A Weekend Away!

This weekend we took a quick trip to Lake Placid to spend some time with Josh's father and step-mother. They were in town for the National Figure Skating Competition. We have been to the Adirondacks many times, but never to Lake Placid. It's wonderful there! Cold; but wonderful!!!

Josh and his father warming up next to the fire, after dinner...

We did lots of shopping. It seems his father was making fun of some of the hats this little shop had!!!

Not a bad Christmas card, if only Danny Boy were with us...

This slay was on the main street, begging for shoppers to hop aboard and have a photo taken, so that's just what we did!

Denise, Josh's step-mother, is a figure skating instructor. We went to the rink where the skaters were competing. This rink is the same one that the 1980 Olympics~Miracle On Ice~took place on. Pretty exciting to see. They have a museum there, too. It was closed by the time we got there, but Josh believes missing out on it this time is the perfect excuse for another visit. I agree!

Next weekend: Vegas!!!! Now if I can only get EVERYTHING done that I need to before we leave!

Over The River and Through the Woods..

..to the Pillar and Post we go!!!

Nicky and I finally made our little trip across the border to see where she and McAllister will be married in February. My goodness is this place gorgeous!!!! I'll say first that the decor is just my style. The building itself is perfect. An old canning mill, so we were told. I cannot wait to get my room key, so I can drop my bags and run VERY quickly to their spa. It has an amazing hot spring, a gorgeous salt water pool and maybe we can take advantage of those cozy pedicure chairs while we're there, too. There are fireplaces in nearly every room in the building and I love it. Can it be more perfect for a February wedding? Everything will take place here, so we'll never have to leave. Yeahhh!

We are full of ideas after our visit, now we just need to pin down some colors and get things moving!

This is the foyer/check-in area. You may have found no need to go further...this looks plenty cozy, no? But this was a tour, so we continued...Below may possibly the happiest hallway in all of Canada. With a giant liquor wheel, old washboards, wood stoves from who knows how long ago, giant church pews (in case you need a break as you sip/chug your wine and walk the hall) and oodles of other exciting old finds. I mean, really, who wouldn't want to have a wedding here?

I think Nicky may have been a tad thirsty. Our tour guide and I pretended not to notice that she was lingering over there by the bar. Poor thing never got served, though I'm sure it's because this bar is only for special events. This is where we will all be ordering our water and kool-aid on 2/28/09!!

Josh thinks that a salt water pool is ridiculous. I think it's lovely. Very exotic!

So...it's official! In just about 83 days we will be watching Ms. Nicky Cunha become Mrs. McAllister King. How exciting?! Another wedding... *sigh*

A Great Giveaway

I know that this button is supposed to be on my sidebar for this contest, but it's late and I'm clueless, so just go here and do it FAST!! Times almost up!!!

I Am Thankful for....

Family:

I shared Thanksgiving day with my family and we feasted together! It's comforting to be home for the holidays!!

Friends:

I got together with some friends that I haven't seen in years over the Thanksgiving break. It was wonderful to catch up with everyone!

Health:

As I spent time with both friends and family, I realized that how thankful I was to have everyone around me in good health, and prayers to my Grandma Schuld who is not. I hope for her to have peace very soon!

Massages:

I went for a massage on Saturday and it was just what I needed!

Vacations:

I loved having five days off from work and I don't want to go back!

A Job:

As much as I don't want to go back to work, I thank God I have a job during the difficult times our country is facing.

My friend Siobhan will return to work tomorrow from her maternity leave. I haven't been able to visit her and the baby at home yet, but I hope to surprise her with this little gift for Baby Gianna!

I Miss Paradise!

As the holidays sneak up on us and we are surrounded with snow and cold, I realize how carefree things were just one month ago. All of the wedding stress was behind us and we were laying on the beach in St. Thomas. What I wouldn't do to be back there!!! I remembered that I still haven't shared any photos, so I thought I would. Most of them are of the scenery and not us, but we are just not the type to walk up to others and ask them to take our photo. Thank God for self-timers or there may not be any of us!

A pool shot....we LOVE this pool!

In front of one of the fountains after dinner our first night...

There is a waterfall behind him, but you'd never know it!
Enjoy the 'other' pool post-hurricane...anxiously awaiting tha swim up bar to re-open....and enjoying a fabulous margarita!

A look at the home of David Letterman - or at least one of them! (white building on the cliff to the right)The view from my lounge chair at the pool...

The view from the balcony of our villa....

The sign for the building that our villa was part of....

Our villa....

I'll try to share more tomorrow.

This Week I....

...read this AWESOME book. You HAVE to read it! It's a sequel to The Christmas Shoes. Although it is $14.95 at Barnes & Noble, I'll let you in on a little secret. I got it at the Christmas Tree Shops for $3/2 for $5!! It's an easy read, it's heartwarming and very inspirational!!!

Updates

My friend, for whom I requested your prayers, did not have the surgery yesterday. She is not feeling well and in order to remove her bone marrow for her daughter she must be in tip-top shape. They will try again on Saturday. Please remember her, her baby girl and her family...

***Edited: I found out today (11/14), that my friend was doing well enough for them to go ahead with her surgery yesterday morning. The removal was successful, as well as the transplant to her daughter. We must now continue to pray that the baby's body accepts the transplant. This will prove to be a great deal of waiting and praying... The little one is just like her Mommy and the strength of the two of them combined is a force to be wreckoned with!

In happier news, Lucy will get her birthday treats tomorrow morning~hopefully! We had a minor set back with a flooded basement today, so things are moving slowly around here.Danny tasted them and gave his approval, so we tied them up tight and got them ready to be delivered to the birthday girl! We just need to make the drop now.

While Josh and the plumber were working away, I decided to get started on my parent's long overdue anniversary gift. I figured I should at least give it to them within the the same year they celebrated it! We'll see how this goes.

The first one already frustrated me and I planned on doing about eight more. You may remember the photos I took around my parents home last year at this time. I decided we would all appreciate them more if they weren't stuck in my computer, but hanging somewhere in their home instead. I am using some of those wonderful frame/shadowboxes that my father-in-law and his wife sent to me. Josh will be glad to see them out of the basement, and out of our house altogether for that matter!

Two down, too many to go!

Happy Birthday Lucy and A Request For Your Prayers

Lucy, Nicky's baby girl (dog), is five years old today. Danny and I are making her something special!!! We'll share later!



One of my best friends will have surgery today to try to save her daughter's life. I have not put a picture up, nor will I share their story, until the recovery period has passed. This is out of respect for her and her family. Just please know that there is a story and pray for a miracle!

It's Only Been a Month?!

Today we celebrate one month of wedded bliss!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, one month of marriage anyway...

I thought I would share the link to our wedding photo gallery in celebration. It should only take you...forever....to look through all of the photos Paul took. He did a wonderful job and I highly recommend him if you live in the area.

I've learned two things in one month of marriage:

1) I am incredibly lucky to have found a man who loves me the way he does....

2) It's not going to be easy!

For example, look what almost caused a divorce within the first month:
The lovely Mr. strolled in the door with this zillion inch flat screen one night after work. The day after we returned from our honeymoon, no less. Shouldn't we have agreed on that one before hand? Worse yet, he put it in our bedroom! Mwwwaaaaaa!! (That's just me kissing romance goodbye!) Hmmm....if that isn't the epitomy of the phrase "the honeymoon is over", I don't know what is!

New Cabinet and Blogger Tea

Just over a week ago, Nicky and I hit the road for this little place. We had planned to attend a Blogger Tea that Vicki had organized. We were able to meet a few other upstate bloggers and share conversation and a wonderful lunch with them. Along with Nicky and Vicki, Mary Ellen and Barbara were there. It was a quaint little group. My photos did not turn out; however, click on any of their names to see their photos and posts. After 3 1/2 hours of chatting and eating, oh and drinking the most delicious tea called "monkey picked tea", we headed out into the cold for some shopping. Nicky and I nearly made it through the entire barn without giving into our unnecessary wants and desires. Don't act like you don't know what I mean. Anyway, the second to last booth found us both as weak as ever. Nicky came home with some gorgeous theatre seating, which not only am I jealous of, but the fact that she already owns a set of four of these makes me just plain envious! I imagine she will post on them soon, as I struggled to find a good photo to share.I ended up purchasing this old talking machine, which I need to do a bit more research on. My apologies for the bad photo, as it is gloomy here today. (I probably should have removed all that wood on the floor next to it and behind it, as well. The kitchen floor awaits it completion....still.) The cabinet was somewhat affordable, but I now know why. First off, it doesn't talk because it's been gutted. But I knew that before buying it. Secondly, if you refer to the photo above, you will notice that the two doors are missing on the bottom of the cabinet. That is because they are too small and have about a one inch space between them when you go to close them. For this reason, I plan to run to Walmart this evening and get a small tension rod to hang a piece of fabric in there and hide all my dining junk....or umm, liquor. Uggghhhhh, I get so mad when I come home with things and find out that the seller misrepresented them in his or her booth. It seems to be quite common though.

I still plan to enjoy the cabinet just the same. It is becoming a wine/liquor cabinet, slowly but surely. Yes, I do already have one of those; however, one does not seem to be enough for some reason. I put one of my new PB napkins, from Lindsey, up there and some dried stems from a bouquet that my friend Meghan sent me just before the wedding. I think it looks really nice, despite those damned doors.

What do you think? I'll try to share another photo - post curtain makeover.Here is the top of the other wine/liquor cabinet....very full!

Lastly, the goodies that each of the wonderful ladies from the Blogger Tea gave out. Such wonderful little gifts, from really talented women! This first one is from Susan, who was not able to be there. Don't you just love that little mirror made with vintage wallpaper?! I will add it to the other vintage mirror in our guest room and start a collection, I think! An acorn needle sharpener from Vicki, who does it all with the sweetest little twins on her hips!! *And I should note, those hips have all but disappeared desite the twins birth being only a couple of months ago. Vicki, you look great!!

Pin cushion from the Mary Ellen...too cute!
Cute little glass jar from Nicky, filled with pink M&M's in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness, I believe! And a crown tag, for all of us queens!!!
Another wonderful pin cushion, this time from Barbara...fun, fun, fun!!

I really MUST learn to sew!

I gave out ornaments to help all the ladies get into the holiday spirit...

Edited: I hope I didn't offend anybody by sharing those over-the-top costumes in the last post. If so, I apologize!