on nannylocators.com on a Friday evening after a horrendous day at LAWL and by Sunday morning, I had set up an interview with Grant and Michelle. On Monday morning, I was giving LAWL my notice and I was the happiest I had been in a long time!!! Now I have another great family that I will enjoy being a part of and hopefully by the end of next summer, I will be finished with my Master's Degree and after that, the possibilities will be endless... I am looking forward to my future and I will always cherish the memories of my past. I will miss you Ry but always remember that I love you and I will see you soon:)

Something to look forward to tomorrow...NY!!!!