Annual Gingerbread House

Well as is tradition, we made our annual Gingerbread House a couple weekends ago. This year our friends, Christie and Flip, came over to help construct and decorate our little house. We had a lot of fun, and managed to get most of the candy on the house instead of in our mouths, so that was another triumph! Little sour patch kids ice skating on the lake behind the GB House.

Christie's tree masterpiece. Must say our landscaping is nice this year

Chris made this wagon for the yard. If only I had a real wagon in my yard that carried gigantic hershey kisses!

Flip constructed the beautiful garden in the front of the house

There is a Christmas tree inside, but it's hard to see in the pic

3rd & Final Cake Class Cake

I have officially graduated from Course 1 of Wilton Cake decorating. They even give you a little degree certificate haha.

Anyway, here is my 3rd cake. Obviously Christmas themed. The pics came out a little blurry but you get the idea. Chris took it to work to share with the English department, so I won't have an opportunity to get better shots. Course 2 starts in January and I can't wait!

Cake Week II - Tada!!!

Tada! Here is my second cake. Last night we learned how to make different types of flowers (see top rim of cake), and the shell pattern (see bottom rim of cake) and practiced an animal of our choice. As I started today with a blue cake, I went with penguins and practiced the flow technique to make their little iceberg home.

Christie and Flip are coming over to help eat cake tonight, so I won't do as much damage this weekend!

Cake Catastrophe

I ate 3 pieces this weekend. The rest ended up in the trash before I could do any more damage!

I was weak, and will likely see the negative results, but I have to say it was YUMMY!!!

Cake Decorating 101

So I just had my first "hands on" cake decorating class. It is a 4 week Wilton cake decorating course at Michael's Craft Store, and it is lots of fun. Today we practiced dots, stars, hearts, squiggles, and the "Wilton Rose". So here is my first cake attempt with a rainbow made of stars and some roses at the bottom. Admittedly my roses need work, but they are really hard!

The only downside to this class is that fact that I am on a diet, so though the cake looks oh so yummy, I can't eat any of it. To top that, Chris is away for the weekend so it is just me, the dog and the cake. Might need to chuck it before I give in to the dark side!

Even a Great Husband Makes a Very Poor God

Iam cheating and posting one of my email devotionals. It is not a new message, but a good one to remember from time to time

Devotion:

I’ve often wished I could travel back 16 years ago and give my “young bride self” some advice. But since that’s not possible, I love sharing what I’ve learned with others. Recently, I had dinner with a 28 year-old friend who would love to one day be married. During our time together the conversation flowed freely about all sorts of things. Blogs. Writing. Leaving your comfort zone because God said so. Biscuits. You know, girl stuff. And then we moved on to the subject of relationships and marriage.

I shared with my friend that when I was single I thought marriage was all about finding the right partner. I thought if you find "the one," you'll be happy, secure, and fulfilled. I do think it's good to have a list of standards that you look for in a spouse. However, it can never be with the expectation that if you find that special someone, he'll right all your wrongs and fill up all your insecurities. The problem with this thinking is the pressure it will eventually put on your spouse.
To expect another person to make you feel happy, secure, and fulfilled will leave you disappointed at best and disillusioned at worst. Even a great husband makes a very poor God.
Only God can settle those deep heart-needs. A man can never do this. If a husband could meet every need his wife had, we'd have no need for God. Therefore, instead of just focusing on finding the right partner, let God work on your heart to help you become the right partner. The time to start working on becoming a wife is now. Before the white dress, delicate bouquets, unity candle, bacon wrapped shrimp, and reception punch, there is some heart stuff to consider:
Getting married doesn't instantly make you selfless... it makes you realize how very selfish you can be at times.
Getting married doesn't make you feel loved... it makes you realize love is more of a decision you make than a feeling you feel.
Getting married doesn't take away loneliness... it makes you realize true companionship comes not when you demand it but rather when you give it to another person.

So, what does marriage give?

A beautiful chance to make the choice to ...
Laugh whether or not the jokes are funny.
Love by folding his collar over his tie every morning.
Pretend like you don't need flowers, but delight when he buys them anyway.
Cheer him on through both failures and successes.
Tell him he's a great man everyday.
Thank God for the privilege of being his wife.

After our time together, my friend thanked me for our talk. She said it gave her a lot to think about. To be honest, it gave me a lot to think about as well.

Dear Lord, only You can fill my heart, right my wrongs, and make me feel loved. I pray that You would show me how to keep my expectations of my husband in check. Help me to be the wife he desires. And help me to remember that marriage was never meant to make me happy all the time. Marriage is a decision to honor You by honoring the one you’ve entrusted to me to be my husband. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Apple Picking here in New England

Chris tells me every day that Fall is his favorite time of year, and I have to agree, especially here in New England. Today we went apple picking and had a great time. We also managed to get some hot apple cider, cider donuts, and a caramel apple in :-)
The Group(from left): John with son Christian, Flip, Giovanna, Melanie, Aidan, Christie, me, and Melissa

The Group(from left): John with son Christian, Flip, Giovanna, Melanie, Aidan, Christie, me, and Melissa
Me climbing the tree for the perfect apple :-)
Yummy! The Ladies
The girls on the hay ride

Sisters Song on SNL

Haha...not quite as sweet as the one on White Christmas, but I love her tiny hands

Boat Ride

I have this song in my head all day long!!!

Favorite Comic Strip of All Time

My House (inspired by Gretch again)

My house is not my own, but has been generously provided by my Auntie B for a very generous rental fee. We intend to buy a house of our own some time this winter but this had provided a wonderful place for me and Chris (and Manny) while we save and I work in Massachusetts :-)

My house (like Gretchen's) is usually covered in a layer of dog fur. We vacuum/swiffer frequently but it just seems to never go away. Manny is like Pig Pen in the Charlie Brown cartoons with a cloud of fur flurrying around him at any given time

Most of the house is reasonably clean and tidy however our bedroom leaves a lot to be desired. I have had a life long habit of leaving clothes everywhere, and alas marriage has not changed this trait. I try and try to be better, but it is just my biggest struggle domestically speaking :-)

My house holds a wealth of exercise equipment that is rarely/never used. Chris started our marriage calling my exercise ball "in the corner ball" and will have conversations occasionally with it and how it is not used. When we moved to this new house he renamed it "in the basement ball" and has proceeded to tell me how occasionally he runs into "in the basement ball" in the kitchen at night when he goes to get a snack. Apparently "in the basement ball" would like to see some more action. Well "in the basement ball" can hope. Besides I don't know what he is complaining about he has "in the basement eliptical" and "in the basement yoga mat" to keep him company. Perhaps he is just jealous that "in the basement ab-rocket" graduated to "in the family room ab-rocket". Anyway I digress.

Hmm...this blog is getting a bit lengthy. Perhaps I will tell you more about my house tomorrow.

Need some inspiration...

Can't really think of anything particularly interesting to write today.

It's Monday. I am mourning the weekend.

Thinking about homeownership, and what I am really willing to pay...houses are expensive and I would really like to stay in Wakefield if possible.

Joke from Joseph

Joseph was offended I didn't include his joke in the earlier "joke" blog, so here it is.  It takes a minute to get it...at least it did for me :-) haha

Two goldfish are in a tank.  One says to the other, "you man the guns, I'll drive!"

Brain Vomit (inspired by Gretchen)

Here are the thoughts/emotions that are currently bouncing around in my head:

I love my job, just wish I didn't have to be here right now. I am tired and would rather be sleeping. Thank goodness this is only a 4 day week!

Money - Always envisioned myself as the stay at home mom, but honestly I make more and Chris is a trained teacher. Maybe it makes more sense for him to stay home when the time comes. That's his argument anyway. Depending on the day I agree or disagree. Hard to let go of something you have always just assumed would happen

Fat (I am ) - Ugh...I am sick of dieting, but I am also sick of being fat. Really need to figure out how to just slay this dragon. I have been exercising more, but need to get my diet figured out. One day I think Atkins, the next I think Weight Watchers. The problem is if you don't commit to one or the other you are just eating high-carb hich-fat everything. Not a good plan!

Red Sox Envy

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my job? Well I do, especially for perks like this. The magazine association in Boston hosted a media party at Fenway Park on Tuesday and we had a blast. Went through the Red Sox locker room, sat in the duggout, tooks some swings in Red Sox batting cages and had a great meal at the EMC club. See a multitude of pics below.

Red Sox Locker Room

Red Sox Locker Room
Sarah Lerz , Me, Suzy Hill
Sarah L, Casey M, Suzy H.
Leaning over the rail like the pros do
View from the duggout

Weird being in the park when it is empty

Go Sox!
We got 3 swings each in the batting cages. I hit 2 out of 3 (not bad)
Then up to the Green Monsta'
View from the Monsta' seats (getting a little dark)

Go Red Sox!

This Weekend in Bullet Points

Pics to follow...eventually.

Thursday:

• Company summer party. Lobster bake for lunch- Yummy! Many weird games to encourage "teamwork", ended with a large majority of the company playing beer pong (hmm)

Friday:

• 30th birthday party for our friend Kylie at our friends house. Good time, but not enough food for everyone. Cowboy themed. Karaoke machine was present. Had fun singing Dixie Chicks songs

Saturday:

• Welcome Home party for Chris's high school friend Matt. He has been in NYC for 10 years for college and then his residency at Mount Sinai hospital. He and his wife just moved back to Hollis, NH. It was fun to see all of the gang, and the mini gang that is developing now that everyone is having babies :-)

Sunday:

• After church we headed down to Boston Harbor with our friends Flip and Christie. We packed a yummy picnic and hopped a ferry to the Spectacle Island. It was about a 15 minute ride over to the island. We had great weather and a yummy lunch. Sangria, deli sandwiches, fruit, wine...good times. The guys played a lot of frisbee and Christie and I chatted and got some sun. Really relaxing day.

That's it for now :-)

Jokes from a Nun

A long time ago Chris befriended a nun who was a patient of his mother's up on Manchester, NH. It is been a few years since he had seen Sister Gertrude, so he and his mom went for a visit the other day. She is now 97, but apparently is only the 2nd oldest of the sisters, and is apparently still able to tell a joke or two. These jokes were right up my dorky alley, so I thought I would share with all of you.

Two hats were hanging on a hat stand. One hat said to the other "I'll see you later, I am going on a head"

One strawberry says to another strawberry "If you weren't so fresh you wouldn't be in this jam"

Other favorites of mine:

Have you heard about the corderoy pillow? It's making headlines

A man walks into the library and up to the librarian and says "I would like a big mac and fries please". The librarian says "Sir, this is a library". The man looking very appologetic lowers his voice to a whisper and say "oh sorry, I would like a big mac and fries please" (in hind sight that one really needs to be told out loud).

Anyway, enough window into my strange sense of humor for today :-)

S

All about the pics

Well clearly I am all about the pics, so here are some more from last weekend :-)
Saturday we drove 3 hours up to Maine for our friend Laura's wedding. It was really pretty and she looked great.

Me and Chris (Chris cut his hair with the dog clipper and used the wrong clip hence the short hair)
Sunday was the annual Cieto/Gartner/Castanino Mini Golf Championship. We were the defending champs, but alas it was not meant to be this year :-( Next year...next year...


Lisa exhibiting her skills
Chris's mom Dale taking a very tricky shot

Brother-in-law Don, and Chris's sister Lisa 2008 Champions

More random pics from the weekend

The view from our seats

Sara Bareilles backdrop
Sara herself


Counting Crows




Maroon 5

random pics

Dinner with friends (Chris, Melissa, Flip, Joel)
Christie, me, Melissa, Erin