Got your attention with that title, huh? That's for Stephanie!
The Copper for 7 is a reference to the fact that the traditional gift for anniversary #7 is copper. My DH bought me a Sirius Satelite radio for my car that goes only in my car but is somehow semi-transportable if you buy a boombox type device to plug it into. The idea was ingenious but I just got it in my car about 10 days ago. I do love it. I can actually pause songs (sort of like Tivo) and then listen to that song over and over again. So when I was in a foul mood the other day, I listened to Pink's new song "So What" over and over until I really did want to start a fight. And I don't normally want to physically fight. I prefer dueling with language and terrific commentary (as long as I'm winning). I'm mostly thankful that he did not get me anything in the "wool" option for traditional gifts. Our friend Jeff wins the most from this information and Steve is is new savior. Steve informed Kristin of the Copper for 7 ruling and she realized that green lighting the new TV was going to have to happen in order to reward her DH for their 7th anniversary. Way to go on the cool flat screen, my friend!
So, there is a song that they like to play on one of the stations that reminds me that one definition of Madness is doing the same thing and expecting different results. It amazing how much this applies everywhere in life. "But this is how we've always done it" is a phrase I hear more often than I care to and find it coming out of my mouth even on occasion, though I try to use different phrasing. I feel like I'm always doing the same thing because someone elses thinks it will get a new and different result. Not so much. Can't make chicken salad from chicken poop no matter what other ingredients you throw in with it.
Our anniversary present to each other was a wekeend in Myrtle Beach at a resort and spa. We spent all day Saturday getting massaged, sugar scrubbed, facialed, pedicured and manicured and fed too! Sunday we said no to a time share (and Steve kept doing some lame fist pump he picked up at work) and then went shopping, eating and played 54 holes of miniature golf (or "minotaur goff" as one very interesting course deems it). It was completely worth it although the harsh reality of work slammed full force on Tuesday. I've determined that I need an entire 8-10 days away from work to actually feel truly rested. Luckily, I am 100 days away from that reality. One must have something to look forward to in life, you know.
And in case you are wondering, here's a nifty little website with the traditional and modern and alternate anniversary gifts.
http://www.happy-anniversary.com/year-of-marriage/index.html
I really liked it because it listed the jewelry and alternate jewelry!
Insanity ensues in my world so it is now time to finish packing Beca-Boo and myself for a weekend trip to Pennsylvania (still pronounced "Penn-sul-bania"). Yeah, that's right - I got home Monday, scrapbooked Tuesday, 5 loads of laundry and packing tonight and we are leaving tomorrow right after work. I think the washer is a bit agitated with me. I hope the Halloween parade in Boyertown, PA is a lot of fun although the forecast is a bit of a shocker considering the 85 degrees today. A 25 degree drop in the high for us. Hopefully Beca can be bribed with a delightful array of new clothes that just came out of the bottom of her closet. And hopefully, I remember my camera.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Pictures - various
Yes, finally, pictures.
So, in the beginning of September, Beca decided she was going to have a tea party with her princesses. Here they all are:
Alice, Jasmine, Aurora, Merriweather, Flora, Cinderella, Ariel, Beca, Baby Ariel, and Cassie. She names all dolls "Alice" unless otherwise directed.
Here's our new orange room! The shelves have a lot more on them now!! I'm still not finished emptying out the craft stuff from my old room! 
Happy Birthday to my Mom! 
Cape May, NJ - all the ladies. My flibberty-jibbet of a camera decided that the remote could only go that far if I used it when no one was out there except me. Whenever everyone came out, it stopped working. Thankfully, a nice man on his way back from the Wawa stopped and put his coffee down to work the remote for a picture! From left: Dawn Wagner (DIL #1), Dawn Leister (Daughter #2), Sara Wagner (the mom/grandma), Stacy Wagner (offspring of DIL #1 and son #2), Angela Cottle (offspring of daughter #2), Melissa Lee (offspring of daughter #3), Lynn Burkett (daughter #1), Jill Stahre (daughter #3), Kathryn Burkett (offspring of daughter #2), Megan Wagner (offspring of DIL #3), and Andrea Wagner (DIL #3) not everyone could join us but it was still lots of fun.. I made sweet tea (pomegranate the first batch and mango passionfruit for the next 2 batches). 
Sunset over the harbor by which we sat outside and stuffed ourselves with calamari, shrimp, garlic bread, and various other goodies.
Mom and I liked this sign:
Pop-pop's birthday - Beca's getting the hang of the "blow out the candles" part. The cake was Coldstone and it was good.
Beca was "reading" here. She is starting to do much better recognizing letters - still favors numbers but she is our child. She has a series of books with very short sentences and words that she can sort of read.
Alrighty, here's some that I took at the wedding in the beginning of September. Some are just the artsy shots that I took. Mostly, I'm showing off. I really enjoyed this and I anjoyed more just handing the bride a DVD and saying, enjoy. They are her memories not mine. I just got them saved in digital format. I know some photographer out there is going to be aggravated with me for saying that but I showed herr how to upload to Shutterfly, order good pictures for a really reasonable price, and share the pictures on Shutterfly's site with her family. the only thing I did was run around on the beach and try to remember that I could do whatever I wanted, I was the photographer and if I stepped in front of someone, oh well. And that I wasn't directing the wedding. that was hard too.
I am so proud of this picture! No one ever gets Alex to smile on camera! And I love his grin!
It's hard to see now that I have it posted, but this picture has tons of stars in it. the moon was amazing!
Whether he realizes it or not, Steve can take some really cool pictures. This one of Alex is awesome. I think he sees things a little different and it's nice to have shots by different photographers.
So, in the beginning of September, Beca decided she was going to have a tea party with her princesses. Here they all are:
Alice, Jasmine, Aurora, Merriweather, Flora, Cinderella, Ariel, Beca, Baby Ariel, and Cassie. She names all dolls "Alice" unless otherwise directed.
Here's our new orange room! The shelves have a lot more on them now!! I'm still not finished emptying out the craft stuff from my old room! 
Happy Birthday to my Mom! 
Cape May, NJ - all the ladies. My flibberty-jibbet of a camera decided that the remote could only go that far if I used it when no one was out there except me. Whenever everyone came out, it stopped working. Thankfully, a nice man on his way back from the Wawa stopped and put his coffee down to work the remote for a picture! From left: Dawn Wagner (DIL #1), Dawn Leister (Daughter #2), Sara Wagner (the mom/grandma), Stacy Wagner (offspring of DIL #1 and son #2), Angela Cottle (offspring of daughter #2), Melissa Lee (offspring of daughter #3), Lynn Burkett (daughter #1), Jill Stahre (daughter #3), Kathryn Burkett (offspring of daughter #2), Megan Wagner (offspring of DIL #3), and Andrea Wagner (DIL #3) not everyone could join us but it was still lots of fun.. I made sweet tea (pomegranate the first batch and mango passionfruit for the next 2 batches). 
Sunset over the harbor by which we sat outside and stuffed ourselves with calamari, shrimp, garlic bread, and various other goodies.
Mom and I liked this sign:
Pop-pop's birthday - Beca's getting the hang of the "blow out the candles" part. The cake was Coldstone and it was good.
Beca was "reading" here. She is starting to do much better recognizing letters - still favors numbers but she is our child. She has a series of books with very short sentences and words that she can sort of read.
Alrighty, here's some that I took at the wedding in the beginning of September. Some are just the artsy shots that I took. Mostly, I'm showing off. I really enjoyed this and I anjoyed more just handing the bride a DVD and saying, enjoy. They are her memories not mine. I just got them saved in digital format. I know some photographer out there is going to be aggravated with me for saying that but I showed herr how to upload to Shutterfly, order good pictures for a really reasonable price, and share the pictures on Shutterfly's site with her family. the only thing I did was run around on the beach and try to remember that I could do whatever I wanted, I was the photographer and if I stepped in front of someone, oh well. And that I wasn't directing the wedding. that was hard too.
I am so proud of this picture! No one ever gets Alex to smile on camera! And I love his grin!
It's hard to see now that I have it posted, but this picture has tons of stars in it. the moon was amazing!
Whether he realizes it or not, Steve can take some really cool pictures. This one of Alex is awesome. I think he sees things a little different and it's nice to have shots by different photographers.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Where oh where did September go?
My, my, time it does go 670,616,629.4 miles per hour. Yes, I still love my science. And no, I do not remember that off the top of my head. Chemical Engineering is more about finding the appropriate location for information.
So, here I am into October and I am still delinquent on pictures. Since the wedding weekend, I worked crazy hours, threw a birthday weekend party for my mother, traveled to Minnesota & Wisconsin for work (technically fly into MN then drive into WI to the actual plant, then had dinner and went shopping in MN, then back into WI to stay in a hotel before going back to the plant, going back into MN for dinner in Stillwater on the St. Croix River, then WI for another night's rest and short morning visit to the plant, then back into MN to get on a plane and come home), home for 13 hours (actually in the RDU area for 13 hours and 24 minutes but that's only because we switched vehicles), off to Cape May, NJ via VA Beach, VA to pick up or drop off some baggage (and Jill and Missy), home once more, more work, catch a minor virus from my mother, take care of Beca not feeling well, more work, manicure/pedicure (that I paid for even though one of the Procurement guys told us he'd buy us manicures), more work, Parata Employee Day and Duke football game, friends over for dinner 2 nights in a row and then spent the rest of the month (yes all 2 days) recovering from a stomach virus. The result of which is now I have a cold again. As does Beca. Icky part - skip this next paragraph if you don't want to listen about my malady.
Steve also had the stomach virus but gratefully Beca has not. It was the worst illness of my life. I would rather be 40 week pregnant and recover from foot surgery and a C-section at the same time than do that again (although the whole you can't take a shower because your foot can't get wet and you can't take a bath because you can't soak the incision would horribly complicate the whole matter at least in terms of the way I smelled). 6 hours spent actually sick after 2 of which the cramps started. When the cramps started, I couldn't lay down or every muscle in my body cramped up simultaneously. I couldn't stand up because I was exhausted. There was no way to get comfortable and I just got more delirious. Don't blame me, I just tell it like it is. And that sucked. The flu for a week isn't as bad to me as this was. By 3AM, I was praying for death. By 6am, I found that I could actually drink a completely flattened Sierra Mist which tasted like the most scrumptious treat in the world. i had a total of 10 crackers over the course of the next 24 hours that counted as my intake of solid food. I'm still tired from it three days later.
So, details, my friends, on the joyous occasions, now that the nasty bits are out of the way. My Mother's 50th birthday was September 12. It's amazing to me the number of celebrities that turned 50 this year - Sharon Stone, Annette Benning, Madonna, Prince, Marty Stewart, crayola's 64 count box, Holly Hunter, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michelle Pfieffer, and the Peace Sign!! Plus some more great people that we actually do know! But out of all of those, my favorite person is my mom. She's really my best friend - we grew up together. We talk every day and she listens to every grievance, whine, story, hilarity, whatever. Dawn's heart is one of the most amazing. The number of people that she has helped over the years is truly amazing. She refuses to take sides against friends for other friends, chosing to maintain her friendship with each. She unconditionally loves her grand-daughter to the point that she and Steve have a dance of "am I visitng too much" and "am I asking you to have Beca too much".
So for her actual birthday, we had a great weekend with some family in town, lots of friends, and yummy cakes. My favorite thing about birthdays is cakes. So there were two. A Peanut Butter Playground from Coldstone and a fabulous cake from Blue Moon with Chocolate Raspberry Mousse! The whole theme was "What's One More Candle?" - originally Mom had said she didn't want anything for her birthday. After a friend passed away over the summer, I knew we had to have a party for her. Thinking back, I wish I would have been feeling more with it. Next time, I hope I'm not as frazzled with so many other things around the same time.
The next weekend, she and I joined her mother, sisters, 2 sister-in-laws, and 4 nieces in Cape May, NJ. It was a beautiful weekend to be there. Nice and warm during the day but not so stifling. The houses are amazing there and I took massive amounts of pictures of houses. Not necessarily a place I would have picked on my own (NC beaches are still preferable for me) but a good meeting place for us all. In order to get there, we end up taking a ferry across Delaware Bay - it was not a nice ride on the way there but on the way back, it was a beautiful morning and very nice. Although the movie screen in the van is always kind of nice to have!
Beca this month has been hooked on Peter Pan and Return to Neveland. She refers to them as Wendy and Jane, being the adorable girls in each of the movies. Her favorite thing to watch in the van is Robin Hood. I cannot imagine how many times Steve has listened to it. And she also loves Aristocats, and has now taken to yelling "Momma, Momma" just like Marie when she is attempting to tattle on her brothers. Those that knew me growing up would know that this tone of voice is truly inherited and her pension for ratting others out seems strong. Every week we get to hear about what Jordan or Eli or someone else and what they did that was naughty. Tattle, tattle, tattle. There is drama at school though. Erin, Flora and Beca are all about the same age. Someone is always odd man out. That never was as much of a problem with Payton and Kate but I guess they were 2 and not 3. She also insists on playing dress up everyday and wearing a dress (again, an inheritance). thankfully, her wardrobe is plentiful and it really more depends on whether we feel like she needs to learn a lesson that you can't always get what you want and by just asking nicely or repeatedly, that doesn't mean it is really going to happen. I think this tires me more than anything. Except maybe looking back on my schedule of events this past month.
So, here I am into October and I am still delinquent on pictures. Since the wedding weekend, I worked crazy hours, threw a birthday weekend party for my mother, traveled to Minnesota & Wisconsin for work (technically fly into MN then drive into WI to the actual plant, then had dinner and went shopping in MN, then back into WI to stay in a hotel before going back to the plant, going back into MN for dinner in Stillwater on the St. Croix River, then WI for another night's rest and short morning visit to the plant, then back into MN to get on a plane and come home), home for 13 hours (actually in the RDU area for 13 hours and 24 minutes but that's only because we switched vehicles), off to Cape May, NJ via VA Beach, VA to pick up or drop off some baggage (and Jill and Missy), home once more, more work, catch a minor virus from my mother, take care of Beca not feeling well, more work, manicure/pedicure (that I paid for even though one of the Procurement guys told us he'd buy us manicures), more work, Parata Employee Day and Duke football game, friends over for dinner 2 nights in a row and then spent the rest of the month (yes all 2 days) recovering from a stomach virus. The result of which is now I have a cold again. As does Beca. Icky part - skip this next paragraph if you don't want to listen about my malady.
Steve also had the stomach virus but gratefully Beca has not. It was the worst illness of my life. I would rather be 40 week pregnant and recover from foot surgery and a C-section at the same time than do that again (although the whole you can't take a shower because your foot can't get wet and you can't take a bath because you can't soak the incision would horribly complicate the whole matter at least in terms of the way I smelled). 6 hours spent actually sick after 2 of which the cramps started. When the cramps started, I couldn't lay down or every muscle in my body cramped up simultaneously. I couldn't stand up because I was exhausted. There was no way to get comfortable and I just got more delirious. Don't blame me, I just tell it like it is. And that sucked. The flu for a week isn't as bad to me as this was. By 3AM, I was praying for death. By 6am, I found that I could actually drink a completely flattened Sierra Mist which tasted like the most scrumptious treat in the world. i had a total of 10 crackers over the course of the next 24 hours that counted as my intake of solid food. I'm still tired from it three days later.
So, details, my friends, on the joyous occasions, now that the nasty bits are out of the way. My Mother's 50th birthday was September 12. It's amazing to me the number of celebrities that turned 50 this year - Sharon Stone, Annette Benning, Madonna, Prince, Marty Stewart, crayola's 64 count box, Holly Hunter, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michelle Pfieffer, and the Peace Sign!! Plus some more great people that we actually do know! But out of all of those, my favorite person is my mom. She's really my best friend - we grew up together. We talk every day and she listens to every grievance, whine, story, hilarity, whatever. Dawn's heart is one of the most amazing. The number of people that she has helped over the years is truly amazing. She refuses to take sides against friends for other friends, chosing to maintain her friendship with each. She unconditionally loves her grand-daughter to the point that she and Steve have a dance of "am I visitng too much" and "am I asking you to have Beca too much".
So for her actual birthday, we had a great weekend with some family in town, lots of friends, and yummy cakes. My favorite thing about birthdays is cakes. So there were two. A Peanut Butter Playground from Coldstone and a fabulous cake from Blue Moon with Chocolate Raspberry Mousse! The whole theme was "What's One More Candle?" - originally Mom had said she didn't want anything for her birthday. After a friend passed away over the summer, I knew we had to have a party for her. Thinking back, I wish I would have been feeling more with it. Next time, I hope I'm not as frazzled with so many other things around the same time.
The next weekend, she and I joined her mother, sisters, 2 sister-in-laws, and 4 nieces in Cape May, NJ. It was a beautiful weekend to be there. Nice and warm during the day but not so stifling. The houses are amazing there and I took massive amounts of pictures of houses. Not necessarily a place I would have picked on my own (NC beaches are still preferable for me) but a good meeting place for us all. In order to get there, we end up taking a ferry across Delaware Bay - it was not a nice ride on the way there but on the way back, it was a beautiful morning and very nice. Although the movie screen in the van is always kind of nice to have!
Beca this month has been hooked on Peter Pan and Return to Neveland. She refers to them as Wendy and Jane, being the adorable girls in each of the movies. Her favorite thing to watch in the van is Robin Hood. I cannot imagine how many times Steve has listened to it. And she also loves Aristocats, and has now taken to yelling "Momma, Momma" just like Marie when she is attempting to tattle on her brothers. Those that knew me growing up would know that this tone of voice is truly inherited and her pension for ratting others out seems strong. Every week we get to hear about what Jordan or Eli or someone else and what they did that was naughty. Tattle, tattle, tattle. There is drama at school though. Erin, Flora and Beca are all about the same age. Someone is always odd man out. That never was as much of a problem with Payton and Kate but I guess they were 2 and not 3. She also insists on playing dress up everyday and wearing a dress (again, an inheritance). thankfully, her wardrobe is plentiful and it really more depends on whether we feel like she needs to learn a lesson that you can't always get what you want and by just asking nicely or repeatedly, that doesn't mean it is really going to happen. I think this tires me more than anything. Except maybe looking back on my schedule of events this past month.
Fun names
A copy from Stephanie's blog - I was highly amused - however, since everything is Beca's favorite, I had to rely on certain continual shriekings of "that's my favorite" - colors are consistent as well as the ever longing for a baby alligator to join our family.
Here's me and Beca:
1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME (first pet, current car): Franchelle Altima, Zoe Barbie PowerWheels
2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME (fave ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe): Strawberry Mary Jane, Mint Chocolate Chip Croc
3. YOUR NATIVE AMERICAN NAME (favorite color, favorite animal): Green Puppy, Pink Baby Alligator
4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name, city where you were born): Dawn Honolulu, Dawn Cary
5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name): CotAn, CotRe
6. SUPERHERO NAME (2nd favorite color, favorite drink): Blue Lemonade, Purple Mook
7. NASCAR NAME (the first names of your grandfathers): Fernley Rodman, Keith Willie Franklin
8. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Bailey Bangkok
9. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower): New Year's Daisy, Birthday Rose
10. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now): Apple Jeans, Raspberry Blueberry Strawberry Pajama
11. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Biscuit Mahogany, PopTart Teak
Here's me and Beca:
1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME (first pet, current car): Franchelle Altima, Zoe Barbie PowerWheels
2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME (fave ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe): Strawberry Mary Jane, Mint Chocolate Chip Croc
3. YOUR NATIVE AMERICAN NAME (favorite color, favorite animal): Green Puppy, Pink Baby Alligator
4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name, city where you were born): Dawn Honolulu, Dawn Cary
5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name): CotAn, CotRe
6. SUPERHERO NAME (2nd favorite color, favorite drink): Blue Lemonade, Purple Mook
7. NASCAR NAME (the first names of your grandfathers): Fernley Rodman, Keith Willie Franklin
8. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Bailey Bangkok
9. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower): New Year's Daisy, Birthday Rose
10. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now): Apple Jeans, Raspberry Blueberry Strawberry Pajama
11. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Biscuit Mahogany, PopTart Teak
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