Tonight...

Tonight its all about the Jersey Shore earrings...

Can I get a fist pump?

Have a Happy New Year

Be safe

Much Love,

Heather

Fists Flying

Saturday night we went to a hardcore/metal show in Philly...



...that would be me...at 2 am, sweaty, adrenalin pumping, ears bleeding, sore throat and loving every minute damn of it.

Sometimes, after life's frustrations, its best to just jump in the pit and let it all out....

Merry Christmas

Kodi in his Christmas Sweater

Happy Birthday Jesus and Merry Christmas to all!

My babies

This is the closest they have ever been to one another without attacking...

Thanksgiving Vacation Days 3, 4 and 5

Okay, so I missed blogging about Thanksgiving Vacation Days 3, 4 and 5….but I was busy!

If you missed Day 1 and Day 2, here is a quick recap;

I caught a show in the city on Wednesday night;

(Automatic Fire @ the TLA on South Street, Phila)

Thursday (Turkey Day) was at my Moms house and it was wonderful. It was so relaxing with just my parents, brothers, my husband and I. There was no family drama or huge mess to clean up.

We decorated Mom's Christmas tree...one of them anyway

...ate a wonderful meal and spent time together as a family just relaxing. We went to bed rather early so that we could get up with the crazies (who am I kidding...we ARE the crazies!) to do some Black Friday shopping!

Friday started at 2:30 AM (better than last year…we started at midnight then) with a large cup of Wawa coffee and lots money to burn…well not so much the lots of money part. Anyway, we made our way through a few stores stopping for breakfast along the way. We made out pretty well and got done most of our Christmas shopping. Then around 10:00 AM we dropped the bags off at home, took a nap, woke up and had lunch (turkey day round # 2) and then went back out for MORE SHOPPING Y’ALL!!!! My best buy was an awesome set of bed sheets that were $89.99. I scored them for $14.99 + 15% off of that…you figure it out. I can’t tell you what I else I got cuz it’s for Christmas DUH!

Saturday I can’t even remember but I’m sure it was good.

Sunday was great because we did this…

(Thats our house all done up for Christmas!)

My Dad brought over a bucket truck to get the lights up top. That man is like a kid with a toy when it comes to using the bucket truck...any excuse he gets I tell ya!

That brings us to today…its back to work, with a sore back/neck and a cold thats turned into a sinus infection…I guess the fun had to end sometime.

How was your Thanksgiving vacation? Is your tree up yet?

Thanksgiving Vacation Day 1...Pies & Police Reports

Today is day one of my FIVE day Thanksgiving vacation AKA Pie Day. Every year my Mom and I spend the day together in the kitchen baking pies and prepping for the big meal. This year we MAY have (and by MAY I mean most definitely) went a little overboard. Our list includes but is not limited to (the day isn't over yet!);

• 4 Pumpkin Pies
• 1 Cherry Pie with crumb topping
• 1 Peach Pie with crumb topping
• 1 Apple Cobbler (homemade biscuit topping)
• 2 Loaves Cranberry Bread
• 1 Loaf Pumpkin Bread
• Stuffing
• Green Bean Casserole

Did I mention all this is for only six people? And we haven't even gotten to the good part...

As Mom and I were baking this morning the phone rang and it was the police department from a local city asking about my brothers car. The police officer stated that it was found running on the side of the road at 4:30AM. It gave us a little scare but we were able to contact my brother who is away on business to find out that he was alright. Turns out that his car was stolen from his place of business last night and stripped to the frame. And by frame I mean this;







I guess old CRX's are in high demand.

Well that's all for now. I am leaving in a few to take my brothers into the city to experience South Street and see a rock show at the TLA.

See you all on Thanksgiving Vacation Day 2....

The Road to a Friend's House is Never Long

Isn't it great when you reunite with a friend that you haven't seen in years and it feels like a day never passed in between?


This is my goofball & me almost 10 years ago...


And 10 years later...

Rearranged

(photo taken at Hickory Run State Park, PA)

Unless you start doing something different, you are in for more of the same.
- Author Unknown

I read this quote online today and I felt it was great for a quick Friday post. Its a simple quote but very true. I have been struggling to loose weight this year and after reading this quote it kind of hit me - you need to stop complaining and do something different! This year I worked hard to change my attitude and rearrange my life priorities for the better. So why is it that I can't change my eating and exercise habits too?

I can.

I just have to do it.

bears, snakes, caterpillars and rocks

I guess the rain rain go away chant worked because it only rained one night of our camping trip. The rest of the days were crisp, cool and beautiful...

(our campsite at Hickory Run State Park, PA)

I didn't see any bears unlike this woman.

And since I had no such luck trying to find one I had to settle on this really ferocious looking Caterpillar...

And this snake...

(the snake is either a black rat snake or eastern water snake - either way the snake is not poisonous)

And who doesn't love a field of freakin rocks?

(That is Boulder Field which was made by a glacier.)

All in all it was a good camping trip - no buggies and lots of good food. And who couldn't relax with a view like this?

Perfection.

Jacob and his "fort"

I don't have a green thumb at all. I don't mind to garden but I'm not good at it at all. I always joke that I can't even keep a fake plant alive. Here's why...



This is Jacob and his "fort". He insists on knocking the plant over and then lying under it.



I think he uses it to camouflage himself so that the dog doesn't go after him :D

My baby's growing up

By baby I mean dog of course.

We have been testing Kodi lately to see if he is trust worthy enough to be left alone not crated.

He really had to earn our trust because when he was younger he had some major shitting all over the house issues when we weren't home....AKA...seperation anxiety.

So we started off just for an hour while we went grocery shopping and he was fine. Then we worked our way up to five hours...still no problems. Finally yesterday was the big day...we left him free all day while we were at work.

Success!

All three cats are still alive, no pee, no poop and no destruction to the house.

He was so excited when I walked through the door last night like he couldn't wait to tell me how good he was...so I grabbed the camera to take a photo and he smiled for me :D

What a good boy!

Lessons Learned from Camping

Well, I did it. I survived my first camping trip! Although it rained hard & often it was still a great time.



What did I learn?

1. Food cooked over a campfire is way better {and a lot easier to clean up}
2. Camping is absolutely exhausting but relaxing by the fire makes it well worth it
3. My mattress at home that I aways complain about....it isn't so bad anymore
4. Try and remember to pack a pillow...
5. ...and a toothbrush
6. Old jeans and TShirts....glad I went with them
7. There is no way to water proof a tent
8. You WILL get wet & dirty no matter what
9. I can deal with the rain and dirt but I cannot deal with spiders
10. I could definitely do this again!

Picture Time

I haven't tried this before so hopefully it works....you should be able to click here and view my photos from Ocean City, NJ.

Let me know if you can see them and the captions!

bye for now

Oh how I love my pets - they bring so much happiness!

We are packing up and heading to the shore for a much needed mini-vacation. Someone doesn't want us to leave or wants to come with...hehe. The best part is being able to spend it with my best friends Ryan & Mindy! It'll be nice to show them all the places we like to visit and where I spent my summers as a kid.

Ahhh...relaxation and fun in only...28 hours!

Enjoy the long weekend

The sun is shining, the birds are singing and everyday is a holiday...don't believe me? Just try missing one...

Singing Chaffinch

Some highlights from our mini-vaca;

click on photos to enlarge



At the risk of getting eaten alive, we caught about 30 nice sized crabs. I like to use the 'line' technique; I tie a piece of disgustingly smelly rank chicken to a weight {actually hubs does that part} which is tied to a long string and lowered into the water. By keeping the line taught I can feel when a crab is on the line, then I slowly pull the line up inch by inch and use a net to scoop them up. If they are over 4 inches they are turned into dinner.

This time I had a pesky fish or eel that kept going after my line and tugging it so hard I thought I was going to go in the bay! I tried so hard to lure that son of a beotch up to the surface but I couldn't get it. At one point I set the line down and placed my coffee cup on the line - I turned around and saw my coffee cup inching its way down the dock! I wanted to get that little *#$% so bad!!!!

During a game of Rummikub I was boasting and said how "clever & witty" I am. Hubs said "more like annoying & shitty" yeah, he's sweet like that... oh and hearing hub's nan say 'fo sheezy was a real highlight

Despite the rain, wind and cold temperatures the ocean water was warm. Some of the kids and I went on the hunt for seashells. While we didn't find any starfish or conch shells, we did find a hermit crab that had just lost an epic battle to a seagull. Although he was still alive he was missing several limbs - poor fella

More highlights & pictures to come....

Furry Friday

This is how I found my cat the other day...



He is always getting into something!

In other non-furry related news; if you haven't checked Gavin's site in a while you may want to now. Thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation he is at Disney chumming it with Mickey and the crew! Take a look by clicking here!

Have a wonderful long weekend everyone!

Furry Friday

Ahhh, Friday! There is nothing better on a Friday morning than coming to work and realizing you have a two hour meeting first thing in the morning *yawn*! At least I have a three day weekend to look forward to!

Isn't my dog so damn cute!



We started shaving him and he looks so cute with his short hair!




And lastly I have this adorable video....



Happy Furry Friday, make it a great one!

Furry Friday

Happy Furry Friday! I hope you have a wonderful day and enjoy the coming weekend!

Fruits of my labor

So this is what I worked on last weekend while hubs was away...



Its Clary Sage from Sherwin Williams and I love it!


Of course I had to have hubs do the top few inches because even on a stool I'm too short!


Oops, a few spots on the trim to touch up though!


That's a reflection of the mirror on the wall :)


I think it came out great! Eventually, when money allows, I have plans for this bathroom to be "Zen" and relaxing. I'd like to put in either black faux wood blinds or a dark bamboo shades. I'd also like to replace the plain mirror with something framed and hang some nature pictures, but for now I'm pretty happy the way it is!