I live in Newtown, Connecticut (Sandy Hook is a sub division) And today, the day of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre I was subbing at the Middle School. We were put into lockdown at about 10 a.m. and stayed in lockdown until about 12. My class was perfect. They stayed calm and quiet during the excruciatingly long time. I had thankfully brought my phone today so I was able to look on Newtown's patch site to be somewhat clued in to why we were in lockdown.
I can say that I am truly thankful to be able to go home today to my loved ones. The tragedy that has occurred absolutely breaks my heart. I am so proud of how amazingly well the faculty dealt with the lockdown and i am praying for all of the faculty, students, and families of anyone at Sandy Hook Elementary.
I wish that mental health care were more ready available so that horrid events like this would never happen again. Obviously the shooter was not of sound mind and this saddens me. These dramatic measures he took could have been 100% preventable had this boy gotten the care he needed. The word tragedy
is not big enough to describe what has happened today. For so many reasons. . .
Friday, December 14, 2012
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Post Election Thoughts
My facebook status today: Waking up this morning I was hopeful. I was
hopeful that this country (regardless of last night's outcome) would
come together and try to remember that America is ONE UNIFIED COUNTRY
not a place built on, 'well i didn't vote so so-and-so.' Whomever you
voted for is your business. It is your right to vote for the candidate
you thought was best/better for the incredible job of president. But
really, complaining and whining wont solve a thing, or improve this
country. Can't we all just take one minute and be thankful that we all
have the rights and privileges that we do instead of complaining about
what we don't have or didn't get?
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Bermuda Photos
I realized I never posted Bermuda vacation photos. So here they are:
our first day on the cruise
every day they would fold an animal towel
our room
outside the aquarium
outside the aquarium
local brews
local brews
how do you not love a country with pink public transportation
snorkel
snorkel
feeding the fish on the snorkel boat
turtle-looking ship wreck
the beach :-)
crystal caves
crystal caves
Monday, October 1, 2012
Dress debacle solved!
Hello friends,
Well, I have good news to report. I have purchased a wedding dress! I found the dress that gave me "that feeling." While I wont tell you anything about what it looks like, I can tell you that it is beyond beautiful and so, so flattering. It took a little patience on my part (and Lisa and Mom, too) but I narrowed down shape, then fabric, then I got specific as to likes and dislikes. (Ex: I like rouching, I don't like taffeta, etc, etc) And voila! I found my dress! Now I have to wait the excruciating 8 months for it to come into the store. But it is worth the wait ;-)
I even ALMOST started crying. I blame that on the veil though, let me tell you it makes such a difference to see yourself with a veil on! I was all "bird cage veil or nothing" but when the consultant put a long veil on me with a blusher... I was choking back tears. So now my new undertaking is trying to turn my mother's 1978 veil headband into a 2014 veil on a comb. I think I will modernize Mom's veil (which is a cathedral length with a daisy chain edge and blusher attached) by adding some bling to the daisy chain I will wear that during our ceremony then change into a birdcage veil for the reception. The best of both worlds. And now that I have a dress and my look I feel like a lot of other details can be thought about and decided on. Also, who doesn't love shoe and accessory shopping!
Oh, I almost forgot. It is NOT the dress I was debating over a few months ago. I tried that one back on and still LIKED it, but i wanted to change this, and maybe do that, etc. When I tried my dress on it was PERFECT! No changing necessary. Well, that is not entirely true, I might add a small lace applique, but I didn't feel the need to change anything about the fit or color of the dress or any other major additions/subtractions. I am glad i went with my instincts and kept looking.
Well, I have good news to report. I have purchased a wedding dress! I found the dress that gave me "that feeling." While I wont tell you anything about what it looks like, I can tell you that it is beyond beautiful and so, so flattering. It took a little patience on my part (and Lisa and Mom, too) but I narrowed down shape, then fabric, then I got specific as to likes and dislikes. (Ex: I like rouching, I don't like taffeta, etc, etc) And voila! I found my dress! Now I have to wait the excruciating 8 months for it to come into the store. But it is worth the wait ;-)
I even ALMOST started crying. I blame that on the veil though, let me tell you it makes such a difference to see yourself with a veil on! I was all "bird cage veil or nothing" but when the consultant put a long veil on me with a blusher... I was choking back tears. So now my new undertaking is trying to turn my mother's 1978 veil headband into a 2014 veil on a comb. I think I will modernize Mom's veil (which is a cathedral length with a daisy chain edge and blusher attached) by adding some bling to the daisy chain I will wear that during our ceremony then change into a birdcage veil for the reception. The best of both worlds. And now that I have a dress and my look I feel like a lot of other details can be thought about and decided on. Also, who doesn't love shoe and accessory shopping!
Oh, I almost forgot. It is NOT the dress I was debating over a few months ago. I tried that one back on and still LIKED it, but i wanted to change this, and maybe do that, etc. When I tried my dress on it was PERFECT! No changing necessary. Well, that is not entirely true, I might add a small lace applique, but I didn't feel the need to change anything about the fit or color of the dress or any other major additions/subtractions. I am glad i went with my instincts and kept looking.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Trilogy
Well, as stated in a much earlier blog, I have started reading the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. I started it about two months ago and still have not finished. That being said, when I am reading it, it is very interesting but I am (obviously) not finding myself compelled to read it. There is a refreshing higher level of vocabulary used and the author's slow and steady approach ensures you follow the multiple character's biographies. But again, I am not compelled to pick it up off my nightstand. Hmm... maybe because this is part 1 of 3 and the last 2 are filled with the desired plot twists and excitement? I will keep you posted!
SO I finished all three novels in about a year. I had to put them down and read other books in between because it got to be a lot. As my first go at the 'crime fiction' genre, it was too much information for me. Larsson did a great job of foreshadowing and hiding little details, and character development, but it felt really slow to me like the trilogy could have been a two novel series.
Maybe this just isn't my genre... I hope everyone else who read it liked it more than I did! I thought the movie was great because it went faster!
SO I finished all three novels in about a year. I had to put them down and read other books in between because it got to be a lot. As my first go at the 'crime fiction' genre, it was too much information for me. Larsson did a great job of foreshadowing and hiding little details, and character development, but it felt really slow to me like the trilogy could have been a two novel series.
Maybe this just isn't my genre... I hope everyone else who read it liked it more than I did! I thought the movie was great because it went faster!
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Dress debacle?
So, my maid of honor (will be matron of honor) my mom and I have begun wedding dress shopping. We started at David's Bridal where I tried on about 10 different gowns with no luck, and then we moved on to Julie Allen Bridal. I tried on about 6 or so gowns there. For about 4 of them, I didn't bother to come out of the dressing room. There is one front runner that Mom and Lisa LOVED! but I was gun shy. Am I the kind of girl who just doesn't get the "this is my dress" feeling that years of watching Say Yes to the Dress has promised me? I loved the front runner dress and it looked fabulous on me. Seriously I felt like I lost 20 lbs when I put on that dress. There wasn't even "one thing" I didn't like about it... So where is that "it" feeling? Thankfully Lisa took about 10,000 pictures and the more I look at me in the dress and the stunning way the dress photographs, the more I like it. Maybe next appointment I will have my AHA moment. Or will I forever be in dress debacle territory of I'm not sure? :-( I'll keep you all posted...
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Vacation and Engagement!!!!
Hello, hello! Well, I have had the most joyful, blessed, and darn right exciting past week! Chris and I took our cruise to Bermuda and HE PROPOSED !!!! :-D And it is quite a cute story!
On our first day on Bermuda (June 26) we went to the Bermuda Aquarium/Zoo. Chris had it planned out to propose to me in front of the jellyfish exhibit because that is my favorite. Well, we go through the aquarium and when we get to the end, Chris turns to me and says, "This aquarium sucks, there are no jellyfish!" and i think, well I'm the one who likes them and I am not upset, stop being grumpy!
So at this point the poor guy is panicking, and I am all excited to go see the zoo section. When we walk outside to the zoo, it is set up in a big circle. First, we see the free-range peacock they have, so I am absolutely thrilled! (And as it turns out an omen that peacock feathers were meant to be in our wedding, lol) Then, Chris wanted to go over to the right to a spot that overlooked the water and had a cute bench etc. BUT, I say, "No there are lots of little kids over there, I want to go see the monkeys!" So we turn to the left and go through the zoo. On out way back around, we come to the same spot Chris wanted to go to before, and he says, "hey, lets stop right here, I have to tie my shoe." So we do and a few seconds later Chris calls my name, I realize he is on one knee, so naturally, I shove him and say, "Are you serious?!" (I was thinking, okay, buddy. It has been 5 years and if you are joking I am going to murder you right here!)
But luckily for me, and him, he was serious. He said a lovely intro to the proposal "I have loved you for five years, and I want to love you for the rest of my life" and then, "Will you marry me?" I started 'almost crying' and hugged him, but apparently never answered him, so a moment later he offered, "So, that's a yes then?" So I said YES! and he asked if I wanted to see the ring.
You see, Chris had the ring in a little velvet bag in his pocket the whole day, and due to his nerves, his trembling fingers couldn't get the ring out fast enough. So, he proposed with the bag in his hand. In my state of delirious euphoria, I forgot that I got a ring. So when Chris asked if I wanted to see it, I was like, "Oh yes, I get a ring, too!" And it is the most perfect ring ever created.
He and my best friend Lisa had it custom made at a local jeweler. It is absolutely everything I could ever imagine and then some. Well done you two!!!
Then we had four days left on the cruise to be the doe-y eyed, in love couple on the cruise before we came back to reality and had the fun of telling our family and friends!
And if that wasn't enough awesome for one week, it was my birthday yesterday. So in one week i went on an amazing vacation, got engaged, and had a great birthday. I am quite the lucky duck!
Here are some vacation photos:
On our first day on Bermuda (June 26) we went to the Bermuda Aquarium/Zoo. Chris had it planned out to propose to me in front of the jellyfish exhibit because that is my favorite. Well, we go through the aquarium and when we get to the end, Chris turns to me and says, "This aquarium sucks, there are no jellyfish!" and i think, well I'm the one who likes them and I am not upset, stop being grumpy!
So at this point the poor guy is panicking, and I am all excited to go see the zoo section. When we walk outside to the zoo, it is set up in a big circle. First, we see the free-range peacock they have, so I am absolutely thrilled! (And as it turns out an omen that peacock feathers were meant to be in our wedding, lol) Then, Chris wanted to go over to the right to a spot that overlooked the water and had a cute bench etc. BUT, I say, "No there are lots of little kids over there, I want to go see the monkeys!" So we turn to the left and go through the zoo. On out way back around, we come to the same spot Chris wanted to go to before, and he says, "hey, lets stop right here, I have to tie my shoe." So we do and a few seconds later Chris calls my name, I realize he is on one knee, so naturally, I shove him and say, "Are you serious?!" (I was thinking, okay, buddy. It has been 5 years and if you are joking I am going to murder you right here!)
But luckily for me, and him, he was serious. He said a lovely intro to the proposal "I have loved you for five years, and I want to love you for the rest of my life" and then, "Will you marry me?" I started 'almost crying' and hugged him, but apparently never answered him, so a moment later he offered, "So, that's a yes then?" So I said YES! and he asked if I wanted to see the ring.
You see, Chris had the ring in a little velvet bag in his pocket the whole day, and due to his nerves, his trembling fingers couldn't get the ring out fast enough. So, he proposed with the bag in his hand. In my state of delirious euphoria, I forgot that I got a ring. So when Chris asked if I wanted to see it, I was like, "Oh yes, I get a ring, too!" And it is the most perfect ring ever created.
He and my best friend Lisa had it custom made at a local jeweler. It is absolutely everything I could ever imagine and then some. Well done you two!!!
Then we had four days left on the cruise to be the doe-y eyed, in love couple on the cruise before we came back to reality and had the fun of telling our family and friends!
And if that wasn't enough awesome for one week, it was my birthday yesterday. So in one week i went on an amazing vacation, got engaged, and had a great birthday. I am quite the lucky duck!
Here are some vacation photos:
The "free-range" peacock!
moments after the proposal (notice my dopey smile)
a man walked by and was nice enough to take our picture
My ring
side view
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Living the good life
Well, I made it! Tomorrow is the last day of school for the boys I sit for. No one was expelled or suspended lol. Actually both boys earned fabulous grade this year (some hard fought at home by me and their mom). All in all, it was a good year. And to top it all off, Chris and I are going on a cruise next week. That's right, the boys go off to sleep away camp so I am taking an actual adult vacation!!!! We are taking a 7 day cruise out of NYC (an hour and a half train ride from me) to Bermuda! Chris and I are so looking forward to seven days of relaxation, free food (Chris is especially excited about that) getting an amazing tan, and a beautiful Island filled with lovely locals. I will be posting pics as soon as we come back!!!
Monday, June 11, 2012
So this morning I went to target and bought Stieg Larson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I plan on starting it tonight before bed. I am excited to start a new series after devouring The Hunger Games, and Fifty Shades of Grey trilogies. Also, I am excited to start it now because I was looking for a good read to bring on my upcoming cruise to Bermuda (in two weeks) and this is a trilogy (as I am sure you all know).
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Here is a picture of Sarah and Brandon's Wedding: (I am the middle bridesmaid) and Chris was best man
Here is an engagement picture of Lisa and Joe :-) I am so happy for both of them!
Here is an engagement picture of Lisa and Joe :-) I am so happy for both of them!
and a closeup of the bling. I had the honor of going with Joe to purchase/pick out the ring! He surpirsed Lisa by proposing during their trip to Nantucket (a favorite family vacation spot of Lisa's)
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