busy, busy momma!

Thank god it's the weekend. Let me tell you, this week has been insanity.




Yesterday was our grand opening at work. I had to wake up at 3am to be at work by 4am. It wasn't all that bad waking up that early since I went to bed at 8:30 the night before. Our first day open went great! I had so much fun. I really didn't have a hard time at all because I've been in the coffee business over about 3 years so I know what to expect. Also, since the opening for Black Friday was such short notice my co-worker, Sierra and I, weren't trained at all. For me that wasn't a huge deal because I already know everything there is to know. The only thing that I need to get familiar with are Saxbys recipes, just because every place is different on how they make their drinks. But Sierra has no coffee experience and had a little more difficulty. Not a big deal because we had four people on yesterday. Sierra, Mike (my boss), Joey (who is actually the son of the man who is the CEO of Saxbys Company!) and myself. It's funny because Joe Grasso CEO of Saxbys Coffee Company actually came in to check out the store. He is awesome! I totally hit it off with him. That's right-- I'm hookin' it up!! Our conversation consisted of my Crocs that I was wearing which he says he wears in his office while working, about my tattoos-- he thought Sebastian's footprints were unique & my peace and love tattoo on the back of my neck was a hit with him and everyone in Saxbys since the back of our Saxbys shirt it actually says Peace & Love!
I was fine all day since it was busy. I could barely notice the time because it pretty much flew by. The mall wasn't particularly a mob seen like we all thought it was going to be. I bet Walmart had more people lined up outside than the mall itself. Honestly, I'm glad for that. Once 1:30pm hit I was out of there with a huge smile thinking that soon I will be seeing my wonderful boys at home. I am loving coming home and having Sebastian run into my arms.
As of Monday I will be starting my normal shifts, 8:30a-3:30p.








Thanksgiving was pleasant although Sebastian was having an 'off' kind of day and we ended up leaving early. That's just what it is. Anyways, it was great seeing everyone together and all the food was so tasty. I especially thought Aunt Cheryl's twice baked potato were scrumptious! And I really couldn't get enough of Aunt Janice's pumpkin cookies, I swear I had like twenty of them so far. I'm secretively hoping there are left overs so I can have twenty more. Lord help me.

Here is a picture of me and my girls chilling on the couch--

(yes, we are doing 'silent fox' with our hands. Again, this is an inside joke!)

Tonight I will be ending with some Sebastian...

To start out here is a little video of Sebastian playing with Lucy, who is the Schuler Family's newish puppy--

Now here is a picture of him all finished with dessert. I assure you as much as it looks like he has poop smeared on his face it actually is Nutella. Very, very messy!

That face. Ha! Classic. He was a little upset with me for taking this picture.

Well, that's all for tonight. Till next time!

♥A.

gobble gobble!

10 things I am Thankful for this Thanksgiving:

1.I am thankful for Bobby, & for everything he does to keep our little family fulfilled and sturdy.


2.I am thankful for Sebastian. I can not picture my life without him & no words can describe how he has transformed me. I am blessed to have him.


3.I am thankful for my father, because we helped each other get through the good, the bad & the ugly. And even though we are far apart we still are close at heart.


4.I am thankful for my Schuler Family. All of them. I truly am lucky to be part of such an energetic, loving & caring bunch of amazing people. And it's great that they put up with me. SIRRRRR! (inside joke people).


5.I am so thankful for being able to be a stay-at-home-momma for almost a year and a half!


6.I am thankful for a healthy body (even though I still would like to shed a few more pounds).


7.I am thankful for having my Kindle, for I have every book imaginable at my finger tips.


8.I am thankful for all my weekly shows; especially Glee which makes me pee myself from laughter, & Vampire Diaries for all the mind blowing events that make me gasp.


9.I am thankful for my new job. It is working out so perfectly.


10. I am thankful for blogging. It allows me to stay connected with people, express myself & have fun!!


What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?


I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving even though it signifies the barbaric & primitive blood shed of turkeys :)

Eat well & laugh lots!!!
♥A.

Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah-ah

Let me tell you, I am super duper excited about the coffee shop. It's right smack in the middle of the mall and gets so much attention. I went down there today to help out Mike (my new boss) clean & organize the store. I swear I already had a bunch of people stop and ask when we will be opening. I even had this old man come up to the counter and before I could even begin to talk he had ordered a Tall Regular Coffee & handed me money! So yes, I think this store is going to be very successful. Not to mention that I enjoy Mike very much. He is young guy who is completely laid back & funny. Besides the fact that he is a total babe, I think he is the best boss ever! I really love it when I have a down to earth kind of boss. I am always nervous about it because it's hard to find people that are so open to the fact that I have facial piercings & visible tattoos. In the past I've actually turned down jobs because they wouldn't allow my piercings. And to me my piercings are part of me. As lame as that may sound to some, that's just how it is. At least for now.
Moving on. Black Friday looks like a go! YAY! But –- Booooo! to me having to wake up crazy early. Oh well, the money will be nice.
I will be going back tomorrow morning to stock as much as we can for Friday. Also I'm going to try to take some pictures to show you, my readers how cute my shop is!! Make sure you come back and visit tomorrow :-)




Gahhh, this week is going to be crazy. Since I am going to be spending most my morning tomorrow at work I will be stuck cooking like a maniac in the evening.
Which reminds me that I must share something funny with you...So, I forget if I mentioned that a few weeks ago we went shopping at our local grocery store and spent so much money that we got a FREE turkey! Anyways one morning last week Bobby ran to the store to pick something up (I forget what?) and he said he would take our coupon and get our turkey. So he did. Of course he comes home with a 20 pound-er!!!!!


Our conversation:
Me: Oh My God! Is that the turkey?!
Bobby: Yeah, Why?
Me: It's huge! What the hell am I going to do with that...
Bobby: What do you mean?
Me: Ummm, that won't fit in our oven.
Bobby: Ohh...

I so totally get what he was thinking...free turkey-- get the biggest bad boy in the whole bunch. Yet he wasn't thinking about it being too big for our oven. Pshhh who in the heck would even think about that detail?? Well, ME!

Just so you can judge for yourself, check out my oven>

No way that 20 pound bird is fitting in there. Trust me. I tried. No biggie. I just gave Lori (mother-in-law) a call and asked her if she by any chance had bought her turkey. Praise the lord she had not! Problem solved. I gave her our turkey and in return she bought us a couple sizes smaller. Thanks MUM!

 
 
 

By the way did you realize that there is less than a week left of November??

I know. I just realized!!
♥A.

on a begining & ending

Our little dinner get together was nice. The evening started out with some light appetizers with some drinks & all the 'how are you' & 'what's new' yak. After having a nice woman to woman chat with Bridgett while our men were outside doing god knows what, I fired up my oven to start warming up dinner. Of course, I had everything all done and ready before our guest came so all I had to do is reheat. Personally I love getting my cooking done a couple hours before hand, that way I can tidy up, relax, shower & put my face on without any rush. I must say that my food turned out wonderfully. I was kind of nervous at first because I've never had Matt & Bridgett over for dinner and I do usually collaborate ahead of time but just never got around. Anyways, doesn't really matter because my Chicken Marsala was a big hit with them and I was happy about that. Now my favorite part of dinner were my Ultimate Twice Baked Potatoes. They were remarkable! I have not yet made them before and I am extremely proud with how they turned out...take a look!!

I made half with chives, bacon & cheese and the other half with broccoli bits, bacon & cheese. The picture to the side is actually before I put them into the oven. They looked even better afterward since I sprinkled extra cheddar cheese on the tops which no doubt melted in the oven and gave them an additional flavor. The best part is that we have leftovers. Yay! Bobby was able to take a good amount with him to work today and I also will get to sink my teeth into some for my dinner tonight. Amen.

Now moving on to things about this week.

Of course it's Thanksgiving on Thursday! I will be doing lots of preparing throughout this week because I not only will be making Bobby's Turkey dinner since he will not actually be able to join us & family on Thursday due to work. But I will be on dessert duty for Thanksgiving dinner at my in-laws. For that I will be make my Famous Pumpkin Pie (by the way I think I've baked more pumpkin pies this season than I have ever in my whole life!) Yummmm. Oh and also at my mother-in-laws request I am making my Grilled Eggplant Dip more formally known as Babaganoush for an appetizer.

As of tomorrow I will officially start work! Sort of. Tomorrow I will be going into my new shop to help get everything organized, put away, clean & ready to go for our Grand Opening on Black Friday. Well that's if all goes according to plan. I guess tomorrow afternoon the Township will be coming in to do one last inspection and if they check everything off the list then we will be all set!! I am excited to finally get acquainted with my soon to be partner in crime –- De'Longhi Espresso Machine. I love De'Longhi machines and I most likely will be the one knocking out Lattes & such since my fellow manager co-worker has no coffee experience! Oh well, I don't mind. I miss the whole steaming & frothing process.

One thing I am weary about is if we do open on Friday and since it is Black Friday the mall will be opening at 5:30am so that will mean that I will most likely be waking up at 4am! Help me. All in all I am very excited to get back to making the money!

Until then I will be cherishing every minute with my little boy :)
♥A.

poison apple reviews: my ulitmate movie reaction!

So sorry that I've been MIA for a couple of days but I have had a very eventful weekend!

Now that I have a chance to finally sit down, relax & write here it goes...


Disclaimer: If you have not yet seen New Moon just be awear that this post is all about it! Don't want to ruin it for anyone...




HOLY COW. New Moon was amazing & I think it is a notable improvement over Twilight.
My thoughts ( in no particular order):

• I did think that the movie was slow at times.
• There was less awkwardness than Twilight. Acting was better & flowed better. The theater busted out laughing less during New Moon than Twilight...

Scenes that I was not a fan of --

• When Bella is out with Jessica, sees the guys then just hops on some dudes motorcycle to be 'reckless'! Come on. Lame.
• Bella falls off her motorcycle and heads bleeding. So Jacob says some cheese ball line then just like a tool rips his shirt off?!?! Okay, I'll be honest I have kind of a mixed feeling about that scene...I think It was totally corny. Not only the way it was acted but I thought the way the camera was angled at him made it even worse. Now, he is totally crazy hot and after the scene I couldn't help wishing I could just rewind and watch that all over again!!!
• The whole thing that happened to Harry Clearwater. BOOOO! But on the flip side I did enjoy the part were the wolves were on a high speed chase after Victoria.
• Volturi didn't seem as scary as they should have been.
• Oh, and at the end when they were through with the Volturi and are walking out while helpless people are walking into their doom...What. The. Hell. There were kids in the group! Did that bother anyone else???

Things I loved –-

• Not sure why but for some reason I felt like Kristen Stewart was more Bella-ish in this movie. However now that she cut her hair short & dyed it black for her role as Joan Jett in 'The Runaways' that is all going to change since in Eclipses she will be wearing a wig. WHY!!!
• Okay, so Jacob was awesome!-- mad props to Taylor Lautner for making the monster in Jacob come out beautifully. All round, the wolves were portrayed well.
• Also I have to say that I love Charlie. I think the one who plays Charlie –- Billy Burke does a great job. Seriously he is just like I imagined in the books. Love it!
• The scene with Bella running to the clock tower to save Edward from his suicide attempt was very dramatic and hair-rising!

After all is said and done I do really wish that they did the journey back home from Italy, that is the one thing I was very disappointed in...

Soo00oo, those are some of my thoughts. Definitely could have been better but what book made into a movie is perfect. I've yet to find one.
I just can't wait for New Moon to come out on DVD! And now I have a new countdown...only 219 days left till Eclipses...UGHHH!

♥A.

"It was like my heart was gone – like I was hollow. Like I’d left everything that was inside me here with you.”

Before I begin I just want to say Happy Birthday Glen! A tiny bit belated but yesterday I just couldn't get to my computer. Anyways, Glen you still got it goin' on my man! And I miss you terribly. By the way, I just wanted to be honest and say that I am totally jealous. Seeing all the pictures on Julee's blog of my precious GHB gang together having fun...ughhhh. I miss everyone so much. Oh well, that's what happens when you move all the way across the country. Ha.

On some weekend news:


So, It's Saturday. Do you know what that means? NEW MOON! Yes, I am very excited. Okay, more like jumping out of my pants! Not only am I excited about seeing the movie, that I've been waiting for since last November but because I am going to see it with Brittany Schuler. Bobby's middle sister who is very down to earth & fun! I can be myself most with her because of her free-spirit. COME ON SEVEN O'CLOCK!!
Until seven I will be enjoying the afternoon with my boys :-)




Now tomorrow will be a different story for I will be in the kitchen cooking together a yummy dinner for our guests that are coming. Although I was able to get all my cleaning down during the week I still have some dusting to do as well. Which I have no idea why I do because once I do it the next day the dust will be right back where It started. Lame. I am really looking forward to tomorrow night. Our guests Matt & Bridgett have never been to our place and I always love having new company so I can show off my cute little apartment.
Matt is one of Bobby's 'car' buddies which means that they originally met through their cars. Now that I think about it -- Bobby has met most of his friends through his car. Ha. I love hanging out with them two especially because Matt has Bridgett and when Matt & Bobby are busy talking their 'car' talk (boring) Bridgett & I talk about normal stuff. Hooray!




Sebastian is getting more teeth in. He is chewing on everything!




At this time in exactly a month we will be on the airplane flying to Seattle! It will be so great to see everyone.
I am especially looking forward to; going out with Tanya, going with my family & Tanya to Forks, Washington!!!!, getting to together with my GHB family at lovely Lisa's house, staying up late to talk to my dad, having my sisters again to get ready with in the bathroom, cooking in the kitchen with Xenia (step-mom), but most of all I am over joyed that we will be able to share Christmas with my family!
I am not looking forward to; having a 6am flight out to Seattle, nervous about how Sebastian will act on the plane ride, the time flying by once we hit Washington soil, saying good-bye, and unpacking!

Enjoy your weekend!

♥A.

New Moon

YAY! New Moon is officially out. Don't ask me why I am still up since it is 1:00am but call me crazy. I am just to damn excited. Wierd. I know.

In honor of New Moon here is Robert Pattinson on The Late Show with David Letterman.

So funny. I thought it was great that David brought up the rumor of Robert & Kristen dating and Rob seriously looked like he was about to admit it!! I loved the bit when Rob showed Dave is American accent.

GoOoOoOD NIGHTTT!
♥A.

a letter to you

Dear Sebastian,

I was laying in bed last night thinking of you. Wondering what your dreaming about, hoping that your little piggy toes are covered. I just could not help myself for when I went up to peer over your crib this sudden urge came upon me –- I couldn't help but snatch you out of bed. I'm sorry, but I had too. So I did. However, I don't think you noticed at all because you were very much asleep. For that I am glad. It was so great having you all snuggled up against me. All I could do was watch you sleep. You are very cute when you're sleeping!
Well, as you were sleeping I talked to you. Yes, I know hunny Mommy's weird. Anyways I just wanted to let you know that you're growing too fast...I mean it feels like just the other day I was walking around the apartment with you (little bean form) in my arms rocking you to sleep. What happened? Where did that little bean go? I think the point I'm trying to make is if you could maybe just...You know. Stop growing...Okay, thanks!
That's pretty much it. Thanks for letting me steal you just so I could stare at you, breath you in, hold you, admire you, and love you.
Now don't worry because after all  I took you back to your sweet sea of slumber without you even noticing.


Love,
Your Momma♥!




ps: you have your Momma's moves :-)

on a few thing I am loving...

These are a few things I am loving (at the moment):

• 
  
  I am very much loving this little piece of art. I think this will be my current motto in life.
So Very Happy Art by Shelli Dorfe

• Right now, I am loving Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt by Stoneyfields (vanilla flavored). Have you tried it yet? It's such a wholesome snack that I find particularly great in the afternoon when Sebastian is done for a nap. Not sure why but it has become a ritual for me. None the less yogurt is something I must be in the mood for so I'll give it another week...

• Speaking of snacky foods, we did our weekly shopping at Samsclub and while browsing around I discovered some Apple Cinnamon Cookies by Motts. I have never ever seen them at Samsclub or any other store for that matter so I decided to test them out on Sebastian, since I like to get him different snacks to try every once in a while. I always love most of Motts products because of their healthy nature. Well, Sebastian thought they were very scrumptious so being curious I taste tested one myself. Oh boy was it heavenly. Sebastian shared a few more with me :-)

• It dawned on me the other day that I haven't splurged on anything since I've had Sebastian. Sure I've bought clothing items here or there or a knickknack once in a while but nothing I've really wanted. Instead I have mostly just really focused on things I 'need'. Which is something you must do when you have a budget that you have to stick to. Now that I am going back to work I WANT TO SPLURG! Naturally I have known what it is that I want and after doing some research in finding the best price Amazon has yet again surprized me.

I want this bad boy--

The Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with 18/55mm Lens

Again, I honestly don't have any clue what all that means but after seeking out friends that are actual photographers they say this piece is a gem! Oh how I love thee. Don't judge.

• 
  
  Lastly, at the moment I am loving the fact that there is almost a month left till Bobby, Sebastian & I are boarding a plane and heading out to Seattle. Makes me just want to leap in joy thinking about it! The only person I know that is more excited than me is my dad. Every single time I talk to him on the phone (which is pretty much everyday) he is always bringing up our trip. He is already asking what he needs to get in order for Sebastian to be comfortable and, it's funny, because he is already telling me that he's baby proofing the place. My dad is thrilled to see Sebastian again & I have a feeling I won't even get to kiss let alone even touch my son while we are out visiting because Grandpa will be hogging him to the max! HEY, no problem there. HA.

♥A.

What are your joys in life at the moment?? Do tell!

"I don't want to say it's breaking my heart"

It could just be the PMS talking but I think I'm at my breaking point. I spend so much time pleasing people. Looking out for people. Trying my best to help people be pointed in the right direction. To be a good person. To help people not be driven to do 'bad' things in this big, confusing world that we live in. What does that make me? A saint. No. I am simply a huge heart-ed person that will put others before myself. Eventually I do recieve something in return but most of the time I feel that everything I do just gets thrown into the bin labeled 'trash'.
I am an extremely forward person. If there is something needed to be said, I say it! I really don't care because if I see that there is something that has to be brought up for the sake of someones well-being it's something I can not turn away from. Sure there are times where it can get me in more trouble then I want but in the end I feel true to myself and never regret what I have to say.
I feel that sometimes I may have thought I've known someone so well but in a split second it can turn complete 360 and feel like they're another awkward stranger.

It hurts.

Why can't people realize what they have? Listen to others? Even when maybe it might seem like they are stupid, frustrating, annoying, nosey, just maybe they want the best for you. Just maybe if you take their advise it might change your life.
It sure would make my job easier...
I guess what I am trying to say is, who are you? Look at yourself in the mirror and truly look.
As for me, I'll be focusing on me and my little family!!








On a lighter note, only 4 moons til Brittany (sister-in-law) & I will be seeing New Moon!

(photo via bazar.com)

Live Well

♥A.

womanhood blows!

I'm bloated and a little cranky. On days like today I frickin' love sweatpants, my fleece blanket, Sebastian taking extra long naps, Bobby--for being so sweet, and our victorian clawfoot bathtub to soak in. This time of the month, not just for me but for most women just sucks! (sorry boys, girl talk!) I'm already looking forward for it to be over...




This morning we went to check out Play & Learn...and we ended up really liking the place! It is very neatly layed out with lots of fun toys & activities. Sebastian will be hanging out with 12-24 month old children with one adult per five kids. They even have the Keystone Stars (Standards, Training, Assistance, Resources) Program, which is basically just a program that helps quality early learning.
At first when we arrived we were seated in the directors office Sebastian was a little uneasy because he had no idea what the heck was going on. Once we started our tour of the place he felt right at home. He was able to get a feel of the room that he will be in with all his kiddie friends. My boy had no shame, he ran around grabbing toys & playing. We were even able to sit in on a Circle Time where a lady was reading a book to a group of kids. Sebastian was in awe.
I am glad that Play & Learn met our expectation and now we're all set for me going back to work. Pheewww!






For this up and coming weekend Bobby and I are planning on having a nice little dinner party. Our newlywed friends Matt & Bridgett are coming over to enjoy a nice evening of conversation with some of my fine cooking. I have decided that I will be making a full-flavored Chicken Marsala with mushrooms, yellow squash + zuchhini. Also, for my starch I will be putting together Ultimate Twice Baked Potatos. That's right, I said ultimate! Now since my Chicken Marsala will already have some veggies I will be making a light & simple side of Garlic Roasted Asparagus. Dessert will be none other than my Famous Pumpkin Pie. As you can tell I am quite excited. I always love entertaining with friends & family.

I can't believe New Moon comes out this week AaaaHHhhhh!

(photo via seattlepi.com)

Five days for me. sigh.

Time for my show OTH & Gossip Girl :)

Peace!

♥A.

blah blah blah

Well I must say, I had a fun filled day with my boys yesterday. At first we were planning on taking Sebastian to see Disneys A Christmas Carol but after many people informing me & reading more into the reviews the movie seems to be more of an adult movie. It is said to have many scary parts to it, so we went to see Astro Boy instead. It was a very cute movie & Sebastian enjoyed himself very much. After our movie we headed over to Red Robin for some dinner. It's always a treat to get my hands on my favorite crispy chicken burger (usually what I get every time). Sebastian loves looking at all the fun pictures/painting on the walls & of course not to forget the balloon he gets at the end of our meal :)

Best part of my night was when we bought our large soda at the concession stand I got myself a free pastic reusable NEW MOON CUP!!!! Number 2 to my collection of Twilight Saga cups..Don't laugh!!!

I can't help worring about my dad, which is most likely the reason why I slept like complete crap! But that is just how I am. For most of the day Sunday my dad was in unbearable pain and it was as if the pain medication he was given wasn't even affecting him. After talking to my step-mom, Xenia, she ended up calling the doctor to see if there is anything that can be done. It just so happens that my dad wasn't taking the right doseage & because of his weight the dosage is suppose to be increased. So I am really hoping that he is more comfortable after this slight increase. My dad is a very strong man but he isn't his young self anymore & I think that is one of the reasons my dad is a little spooked by all the pain that he is feeling. He has always been a man to just shrug off any pain he has ever experienced & now he truely can't do that & I know he is frightened. So am I. I KNOW he will be fine..blah blah blah. But he's my dad...

We met with Jen a speech therapist that works at the same school my mother-in-law works at. Jen is seriously one the friendliest people out there. I met her for the first time in the summer & right from the start in talking to her it felt like I was talking to someone that I've had a life long friendship with. I like her because she really knows what she is talking about & you can really see that she is passionate about what she does. After playing & interacting with Sebastian Jen gave me alot of different tips on sounds and signs that I can initiate into an everyday routine. All around today was more of a learning experiance for me & I was able to see realize things about Sebastian through a different point of view. Sebastian is a very talented boy who is learning so fast!

Tomorrow is the day that we go check out Play & Learn Daycare. I have a whole page of questions to ask the director lady as well as lots I will be looking out for. I am really hoping it will work out and be a safe & educational environment for him.

Time for some snuggling in bed with my man & movies!

Buhhh--bye

♥A.

on paraskevidekatriaphobia!?

Oh.Em.Gee. For those of you that watch Vampire Diaries, last nights show was ridiculous (in a good way). We finally found out the real reason Damon came back to Mystic Falls. I can not believe that Katherine is actually under the church in a tomb along with 26 other blood sucking vampires for the past century and a half! My feeling is that they aren't too happy. Also, did you notice that Emily was able to defeat Damon with just a wave of her hand! If Stefan wouldn't have came to his rescue Damon would still be hanging up against a tree with a tree branch through is torso. Does that mean Bonnie will eventually (with more training & practice) be able to keep Damon in line? Wow, I know that would be really useful.
What do you think about the new history teacher Alaric Saltzman (now that is definitly a vampire name.HA. Yet it almost sounds Harry Potterish) who is actually Matthew Davis from "Legally Blonde"-- remember? Elle Woods ex boyfriend. So, what, is he good or bad?? I personally think that he might be somehow related to Katherine because he too has one of those magical rings that allows him to walk in the daylight. As for being good or bad I think I need to see more of him to decide.
Lastly, I have to say that the end was a little too Twilight for me. Girl says 'don't leave me!'. Boy says 'I have to. It's for your own good'. Boy walks off to leave the girl there to cry over her broken heart. Yeah, talk about New Moon deja vu. BUT. Did you know that The Vampire Diaries books were actually written way before Twilight was...yup the first book came out in 1991.
Good god. I almost forgot. Logan is back! And he is a vampire. What!? How!? Crap!




Today was quite a day. I spend most of my morning and early afternoon researching child care for Sebastian. I honestly didn't think it would be so difficult in finding a place that would take Sebastian for only a couple hours each day. Most of the places I called either were only fulltime daycares or only accepting children two years & oldler.
But thanks to my sweet mother-in-law, who helped me tremendously, I think we may have found our place! PLAY & LEARN is our winner. It's located not to far from where we live & the best thing is that it is literally right next to the TurnPike, so Bobby will drop Sebastian off and hop on the highway to get to work. Also they will accept the hours we need and the rate is extremely reasonable. I made an appointment for Monday to have a tour with the director of the place. I am really hoping it works out for us. Cross your fingers.


Thank you to everyone that kept my father in their thoughts. His surgery was a success. I even got to talk to him on his way home from the hospital although he was a little doped up on some pain killers it was great hearing his voice. He will be bedridden for a few days and will only be allowed liquids to eat. Plus no lifting anything! YOU hear dad, NO LIFTING!

Hope you had a Happy Friday the 13th!

♥A.

on being worried...

Just wanted to start out saying that I had my first offical work meeting! We mainly worked on scheduling which is something I really wanted to figure out. It looks like I will be working Monday through Friday 8:30am to 3:30pm. How great is that??!?! It is the perfect schedule for me. I will most likely still be able to see Sebastian in the morning since he wakes up around 7:30-8ish which will really make a differance for me. Now, I am still going to have to put Sebasitan into daycare for about three hours everyday, but it will be such an excellent experience for him.

Until then, I will be cherishing the next two weeks I have at home with my son.

Moving on, I love to bake & usually the one thing I have to bake every month or so are my famous oatmealchip cookies. Great Harvest had the best oatmeal chocolatechip cookies ever & so I've kinda created my own recipe to fill the void of GHB cookies. They aren't nearly as great as the original GHB oatmealchip buttttt they do the trick...They definitly are one of my guilty pleasures!!

Not to mention my boys can eat that whole plate if I'm not looking HA.

Movies I really want to see:

• The Blindside
• Planet 51 (Sebastian will get a kick out of this one!)
• Avatar (I know. I know. But It looks COOL)
• Pirate Radio (WHAT! Rock music being banned. That's just bonkers)
• Men Who Stare at Goat

Have you seen any of them yet??

Anyways, since all the leaves are pretty much on the ground now Sebastian & I take joy in playing with all them. In my neighborhood there are tons of gigantic piles of leaves that people have raked, blown etc. on to the curb. It really is super hard to resist...As you can see HA!

I felt bad. The pile shown above belongs to the elderly next door neighbors (I seriously think they're 100 years old). I swear they spent a whole day raking their yard to bring together this colorful pile. So, I took a quick picture & RAN!

Lastly, I would like to say that my dad tomorrow morning will be going in to have his surgery to repair his Hernia. I so wish I could be there for him. But I know he will be in good hands with having my two sisters plus my step-mom to help out. No doubt it will be on my mind from now on till I get the phone call that he is home in bed.

♥A.

on some things I miss...

I miss my sisters. They were here for only the summer but It felt like so much longer. I loved having their company all the time, next to me whenever I need an extra hand or a shoulder. I still sometimes sit on the couch and look over to where their air mattress rested & sulk. Since I'm out numberd by boys at my place it was so nice to have some female presence in the atmosphere. I miss Michelle's messy self (can't believe I'm actually saying this), but I do. I miss doing her hair before we go out. Or her extremely funny impressions, she can do the best impressions of people & I usually laugh my butt off!
I miss Krisztina's long brown beautiful hair (that sometimes I just wanted to cut off & paste on to my head. I know. creepy). I miss her natural ablility of neatness & helpfullness. Never had to ask her to do anything. I would just look over and she would be cleaning that or orginizing this...it was like she read my mind at times (scary).
But most of all I miss how they interacted with Sebastian, with such love.
Even though I am looking forward to summer I know I won't be blessed with having them for the whole summer because they are teenagers now (::sigh::) and they do want to 'chill' with friends on summer break. So, I won't make them spend their summer being my slaves (::wink::). 


I miss the everyday things. The things that I, for the longest time, didn't think would ever leave me. Things that in my tender age never thought would end up altering.
Like on weekends, getting up early to go to a job site & working with my dad. He might not know this but those days that he took me out with him were like nothing else. Working & building & creating with him is one of my most valued memories. The hard work, the lessons really shaped me as a person. It's great because I know Sebastian will have the chance at these kind of memories. Bobby is already talking about bringing Sebastian out & showing him the science on automobiles, just like how Bobby's father did for him. Makes my heart swell with joy at the thought.
I miss my dear dirtbike. There was nothing better than coming home from school & throwing down my backpack on the porch, grabbing all my gear and taking a nice ride to relieve all the stress. The rush you get with the speed of the bike, the wind racing by you yet the world ahead moves in a blur that you have no sense of time. It was like my own natural high. I remember at times that it was one of the things that got me through my day. Oh how I miss you. 


I miss Glen Cunningham. If you're reading this Glen, I miss you! After my dad, Glen is the most influential man in my life. I really can't explain how much he taught me. I miss his powerful voice saying 'SUG'! (short for sugar, his nickname for me), or his bear hugs, or making him lunch made up of his favorite chicken salad sandwhich with cheese, bag of chips & a big oatmeal chip cookie. He was always one to believe in me & push me to my fullest potential. No questions asked. No matter what, Glen was always his cheerful self, most the time being a goofball even though he wasn't even trying to be. It comes natural for him (::giggle::). I miss Glen.


I miss all these familiar things. Yet, in a few years I just might miss the familiar things going on now, presently. We grow up. I will always remember.

♥A.

on some laughter...

Today is the day that the cute little Disney Pixar movie 'UP' came out. I have been waiting for today for a while since I was not able to make it to the theater to watch it. So, Sebastian & I headed over to Target to get our hands on the movie to bring home with us to watch his evening. Let me tell ya, Sebastian loved it! He was cracking up hysterically the whole time & thought that the dogs with the translating collars were the funniest thing ever. It really is a great movie for all ages :)

I just had to take video of Sebastian's bursts of laughter as we watched!!

Good Night

on who I am...

I am...

...feeling sore lately. Most everyday I am either waking up with a headache/migraine or just waking up with tention in my shoulders & neck. Not sure what is causing this. Naturally you're suppose to go to the doctor to find out why, but i'm not really liking our current doctor (sorry but I like my doctors to speak english). And our insurance is changing once the new year starts, so I don't want to change doctors til that is in effect. And when I do get around to getting an appointment I want to get labs done (since i've never had any done. ever!) that way I will be up to date on what the heck my body is doing.

...I'm always one to DIY -- and I've been very creative in that sense. In the past I've picked up knitting but never really made it long enough to actually knit something (funny how that works). So, for my goal this month is to re-kindle my relationship with knitting needles & a ball of yarn. Wish me luck!

...extremely grateful for my boyfriend.

...obsessed with New Moon (it's bad!). I can't express how much I am looking forward to the movie. I swear before bed every night I whip out my Itouch and watch all the trailers.

...lately I've been wishing the whole middle part of the United States would just split away from the eastside & westside & just move elsewhere (i don't care where). Just so Washington & Pennsylvania could be side my side. I'm thinking this feeling is currently stronger than ever because there are only 40 days til our trip out to Seattle. Knowing that means eventually leaving, which is always very hard for me.

...and currently, that's me in three winks...

I wish everyone a happy day!!

♥A.

weekend

Whoooaa, only 2½ weeks til Thanksgiving! Unfortunately Bobby is working. Sucks...It never is the same without having him on holidays. But he had to take one for the team so he could take off time for Christmas in Seattle! It won't be that big of a bust since I am going be cooking him a whole turkey feast. He will have his own little Thanksgiving at work.

Though, this year I am going to try out a new turkey recipe (not to mention I got my free turkey from Acme the other day.JOY): Roasted Turkey with Maple Cranberry Glaze -- by Paula Deen. I will be making his absoulte favorite pineapple stuffing (which isn't really a traditional Thanksgiving dish, but I like to make whatever his heart desires). Of course some yummy mashed potatos & my famous pumpkin pie. It's funny because I told him what I was planning on cooking for him and he got so excited that he said 'no way i'm not sharing any of my food with people at work'. I laughed.
Sebastian & I will no doubt be spending our Thanksgiving at the Schuler residence :)




Today was a very eventful day for us. We ended up just waking up, feeding Sebastian his morning bottle & than heading out to have some breakfast. We met up with Bobby's co-worker, Greg who recommended a diner called Tom Jones! (I was pretty much sold by the name hahha). Sebastian ordered some scrumptious french toast & shared some of my hash browns! Breakfast was a success.
After breakfast we traveled maybe 5 miles from the diner to Boeing at Ridley Park, PA where the SCCA Auto-X (I'm not even going to pretend that I even know what all that even means) was held. Basically it's for anyone to run their car through an obstical course made up of cones to see how fast they can get through. It was a very advanced course so it was neat watching people try their hardest to get the best time -- best time that we saw while we were there was 27 seconds, which is exremely good!
Here are some pictures of our time there...

Sebastian had the best view!

 

...Sebastian's loved seeing all the Go-carts.

He really is so much fun!

VW Scirocco (my favorite car at the event)

Bobby & Greg being men (grunting & what not..)

Action shot--Sebastian's face is priceless!

Our day ended at the park, like usual. I swear Sebastian has so much energy. It is always such a fun time with him & I feel blessed to have such a sweet boy!

(photo via radaronline.com)

Only 11 days til New Moon!! Already have my tickets for Saturday the 21st. Do you have your tickets yet? You never know, better to be safe than sorry!

Ending the night with The Proust Questionnaire, have you heard of it?? It is a questionnaire that Proust himself filled out twice in his life time, once when he was thirteen & another time when twenty. He was not the one that invented this questionnaire however he had the most phenomenal answers (hince the title of the survey).
Here are my answers...what are yours?


1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
seeing my son grow is happiness; reading a great novel is happiness; watching my son and man interact with smiles and laughs is happiness; making our life flourish is happiness.


2. What is your greatest fear?
i am afraid of fear itself.


3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
my tendency of being a perfectionist...


4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
poor health, absurd judgements and self centeredness.


5. Which living person do you most admire?
my father, for is wisdom and his timeless love for me and my son.


6. What is your greatest extravagance?
the most expensive thing I have ever bought so far is my laptop (not including the flatscreen t.v Bobby & I bought together).


7. What is your current state of mind?
passive.


8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
i would have to say forgiveness; honestly because sometimes you just can not forgive.


9. On what occasion do you lie?
When I happen to be in a bad situation.


10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?
Simple, my feet!


11. Which living person do you most despise?
One who is no longer in my life but who deep down wishes to be...


12. What is the quality you most like in a man?
Passion.


13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Guineness.


14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
"dude", "papasons!", & "i love you".


15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Robert. Never has there ever been another true love!


16. When and where were you happiest?
July 29, 08. Don't think there has ever been a time where I smiled & cried with such love.


17. Which talent would you most like to have?
The ability to ballet dance :)


18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would change it so that I would be more patient.


19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My son & my relationship.


20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
Perhaps a bird.


21. Where would you most like to live?
In the hearts of others.


22. What is your most treasured possession?
My father's crucifix, that he passed down to Sebastian.


23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
A dirty conscience.


24. What is your favorite occupation?
A hairstylist.


25. What is your most marked characteristic?
My confidence.


26. What do you most value in your friends?
Bluntness & laughter.


27. Who are your favorite writers?
J.d salinger, Jodi Picoult, Stephenie Meyer.


28. Who is your hero of fiction?
J.r ward♥


29. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Honestly...i have no clue.


30. Who are your heroes in real life?
My father, no doubt. After everything he still stands tall & is starting over for the better.


31. What are your favorite names?
Sebastian, Edward, Ophelia & Willow.


32. What is it that you most dislike?
I dislike sloppy & deranged drivers; I dislike lazy people; & I dislike fruit.


33. What is your greatest regret?
I regret nothing.


34. How would you like to die?
With a smile.


35. What is your motto?
Life is the magic of risking everything for a dream nobody sees but you'

 ♥A.