New Addition

Exciting news...we bought a car today!  We've been a one car family for a while now, 2 reasons: we didn't need one in NYC, and we didn't want to pay the money for one when we got to MA.  It worked fine in the beginning, Adam rode his bike to and from work and we were close to his office.  Now that the winter is here, the bike riding has ceased, and his office has moved a little further away and not as easily accessible by foot.  It's been tough, and though we've managed, we knew that something had to give.  Adam found a car, a Subaru of course, before Christmas and we decided that if it was still available when we got back we'd take a look.  Thankfully it was!

Love: it's what makes a Subaru, a Subaru

Adam's new ride: Maroon Outback from Central Motors in Wrentham, MA

Christmas 2009

What a fantastic end to 2009!  My husband and I spent our first Christmas together...just the 2 of us!  Of course we missed spending the day with family and friends, but we had such a special day...it even turned out to be a White Christmas!  We of course started with presents.  We not only had gifts from eachother, but also from Adam's family.  The girls were very happy with their stocking stuffers: a new ball, fleece tug, and peanut butter puppy cookies from Uncle Phil!

After presents we had a big breakfast and then took the girls for some play time in the field next to our house!  It was the perfect chance to break in our new North Face gifts to each other...Adam: a black fleece zip in for his winter coat, Erin: brown fuzzy hat and gloves to match my (sort of) new winter coat.

An accidental shot, but a fun one.

 

Maggie loves playing with sticks!  Look at her jump!

Libbey would much rather eat the treats in Adam's pockets!

After our hike we headed to the movie theater to catch the new Sherlock Holmes movie.  I thought it was fantastic, and I would highly recommend it.  Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law make a fantastic on screen pair.  The end leaves the doors open for a sequel and I certainly hope Guy Ritchie will deliver.  After the movie we came home to watch the Celtics beat up on the Magic and to cook a delicious Christmas Dinner: Herb Roasted Cornish Game Hens, Stuffing, Parmesan Zucchini, and a Sam Adam's holiday pack to top it off!  It was a perfect end to a perfect Christmas! 

The last days of 2009

Adam and I traveled to Ohio for Christmas this year.  I hadn't been to my hometown since my sister's wedding in 2007 so we were long over due for a visit.  While in Ohio we spent a few days at my sister's.  She and her wonderful husband have the best little guy in the world!  My nephew, who turned 1 on December 23, is amazing.  The last time we saw him it was about a week after his birth...WOW, a lot has changed!  Adam and I got to babysit him for 2 days and while we were exhausted by the end of it, we were so in love with him...and I think he was pretty in love with us too!!!

Look at that smile...melts the heart!

We taught him how to do "Touchdown!"

Adam and Sam, enjoying a morning beverage.

Future pitcher for the Boston Red Sox

His shirt said: "My aunt rocks!"

♥LOVE

2010 Wishes

I don't do resolutions, instead I have wishes and adventures. Adam and I do our adventures together...it's fun and every now and then we pull them out and see what we have or haven't yet accomplished. I am sharing my 2010 wishes with all of you...what do you wish for in this new year?

I wish....

that someone will find a cure for cancer...

for stronger laws against cruelty to animals...

for an end to the wars we are engaging in....

and that the troops currently serving will come home...

for an unlimited J.Crew gift card...

to be accepted to a master's program...

and for insight into which program to choose...

for an end to the recession and vast unemployment...

for lots of sun this summer...

for the Boston Red Sox to win the World Series...

and for free tickets to every game...

for the chance to own a home...

and for continued health and happiness. 

I hope all of your wishes come true this holiday season...

Happy New Year!

I...

I am: a wife, friend, daughter, teacher, dog-mom, lover of nature

I think: therfore I am.

I know: how to have fun.

I have: an amazing husband.

I wish: on a star, at a wishing well, and when I blow out candles.

I hate: people who litter!

I miss: my friends and family all over the world right now!

I fear: heights and falling.

I hear: the sound of children.

I smell: my delicious lunch.

I crave: chocolate on a regular basis.

I search: for what to do next with my life.

I wonder: what Adam is doing right now.

I regret: nothing...or at least I try not to!

I love: my dogs, and really, all animals.

I ache: from my new workouts.

I am not: always a good friend...but

I try: to be the best I can be.

I believe: in karma, and Santa.

I dance: to the beat of my own drum.

I sing: at school, in the rain, in the shower, all of the time!

I cry: while watching Extreme Makeover the Home Edition.

I fight: for the right....to party!!!

I lose: myself in books.

I never: give up.

I always: have Burt's Bees with me.

I confuse: Maynard and Wayland MA...it's the Y in the middle I think.

I listen: to music.

I can usually be found: drinking coffee.

I need: my space.

I am happy: living in Massachusetts.

I imagine: all the people, living for today!

Play along, won't you?

Quarter Life Crisis

I was just catching up on reading some blogs and I came across this article shared by Perfectly Pleasant. The ideas are so very true for many I'm sure, and the best part is that the article ends much like a Quarter Life Crisis should...there's not really a conclusion or a fix, just a statement letting us all know that we're not alone...and really, that's all most of us need right now. Enjoy.

(original article found here.)

Quarter Life Crisis
(author unknown)

It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are a lot of things about yourself that you didn't know and may or may not like. You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but then get scared because you barely know where you are now.

You start realizing that people are selfish and that, maybe, those friends that you thought you were so close to aren't exactly the greatest people you have ever met and the people you have lost touch with are some of the most important ones. What you do not realize is that they are realizing that too and are not really cold or catty or mean or insincere, but that they are as confused as you.

You look at your job. It is not even close to what you thought you would be doing or maybe you are looking for one and realizing that you are going to have to start at the bottom and are scared.

You miss the comforts of college, of groups, of socializing with the same people on a constant basis. But then you realize that maybe they weren't so great after all.

You are beginning to understand yourself and what you want and do not want. Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what others are doing and find yourself judging a bit more than usual because suddenly you realize that you have certain boundaries in your life and add things to your list of what is acceptable and what is not. You are insecure and then secure. You laugh and cry with the greatest force of your life. You feel alone and scared and confused. Suddenly change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past with dear life but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move forward.

You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do such damage to you or you lay in bed and wonder why you can't meet anyone decent enough to get to know better. You love someone but maybe love someone else too and cannot figure out why you are doing this because you are not a bad person.

One night stands and random hook ups start to look cheap and getting wasted and acting like an idiot starts to look pathetic. You go through the same emotions and questions over and over and talk with your friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to make a decision.

You worry about loans and money and the future and making a life for yourself and while wining the race would be great, right now you'd just like to be a contender!

What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it. We are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out.

Long time and a recipe

Wow, I haven't blogged in almost a month!  That's so unlike me!  Actually, I was considering deleting this, I've been fighting an internal battle lately when dealing with overexposure.  I feel like we're all putting too much of ourselves out there, nothing is private anymore.  Then again I have so much that I want to say and share sometimes that this is the best/only way to get it out.  I don't even care who reads it half the time (though I'm so glad that ppl do:) I just need to get it out there.  And that's ok...I'm not sharing my deepest, darkest secrets (though some are on other websites I've heard) and I'm not saying anything that would allow myself or others to be hurt....so I'm back again:)

Speaking of sharing, it's the holidays...the season of sharing and giving!  I love giving to others, just about as much as I love getting!  I've already gotten some wonderful gifts and have given just as many.  My favorite giving thus far was for Adam's work.  He and his co-workers had a holiday party this past Friday complete with a Yankee gift swap and a dish to pass. I decided to make monkey bread.  It's so easy, I made it that morning, and it's perfect for a large group, which his office is.  I don't cook, but I love to bake...especially this time of year.  I however don't usually like to bake for people I don't know well because I'm so afraid they'll hate it and make fun of Adam.  I was sure it wouldn't be that big of a hit, I mean it's a potluck, there was sure to be much tastier stuff.  Boy was I wrong!  After work we went to a party with his co-workers and as soon as I walked in the door Monkey Bread was the magic word!  Everyone came up telling me how great it was, putting a huge smile on my face.  They liked it so much they asked me to make it for them on Thursday...I have the day off, but they have a half day.

I have made it many times, but I did find a good one on www.momswhothink.com and I just made my own changes to it. Check out the website for lots of great recipes, and below is mine!  Happy Holidays and Happy Baking:)

Monkey Bread

Ingredients:

4 cans refrigerated biscuits
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 Tablespoons cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9-10 inch pan (you can use a tube pan, bundt pan, or regular cake pan, square or round)

2. Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a medium sized bowl. Cut the biscuits into quarters and coat them with the cinnamon/sugar mixture.

3. Arrange pieces in the bottom of the greased pan. Continue layering until all the biscuit pieces are coated and in the pan.

 4. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Pour over the layered biscuits.

5. Bake for 35 minutes. (If you are using a pan other than a tube or bundt pan, it is best to place it on a cookie sheet while baking as the biscuits will rise and the heated sugar will start to drip)  Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto a plate. Pull apart and enjoy!