Polar Express

We went on the Polar Express last night in Lincoln. It is always sooo much fun!

On the train to the North Pole!
Reading The Polar Express.
Waiting for Ho Ho to come!

Miracles do happen...Dad shaking hands with Santa!

This is what happens when you have too much hot chocolate!

We have gone 3 times now and I would recommend it to anyone. It is truely magical!

I have a Christmas Tree problem...

I admit that I have a Christmas Tree problem, usually it is the bigger the better for me. It is a problem my parents have been dealing with for years. Every year I take FOREVER to pick out the tree because it has to be PERFECT! Well, this year Adam and I decided that instead of putting our Christmas Tree in the living room with the cathedral ceiling, we would put it in the kitchen to be away from the wood stove. (The kitchen ceiling is at the most maybe 7 feet tall!)

With the snow day today, we decided to take the time to go get the tree. I didn't really want to put a lot of time into it because I knew I would be disappointed with the SMALL tree we would have to get. We went to the nursery down the street and started looking at trees. I found one that I liked that appeared to be the right size...well, I guess that I didn't take into consideration that I was standing on the freshly fallen snow and that the trees were resting in PVC pipes pushed into the ground...so we purchased what I like to describe as our 6 foot 36 inch tree...

This is the room that the tree was suppose to go in...notice the extremely low ceilings and the archway from the living room into the kitchen.

Here it is...

Adam standing on the step ladder to give you a better idea of the size of our "small tree!"

I have been laughing since we brought the tree inside. Adam said that he is in charge of picking the tree next year. All I can say is that I REALLY tried to pick a smaller tree!

Adam's artwork...

Adam has been working with one of his sergeants to get the community center basement ready for Christmas Village. He has been doing a lot of Christmas paintings and I went on Friday to take a few pictures of them because I think he did a GREAT job!

The Christmas Village Sign (unfortunately not a very good picture)

Santa Clause (he is inside the room where they do the name tags (if you have ever been))

The Grinch

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

Elf

My favorite...Frosty!

Christmas Village is December 3-6 in Laconia. It is free for anyone to come through and visit Santa Claus! Adam and I will be there volunteering if you want to join us!

I LOVE to bake...

Tonight I began my baking for Thanksgiving. I made oatmeal whoopie pies and regular whoopie pies. I also made brownies, which I will add a chocolate mint topping to tomorrow. (Note: I did not make the oatmeal cookies. I have found all natural oatmeal cookies at the grocery store that you stick on a cookie sheet and bake. They taste way too good to bother making my own from scratch!)

Tomorrow I will be making my first attempt at pumpkin pie. I have actually never even eaten pumpkin pie; it is something Adam likes, so I want to make it for him. Hopefully it goes well! I will also make an apple pie, gluten free brownies for Tony, and peanut butter cups.

I'm thankful for...

I may be a bit behind, but I want to share one thing that I am thankful for for each day in November...

I am thankful for:

1. My loving husband who puts up with all of me (believe me it isn't always pleasant)!

2. My two English Springer Spaniels who bring a smile to my face everyday.

3. My job as a fourth grade teacher. I love that I can say I go to school everyday instead of I'm going to work!

4. Adam loving his job and that he has job security.

5. Owning (well paying for) a house since I was 23.

6. The bazillion cords of wood in the backyard that will allow our house to be warm all winter long!

7. Tori, she makes me laugh and is the joy of our family.

8. That my family is only 1.5 hours away and I see them often.

9. Having the same best friend for 27 years.

10. Having all of my grandparents alive, healthy, and very much a part of my life.

11. Experiencing a loss that has allowed me to realize what I really want.

12. Being healthy!

13. Loving to cook/bake and actually being good at it!

14. Have a place of employment that respects what I have to say and do.

15. The friendships that I have developed while living in central NH.

16. Earning my M.Ed (even though I owe sooo much money)

17. Being able to make a difference in children's lives.

18. Being able to share good books with good friends and family.

19. Long walks with Sarah.

20. Having the opportunity to volunteer for various organizations.

21. Finally finding a good fitting pair of jeans!

22. Spending Thanksgiving with some of my favorite people (and Adam has it off!)

23. Having Adam teach me that having people just out of reach is better than not having them around at all.

Fall...where did it go?

The fall past by very quickly this year, and much of it was definitely a learning and healing season for Adam and me. Just when we thought we were going to get the opportunity to start a family, the opportunity was taken away. Everything happens for a reason and we have embraced that thought and will hopefully be given this experience again in the near future, but with a much more rewarding ending. While much of the fall passed up by, we did get to experience some of my favorite season with apple picking and a trip to the Fryburge Fair (I have no idea how to spell that, but it is my favorite fair!)

Tony and Tori at the fair!

My dad on a tractor at the fair. (I can't flip the picture :o( )

Molly getting into the fall spirit!

Adam and me apple picking.

I promise I won't take three months to post my next blog!

My summer vacation is coming to a close...

School starts on Monday, and even though I am very anxious to get into some sort of routine again, I can't help but be a bit saddened at the idea that summer is already over. (Not technically, but vacation wise anyway). I thought I would take a look back at what I did over the summer...

Went to the top of Mt. Washington for the sunrise (that we never saw)

Sat fireside quite a bit because that's what we love to do! And being able to eat s'mores at the same time might have something to do with it! : )

Went to see Blondie and Pat Benatar!

Adam and I before the concert!

At the beach : )

Visited with family : )

Went to my aunt's Girls' Night Out

Adam and I waiting for the fireworks in Laconia!

Attended my friend Katie's wedding : )

Played with sparklers!

I also read lots and lots and lots while sitting in a lawn chair in my backyard. And I absolutely LOVED every single minute of it!

Something to think about...

How many times have you gotten in the car for a long trip and picked up the phone while you were driving? I do it almost everyday. Today, however, during the workshop I attended I found out some interesting information that made me think twice about talking (and definitely texting) while driving, and hopefully will make you think twice too.

Your brain operates with primary and secondary attention. While driving, one would hope that the primary attention is focused on driving, but once you begin a conversation on your phone (whether you are hands free or not) your brain switches its primary attention from driving to the conversation you are having on the phone. (Actually, anytime that you have been driving and have found yourself at your destination and thought, "oh wow, I didn't even realize I had made it this far already!" you were driving with your primary focus on something other than driving.) Big deal right? As long as some sort of attention, whether it is primary or secondary, is focused on driving then you should be fine, right? WRONG!

When your brain has to transition your activities from secondary attention to primary attention the reaction time is worse than driving at OVER 2 TIMES THE LEGAL LIMIT OF ALCOHOL!!!

Apparently there are so many more texting while driving deaths each week that they (who ever it is that keeps this data) can not calculate a national average.

New Hampshire is one of the states that is jumping on the bandwagon for banning texting while driving, but honestly, if a student can send a text in a classroom without a teacher noticing, how is a police officer suppose to recognize someone that is texting in his/her car?

Ford Motor Company is currently working on a new piece of technology that will block cellphone signals in a car, so that people will be unable to use their phones while driving. However, there is a law from the 1930s that does not allow communication signals to be blocked, so that will need to be taken into consideration.

There is also a piece of technology available called Key2SafeDriving that blocks cellphone signals to people once their keys are in the ignition. (check it out here http://www.key2safedriving.net/ )

Weddings

Since Adam and I have graduated from college four years ago, we have attended a LOT of weddings. I was trying to list all of the weddings today and I think we have been to 16, but I may be forgetting some...here is the list...Robyn & Dennis, Jess & Kris, Tony & Tina, Sarah & Robb, Tim & Jen, Eddie & Mal, Derek & Lisa, Justin & Stacey, Jill & Shawn, Chris & Meghan, Renee & Chuck, Alice & Armand, Julie & Mark, Katie & Alec, Jen & Dave, and our wedding (hopefully I didn't forget any weddings!) So we are pretty much broke from buying all of these fabulous people wedding gifts : P

This weekend my aunt and her fiance had their wedding, and Adam and I were the photographers. We took a lot of pictures (945 to be exact) and now I have to go through them all! But we had a good time and it is always fun to get the whole family together for some dancing.


We always make sure that we start the drinking off EARLY : P

The family!

The wedding party

Pepere showing off his dance moves!

Pat Benatar and Blondie

Yesterday, Adam and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary! We didn't really have anything special planned for the day or night except going to dinner, so when Starr and Chris called asking us to join them for the Pat Benatar and Blondie concert at Meadowbrook we decided to join them.



Adam is a music buff...I am not! I went to this concert not having any idea of who Blondie was, and only knowing a few of Pat Benatar's songs. When Blondie came on stage and starting singing punk rock/alternative songs all I could think about was my grandmother on stage singing those songs because that is how old Blondie looks. (Blondie is actually 64) Blondie did sing very well and it was actually quite entertaining, especially some of the fans that were there. We got quite a bit of entertainment out of watching one Blondie fan in particular...he was very into all of her songs...take a look for yourself...

When Pat Benatar came on stage we were only able to stay for a few of her songs because Adam had to go to work, but she was really good. This year marks 30 years since her first record came out and she doesn't seem to have changed a bit (well, that is based on watching old MTV videos and seeing pictures : P )

My husband has an addiction...

My husband has an addiction and it isn't like any addiction I have ever seen before.

Last year my parents very kindly gave us a wood stove for our house, which we absolutely love. However, since then Adam has become completely compulsive about stockpiling wood for the winter. He is kind of like a squirrel preparing to survive the winter. Now if there was an old wives tale that had anything to do with the amount of wood Adam has collected relating to the length of winter we are about to have, then watch out because we could be in for a long one.

Here are four rows of wood that run the length of the shed. The shed is 32 feet long.

Here is another section of wood. It has three rows, but only runs 3/4 the length of the shed. Adam has informed me though that it will run the full length of the shed after he finishes cutting the tree he recently cut.

Here is another angle of all of the wood.

And here is a pile that he hasn't even finished splitting yet.

Oh yeah, and we are driving to Mass. this weekend to cut down a tree and pick up wood from his uncle.

So, if anyone knows someone that can help Adam with this problem, please let me know!

Mt. Washington Sunrise

Adam and I have been together for almost six years and he still had never been up to the top of Mt. Washington, so when I saw that they were doing a sunrise tour on Sunday, June 28, we decided that we would take the time to finally go up the mountain. Having worked at the Auto Road for six years I have been to the top of the mountain several times and have seen many different types of weather. Regardless of my experience, I was really hoping to have a beautiful sunrise with the opportunity for lots of great pictures...well, that did not happen. It was incredibly cloudy and foggy most of the way up the Auto Road. I give Adam a lot of credit for driving up the road in those conditions. I have attached a video for you to relive some of our experience. Our friends, Mel and Shaun, joined us and we had quite a good time of telling Adam where the road was and when to turn. (Oh, I forgot to mention that this was all happening around 3:30 a.m.)

When we reached the summit I was very happy to see that there was a bit of an undercast, so I was hopeful that if the conditions remained the same we'd at least be able to see the sun come up over the clouds, but not five minutes later (in true Mt. Washington fashion) we found ourselves completed surrounded by clouds. (We did learn that if you are looking at a cloud you call it a cloud, but once you are in the clouds it is called fog.)

The entire time we were on the summit it was cloudy and we never did see the sun, but we had a great time regardless.

The way down was much of the same, with the addition of some light rain. We have decided that we should make this an annual trip. But we also thought that it might be better to go for a sunset because at least that way we'd know what the weather looked like before we headed up the road.

We also decided that this trip was one that we would never take Adam's mother on. As you watch the video you will hear my nervous laughter in the background. As I mentioned before, I have been up the mountain several times, but this time made me particularly nervous. When you can't tell where the road plunges off into the valley it makes for an anxiety filled experience : )

Molly

Adam and I are often home, but at different times, so the dogs often provide entertainment for us. One day when Adam was home listening to the Steve Miller Band and as he was puttering about Molly began howling. This is not anything she has ever done before and we can only get her to howl to one song, The Joker by the Steve Miller Band. We find it to be hilarious and I thought I would share it.

Summer is almost here...

Last week during April Vacation Adam and I purchased a new grill. We have had our old grill for almost four year. My grandparents bought the old grill for us the day we moved into our apartment in Laconia. We loved the grill and used it until it was dead. Then Jess and Kris very kindly donated their grill to us when they got a new one for Kris's birthday. Well Adam was using that grill two weeks ago and flames started shooting out the bottom of the grill directly in line with the fuel line...so we figured that we should stop using that before Adam blew himself up. So now we have a new grill that we got for a really good price at the Christmas Tree Shop. We christened it on Sunday and Adam really likes it.

Now we just have to wait for the warm weather to return so we can start hosting BBQ's and fire side chats!

Talk about random...what Adam does best

This week I had the privilege of attending a class over the course of three days in Concord. It figures that April is on school vacation and is at home by herself. I have run out of vacation days until I accumulate more on my anniversary date, May 16th, leaving me with the inability to take any time off. I can't believe I have been working in Laconia for four years. Time does go by quite fast, but on a whole, four years really isn't that much time (especially when those around you have put in 10 or 12 years).

I have been reading a book I am really enjoying called No Angel, which is about an ATF Agent, Jay Dobyns, who infiltrates the Hells Angels MC. In the book, Dobyns, who is referred to as "Bird", has an argument with his wife Gwen. The crux of the argument is that he is not home enough, that she has been playing the parent, while he is out "doing God knows what". This is funny, because it's true. It's a similar reaction that spouses of police officers share and express, especially after a particularly aggravating shift. I don't blame them. Some days I am tired of the role I play and the hours that I work. On the flip side of the coin, my job is very self gratifying, rewarding and challenging on some levels. I know I can't be home more often, but it eats at you slowly. I don't have children, but I can only imagine the strife that patrol officers battle with when they are toward between spending time with their kids and having to work the road. In the same book, Jay's son hands him a rock everytime he leaves to head off to work. Jay is not sure why he does this, but it warms him to know that his son is thinking of him.

This brings me to my next topic: babies. Everyone is baby crazy. It seems that everyone, EVERYONE, is getting pregnant. I am 26 years old and I suppose, as April and I always say, "there is no rush". It would be nice to have a baby around and enjoy watching the baby grow into a little girl or boy. I am certainly in no rush to fast forward my life, especially since it "flies by". It seems like yesterday that I was damning the winter season, in need of warmth and sunshine. The weather right now is great, but will escape us before the blink of an eye. My task to stock this winter's wood pile is a good indication of how quickly the seasons change and progress into winter. I guess I should focus on summer first.

As the warm weather arrives, I look forward to the running, bike riding and golfing that April and I will do. I don't even remember getting into the water at all last year, so I have to add swimming to my list of things that I want to do. April and I have already done a few short rides on the motorcycle so far this year, which we enjoy doing.

Hopefully with my new summer schedule I will be able to reach out to those I care about and do the things that I want to do...the things that April wants to do. I know how valuable spending time with family is, but I don't take the time for granted. I really do cherish this time that I now only want, I need. It is an escape from my job that often becomes an obstacle to freedom. It is not a particularly rough job, with lots of dangerous aspects. It's more about time and scheduling conflicts that takes the normalcy out of the average life. It is easy to feel alone during a week day off, alone...which is why I know how April and all the other spouses out there feel when the other half is working. That is why, I keep it into perspective, and will never blame anyone for feeling this way.

Over and out...that is all.

Catholic Guilt...

Last year during Lent my sacrifice was actually going to church with Adam every Sunday (some may say that making church a sacrifice has reserved my spot in Hell...) Much to my surprise we actually did attend church regularly, and continued to attend until the fall. Then Adam's schedule changed and got in the way of our normal weekend routine, and before we knew it our church attendance went from great to nonexistent. We always had good intentions of going, but didn't set the alarm, or came up with some lame excuse not to attend.
Last week Adam was working and ran into Father Gary (our priest) and began a conversation about our church attendance. Adam said that his job and schedule had been in the way and Father Gary gave him this look that said, "Do you have any other excuses to throw at me?" So, needless to say, our Catholic guilt plus the fact that it was Palm Sunday led us to church this past Sunday. The church was packed and we were forced to sit in the balcony for the mass. During communion we made our way downstairs and Father Gary spotted us and chuckled a little at the sight of us.
During the walk to the car, Adam and I were having a conversation about Father Gary's reaction to seeing us at church. I couldn't help but think of how often Father Gary must hear lame excuses as to why people don't attend church. All we have to give up is 45 minutes of our time once a week. Think about how much he has sacrificed in order to do his job...

Facebook, Myspace, and your job...

I received an email today from the National Education Association that contained an article about whether or not Facebook and Myspace could cost a person their career. In the article (click here to read it http://www.nea.org/home/12784.htm) there were several examples of people that had lost their job due to what had been posted on their online profiles. Most of the people were dismissed for posting racy sexual photos, photos of doing drugs or drinking, and comments about their extracurricular (not appropriate for educators) behavior.

Part of me thinks that everyone has their First Amendment rights and as long as they are not involving their extracurricular activities with their career then they should be able to do as they please. But the other part of me thinks that when you are hired for a position that places you in the public eye (i.e. teacher, police officer, mayor, firefighter, state rep, etc.) then you sign up to be a 24/7 role model. A role model that has people watching you, looking specifically for the stumble that could take your job away indefinitely.

Now, do I think that our contracts should say that people in these positions should not be allowed to participate in web sites that have online profiles...NO! But I do think that if you are going to have an online profile that you shouldn't be posting pictures/blogs about your inappropriate extracurriculars, whether you are a priest, teacher, police officer, custodian, IT person, stay-at-home parent, or anything else.

It feels like SPRING! (knock on wood)

The past two days the temperature has reached into the 50s and I am very excited about the nice weather. However, I am also skeptical because I know that Mother Nature is probably holding back another storm that she will release at some point within the next few weeks.

I have been joyously watching at the snow melts ever-so-slowly from the backyard, and the mud grows ever-so-quickly! It is way too much fun trying to wipe off the girls' paws before they come into the house. This Friday is the first day of spring, which will hopefully only bring on much nicer weather. But I do remember a time that it snowed on Mother's Day Weekend, so we can only hope!

I hope that you are able to enjoy this beautiful weather too!

Community Dancing with the Stars

Please mark your calendars for Friday, March 20 (I have heard that the event maybe at 7 or 7:30, but I will let you know as soon as they release the time) . Adam will be representing the Laconia Police Department in the annual Community Dancing with the Stars competition. The winner of the competition is based on the audience's vote, so the more friends and family that are at the event the better off Adam is. What the importance of winning? Well, this will be the third year of the competition and for the first two years a Laconia Police Officer won, so there is a bit of pressure. I am not allowed to give any information about what their dance is because there is definitely some friendly competition between some of the other dance couples.

The event is a fundraiser for the Laconia Main Street program and the past few years the ticket price has been $20. The tickets can be purchased ahead of time at area businesses. They are not available yet because they haven't even set the time of the event yet, but if you are planning on attending please let me know, and I can grab some tickets for you. There were 750 people at last year's event so it is important to get your tickets ahead of time.

Hopefully, you will be able to make it to the event! If you know Adam, you know how much he loves dancing in the spotlight!!!