J&P Excursions

Maine/New Hampshire

2010-10-09T19:58:00.012-04:00

We took a short four day vacation with my parents this past week. We went to Bar Harbor (Ba Haba) Maine and then Pittsburg, New Hampshire. While in Bar Harbor we went to Acadia National Park and on a Schooner boat ride. The park and the views were awesome. There was a park loop that we drove with spots to take pictures. Cailyns favorite part was Thunder Hole. At high tide the water rushes in and makes a thunderous boom followed by a woosh gubush as Cailyn says. John enojoyed Cadillac Mountain at sun rise. My favorite part was the Schooner ride on the water and watching my dad and John help raise the sails.
Then we headed off to Pittsburg to hopefully find moose and look at the fall foliage. John chose this location b/c the nickname is "Moose Alley and it was recommended from a local yocal on one of his work trips." Tip from this trip is to take a map when using a GPS. Our GPS took us into Canada (Oops not planning on leaving the country). We had no id for Cailyn but luckily they let us back into the States. John's ID may have helped a little. After they checked our licenses the boys and Cailyn used the bathrooms at the check point. For those of you who know John Canada was not in the plan so we could not stop to take a picture or use a bathroom because we told the Canadian border patrol we were going right back to the US. We stayed in a quaint little cabin that could sleep up to 7. We would have enjoyed staying longer and may go back sometime. On the last day of our trip we got up early to look for moose. We saw two girl mama moose as Cailyn says. We were all a little disappointed not to see a male but feel we are lucky to have seen any moose. There were people staying at the cabins that didn't see any either. The trip was a lot of fun and Cailyn was an excellent traveler.

Thunder Hole
Moose 1 Moose 2

Our four legged visitor

2010-09-26T19:42:00.006-04:00

John saw this circling Kaya this morning when she was outside. Kaya just barked at it. John had to go get Kaya and I took some pictures. When John got Kaya in the house he took some more pictures.

Quick weekend visit

2010-09-06T19:40:00.005-04:00

We were in STL from Saturday morning until 6:00 this morning for a reception. It was truly a fast and furious weekend. We left our house at 3:45 Am on Saturday morning arriving in STL at 9:00 having a quick breakfast with family. A few friends came by to visit for a bit and then off to see Brandon and Carole and meet Micah. We had a nice dinner and got to catch up a little. Sunday morning we went to the zoo early so we wouldn't have to pay for the children's zoo. We met up with some friends we missed at Christmas(and some of my family), went home to change then off John's parents then to Melissa's reception at Emerson Park. Cailyn had a blast on the swings and play ground. After the reception we of course had to go to Fritz's for ice cream. Then back up at 4:00 this morning to get back to Jersey for the first day of school tomorrow.

Cailyn's First Fair

2010-08-07T21:17:00.006-04:00

We took Cailyn to her first County Fair today. She had a great time. She really wanted to pet the camel but he was laying down and she couldn't reach him. She enjoyed watching Josh and Farrah ride an elephant. She rode her first pony which she Loved. We actually ran into some of her friends from gymnastics! That is pretty much the first time we have run into anyone we have known here. Cailyn played a game and won a prize all by herself! We ate junk and walked around. Cailyn's favorite part was the petting zoo area and winning her purple monkey. Even though it was 83 it was HOT. The fair was in an open field with a bright sun, no trees and no breeze it felt like it was about 98.

Lions, Tigers, and Bears OH MY Take Two

2010-08-04T20:39:00.004-04:00

John was working in the yard today with Kaya before going to work and this is what came walking down the street stopping in the neighbors yards. It never came into our yard but if John hadn't been here I'm sure it would have. Kaya went berserk which she hasn't done when we have been inside and heard them outside rummaging through the trash cans.

Lions, Tigers, and BEARS oh my!

2010-07-23T08:25:00.009-04:00

Cailyn's daycare has had some visitors every day for about the last mont. A momma bear has discovered the dumpster and is using it as a buffet for her cubs. Cailyn's class is right next to the dumpster and has a glass emergency exit door. The kids see the bears before the teachers.

Here is a conversation between myself and Cailyn on the way to school on Monday. She insisted on having a waffle and cereal for breakfast.

C: giggle giggle giggle

M: What's so funny?

C: Me

M: Why?

C: Me waffle mamma bear!

M: Are you planning to feed your waffle to the Mamma Bear?

C: YES!!! GIGGLE GIGGLE GIGGLE!

So the next day I take Cailyn to school and Ms. Steph (Cailyn's teacher) tells me the" cutest story". Apparently Cailyn took two bites of her waffle, grabbed Ms. Steph's hand, dragged her to the trashcan, put her waffle in the trash, and told Ms. Steph it was for the Mamma Bear! So they humored Cailyn and took the trash out. They did not tell Cailyn the bear had already come that day. So they waited a while and then said "Oh Cailyn we missed the bear but look she got your waffle!" She thought she was the Queen for the rest of the day telling everyone she fed the bears! I have tried unsuccessfully to get Cailyn to tell me about the bears on the video camera but she won't as soon as I turn it on she stops talks.

So here are some pictures of Cailyns BEARS!

These pictures were all taken from Cailyn's classroom door.

The Shore

2010-06-27T20:12:00.008-04:00

We took Tyler and my mom Down the Shore(as they say it here) yesterday. It took about an hour to get to Sandy Hook beach. We all had a good time. Cailyn wasn't afraid of the sand this time and actually liked the waves crashing into us. John and Cailyn enjoyed burrying Tyler in the sand. It was a beautiful day.

Memorial Day

2010-06-09T20:19:00.010-04:00

We took Cailyn Kayaking on Memorial Day. Here are some pictures. We also planted some vegies. Hope you enjoy.

Zoo

2010-04-24T17:11:00.005-04:00

We took Cailyn to a local Zoo today. It was the perfect size for a 1 year old. Just about the time she was done we had been by all the exhibits. It was a beautiful day!

Easter Egg Hunt and Egg Dying

2010-04-03T22:39:00.006-04:00

Today was a big day for Cailyn she went to an Easter Egg Hunt at a local farm.

After the Easter Egg Hunt we had some friends come by to dye eggs with us. Cailyn loved dying eggs.

HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY JOHN

2010-03-14T00:34:00.000-05:00

What happened in 1980? A year in review....

Jan- Hewitt Packard announced release of first personal computer. Feb- US Hockey Beat Soviet Union at winter Olympics "Miracle on Ice". MARCH -- JOHN RADKE Born. April- US severs diplomatic relations with Iran. May-Operation Nimrod. June- The Cable News Network began broadcasting. July-US reveals the stealth fighter jet. Aug- Broadway Musical 42nd Street opens. Sept- Paul McCartney releases"Temporary Secretary" Oct- Phillies win their first Wold Series. Nov-- Ronald Reagon defeats Jimmy Carter. Dec- John Lennon murdered.

Nor'easter

2010-02-26T11:58:00.007-05:00

This is the first real Nor'easter we have had seen we moved here.

The forcast was 3-6 inches

2010-02-16T18:00:00.007-05:00

We really got about a foot on top of what we already had.

This me on top of the mound of snow at the end of the driveway.
Me standing next to the mound of snow The beautiful snow

Cailyn's Gymnastic Show

2010-02-11T17:27:00.008-05:00

Here are some pictures of Cailyn's Gymnastic show two weeks ago.

Cailyn is feeling Better

2010-01-26T20:30:00.011-05:00

I'll let the video say it all:

Cailyn's stint in the hospital

2010-01-23T20:06:00.003-05:00

As most of you know Cailyn was in the hospital this week. She woke up in the middle of the night Sunday having difficulty breathing. We gave her some saline and put her back to bed she didn't have a fever or anything. We took her to the doctor Monday morning thinking she had croup.
Thursday morning I took her back to the doctor because she had developed a fever and her cough had gotten worse. He sent us straight to the ER where they confirmed she had pneumonia and was dehydrated. The admitted her and tested her for RSV, Flu, and H1N1. She had RSV. They pumped her with antibiotics and fluids. Originally we were told she would be in the hospital until Sunday but when they checked on her last night they decided to discharge her. So we are home and recovering. Thanks for all the good thoughts and prayers.

Memories of 2009

2010-01-23T18:18:00.025-05:00

Here are some of our favorite memories from 2009
Seal watching in Portsmouth RI Cailyn slept through the entire boat ride.

Some of us thought it would never get done but John finished the Master bathroom!!

Cailyn wasn't sure if she liked grass or not Cailyn turned 1!!!

Alyssa and Tyler's first hike. Alyssa will NEVER do that agian.

The Dooley's in the Big City.
Kilarney train station
The flat tire John and Brandon had to change in Ireland.

Cailyn's god parents on the beach across from the bed and breakfast.
Old Fashion English dancing in La Cock England.
Cailyn fast asleep as Carole carries her while we tour Cambridge England.

Apple picking in the fall.
Picking out the perfect pumpkin.
Cailyn's first tooth
Cailyn in the Costume parade with gymnastics.
The whole gang infornt of the tree in Rockefellar Center

Cailyn hiding Christmas morning.
Cuddling with my daddy on Christmas morning after opening my gifts.

There were many more pictures we wanted to post but we just couldn't put that many pictures up. Here's to 2010 being just as good if not better than 2009.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-31T21:09:00.009-05:00

Christmas morning was exciting for us this year. We woke up in our own house with Cailyn ready to open gifts. The only problem was we had to coax Cailyn into the living room by promising her food. John's dad and my parents were able to be here to celebrate Christmas with us this year which was a nice treat. Cailyn loved everything she got from Santa and everyone else. She especially loves her stroller. We have had to hide it a few times as well as Elmo Live to save the grandparents sanity. Oh and yes that is what the tree looked like for only one child.

Every thing has been given a ride in the stroller including her juice cups!!
This is one of our favorit shots.

Christmas in the City

2009-12-31T20:47:00.009-05:00

On the 23 we took my parents and John's dad to see the tree at Rockefeller Center and the Macy's window displays. The city was bustling with tourists who wanted pictures without other people in them. Talk about mission impossible. I think we chose the coldest night to go in Cailyn is bundled in her snow gear and a blanket. Anyway here are some pictures from the City.

Here are some shots of the Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy's window displays. Saks Fifth Avenue had snowflakes on the side of their building lighting up to music. Macy's had a Miracle on 34th Street themed window display.

Splish Splash I love taking baths:)

2009-12-20T21:08:00.002-05:00

Here is Cailyn and her daddy playing with the bubbles in the tub. She couldn't stop laughing.

Playing in the snow

2009-12-20T20:57:00.004-05:00

Here is a picture of me going out to play in the snow and a short video of me and daddy sledding in our yard. Yes we used my swimming pool, the snowboard was to fast for me according to daddy.

New Fashion Trend

2009-12-10T21:51:00.003-05:00

Cailyn has started a new fashion trend. She takes stockings literally. She kept putting them on and off.

Home for Thanksgiving

2009-12-08T21:14:00.003-05:00

We went home for Thanksgiving. It was a very relaxing trip spent mostly with our Families. We did not do a lot of running around this time which was nice. I am having problems uploading pictures to Blogger at the moment and will try to add some soon.

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T20:16:00.006-04:00

Cailyn did not fully understand Halloween this year. She really liked helping John carve the pumpkins. She was not fond of the trick or treating or wearing her hat.

The Leaves are Falling

2009-10-23T21:11:00.002-04:00

It's time to play in the leaves. Cailyn had a really good time playing in the pile of leaves I raked up for her while John removed the final two stumps from the front yard.

Tis the Season to be Jolly

2009-10-15T20:21:00.003-04:00

Oh wait it isn't even Halloween yet and it is SNOWING!!!

Do you see what I see?

2009-10-13T22:13:00.003-04:00

Yes that would be Cailyn's first tooth in the back!! I think it is molar but John thinks it may be a different tooth. We only waited 15 months and 6 days for it now the rest can start coming in.

Apple Picking

2009-10-04T17:39:00.008-04:00

We took Cailyn Apple picking today at Applewood Farm. As you will see in the video she really was really into it. You can also observe John's great skills as a parent when Cailyn is playing with an apple someone has already taken a bite out of. Hope you all enjoy!!

Tubes are In

2009-09-30T09:31:00.003-04:00

After several attempts Cailyn finally got her tubes put in this morning. She even had a cold but they decided to go ahead and do the procedure. We had to be there at 5:45 AM. I went back with her until she was asleep. They had me sit on the bed and hold Cailyn as they wheeled us to the operating room. Nobody tells you its going to be a little freaky when the put them under(her eyes were rolling around and wide open but she was out cold). They quickly scooted me out of the room to wait with John. Within 10 minutes the doctor came out and said she was done and everything went great. So far since we have gotten home she has eaten a banana, yogurt, cheese, and puffy's. Some sounds are hurting her ears a little this morning but other than that she is already back to normal.

Pennings Farm

2009-09-27T21:22:00.008-04:00

I took Cailyn to a local farm while John was at work this weekend. She loved seeing the baby cow, goats, chickens, ducks, and a llama. There was a play area that had a castle a castle and a car. Here are some pictures of her at playing.

Cailyn Decorated

2009-09-26T20:29:00.003-04:00

Cailyn decorated the bathroom today while I was taking a shower. I'm sure many of you have seen a scene like this probably worse. Here is a photo.

Another finished project

2009-09-13T14:39:00.011-04:00

John removed the old rusted steel hand rails on our porch and replaced them with wooden ones. They look great! I did get to help a bit while Cailyn was napping. I remembered a before pic this time. We also took out the two bushes and red mulch.

Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-06T22:06:00.003-04:00

Well this has been a beautiful weekend here in New Jersey. John spent part of the weekend taking the rusted steel handrails off the porch and replacing them with wood. He has only gotten one finished because of other activities this weekend. We have been busy getting ready for winter. I know it is only September but it gets cold quick up here. We bought an electric fireplace this weekend. It is awesome not only do the flames look real it can put off heat if we wish. It looks a little silly with our TV on it but it won't be staying for long! We are planning on going on a hike tomorrow.

Week 2

2009-07-28T14:18:00.007-04:00

Well here's the situation a bug is trying to ruin our vacation! I was apparently chosen to be the bugs host. I was sick last Friday then Cailyn, Ed, Issac and John caught the cold. We did make it to London on Saturday with Brandon and Carole before they left on Sunday. Wales has been canceled. We are going to see how everyone is feeling in the morning and hopefully go to the beach. Thursday we are planning on going to Bath then home on Friday. Here are some pictures of London. We did go up in the London eye!!! When we get home we will be posting photos on Picasso for those interested.

Week 1 complete

2009-07-26T07:43:00.007-04:00

Ross Castle in Kilarney Ireland
We have been very busy since arriving in Europe. We spent 1 day in Cambridge then flew to Ireland spending 1 day in Dublin then off to The Ring of Kerry by train. We have seen beautiful scenery and sights. Brandon and Carole joined us for this leg of our trip and we really enjoyed spending the week with them. They were very helpful with Cailyn. The next part of the trip is to Wales. We rented a car and we are leaving with Ed, Ericka, and Isaac in the morning. Here are some photos from our trip so far.

John changing the flat on the rental car in Ireland.

Cailyn's First Birthday

2009-07-08T21:15:00.008-04:00

As you all know Cailyn turned 1 today!! She enjoyed her chocolate cake that I made her. Her grandpa John was here to help us Celebrate. She also had a celebration about a week ago with my family.

Video of Cailyn walking will soon follow. I am having technical difficulties tonight.

Not Just any day at the OFFICE

2009-06-24T21:15:00.005-04:00

Today at work we got to do team building exercises that we have all done about a million times. Except there was one thing I had not done before The Ropes Course. Those of us who chose to do the ropes course were allowed to complete a very short portion of the course. It was a lot of fun although now John thinks I should no longer be nervous on Ski Lifts!

Our first Sighting of the year!

2009-06-13T19:37:00.009-04:00

We went out for a drive to get out of the house this afternoon and saw this Humongous beautiful Bear about 50 ft away from us!! He wieghed probably between 500 and 600 lbs. He stood up on his hind legs and was about 7 or 8 ft tall! (Take into account exaggeration in size we really have no clue how big he was except up close and personal he was a Big one!)The bear moved faster than the cell phone camera so unfortantately I missed that shot. This is the first bear we have seen cause traffic in New Jersey. People were getting out of thier cars to take pictures and he sat there putting on a show until some idiot started walking towards him! He was 4.0 miles away from our house for those of you who might be wondering.

Cailyn is very proud of herself

2009-06-06T21:20:00.005-04:00

Here is a Video of Cailyn. Do you think she will be walking soon?

A family Hike

2009-05-25T19:48:00.009-04:00

We had a great day for a family hike today. Kaya even got to go!! Here are some pictures. Cailyn decided grass isn't so bad and even played with some sticks. The backpack worked great Cailyn loves it. We will continue breaking it in for our trip to Europe only a month and half to go!!!!! Cailyn was worn out after our hike and fell asleep before we were out of the parking lot.

Happy Mothers Day!

2009-05-12T18:30:00.004-04:00

This is what Cailyn made for me at school!

I played in the yard today

2009-04-25T22:41:00.001-04:00

Today I was introduced to grass. I am not so sure I like it very much. I preferred playing on my blanket.

HAPPY EASTER

2009-04-12T08:26:00.004-04:00

To start off the weekend we saw a parade on the way home from John's doctor appointment so I snapped a photo with my phone. Not sure if you can tell but they are carrying a cross. Then this morning we took video of Cailyn on her First Easter. It may be a little long it took a few minutes before she started to play. Feel free to fast forward to the good part. Hope everyone has a safe and happy Easter!!

KAYA

2009-04-06T15:18:00.006-04:00

We got Kaya's hair cut. She got a puppy cut and it is really cute. Cailyn can no longer grab big clumps of hair to pull herself up with!

Happy First Day of Spring!

2009-03-20T18:17:00.003-04:00

This is what we woke up to this morning. What a way to bring in Spring!!

IT'S FINALLY FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!

2009-03-08T10:07:00.004-04:00

Here is a before and after shot. I can tell you we are glad to be finished!! I did get to finally help toward the end with sealing the grout and the shower doors. John of course did the rest himself. The next project is the guest room which is nothing compared to the bathroom.

Friday Fun

2009-02-28T19:00:00.002-05:00

Hope you enjoyed seeing our girls playing!!

Valentines Day Trip

2009-02-16T08:51:00.004-05:00

We have decided that on Valentines Day we will go on a trip instead of buying each other gifts. This year we went to a winter festival in Newport Rhode Island. We had a really good time even though 2 of the 3 of us had colds. We went on a Seal Watching excursion. It was a lot of fun. Cailyn thouroughly enjoyed it as you will see in the pictures.

Watch What I can do!

2009-01-23T19:32:00.003-05:00

Okay here is a video of Cailyn scooting/crawling backward. We find it very entertaining to watch. Hope you enjoy.

Cailyn Rolling Over

2009-01-15T19:55:00.008-05:00

Here is a quick video of Cailyn rolling over for those of you who haven't been able to see her. Here are some pictures of the Bathroom. We are almost Finished(or should I say John is almost finished)!!! For those of you who remember the picture on the left is the same as the one in the middle and posted on the blog way back when.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2008-12-31T12:11:00.008-05:00

We had a great trip back to St. Louis for Christmas. We had the chance to see tons of family and friends. The week went by in a flash, we never stopped the entire time home. We first met Grandma Havecker, had a Dooley Christmas, celebrated a Brithday, had Christmas at the Dooley's and the Haveckers, hosted an Open House, Cailyn was Baptised and before we knew it it was time to head back to Jersey. During our time in St. Louis a few things happened. First Mrs. Scheer asked if Cailyn ever leaked out of her diaper and of course we said no. Just for giggles Cailyn decided to leak out of her diaper on Mrs. Scheer and many more after that. The Dooley family got to witness one of Cailyn's firsts, she rolled over from her back to her belly. Cailyn's godparents (Brandon & Carole) unexpectedly got to come to St. Louis and be at her Baptism ( We are very thankful to them for coming). The picture is of Cailyn and one of her many Christmas Gifts. We now need a bigger house just to hold toys!!

THE RESULTS ARE IN

2008-12-11T21:58:00.001-05:00

Here are the results to the survey. Just so you all know John won the debate.

1)	Does Santa wrap his gifts????? Chart Wizard

	Percentage	Responses
a. yes	54.5	12
	4.5	1
B. no	40.9	9
Total responses:		22

Does Santa Wrap his presents????

2008-12-05T20:44:00.002-05:00

Okay so John and I are having a debate. Does Santa wrap the presents he brings good little girls and boys??? Give us your feedback and I will let you ow who wins this debate. Here is the link:http://FreeOnlineSurveys.com/rendersurvey.asp?sid=m1jq8vclyzcvona521648"

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2008-11-27T12:16:00.005-05:00

We hope everyone is enjoying family and food today!! We worked on the bathroom and had Turkey. I finally have running water in the bathroom. Cailyn and John helped me make an apple pie this morning. I included some pictures. The bathroom is first because I am so excited that it is beginning to look like a bathroom again!!!!! For those of you who don't remember I think one of the first blogs was of the bathroom after we tore it out. More to come.

Our Little LADY BUG!!

2008-11-16T08:46:00.006-05:00

Okay so I have been a little neglectful in getting Cailyn's Halloween picture up on the Blog. We have been pretty busy since then. John has been out of town often and daily life has taken over not to mention hours of Mario Kart on-line with friends. Somehow that all took precedence at the time and now its the middle of November. Just a little over a month until X-mas for those who are counting. By the way John saw a bear down the street on Halloween. It was about 100 yards from our house.

First video

2008-10-25T20:57:00.002-04:00

Here is a video of Cailyn playing. This is something new I tried this evening after she went to bed. I am used to I-movie but most don't have it so I had to us Windows which is a lot different when editing.

Pumpkin

2008-10-25T10:42:00.003-04:00

While we were carving our pumpkins we decided it would be a good photo opp. We took a few pictures of Caily of course with the pumpkins. Can you find jealousy in any of the pictures?? Some one thought she need to be included. The feedback from the last picture of Cailyn in the corn was mean so we will see what kind of response we get this time. Hope everyone enjoys our little pumpkin pics!!

A Search for the Great Pumpkin

2008-10-12T18:13:00.002-04:00

Today we took Cailyn on her first search for the Great Pumpkin. We started out in the corn maze and then a hayride to the pumpkin patch. This is all we found.

Update

2008-09-30T08:41:00.003-04:00

Cailyn has discovered her tongue!! She is constantly sticking it out and has a new Nintendo face. She sticks her tongue out to the side when she is concentrating on anything. Ericka and Ed were here about two weeks ago. I had fun visiting and I think they enjoyed "renting a family" for a few days. They watched Cailyn and Kaya while I was at work and John was in the city. John did get to spend one day with them. Hope everyone is doing well.

John's Dad Visits

2008-09-09T20:39:00.003-04:00

John's dad came to help out and meet Cailyn. He was here for a little over a week. He had a great time watching Cailyn while I was at work and John was in D.C. Grandpa took good care of Cailyn and got her on a schedule. John did get to spend some time with his dad. We went to the New Jersey Botanical Gardens (what a maze), dinner, played with Cailyn, played scrabble and relaxed as much as possible. Over all it was a great week.

Lifes A Beach

2008-08-14T19:11:00.005-04:00

So my ma and pa thought it would be fun to take me to the beach today! They took me down the shore(Jersey Lingo for the beach) to Sandy Hook a National Park. We had a great time even though my parents forgot to bring towels!! Unlike Brandon and Carole who got to see Whales on their Ocean excursion all we got to see were JELLY FISH so we ended up opting to stay out of the water for the most part. Mom and dad did get in up to their ankles.

Einstein Gym

2008-08-11T18:57:00.003-04:00

Cailyn has discovered the toys on her Einstein Gym. She is practicing her skills of reaching up and hitting the objects. I didn't get the best shot but here is a pretty good one. She has been busy getting her schedule down and staying awake longer during the day playing.

Five Fingers, Five Toes and a Button Nose

2008-07-16T14:45:00.006-04:00

Surprise Cailyn has arrived early!!! She came in at 37 weeks 4 days. Weighing 5.5 lbs and 18.5 inches long. She is of course Beautiful because she's ours. Haven't totally decided who she looks like. She does resemble her Aunt Krista. She is a great baby and we are quickly getting used to having her part of the family. Kaya is just a tad jealous but very helpful. She comes to get us whenever Cailyn cries.

Wedding/Shower Weekend

2008-06-12T17:52:00.008-04:00

I have been a little busy since being home for Michelle's WEDDING and my baby shower but better late than never I guess. Sorry I don't have any pictures of Michelle's wedding but it turned out to be a wonderful day. It was a little warm but at least the storms waited until after the ceremony and pictures!! Michelle made a beautiful Bride and Mark was a handsome Groom. We all had a great time celebrating their future.

The baby shower was Fantastic. A big thanks to Jen and Leslie. Believe it or not I brought almost everything home in 2 suit cases. I left the big stuff with mom and dad to bring when Cailyn arrives. It was great being able to visit a little with everyone although as usual it wasn't long enough. It was truly a whirlwind visit I was exhausted when I got home. Enough chat here are some pictures. P.S. John secretly likes his daddy belt even though if you ask he will deny it.

Trip Home

2008-04-29T18:00:00.005-04:00

Well I got to go home for a quick visit a few weeks ago. I got there on Friday around 11:30 pm and left at 8:30am on Monday. I spent a little time with family and even less with friends. The shower and Bachelorette party went well and the bride enjoyed her day. John was working while I was gone so he didn't really have time to miss me!

We picked up the baby furniture today!!

2008-03-30T00:22:00.000-04:00

After a long search and a lot of disagreeing we found furniture we both like last weekend. We had to pick up the crib this weekend. We brought home the chifferobe(not sure of spelling) last weekend. We ended up going with a 4 in one. We are both very happy with our choice yet the room looks extremely small now with furniture in it. I'm sure it will all work out. Hope everyone is doing well!

Boy or Girl

2008-03-10T19:21:00.000-04:00

By popular demand I have decided to go ahead and show you all a picture of my belly. Some of you wanted a bare belly but no such luck. A t-shirt is all you get!! The color of the shirt is no indication of the sex!! It just happens to be the biggest shirt I have and the same one I have been taking pictures in every two weeks. I have embedded the sex of the baby in this entry. I'm sure most of you have already figured it out I tried not to make it to difficult for everyone!! I also included a pic of the baby!!

Extra 3 day weekend

2008-02-24T19:04:00.000-05:00

Well we both had an extra 3 day weekend this week. We got about a foot of snow Thursday night into Friday. Kaya enjoyed the first snow without ice on top(she didn't have to ice skate across the lawn)!! Kaya and I had fun playing while John cleared off the driveway. We took a few pictures we hope you enjoy them.

Baby Room

2008-01-27T20:38:00.000-05:00

Well we have been working very diligently to get the baby room done before July not that we don't have enough time! So here is the almost finished product. We couldn't get the new ceiling fan because they were out. John did 99% of the work and I helped where I could.

Tim's Visit

2008-01-16T21:30:00.001-05:00

Well Tim came to go Snowboarding during a warm spout. The boys had to go to Camelback mountain in Pennsylvania to hit the slopes, of course, I couldn't go. In true big brother fashion we took Tim to China town at night he was a big scaredy cat and wouldn't get out of the car. Here is a quick pic of Tim Snowboarding.

No further baby news except the Doctors name is Dr. Dicker no kidding and John thinks this is hilarious and can't say it without a giggle.

Remodeling

2007-12-01T19:05:00.000-05:00

This is what we spent our day doing today. As suspected we found MOLD and had to take everything out down to the studs!! In true Pam fashion I thought we should have taken a before shot when we were almost done gutting it. So this is all you get to see finally a mold less bathroom. Yeah!! Now comes the fun part shopping for new tile, vanity, toilet, and accessories!

First Snow

2007-11-09T22:23:00.000-05:00

Well its only November 9th and we have gotten our first snow of the season. We aren't used to having snow this early. Of course I took Kaya out to play, she loves playing frisbee in the snow. The pellet stove was finally repiped yesterday just in the knick of time. We also raked and mulched leaves yesterday which took almost all day to do the front yard and driveway we didn't even get to the side yard.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2007-10-31T19:03:00.000-04:00

Here are our Pumpkins!! John and I had a really good time carving them, and it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be. I did the witch and he did the cat(well I mean oh we just won't go there). So far we haven't had many trick or treaters. We may be sending everyone some candy. Hope everyone had fun and saw some great little gremlins!!!

Apple Picking

2007-10-17T00:27:00.000-04:00

We went apple picking this weekend. We had a lot of fun (not as much as we have with Dan and Allison). We went with a friend of John's from work and his wife. No hay rides on this trip we drove to the orchard and then walked. They checked our car when we were leaving to make sure we didn't take extra apples. We had 14 pounds of apples. I obviously made John an apple pie on Sunday it didn't make a dent in the apples so I now I need to come up with plan B.
While I was posting this our neighbors house caught on fire. We had 6 Fire trucks and an ambulance outside our house blocking our driveway. We did get to meet one of our neighbors. Anyway we tried to get good pictures of all the trucks but John has yet to master his camera, so this is what we got.

The Appalacian Trail

2007-09-07T20:16:00.000-04:00

We had to do 2 blogs for this weekend. We took a hike on the AT (Appalacian Trail). We thought it was a bust when we got to the top because we couldn't find a view. Apparently we made a wrong turn when did find it the view finally and it was amazing. Hope you all had a great weekend. I attached some pictures of the view from the hike. Yes, I actually got that close to the edge. I wasn't as nervous this time. For some reason I felt safer up there. Go figure. John was surprised at how calm I was.

Long Weekend

2007-09-02T17:46:00.000-04:00

Well John had a 5 day weekend and I had a 4 day. We were pretty busy. John started wiring the surround sound in the basement on Thursday finishing on Friday evening. On Saturday we took Kaya for a hike at Ramapo State park. She really enjoys climbing big rocks on our hikes. I took John to dinner at Macaroni Grill we had an awesome meal and even better wine! There was a little giggling on the way home, silly John (he doesn't know I'm typing this yet). Sunday we went Kayaking and screwed with some turtles who were just trying to sun bathe. Finally we are at Monday can you believe its already time to go back to work tomorrow? The Appalachian Trail....

New Employment Opportunity

2007-08-15T14:45:00.000-04:00

Well its official. I am employed, John's heart can start beating again. I have sent out tons of resumes. Several interviews were scheduled within a two week period. I have known for about 2 weeks that I had gotten this position but didn't want to jump the gun before the official announcement. My new job title is adaptive computer specialist or assistive technology specialist(depending on who your talking to). I will be teaching teachers how to utilize technology programs and devices for students with disabilities to assist in educating the student. I will also be assessing students needs for assistive technology. This is something I have come to love over the years while working with my students. I am always excited to see them use the different technologies out there creating something independently. I hope I will be able to share this passion with other teachers, students and school staff while in this new position.

John's home away from home

2007-08-06T16:36:00.000-04:00

So John is/was on a business trip. I tagged along mainly to spend time with Ericka who was in the same area for a conference. What are the odds? John is working a horrible shift so I would have barely seen him had I stayed. Ericka and I stumbled upon a press conference from a distance (I forgot the camera at the hotel). Apparently the president of France was in the area who knew? They (the men with guns) wouldn't let the spectators get any closer. Anyway the hotel room John is/was staying in reminded us of Faulty Towers without the doorman. I attached a picture of a lighthouse Kaya and I saw on the way to pick Ericka up at the bus station.
The lighthouse is located in Portsmouth New Hampshire. I hope you enjoy.

We Gotta a Live One Folks

2007-07-29T22:15:00.000-04:00

I know two posts in one day but I had share what we just saw on the way home from making copies of my certifications and transcripts for the job hunt!! !!! In order to capture this one I had to do a tight U-Turn( probably illegal) but I was so excited and couldn't believe what I was seeing. We used our cellphone so its not the best pic. Apparently we should have a camera with us at all times. John says I'm going blog crazy(he he)!

A Tiling we will go!

2007-07-29T12:30:00.000-04:00

Just so you know this will not be a daily update. It just so happens we have been keeping busy the last few days. I really don't have that much to say usually. For those of you who don't know we have done some remodeling since we moved into our new home. A pellet stove with a base took up half of that space, so we took it apart and John built a new one. We tiled the new base and the entry way from the garage yesterday. We picked natural stone and we love the uniqueness of each tile. Cutting tile is pretty easy. Here are some pictures.

Crabby Friday Night

2007-07-28T11:11:00.001-04:00

Since we have no lives. We had to entertain ourselves and thought we would share our exciting Friday night. We made crab legs for the first time!! Woo Hoo!! It was a very simple process who would have known, not to mention delicious.

Adrirondacks

2007-07-23T15:15:00.000-04:00

We went to Lake Placid this weekend and climbed Mt. Joe. We took the short trail which was quite steep. Kaya was the leader of the pack if I didn't know better I would have thought she was a mountain goat(Don't get jealous Brandon). She knew exactly where to go the entire way. John only had to help her once. We made it to the summit, (where I spent my time clinging to the rocks, not a fan of heights) the scenery was breath taking!! It was definitely worth the hike. We also stopped off and took pictures on the way up. This is one of our favorite pics from the trip.