So, with me being from the North and Kev being from the South, we constantly have conversations about different words used in different areas of the US. Here are some....
toboggan...a sled in the north (an din the dictionary I might add), and a winter hat in the south
while waiting to check out at a store, in the north you are on line and in the south you are in line (in line makes much more sense unless if there is a line painted on the ground)
**** side note with this one, we were talking at a football tailgate about this. On and In are used wrong constantly. You always say I am getting on a plane, no you are getting IN a plane, (well, you can ride on top, but I would prefer to be inside). Also, another side note, non stop flight....well, hopefully it stops at the airport you are landing at!
In the north, you use a shopping cart, in the south you use a buggy.
In the north, you have extension cords, in the south they are drop cords.
In the north, you push a button, in the south, you mash a button.
In the north when you are mad, you are mad, in the south you are ill.
In the north, you take a pictures with a camera, in the south you make a picture with a camera.
Ofcourse, the most well known....you guys vs. y'all.
That is all that I can think of right now, feel free to add anything if you can think of them. When I went to NC from up here for college, a lot of these were foreign and confusing to me. Also, my hubby wasn't understanding some of what I was saying. Now he loves some of them...he loves hearing "wicked". Enjoy!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
RANDOM QUESTIONS
So, I found a list of random questions that you could ask people for conversation starters...when I say random, I mean random. So, I thought that I would pull a few and answer them.
1. What side of the bed do you sleep on?
Laying on the bed, it is the left side, but if you are looking at the bed, it would be the right side. If we are staying somewhere else, it doesn't have to be the same side. I just usually pick the furthest away from the vent because I am always cold.
2. What is your morning routine?
I usually get woken up by our sweet Calla girl licking me in the face. I then take out my mouth guard (a new aquisition after my dentist told me I have wear patterns on my teeth from clinching/grinding them), go to the bathroom, brush my teeth, take Calla out for her morning walk, make lunch, get on the internet, and then shower and get ready for work. I leave the house at 10:15 to get to work by 10:45 and ready to see my first patient at 11.
3. How do you eat an apple?
Okay, well, I usually bite into the middle, and then all the way around the middle, then work on the upper part and then lower part until the core.
4. what is your worst habbit?
I would have to say leaving shoes around the house.
5. If you oculd have 1 job in the world, what would it be?
I LOVE my job as a physical therapist, but I love to travel, so maybe traveling around the world doing PT.
6. what was your favorite childrens book?
I don't know what my favorite was, but I remember babar (elephant), bernstein bears, amelia bedilia (sp?), and there was one with a guy on the front that had a huge stack of hats on his head but I can't recall the name, charlottes web, polar express, and well, I guess thats it.
7. What is the name of your first childhood friend you remember?
Hmmm, I remember Christian in kindergarten, but I remember girls I danced with earlier than that...Cobey, Stephanie, and Samantha.
8. What do you have the most of in your house?
I would have to say (besides the basics like walls and doors), pictures. Most are stored in boxes or on cd's, but that has to be the most.
9. What was your first collection as a child?
I am not quite sure, but I loved my little ponies, and cabbage patch kids. I remember my sister and I having tons of my little ponies, and I remember my brother collecting he-man things.
10. Have you ever shard a room with someone?
Growing up we were lucky enough to always have our own rooms (I don't think it would have been a pretty sight if we had to share). However, my freshman and sophomore years in college I shard a dorm room with the best roomie ever, Kelly. Of course, now I share with my hubby and sometimes my sweet girl, Calla. :-)
1. What side of the bed do you sleep on?
Laying on the bed, it is the left side, but if you are looking at the bed, it would be the right side. If we are staying somewhere else, it doesn't have to be the same side. I just usually pick the furthest away from the vent because I am always cold.
2. What is your morning routine?
I usually get woken up by our sweet Calla girl licking me in the face. I then take out my mouth guard (a new aquisition after my dentist told me I have wear patterns on my teeth from clinching/grinding them), go to the bathroom, brush my teeth, take Calla out for her morning walk, make lunch, get on the internet, and then shower and get ready for work. I leave the house at 10:15 to get to work by 10:45 and ready to see my first patient at 11.
3. How do you eat an apple?
Okay, well, I usually bite into the middle, and then all the way around the middle, then work on the upper part and then lower part until the core.
4. what is your worst habbit?
I would have to say leaving shoes around the house.
5. If you oculd have 1 job in the world, what would it be?
I LOVE my job as a physical therapist, but I love to travel, so maybe traveling around the world doing PT.
6. what was your favorite childrens book?
I don't know what my favorite was, but I remember babar (elephant), bernstein bears, amelia bedilia (sp?), and there was one with a guy on the front that had a huge stack of hats on his head but I can't recall the name, charlottes web, polar express, and well, I guess thats it.
7. What is the name of your first childhood friend you remember?
Hmmm, I remember Christian in kindergarten, but I remember girls I danced with earlier than that...Cobey, Stephanie, and Samantha.
8. What do you have the most of in your house?
I would have to say (besides the basics like walls and doors), pictures. Most are stored in boxes or on cd's, but that has to be the most.
9. What was your first collection as a child?
I am not quite sure, but I loved my little ponies, and cabbage patch kids. I remember my sister and I having tons of my little ponies, and I remember my brother collecting he-man things.
10. Have you ever shard a room with someone?
Growing up we were lucky enough to always have our own rooms (I don't think it would have been a pretty sight if we had to share). However, my freshman and sophomore years in college I shard a dorm room with the best roomie ever, Kelly. Of course, now I share with my hubby and sometimes my sweet girl, Calla. :-)
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Dining room furniture
So, I found this dining set on clearance at a local furniture store. I thought that I liked it, and that it would be good for us, so I emailed it to my mom. She thought it was very nice. So, I decided to email it to my non-decisive hubby. He glanced at it for a total of, lets say 1 minute, and that may be pushing it. This is after I had been analyzing it for about 30-45 minutes. Now, I didn't expect him to do that, but only 1 minute?!?! As I try to talk to him about what I like, if we should get it and all, I get the usual answers....."its too expensive" and "whatever you think/want". Now most girls would like this second answer. Hmmm, lets looks at diamonds, clothes, shoes. Well, I don't get that answer with those things. So, my Mom, Nana, and I decided to go and check out the set. They both thought it was "wonderful" and "darling", and the lady there was really nice. I decided, yes, with no help from the hubby, that we would do it. I had a 20% off coupon for 1 item, and it was on clearance, so I thought, this is a great deal, and I probably won't find something else at this price. My mom actually was so generous. She decided that this would be our house warming, Christmas, and birthday presents. She originally was going to buy us a living room set, but we are borrowing her set right now in the living room and we don't need more couches right now. The dining set seemed to make more sense. So, THANKS MOM!!! Now, we will have places to sit people when they come for Thanksgiving dinner!!! I decided to add a picture below so you all can see what we got!!! We got everything in the picture except for all our chairs are the same (no arm rests). 
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Slowly getting settled
Today started off as a not so pleasant day. Lets just say I work with a group of pissants. we had 1 coworker call out sick with a stomach bug, and then another called out because she was in the ER after falling down some stairs and landing on her face (the last we heard she was getting facial x-rays and she had lost 3 teeth). So, I arrive at work at 11.....after hitting traffic and worrying that my first patient would beat me to the office (I arrived first), just to hear people griping and moaning. Now, come on...these people are legitimately sick and unable to work, cut them some slack. So, the day is more busy than usual, and patients for some reason didn't know how to show up on time today, no lunch break etc.....I was ready to go home. THe was the best part of my day....i got home and we finally had internet and cable service! YES!!!!! I check my email very regularly, but I was only able to do so at the office (if any of you know what my job is like, there is very little time to sit down, let alone be on the internet), until now. I am so happy to have my inernet back, and Kevin is so happy to have his ESPN back. :-)
As far as the new house. Everything is going well in here. We are slowly getting settled in. We were very fortunate to have the Bradley's come and help with the heavy lifting (thanks, Ronnie, and Ronnie), along with my bro, my best friends dad, and my best friend bro to do the lifting, and then my mom, Pat, Carmen, M, and our 2 nephews here to help in unpacking. We really could not have done it without everyone here, so THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. Now, come back and help unpack more! Just kidding. The unpacking is a slow process, but it is coming along. I promised them that we would have it done by Thanksgiving. (Keep your fingers crossed). We also contacted the pool company to come out, and close the pool for the season. It is just getting too cold to get in the water. We have the gas heater for it, but I am deathly scared of the gas bill trying to heat a pool of that size. Not worth it in my book. Calla is getting settled in. She seems a little unsure of it still, but she has met some new neighborhood friends and misses her old ones. Hopefully I will have more updates later, with more progress. Oh, and we will be sending out cards with our new address and phone number soon! Ta Ta!!
As far as the new house. Everything is going well in here. We are slowly getting settled in. We were very fortunate to have the Bradley's come and help with the heavy lifting (thanks, Ronnie, and Ronnie), along with my bro, my best friends dad, and my best friend bro to do the lifting, and then my mom, Pat, Carmen, M, and our 2 nephews here to help in unpacking. We really could not have done it without everyone here, so THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. Now, come back and help unpack more! Just kidding. The unpacking is a slow process, but it is coming along. I promised them that we would have it done by Thanksgiving. (Keep your fingers crossed). We also contacted the pool company to come out, and close the pool for the season. It is just getting too cold to get in the water. We have the gas heater for it, but I am deathly scared of the gas bill trying to heat a pool of that size. Not worth it in my book. Calla is getting settled in. She seems a little unsure of it still, but she has met some new neighborhood friends and misses her old ones. Hopefully I will have more updates later, with more progress. Oh, and we will be sending out cards with our new address and phone number soon! Ta Ta!!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
OBX trip
We had our annual OBX trip again. I tell you what. I just love the outerbanks. It is not like myrtle beach, or VA beach, or Ocean City where you go on vacation and it is go go go go go. We go for a vacation...to relax, spend time with friends and enjoy ourselves....and that is exactly what we did. It was another successful year even though Hanna came through and kicked us out 1 day early. The weather was beautiful (until the last day), the house was cozy, and the company was wonderful.We stayed at a different house this year, named Yellowfin, in the Whalehead section of Corolla. This one was larger, but further from the ocean. 
We also did a 4 wheel drive beach jeep tour and got to see the wild horses. In all the years I have been going there, I never experienced that before. It was amazing. We only saw 1 group of horses, but it was a group of probably around 5-6 horses with one being a young horse. 
We also went to the lighthouse to do a wine tasting tour. It was hot, but nice because the sun was starting to set on the sound, which was really pretty. We took daily trips down to the ocean, and to tim-buck-two shopping center. Of course we will do this trip again next year. It has become an annual vacation that I don't want to ever give up. The week we went was the best. Definitely a week i recommend to all. We went the week of labor day, so the kids are back in school, the prices drop by at least $1000 for the week, it is less crowded, and we only have to take 4 days of vacation for work (that is a plus for someone like me, who doesn't get a ton of vacation). Below is a pic of the group of us this year (minus the 3 kids...they were in bed!). Thanks all for another great year!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Oh my goodness
Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness. So, I did it...I chopped off (well my hairstylist) all my hair to donate it to a company that makes wigs for children with hairloss. In the end, I had about 12 inches taken away. All I can say is, oh my goodness MY HAIR IS SHORT. I can't even put it up in a ponytail. I definately don't like it. I haven't ever had my hair short, so I am NOT used to it. I wish I could just take the hair, make a wig of it for myself and use it. Kevin doesn't think it looks bad. His first reaction was "wow thats short". I told him to be honest....and he said he was when he said he liked it. It is just going to take A LOT of getting used to. Whenever I look in the mirror, I just keep telling myself, you did a good deed, hair grows back, you did a good dead, hair grows back....please grow back fast. Another inch or 2 will be good enough for now. Here is a picture so you can see for yourself......also note that some of the darkness that looks like hair is actually a shadow on the wall...it isn't even to my chin. AAAHHHHH!!!!!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
We did it!!!!
Well, I am sure all of you know this already, but the 3rd time WAS a charm.....Kevin and I got our house. We are very excited about it. We actually don't have the keys yet, but we close on the 27th. We aren' t planning on moving in until the 2nd weekend in September, as long as everything goes well before closing.
So, what is the house like....let me tell you. It is in a culdesac (love it) and sits on .25 acres (not as big as we would like, but sufficient for us). IT is a blue-ish color, 3 levels, with a 2 car garage. The mian level of living has the basic half bath, laundry room, living room, dining room, family room and kitchen with a deck off the kitchen. The upstairs has 4 bedrooms and 2 full baths, and the basement has a rec room, unfurnished area, and bathroom with a changing area. Plus, the owners have left us their pool table! Yea!!! The house was built in 82 or 83 (I can't remember), but everything has been updated in the last few years. I mean everything...new roof, new siding, new windows, hardwood floors on the main level, granite in the kitchen, new cabinets, stainless steel appliances. Like I said, everything!!!
We are super excited about it. I will keep everyone updated on it, and lets hope everything goes through up until closing. :-) Speaking of closing, we have limited time, so I better get off here and pack. :-) :-)
So, what is the house like....let me tell you. It is in a culdesac (love it) and sits on .25 acres (not as big as we would like, but sufficient for us). IT is a blue-ish color, 3 levels, with a 2 car garage. The mian level of living has the basic half bath, laundry room, living room, dining room, family room and kitchen with a deck off the kitchen. The upstairs has 4 bedrooms and 2 full baths, and the basement has a rec room, unfurnished area, and bathroom with a changing area. Plus, the owners have left us their pool table! Yea!!! The house was built in 82 or 83 (I can't remember), but everything has been updated in the last few years. I mean everything...new roof, new siding, new windows, hardwood floors on the main level, granite in the kitchen, new cabinets, stainless steel appliances. Like I said, everything!!!
We are super excited about it. I will keep everyone updated on it, and lets hope everything goes through up until closing. :-) Speaking of closing, we have limited time, so I better get off here and pack. :-) :-)
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Weekend getaway
As you all know, Kevin and I will be celebrating our 2 year wedding anniversary on Tuesday. In honor of that, we decided to get away together for the weekend. Originally we were going to go to NYC since (gasp) Kevin has never been there before! Unfortunately, it didn't work out for this weekend, but we plan on doing it some other time. Instead, we took a 3 hour drive up to McHenry, Maryland to a resort called Wisp resort. Wisp is known for it's ski slopes during the winter, but during the summer, they do a lot of outdoor adventure activities. It is located on an amazing lake called Deep Creek Lake. (Those from this area will know it). We had a great weekend together and already want to go back during the winter to ski, and to continue what we were doing this summer. So, Friday we got in later because I had to work, so we didn't have much time for activities. That night we went out to eat at a steak restaurant and just toured the area. Saturday we were going to go fly fishing, but it had rained the night before (a lot) and the water levels were too high to fish. So, we went to the local state park (Swallow Falls) and did some hiking and swimming in the water falls. I learned my balance is not as good as it should be (as I was trying to step from rock to rock in the water, I fell between the two). We both love to hike trails and be around water, so it was a perfect day for us. That night we went to a Santa Fe style restaurant with views of the lake and slopes. Today we did our favorite activity of the weekend. We rented a motor boat for 4 hours and rode around the lake. Kevin did the driving (even though I got a temporary license as well) while I enjoyed the sun and read my book, and unfortunately got a little sunburned. It was well worth it. Kevin kept stopping the boat to jump off and swim around the lake. I have pictures that I will post later this week. The lake is huge, so we didn't even cover all areas in the four hours. A lot of people were tubing, skiing, swimming, etc on the lake. It make Kevin and I want to get a lake house for a summer getaway. However, when we go to the beach we say the same thing about that...we want a beach house. I guess we should get a house here first! :-) So, if anyone is looking f or a weekend getaway, Deep Creek Lake is a nice place to go.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Weekend
Okay, so I said I would post more about the bradley's trip up here over the weekend and that NEVER happened. Partly because we had no time to. Friday night Kevin and I went to a going away get together for a friend from grad school that moved to New Jersey on Sunday. Saturday morning we got up and went blueberry picking (thanks Kev.....he did it all for me since he doesn't eat blueberries and I LOVE them), then we came home and Kev went to work, while I went to a party at my grandmothers place for the afternoon. The party was the usual party with lots of food and entertainment. My cousin, Katie, and I spent time in the moon bounce, but my Nana wouldn't go in! :-) I got home from the party, and changed because we had tickets to see the Lion King on Broadway at the Kennedy Center (an early anniversary gift from my Mom...thanks Mom!). If anyone out there has a chance to see it, I highly recommend it. I saw it 10 years ago with my family in London and loved it, and I loved it even more this time around. Okay, here were are at Sunday. Sunday morning we had to ourselves (thank goodness), but at 12:45 we left to go to National's Park with our friends/neighbors to watch the Nationals play the Astros. The Nationals lost, but it still was a lot of fun going. The ballpark is new this year, and it is amazing! We got home from that game, got in the shower and then my mom came over and we went to see Mama Mia on Broadway at the National Theatre. Also, amazing....it is a lot of fun. From what I see with the movie coming out it is a lot like the play, so definitely see the movie, or the play! So, as you can see, there wasn't much time to blog, or even wipe our asses this past weekend. So, hopefully this weekend I can catch up and write more about their trip up here. Oh, on a side note, it rained all night on Sunday, and we have a leak in our roof right into our living room. There is about a 2 foot by 1 foot hole in our ceiling right now because of it. It is supposed to rain on Saturday, lets hope something is done by then! Ta-Ta for now!!!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
medieval times
For a few years now, the Bradley's have been taking an annual vacation up here to the DC area to visit Kevin, Calla, and I. With coming so many times, we are trying to find different activities to do, or places to see. This time around, Kevin and I surprised everyone with a dinner at Medieval times in Maryland. We really thought that all the kids would enjoy it, not to mention we got a great deal on it. (Although they got us later with souvineers and drinks) But really, we saved about 300 bucks overall thanks to my Mom finding a loop hole great deal online. If you are not familiar with this show, it is played around the US (Vegas, Cali, Florida, Maryland, Georgia, Myrtle Beach, Jersery etc.). Right now, they have a deal of kids free with every paying adult! They have a dinner show with horses and knights that shows off skills such as jousting and sword fighting. You get a fairly good meal consiting of soup, garlic bread, chicken, ribs, potato, and an applie tart for dessert. Of course they don't call it what it is, they drop it on your plate calling it dragon, or falcons claw, etc. On a cute side note, Madi (the 6 year old) was afraid to eat the chicken because they told her it was dragon. :-) Overall, I would say it was a successfull suprise and evening. Here are a few pictures. I will be posting more about the trip....that is once I have my father, I mean, my husband off my back about going to bed. BTW...last time I checked i was 28 years old and didn't have a bedtime. :-D So, here are some pics of medieval times.
Sorry for the darkness in the pictures, but you get the idea. more to come over the weekend on other activities!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Housing
As many of you know, Kevin and I have been looking to "upgrade" our housing situation. We live in a cozy 2 bedroom/2bath condo/townhouse that I bought 5 years ago this month. Happy anniversay. :-) But anyways. It is quite comfortable for Kevin, Calla and I, and we love our neighbors so we don't ever want to leave. However, we are accumulating more things as time moves on and eventually we will have to move out. Not to mention Kevin wants a place to use tools and land where he can mow a lawn, etc. We love this neighborhood, but we can afford what we are in. (This area is REALLY expensive) When we do move out, we will actually keep the place we are in and rent it out. Of course we would not be able to do that if we weren't getting some financial assistance from my Dad. He is giving us a down payment on our future place, so we can con't to build equity (we have 200,000 equity now), and even make money off the rental until the market is great to sell. What a relief that is.
Well, what many of you don't know is that kevin and I put an offer on a house last Friday. It was about 3600 sq. ft. victorian built in 99 with all the upgrades (granite, new paint, carpets, hardwoods, recessed lighting, etc.). It was in a town called Vienna, which is about 20 minutes from our current place, and it sat on a 1 acre lot. P-E-R-F-E-C-T. Well, not perfect for us. We got word from our real estate agent last night that there were 4 contracts on the place, and they did not take ours. I was quite bummed out when we got the call. Partially because of the deja-vu. In September we put a contract on a 5 bedroom brick colonial with an in-ground pool. There were 4 contracts, and they didn't take ours. Get this....on both of the houses we were the number 2 person. On the first house, someone put a cash offer down, so they took that, and on this one, someone outbid us. F-R-U-S-T-R-A-T-I-N-G!!!! I hope the saying of "Third times a charm" is correct.
It is just hard when you get your hopes up so high. I started to think of where what furniture would go where, and how I would go to work, and what we needed to buy. You get really excited and then you feel dumb for all the premature thoughts. I truely believe that everything happens for a reason, so I know we weren't meant to have that house (either one for that matter), but since it happened twice, well, it kinda sucks! I KNOW there is a house out there for us, and it won't be long before we find it. In the meantime, we will just spend time with the neighbors that we love. :-)
Well, what many of you don't know is that kevin and I put an offer on a house last Friday. It was about 3600 sq. ft. victorian built in 99 with all the upgrades (granite, new paint, carpets, hardwoods, recessed lighting, etc.). It was in a town called Vienna, which is about 20 minutes from our current place, and it sat on a 1 acre lot. P-E-R-F-E-C-T. Well, not perfect for us. We got word from our real estate agent last night that there were 4 contracts on the place, and they did not take ours. I was quite bummed out when we got the call. Partially because of the deja-vu. In September we put a contract on a 5 bedroom brick colonial with an in-ground pool. There were 4 contracts, and they didn't take ours. Get this....on both of the houses we were the number 2 person. On the first house, someone put a cash offer down, so they took that, and on this one, someone outbid us. F-R-U-S-T-R-A-T-I-N-G!!!! I hope the saying of "Third times a charm" is correct.
It is just hard when you get your hopes up so high. I started to think of where what furniture would go where, and how I would go to work, and what we needed to buy. You get really excited and then you feel dumb for all the premature thoughts. I truely believe that everything happens for a reason, so I know we weren't meant to have that house (either one for that matter), but since it happened twice, well, it kinda sucks! I KNOW there is a house out there for us, and it won't be long before we find it. In the meantime, we will just spend time with the neighbors that we love. :-)
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Jodi Picoult
In the past few weeks, I have been entirely addicted to Jodi Picoult novels. She writes amazing stories, and captures you right from the start. I have recently read her latest novels from about 2002 and on. These include Nineteen Minutes which is about a school shooting in a small town, Vanishing Acts which has to do with kidnapping, the Tenth Circle which is about a rape case, and My Sisters Keeper which is about a girl genetically conceived to be a donor for her older sister who is sick with cancer. My favorite of these books is My Sisters Keeper, which is currently being filmed and is due out in 2009. The actors playing in it are Cameron Diaz, Alec Baldwin, and Abagail Breslin. Also, if anyone is interested in the tenth circle, it is airing on Lifetime on June 28th. You can check out the authors website (www.jodipicoult.com) for more information, pictures, etc. If anyone out there is interested in some great reads, this author comes highly recommended!!!!
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Already missed!
As you know, we just had the Bradley clan here for a week visit. We had so much fun while they were here and I hate to see them gone. We are a bunch of sad puppies without them around. I am not sure Calla will know what to do tomorrow morning when Jakey isn't around to feed her his breakfast.
The last time we saw them was in November...before Jakey was even walking and before Caleb was using the potty. Time sure does change them, and I wish we could see them more often. I just have to brag about how incredibly sweet Caleb is at 4 years old. He uses please and thank you, and after we do anything he says things like "Aunt MoMo, I had so much fun, thanks for taking me to the airplanes". Also, when I walk in the door from work and he runs up to me and gives me a hug. He enjoys being around me now and i hope he doesn't "outgrow" this stage in life....or at least not for awhile. Also, he is so well behaved and smart. I even got to teach him how to write his name. Little jakey could just melt your heart by showing you his little grin and his adorable laugh is contagious. I love this stage he is in because he gets into everything. It may not be so "cute" to his parents, but he is just such an inquisitive boy. I also think he will be the sports star...he loves playing with any ball and he definitely likes to throw things. :-)
It was also nice to visit with Ronnie and Carmen. We got to reminisce and laugh about things that have happened in the past, watch movies, catch up on things happening in the past 6 months, and discuss future plans. Of course this was mostly all done during naps or after bedtime for Caleb and Jakey. As they know, they are more than welcome to come up any time. They can also drop the kids off for a weekend and get away by themselves if they want. The best option would be for them to move up here and live close, but I think we all know the chances of that are slim. Thanks for a great trip up here guys. We already miss you!!!
The last time we saw them was in November...before Jakey was even walking and before Caleb was using the potty. Time sure does change them, and I wish we could see them more often. I just have to brag about how incredibly sweet Caleb is at 4 years old. He uses please and thank you, and after we do anything he says things like "Aunt MoMo, I had so much fun, thanks for taking me to the airplanes". Also, when I walk in the door from work and he runs up to me and gives me a hug. He enjoys being around me now and i hope he doesn't "outgrow" this stage in life....or at least not for awhile. Also, he is so well behaved and smart. I even got to teach him how to write his name. Little jakey could just melt your heart by showing you his little grin and his adorable laugh is contagious. I love this stage he is in because he gets into everything. It may not be so "cute" to his parents, but he is just such an inquisitive boy. I also think he will be the sports star...he loves playing with any ball and he definitely likes to throw things. :-)
It was also nice to visit with Ronnie and Carmen. We got to reminisce and laugh about things that have happened in the past, watch movies, catch up on things happening in the past 6 months, and discuss future plans. Of course this was mostly all done during naps or after bedtime for Caleb and Jakey. As they know, they are more than welcome to come up any time. They can also drop the kids off for a weekend and get away by themselves if they want. The best option would be for them to move up here and live close, but I think we all know the chances of that are slim. Thanks for a great trip up here guys. We already miss you!!!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Lists...
So, I have been cleaning my house for the past 2 days for a few reasons. First of all, I had a baby shower here yesterday (success!!!), secondly, it needed to be done, and third of all, we have RCCJ coming next weekend (yea!!!!). I just happened to find lists everywhere that i had written. To do lists, grocery lists, lists of houses, lists of CEU's to take, wish lists and so on. Now, I know I like to write things down, and it feels good to cross things off lists, but I didn't realize I made EVERYTHING into a list. So, I decided to talk about vacations in this blog:
Vacations to go on (now this is the condensed version because it could be forever long)
1. Paris
2. South African safari
3. Italy
4. Ireland
5. Costa Rica
6. Peru
7. Disney World ( I have been here a million times, but it never gets old for me)
8. Alaska
9. Australia
10. Greece
I am hoping to take at least one of these a year. These are in no particular order....just at some point in my life I would like to see them. Kevin and I both love to travel and many of these can be done in a weeks time. Some of them like Australia and South Africa would need to be longer, so it may be awhile before I get to take those. (I only get 2 weeks paid vacation/year and my boss doesn't allow you to take unpaid). I always feel like I need a vacation from my vacation though. You have been rushing around seeing everything, and don't really have much time to relax. Plus, when you get home you have unpack, do laundry, get used to the time zone again (not fun after China/Japan) and get back to work.
Kevin and I have decided to take turns planning our anniversaries each year, so as number 2 is approaching, it is now my turn. Do I take a short trip to one of these places? I was going to go to the greenbriar in West Virginia. Now, if you have no idea what place I am talking about, I will give you a rundown on it. It is a huge resort with golf, tennis, a spa etc. We used to go every year as a family and (there is a hospital in the basement) my dad would get his physical for work there. As a child there, I had to take an etiquette class to eat in the dining area, and everyone had to be dressed up after 5 in certain areas. So, I checked out the prices, and it was ridiculous....$500/night. Now, I love my hubby, but I don't need to sleep in some different bed for $500! So, the search for an anniversary idea is still on! Who knows, maybe we can check one of the above places off our list after Aug.5th!
Vacations to go on (now this is the condensed version because it could be forever long)
1. Paris
2. South African safari
3. Italy
4. Ireland
5. Costa Rica
6. Peru
7. Disney World ( I have been here a million times, but it never gets old for me)
8. Alaska
9. Australia
10. Greece
I am hoping to take at least one of these a year. These are in no particular order....just at some point in my life I would like to see them. Kevin and I both love to travel and many of these can be done in a weeks time. Some of them like Australia and South Africa would need to be longer, so it may be awhile before I get to take those. (I only get 2 weeks paid vacation/year and my boss doesn't allow you to take unpaid). I always feel like I need a vacation from my vacation though. You have been rushing around seeing everything, and don't really have much time to relax. Plus, when you get home you have unpack, do laundry, get used to the time zone again (not fun after China/Japan) and get back to work.
Kevin and I have decided to take turns planning our anniversaries each year, so as number 2 is approaching, it is now my turn. Do I take a short trip to one of these places? I was going to go to the greenbriar in West Virginia. Now, if you have no idea what place I am talking about, I will give you a rundown on it. It is a huge resort with golf, tennis, a spa etc. We used to go every year as a family and (there is a hospital in the basement) my dad would get his physical for work there. As a child there, I had to take an etiquette class to eat in the dining area, and everyone had to be dressed up after 5 in certain areas. So, I checked out the prices, and it was ridiculous....$500/night. Now, I love my hubby, but I don't need to sleep in some different bed for $500! So, the search for an anniversary idea is still on! Who knows, maybe we can check one of the above places off our list after Aug.5th!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
a few pics....
I decided to upload a few pics of trips/activities in the past month or so. I went on an easter egg hunt with my best friends daughter, went to see the cherry blossums in DC, went to visit my dad in Florida (played golf, went fishing and relaxed) and I added some of China as well. Enjoy!!!(Sorry about having to turn your head to the side....I don't have enough time to upload and change the orientation, so I just took them right from the memory card....you get the idea anyway.) 
updates...
Well, as usual, thing have been pretty busy around here, where I haven't been on this in a while. But, I'm back! One of the things we have been busy with is dealing with Kevin's brother Chris. Chris came to visit us, had a great time, and got to do a lot of things. He went to 2 NCAA final games, went to Mount Vernon, went out to eat, went shopping and so on. Well, Kevin and I paid for his round trip bus ticket and didn't make him pay us back. We straightened out his finances, set up payment schedules for him to pay off all his bills in 5 months time. After he got home we found out he burned us. He was back to his lying, got fired from his job etc. Kevin and I talked, and talked to Kev's mom and we were all in agreement that he was to pay us back for his bus ticket. So, Kevin called his 1 on 1 and she got him to send us a check. All of a sudden after that we weren't getting our daily phone calls from Chris. He was pretty pissed at us, but he knows that he won't get away with crap like that. On a side note, he called (and is back to calling daily) and apologized and said he was glad we made him send us the money.
Another thing is trying to plan out trips/vacations. Now, as most people can decide rather last minute to do a trip, that is not an option for me. My patient schedule is booked a month in advance and I only get 2 weeks paid vacation a year. With all the people we try to go and see, or rather we want to try to go and see that just doesnt seem to be enough time (especially when Kevin gets 5 weeks/year). Not to mention that I work every other Saturday morning for an hour in a half which cuts down my weekends of going away. This weekend we managed to get away...we are going camping! Yes!!!!
Another thing is trying to plan out trips/vacations. Now, as most people can decide rather last minute to do a trip, that is not an option for me. My patient schedule is booked a month in advance and I only get 2 weeks paid vacation a year. With all the people we try to go and see, or rather we want to try to go and see that just doesnt seem to be enough time (especially when Kevin gets 5 weeks/year). Not to mention that I work every other Saturday morning for an hour in a half which cuts down my weekends of going away. This weekend we managed to get away...we are going camping! Yes!!!!
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Things you may not have known.....
So, those that read this I am sure know a lot about me, but I am guessing some of this stuff is unknown. So here are some "different" facts about me....
1. I am growing my hair out to donate it to make wigs for chidren who unfortuantely have lost theirs due to sicknesses. I thought about doing this back in November when I saw a story of how a little girl just wanted hair for her Christmas picture with her family. It really touched me, so I did some research about different companies that participate. It doesn't cost me a thing, and I am hoping to make a child happy one day.
2. I struggle with endometriosis and don't wish it on my worst enemy. I am the lucky one that gets to throw up, can't sit up straight (because of pressure on my ovaries), and have cramps about 20 out of the 30 days of the month. Yes, not fun. I have already had 1 surgery for it, and may need another in the future.
3. I am too picky. I am a picky eater, picky about the houses we are looking at, picky about clothes, and I don't seem to move away from my comfort zone.
4. I love to read. Kevin and I tend to borrow books (4 or 5 at a time) from the library at least 3 times/month. I hate to buy books unless if I love them so much that I could read them over and over again.
5. I cry during sad movies, tv shows, and books. I get so into stories or story lines even when I know they aren't true stories. I can't help it, but my husband tends to laugh when I do this.
6. I hate to buy things unless if they are on sale. Even if it is only 2% off, I still think that I am getting a deal. I just hate paying full price knowing that soon it will go on sale.
7. I excel at starting a project and then never getting to finish it. This is not exactly a good quality and definately another pet peeve of my husbands. I get so side tracked or bored with a project, that it just ends up sitting aroun the house and driving my husband nuts.
8. I miss the days of softball terribly. I started playing when I was 8 in a house league, and started playing travel ball when I was 12. For 10 years I got to travel around the world competing at a sport that I loved. I met some of my closest (and my best) friends through the sport. It helped pay for my college tuition, and got me interested in what is now my career. If it weren't for softball, I may not have met my husband, and it taught me a lot of dicipline, leadership and time management skills. I hope that one day future children will get to experience the same.
9. One of my goals in life is to participate in a marathon. Now, knowing what I know in the field of work I am in, I can't see how this would possibly be good for my body. On the other hand, I was to run it to finish, not for any spectacular finish time. It is something that I don't see possible for me, and to accomplish something that is rather challenging seems amazing to me. Right now, the 2-2.5 miles I run each day seems like enough....24 more than that seems insane.
10. I am 20 months into my marriage to a wonderful husband, and I still at times accidently use my maiden name. For example, most people don't ask your initials, and the other day at the store I was asked, and automatically I said ""MMF", and then had to change it to "MMB". I always sign the right name, but I get tripped up at times when asked. You think 20 months of this, and introducing myself how many times each day to new patients and signing how many charts, that I would get it right. I guess if you look at it in time, I used MMF for 26 years, so still messing up at times after 20 months isn't bad.
Okay, so you may have known a bit of these, but I thought that I would mention them anyway. I hope at least a couple of them are newly acquired bits of information.
1. I am growing my hair out to donate it to make wigs for chidren who unfortuantely have lost theirs due to sicknesses. I thought about doing this back in November when I saw a story of how a little girl just wanted hair for her Christmas picture with her family. It really touched me, so I did some research about different companies that participate. It doesn't cost me a thing, and I am hoping to make a child happy one day.
2. I struggle with endometriosis and don't wish it on my worst enemy. I am the lucky one that gets to throw up, can't sit up straight (because of pressure on my ovaries), and have cramps about 20 out of the 30 days of the month. Yes, not fun. I have already had 1 surgery for it, and may need another in the future.
3. I am too picky. I am a picky eater, picky about the houses we are looking at, picky about clothes, and I don't seem to move away from my comfort zone.
4. I love to read. Kevin and I tend to borrow books (4 or 5 at a time) from the library at least 3 times/month. I hate to buy books unless if I love them so much that I could read them over and over again.
5. I cry during sad movies, tv shows, and books. I get so into stories or story lines even when I know they aren't true stories. I can't help it, but my husband tends to laugh when I do this.
6. I hate to buy things unless if they are on sale. Even if it is only 2% off, I still think that I am getting a deal. I just hate paying full price knowing that soon it will go on sale.
7. I excel at starting a project and then never getting to finish it. This is not exactly a good quality and definately another pet peeve of my husbands. I get so side tracked or bored with a project, that it just ends up sitting aroun the house and driving my husband nuts.
8. I miss the days of softball terribly. I started playing when I was 8 in a house league, and started playing travel ball when I was 12. For 10 years I got to travel around the world competing at a sport that I loved. I met some of my closest (and my best) friends through the sport. It helped pay for my college tuition, and got me interested in what is now my career. If it weren't for softball, I may not have met my husband, and it taught me a lot of dicipline, leadership and time management skills. I hope that one day future children will get to experience the same.
9. One of my goals in life is to participate in a marathon. Now, knowing what I know in the field of work I am in, I can't see how this would possibly be good for my body. On the other hand, I was to run it to finish, not for any spectacular finish time. It is something that I don't see possible for me, and to accomplish something that is rather challenging seems amazing to me. Right now, the 2-2.5 miles I run each day seems like enough....24 more than that seems insane.
10. I am 20 months into my marriage to a wonderful husband, and I still at times accidently use my maiden name. For example, most people don't ask your initials, and the other day at the store I was asked, and automatically I said ""MMF", and then had to change it to "MMB". I always sign the right name, but I get tripped up at times when asked. You think 20 months of this, and introducing myself how many times each day to new patients and signing how many charts, that I would get it right. I guess if you look at it in time, I used MMF for 26 years, so still messing up at times after 20 months isn't bad.
Okay, so you may have known a bit of these, but I thought that I would mention them anyway. I hope at least a couple of them are newly acquired bits of information.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Cute things kids say....
Well, I know Kevin and I don't have any kids, but a lot of people around us do. I woke up thinking about different things that they say or do that keep me laughing and can always put a smile on my face. So here are some of the recent ones.....
My co-worker Aaron has a 2 year old boy. They were explaining to him that his aunt has a baby boy in her belly. He looked up at her all concerned and asked, "Did you swallow him?"
My co-worker Ellie has a 2 year old boy who likes to go through her purse. Inside her purse he pulls out a tampon. He unwraps it and takes it out and starts wiggling it around on the ground saying "mouse, mouse" and then crashing it into toy cars.
I went with my best friend and her little girl to an easter egg hunt at a local park. Afterwards we went out to eat, and some people got their left overs to go. Cyndi's dad was having some troulbe opening the bag, and Kendall says to him, "Tagga, its not brain surgery". (She calls him Tagga instead of grandpa)
Now these are the moments when you wish you had a video camera, because I think these have a chance at winning $10,000 on America's Funniest Home Videos.
My co-worker Aaron has a 2 year old boy. They were explaining to him that his aunt has a baby boy in her belly. He looked up at her all concerned and asked, "Did you swallow him?"
My co-worker Ellie has a 2 year old boy who likes to go through her purse. Inside her purse he pulls out a tampon. He unwraps it and takes it out and starts wiggling it around on the ground saying "mouse, mouse" and then crashing it into toy cars.
I went with my best friend and her little girl to an easter egg hunt at a local park. Afterwards we went out to eat, and some people got their left overs to go. Cyndi's dad was having some troulbe opening the bag, and Kendall says to him, "Tagga, its not brain surgery". (She calls him Tagga instead of grandpa)
Now these are the moments when you wish you had a video camera, because I think these have a chance at winning $10,000 on America's Funniest Home Videos.
Monday, March 24, 2008
I love....
I love......
the feeling of cool grass under bare feet
the innocence of children
when you help someone out and they are so grateful
taking vacations
dogs/puppies
being able to relax with a good book
laughing so hard, my stomach and mouth hurt
the fact that I have my DPT after 7 years of schooling
my job
the feeling after working out
I hate......
getting on the phone and having to press 1 for English
talking to automated systems
politics
oweing people things
dealing with insurance companies
not getting to see my nephews more
not being able to find our perfect house
sending out a mortgage payment of $1500/month
the feeling during a work out
the feeling of cool grass under bare feet
the innocence of children
when you help someone out and they are so grateful
taking vacations
dogs/puppies
being able to relax with a good book
laughing so hard, my stomach and mouth hurt
the fact that I have my DPT after 7 years of schooling
my job
the feeling after working out
I hate......
getting on the phone and having to press 1 for English
talking to automated systems
politics
oweing people things
dealing with insurance companies
not getting to see my nephews more
not being able to find our perfect house
sending out a mortgage payment of $1500/month
the feeling during a work out
Monday, March 17, 2008
In Honor of St. Patty's Day
Well, in honor of St. Patricks Day and growing up in a very Irish family (last name of Flynn), I decided to blog about Flynn and Bradley history. I know that Flynn is Irish, but Bradley can be either of English or Irish desent. So, I found the Irish coat of arms, and decided to write about that one, since I asked my husband and he said "I think we are originally from Ireland" :-)
For Flynn, the blue in the shield stands for strength and loyalty. The 3 gold circles stands for generosity,worthy of trust and treasure, and the wolf stands for perseverance in siege or effort. The surname O'Flynn is derived from the Gaelic personal name Flann. Ó Floinn is the form of the surname in Irish. It ranks forty-first in the list of most numerous surnames in Ireland with an estimated total of thirteen thousand persons. These are found chiefly in two main areas - Cork and Waterford in the south, and on the borders of Connacht and Ulster in the adjacent counties of Roscommon, Leitrim and Cavan. in 1762 Banard Flinn settled into America, and Andrew Flynn in NY in 1803.
For Bradley, the red stand for military strength or a warrior, and the white stands for sincerity and peace. The squiggle lines stands for land/earth with the line across imitating a military belt representing honor. The birds stand for one who has been disposessed of land or a sign for fourth son. The crosses stand for unshakeable faith. This Gaelic surname means “descendant of Brolachán”. A Bradley sept were originally settled in the barony of Clogher in Co. Tyrone. They then moved north to Derry and Donegal and also to Cork. Ó Brollacháin is said to be one of the few Irish surnames that has been maltreated by the introduction of the English language into Ireland. It was mostly given the English name of Bradley whereas it should instead be given the name O’Brallaghan. The O’Brallaghans in Tyrone and Cork are said to be the real O’Brallaghans. There is also a proportion of Bradleys in Ireland who are descendants of English settlers. The first settler was Partick O'Brallaghan who settled in NY in 1785 and Allen Bradley in Ohio in 1875.
I hope you enjoyed a little Flynn and Bradley history. I hope the Bradleys that I am now a part of came from Oreland and not England, otherwise everything is null and void! HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY!!!!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
upcoming events
well, it seems that time flies by and there is never enough time. As my work schedule starts to book up about a month in advance, we have to start scheduling things early. In my occupation there are no such things as sick days or last minute vacations. Coming up we have a busy schedule.....
Next week we have Kevin's little brother coming to visit. I have never seen someone so exicted aobut coming up here. The morning after we booked his bus ticket (we are hoping he makes his connections and doesn't have any problems there), he called us to tell us that he already has his bag packed. He has been dying for about 2 years to be able to come up and visit on his own. He actually is a good kid, who is very appreciative of the things we do for him, so we don't mind doing this for him at all. Plus, he is always good for some humor (although he doesn't realize half of the dumb things he says).
The next weekend is my Mom's 60th birthday. Of which I haven't planned much and haven't gone shopping yet. I did get a great card for her though. So at least some of that is done.
The following weekend we are going to Fernandina Beach, Florida to visit my dad for 4 days. I just love the lifestyle down there. It is no worries, relaxing type. You get up, go out to the pool, eat breakfast, go swimming in the backyard, play some golf, go back to the pool or ocean, eat dinner outside while watching the sunset, and then sit around having a drink or 2 in the hot tub. What a life. In the meantime I will be thinking about all the crazy patients that will be at the office that day! AAAHHHH! :-)
Then, we are traveling to Atlantic City for our friend, Chris' 28th b-day. It is a short 4 hour drive and well worth it since we get to see people that we haven't seen in about a year. Plus, it is always fun to play some craps, roulette and slots. Who knows, maybe it will help us pay that $5,000 I mentioned in the previous post!
Wow, we are already at the end of April at this point in time. Kevin and I are at some point going camping, visiting his family in NC, visiting Will, Genny, Alex (Kevins godson), and baby Riley (not yet born) in SC, and hopefully finding a new house in the meantime.
I have to say, I would rather be busy, then to sit around and not know what to do. It just stinks having to plan everything out so far in advance with my job. Spealing of, I have to go and talk to Kevin about May, so I better stop writing! Ta-ta-for now!
Next week we have Kevin's little brother coming to visit. I have never seen someone so exicted aobut coming up here. The morning after we booked his bus ticket (we are hoping he makes his connections and doesn't have any problems there), he called us to tell us that he already has his bag packed. He has been dying for about 2 years to be able to come up and visit on his own. He actually is a good kid, who is very appreciative of the things we do for him, so we don't mind doing this for him at all. Plus, he is always good for some humor (although he doesn't realize half of the dumb things he says).
The next weekend is my Mom's 60th birthday. Of which I haven't planned much and haven't gone shopping yet. I did get a great card for her though. So at least some of that is done.
The following weekend we are going to Fernandina Beach, Florida to visit my dad for 4 days. I just love the lifestyle down there. It is no worries, relaxing type. You get up, go out to the pool, eat breakfast, go swimming in the backyard, play some golf, go back to the pool or ocean, eat dinner outside while watching the sunset, and then sit around having a drink or 2 in the hot tub. What a life. In the meantime I will be thinking about all the crazy patients that will be at the office that day! AAAHHHH! :-)
Then, we are traveling to Atlantic City for our friend, Chris' 28th b-day. It is a short 4 hour drive and well worth it since we get to see people that we haven't seen in about a year. Plus, it is always fun to play some craps, roulette and slots. Who knows, maybe it will help us pay that $5,000 I mentioned in the previous post!
Wow, we are already at the end of April at this point in time. Kevin and I are at some point going camping, visiting his family in NC, visiting Will, Genny, Alex (Kevins godson), and baby Riley (not yet born) in SC, and hopefully finding a new house in the meantime.
I have to say, I would rather be busy, then to sit around and not know what to do. It just stinks having to plan everything out so far in advance with my job. Spealing of, I have to go and talk to Kevin about May, so I better stop writing! Ta-ta-for now!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Resolution
So, for my new years resolution, I didn't want to do the traditional lose weight, cut out soda, or any of that. Why? I shouldn't have to make a resolution for that, it is the way that I should be living. I should be able to lose weight without having to do it for a resolution. So, I decided to get more organized, and to try new things. How are these going you ask....well, lets some it up as fair. As far as getting more organized, I am pretty good there. What the main problem is, is getting rid of unnecessary "stuff", or in another word, "crap". Kevin and I (okay mostly Kevin) were cleaning yesterday, and I realized how many nick-nacks I have. Grant it, about 98% of them have been given to me as gifts, but what they are needed for, I don't know. So, I have a big pile to go to goodwill or to see if Kevin's little sister, Leah, wants any of it. (although my husband doesn't want this because they have too much crap there!) We also went through our files last night. I had old bills that we paid from 2005, stuff from my sequoia, old tuition bills from PT school....all unnecessary CRAP! So, I am feeling a little bit better about the organization part of the resolution. I know that when we do move it will be so much better. Everyone says you learn to get rid of crap then! The problem is, once it is put away in a drawer, I dont' ever see it, then forget about it. I do have a rule for myself, that every new item of clothing I get, I have to get rid of one currently in my closet. It has to be an equal trade, so I can't buy a new sweater and get rid of a pair of socks! This has worked really well for me. I also go through my clothes at the end of each season and ask if I wore it at all, if not, GOODBYE! Why waste the space?!?! I still have some improving to do on the organization aspect. My desk is clutter, but it is organized clutter. I could tell you where everything is in there, but it is very unappealing to the eye. This is my next area to tackle.....the dredded desk!
As far as the trying new things, well, I would give myself a D- here. All growing up I was allergic to many, many, many food items. I never tried new types of food as my parents were afraid I would go into anaphalactic shock (not a pretty sight). Unfortunately, this carried over in my life, and I don't like to try new foods. Whenever Kevin asks me to try something new, I think back to this resolution, and unfortunately, I break it a lot. With food, I am a complete texture person. Like, yesterday, he tried to get me to each oatmeal....I tried, and hated it, not because of the taste, but because of the texture. Kinda like how I HATE pancakes....soggy bread doesn't do it for me (and we all know pancakes aren't pancakes without the syrup). I also have tried foods that just are horrible to my taste buds. I know your taste buds change every 6 months or a year, so you should always try things that you previously didn't like....but I have to admit, I haven't done that. :-( Well, it is only March, I have plenty more time to achieve my resolution!
As far as the trying new things, well, I would give myself a D- here. All growing up I was allergic to many, many, many food items. I never tried new types of food as my parents were afraid I would go into anaphalactic shock (not a pretty sight). Unfortunately, this carried over in my life, and I don't like to try new foods. Whenever Kevin asks me to try something new, I think back to this resolution, and unfortunately, I break it a lot. With food, I am a complete texture person. Like, yesterday, he tried to get me to each oatmeal....I tried, and hated it, not because of the taste, but because of the texture. Kinda like how I HATE pancakes....soggy bread doesn't do it for me (and we all know pancakes aren't pancakes without the syrup). I also have tried foods that just are horrible to my taste buds. I know your taste buds change every 6 months or a year, so you should always try things that you previously didn't like....but I have to admit, I haven't done that. :-( Well, it is only March, I have plenty more time to achieve my resolution!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Donations welcome! ;-)
So, as my first real blog, it only seem natural for me to complain a bit. Today's topic.....taxes. Kevin and I were driving home from my mom's house tonight having a discussion about the awful "t" word. How my Dad thinks this is interesting enough to make a living out of it, I am not quite sure. I do know that it is not for me, and my level of understanding is at a rather low level. Now, I know we are a 2 income, middle class family, but seriously, how the heck do we OWE $5,000 this year?!?!? You would think the 14,000 they took from me alone would be enough, or the 10,000+/- they took from Kevin would be. That is 24,000 we earned, never saw, and may never see again. But that isn't enough, they want to take another 5,000!?! This is a big change from last year in which we got back 2,500. That 2,500 would have been a nice bonus to our house hunting fund, but that check won't be coming anytime soon.
Now, where to come up with these 5,000 smack-a-roo's?!?!? First, we were planning a trip to Paris this year in which we took out of our budget. So, that helps some. Kevin was also generous enough to offer to pimp himself out. In the end we decided not to do that because I am too greedy to share him with anyone else. In the end, we are almost 100% sure we are going to refinance our mortgage for the extra 5,000 and use that money to pay. I hate to think of in the end of 30 years what that extra 5,000 turns out to be. I am not even going to do the math, because I will be one pissed off puppy. I guess I have to look at it in the words of my husband..."it is better to be pissed off, then pissed on".
For a side note, I obviously know the reasons why we owe this year, but it doesn't mean I can't complain about it, right!?! We do have other money options, but we were hoping to save that money for future children's college funds, or retirement. Our "financial advisor" who helps us invest, told us to try to have a savings account with 6 months salary "just in case". Now, we are no where close to 6 months worth (we are at 2.5 months) and I don't want to pull out 5,000 of that, so in the end it seems logical to refinance our place now. (It lowers our mortgage payment by 200/month, which added to our decision)
However, as the name of the post says, we do welcome donations! :-)
Now, where to come up with these 5,000 smack-a-roo's?!?!? First, we were planning a trip to Paris this year in which we took out of our budget. So, that helps some. Kevin was also generous enough to offer to pimp himself out. In the end we decided not to do that because I am too greedy to share him with anyone else. In the end, we are almost 100% sure we are going to refinance our mortgage for the extra 5,000 and use that money to pay. I hate to think of in the end of 30 years what that extra 5,000 turns out to be. I am not even going to do the math, because I will be one pissed off puppy. I guess I have to look at it in the words of my husband..."it is better to be pissed off, then pissed on".
For a side note, I obviously know the reasons why we owe this year, but it doesn't mean I can't complain about it, right!?! We do have other money options, but we were hoping to save that money for future children's college funds, or retirement. Our "financial advisor" who helps us invest, told us to try to have a savings account with 6 months salary "just in case". Now, we are no where close to 6 months worth (we are at 2.5 months) and I don't want to pull out 5,000 of that, so in the end it seems logical to refinance our place now. (It lowers our mortgage payment by 200/month, which added to our decision)
However, as the name of the post says, we do welcome donations! :-)
Giving in!!!
Well, here goes nothing.....I decided to start a blog. It seems there are so many things that happen in your daily life that you end up telling the story over and over again. For simplicity, I will attempt this blog. Writing it down once, and having those who care to read it seems quite an easy road. So, welcome to those who care to read!
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