Sica Here!

Trip up North...

2011-08-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

Since my last blog, a lot has happened. I definitely have to write all the summer memories down before they are forgotten, and I plan to do so. Now that I have some time off before school begins, perhaps 'catching up' will be my next project. For now, I will begin today's update on my latest trip.

Once again, this NYC girl traveled out of state. This particular trip not only took me out of our wonderful country, but to our neighbor, Canada. Going there served two purposes, well, maybe three, and it proved to be a great time!

Normally, Canada would not be the destination of choice for my annual summer getaway. However, having met an interesting Canadian last month at my dear friends, Sue and Gary's, wedding, I decided to see what he was really about. Let's be honest...most people put their best foot forward upon meeting someone of interest. The question then becomes, "Is this REALLY who this person is?" After spending a few weeks getting to know him, as much as one can via phone and text, chatting, laughing, and just enjoying the moments, we decided a visit was an order. Being the travelista that I am, I decided to go back to Canada. As mentioned above, the trip would serve three purposes: a much needed vacation, seeing what this person was really about, and having the pleasure of spending time with my dear friend, Sue.

Having gone there with no expectations, well, less than usual for me, led me to be pleasantly surprised. Not only was Canada, specifically Georgetown, beautiful and quaint, but the company and everyone I met, was wonderful and hospitable. The days and nights were low-key, yet entertaining, and I got a lot of much needed rest. It's been an exhausting year in many ways, so this mini-vacation was simply perfect.

Getting to know my new friend was easy, enjoyable and entertaining, to say the least. I quickly felt comfortable and things seemed to fall right into place. Conversation flowed easily, the laughs and such that had gone on via phone were now happening in 'real life' and simply stated, it was a lot of fun. From wearing my cowboy boots and hat to the rodeo, to cheering him and his team on at the soft ball game, to hanging with friends, walking through a fair & making faces at ALL the unhealthy food there, haha, to simply relaxing, I could not have asked for a nicer time.

My friend is training the sweetest Golden Lab puppy to work, one day, with Autistic children. The puppy, at 14 months old, hardly seems like one. He's huge, playful and cuddly. However, when you return from breakfast to find one (just one) of your fabulous sandals and not yet read magazine both shredded to pieces, you're quickly reminded that 'fully grown' doesn't mean 'adult'. Good thing I was completely in love with the puppy, and getting over the sandal (and magazine) was surprisingly easy.

One day was spent with Sue and Gary. We all met for lunch, but not before indulging in a chocolate chip cookie. YUM! Afterward, I had the pleasure of hanging with them for the rest of that day. It felt just like our old times together in NY. I find that missing her hasn't gotten easier, but on this trip I learned that we don't say, "Good-bye", but instead we say, "See you later." And same with my new friend. Perhaps I'll 'see him later.' Time will tell, I suppose. For now, I will fondly remember my time away, and the memories I made with my new friend and old ones.

The puppy who chewed my things. Too cute!

The McDonalds in Canada have a maple leaf in the middle of the arches!

Here's What's Up!

2011-05-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

I miss and love writing. Anyone who receives frequent emails, Facebook inboxes, or text messages from me can attest to my love for writing. It probably goes hand in hand with my love for talking (to and with the right people, as I can be quite shy around people I don't know). Anyway, every day I think about writing, then I realize that I just don't know what to say, I don't have any pictures to post, and by the time it's, well, this time of night (10:24 p.m.), the desire is no longer as strong as it had been earlier in the day.

A lot is going on in my life, and at the same time nothing is going on. Both of which are wonderful for me right now.

I have found a new love, desire and respect for the Lord and my relationship with Him. That's a huge aspect of my life, and I love it. I joined the choir at Manhattan Grace Tabernacle, and the people there are just like family. They are wonderful, loving, fun, and they've been a blessing in more ways than I could write about.

School (a.k.a.) Hunter is nearly finished for the semester. (YIPEEEE) With only one week to go, I really better put all my time and effort into doing well on my final. How I think I'm going to manage three classes next semester--I'm not quite sure, but it'll all work out.

Work work...well, it's exhausting, but I'm so thankful to be employed that to complain about it would be wrong. Days are exhausting, yes. But, what job isn't, right? Now, camp will bring a whole new meaning to the word exhaustion. However, again I say, I'm thankful to be employed! Whatever we do, we must do it well!

I miss a lot of people in my life... people who I realized have come and gone, perhaps come, gone and come again, or maybe just who are gone for good, etc. And, if I spend too much time trying to figure out why certain relationships, friendships, etc. have not worked out, I'll give myself a headache. Only God knows. I've learned to be happy with what is...and not spend too much time dwelling on what's not. Nothing happens by coincidence...this I've known for a long time, but I think finally accepted. And, in the end, everything works out...with a bigger purpose than I'll ever realize. However, being happy in all circumstances is what I want to do.

So, let's see what my next post will bring... Hopefully pictures, among other things. : )

Spring Break in Tampa

2011-04-17T16:27:00.001-07:00

I can't believe I haven't posted since January. So many things, wonderful and not so much, have gone on since then. I truly need to make more time to write, since I do enjoy doing so.

Once again, I'm in Florida w/ the Celentano family for Spring Break. Our first full day here has been eventful. From Target, to the pool, dinner and now 'Just Dance', there's always excitement to be had!

Today also is Palm Sunday, the start to Holy Week. From what I hear, service was amazing, and I'm sad to have missed it. However, thanks to the power of technology & the great crew @ MGT, I will be able to hear it online @ some point.

Tomorrow we're off to Adventure Islands! While I'm excited, I'm slightly nervous due to today's sunburn! Ah! It's much too early in the week to be sunburned. There are more days of sun and fun to be had!

In closing, (how official that sounds! ha!)I'm thankful to God for his traveling mercies on us, and to the Celentano clan for inviting me back again.

Good Bye to 2010

2010-12-31T08:12:00.001-08:00

Today is the last day of 2010. It's been quite a year, and I can honestly say I'm glad that it's (almost) over. I have a good feeling about 2011; I'm not 100% sure why, but it beats having anxiety over it. In reality, we are supposed to live for the moment and not worry about tomorrow. I can't say I'm worried, though. I look forward to what will come in the New Year. Both good and hard times are to be expected, but by the grace of God, I'll get through them all.

I was supposed to be 'on top' of my blog throughout this year, but I've always allowed 'life' to get in the way. Anyone who is a frequent text or email pal knows I can 'go on' forever. So, why not put some of that energy into my blog? One of my resolutions is to dedicate some more time to my writing each month. As I look back at my posts, I see how much emotion is in my writing. While reading, I either laugh out loud or have tears in my eyes by the end. Regardless of the emotions my blogs bring, I know that I have a passion for writing and preserving memories.

I end this blog with some photos of happy memories from this year. Of course I have MANY happy memories from 2010, but not enough time to post all of the photos I'd like to. Perhaps I'll start a scrapbook. Someone check up on me and see if I've actually started one! I wish anyone who reads this blog a blessed and Happy New Year!

For Michelle

2010-12-28T07:13:00.000-08:00

Back in September, my friend, Michelle, was gently reminding me to get going with my blogs. For someone who loves writing, I certainly have stopped doing something I truly enjoy.

These last four months of 2010 have been very busy and full of emotions. I'm glad to be on Christmas break to kind of organize and catch up with things, as well as relax. I slept for a very long time last night, and God knows I needed it. This week is also a good time to catch up with my blogging, and to try and do (much) better in 2011.

This blog is for Michelle. She is currently home being a wonderful mommy to her little loves, Katie and Christopher. I miss having her at work every day, just because we had fun together. Yes, through some tough days at work, we managed to have fun, or at least throw an encouraging word each others way. She visited us a few weeks ago with little Christopher, and he is just too cute for words! On this post, I'm including some pictures from her Baby Shower @ work. Love and friendship, Michelle!

Happy Birthday, Grandma Aida

2010-06-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

Last week my family and I celebrated my Grandmother, Aida's, 82nd birthday. I never remember how old my grandmothers are, and when I asked her how old she would be this year, she responded, "84." That didn't seem right to me. We had just celebrated her 80th birthday not too long ago, but definitely not four years ago! So, I asked my aunt, and she confirmed my thoughts. Grandma was to be 82 this year.

This year's celebration took place at my aunt's house. Most of my cousins were there, but Ally was out of town, and we did miss having her there. The fiesta began with a bar-b-que. We all strolled in at different times, just because my family's schedule is always all over the place. Sure enough, though, we all got there and I know Grandma was delighted to be amongst her family. After eating way too much, and laughing very hard over the silliest things, we moved the party inside for singing and cake! Grandma really does not like to be the center of attention. Getting her to smile for a picture is a project in itself. However, it seemed as though she was at peace this time around, and just let the pictures snap away as she took it all in. I'll never know what was going through her head as we sang "Happy Birthday." Maybe she was praying, thanking God for another year of life, perhaps she was talking to my grandfather, wishing he was by her side, which I'm sure he was. Regardless, she just let it all happen without a fuss, and wore a smile.

I will forever love my grandmother. There are a few people who know what she truly means to me and my family. She is so wise, loving, prayerful and simply put, amazing. I do pray that God blesses her with many more years of life. She is our blessing.

I love you, Grandma. Always.

Random Evening Thoughts

2010-06-03T20:14:00.001-07:00

There is so much on my mind, I wouldn't even know where to begin writing. We have 16 days left of this school year. It's been quite a year, but I will save that for a later blog. The camp season is quickly approaching, and that's definitely at the forefront of my mind. I did as well as I had hoped to in the class that just finished. That was the highlight of my week! And now, I just have so many other things to think about and sort through, I just have to take it "one step at a time," and hope things get figured out. I have a feeling June is going to fly by. The first week is nearly over, and I have a jam packed weekend planned. Being busy usually makes the time fly by. I look forward to August 6th, which is the last day of camp, and my summer will actually begin. I'll need a week or so of just quiet. The thoughts of this blog are very random, which I suppose is how I feel tonight. Kind of all over the place. I did have the best time/dinner with Sue and Gid. Being with them always keeps me laughing and smiling; even long after we've said good-bye. They are wonderful friends and people! Hopefully my next blog will be a bit more 'organized.'

May = One Busy Month!

2010-05-28T19:31:00.001-07:00

So glad to see that I last wrote only 10 days ago. As I was running this evening, I started thinking about my blog, among other things, and I was certain my last entry was at the end of April. I thought, "How could that be?" In realty, that wouldn't have been so 'off' for me, since I haven't been on top of the blogging this year. That's probably because I always like to have pictures to include with my posts. Oh well! Next one!

May is nearly over, and I'm truly shocked. This month went by much too quickly, and thinking back on it, there was minimal drama in my life. That's always a good thing! ha! Perhaps it seemed to fly by because I was working nonstop on my final papers for the first two weeks of the month. Once my papers and class were finished, the next two weeks were all about graduation, after graduation, after graduation, along with Shannon's birthday, but I missed the party because of -- graduation, lol. Her next celebration was the day before a half-marathon, so I missed that one, too. Sorry, Shan! Three very special people reached this amazing accomplishment, and I could not be happier for them! My sister, Marisel, our aunt, Mildred, and my cousin, Bethany all graduated within last two weeks. Now they will be on their way to bigger and better things! We celebrated everyone's day differently, and each event was special in it's very own way!

Now it's Memorial Day weekend. I sit here shaking my head wondering where every day has gone. Part of me wishes I wrote daily, like in a journal, just to truly reflect. When the weekend is over, it'll be June...and there will be 19 more days of school a.k.a. work. Then camp begins... Time is moving too quickly. I think it's time I stop and smell the roses, cherish the moments, and really take things in. That's my plan for June. : )

Nighttime Rituals

2010-05-18T20:12:00.000-07:00

At 11:15 p.m. I'm already 45 minutes 'late' for bed. It's important that I get 8-9 hours of sleep each night, or else I'm not as functional as I'd like to be the next day. Today was a long one, which turned into an even longer night. After work and a run, my family and I celebrated Titi Mildred's birthday. The time together was entertaining, as always. I really didn't mind getting home later than usual. What I mind is that I'm still awake. If I didn't have to do ALL the things I do before getting to sleep, I wouldn't still be up. Really, though, the things I MUST do before bed (besides washing up) are: get a cup of water to have on the night table, make sure the door is locked, the closets are closed and the shower curtain has been pulled open. Those are my nightly rituals. However, they shouldn't have me up til 11:15. Then I stopped to really think about WHY I'm still awake. Perhaps the phone call with my friend, Cathy, added to my 'late' night, or the straightening of my mane (a.k.a. my hair); maybe it was reading up on people's Facebook or my friend's blogs. All I know is that as I was straightening the shower curtain, I thought, "I do this every night...why?" In reality, my 'nighttime rituals' aren't SO important. They are funny to think about, if anything, but they are part of me...and my silliness...and I guess that's what makes them OK.

One More Week!

2010-05-11T18:27:00.000-07:00

It's nearing the end of another semester at Hunter. If I read back to this time last year, I will laugh at the craziness I went through when trying to complete the papers I thought I never would. Those feelings of stress, uncertainty, pressure and helplessness are still quite real. I have spent the last three weeks engrossed in papers for the ONLY course I took this semester. The one thing that worked against me was that the professor gave us NO due dates, except for the last day of class. All papers are due then, or before, if we were so motivated. I simply don't work that way. I need dates. I knew, though, that I did not want to wait for the very last minute to get them done. Procrastination has proven that it is not my friend. That being said, with one week left in the semester I've really worked hard within the last month. The 4 hours I put into today's two article responses, and the weekend I worked on my final and two other papers have all been worth it. I just have one more report to write up, and I'll be set. That will be my Saturday, and I'll be okay with it. This is the semester that I decided I was going to put Procrastination to rest--for good. I've done pretty okay, I have to say.
Now, off to sleep...this season's allergies are terrible and adding to my exhaustion! :)

Mother's Day Weekend

2010-05-09T18:17:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy weekend, and I know the rest of the month will be just the same. However, it was a special weekend. There were First Holy Communions to celebrate and Mother's Day. Both events were quite special. I am glad I was invited to be part of those celebrations!

Today, I celebrated Mother's Day with my mother, aunts, uncle, cousins, and grandmother. Although it was as WINDY as a late October day, the sun was shining brightly, and we were NICE & WARM inside my aunt's house. There we had a lovely dinner, watched t.v. and just sat around enjoying the company that we don't get the chance to often enough.

I was fortunate to start the day with a Mother's Day 10K race with my mom. An 8 a.m. start at the beach wasn't my idea of great start to a Sunday morning. I was exhausted, and it was very cold and windy. However, we used the wind to our advantage, as it cooled us off when we got too warm. Running into wind is about as difficult as running uphill. Neither is easy, but you do it slowly and steadily, and we did. Of course there was grunting, complaining, and breathing...there was also conversation, laughter, and picture taking. My mom and I do not usually run together, simply because we run at different paces. Since it was a Mother's Day race, I thought it would be nice to stay together. She usually doesn't like for me to 'talk' during the run because I simply can not 'shut up' as she says. ha! That's okay, though. I just keep on going, whether it be running or talking! ha! I'm glad I decided to run with her. She did a wonderful job, and finished with a respectable time of 1:11. Awesome job, Mom!

I am truly thankful that I had the opportunity to spend time with my mother today. She is a wonderful person with a great heart. I pray she is blessed all the days of her life.

Love you, Mom! xoxo

Good-Bye to April

2010-04-30T16:48:00.000-07:00

To say 'I'm glad this week is over!' would be putting it mildly. The more I think about it, I must say that I am glad April is over. It definitely has been a whirlwind month in every aspect. That being said, I have not had one moment to be 'still' with my thoughts before right now.

This last week (of the month) began with a rainy day trip to the Bronx Zoo. The rain definitely did not deter my kids, our chaperons and I from having a ball! From the Reptile House to the Bug Carousel, we laughed, splashed in puddles (against my will! ha!) and ate until we were ready for more. Of course, the trip left me exhausted, and I have not yet fully recovered, but they truly did enjoy themselves. At the end of the day, that's what matters most to me.

Add regular work deadlines, projects that need to be tended to or finished, grad school papers that come with MORE deadlines, my own personal things that are going on (or not), and you have one drained person. Of course I am thrilled that #1, it is FINALLY the weekend, and #2, the weather will be perfect. We certainly deserve this beautiful weather since the tri-state area dealt with dreary days for the past two weekends. From what I've heard, my friends & family have many 'outdoorsy' events planned. I look forward to wherever I end up! : )

In the end, this is life. The ups and downs, light loads and heavy ones, exhaustion and energy, laughs and tears... When it's all said and done, we are who we are because of all that we go through...and personally, I don't know that I would change any of it. I look forward to what May will bring...

Happy Belated Birthday to Justyn!

2010-04-08T19:06:00.001-07:00

Although it's almost a month since Justyn turned 10 years old, I haven't forgotten to write him a birthday blog.

Justyn is Marisel's pride, joy and life! He is bright, hilarious, and both sports and musically inclined. He never seems to have a care in the world and truly loves his mother and family. Justyn is a lot of fun to be around to be around. Don't get me wrong...he definitely gets cranky at the mention of having to go shopping, or leaving a place where he's been having the 'time of his life'. I suppose many 10 year old boys do, right?

Watching my nephew grow into this amazing young person has been a pleasure all my own. I don't spend enough time with him, but when we are together, I laugh very much and I love it. I especially enjoy his interactions with Natalie. They truly love each other. They are more like siblings than aunt and nephew. They melt my heart. As I watch and listen to him, I am always pleased with the way he uses his words and manners. He is a very lucky and loved child. I hope and pray he continues to grow into an educated, polite and fun to be around (among many other wonderful character traits) individual.

We all love you, Justyn! Have a blessed and happy year!
Love, Titi Jessie

Florida Memories

2010-04-06T17:34:00.000-07:00

And so, it's back to reality after nearly a week and a half off. I have to say I feel quite relaxed and ready to go back to whatever is awaiting at work. Hopefully the next 57 days won't drag, but then again, I have 6 weeks of camp to look forward to after that, so I won't start counting days until the first week of August.

Florida was wonderful! Getting up for a run first thing each morning was mind clearing, as well as a good way to ease my body into waking up. As I sit here I remember all the laughs, the cooking, shopping, some yelling, lol, but that's expected, and it's what being with loved ones is all about. It's about the time together and the memories made, both good and bad. Glad to say, we made not one bad memory. Sure, there were cranky times for us all here or there, but nothing that we didn't laugh at in the end. My week together with the Celentano family was yet another wonderful bonding experience.

All in all, Florida was wonderful! The family time, friend time, Yankee game time, shopping, EVERYTHING. I loved it. I returned home ready to be back in my favorite state and in my own surroundings, but with so much to be thankful for.

Florida...Day 1

2010-03-28T13:35:00.000-07:00

So, here we are in Land o' Lakes, Florida. Last I heard, Florida is supposed to be the "Sunshine State", but today it's been nothing but RAINING and humid. For our first full day here, I don't so much mind being home bound and doing nothing. Anyone who truly knows me is aware that I am incapable of sitting still for too long. However, after our 18 hour drive, I have appreciated the down time.
I slept wonderfully last night, and had a fantastic run this morning! Since then, we've just been 'vegging out'.

The drive...
It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. haha. We tried to sleep as best we could in the car, but truth be told, it was very difficult. My poor neck hurt every time I woke to change positions. Little Joey (who is celebrating his 9th birthday today! yay!) was awake from about 6 in the morning 'til we got here...so, he slept for about 6 hours and was READY to go after that. ha! Our drive from NY to VA was as smooth sailing as possible. I got to bond w/ Shannon's sister-in-law, Josephine, and eventually, we all fell asleep.

After a stop in Virginia for gas and a bathroom break, we drove AGAIN straight to Georgia (I LOVE Georgia), and we then stopped in Cracker Barrel for a delicious breakfast. We were all in very good spirits for a bunch that had been 'car bound' for so long. From there, I took over the driving and Shan and I sang, chatted, and continued on the way. We did make a stop at a 'Waffle House' for a quick bathroom stop, and for all the great things I've heard my Southern friends say about it, perhaps I simply walked into the wrong one. Hmmm?

I'm excited for what the rest of the week will bring..I'm meeting with a college friend on Tuesday, and we have a fun day planned...nothing concrete, but I'm positive it will be wonderful. Wednesday, the Celentano family and I are headed to see the NY Yankees play, and I'm SURE that will be awesome!!! And the rest of the week~who knows where it will take us? What I do know is that I'm grateful that Shannon invited me to spend our Easter Break with her and her family. They are an amazing group of people, and once again, I know I've been blessed by having her and her family in my life.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2010-03-01T18:22:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday, my family and I celebrated my father's 58th birthday. Trying to get everyone to agree on a venue is always a project, but thankfully we came to a happy medium fairly quickly. The choices were somewhere sort of healthy (my IDEAL restaurant), with STEAK (dad's ideal restaurant!). Noda's Japanese Steakhouse in White Plains is where we finally agreed upon. I know dad was pleased to have his loved ones around him. It was especially nice to have Mom, Grandma, and Natalie with us. I sit here and laugh to myself as I recall him telling me the waiters BETTER not come sing to him, and as usual, I replied with an "okay" and ignored his silliness. However, I'm sure he wasn't surprised to hear the 'Happy Birthday' (in Japanese, of course) coming his way. I also know that deep down he didn't mind. Just by looking at the smile on his face in this picture, and all the pictures we took that night, makes me certain that this was a special birthday/evening for my father. He truly is an amazing man. I know I have been blessed to have had his as the man who raised, loved, and taught me so many things in my life. I know my sisters, mother, and anyone that truly knows him, can attest to the special & unique person he is.
We love you, Dad.

Snow Day!

2010-02-10T12:12:00.000-08:00

Today's blizzard pretty much shut down the entire Northern East Coast. Here in NY, it gave us the third weather related school closing in my nine years with the New York City Department of Ed. Amazing, right? The Mayor and Chancellor definitely made a good call.

The season of Winter has changed so much since I was a child. I know that's to be blamed on the changes in the layers of the atmosphere and Global Warming, amongst other things. I have memories of trudging through snow during and trying to get everywhere those winters, yet not so much minding it (back then). Now, honestly speaking, I have enjoyed living through the winters with minimal, to no, snow. We get enough to upset the flow of traffic and travel, but usually not enough to close schools, or send people home early from work.

Today's 'snow day' has been relaxing. There have been a few pangs of missing my family and being with the kids. I'm sure they would have welcomed the cookies after being in the snow! Still, I spent time catching up w/ friends, had great conversations and much needed laughs, baked cookies, and listened to music. As I told one of my friends, none of that was on the 'snow day to do list' I created yesterday. Maybe that just means I should stop trying to plan out every second of my life. ha!

Tonight's Thoughts...

2010-02-08T19:06:00.000-08:00

I definitely appreciate how every now and then Shannon will delicately remind me that I haven't been blogging. Her words today were, "You're slackin' with the blogs." Very true.

Sometimes I need inspiration to write...other times, I must simply vent. Writing is my outlet, and anyone who emails, texts, etc. me regularly knows that. I enjoy expressing myself through the written word. Still, there are times when I can't connect the words to my feelings, or life is just 'quiet.' It's those times that the blog goes through a 'dry spell.'

Life never ceases to amaze me...everything that's happened in the past month has put me through an emotional ringer. It's been exhausting and elating, although never at the same time. Actually, now that I reflect, that's not true. During some harder days, there was a pleasantly unexpected light at the end of the tunnel that happened to shine through...and suddenly, things were put back into perspective. And that's pretty much how life goes. We go through the good and the bad, and while the bad seems downright crippling, there's always someone to shine their light in your life and get you through it...even if they don't know it.

Back to Hunter

2010-02-07T09:42:00.000-08:00

This whole fantastic idea of working towards my second Master's Degree was exactly that~~a fantastic idea~~last year at this time. One year later, with only two classes under my belt, and beginning my third, I sit and wonder why I'm still trying to get it done. The 'prize' seems so far off that I'm feeling slightly discouraged.

My most recent course, Assessment of Students with Disabilities, seems amazing, but I feel as though I took a VERY similar class when I worked on my Masters in Reading. The professor is very laid back, which will be calming after a long day with the kids. Our required work seems quite interesting. No group projects, thank God, and everything is to be turned in by the end of the semester...no specific due dates. What's the problem, right?

I don't know...The class isn't on campus, and I LOVE the Hunter Campus. Granted, the 'campus' is two buildings on 68th & Lexington Avenue, but that's just the point. Being there, on Lexington Ave. and on the school 'grounds' amongst all the other 'college kids' brings me back to my college days, which were filled with MANY amazing memories and great friends. My class is on the 94th Street campus school, between Park and Madison Ave. In reality, it's the PERFECT location for a pre-class 6 miler, if the weather should ever warm up, it's four blocks from the NYRR office, and two blocks from Starbucks. Add to that, my commute into the city is a bit shorter. So, okay, there are pluses and minuses to being off campus. One big minus is not being with the dear friends I made last semester. We probably wouldn't be in the same classes at this point, anyway. But, I can be a creature of habit, and very shy, so I'm not up for making new friends just yet. However, as I anxiously waited for class to begin, many of the students walked in with their friends, and I found myself missing mine.

I know I have to get my mindset back to the place that brought me to want this degree...Perhaps once I really get into my work, I'll be there. In the meantime, I want this discouraging feeling to go away.

Songs, Thoughts, Sleep, Thoughts, Reflections

2010-01-24T17:28:00.000-08:00

I feel as though half of the time that I should have spent sleeping was spent thinking about my next blog. I wanted to get up from the bed and begin writing, then I decided to stop thinking and simply sleep. But, I did wake up still thinking about it...

Ever hear songs that make you go, "That's EXACTLY how I feel!"? I've been obsessing over the following two songs: Absolutely Positively, by Anastacia, and Somebody to Love, by Leighton Meester. The first is about someone who is getting over their recent love, and although she thinks of him and cares for him, she just realizes that it's time. The second is about someone who seems to be searching and searching for THEIR person to love, and wonders if there IS someone out there. After hearing these songs, one in the gym @ a weekly class, and the other just on the radio, I found that they are very similar to the ways I've been feeling. The two messages the songs give are the two thoughts can consume my own if I allow them, but they can also be very stressful to think about, therefore, I try not to allow them to take over. After hearing these songs, and subconsciously replaying them, I realized why...it's almost as though they speak what I feel. And, in a sense that's good because it's like getting my feelings out through the songs. Maybe it all sounds weird, but I'm glad to be 'absolutely positively certain that I'm not sure that I love him anymore'...although really getting over someone takes time, healing and reflection. It's important to know, though...that you will get over and be okay in time... And it the same token, wonder..'Is there somebody who still believes in love? I know you're out there.' I'm sure there is... In the meantime, I will keep being me and having a good time. :)

'Life Unexpected'

2010-01-19T18:20:00.001-08:00

I borrow the title from the new show I watched last night. It was broadcast on the WB Pix. Anyone who watched it could attest to it being quite the sappy 'Jess' type of show :)It should be no surprise to read that I loved every second of it! But, as I sat and watched, I thought about the title and how true it holds to everyone's life. Of course I initially thought of myself and the events I've dealt with the past few weeks/months/whatever, but then my thoughts turned to the many people who are in my life, and of the 'unexpected' situations that occur in their every day lives. When life does throw something unexpected your way, when something you simply haven't 'planned' for suddenly appears, what DO you do? How do we react? Do we freak out? Do we question it? How many of us embrace whatever that 'thing' is? I believe it's time that I begin to expect the unexpected...and just embrace or deal with it as best I can...because as we know, everything is given to us for a reason. Although we may never know the exact reason, things that we deal with do make us stronger one way or another.

Let's Begin...

2010-01-02T19:28:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all! I'm thrilled that we've just begun a new year. For me that means more positive thoughts and actions. I already have 'projects' set up for the year...going BACK to Hunter at the end of the month, I'd really like to learn Spanish SOONER than LATER, and I do want to get myself back to church regularly. I wasn't so great at that in 2009. I am blessed in many ways, and I think I need to remember that and be thankful more than I am. Sometimes I forget that there's so much & so many people to be grateful for.
So, here's to 2010... I look forward to what's to come!

The Morning After....

2009-12-20T07:29:00.000-08:00

After being up until 2:?? watching t.v. and having much on my mind, I finally went to bed and SLEPT. That was GOOD bc I was truly exhausted. This morning, I woke up bright and early to the sounds of children playing and snow plows (I think I enjoyed the latter more! ha!). I've been listening to them for about 2 hours now...it sounds like they are RIGHT OUTSIDE, and so I just looked and THERE IS ONE!!! Yay! It's plowing the driveway as I type! Love it!!! So, I'm going to brave the roads (eventually) and attempt to see the Christmas show at my cousin's church. I might also go to DSW for some snow boots. Maybe I believed it wouldn't snow this winter, so why get them before? haha.
Besides all my 'complaining' about this crippling weather, it really is beautiful. I don't really mind seeing the snow piled on my windowsills. Let's see how I do once I get outside.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

2009-12-19T17:26:00.000-08:00

Tonight we are getting our first big snowstorm of the season. Old Man Winter is actually scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Seems, though, that he couldn't wait and decided to come in with quite the greeting~~a blizzard. I am not a fan of the snow one bit. It makes me feel trapped and I quickly get 'cabin fever'. However, as Natalie said, "It is pretty to look at." True, true.
I guess everyone has their 'thing' that they like to do in the snow...
My friend, Shannon, is making cookies with/for the kids. Yum! My friend, Mike, likes to go outside with his munchkins, play in the snow, and when they are finished, they go back inside for hot chocolate by the fire. Angie likes to ski. She also tells me that I need to 'embrace the winter.' Not very likely. ; ) Natalie and Justyn will probably sled down Mom's driveway all bundled up and wild! Me~~Nothing. For someone who truly enjoys their 'alone time' the snow makes me dislike it. Possibly because I can't go anywhere, see anyone or do anything. So, maybe this snow storm I will change that. Maybe I will make it my business to find something I enjoy doing while nature is taking it's course...and making me crazy. haha. We shall see... I mean, there are 3 more months of this temperamental season. I suppose I'd better make the best of it!

Birthday of 2009

2009-12-19T13:00:00.000-08:00

So, I'm officially 33 and a week. lol. For whatever reason, this year's birthday had me so stressed out. I have to really learn to 'get out of my head' because it can be destructive. I'm a thinker, but I do have the tendency to over think. I suppose there are times when I feel that by this age, I should have accomplished more with my life than I have. Then I realize, I'm right where I'm supposed to be. I have the best family anyone could ask for, I have a great job filled w/ amazing, caring & amusing friends, and overall, I don't have much to complain about. So, once I got all this to overtake the other thinking, it turned out to be a great day! My students were amazing! They wrote me the sweetest cards. Some of them were VERY funny. At work we celebrated and ate delicious cookies and cupcakes. And, my day ended w/ the Celentano family. Shannon made a delicious pasta dinner for me, and her kids made me a cake! Loved it!! Who could ask for more??? Her son, Joey, was sweet enough to give me his old stuffed animals to 'keep me company' in my apartment! Thanks, Joe! And I was happily surprised with a Posada jersey! I can't wait for the first Yankee Day at work so I can wear it! Maybe I'll just wear it on Opening Day...just to wear it! They made my birthday very special, and I'm truly thankful and grateful for them! I have to say, regardless of how much I 'think', I always have to remember just how Blessed I truly am.

October???

2009-12-14T20:02:00.000-08:00

This picture is of my running friends, Lyda & Margret. We are out at Ianelli's for Lyda's birthday. I should've blogged about this 3 weeks ago. Where does the time go?
When I looked at my blog & saw the last post was in October, I thought, "Really???" and I chuckled to myself. I've meant to post Marathon memories, Thanksgiving stories, and even birthday pictures. I just can't seem to find the time to sit, think & write. Now isn't the time, either. I'm exhausted in every way thinkable. We officially have one week left of work until Christmas break. We ALL need it. That's when I'll catch up on my posts. I want to promise myself that I'll write more in 2010. But, I'm supposed to go back to grad school at the end of January...so, we'll see how I really do.

Last Training Run of the '09 NYC Marathon

2009-10-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

In one week from today, with God's grace, I will run my fourth marathon! Today I joined my friend, Paola, and her husband, Mike, for a 10-mile run that covered the last ten miles of next week's course. Paola had seen a notice to do this run with the Prospect Park Running Club, and so she signed up, and asked me if I had wanted to join her. I'm glad I chose to because I probably would have been lazy and run half the distance at my own ridiculous pace. I have to say that we ran 90 % of the way at my sprinting pace, which is their normal pace. It was exhausting and exhilarating at the same time! The course had become a blocked memory in my mind, probably because it is the most difficult I've ever run. As we ran it, though, I found myself remembering how and where I struggled the last time. I don't want to hit those walls again, so I have to figure out how to get myself through them mentally.

Running with Paola and Mike was great because they have amazing energy and speed! Plus they were very cute in the way they played with each other along the route! It was nice to see them support and motivate each other. It reminded me of times I've run w/ friends and been challenged the way I was today. There's a much different energy to a run when you're with a group or partner. It was definitely a drive I needed because I have not pushed myself in a long time. Sure, I've done the miles, but not at the best pace I could have. It's okay, though. Today I did what I needed to, and I'm feeling the most ready I've felt all training season!

The anxiety of next week's run has already begun to kick in...it was a sleepless night & hopefully that won't be the case all week. But, at least I'm finally getting excited. I think I've been ignoring it for a while, just so I wouldn't get overly anxious. Now...I'm ready! And I'm so grateful to my family and friends for their support! I'm very blessed...I have the best people in my life!!

Grandma Aida

2009-09-28T17:55:00.000-07:00

Today our grandma Aida was taken to the ER. It doesn't take much to give us a scare when it comes to EITHER of our grandmothers. They are both up there in age, but quite strong in the mind and soul, thank God. Last Thursday, she had gotten the Flu vaccine, which is suggested for older individuals, and really for everyone, I suppose. As of that night, she was not well up until today when our cousin, Ally, took her to the hospital. Grandma had become very ill & dehydrated. That's what worried everyone, including her. She received treatments and IV in the hospital, and thankfully is HOME resting!! Grandma is such a big part of us all. She's an amazing person inside and out... Thank God she is on the road to recovery!!

Decorating the Apartment

2009-09-27T12:47:00.000-07:00

Now that I'm all moved in, the next step is to make my apartment ME. The set up of my apartments has always been the same, pictures of family and friends all over, and curtains. Sounds simple, right? Should've been! ha! Over the past two weekends, I have been decorating a little bit here and there. Last weekend, with the help of my sister and mother, I worked on my bedroom & eating area. I put up some mirrors & sconces, bought a new comforter set, and a new dining area set. It definitely added personality to the rooms! This weekend, I worked on curtains and pictures. I was very lucky to have Sue, Candice and Danielle come to help! We worked very hard & learned all about using 'anchors' and a power drill! I feel a little empowered now that I can do these things on my own! Sue did the living room curtains & Candice and Danielle worked on the bedroom ones! I have to say that I love the way they came out! The colors are great, and they make the rooms complete! After those tasks, we tackled the shelves in the living room. Trying to make the holes for the screws to precisely match the holes in the shelves wasn't easy. After a few attempts, we decided to give it a rest. All of the decorating didn't need to be finished at that moment. Through all the determination to get things aligned perfectly, and find places for other objects, there were many laughs & lots of eating! I cooked a small meal, and had other treats to share... it was a good time amongst friends! I am so very thankful and lucky to have such wonderful (and patient) people in my life. When I walk through my door every day, I feel peaceful and happy to be Home.

September...

2009-09-23T20:23:00.001-07:00

It's been quite a month. I've meant to write for a while now, but between moving (again!), school starting, and work getting under way, my time has not been my own.

Yep, I moved AGAIN. Moving is NEVER fun...but this time it was. The people who surround you can make a world of a difference in any situation. And that was the case on moving day.

My old apartment was in no way, shape or form ME. I was never settled there. It never quite felt like home. Steps WERE taken to try and make it 'home.' Still, no matter what we painted, where I hung things, how I set the bathroom up~~it wasn't me. I suppose that 'inner voice' always knows best. I suggest we listen to it more than we do!! haha. So, I moved right next door to my good friend, Nicole, in New Rochelle! I'm the most content I've been since April 30th. (I only lasted in my apartment for 3 months!) The week before the move, my great & crazy friends, Lisa, Julia and Danny helped me move boxes, clothes, and a good amount of my furniture. I thought it'd be easier to get most of the little things done before the actual moving day. That Sunday, my dear friends, Sue, Danielle, and her fiancee, Joey, helped w/ the big move. For someone who lives in a one-bedroom apartment, I sure do have a lot of 'stuff!' My friend, Ski, was good enough to help out that morning before he went off to play in a band! That was definitely more fun than moving! ha! Jody & Ted were on 'Moving help stand-by' and my friends Anna & Sean actually met us here, but we were 85% finished, so they got to go home =) I'm grateful to everyone who helped (and even those who offered!) I'm truly content here...I just need to get curtains, and have my pictures hung. I can't wait to have my first gathering here!

Besides moving, school and work have had me consumed. My personal life has been a roller coaster. I suppose that's life, right? It's okay~~EVERYTHING happens for a reason. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right? I think I'm pretty strong. Definitely trying to be.

Grad school didn't work out for this semester, which is disappointing. However, I'll get back to it next semester. By then, things at work should be underway!

September is nearly over...I'm glad about it. I want all the stresses of the month to be behind me. I'm ready to start new w/ everything. New apartment, new group of students, new beginnings...
Positive thoughts....and lots of prayers.

Game Day with Dad

2009-08-29T14:58:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday my father and I went to Yankee Stadium for the Yankees - Rangers game. Early in the day, the weather felt very cool. When I left my apartment in a tank top and shorts, I was sure I would freeze, but I continued on my way regardless. Yes, even in August I get cold if it's not above 80 degrees with sunshine. Apparently, my dad had the same thought process, except he didn't dress for summer. He was in jeans and a long sleeve button down. When choosing my wardrobe I decided...August = HEAT = shorts! I am thankful I didn't go the long pants route because we sat in the Bleachers and there was no shade to be had. It actually turned out to be a beautiful day! The clouds completely gave way to the sun, and we ROASTED! For 80% of the game I sat with my hands covering my face. (In an effort to arrive on time, I flew out of my apartment sans hat or sunglasses. Bad planning on my part!) I felt badly for my dad because he kept repeating how he should've worn his shorts.

There were two young guys sitting next to my dad & was glad about it because they talked 'baseball' with him. I knew he was enjoying the conversation. I joked with him about making new friends everywhere he goes. Growing up I always felt like my dad wished I were a boy so that he could play and talk sports with me. He never ever made me feel that way...I guess I created that 'story' all on my own, mostly because he was so overprotective of me. He still is! haha.

The game started off with the Yankees making great plays and scoring before Texas did....unfortunately, the score didn't stay that way. As the game progressed, the Rangers took the lead and we lost 7-2. My friends have asked me to stop attending the games, as they believe I'm bad luck. haha!

All in all, we had a wonderful time. I'm glad to have spent this day with my father. Not everyone is fortunate enough to do that. It made me realize that I should spend more time with him. He really is a great person and father.

Thoughts of the Evening...

2009-08-20T21:39:00.000-07:00

And so again I write...except this time my mind is blank. That statement could bring on MANY jokes from my dear friends. haha I suppose there are just so many things going on around me, I'm not sure where to focus my thoughts.

Today seemed to fly by~~gym, volunteer work with the NYRR, shopping for the weekend, meeting friends for dinner...I should be exhausted, but instead I'm wired. Truth be told, I know exactly who and what is on my mind. But, as one friend told me tonight~I need to stop thinking so much and just let things happen as they will... Much easier said than done. Interestingly enough, I gave another friend that very same advice this afternoon. Overthinking does nothing, really.

Part of me misses camp...it's possible that I miss the routine of the day. But, soon enough we'll be back @ work in a whole new routine...so, I think I'll just truly enjoy each day I have until work begins. Work and grad school, that is. I think it's going to be a good school year. This camp season & first half of the summer proved that positive thoughts and a positive attitude really can have a positive effect on things.

That being said, I head into the weekend with no expectations...only positive thoughts.

Updates =)

2009-08-13T18:51:00.000-07:00

It's always too long between posts. If I try to write weekly, I may stay on top of it better...But Shannon did ask, "What's up w/the Blog???" so, here I am ~~ blogging. =)

So far, my summer has been amazing. If you've followed along from when I started it last summer, you know I wasn't returning to camp. haha. Well, life and such happened and I returned after a phone call from my fantastic boss, Jim, and much pondering and discussion over it. This year's camp season was much different than I've had in a long time. Things couldn't have gone any better... Yes, we had our share of stressful moments throughout the season, but they always seemed to end on a positive note. I couldn't have asked for more. Everyone that I worked with helped to make things run so smoothly and just be SO much fun! As I look at pictures, think of the days that came and went, I sit and smile at the memories. I actually went to Heathcote today to meet up w/ a friend. Just driving into the parking lot brought an instant smile to my face and tugged @ my heart. I can only hope next year is just as enjoyable.

As quickly as camp ended is as quickly as I got myself on a plane to Tampa, Florida! There I stayed w/ my lovely friend, Shannon, and her family. It really felt like I was amongst my own family. Every day we had a new adventure, and every night I was in bed by 10:30! haha. This trip was relaxing, fun and reflective. I'm very grateful to my friends for having me spend their last week there with them!! Pics will definitely follow shortly.

Summer still has a lot in store.... and I'm looking forward to every day until school begins....and I'll be blogging more often =)

End of June Updates

2009-07-02T10:03:00.000-07:00

It's been a pretty busy time of the year w/ school ending and camp beginning. I almost can't believe I'm back @ camp, since I said last summer was it. However, I'm there again, and so far the season is looking good.

As always, the school year finished with out End Term Party...lots of eating, drinking and dancing & and all around great time! Many great teachers retired, and while it's always sad to see them go, I know they will enjoy their hard earned retirement.

I didn't get to dance as much as I usually do at these events (or any dancing event!) due to not being fully healed yet. It's amazing how many things we do that we don't even realize until we can't do them. So, I partied for as long as I could, and then ended my night earlier than usual. Still, I had lots of fun while I was there.

And now~~the summer begins. I'm looking forward to a different kinda year @ camp. I think it's going to be a great one!

Graduation Fun!

2009-07-02T10:01:00.001-07:00

I'm happy to report that more of my cousins have graduated from High School and are on their way to College! I know I speak for my family when I say we couldn't be prouder of them!

Last weekend, the family gathered at my aunt's house, on Long Island, for a small celebration in honor of my cousins, Nick and Alexandra. Nick had already left the party when I'd arrived, and Alex was there hanging out w/ some friends.

While we were there, we enjoyed lots of food that my aunt graciously catered, and the late Michael Jackson's music. My mother couldn't stop dancing!

It really was a nice way to spend the day. I wish my cousins much luck on this next, very important step, in their educational journey! Have LOTS of fun, too!!!
Posted by Jessica at 9:50 AM 0 comments

Natalie's Moving Up Ceremony

2009-06-19T21:32:00.000-07:00

Today little Miss Natalie had her 'Moving Up' ceremony at Weston High School's grounds. I guess she really isn't little anymore.
Since it's been raining for quite some time, the grass was terribly muddy and many people's shoes and pants got ruined. However, despite the damp conditions, the skies cleared, the sun came through, and the students were amazing!
Natalie has worked very hard this school year with her studies and some extra-curricular activities, as well. She has earned excellent report cards and works through some very exhausting days. Somehow, like the rest of us, she gets it done. Don't be fooled, though...behind this bookworm is a very witty, talented, beautiful, blessed girl. She plays the piano, the violin, enjoys softball, and is much more computer savvy than I am! She has a GREAT sense of humor and ALWAYS cracks me up...I don't think she knows exactly how special she is. She definitely is a blessing to me and our family. Natalie~know that we love you very much. I wish you all good things in High School..continue to work hard and do what makes you happy! I love you always...
Sica

Who Needs a Professional Carpet Cleaner....

2009-06-01T19:04:00.000-07:00

when you have friends to help do the job? Since moving into my new apartment, I've been trying to accomplish many things to make it 'home.' The biggest things I've wanted to do, such as vacuuming, painting, and carpet cleaning should have been done prior to moving. However, sometimes things just don't happen as they should. One of the things I really needed to do was steam clean my carpets. Personally, I prefer hard wood floors, but there are carpets here, and we all thought it would just be more economical to have them steam cleaned. So, I made an appointment to have them done, however, long story short, I had to cancel the appointment. I decided I was going to do the job myself...although, I knew I'd need help. haha. So, I called upon Lisa to see if she would lend a hand, and she surely did. She came over w/ our friend, Joanna, and McDonalds. I DID ask for a parfait, but she didn't bring me one. Sighs... Of course we argued about WHY I hadn't done all of this beforehand, blah, blah, blah, but it ended in laughs, and w/ Lisa doing all of the legwork. I was kinda spastic as I tried to maneuver the awkward machine...but Lisa jumped right in and got to work. We definitely had a lot of laughs, which isn't unusual when spending time w/ her. When you have patience, determination, family and good friends, anything can be done.

NYRR Brooklyn Half Marathon

2009-05-30T22:40:00.000-07:00

It definitely felt like a summer day once again. Two lovely weekends in a row~~no one would've guessed it after the awful gloom we had this week. The beautifully blue sky, warm day and cooling breeze were perfect for today's Half-Marathon through Brooklyn. The course took us through two loops of Prospect Park, which I'd never been in before. It's definitely smaller than Central Park, and the hills did challenge me. I got bored w/ the park though, after the first loop around. One more loop, though, then we got to move on to better things! We finally exited the park and went onto the road. We ran maybe 6 miles down what seemed like a never ending long, flat stretch. A flat road can never be complained about, and while the buildings and tree lined streets were appealing to look at, the stretch of road was a bit boring. I truly thought it was never going to end. But, like all things, it did, and we ended the race by running, maybe half a mile, into Coney Island. The crowd that lined the boardwalk was amazing. Cheers at the end of a race, heading towards the finish, is always motivational! I did well, and I'm proud of myself. I still have to work on not shutting down at the last mile.
I was lucky to meet two ladies, Lyda and Katie, who are also teachers, at the race. We took the train together from Coney Island to Prospect park, and got to know each other a bit. I ran w/ Katie for nearly the entire race. At the end, I let her go~I didn't have any gas left to push myself. But, running w/ Katie for a good portion of the run helped me push myself, and I was able to help push Katie a bit, or so she said. :) Lyda fished about 10 minutes before Katie and I did. It was nice to meet these two people! We are going to run the Mini 10K next weekend! It'll be good to see them again!
Another half completed! Definitely enjoyable!!

Bronx Girl rides over the Brooklyn Bridge...for Ice Cream

2009-05-25T19:27:00.000-07:00

Well, not quite sure what to say about today's biking experience... I feel like the biggest bike riding spaz that ever lived! ha! Sounds very dramatic, but goodness, that's how I felt!

At Binu's wedding (a few weeks ago), I met one of his friends, Thom. He was just as nice, friendly, and fun as Binu's other friends that I had met, so it was truly a pleasure meeting him. Since then, we've chatted it up a bit, and decided to get together and go for a bike in Manhattan. Outdoors, Manhattan, something exercise related, and hanging w/ a new friend~~I couldn't have asked for more!! He threw out the idea of bike riding, and so we did! We took a ride from the South Street Seaport, over the Brooklyn Bridge to an ice cream shop called Blue Marble. It's a farm-fresh, eco-friendly, organic ice cream & coffee shop. It was delicious and well known in the area! When we first arrived, the line was out the door...when we left, the line went down towards the neighboring Brownstone. I got one scoop of yummy Blackberry ice cream and Thom got a scoop of Chocolate and something else! He tried to convince me to get two scoops, but I had to save room for all the food I was going to eat @ my aunt's bbq! : )

I have to say~the ride OVER the bridge was STRESSSSSFUL!! One would think I'd never been on a bike before. I imagined that the people walking towards me took one look @ the expressions on my face and thought, "Oh my! That poor girl!" I was quietly freaking out! I was sure I was going to run into someone. There were a few times I rode right into the side and JUST stopped! I am shaking my head as I replay it in my mind! ha! Thom said that I was swaying back and forth and that he was kinda laughing @ me. Special! haha! I suppose like anything, if you don't use it, you lose it! My performance definitely humbled me in my small athletic world. However, on the way back, I felt confident in myself and actually had more fun! I didn't want the excursion to end, but like all things, it did.

Today wound up being the perfect end to the weekend! I got to spend time with a new friend ~ who is a very interesting & fun person, and I got to be ME. Who could ask for more?

Yankee Stadium

2009-05-23T21:25:00.000-07:00

Although I haven't been blogging as regularly as I should be, I'm going to throw this one in, and update on everything else at a later time. I know that if I don't write about last night NOW, I won't...just as I haven't been doing with anything.
Jen and Mike offered me a pair of tickets to a Yankee Game for Friday night. I happily took Natalie with me. She and I don't have many chances to spend time alone, so for me, this was special! We did everything from singing in the car together to taking playful jabs @ each other. I have to say~Natalie is one funny kid! Besides being funny, she's INCREDIBLY smart, sensitive, beautiful and so much fun to be around.
The new stadium was absolutely BEAUTIFUL inside and out! The field could be seen from pretty much anywhere we were walking! Of course I was SO hungry (and tired!) when we arrived, so I made Nat wait on line for food for what seemed like FOREVER! But, once we got food and walked to our seats, everything fell into place! We had great laughs w/ Jen and Mike, and a truly enjoyable night. Sadly, the Yankees lost and ended their winning streak...I'm wondering if I was a jinx....hmmm..they DID hit two home runs after we left out seats...Yikes!
I'm definitely thankful to Jen and Mike for the tickets, and for the sisterly bonding Nat and I were able to do.

Botanical Gardens

2009-03-21T14:49:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I went to the Orchid Show at the Botanical Gardens with my dear friend, Madeline. It happened to be a beautiful day, and the Orchid Show was unlike any other I'd ever seen. Well, I'd never actually BEEN to a flower show, and I happened to know that Madeline LOVES Orchids. When I saw an ad for it, I knew she'd ABSOLUTELY love to see it! Now, anyone who knows me could attest to my adoration for flowers. Their scent, beauty, the delicateness of each one simply brings a smile to my face. After seeing the Orchids, I think I may have found a close second (the first being the Calla Lilly)favorite flower. Orchids have so much detail, and there are so many different kinds! I truly was in awe of every one that I saw! Madeline was, as well, and just watching her expression and hearing her excitement brought me SO much joy. It was quite an enjoyable day!

Grad School Stress

2009-03-08T21:24:00.000-07:00

I remember working hard in Grad School the first time around, but maybe it's the extended absence since obtaining my first Master's Degree that has me so overwhelmed. I'm not sure WHAT the problem is. What I do know is that this degree is going to kill me AND make me gain weight. I partially laugh at the latter, but not really. ha! While my Hunter friends are pretty much as stressed out as I am, I feel the most overwhelmed. I am glad to have spoken with them over the course of the week, still, I'm exhausted. We each have to write a paper on Securing Educational Services for our Exceptional Child. My hypothetical 5 year-old child has been classified as having a Traumatic Brain Injury, and my paper is about WHY I'm not happy with the school he is to attend in September, and WHERE I'd like him to be, and HOW, I plan on getting him there. Did you parents out there know how many rights you really have for your child's education? It's SO overwhelming, but at the same time, very interesting.

Tonight, I have eaten EVERYTHING in my apt...well, just an abundance of food, along with a liter of Diet Pepsi...somehow a liter of diet anything just doesn't seem right. Ha! Caffeine~very necessary. I thought of coffee, but am not up for brewing any. As I returned from the last food binge, somehow I sat incorrectly on my chair and FELL, slow motion right onto my left butt cheek. Oh my goodness.....the PAIN. No joke. Tomorrow it's going to hurt something awful...guess I'll be standing most of the day...for now, I sit leaning on the right cheek, and am going back to work mode...at 12:33 a.m....

Dad's Birthday Dinner

2009-03-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

Last night, we celebrated my Dad's 57th birthday. I think Marisel was in shock @ the realization of his age, but she doesn't know ANY of our ages, so her shock is no surprise to me. lol.
Marisel, Jusytyn, Natalie, Grandma, Dad and I went to Charlie Brown's for dinner. Although it wasn't my #1 choice of dinner venues, Dad wanted to go there, so we did. The night was filled with many laughs and zero drama! My kind of night! I have to say that my father has always been a FATHER. If you have an idea of what a parent should be, my dad is THAT person. He's always been involved in as much of our lives as he could while we were growing up. Even now he tries to be aware of, and advise us on, the events of our lives. I don't have one childhood memory without him, and although he didn't live with us, there wasn't a day he didn't come to see us. I think we're definitely blessed to have my dad as our father. He's taught us a lot. I hope that if I'm blessed w/ children, their father will be as good to them as my dad has been to us.

Some San Francisco Pics

2009-02-22T17:50:00.000-08:00

Good-Bye Cali, Hello NY

2009-02-21T22:36:00.000-08:00

My last day in San Francisco was nothing short of wonderful, as my previous days had been. Abby had her tennis lesson, and I went for my final run on the hills. Abby's friend, David, whom went to dinner with us last night, met up w/ us this morning, and joined me for the run. We went up the steepest hills I've ever run. Needless to say, I was not thrilled, as I'm constantly defeated by hills. However, after finishing the last one, I turned around to see a beautiful view of the city I'd come to enjoy.

Afterward, Abby and I went to a DELICIOUS breakfast @ Ella's. I'm pretty sure it's called Ella's. When I'd told Abby how much I LOVE biscuits, she decided we'd have breakfast there on my last day. Well, the biscuit was HUGE and amazing, as was breakfast. Gooooood food! Great call, Abby!

The rest of the day just kinda flew by. I finished packing, she drove me to the airport, and that was it...good-bye Cali, hello NY. There's always an element of sadness when leaving a place where new memories were made. I definitely felt that when I was boarding the plane. I went over the week in my mind for a short while, and then went about my reading. 5 hours later, I looked to the window on my right, and there were the lights of the East Coast cities. For a moment, I smiled my 'glad to be home' smile, but still felt the pang of having left San Francisco. Of course, once I hit the cold of NY, I was ready to fly 5 hours back to warmth. That didn't quite happen, though. Lisa was waiting for me, and it was just like I'd never even left...we went from the airport straight to the diner for 'dinner' and a complete catch up session.

As I sit in my own bed, comfy and content, I'm grateful for what I have, and where I have had the opportunities to visit. As I look around and take in my things, my pictures, etc., I know I'm glad to be home~~but I am also beginning to feel that home CAN be anywhere that you're happy.

Action Packed Days in California

2009-02-20T13:34:00.000-08:00

I'm not quite sure where to begin. It's been a wonderful few days here, which is the opposite of how I felt when I first began this trip, only because of the rain. I suppose once we get acclimated w/ a place, we begin to feel more comfortable, and things just feel like home. That's how I finally feel...the day before I'm leaving.

Wednesday, Abby and I hit the gym and had the most relaxing night afterwards...dinner was definitely a joke w/ our popcorn and beverages, haha, but it made us happy! I've truly enjoyed getting to know her, and the chats we've had. I love making new friends and learning about them. Meeting Kimberly, who knows how many years ago (how many, Kim?), was a blessing in so many ways. She's wonderful,and we've maintained our friendship through the years. The friends I've made from my friendship w/ her have been amazing, as well.

I spent Thursday out of San Francisco and in the small town of Los Gatos (the cats, as Abby said this morning! lol), where another friend is from and currently lives. It definitely was a small town, but it was also lovely and relaxing. It reminded me of the Bronxville, Scarsdale areas...that kind of atmosphere, but w/ many more little stores, shops, places to dine, etc. I even went into a cute little bakery (big surprise, I know!) called Icing on the Cake. Their cupcakes reminded me of CRUMBS in the city, but they had cookies, loaf cakes, bday cards, gift, etc! I LOVED it! I was good and only bought a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie! I ate half before my trail run and the rest after! I enjoy a good cookie after a hard run! And the trail run I did was just that...HARD. Trail running is NEVER easy~~to me, anyway. It was peaceful and beautiful, and it made me wish there were more areas like this at home, which I'm sure there are, but not anywhere nearby.

Afterwards, I was shown the town, we went to a winery WAY up in the mountains, took a walk along the beach (where my sneakers and socks got soaked because I refused to take them off...it wasn't warm enough! lol), and went home for a nap before going to my first hockey game! This was DEFINITELY EXCITING! We saw the San Jose Sharks play the L.A.....team. ha. Everything moves so dang quickly that I missed EVERY shot they scored! haha. However, the excitement afterwards was awesome, the energy of the players and fans was contagious, and I am SO glad to have attended the game! Good times!!!

So, here I am BACK in San Francisco. After Abby picked me up from the train, I took her to work and went for another fantastic run. This time, though, I overcame my fear of the bridge and ran it! It was truly exhilarating! After that, I ATTEMPTED to go to Fisherman's Wharf, however, the parking didn't work out AND I got lost driving. Imagine that! lol. So, I came home, made lunch, and have been relaxing ever since... Tonight~Mexican dinner (and drinks!!) w/ Abby and her friend. That'll be a perfect end to my time here.

San Francisco Really Is Beautiful!

2009-02-18T17:44:00.000-08:00

Although I haven't done the 'touristy' things, I've done things that I enjoy when on vacation. Such things include walking around, exploring the unknown (to me), appreciating architecture, and RUNNING. Today was the FIRST day of absolute sunshine we've had since I'm here....and I took complete advantage of getting a great run outside! I went down to the marina area, closest to the Golden Gate Bridge. I believe part of the area I was in was called Chrissy Field...it was once war grounds, so that was neat to read about as I ran through it. Everything about that area is lovely! The waterfront houses are breathtaking, the view over the water, w/ Alcatrez in the middle of it, the Golden Gate Bridge in front of me, the Fort Mason Center behind me~~ I mean, all in all, it was a beautiful view!!! I ran towards the bridge, through some fantastic trails, the fresh smell of the trees was amazing and calming, and I wasn't too scared, haha. I did run TO the bridge, which was cool, however, I could NOT bring myself to run OVER the bridge! Just couldn't do it! I'm SUCH a chicken, lolol. Still, the experience of just getting there was awesome! The views~amazing. I'm kicking myself for not running w/ my camera, but I didn't think to. The run was really mind clearing, which for anyone who knows me, understands what I'm saying. The peaceful view, the outdoor air, everything was amazing~~for a second, I didn't miss Central Park.

My afternoon was just as much fun, but in a different way. After coming home to clean up and such, I ventured on the T train to downtown San Francisco where I met Abby for a Vietnamese lunch that was delish! After that, we shopped a little, she went back to work, and I window shopped on Union Square and Market Street. The atmosphere definitely reminded me of home because of all the familiar stores, but it clearly was San Francisco, and I was glad to have gone there. I mean, me~~shopping~~even if it just window shopping~~very happy! When I spoke w/ my friend earlier, he noted how much happier I am today than when we met up yesterday. It's true~the change of weather, along w/ feeling a bit more secure w/ my surroundings, made all the difference in my trip =) I'm sure I'll be sad to leave on Saturday.

A Scavenger or a Hunter

2009-02-17T20:15:00.000-08:00

Abby and I have decided that in the decision of whether or not the raccoon would've eaten the duck or garbage....the raccoon would NOT have eaten the duck! They are INDEED scavengers... I don't feel like such a DUH!!!

Out and About....Finally!

2009-02-17T19:35:00.000-08:00

Well, I do have to say that I did have a mini-meltdown due to the weather. It hasn't just been raining~~it's been miserable! Rainy, windy, chilly, awful! When I spoke w/ Natalie this morning she reminded me that I AM on the other side of the country and rain shouldn't stop me from going out. Point noted, so after the gym I decided that I WAS going to go out. The question was.... where?!? I decided on Boudin Bakery...famous for San Francisco's sourdough bread. Okay, not the MOST interesting place, but heck, I LOVE bakery food, so why not? ha! Well, turned out that my friend was having dinner w/ his boss in the city, so we made tentative plans to hang out & tentative turned out to be definite. I'm definitely grateful that he came because I was about to lose it. I even text messaged some of my friends that I missed being in N.Y. At that point, I truly did. Maybe I just had cabin fever...not too sure. Anyway, my friend picked me up and took me to the Golden Gate Bridge! First of all, it was S U P E R windy. Oh my gosh, haha, there was no way we could walk across it, but we took pics, and he pointed out all the parts of cali and such. From there we did a little hiking, which is so up my alley! The smell of the pine trees was amazing~~for a few minutes I thought, "Yep, I could do this outdoorsy, country thing." Then I stepped on a bush that snapped up @ me, I screamed, we laughed and I remembered that I am, indeed, the city girl! ; )
From there we went to an art gallery that was closed~~sorry, I don't remember the name, but since it was closed, we walked around the water for a short while...we watched 'nature' at it's best... raccoons running from someone's property to the water/grassy/shrub area. Well, he thought the raccoons were going to eat the ducks... I stood for a minute, thought about WHAT raccoons eat...and said, "Raccoons eat GARBAGE." WELL...OH MY GOODNESS. Really~raccoons ARE scavengers, right? Yeah~NO! That's sooo not the rationale to my statement. Of course as I'm HYSTERICALLY laughing at what I'd just said, he's all~"I'm sure if Raccoons had their choice between garbage and ducks...they'd choose the ducks." I couldn't contain my laughter OR my embarrassment. Could we call that a city girl statement? After ALL that laughing, we stopped @ a bar for a drink. The view from there was amazing. I have pics that I'll post when I get home. I have to say~~ I had a wonderful, wonderful day!!

East Coast Girl in a West Coast City

2009-02-16T17:00:00.001-08:00

The second half of my first day in San Fran was great! After chatting w/ Abby for a bit, we ventured out & she drove me around town. I got a glimpse of the sights I've read about, which was cool. It's always great to put a 'face to a name.' San Francisco is known for it's hills, yes? Well, my GOODNESS, did we drive down a HILL!! I was completely unprepared for the drop we took, and couldn't contain my surprise! Abby sure did laugh, and it was when we reached the bottom that I remembered exactly WHY I don't love roller coasters ; ) We did drive down the 'crookedest' street~I believe it's called LOMBARD. It was a brick road~just windy, really...I guess when I think of crooked, I think of corners. You definitely can not drive down this road fast, and there are stairs along side for pedestrians.

The architecture is awesome...something I've always noticed & loved since seeing buildings in NY & DC. Some houses look like the brownstones of NY, and others remind me of Spanish style houses from Puerto Rico. The drivers are pretty crazy, much like NY, and the people are kinda New Yorkish, but not sooooo much. They're def California, but 'city type.' All in all, I like it! We drove by some schools, and I wondered if I could do it...could I move out of NY and teach here, or anywhere for that matter? I think we decided I'm a New Yorker for life.

Not quite sure what tomorrow will bring...I'm still researching what I want to do. Abby will be working all day. It's supposed to rain in the morning, so I have to figure it out.... ; )

San Francisco Day 1

2009-02-16T09:30:00.000-08:00

It's a rainy Monday in San Francisco! Right now, I've just finished breakfast, which consisted of MANY things~nothing unhealthy, though. Well, maybe the sugar cookie I started of with, but, that's it. ha =)
My flight here was VERY long, but I had company, which helped w/ the initial annoyance of the delay. Of course, my sinuses were acting up, I took a decongestant, and then had a runny nose for the remainder of the flight. Kinda funny, yet not.
I won't lie~the thought of the two flights that came down in NY over the past month had me more nervous than I'd ever been on a flight. However, prayers, the tv, and sleep got me through just fine!
Abby, who I know through Kimberly (my first Southern friend, who then introduced me to all of her SWEET friends), was nice enough to pick me up @ 1:30 in the morning~West Coast time, of course~~4:30 our time. We were both exhausted, but it was so great to see her! Abby and I have never hung out just the two of us. I'm eager to get to know her better! She stocked up on lots of fruit, pretzels, and other yummy snacks~~I feel right at home! My experience w/ the coffee grinder~~interesting...I MUST get one! haha!Today she's taking a half day so we can hang. She'll show me around so I won't be TOTALLY lost for the remainder of the week~~Thanks Abby!
Other than that~I saw Palm Trees, which I've always LOVED, and that's the update for now....more to come!

2009-02-14T13:19:00.000-08:00

My school had it's annual 'winter' party. The parties used to be "Holiday" and "End of Year." The latter still goes on, but our "Holiday" has been "Winter" for the past two years. We LOVE to dance and have a good time! This past Thursday we did just that! Not many people came, but it was just the right amount from each 'crowd' so to speak, to have a fun night! We ALL danced, which is one of my FAVORITE things to do, and ya know, as I always say, the company makes the night. I'm glad to have spent this much needed night out w/ my friends.

A Blog a Month?

2009-02-07T13:22:00.000-08:00

It seems as though I've been 'slackin' in the Blog department. My friend, Michelle, often reminds me of that. ;) So, on this lazy Saturday, as I wait for my clothes to finish drying, I thought I'd upload some photos and get a blog in.

Last month we celebrated my Godson's 5th birthday. He's so cute & smart! Seanie is a wonderful child who has a love for everything that comes his way. Being in his presence is enjoyable, even after I've been w/ my students all day long. I'm so proud to be his Godmother~~over the past 5 years, I've watched him grow into this little person who has such unique qualities. His smile makes my heart melt, and I love that he has a special name for me~~Drina (pronounced Dreena).

Although these pictures are a bit late, they still hold a special memory for all of us in the family.

My Godson, Seanie

2009-01-05T17:51:00.001-08:00

Tonight, my cousin Candice called, told me to hold on and listen...so I did. Seanie came on, said, "Hi Drina" which is short for "Madrina" and began reading to me. He's only in Kindergarten...just 4 years old...soon to be 5. Oh how I smiled...there was nothing else I could do. I smiled and listened. I could picture his face focusing and reading. When he was finished, he said, "I'm finished." I told him over and over again how proud I was of him, and asked him to call me later in the week to read to me. That was the highlight of my day. Being a Godmother is one of my favorite roles in life. It's quite unique to Sean and I. We have a special bond that makes my heart melt. He makes me smile like no other child does. It's times like tonight where I feel I'm right where I'm supposed to be in life...and what's to come will when the time is right.

Pre-Birthday Night Out

2008-12-07T20:48:00.000-08:00

So, I had a "pre-birthday" Birthday celebration Friday night. After hearing a friend had a great time @ Vudu Lounge, in the city, I decided I'd have my party there, as well. It isn't too far down, so I knew location would be great for anyone who chose to come along. I have to say that this year's night out is up there in the 'best' book.
During the day, I wasn't so excited about going out. I suppose the celebrations of the past few years were consuming my thoughts, and while they were great, I just wasn't sure I was up for the usual dancing night out. Well, lots of convincing & many 'where and what time' text messages later, I got out of my head and went for it! Goodness, so many people came to hang out! It was wonderful to see those who were able to make it! I definitely missed my sister, and the other few friends who couldn't be there, but I understood why. xoxo. For those of us that were there, oh my goodness....we danced ALL NIGHT. All night! All night. The music was jumpin, the crowd was good, polite~no drama~and everyone had a ball! Whether they were drinking or dancing, everyone was having a great time. I have to say, I think everyone did dance! Usually, our crowd spends a good amount of time at the bar..well, not me...I'm ALWAYS dancing! ha! I'm glad that everyone had such a good time & got home safely! I wished my hair hadn't gotten flat by the end of the night, but dancing, sweating~what did I really expect? ha! Thanks to everyone that made it out! It meant a lot! The pictures are displayed a little awkwardly...but, enjoy them!

Tree Trimming '08

2008-12-07T20:24:00.000-08:00

This is the time of year that I do two important things...#1, I decorate my Christmas tree, and #2, I celebrate my birthday. Well, the birthday celebration isn't exactly important...it's just part of the weekend. Last year's tree trimming wasn't quite right since I didn't have a tree. Actually, I thought the tree was in my closet, but it just wasn't. Not there, not at my mom's house, nowhere. So, we had the party...just w/o the tree. Ah! This year, I made sure I got one, and a true tree trimming was had! At first, getting the artificial tree to look full and not like the Charlie Brown one I had last year was quite a task. However, with a little patience and love from my sister and my friend, Eddie, it turned out to be simply perfect. My nephew, Barbara's girls and Lisa's girls all trimmed the tree with my growing assortment of ornaments, bows and candy canes! I think they ate some of those candy canes as they hung them ; ) As each of my friends came & brought me a new ornament, I had them place it where they chose on the tree. Thank you all for the ornaments and for sharing in this special day! It was wonderful having everyone over. I hope you enjoyed yourselves! For those that were unable to make it, we truly missed you.

Decorated with love.

Marisel put the tree up, and Justyn helped to decorate it...

As did Zoe and Kelly!

Barbara, Lisa and Jordan were truly exhausted from all the trimming they did! ha!

And Caitlyn was ready for her candy!

Eddie did the lights...and brought us chairs! Thanks so much!

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-12-02T19:57:00.000-08:00

This year, Thanksgiving was spent at my aunt, Mildred's house. Boy did we eat! Goodness! I am not sure what I enjoyed most...the dinner or the dessert. My lunch crew could say probably the dessert because I ALWAYS eat it before my lunch! ha! Unfortunately, Uncle Joe was dissatisfied with ANY of the dessert choices, but that's okay...he ate them all, regardless. ha! My personal favorite was the pastele! Yuuum! As usual, we laughed the entire time we were together. Thankfully, Mari did not get asthma from laughing, and the kid's allergies from the cat held up!

Unfortunately, I didn't get spend time w/ my mom and Nat. They were missed, though. We spoke a few times that day, but it wasn't the same as actually being together. Right now, I'm missing my mom a lot.

I suppose saying I'm thankful for all that I have in my life sounds like the obvious thing one would say. However, I truly mean it. With each day that passes, something always stands out that I'm thankful for. Of course, since I'm thoroughly exhausted from some UNRULY students, I can't give specific examples of what I'm trying to say. However, know this...without my family, I'd be nothing. Each one of them is a part of who I am. They are all amazing and I'm blessed to have these wonderful people in my life. My truest friends, my rocks, my confidants, help make my days & stresses a little easier, and for that I'm thankful. I'm blessed in many ways, and I try to make sure I thank God for the things & people I'm surrounded by.

Marisel, Dad, Me, Grandma

Crespo Girls, Marisel, Me, Titi Mildred

Mom (from last year's Thanksgiving!ha!)

NEM!!!! We missed you, too!

Justyn, Sierra, Brendan, and Seanie

Our newest cousin, Maya.

Weekend Update

2008-11-23T19:03:00.000-08:00

My weekend was meant to be a very quiet one. After fighting a sinus infection for three weeks and partying for two of those weekends, I knew I simply needed to take it easy. For the most part, I did just that. However, the past two days ended later than I'd hoped and consisted of many more activities than I'd planned.

Friday night I kind of double booked myself...nope, not w/ two dates, haha. I had committed to attending my friend's open bar, as well as meeting my cousins & friends to see Twilight. In order to make sure both plans were kept, I arranged for the 'movie' crew to meet up where the 'open bar' crew was going to be. We met at Burke's in Yonkers for dinner, and from there we shot over to New Roc City for the movie.

It turned out that the coordinator of the open bar (Neverly, who is in my Autism Walk pics) got stuck at work and wound up getting to her own function late. Definitely a bummer, but she did make it in time for us to at least say a quick hi and bye! I know she had a ball after my friends and I left. We were lucky enough to get to spend a little time with Al and Anna! Their kids had a sleepover and they got a night out. It was definitely a nice treat to hang w/ them for a short while.

Twilight was AWESOME! I mean, true to Jessica form, I have YET to finish reading the book, but I'm STILL working on it! As I watched the movie, part of me wanted to leave as to not spoil the ending for myself, but I didn't... I watched every minute of it! I didn't even fall asleep! That's new for me! ha! Everyone enjoyed it~I think this mini girl's night out was needed. All I know is that I was more relaxed than I'd been in a while. It was a good feeling.

We ended our night at Applebees..it was FRIGID out and close by...enough said. While the girls drank their fancy beverages, I warmed up w/ a coffee. My 'lay low' evening ended at 1:30 a.m.... I wouldn't have traded one minute of that night for anything else... We had an amazing time doing something so simple...again I say, it's not what you do, it's who you do it with... no dirty thoughts there, please. ; )

Saturday I spent the ENTIRE day w/ my family. I always enjoy being w/ them...it's almost always a guaranteed good time w/ lots of laughs and too much food!

Today, I attended a Holiday Boutique at a temple in White Plains w/ Jody. We haven't seen each other since August at Mayah's 1st birthday, so it was wonderful to spend time together and chat in person! We spend a lot of time text chatting during the days. Thanks for hanging, Jodes!

Pre-TWILIGHT dinner @ Burke's.

Al and Anna.

Neverly's cousin, her husband, Al and Anna.

The TWILIGHT group. They ALL finished reading the book...

They spent a lot of time working on the tilt of my hat! ha!

Lindsay's Shower

2008-11-18T18:07:00.000-08:00

It was just 3 months ago that Lindsay & Anthony were celebrating their 1 year wedding anniversary. Now, a year and change later, we are celebrating Lindsay's pregnancy! It's been an interesting beginning of the school year watching Lindsay's belly grow... True to "Linds form" she's been a very stylish pregger. The funniest thing I've observed has been watching her go through her 'heat flashes.' We'll all be at lunch, and next thing we know, Linds is sitting at another table, shoes are off, maybe a layer of her 89 shirts is off...ya never know...and she's like, "Hot flash." lolol. So, we're enjoying the pregnancy along with her...She hasn't given in to too many cravings (that I've seen) and seems to be coming along very nicely. Hopefully she'll make it @ work til the end, as she wants to, and have a healthy and safe delivery! Best of luck, Lindsay!

A year ago at the wedding.

Lindsay and her mom, Judy.

Part of the 83 gang: (standing) Me, Lisa, Linds, Christie; (sitting l-r)Gwen, Julia, Lisa, Cath

Invisalign Disaster!

2008-11-11T21:09:00.001-08:00

For those of you who don't know, I've been wearing Invisalign since January. I have to say, they have worked very well. Sue would agree, as she once commented, "Jess, those invisalign are really working." haha...THANKS, Sue. I do think they've helped a bit.
Anyone who has shared a meal w/ me in the past 10 months can attest to the craziness I go through when I have to remove and 'store' them away...What should be an easy task of putting them in my CASE, isn't. I usually put them in a paper towel and just set them somewhere...by the end of the meal, someone has almost always thrown them out... My whole lunch crew could agree! ha! Last month, one of my students threw out the 'napkin' that was on the table while I was at a meeting. My orthodontist made me a new retainer since I am awaiting a new set of aligners... Today's adventure topped the last...
After eating lunch, I didn't put them on right away. Instead, I left them in my bag wrapped in a napkin. Fine. Not really, though...when I arrived at my mom's casa, I set the bag down and out popped EVERYTHING because our dog is WILD and jumped on me right away. Cute, but wild. As Natalie, Justyn and I sat doing work, all of a sudden, Pepper was running through the house w/ a piece of paper...we chased her down and got it...okay, no worries. Next thing I knew, Nat pointed out that one of my retainers had fallen out of my bag and onto the floor...again, not a prob...until I heard a snap...something that sounded like plastic...something that sounded like it was being chewed....next thing I knew, Pepper was CHEWING on my bottom retainer. Oh my goodness!!!! All I did was yell Noooooo, but yes....she killed it. My orthodontist is going to kill me! Marisel said, "Dude, the invisalign...just not meant to be." Could she be right?

Candice's Birthday Celebration

2008-11-09T17:35:00.000-08:00

My family loves celebrating birthdays...well, we actually love celebrating ANYTHING. The most important part is that we are together.
Candice turned 31 this week...for one month we are the same age : ) Wednesday she celebrated w/ her family in NJ. Friday, she came to her mom's house, and we ate lasagna, cake, and had a ball laughing, talking, and just being ourselves.
Saturday, Danielle hosted a Girl's Night / Candice's Birthday Celebration. True to Candice form, she was late to her own party, haha, but we didn't expect anything different. I couldn't tell you what we all talked about, but it didn't matter. We were together enjoying each other's company, having wine, snacks, laughs, etc! We watched the Sex & the City movie, and I don't think anyone was happier to watch it than me! The second time around was just as emotional for me as the first, but still...just as enjoyable.
Sometimes, relaxed nights at home are just as good, if not better, than fancy nights out. Actually, it doesn't matter where you go...it's who you are sharing the time with. Maad~we missed you! xoxo

The Birthday Girl!

Danielle & Gracie

I made the cake!

We ate a lot! Yuuum!

Jewelry Party

2008-11-04T20:04:00.000-08:00

Many of you know I truly enjoy hosting parties. Since I've lived in this apartment (5 years, guys!) I've been lucky enough to host Christmas Eve. It's actually my favorite event to host! Sometimes I'll have brunch for my sister, cousins and their families, sometimes I'll celebrate a RANDOM holiday (remember Cinco de Mayo??), etc, oh, last year there was the infamous Tree Trimming sans tree....this year there will be a tree, guys! haha.
Well, my latest was a Lia Sophia Jewelry Party. It was such an awful day, weather wise, and I definitely stressed out about who would be able to make it under the conditions. Well, most of my friends who said they'd come did. Others were unable to make it, and that was okay. They were missed, though.
We had LOTS of food, so much WINE, and a wonderful time! I'm glad I have another 'party' memory in this apartment! Thanks so much to everyone who helped make it a fun night!

The Shoppers!!!

Erica, Nicole, and myself

Chrissy, Arjiana, me

Josephine & Shannon

Venetta & Marisel

Three Weeks!

2008-11-04T19:44:00.001-08:00

Yes, it's been three weeks since my last blog and Lord knows I have had A LOT to write about. Just haven't been able to stop and sit at the computer when I've been home. Not to mention that my keyboard wigged out and I suppose got annoyed w/ me for dropping it so much....and died = (
Unfortunately, my time at work doesn't allow me to blog as I can at home, but thankfully, I got a new keyboard! Yay! Me being me~The spaz that I am ~ I couldn't get it to work. The instructions were simple enough~plug and go! So, I did but NADA. My cousin, Ally, got it to work w/o a problem. Don't ask bc I don't know. Just glad to be back on! Here are some pics from Halloween 2008! More blogs to come...as I said, there's a lot to write about. Enjoy!

This is my friend, Michelle & her daughter, Kaitlyn. They visited us @ work.

Here we have Roberta & little Pierce! How cute he looked as a lion!

This is my class! If you click on the picture, you can see the kids clearer.

Last but not least, my friends, Rose (as Fiona!) and Shannon (as Jane Jetson!).

Steamtown Marathon

2008-10-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

I spent the day walking down stairs BACKWARDS, as this is the ONLY way to do such a task after running 26.2 miles. I feel surprisingly well, but my quads are super sore. Thank God, they are the only body parts that are giving me any discomfort. The marathon was, just that, a LONG 26.2 miles. I had forgotten exactly what that felt like from last year's run...maybe I blocked out the memory of the pain. haha.
Steamtown,PA is MUCH different than NY...as mostly anywhere out of NY is. I found that I missed the energy of NY, but enjoyed the scenery as I ran through the different parts of the town. There were the mom & pop shops, the American Legion (that had a CLEAN bathroom!), the beautiful foliage, certain areas that reminded me of the Georgia race course, the QUIET I needed at certain times and the kids cheering on the sidelines when I needed an extra push...
I ran at a much faster pace than I'm used to for such a long run...for long runs, one has to pace themselves so you don't hit the dreaded 'wall' along the way...well, I hit mine @ mile 20. Figures! I attribute that to not drinking for 10 miles of running at a sub 8 minute mile pace. After mile 21-22, I hit a sugar LOW and just needed to drink all the water and Gatorade I could get. The best part was that the volunteers had things I NEEDED~cookies, gummy bears, and swedish fish! Yep, I had them all along miles 21-24, and those things got me through the last few miles w/ MUCH more energy than I'd had. At one point, a man yelled, "4 hours is still attainable!" Well, that was just what I needed to hear to jump start my adrenaline. A sub 4 hour marathon is unheard of for me, but I figured, what the heck, let me push and see what happens, and that's JUST what I did. I found every bit of energy I had an RACED til the end...because, after all, it IS always a race. ; ) End time: 3 hours, 59 minutes, and 32 seconds. WOW! I'm definitely pleased & surprised with that time and with the fact that I REALLY completed this without injury.
I have to say~when I hit mile 24 and my quads felt as though they couldn't go any longer, and they were so tight and uncomfortable, I remembered last year's marathon & how I struggled at the exact same mileage... except this time, I was racing against time & had to fight through it..which I did! Yay!! I was THRILLED to see Marisel and Justyn near the Finish Line! I almost cried at seeing them, but HAD to finish, so I kept it together! haha~Thanks, Mari & Just for being there~it meant the world to me!
Binu also did well, but he got injured on the course! ah! Somehow, the arch of his foot began to hurt him very much and he had walk, get a heating pad for it, alternate between running and walking, etc. Although he didn't finish in the time time he planned & hoped for, he still did VERY well! Great job, B!

Walking for a Cause...

2008-10-08T13:57:00.000-07:00

Our team at the Autism Awareness Walk @ Jones Beach!
Myself, Anna, her friend, Francesca, Joseph (behind Konotey), Konotey, Neverly (next to Anna), Steve, Jessa's mom, Jessa and Kieran.

Little Firemen!

Smiles all around!

My friends and I are always doing walks for different causes. Last weekend, although it poured rain in the morning, we gathered at Jones Beach for the Autism Awareness walk. It was PACKED with people and groups from all over Long Island and probably the tri-state area. We did a 5K walk and had quite a nice time, despite the gray skies. All we needed was our positive, cheery attitudes to get through the gloomy weather. I decided to make the walk my workout for the day by pushing the baby stroller, and at some points, both babies~excuse me, Toddlers~we in there! Can we say a workout? haha! I was glad to have been part of the group! Can't wait for our next walk!

A Busy Weekend!

2008-09-28T19:15:00.000-07:00

What a weekend it's been! I am truly exhausted from partying and running! The latter should be no surprise, though. haha.

This was Binu's birthday weekend! Yay! Happy Birthday, B! Much to his surprise, Renny came into NY to celebrate! She and I teamed up & we celebrated @ Columbus 72 on Friday night. He was suspicious for a while as to whether she was trying to surprise him because he couldn't get through to her phone...he figured she was flying...she told him she was @ happy hour and couldn't get reception! Great job, Ren! I, of course, just told him he was being HOPEFUL, and that that was OKAY. haha. Little did he know that at that same time, I was picking her up @ LGA! We all partied the night away along w/ my friends Cathy, Al, Shannon & Mike! I don't know his friends well enough to have invited anyone, and it was great of my friends to come celebrate! Plus, I think we needed a night out just because we haven't had one in a while...so, Binu's birthday was a great reason to get us together=) We had a BALL! I never realized how stressful trying to surprise someone can be, and I almost slipped a few times, but it ALL worked out! I'm truly glad it all went well!!
Lastly, after not running as regularly as I had been only 3 weeks ago, I ran an 18 mile tune-up today. Needless to say, it took the first 6 miles to warm up, the next 6 I ran HARD following Binu's pace. Well, that made me ILL so I kept the last 6 @ my pace and finished at the time I wanted to. I definitely am EXHAUSTED, but have such a sense of accomplishment! Binu ran a great pace the last two loops! Great job, B!

Jen and Mike's Wedding

2008-09-28T19:01:00.000-07:00

Jen and Mike cut their beautiful & wedding cake!

The gals of P.S. 83 past and present.

Again, but this time with the beautiful bride.

Today we celebrated Jen & Mike's wedding. We have watched Jen and Mike grow as a couple, and it was wonderful seeing them come together as husband and wife. They both looked amazing. After so much planning and stressing, it was comforting to watch Jen enjoy every minute of their wedding day! Good Job, Jen!
Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves~everything from the church to the dessert was flawless! Jen truly outdid herself, and while I know there was a lot of stress along the way, the end result was WELL WORTH IT.
Love you Jen & Mike! May you be blessed with a lifetime of happiness, love, laughs, health & all good things.

Pictures Here!

2008-09-28T18:44:00.000-07:00

Above is my high school friend, Wanda.

James' bday in Long Island.

The familia! Dinner @ Mamma Francesca.

Friends from 83~Teddy, Cathy, Al, Barbara.

More friends from 83~Lisa and Shannon.

After writing so much about different people in my life, I thought I'd add some new pictures. Each person in my life adds something different, something positive & I believe I'm blessed to know every person I do.

Jessica and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day...

2008-09-18T08:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am making a 'Text-to-Self' connection! Read on!

As I was making breakfast, I knocked over an opened soda can in the fridge, and you guessed it...it spilled all over the fridge and onto the floor. As I'm trying to clean up the never ending drips, the time is ticking and I DO have to get to work, as well as blow my hair straight, and all I can think is REALLY?? Fine! Floor is CLEAN! It may have been cleaner than it was ; ) Okay, so NOW I can make breakfast, but of course, one of my eggs (the one that DIDN'T want to be cooked) rolled itself (yep!) off the counter and onto the floor! THE FLOOR AGAIN! Well, again, onto my hands and knees for early morning cleaning, spraying the Fantastic, wiping away, still w/ my now half dry hair that is going to FRIZZ if I don't get moving w/ it! Ah!
Finally, I get it together. The floor is clean, hair is dry, and I'm off to work...only to deal with the kids and a cold that came on the night before...head hurt, nose is running, I'm sneezing... just exhausted...
Did I mention I have a stress reaction in my shin from training for the marathon? No running for a month...
It was a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day... Some days are just like that.

Friends Reunited

2008-09-15T17:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a long, but wonderful day!
Against the doctor's (unofficial) suggestion, I listened to my body and decided to run in yesterday's Queen's half-marathon. All in all, I felt great. My calf was rather sore by the end of it, and I could tell I hadn't run in a week..my lower back was tight, stretching my hamstrings was a new project, and I knew that taking a week off was both good and bad! I believe that the week off enabled me to run successfully, as well as running w/ Binu, but now we await the results of the MRI...that may be the topic of tomorrow's blog.

In addition to the run, I met up w/ my Best Friend from high school, Wanda. We have not hung out in 14 years! She happened to spot me at the premiere of Sex & the City. Imagine spotting one person out of so many! Well, I was thrilled that she DID see me & came to make sure that it was, in fact, me! That was in May...

We've done a much better job of keeping in touch over the last 4 months than we have over the past 14 years, haha, although we did speak for a bit after graduation. I guess life just took us in different directions for a while. It's okay, though, because clearly we were destined to be friends! : )
We hung out at the Met, which was perfect for the awfully HOT & HUMID day it was! Honestly, we spent so much time chatting away that I don't remember WHAT we saw...well, a few things. I know we spent a long time in the shop!! haha. Afterwards, we went to a little French spot, where I had my very first Chocolate Croissant! It was yummy, but I'll take a regular one w/ coffee after a run any day.

It definitely was wonderful meeting up w/ Wanda after so many years. I hope we'll get to grow as friends through this new stage of our lives... Yes, Wanda...we are all grown up now. =)

Happy 13th Birthday, Nat!

2008-09-11T18:24:00.000-07:00

Ms. Natalie is 13, not 30! haha

This is our famous 'sister pose'...

Glad Ally joined in the celebration!

Tonight we celebrated Natalie's 13the birthday. I remember the day she was born. I was in college and couldn't wait to hear if Mom had had a girl or a boy...and it was Natalie. Before Nat was born, we gave her MANY names...I believe PRESCOTT was a popular one among our family, for no particular reason. haha.
As Natalie has grown up, she has developed quite a personality all her own...there are days when she's so animated or in some kind of mood (good or grumpy) and I think to myself, "Wow.. she's a GREAT mix of my mother, my sister and me!"... In reality, she is quite an individual. She's VERY funny, intelligent, has been involved in many extra-curricular activities, and has a caring heart. Natalie and Justyn have grown up together for nearly their whole lives, and you can tell they truly love each other as if they were siblings, instead of the aunt & nephew that they actually are! ha! They are lucky to have each other.
Tonight we celebrated Nat's birthday @ Bertucci's in Norwalk. Goodness, we laughed so hard at the silliest things. That's not abnormal for us...who doesn't love to laugh? : ) Unfortunately, Nat didn't love the cake they brought her at the restaurant, and I don't blame her. I did ask for chocolate, yet that's not what was brought out...so Marisel and I inhaled her cake. ; )
All in all, it was a wonderful night! I pray that Nat is blessed w/ a lifetime of happiness, safety, love and all the good things that life has to offer! xoxoxo

Trying to Rest...Wanting to Run

2008-09-09T05:49:00.000-07:00

If and when Natalie reads this, she'll comment with, "5:45 a.m. Jessica???" Kinda funny. This morning I am up much earlier than I should be. I went to bed much too late to be up so early. It'll hit me later in the day. I had the alarm set for 6 a.m. SPIN class, but after last night's attempt, I'm just sitting here with a throbbing shin & trying not to cry. I probably should've avoided the weight class before spin, but too late now. So, I'm going to see an orthopedist after work. Thankfully, Lisa's old roommate works with one and I'm going to get this ankle/shin thing looked at. I've been praying for healing, but God is probably saying, "Jessica, REST IT." I certainly can't heal if I don't stay off it. However, given my job, it's not as easy as it sounds. Maybe today I will stay off it as much as possible. We all know it's not my JOB that's keeping me up & all over...it's my inability to stay out of the gym and active. So, here's my thought process~If I want to run the marathon I've trained so hard for, I should truly give everything a rest. Maybe I can swim in the meantime? I hear that's good when you're injured. Positive thoughts and prayers are what I'll need to get me through this. Running is such a release for me...I'm definitely missing it~and it's only been 2 days since my last run.

Run Hard! or Hard Run!

2008-09-06T17:39:00.000-07:00

Today, I would say both titles apply.
I'm sure that reading about my training can be uninteresting, but for me, it's reflective.

I don't recall ever having struggled as much as I did today. Not sure what the cause was, but it could've been one of four things: 1. Being exhausted from my first week back @ work & starting our run @ 7 a.m. 2. My fall @ work on the first day of school. 3. The AWFUL humidity that made breathing & moving extra difficult. 4. The 3 glasses of wine I drank last night. I'm going to assume it was the wine, but am sure all four contributed to the difficulty factor.

We had a 4 mile race today~the Fitness Mind Body Spirit race. It was sponsored by Fitness Magazine, which I subscribe to and love! The men's race began @ 8:30, the women's @ 9:30. Our training run began @ 7 a.m. 6 miles to start, then we ran the men's race, and I finished up with my 4 mile race. All in all, I covered 16 miles today.

The first 6, which are now my warm-up for the long runs, were incredibly difficult. I felt as though Binu was running faster than usual, and in the back of my mind I was saying that I wanted to kill him for it. In reality, it was the pain & exhaustion that I was trying to run through. The hills, that I've worked hard @ conquering and usually come easily to me, were more challenging than they've been in very long time. By the time we finished that part, I wanted to vomit! I partially wished that I had in hopes that I'd feel better. No such luck.

For the men's race, I couldn't keep up w/ Binu, so I let him go & ran @ my own pace...I just couldn't do it today. During the women's race, I ran much slower than usual...and while it mentally beat me up, the pain in my shin kept me from doing any more than I was. I'm guessing that Tuesday's fall @ work left me more injured than I'm willing to admit. After writing this, I'm going to do some research & hope that a few days off will help. With a marathon in a month, I really can't afford to be hurt for too long. I'm bummed right now. It'll be okay, though...one day @ a time.

First Day of School

2008-09-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

Today marks the start of my 10th year of teaching. Why does every year feel like my first? Last week we had time before the first day of meetings to set up our rooms. I must've walked into everyone else's room to see what they were doing and how they were setting their rooms up. I told them that the beginning of the year always feels like it's my first! By the end of the week, I felt good about how I'd arranged everything and brought home lessons and odds & ends to prepare.
I'm big on baking for my students! For the first day of school, birthdays, holidays, etc, I usually bring in cupcakes, cookies, whatever I'm into that week. Well, last night was no different. I baked vanilla cupcakes w/ red sprinkles for today. They were cute & looked yummy! I spent the evening preparing as much as I could for today~lunch, parent letters, my own plans~I felt okay! By 10:30 p.m. I HAD to go to bed. Exhaustion had really hit me hard, and that was fine. It would've been better, though, had I slept through the night...1:30, 4:30, 5:00...up, up, up...by 5:50 I gave in & got out of bed. I finished whatever was left to do & walked out of the door @ 7:00! A RECORD for me! haha! Apparently anxiety had gotten the best of me...along w/ my clumsiness... As I walked down the hallway w/ my bags & cupcakes, I slipped on our extra polished floor and fell right on my bottom! UGH! Cupcakes flew in the air & then onto my dress, on my hands, in my hair & all I could think of was my upcoming marathon... I just hoped that I hadn't hurt myself. Well, needless to say, I just sat there...kinda shocked, kinda embarrassed, kinda knowing that this was SO ME. Oh well. Thank God, I am okay (I think). My shin hurts a bit, but that may be from being up on my feet all day...The cupcakes DID NOT make it, unfortunately. Not only did I have to throw them all out, but I had to clean the floor & my dress all before even getting to my room.
Onto the kids...they are adorable. I truly enjoyed meeting and working w/ them today. Two boys tested me ALL DAY. I thought I had one under control, but clearly, controlling him means he can't sit at a table with other students...so, we'll work on that.
I think I am ready to be back in this routine. Camp was camp....the usual summer action & stress. Mexico relaxed me after that. Time for me after all that was great & very necessary...but now I'm focused, once again, on what is my life...for right now.

A Chocolate Lover's Dream

2008-08-28T03:32:00.000-07:00

I hope you've all ventured to Hershey Park @ some point in time. My first visit there was nearly 20 years ago. Could that be true? Yikes! Actually, it was at the same age that Natalie is, so yes. My sisters, nephew, our friend, Jun and I ventured to Hershey Park in Hershey, Pennsylvania. I'm not sure which part of the trip was my favorite...could've been the drive out & multiple stops we had to make...yes, HAD to make. Jun and I NEEDED coffee midway & while Marisel was good enough to get off the exit that SAID there was a Dunkin' Donuts, finding it was the challenge. We found it alright...in the OPPOSITE direction. Good thing bc I think I was getting a bit cranky....I hadn't run that morning and had no coffee up until that point...lolol. We made more stops after that~Mc Donalds (they are VERY clean in PA!), a gas stop (where I lost my camera bag), and EVENTUALLY to an arcade. That wasn't too much fun for me, but the kids loved it. Maybe it was the park itself...maybe just the amount of laughing we did...
Eventually, we made it to our destination. First we checked in to our hotel, (Marisel always chooses only the best! Sooo her! lol) had dinner and then were off to Chocolate World!
We started with a tour of how Hershey's chocolates are made~we could SMELL chocolate by the end of the ride...mmmmm! At the end, we received two (complimentary) pieces of Hershey's Bliss, which is a SMOOTH milk chocolate. After that we got to preview the park for a few hours, ride some attractions, including a long, wooden (no loops!) rollercoaster, and eat some more! I tried to be good!
The next morning we were right back @ it! We spent the first part of the day in the water park, which was AWESOME. The only set back was the cold I caught from it. Yes, only me! The second part of the day was spent doing the 'dry' part of the park. I have to admit that I chickened out of some roller coasters. I just couldn't get myself on them! Justyn & I rode a 'simpler' roller coaster...yeah, wasn't so simple when we were at the top & my 8 year-old nephew said, "Why did I want to do this? I'm scared now. Are you scared, Titi Jessie?" I replied w/ a confident, "Nope! This is great!" Truth be told, though, I def was nervous! lolol We got through it w/o a problem. =)
The ride home wasn't as lively as the ride out...tired had definitely set in. My cold had gotten so bad that we stopped @ a random rest stop (I don't recommend that) and I frantically searched for some kind of medication. Nyquil did the trick~and knocked me out for the next 11 hours. Wow!
Would I do it again? Absolutely! Time w/ my family, no matter what we do, is always exciting, entertaining, and leaves me with some of my favorite memories.

Pictures Added!

2008-08-22T17:44:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm STILL trying to get the hang of how to upload and paste pictures neatly! lolol..
Give me time, everyone.
I wanted to share just a few of today's pics...The first is my mom & her sister, my aunt Aida. The second shows my cousins, Dana & Carmela, and my nephew, Justyn. Last, is my youngest sister, Natalie and I. Sadly, Marisel was working. We missed you, Maad!

Family Day in Connecticut

2008-08-22T16:42:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know, home is in Connecticut. It's not where I grew up, but it's where my mom, sisters & nephew live, so it's home for me.
It's been too long since I've spent time w/ my mom & sister(s). After today's long run I went home with intentions of all of us going out somewhere. It was a beautiful day & I didn't necessarily want to be inside. Unfortunately, I got up there too late for us to do anything lengthy. We improvised, though...my mom, sister, cousin and the dog went for a walk. I loved every second of it. We walked & talked~at times over each other, lol~ laughed, told stories, and truly had a relaxing afternoon. Our walk only lasted about 30 minutes because we had to get Justyn (my nephew) from his camp. Today was his last day...ohhhh the memories! haha.
My family day ended with dinner @ Balducci's where my aunt, Aida, and my other cousin, Dana, met us. Present at the dinner table were 3 adults and 4 children, 3 of which are 8 years-old and younger! For a few minutes, I felt like teacher & camp director all in one! Wow! Good thing Nat (my youngest sister) was by my side! After giving 'teacher' eyes & directions to 'sit still @ the dinner table' she & I just looked @ each other & laughed.
It was wonderful to spend time w/ my family today. Although it was short, I enjoyed every single moment.

Make It Count...

2008-08-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

That was the instruction I received before running my last hill during tonight's training run. (We're training for a marathon in October! Yay!) When I run Central Park, Cat Hill is the hardest part for me. Apparently, hill work was tonight's plan of action! Now, if you don't know about the hills of Central Park, let me give you a little background information on them... Central Park is known for it's 'rolling hills.' The Harlem Hill is LONG but has a steady incline. The rest of the hills are simply rolling hills...each one is challenging, but w/ practice it feels easier every time! Notice I said 'feels' easier...doesn't mean 'is' easier. However, if you are running in the park, it's clear that you are accepting the challenge. Now, Cat Hill (which has a statute of a cat ready to pounce at the top) defeats me EVERY TIME. This hill is not nearly as long as the Harlem Hill, but it feels much steeper & therefore is terribly difficult for me to get up w/o huffing and puffing, and then walking at the top. That's defeat for me.
Today, after a 4 mile warm-up, we challenged the hill w/ 5 repeat runs up & down it. The goal was to run as fast as I could up it and take long, quick strides back down. Okay, the first 3 times up were hard! I felt ILL when I'd reached the top, my breathing was too quick and I just wanted to quit each time I finished the uphill part. The ice cream vendor looked better and better each time I got there! haha. Downhill was 'a breeze' though...I LOVE downhills! The speed I am able to pickup keeps me motivated. The 4th time up, I felt GREAT! Seemed like I'd finally found my groove! Then, we were up to the last one... I was given my directions on how to stay strong, breathe properly, not stop @ the top, but slow down if I had to, and MAKE IT COUNT! Well, we definitely started out nice and strong, but then mind took over matter and I fell behind... I couldn't go as fast as I had just before and that was that... I didn't stop, as I was advised not to, but ran a bit slower than I would have liked... All in all, though, it was a GREAT workout! I have to conquer Cat Hill eventually. Thanks, Binu!! Good run, good times!
Back to the Make It Count comment... I think we should apply that to everything that is important in our lives..whatever we do, try do it to the best of our abilities & desires, and always MAKE IT COUNT.

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures!

2008-08-19T06:10:00.000-07:00

Natalie (my little sister) requested pictures! I'm posting just a few from my trip. Well, they are more so pictures of my friends and I IN Mexico. Lisa has the scenic ones...not quite sure when I'll get them, though. haha!
We did have a great time, and I came back to NY feeling more relaxed than I've felt in a long time.
Enjoy!

Home Sweet Home

2008-08-14T22:37:00.000-07:00

I can honestly say I'm glad to be home tonight. Well, at this point it's early Friday morning. I'm just settling in to my bed after a long day of traveling.

Cabo San Lucas was absolutely beautiful. The hotel we stayed at, Riu Palace, was very clean, spacious, activity & family oriented, w/ a good deal of couples, as well. I can't wait to post pictures, although my friends and I took mostly 'posing' pics. Lisa probably has more of the 'scenic' pics. However, you can always click on www.loscabosguide.com to see THEIR pics.
The water was turquoise blue, the sky was free of clouds, and the sand was too soft to run on, lolol. I saw pelicans, cruise ships, sea lions, little baby snails and nearly got pulled into the ocean by the strongest current I've ever experienced. One day, we were waiting to go Parasailing. Well, while Lisa was enjoying the water, it nearly dragged her in, which was both scary and hilarious. She wasn't hurt, which is why it was laughable...and to be honest, given everything, it was the laugh I needed.

I watched Lisa and Jaime parasail from the boat we went out on... Yep, I was definitely too afraid to go up there, but enjoyed watching them do it! They both got sick from the experience and that was enough to convince me I NEVER want to try it... I didn't mind, though...I was perfectly happy on the boat, and as most of you know~I don't like boats! haha.

The pool was the most relaxing part of the trip. I don't recall the last time I just 'hung out' at a pool. I finished the book I've been reading this summer, Sundays at Tiffanys, by James Patterson, which I highly recommend, read some magazines, and just slept. The sleeping part explains the burn on my back...sleeping hasn't been too comfortable. Yesterday's Kayak adventure, which was a totally fabulous and NEW experience for me, explains the burn on my thighs... again,I say OUCH.

My flights there and back weren't too bad. On the way to Mexico, I had a ridiculously long layover in Atlanta. Thankfully, Hollywood picked me up and he let me stay @ his new house overnight. What was great about that was seeing the house~it truly is great, Jason~and catching up w/ a very good friend. Thanks, Wood!
On the way home, my first flight was eh..there was a mom w/ 3 little children w/ her. One of those children kicked his chair, aka my back, for most of the flight. I thought to turn around and give him the 'teacher look,' but I also knew that she was traveling alone, so I didn't want to make her feel bad. I just sat & tried to rest. On my second flight, I spoke to a nice older gentleman from Atlanta who was going to NY on business. I heard all about his family and their travels. That made for a nice flight home.
My good friend, Binu, was good enough to pick me up from LGA...he lives VERY close to the airport and didn't mind bringing me home. It was good to catch up w/ him, too. Thanks so much, B!

I have to say, God blessed me w/ wonderful friends...not just the people who picked me up, lolol, but honestly, everyone I'm lucky enough to call a friend. =)
I'm glad I took this trip.... Pics are coming soon. Hugs.

Greetings from Mexico!

2008-08-13T15:50:00.000-07:00

I'm in Cabo! Can't believe it! My friend, Lisa, convinced me to join her & her friend, Jaime, on their summer trip. All I can say is BEAUTIFUL! It's quite relaxing, and JUST what I needed....

Today is my last full day here. I have LOTS to write about...will do so in the next few blogs!
Needless to say I'm kinda burnt...my skin, that is. YEP, I did wear sunscreen, but gosh, the sun is STRONG!

Pics will definitely follow within the next few days...I fly home tomorrow...say a prayer for safe travels!

Much love,
Adios =)

Sagamore's Night Out @ Yaffa

2008-08-10T07:09:00.001-07:00

To end this camp season, my office crew & I decided we should have a night out! I was thrilled when they decided on a place in the city! We went to Yaffa on St. Mark's Place. The joke of the night was me trying to figure out WHERE St. Mark's Place was. I was SO confused and my staff had a BALL with that! Ugh! haha. No worries~once I got it together, I made it there ~ BEFORE them! ha!
We all looked so nice in clothes other than our camp 'uniform.' The food was YUMMY!! We couldn't decide exactly what the cuisine was... I said American and got SHOT DOWN. ha! James, my Division Head, said ECCLECTIC. Um... okay. I had a FAB salad w/ avocado, grilled chicken, and CARROT DRESSING. Yum! Everyone else had something to their liking...we shared a two bottles of Sangria~delish! Afterwards, I had no problem DOWNING a chocolate cake...oh my goodness..it was excellent!
I can't thank you guys ENOUGH for such a fun night! It definitely was a bright spot in my summer...I know you all enjoyed yourselves and I'm glad about it! Hugs to you all!

The End of an Era...

2008-08-10T06:41:00.000-07:00

That's what we said for entire the last week of camp...the end of an era. 12 years @ Camp Sagamore...gosh. It was lots of fun, but also took A LOT out of me. Sometimes I felt like I worked harder @ camp than work, although we all know that's not true. It was a different kind of work. Different responsibilities. Managing 150+ 4 & 5 year-olds, 32 teenagers, and everyone's parents was at times difficult! There's always a fire to be put out. This year, though, I did it differently... I was less stressed and felt more accomplished. Maybe the thought of not doing it after this year had something to do w/ those feelings.
We worked hard til the very last minutes of the day. There was just so much to be done between paperwork, reports, hugs, cleaning up...We were there long after we should've been. There was the usual joking at the same time... the name calling, the throwing of pens, papers, yelling. FUN!!! My friends called me from our administrative luncheon pleading w/ me to get out of the school. ha!
Saying good-bye to the little ones was bittersweet. Their big hugs, the parent's heartfelt thanks, seeing kids who had really difficult starts leave us with big, bright smiles...Those smiles made it all worth it.
I've grown in so many ways @ camp...I didn't even want to work there! ha! My mom insisted that I have a 'paying' summer job (the year I began). It turned out to be a place where I met many fabulous friends that I've kept over the years...Sue, Gid, Kimberly, Jen, to just name a few... I definitely grew as an Assistant Director...each year working harder on what didn't work the year before, helping the staff where I could, teaching the kids about getting along and such as much as I could.
I guess I could write forever, but I should probably stop here... Camp Sagamore. I was given the opportunity to return... I have to let them know by October... I hear you all though... I can tell EXACTLY who is saying NO! hahaha...Much love, everyone!

Camp Sagamore's Variety Show

2008-08-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

Picture it: 150 4 & 5 year olds singing kiddie songs, doing little dances, smiling away~that was the scene of the morning!

My Division Heads, James & Rukshar, and I (pics next time) EmCeed the event. I think I was more nervous than the children! haha. The kids were adorable, and just as it happens every year, they did wonderfully! Practices were stressful and I was convinced it'd never come together, but it did!

I sat and sang along w/ as many groups as I could...tried to be encouraging and remind them the words and the movements... At one point, I had to hold back tears. I think I got caught up in the moment & realized that yep, this really is it for me.

NYC Nike Half Marathon

2008-07-27T18:22:00.001-07:00

Yep, I was at it AGAIN. Most of you know of my passion for running...besides loving the feeling I get after a good run~ no matter the distance~ it's my therapy. Today was the NYC Half-Marathon. I usually run w/ Binu, but he had a Volleyball Tournament in Baltimore yesterday. I definitely missed his drive...we're good at motivating each other just by running together. Today I ran w/ my friends, IPOD, Beyonce, Jay-Z, and some various other artists : ) This race is now 2 years-old and VERY popular. One has to get chosen from a lottery to run in it. It was one of my most difficult half marathons, physically. Mentally, I was on point! For some reason, my stomach acted up, which has NEVER before happened to me during a race...combine that with a blister the size of a half dollar on the back of my right food, and it turned out to be not my best race. However, given those uncomfortable circumstances, I ran well. The course was tough~one 6 mile loop through Central Park, down 7th Ave. to 42nd Street, then down the West Side Highway to Battery Park. I did my best along the 7th Ave. to 42nd Street stretch. My miles were consistently 10 minute miles, which yes, are much slower than usual for me. It's okay~it was a LONG race. As I went down 42nd street, a fellow runner told me I passed him numerous times along the way...another gentleman told me I passed him 11 times (I had to stop every now and again for water~I didn't know it was 11 times, though!) and right at the finish line, a man thanked me for the good pace. That left me w/ a good feeling about my run after the crazy things I had gone through. I have to be thankful, though, that I didn't hurt any body parts, pull anything or pass out! ha! By mile 11 certain things did become a bit uncomfortable, such as my knees and lower back, but that just meant I had to adjust my pace, which wasn't a problem. I am glad to have run this particular race again.. the first year I ran it was the year Anthony passed...that still tugs at my heart a whole lot... For the rest of the night, I'm going to sit w/ my legs up...and think about which part of the race I enjoyed the most...besides crossing the finish line. : )

Camp Sagamore's Mascot!

2008-07-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

There's NEVER a dull moment @ camp! Today, while my supply guy was throwing out the garbage, he RAN into the office clearly nerve wracked by the raccoon he came across in the dumpster! Ahhh! Well, the little raccoon sat under the dumpster and did NOT move.... My counselors were QUITE interested and left their groups which caused me to stress even more! You all know it doesn't take too much to stress me out~~ sometimes....
Well, after everyone left the back of the camp grounds, he FINALLY poked his little face out and ran across the field back to WHEREVER he came from...whew.... Thankfully the kids weren't around @ the time...or else I would've been much more nervous than I was... I'm not going to lie, though...He did have the cutest little face.

Al's Congratulatory BBQ

2008-07-20T09:24:00.000-07:00

My very dear friend, Al, got a new job! He's going to be a Headmaster in Greenwich, CT for this upcoming school year. This promotion is so wonderful for him and his family! He is a hard worker, and I'm confident he'll be amazing in this new school!
I met Al @ my current school 7 years ago. There, we began and maintained an amazing friendship. Al is an individual like no other I know! We've partied together, had heart-to-heart conversations, prayed together... anything that is important in a friendship we've done at some point in time... I'm blessed to have him, and his wife Anna, in my life.
His friend, Sean threw him a surprise Congratulations BBQ. Al, who is very hard to surprise, was SUPER surprised! Well done, Sean! The crew was made up mostly of Al's close friends from h.s., his family, and some 83 friends~Cathy, Teddy, and me =)
Al, we all wish you the best in this job, and with everything in life. God Bless You! Much love always!

Binu & Renny's Engagement Party

2008-07-20T08:54:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was very busy! Two parties in one day! Imagine that! I attended and engagement party for my friend, Binu and his fiancee, Renny. This particular engagement party was new to me because I've never attended an Indian Engagement party before. I loved it! It was part comedy (due to the Emcee's antics!), part spiritual, and very family oriented. Everyone looked lovely in their beautiful sari, Renny, in particular, plus the food (that I tried, haha) was yummy, and the rest smelled great! Sorry, B, that I left early and missed the Brooklyn dancing, but thanks so much for inviting me and for being an amazing friend! =)

Marisel aka Marissa (only to me)

2008-07-15T20:28:00.000-07:00

This is one of my two sisters, Marisel... I have to get a pic of little Nat..she's 12.
Marisel turns 28 this month~~she's so not loving 'aging' but she's done such a great job in her first 27 years... I love and am proud of her. We don't see each other as often as I'd like, simply because we're both sooo busy. Right now, she's working her tail off~4 days in school~studying Early Childhood Education~ and the other 3 working...7 days being a GREAT mommy to Justyn, aka JU.
Maad, love and miss ya! You too, Nat xoxo

Mr. Golden Sun...

2008-07-15T18:09:00.003-07:00

We were GLAD that Mr. Golden Sun came out to shine on us today! Yesterday was SO gloomy that camp definitely wasn't the same...being indoors all day is NOT fun for 5 year-olds. What a beautiful day we had, though! Everyone was out and about, lots of laughs, and one little girl called my boss OLD! haha. Well, she sang "Happy birthday to you, you're a hundred and two" to which he replied, "I'm only a hundred and ONE!" Anyone who knows Jim knows how much he loves kids~especially this age. He truly is a wonderful man & takes this job as seriouly as he does his teaching job. Jim has been working @ the Scarsdale Rec for 32 years. Every year I remind him that he's working camp one year longer than I've been alive! ha! That always gets me a look~lol. All in all, it was a good day~the kids are growing right before my eyes, criers are now BIG SMILERS, those who didn't want to come to camp, now can hardly wait for the next day to begin...
Next month, I'll look back on the experience and be very proud.

Camp Sagamore 2008

2008-07-10T14:47:00.000-07:00

This blue is close enough to the color of this year's staff shirts. In years past, it's always been GREY. Yuck! At first, I didn't love this year's color, but I've gotten used to it.
We're at the Heathcote Elementary School in Scarsdale, and this was actually the first site I worked at (11 years ago). This is also the school that I worked at with Kimberly!! Yay! Heathcote may wind up being a monumental site for me...I wonder why... ; ) It's actually the perfect place for camp bc instead of walls, the rooms have windows. They are perfect for viewing the field and blacktop (as well as incoming parents). haha. We didn't have nearly the amount of crying or naughty children as yesterday, so I was able to get around for a few pics! HOWEVER, I am not great at getting them on here, as you may have seen in my last post. For now, enjoy these blogs....

Camp Central

2008-07-10T03:54:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Camp Sagamore! We are EXTREMELY exhausted working with the 147 4-5 year olds. For the most part, my staff has been great, but by the end of each day, they are beat! I don't blame them~at least we know we're working hard, right? I haven't taken pictures of the kids, and I'm n0t sure if I'm allowed to post them. However, they are ADORABLE, as most 4-5 year-olds are! The sound of these little voices walking past my office brings a big smile to my face. When they fly by screaming, that's a different story. haha...that's when I fly right out after them! "Walk, don't run..." They usually stop, look up at me w/ big eyes, and grab a 'buddy'... We're big on BUDDIES. To be honest, I'm counting the days til the end~my mom can attest to this, as we just discussed it last night. While camp has been very good to me, I think year 12 may be my last...Jody will make sure of that! haha. The pics I'm attaching are from last year, however, the people haven't changed =) As I take more this summer, I'll attach them, as well. 4 more full weeks to go...

The Yankees WIN

2008-07-09T09:49:00.000-07:00

The game was FABULOUS! This was my first time @ Yankee Stadium this year. It's also the last year for the original stadium (for those of you who don't know that). My friend got AMAZING tickets from his old boss. We sat in Box seats on the first base line. The view was GREAT! I don't think I've ever been so close to the field. Tampa Bay was 7 games undefeated until last night! The Yankees hit many home runs, base hits and a few RBIs! The crowd was VERY enthusiastic, the weather was perfect and the evening seemed like a VACATION after my hectic day at camp. The train ride home was, of course, typical New York...crowded, loud, and smelly, haha.

All in all, it was the perfect end to my day.

Beginning Blog

2008-07-08T11:28:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm trying this 'blog thing.' I got the idea from my good friend, Kimberly, in South Carolina. I always check her blog for updates on her family! I decided this would be a good idea for me, as well, since I love catching up with and updating my family and friends!

Today is my first blog! I'm working, once again, at the Scarsdale Rec! Sagamore still lives! For the 12th year, I'm working here, this being my 7th year as assistant director. The camp is made up of 150 children, all entering kindergarten! What an adorably energetic group! Today, it's terribly muggy out, and my campers are running through the sprinklers to keep cool!

While I'm definitely exhausted, I'm looking forward to the Yankee game this evening! Hopefully, there'll be some pics to post later! In the meantime, I look forward to hearing some feedback from whomever looks at this blog!