Time Warp Tuesday: The Announcement

I don't trust the media.  They've cried "WOLF!" so many times, that I tend to ignore most talk of "emergencies", so I wasn't too concerned about Frankenstorm Sandy.  It was my friends' Facebook posts yesterday that finally got me concerned.  When Jim got home last night I was in full freak out mode, gathering batteries, filling containers of water and ice, and searching for firewood.  The one thing "WE" didn't do?  Secure the trampoline.

This morning when I looked outside to see if there were any tree limbs in the yard, I noticed something was missing right away - our trampoline!!  To make a long story short, we got extremely lucky and it was stopped just feet away from our neighbor's house by a tree.  I went out in the pouring rain and somehow managed to roll the dumb thing from their yard back into ours and secure it to our tree.  It's ruined, but I still feel pretty lucky.

Anyway, back to our regularly scheduled programming... Jenn's Time Warp Tuesday!  If you get a chance, head over there and check out the other participants and leave them some comment love.

Since my sweet boy is turning SIX(?!?) in three weeks, I wanted to show this photo...

After two of the longest years of my life, "trying" to get pregnant, it had finally happened.  When we went to my parent's house for Easter, we were taking pictures and asked both sets of parents to get together for a shot.  Jim stood off to the side, and I was taking the shot.  I think I said, "Say Cheese!  No, that one wasn't good.  This time... say... "Jen's Pregnant!!"  Then I snapped this shot.  Jim's mom was asking Jim, "Is she serious?"  My mom was looking at Jim to see his reaction.  My dad was in disbelief... or shock.  Jim's dad seemed to be the only one who immediately got it.

It is a moment I'll never forget, and I'm so glad I have this picture!

Time Warp Tuesday 2

Well, it's Time Warp Tuesday, over at Jenn's again already?!  Man, that week flew by, didn't it?  I'm putting this together at the last minute, (big surprise!), so please excuse the horrendous photos of photos.  There's glare.  There's reflections.  There's blur.  But, I made it to the party, and that's what counts, right?

Since I'm going in order, in my house we jump from Jim and I as kids to the "Fun Couple Frames".  The "Fun Couple Frames" came about when we had only been married a couple years.  I was working as a nanny for a young, adventurous couple with a baby girl.  I came home one day and told Jim... "They have these frames of them as a couple, doing all these fun things.  It's really cool".  Jim said, "Hey!  We're a fun couple too!  Why don't WE have Fun Couple Frames?  We should have Fun Couple Frames!  We should make some!"  (By the way, if you're new here, Jim likes to say "WE" when he means ME).

So, since we indeed are a "fun couple", I made the frames to prove it.

Here's a closer look... (Oh, and yes, the walls in that room are still white.  Let's not talk about that... okay?!)

Parasailing in Ocean City, Maryland, and vacationing in Cancun, Mexico.

In the photo booth at Kennywood, dancing at Jim's cousin's wedding, at a fireworks Pirate game, and snorkeling in Cancun.

At a Halloween party as Wrestler Chyna, and Edward Scissorhands (Jim made the whole costume himself and won a prize for it!)

Getting married in Jamaica

At my grandparent's house - I love it when I make Jim laugh so hard, his face turns this red!

I changed his costume a bit, to become Mrs. Edward Scissorhands.  This was at a nightclub, where I stood on a stage and came in third in a costume contest.  Oh, hello flat stomach!  I miss you so.

Jet skiing in North Carolina while visiting friends.  (Great story... Jim crashed into my jet ski, and had to pay $300.  Ask Jim about it sometime... so I can see his face turn all red again).

At our "reception", which was months after we got married, and had a very casual, tropical theme.

A shot of my 30th birthday.

In Jamaica, enjoying the honeymoon.

The "Muriel's Wedding shot"

We're still a "fun couple".  We just have a different kind of fun these days.

Photo A Day Challenge : Week 2

Oct. 8 - SHADOW

Oct. 9 - ME

Oct. 10 - UP CLOSE

Oct. 11 - THE LETTER "A"

Oct. 12 - BLACK & WHITE

Oct. 13 - HAPPINESS

Oct. 14 - PUMPKIN

Time Warp Tuesday : 1

My buddy, Jenn, over at Juggling Life had the idea to do a weekly feature of some of the displayed photos in her home.  She's a social kind of gal, so she asked us to join her.  Want to come to the party?  Hi!  I'm Jen.  I'm the one who always arrives late, looking out of breath, and disheveled.

For the first week, I figured why not start at the (almost) beginning?  Here's two shots that are proudly displayed in my family room (or the play room, depending on who you're asking)... (Can you guess who they are?

If you're stumped, or if it is your first time here, here's a hint...

Yep, it's me and Jim, (my gorgeous husband).  I usually smile with my mouth open, or at least with a big old mouth of teeth.  Jim does NOT.  Some things never change I guess.  By the way, if you look at the kid shots again, can't you just imagine me saying "Jim!  I have this great idea!", and Jim saying "Oh, no... what now, Jen?" (He's smiling in that adorable way that says he really loves my ideas).

I think it is a good idea to have pictures of you and your spouse as children displayed in your home.  It helps you to remember how you felt at that age when someone said "You did such a great job!", or when they said "You are in SO much trouble" (of course no one EVER said that to Jim!).  It's good to remember that you were once that small.

Photo A Day Challenge : Week One

Since my Before 40 adventure ended, I needed some new challenges.  I decided to commit to reading one book a month.  That doesn't sound like a lot, and it's not.  I used to read books in one sitting, but with my schedule, one book a month seemed realistic.  In September, I read "Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys".  I plan to do a whole post on that at some point.

This month I'm reading "The Trouble With Boys", but I also took on another challenge.  A photo a day challenge to be exact.  I love my Canon, but I knew I wasn't going to lug it around everywhere I went, so I decided to stick with the iPhone for this one.  I tried to keep the photos natural, not posed or produced, but just snapshots of my everyday life for the most part.  I also wanted to keep them unedited or with very little editing.  Here's week one...

Oct. 1 -  LEAF

Oct. 2 -  IN MY CUP

Oct. 3 -  SHOES

Oct. 4 -  UP

Oct. 5 - LIGHT

Oct. 6 -  ORANGE

Oct. 7 - FLOWERS