Baby's First Christmas

Having children in your family on Christmas is something I have never encountered until this year and I can't imagine a holiday without them. What's more exciting than arriving with armloads (or in our case, a rubbermaid container) full of gifts just for the little ones? Nothing beats it. From spending Christmas Eve with C's nephews to Christmas day with my nephew and Godson - what more could anyone ask for than the joy of the holiday season with those it's all about - family.

Many months ago my girlfriend Michele told me about a gift she gave her nephew for his first Christmas. It was a Radio Flyer Walker Wagon. What a gift! I ordered mine back in October. It's great - a small-scale wagon, designed for a newly-walking toddler. I even had it personalized with his name and baseball and of course some Red Sox sprinkled throughout. And I couldn't have given it to him at a better time. He just started taking his first steps a week or so ago.

By end of day yesterday, he was walking it clear across the family room and back with such joy! Here are some photos:

Here's the wagon I gave Baby Anthony for Christmas. Complete with personalization



Getting a little help from Grandpa


Catherine, Anthony and Baby Anthony


After running around pushing the cart, Baby Anthony got the right idea - hitch a ride

Oh Christmas Tree

Now any of you who remember last Christmas remember the importance of the Christmas tree in what was then my budding new relationship. C and I went to pick out our first tree. It was a chilly Dec. night, there were flurries in the air, Christmas music piped in throughout the tree lot and it was simply romantic (no gagging - I deserved this moment). We looked at many a tree and then came across "the one." He turned to me and asked me what I thought of it. I looked at the tree sitting there all full and perfect and before I could even say a word, tears began to stream down my face. And what did C do? He took me in his arms - pulled me close and said "well I guess this is the one."

That was last year. And this year I present to all of you - our first tree in our new home! Isn't she great?

In the Home Stretch

One week until Christmas. I can't believe it and I can't believe how every year when you think you're all done shopping and sending Christmas cards - you realize you aren't. Or worse, people ask you to pick up small things for them. But after this weekend, I'm in the homestretch. Just need a couple more stocking stuffers, two more gift bags (I miscalculated) and a grab gift for Christmas dinner. Not so bad. I even managed to get all my cards in the mail yesterday. Shocking since I bought them weeks ago, but only broke the seal on the package Sunday morning :-)

Speaking of home stretches, C is putting the final color on the walls of our bedroom this week. Yippee! We hope to hear from the carpet place today and have that installed by week's end (fingers crossed). Course this means I really need to get back on my game and get some serious packing done this week.

Let the games begin!

For Those Who Haven't Seen It...

Ok, for those of you I have yet to share this with. Here is my favorite picture of my nephew in his Halloween costume (a fireman!). Figured I should share this before inundating all of you with pictures from his first Christmas - just over a week away! I can't wait!

Thank God It's Friday!

Thank God it's Friday - I never, EVER, thought it would get here. What a week. I took the day off Monday to make a major dent in my packing and purging in advance of moving. My girlfriend from college was on vacation so together we spent nine hours getting rid of everything I had that honestly I didn't need. The worst part was when I moved last time (three years ago) I did everything in two weeks. Packed a seven room apartment, plus a basement, and since I didn't get any time off from work at that time basically everything was thrown into boxes and transferred here. While it worked at the time, it totally came back to bite me in the ass on Monday. Because you can't exactly toss boxes you haven't opened in three years without going through them first. All I can say is thank God they make shredders.

Not only that, but everyone who knows me knows I'm totally camera happy and that was pretty evident as well. I actually have one giant rubbermaid container full of loose pictures and more than 10 photo albums. Totally out of control - but looking forward to going through those as a winter project after all the moving is over and done with.

So while the bulk of my day was spent doing all this, I did manage to pack all my stemware. Now I know I'm the quintessential entertainer so I expected to have more wine glasses than the average gal, but who knew I also had nearly 20 martini glasses, will I ever use these? Will they fit in the hutch in my new dining room with my other stemware and china? I guess I won't know until I make the attempt. Luckily we have a closet with shelves in the dining room which could be a very nice home for all the glasses otherwise - poor C, as much as I know I'm not bringing a lot of stuff, it's pretty evident I have a lot more than I thought I did. At least on that end.

Monday passes, I survive, am relieved and made some super progress - thanks Jenn! Tuesday night I had my work Christmas party - and I'm pooped but have a great time nonetheless. And the following night had a birthday party dinner with my family for Cat's 30th in Dedham. Let's just say last night there was no way I was up for anything, including the laundry that really had to be done. I came home, went to Craig's, took a shower and indulged in my TV and some catching up on my magazine reading.

Relaxing? yes, but with work this week - we have the biggest issue in the history of the magazine - I'm totally spent. Just have to get through today and working at the store tonight and I'm home free! Can't wait until Sunday, I plan on being totally lazy - which is always the plan, but instead of getting ansy as I usually do and taking on a big project, I have to use all my power to make sure I rest - after that only four more days to finish up our January issue at work pick up some last minute Christmas gifts. I can't believe Christmas is just over a week away!

That's my update - now to blowdry this hair and get to work!
L

PS3 Mania Hits Home

My boyfriend is a lucky guy. He’s getting PS3 for Christmas but man does he need to thank me. With two weeks to go before Christmas I finally bit the bullet and hopped onto an eBay auction along with throngs of others all on the same quest – to own one of the 200,000 to 300,000 PS3 systems released in the U.S. prior to Christmas.

Now normally I’m the type of person who would wait a few months until all the hype faded, but I totally fell into the game on this one. After all, how else does one get their hands on something which is like gold thanks to the fact the demand for the original estimated 400,000 units for U.S. retailers could not be met due to production issues?

Innocently enough, I went to eBay just to see what was out there. Next thing I know I was possessed by what goes on there and I knew I had to get one and no matter what I would win it.

My strategy: search through the PS3 listings to see which auctions were coming to a close and lo and behold, I found one that no one seemed to be onto. Seriously I was the only one who bid on it. I kept thinking something had to be wrong here. The price was still under $650 and no one was interested? What was the issue here?

I checked the feedback on the seller, no issues. I simply couldn’t figure it out and I’m such a skeptic it was very hard for me to determine what the problem could be.

That being said, I placed my first bid - $621. Boy did I think it was a lock! Up until two hours before the online auction closed I was still the only bidder. It was a pretty good deal too. Came with a game, a movie and an extra controller – what more could a girl want than an expensive piece of gaming equipment for her beau with all the trimmings?

Then, with 15 minutes to go, those who obviously spend their days and nights watching for online auctions to close jumped in and started raising the bar. I was addicted, and just kept bidding. They outbid me by $10, I outbid them by $20. It was thrilling. Like the time I hit on a slot machine in Niagara Falls and then felt like it was “my machine” and it was going to pay me again. And would you believe it actually did? What can I say, at times I have a lucky star or like to think I do.

So there I was, outbid at five minutes to go, significantly over the maximum price I was willing to pay for the machine. I pondered what to do. I polled my co-workers, I polled my friends, I even did a little soul searching and then I did it - I pulled the trigger. With less than a minute to go, it was all mine! Sure I spent a little more than I should have or even wanted to, but at the end of the day it was a good experience and I finally have that perfect something to give the technology lover in my life for Christmas.

Double Blogging!

So now I'm blogging at work and at home. I started a work blog a while ago on our website and now am making every effort to update it daily with the latest in technology trends hitting the headlines. Check it out at: http://www.designnews.com/blog/1080000108.html

BIG wedding this weekend

So I know they annoy me on some level as they have most everyone else, but come on now, who really isn't interested in all the hype going on with the impending Katie Holmes/Tom Cruise nuptials this weekend in Italy. Being the news junky that I am - I've been following all the latest develops on People Magazine's blog on the event. Check it out at http://messages.people.com/cruise/
Liz

I know, it's been a VERY long time

I know it's been quite a while since I've updated my blog. I'm sorry. The time has simply got away with me between things happening on the homefront and changes going on at work. But I'm back and going to keep my promise to myself to keep this updated. That being said, it's super early on Thursday morning and just posting this update. I'll be back with so much more to blog on from the past couple of months later this afternoon.
Until then ...

Believe it or not, it wasn't so bad :-)

So camping, after all, wasn't so bad. I'm sure most of you can't believe it, because I was having trouble with the idea too, but it's the God's honest truth.

I had a wonderful time. The company was great, the area was absolutely beautiful and I'm so happy I went. I know it meant a lot to Craig as it was a place he spent many a summer as a child and to me that is totally priceless.

It was a bit cold Saturday night as the temperatures dipped quite a bit, but thanks to my trusty, ultra warm sleeping bag (thanks Anthony) I was nice and toasty.

Here are some photos to prove I actually did in fact go.

Enjoy!
Liz

Together at our campsite.



This sign, and my expression, say it all.



The scenery was breathtaking.



The two of us.



Who's the newbie camper? Me!

Gearing Up for the Weekend

So in case you all haven't heard yet, I'm going camping this weekend. Yes, me. It's my first foray into the trend of sleeping in a tent, on the ground, outside. While part of me is very excited to finally try this (though if you asked me a year ago I would have said "absolutely not!") there is a part of me that honestly does not know what to expect.

I'm sure it will be fun - the company at least will be enjoyable. It's just that my idea of camping has always been anything lower than a four-star hotel. Call me pretentious, call me what you will, but as a kid I never did the camping thing.

Sure I was sent off to camp. But that was tennis camp where we lived in dorms and were treated as if we were in boot camp - awoke every morning to the sound of an airhorn under the door just after 5 .m., up and in the cafe by 6 a.m. and on the courts all day until 4 (which is why we were discovered from having milk products for breakfast as they had the potential to "curdle in your stomach" while being in the hot sun all day. Tennis camp I could handle. Sleeping outside, in a tent, not so sure. But I'm trying it anyway, what's the worst that can happen? Oh, and please don't tell me.

At the very least I'm sure I'll have some great stuff to report when I get back along with some photos. Until then ...

Sunday at the pool with Baby Anthony!

It's funny - I just can't get enough of my nephew! And this weekend was no different. Spent Sunday at my parents' house at the pool - the weather was just too beautiful to spend inside cleaning, working, you name it...

So I headed down there early morning, as Craig was working, and Catherine joined us with the baby. We had the nicest day. Lots of swimming, lots of conversation and, as always a great meal and a fantastic glass of wine. (yes, I limited myself to one).

One other great thing that happened is we finally found a night in the next two weeks when we can all get together for my birthday for dinner. What a struggle - seems it's getting more difficult every year for all of our schedules to mesh, but we managed to work it out - Great team work guys!

Anyway, here are more photos of the wonderful little guy. Enjoy!


I'm swimming! Look at my legs go!


Swimming in the pool with Nana. I just love her.


I'm content, although Papi is singing to me and I'm not quite sure what, he says it's something Italian, but I just don't get it.


Chillling on the deck - I kind of like this.


I know, I'm the cutest!

More, of course!

Another weekend, another set of photos of my favorite (and only) nephew! Just had to share :-) I know, I'm the cutest little baby boy ever!
A little mid afternoon snack with Daddy and Nana - YUM!
Taking a break, working on the mechanics of crawling.
If you're happy and you know it clap your hands!

I just love the dancing duck. Can't get enough of him!

Big Dig Woes

Here we are - more than two weeks since the Big Dig proved faulty and killed a 39-year-old woman. The cause - faulty bolt and epoxy assemblies within the I-90 connector tunnel.

As investigators continue inspection every inch of the $14+ billion Central Artery Tunnel Project infrastructure, more and more faulty bolts are being found on a daily basis.

With local news outlets unveiling documents saying the bolts in that part of the project were suspect and failing years ago, and an Inspector General report questioning the materials used in the project back as far as 1998, it puts to mind the question of what went wrong - from both the material side of things and the project managers, coordinators and construction crews charged with making this state-of-the-art project other cities around the world would want to mimic. Now, it's a wonder it's all still standing.

Ah ... Urban Legends

My girlfriend sent me an e-mail Thursday morning about the importance of knowing that by dialing *677 on your cell phone you can get in touch with local police dispatch, particularly when an "unmarked" police cruiser is attempting to pull you over and there's a question as to whether or not you should. I've always been of the mindset to never pull over for an unmarked car. Instead, simply put your hazards on or continue driving to the closest town and even the closest station before pulling over where you know you will be safe in case this person is indeed a fraud. Afterall, a true officer should understand if you are simply trying to protect yourself. Her e-mail told a story that had a woman in that exact situation follow the same concept.

While the "knockoff pullover" may be the stuff of urban legend, as described on a website link sent to me by my friend Tim, the lesson learned from it is something I think far outweighs whether or not the story is true. It's always better to be safe than sorry right?

Here's that link: http://www.snopes.com/horrors/mayhem/fakecop.asp - you can check out most, if not all, urban legends here - Enjoy!

Bring Back the Dead Pool?

So I'm perusing MSNBC online this morning and see two stories about two Hollywood actors injured in car accidents in LA yesterday and early this morning. Haley Joel "I see dead people" Osment and Daniel Baldwin (the Baldwin brother we can never figure out). And immediately I'm reminded of the time my brother changed his "dead pool" list to include actors who fly their own planes after, I believe, John Travolta and another actor in a separate incident both had near misses.

Which leads me to the question at hand. We haven't had our dead pool since the days of Lou's. Anyone interested in getting back on the bandwagon? I know, I know, it's morbid, but also fun in a creepy, totally wrong sort of way. Let me know. I can create a link here and we can start them.

Looking forward to hearing from all of you!

He's Just Too Good ...

I've made a promise I won't get too personal on my blog because there are some, if not most, aspects of my life that it wouldn't be right to share with the entire world. That being said, I have to say my wonderful boyfriend, who I adore more than anything in the world, really knows how to brighten a girl's day.

He has this impeccable timing in terms of sending flowers. Sure he's sent them to me at work on my first day and on Valentine's Day, but he also tends to send them "just because" which make me turn into a super gushy 16-year-old every time.

Tuesday was no different, Paul, our mailroom guy comes by my office with his usual "what have you done now?" and presents me with my latest surprise. Two dozen Gerbera Daisies (my absolute favorite by the way) in a myriad of colors. I believe I actually squealed with delight. OK, I admit, I did, people told me.

He just really knows how to make me feel special and on the other hand, he inadvertently really knows how to make others look pretty bad. At least two of my male co-workers came by today with a look followed by a comment of, "man, he makes me look real bad." But no worries - what your wives and girlfriends don't know won't hurt them - but God help the male counterparts of my female work associates, I'm sure they are likely to hear an earful.

Aren't they beautiful?

Vacation Comes to an End

Here it is - late Sunday afternoon and my vacation is finally winding down. (Sigh) Did manage to make the most of it, even the weekend. Headed to my parent's Saturday morning and stayed there most of the weekend. Sat by the pool, cooked out and my mom, dad and I played a mean game of Scrabble - Dad won, but that's because we gave him some good words to work with. He simply added letters to most of them :-). But fair is fair and he was the winner.

Got to catch up with my girlfriend Michele this morning. It had been far too long since we last spent time together. We sat by the pool, had coffee and talked to for hours! Then we got a great surprise, Anthony came by with A4 (the best nephew ever) and of course I wouldn't be me if I didn't have my trusty camera at my side. Here are a couple of pictures of the little guy greeting my mom on his arrival. Enjoy!






And of course no set of photos would be complete without one of Daisy trying to escape the heat!

Mother Nature Stikes Again!

Yesterday Craig and I traveled north to Maine to hit the outlets in Kittery. Our mission: to finally find bedding for our master bedroom. Although we didn't come back with everything we wanted, we did manage to get a great deal on a new down comforter. And any shopping trip for me wouldn't be complete without coming home with a couple of new pairs of shoes.

While the sky opened up and we had to deal with some major rain on the way back, we were doing pretty well traffic wise until we were coming toward Boston, things seemed pretty backed up on the major roadway so we decided to pull off and take Rte. 1 home, which (if it hadn't rained so much) would have indeed been the better alternative. Instead, we found ourselves stuck - though not literally, although others were, in the water. Checking the traffic on Boston.com from my trusty Blackberry we did know there were delays and flooding in the Lynnfield tunnel, but how much really wasn't evident enough until we were actually sitting on the road approaching the tunnel. Traffic wasn't moving, and if you looked up ahead we saw the beginning of what should have been the road going under the bridge but instead looked like a raging river. Cars which tried to make it were stuck and literally bobbing in the water. There were a couple of large trucks and a bus which were going to attempt to get through. We figured depending on how high the water level was on those vehicles, we'd attempt to try it with the trusty Ram, but no dice. It was too high and we weren't going to risk it.

We did the only thing we could do. We sat and waited it out hoping once the rain subsided the water would eventually drain. Cars without any patience started backing up out of the area, others pulled off to the side while passengers walked up ahead to get a closer look. MassHighway came down to keep the peace, but believe it or not, although we were all stuck there for at least an hour, people's spirits were good. The best part - I had my trusty digital camera with me as well so I can share photos with you all! I hope you can see how deep the water is from these images.

Sunday at Mom and Dad's

Ok I've finally discovered the difficulty of posting to a blog. It was going so easily - typed in a new post, grabbed some photos to go with and then it stalled 90 percent way through the process. Ugh!

In any case, what I was saying was that I officially start my vacation today - woo hoo! But wanted to let you all know about last weekend. Last Sunday my family and some friends gathered at my mom and dad's for a celebratory birthday cookout for my brother and dad (their birthdays are a day apart). It was a great time for all complete with good company, lots of laughs, some swimming and some amazing food. Here are some photos I want to share from the day.



This is what happens when the baby swims, everyone, including the dog has to watch every moment :-) It's so much fun we all love him sooooo much!



Me and dad



Here's my brother, Catherine and Baby Anthony enjoying some pool time!



My two favorite guys - the love of my life and Baby Anthony I just love this photo!



OK, I love this one too!

Check out my links

There are two links you'll see on the left-hand side of my page. The first, Hanging Blogger, is the best ever! If you haven't checked it out be sure to do so. The second is even better - especially if you're into "bad" celebrity sightings. It's pretty harsh, yet, thoroughly amusing. I'll be updating these weekly so be sure to check back and see what's new!

I'm up and running

I can't believe how easy this actually was and I always thought I was a computer novice! I guess the new job is helping alot with my abilities to deal with things like HTML. I'm most impressed with myself. So it's Thursday night, just got home from work - played with Molly a bit (right now waiting for her to settle down a bit so I can sneak attack her and give her her medicine), poured myself a glass of wine and trying to wind down from my long day.

Long day? Who am I kidding. I'm only working three days this week and next week I'm on my first official vacation. No major plans, we're just taking it day by day and hoping to relax and get some things done that have fallen by the wayside over the past few months.

Anyway, that's it for now - going to go surf the web and catch up on all my celebrity news :-)

Welcome

Welcome to my blog. I'm hoping this will be a place where I can write and share all my thoughts and experiences along the road of life. Bear with me while I get this totally up and running. Looking forward to hearing feedback from all of you :-)