Kicking a$$

Our 2009 has already been a great year. I really do feel like we are pushing ourselves to experience life instead of getting stuck in routines. I love it!

We have been making great strides in our volunteer month-by-month. In January, we donated $75 worth of goods to the Humane Society and they really appreciated it. I baked Valentines Day cookies for the local fire department in February and they were both surprised and grateful when I stopped by to drop them off. (thank you Grandma's yummy icing!!)

This month, we are working on a March Madness poll tournament to proceed the PA Special Olympics. I can't wait to see how much response we get from our friends and family. It was a pretty quick turnaround as to when they need to reply with their polls, but hopefully we will have a good turnout.

We have also had the oppportunity to travel and spend quality time with the people we love. I got to visit with my old students in NYC in early February. It was great to catch up with Elena and Stirling too-both of who I hadn't seen since October. In late February, my sisters and I had our 2nd annual SCF weekend in State College and had so much fun just being together.

B and I just got back from a long weekend in Flagler, FL with our friends, Jon & Lindsay and had such a blast. What a difference a few days in the sun with friends made for replenishing our souls. It felt like waking up again after such a long, snowy winter.

Our waltz dance class has ended, but B (not as reluctantly as last time) has agreed to take another one with me. We start our Cha-Cha class this Tuesday! I have been having a lot of delicious success creating (mostly) homemade soups on Wednesday nights. B's favorite has been chicken & brocolli chowder and my favorite has been seafood bisque. I started volunteering at the library too-in the internet lounge and gift shop. It feels good to do something for free again:)

So far...we have been kicking our new year; new us resolution's a$$!

Baby Brain

All is well in our lives. We have big plans for the year, we both have good-paying jobs, we go out on dates, we have gotten our routines and chores down pat, we have started working out again, I am volunteering at the library, we get to see our family, B is fishing and hunting, life is good.

Why is it then that I cannot get babies off the brain!?!!!?

We have both discussed it a million times that we want to enjoy just being together right now, especially after being apart for so many years (living long distance). We really have a good life and lots of exciting plans that are coming up this year...
1. Flagler, FL in 2 weeks!
2. 2 weddings in May
3. Beer Olympics in July
4. Hawaii in August

But it is baby bonanza in my mind. I am driving myself CRAZY. I never wanted to be that girl who nags and nags about having a baby. But I am her. I can't stand her. I think about babies, I write down baby names that I like, I stop and stare at baby clothes at the mall, every show I turn on has babies on it, an influx of my friends are getting pregnant all at once, it is BABY everywhere I turn.

Brandon just kind of ignores me when I go on baby-talking sprees. Hahhha, some how he has been able to hold his frustration with hearing about babies non-stop to a minimum. I am about ready to lash out at myself. I just want to be happy with our lives where we are right now and all the good we have in it and take advantage of it.

I seriously need to stop with the baby-thing. I'm going mad.

Goodbye old friend

Brandon and I said goodbye to our dear Alero this week, as we traded her in for a new, more Erie-appropriate vehicle. We both felt sad last night as we emptied the Alero out and drove her over to the dealership. Even though she struggled through the past few weeks (i.e. driver window completely falling into the door, cruise control is scotch-taped down, C/H gauge doesn't work, etc), she was there with us for a lot of good times. She was also the car (besides the "Pontia"-still miss that thing) who saw us through all the long distance. She was a good and loyal friend to us and will be missed.

Top 5 reasons we'll miss the Alero:
5. It drives like a racecar.
4. The cruise control was always on (because I scotch-taped it down)
3. Great gas mileage
2. Knew the road from Washpa to Brooklyn to Johnstown by heart.
1. She was ours.

Although it is a bitter goodbye, it is definitely a sweet hello to our new car!! B and I spent the better part of Saturday at the Jeep dealership looking at some different vehicles and decided on a Midnight blue Jeep Grand Cherokee. So far-we love it. We have actually been driving it since Saturday (they gave it to us on "drive-out"). I think the heated seats are reason enough to have it...seriously love those heated seats. The Jeep is sooo much more Erie-appropriate and B has been having a blast driving through/over whatever he damn well pleases.

The weather has been a little less crazy this past weekend/week-so we haven't been able to try out our new hemi (yes, it has a hemi!!) to its full potential yet. We have no concerns though with this Erie winter and we know we'll get a chance to give it a go soon.

Other reasons for a great weekend:
3. got back from a long week in CA with work.
2. Splash Lagoon on Saturday AND Sunday with Cera & Gregg!
1. STEELERS WON THE SUPERBOWL. 6-pack, baby.