Ed, food and running...perfection!

This past Sunday, my husband and I, along with out closest friends went to NYC to see Barenaked Ladies at Radio City Music Hall. BNL as they are most commonly know, is a band that the 4 of us love, and make it our business to see them every time they are in the NY Metro area. The show was awesome, our seats were INCREDIBLE (THANK YOU MELODY!), 2nd row dead center! A perfect view of Ed Robertson...one of the lead singers, who is so damn sexy its ridiculous. My husband knows all about my little crush, he is just happy that Ed is unattainable! The band was great, the set list was amazing, and....Ed threw some guitar picks at the audience, and yours truly was nailed right in the ribs by the last one he threw. I'd like to think he spotted me, and remembered me from their 2005 show in Mohegan Sun, and the schoolgirl type vigil we kept while he played blackjack. But I'm sure it was just sheer luck, and the awesome seats that allowed me to get that pick, a pick I will have to give my husband, since he actually does play guitar!

The whole night was great, we had dinner at Tao. Here it is, 3 days later, and I'm still remembering the Kobe Beef Shabu Shabu, and Lobster Dumplings...YUM. Lets' not forget the Demon Slayer Saki that we devoured. I think I may love Saki!

Another highlight for me was that is was Marathon Sunday in NYC. We did not see the race, but we did see some finishers walking home, wearing their medals and wrapped in mylar blankets. Everytime I saw one of these people, my eyes filled with tears. I am not sure why, maybe it was the 16 mile run I had done the day before, the one that kicked my ass so bad, I had to nap when I got home. Maybe its the realization that deep down, I want to run NYC too, or maybe its just knowing that in less than 2 months, I will be running 26.2 miles, with my husband, and my Teammates from TNT. I don't know the answer, I just know that I am no longer just Jamie, or a mom, or a wife, or a daughter, or an employee, or a friend...I am a runner. Somewhere along the way, I have become addicted to running. I enjoy being around other runners, I love reading about running, I LOVE to run, and I know now, that I will train for another event after Disney.

Rain nor sleet, nor 40mph winds...

I was recently referred to someones' blog by my cousin. It is a blog about one woman's entry into running...first as a way to manage her weight, then it progressed to her training for the upcoming NYC ING Marathon. I read it eagerly, as I also recently found the joy of running, and am training for my first marathon. I was glued to her blog, mesmerized by every one of her posts, realizing that I too have found a passion for running, a passion that sometimes has me doing some pretty stupid things. Like this past weekend, Long Island experienced torrential downpour and some very very strong winds. But I had a training run, only 8 miles, but hey, it was a training run! My TNT mentor had scheduled this week's run down in Huntington, close to my house, so I was looking forward to the close proximity for a change. And I had run this route before, for the annual Thanksgiving Townwide Fund run. I knew it was challenging, it had kicked my butt last year, but I had still finished with a 9:35 pace, and being that I was running on 2 tendonitis-afflicted calves, I was happy. I was looking forward to doing this course again, uninjured, and a stronger runner. Well...I think that the gods were laughing at the 5 of us who showed up: pouring rain that was landing on my face like sharp pellets, coupled with crazy strong winds making it impossible to stand upright....and so many hills. We extended the course into Lloyd Harbor to add some mileage, and that meant more hills. What a fantastic morning....I loved every minute of it...does that make me sick?

I did it!

2 1/2 months ago, I joined Team in Training to help in the fight against Leukemia and other blood cancers, while training for the Disney Half Marathon. Well, as of today, I met my fundraising goal of $3800, and I feel like a huge weight has been lifted. When I joined TNT, I knew the training would be hard, but I was most afraid of the fundraising. I have never really done this before, and have never been comfortable asking people I know for anything, let alone money!

I began my fundraising in earnest in mid August. I realized early on that it wouldn't be easy, and I'd have to dig a little deeper than just my close friends and family to raise $3800. So I did...and while it was easier than I expected, I am so relieved that I met my goal! And now I feel like I can just focus on my training, which is beginning to get tougher...I have decided to run the Full Marathon, and I have a 12 mile training run this weekend, on some of the toughest cross country trails on Long Island. This will be my 3rd run there, last time was 10 miles. Not too bad, I made it, and even managed to drag my tired ass to karate. That was tough, I had no legs, and of course we had to do kicking drills!! I think Sensei did that on purpose!

Asking for you support

I have some exciting news.

After several months of pondering, I have finally made the commitment to train for my first 1/2 marathon. I just joined Team in Training, and will be running the Disney Half Marathon in January. As part of my training, I will be fund-raising for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society. My goal is to raise $3800 for this personal and worthy cause by January. Leukemia and
other blood cancers are the biggest killer of children under 20 years old. The Scholfield family is very lucky to have a survivor in our family, and I am doing this to honor not only the strength of my husband's cousin, but the strength and determination of every person affected by these blood cancer. I have never run a marathon, and I am looking forward to meeting this personal goal of mine, but more importantly, I am excited to help those who are not as fortunate as I am. I know my training will be hard, but never as hard as what the patients I am running for endure.

Please visit my webpage at the link to the right and help me in the fight against these blood cancers.

Here comes the smudgestick...

When your father remarries, does that person automatically become your stepmother? And what about step-grandmother to your children? What is the protocol around this? My babysitter called me with this same question as she was helping my 4 year old daughter do her thank you cards. Should she address it Grandpa and Lucy? Grandpa and Grandma? "Grandpa and Grandma-Lu" is what I suggested, it seemed appopriate..even though Melanie has never met her new step-Grandma! Such a strange situation...all good, but odd. They will be coming to NY soon too, so Melanie will finally get to meet "Grandma-Lu"!

My Dad and his girlfriend of more years than I know for sure, got married in Santa Fe on May 7. My oldest daughter, Samantha was the flower girl. This was not a traditional ceremony by any stretch of the imagination, but Sammy did play a rather traditional role. And aside from their talk of reincarnation, they had rather traditional vows. Although, I'm not sure how many weddings begin with a smudging, and end with Bob Dylan's "The Wedding Song" immediately after the wedded kiss. Or how many ceremonies are performed by a priestess named Cookie?


Samantha and Lucy getting the flower girl basket ready:


Daddy's little girls:


Daddy and all his girls:


My Dad and his female clone:


Exchanging vows:

20 years ???really?

Ok, I did it, I went to my 20 year HS reunion. I admit I was a bit nervous about the whole thing, Chris did not want to go, and I didn't want to force him. Then one of my closest HS friends was unsure if she was attending...but it all worked out, Chris stayed home with the kids, and my friend and I went together, just like our 10 year, and the prom. No, we are not closet lesbian lovers ;-)

So, all in all, everyone looked great. Amazing that after 20 years, some people just did not change, and even more amazing, is that people who had poles up their asses in the 80's, STILL have poles up their asses. Why is that? I had a great time, but honestly, in 3 hours I was not able to talk to everyone that I would have liked to, and of course, despite my best intentions to mingle, I spent the most time with the people I still do keep in touch with. Here are some pictures of us...




Amazingly, I had a lot of fun, and I am really glad I went. I may even go to the 25th...but I don't know if I can handle the loud club thing again...that is so not my speed. There were so many people, so many conversations, and it is all a blur, 3 hours went by in about 30 minutes!

Still running...maybe its away?

Chris and I are running an 8K Cross Country this Saturday. I'm excited for this, I've been training regularly, as this is not only a bit longer than my last race, but also, the terrain is not your typical road race. And now that I am equipped with my orthotics, and I am not experiencing any tendonitis pains, I am looking forward to completing this run injury free, and hoping to beat a 9:10 pace. Up til now, my quickest race pace has been 9:23, so maybe this is possible. And that was when I had tendonitis in both lower legs.

Chris is picking up his new orthotics tonight, although he won't be able to race with them this weekend. You need to break your body in slowly...trust me on this, I ignored the Doctor's instructions, and went full boat...only to end up aching in every joint of my body. After 38 years, my skeleton was pretty set in its way, adjusting my stance and gait was not comfortable for these bones. I am all set now, but it took a few weeks to adjust.

After this, my next race will be the Corporate Challenge in July (3.5M), then the Cow Harbor (10K)in September. I am going to try and get into a 1/2 marathon for the fall, so I am beginning to add longer runs on the weekends. I would LOVE to get into ING in the city, but from what I know, its not so easy to get in.

I just love to run outside, its such a free feeling. Nothing compares to it. lately, I have been dropping Sammy off at karate, then putting on my headphones and running 3 miles while she is in class. How great is that? Freedom. Exercise. Its perfect. And even better...since I had my karate class earlier in the morning, I am loose and stretched out, and able to just hit the road.

Wish me luck, and I'll let you know how we did! It's going to be great doing this run with Chris, instead of just having him waiting for me at the finish line. :-)

Always comes back to this...is it worth it?

I came in to work yesterday to some devastating news-my VP "resigned"...that is in quotes because we all know it was a forced resignation. My first reaction was one of disgust, because all of us think the wrong person was "shot". I have been at this company for almost 6 years, and most of that time has allowed me growth, if not in title, but in responsibility as well as knowledge. The last 8 months or so has been difficult for all of us. A new leader was brought in, and at first, no big deal. But once this person got a better understanding of the business and began to insinuate him/herself into our operations, the pain began. My particular department's pain began a few months ago, and it seems that my VP was the sacrificial lamb. My former VP is a standup person, always professional, intelligent, and even sensitive to family demands, and he/she will be missed by all of us. Does this prove that the nice guy always finishes last? This has been so disheartening...I've said this before, I leave my 2 beatuful children at home w/someone other than me, for this??? Is it worth it?

Boring "housewife" type stuff

Just got back from the supermarket, aka "stupidmarket" in our house. Its absolutely amazing that I can spend $150-$250 every Sunday and have no food left come Friday! We are not big eaters in this house, as a matter of fact, before Melanie was born, we rarely had any food in the house, other than chicken nuggets and mac and cheese. Sammy is a very picky eater, and Chris and I really don't eat much...cereal gets us by just fine. But ever since sweet little Melanie moved off babyfood about 3 years ago, we have had to keep this house STOCKED! She says she is hungry about every 15 minutes, and generally goes for healthy snacks. It is unreal. Today was an inexpensive day comparatively, only $125! That is because I did not have to buy meats, cleaning products or paper products. That crap adds another $50 minimum!

Do I sound like a total housewife or what? I am SOOOO not the domestic goddess, but every Sunday, there I am with all the other ladies, filling up my cart, sorting through coupons, and handing over my grocery savings card just so I can save a few bucks. Today's total savings was a whopping $17! My mother-in-law told me she used to place the receipt on the fridge every week to prove to her husband that she tried to save wherever she could. Some things don't change, here I am, working full time, contributing a substantial amount to this family's income, and I too, feel I have to justify the money I spend by parading the amount I saved before my husband. Its nuts, I guess its true, the more things change, the more they remain the same.

Its all how old you feel, right?

I turned 38 last weekend. How weird is that? How can I be so close to 40, when I will be mentally 25 forever. Does that happen to everyone? Do 75 year old men and women still think of themselves the same way as a 25 year old? Or does that mental age increase with every decade? Like when I'm 50, I'll be 40 mentally?

Chris took me to Atlantic City for the big day, and it was awesome. My mom took care of the kids at her apartment in Brooklyn, so they were happy to have a "sleepover at Aggie's" (that's what they call her). And we had fun, being us, no kids, and losing $$!

It was nice, I have been having a brutal couple of weeks at work, nothing I can write here about, lest I get "dooced"

And to add to the age thing....my 20 year HS reunion is around the corner. I originally was going to go stag, but the people from HS I am still close to are bringing their significant others, so I am dragging Chris. I will owe him bigtime! It's in May, at the BLVD in NYC, some trendy, expensive place that I really have no desire to go, and I have no idea what to wear...what do you wear to a reunion in a trendy bar??? Little black dress? Its like sooo much pressure....I went to HS in downtown Manhattan, in the 80's, and it was pressure then. You had a few choices of styles...Benetton and Polo preppy, Madonna or Cyndi Lauper trashy, Boy George-esque, a little bit of the Flashdance thing...no matter which way you chose, there was a bit of pressure to be hip and fit in, especially when you were from a Borough (Brooklyn in my case), and did not live in Manhattan. Hmmm...any ideas?

A wedding and same family baggage

I am going to write about something I have not really mentioned in this Blog, and I am only finally getting to this very important part of my background because of some news I received last week, my Dad is getting married!

I am happy for him and his girlfriend, they are good together, and I really love her. I am very scared though of how my mom will react. Let me go back in time now...

My parents met in the 1960's, in Brooklyn's Coney Island, where my Dad was a lifeguard, and my mom a high school beach babe. They fell in love, and pissed off their families. My Dad was from a strict Catholic family, parochial school, church on Sundays, family dinner at 5, etc...my mom from a Jewish family, whose matriarch ran numbers and let in all sorts of strays, and patriarch was a NYC cab driver. So, as you can imagine...my mom's family saw him as 'goyem, my dad's family saw her as "different", and feel short of looking for the horns on her head. But they didn't care, they kept going, and soon became married, with me on the way only 8 months later. She was 18 when I was born, he 20. They were hippies in the 70's, and were ready to flee the country should he be drafted. They struggled to get by all my life. When I was 3, we left NY in a Willie's Jeep, packed with their friends, and headed out to California...not for oil like the Beverly Hillbillies, but to live in San Diego so my dad could study at Scripps. We stayed there only a few months, my mom missed Brooklyn and her family, and my Dad's hippie ways did not go over well in conservative San Diego.

Back in Brooklyn, my dad began to study leather and leather design, something he had gotten very interested while we were in California. They eventually opened a leather store off of Flatbush Ave in Brooklyn, and that was their livelihood. I was in kindergarten by this time, and my mom was pregnant with my sister. Before Jodi was born, we managed to rent the 1st floor of a private house in a nice neighborhood, trees, large Victorian homes, very comfortable. I think our rent was <$300. This was where we lived until I was 18, and I still yearn for the early years we spent in that house.

After my sister was born, money was more of a constant need, and my dad's store just wasn't bringing in the steady income we needed, so he went to work in the city for various companies, while hining his talents as an artist. Eventually, his talents became clear, as did his need to work independently, and my mom and he threw everything into a family business, allowing my dad to create his designs, but sacrificing their peace of mind by worrying about money, and working all the time on belts.handbags/designs/trade shows, etc. At the time, we were so young, we didn't know anything different, so we thought we were just like everyone else. Soon, we began to see we were different...our father was home during the day, working...but home. Our dad had long frizzy hair, our mom wore jeans and sweatshirts, and our furniture and dishes were totally mismatched and rundown. Soon, I started to realize that we were different, not in a bad way, but definitely different than the Irish Catholic neighbors on the block, or the Jewish Americans I went to school with.

Fast forward 10 years or so, when I was in High School. My mom decided to pursue her GD, then an associates degree, which she did. She even got offered a full scholarship to Columbia for her Bachelor's, which she turned down so as not to be away from us, and my dad's business!!!!! She also got a job, at a leather store in Brooklyn Heights, for a friend of my Dad's. We needed the extra money, and she went to work. My sister and I became latch key kids, but my dad was also home most days working. This was the beginning of the end...

I graduated High School, and went away to college in upstate NY. At the time I left, things were tense between my Dad and I, but I thought things between my mom and dad were cool. I found out otherwise when I went home for Winter break. Unfortunately, my lack of attendance and studying caught up with me, and I was sent my grades via Fed Ex...never a good thing, this method of delivery was only used it you were suspended or dismissed. I was dismiised, but being that I was a freshman, I was given a chance to appeal to the school board and gain re-admission on a probationary basis. After several hours of arguing with my parents, we agreed that I should appeal...but this was not before my Dad said I did not deserve to go back to college, and my mom threw a bowl of spaghetti at him. It was awful, and Jodi was hysterical, so she and I left the house for a bit. It was then that I realized 2 things...1), I had to get myself readmitted to college away from home, and 2) things at home were not good...there were issues I was not aware of.

I did get back into school, and I gave 110% when I got back there. Things were ok, I had no bad news from home, and my grades were good, and I began seeing my now-husband, I was happy. But when I went home for spring break, I found out that my dad, who had recently moved his workshop to a loft in downtown Brooklyn, was no longer staying at home much. And I sensed a rift. But I went back to school, finished out the semester, still not knowing what was going on....til summer break....BAM! I overheard an argument, and heard my Dad say he was leaving. WOW. I was angry, I wanted my mom to say she was leaving him. She didn't deserve to be left, but she didn't stand up for herself either. I didn't know what to think, I didn't like him much when I was a young adult, we argued all the time. Two very stubborn, strong willed people with VERY different opinions on life...that was us. Its funny, because he and I look like identical twins, and we have so many similar traits...traits that kept us at odds when I was a teenager. He tried after they split though, he came up to school to take care of me when I was sick (his holistic way of course), he took me skiing. He really tried.

And then he met Lucy! I was afraid to meet Lucy, and I think she was even more afraid of me. But I liker her right away, it was hard not to. She is very sweet, very warm, and she obviously loves my dad for who he is. That is huge. Her presence made it easier for my dad to relate to me as an adult, and our relationship became less strained. She has been in his life now for about 17 years (I think??), and after some on and off again bumps in the road, they are getting married. They love in New Mexico, and are planning a very esoteric wedding, one I would love to be at. My daughters have been asked to participate, and I know it will be a joyous day for everyone...except for one person, my mom.

I am terrified of how she will react, so terrified that I have insisted my dad pick up the phone and tell her the news. I hope he does what I have asked, and I hope she realizes that this is not a slam on her, but rather a new chapter in his life. My family has never healed from this split, it has been a rough 20 years. My sister has paid in prices that I won't even go into, my mom is always anxious and her self esteem is solow. I have had the benefit of a stable relationship with Chris, and some very good friendships to help me through it. I do not harbor grudges, it is unhealthy and eats you up from the inside. This is why my Dad and I are ok now, I know he left to stay healthy, and I have followed in his footsteps. As soon as I was able, I left the family home, and moved out on my own, and began my adult life. I had to, I had to save myself, and 20 years later, I can confidently say I am ok.

Eeeew....gross (one of the things a mother cannot say to her sick kids)

There is one thing in this world that makes me act like a paranoid freak...its the dreaded evil stomach virus. I have had trouble with this particular illness since I was a little kid. Someone pukes, I run. I need to puke...I deny it til I am overcome with tears and crying for my mommy. No kidding. So, how did someone like me ever decide to have kids???? I think I must have convinced myself that my kids would be above it all...and they would know to throw up in the toilet, and not on carpets, in their beds, on their clothes, on me.... HAHAHAHAHA!

Sammy is now 7, and in her 7 years, she has had the virus 4 times. 4 times that I remember VIVIDLY. Melly is almost 4, and she has had it 2x...and counting. Sammy was sick earlier this week, and now my sitter has it. Chris, Melly and I have so far escaped...but I do not kid myself, no one escapes this...you can't hide! The germs find you, and when you are least expecting it...BAM, you are down for the count! I have washed my hands at least a thousand times, they are raw from antibacterial soap.

I can remember being about 12, at my Aunt Kathy's house on Staten Island. My sister got sick, and threw up orange juice all over their front lawn, and then later in their living room. My cousin Gina and I both experienced sympathy pains and rain away screaming. My mom was sooo mad at me, and I totally can see why she was, but I was not faking. I truly cannot control the spins and twists of my own stomach when I know someone else is getting sick. Its awful. And here I am, 2 days after my oldest daughter got sick...waiting for the proverbial "other shoe" to drop, or in this case, shoes. Reminds me of the South Park episode where all the parents want their kids to get Chicken Pox from the one kid who has them...at least once the kids get it, they know they are done. I know we are not done, and as much as I don't want the 3 of us to get it, its inevitable, and the wait is killing me. I know, I should be in therapy for this!

Blizzard of 06!

Don't you just laugh at how the news gives minor events these ominous titles!
Well, here is some footage of our snow day:

Pictures as promised

Let it snow...

Yipee...its snowing! I may be one of the few people who are HAPPY about this major snowstorm hitting the Northeast, but as you all know, I love to ski! And I have a trip planned to Vermont during President's week. And sadly, there is no snow up there. And even more sad...while we are getting 12"+ down here on Long Island, Vermont is getting a mere 2-5". But at least its cold enough for them to make some of the white stuff. I am going with my friend Brig, and our 2 oldest children. They love to ski too, and there is nothing cuter than watching your kid french fry and pizza down a hill! Out in the west they call it wedgies and christies, but no matter the terminology, they are learning to ski and someday they will blow past us on the mountain, and that will be a proud moment for us! I did not learn to really ski until I was in my 30's! I started skiing at 17, way too late in my book. Samantha started at 5, and she is already doing blue runs and moguls. I love it!

In April, the 2 families are going to Breckenridge, and we are getting our 2 youngest, who will be just under 4 on skis too. How cute that will be! Just hope they enjoy it as much as their older siblings.

We have about 10" outside already, and its not supposed to stop until much later this afternoon...so we will be outside shoveling, playing, and freezing our behinds off. WOO HOO

So we are back...

We came back last Fri am, on a red eye from Sacramento. Let me just get this out in the open....next time, we fly to Reno. This was our 5th trip to Lake Tahoe, and let me say, its a LONG trip from NY no matter how you go, but we tried something new this year. Last year, while chatting with a Tahoe local, we learned that Sacramento was a mere 2 hour drive from Tahoe, and we could fly Jet Blue directly from JFK! WOW! Direct TV at my seat, and no stopover??? We said "woo hoo, we're there!"

What we didn't know, was that Jet Blue has 1 flight to Sacramento, and 1 flight back to NY...both of them redeyes. And the other thing we did not realize is that the drive between Sacramento and Tahoe is twice as long as the drive from Reno, and way more hairy. If you have never driven the Sierras in a snow storm, then you don't how important this little tidbit is...but for any of you know what it is like to drive your rented SUV up and down these mountains where chains are not only required, but your car is checked at actual chain checks along your travel, you will understand why next time....we will fly to Reno, and enjoy that stopover!! Oh yea, another thing...the flight to Sacramento was nearly 6 hours...6 hours of sleepless, fidgeting, there is nothing on TV, starving, my butt is numb....it was almost unbearable. Chris and I were both DYING to get off that damn plane. And when we did, and retrieved our massive luggage (skis/boots/garb), and finally grabbed the rental car bus, rented our SUV, and got into the SUV....we took a few wrong turns, and turned that 2 hour drive into a 4 hour drive! So...in a nutshell, left our home on Long Island at 5:00 PM, boarded plane at JFK at 8:00 PM, landed in Sacramento at 11:40 PM (2:40 AM EST)...and arrived in our hotel room in South Lake Tahoe at 4:00 AM (7:00 AM EST for those of you who are keeping track). Do the math, that is 14 hours of traveling to go just across the country. But you know what...we will do it again, because we LOVE that place!

And then, we had 4 awesome days of skiing. Monday we did our usual 1/2 day stint at Heavenly. Being that we had no sleep, a 1/2 day is all we can manage. We had an awesome dinner at Ceasar's...I can still taste that warm chocolate souffle...mmmmm! Tuesday we tried a new mountain, a local place called Homewood. It was great, had excellent views of the lake, and 2 full day tickets cost less than 1 1/2 ticket at Heavenly! Wednesday we went to my fave, Kirkwood. I love that mountain, its always a challenge, and they always have the most powder! And this year, we conquered the Wall! Not as a planned challenge, but conquered all the same: Chris said "Let's get on that lift, the one over there that goes all the way up...see there where it says the Wall?" OK, stupid me says "sure, lets go". OK, so this is our FIRST run of the day...we go up on the world's longest lift, climbing up and up and up, the wind getting fiercer...and then we get off the lift to face this: One one side, orange barrier with a skull and crossbones and "For Experts Only"...on the other...Double Diamond vertical drop, all moguls. Hmmmm....can you say "FUCK?" Chris and I both just stared at it for several minutes, contemplating if we could slide on our asses to safety.... Finally, we went for it...and we made it. It wasn't pretty, but we did it. I took some pics, and I will try to post as soon as I upload them.

Ah...which brings me to the end of our trip...

Wed night I started getting chills and body aches, but I took some Advil and dismissed them. We drove up to Reno, to have some Lettuce wraps and Mongolian beef at PF Chang's, and try our gambling somewhere else since South Lake was taking all of my money. Dinner was great, but the Advil was wearing off, and I was getting achy again, but I was trying to keep it to myself so as not to ruin our trip. After about an hour or so, Chris could see I was hurting, and Reno was no kinder to our wallets, and he suggested we head back to Tahoe...and I heartily agreed. I took some more Advil, but it just didn't help. We went back up to our room, and I passed out. The next day, Thursday, I toughed it out, and we skied at Sierra. Somehow I got through the skiing ok (more Advil!), and we met up with my friend's cousin, and had a pretty good day out there. We headed back to the hotel to shower and get ready for our drive back to Sacramento, and that was when it got bad. The snow was coming down, I was feverish and ache all over, and the drive was endless. Chris drove like a pro (he always does) and got us to the airport safely. I was dying by this time, and couldn't wait to board the plane so I could sleep. I figured, as tired as I was, and as sick as I felt, surely I would sleep....HA! I hadn't accounted for the finicky, and anal expulsive infant that would sit behind us, or the jaw clenching pain that would grip my ears as we ascended into our cruising altitude....and then as we descended...I actually whimpered, winced and damn near cried as we landed. It sucked.

We got back to our house at about 10 AM, and I passed out in my bed by 11:00. And I did not wake up til 4, when I realized I was really and truly sick....fever, sore throat, and is that what an ear infection feels like? Yep, that's what it was, and here I am, more than a week later, and I still can't hear out of my left ear! And then...just as I am beginning to feel better, and head to work, Chris starts feeling like crap. Yep, he got it too. And that's not all....Sat night, while he was out with the kids while I slept...we had a massive flood in the basement, which destroyed our computer, and we think it was the proverbial last straw that pushed Chris from the brink of "I can fight this off" to full fledged "shit, I have the flu". Poor guy was up til almost 4 am cleaning it up. This was after being up all day Thurs through Fri night. And this my dear Internet...is why I have not managed to upload those darn pictures yet! But I will, and you will see why we love that place, and why we will tortur ourselves w/that crazy flight/drive again!

Going away....

1 more hour, and we are off to the airport...

This little trip could not have come at a better time. I had the worst week at work I have had probably since before I left MCI. I can't even get into it without getting upset, maybe I will be able to explain after my vacation...let's just suffice it to say that I will be updating my resume and seeking another position internally... I can no longer swallow my pride and stay where I have been comfortable for more than 5 years.

Our sitter will be here soon so we can be on our way, to say we are excited is an understatement! I will try to get some good mountain shots and post them here... I wil miss the kids so much, but I know they will be fine, and the hugs we will give each other when we get back will be back breaking! :-)

Lake Tahoe here we come!

January 9, 1994 to January 9, 2006 and still going :-)

12 years ago today, on a very very blustry and snowy day, Chris and I were married! It was about 40 degrees colder, and there was ice and snow everywhere. If you look outside today, you'd think it was the beginning of spring 59 degrees and sunny, instead of the early days of winter! So, 12 years...amazing. We have been together for almost 19 years! Its been a good ride, and I'm so glad we are still enjoying the ride together. We met when we were 18, began dating at 19, and have not looked back ever. This birthday, I will be able to officially say I have been with Chris 1/2 my life, and he the same. (we are exactly 9 days apart, and began dating on his 19th birthday). I think one of the secrets to our happiness, is that we really were friends first, and still are. We became really close in college b/c of some similar interests. I remember, running into him at the Greyhound Station in Albany, as we waited for our buses...me to Port Authority, him to Hempstead, LI. As we waited, we talked about our lives before college, and found out we had so many things in common, that we started an imaginary scroll. That scroll is now probably longer than the Great Wall of China!

Another secret is, every year, for the past 12 years we have gone away together for our anniversary. Even after having kids, we have still kept up this tradition. And for the 3rd year in a row, we are going back to Lake Tahoe, which is where we spent our honeymoom. I am sooo excited, skiing...gambling...no kids....ah! Of course, we will miss our precious girls, but for a few days, we can wake up at our own leisure, eat real grown up food w/o having to worry if the restaurant has a kids menu...doesn't it sound heavenly?

Happy Anniversary Chris, I love you as much as ever, and I am looking forward to our next 12 anniversaries! (ok, not just the annual ski trip ;-)