A Valentine's Day Post

My post never published on Valentine's Day. WHAT is that about?!?!?!?!

Block Party in Queens
September 2003

Here's the story of how Steven and I met: He was working for HT in January 2003. The day I actually met him it was his "going away party" because he was leaving to go back to Louisana to work. The next day he decided to not move to Louisana and stayed working for HT. I knew his boss and she let me help around in the office because I was in college but needed money, lol. I barely talked to Steven, to be honest. I only helped out in the office for like two weeks before I thought I was better than to show up to an office after going to school for half a day #iwasacrappyteenager  ANYWAY! Fast forward to the summertime (July) and Steven was running the summer camp. I applied to be a camp counselor and got the job. So everyday I'd go to the camp and see him walking around, doing whatever it is he did all day, lol. I kept looking around for him so I could see him. Yeah, I'm that kinda stalker lol!  The girls in my group were all like "Why don't you write him love notes, and we'll give them to him!" So that happened. We'd come up with questions to ask him, the girls would run over and pass him notes. This silly man would actually write back!!  On the last day of camp (beginning of August) we started really talking. A week later he had a staff end of the year party at a restaurant, and afterwards, while walking out to the parking lot he asked me to be his girlfriend. I actually told him "I'd let him know tomorrow" because I'm a huge freakin' loser like that. I actually just got out of a three year serious relationship the month before and wanted to be sure I was in it for the right reasons.  The next day we had plans to hang out and I told him I'd be his girlfriend. He mentioned he had two dogs in the 'love notes', but I let that slip my mind because I wasn't a pet person. That was August 16, 2003.

A month and a half later I was pregnant. God is a funny guy. His perfect timing, not ours, lol!

The rest is history.

My mom took this picture of us, after my birthday dinner date.
We were dating 2 weeks.

Okay. I'd say we are both romantics. Normally we go out on a fancy date for Valentine's Day. A few years back I decided that the kids should be involved too, because we love them and they are old enough to be well behaved children at a restaurant and to celebrate with us.

My plans for this year had gotten messed up due to a family member, BUT ANYWAY, I decided we'd all go to the movies on Sunday and see The Lego Movie. It was hilarious!  On Tuesday night, I ordered Italian food from the local pizzeria. Went home, set the table up all nice, and we had family dinner on the table when Steven walked in the door. After dinner we played board games with the kids, and then we all crashed into bed early. Yep, total snoozefest over here, haha!

Steven got me a gift certificate to get a massage at a new place that opened up by us, Raspberry Verdi (my favorite), and a reusable bag my church was selling (which I told hum numerous times I wanted, haha!)

It was the perfect holiday for our family. <3 

New Years Goals 2017

I guess I'm gonna start this post off with all of my New Years Goals. I always make them, and then practically forget about them by February....but 2017 is going to be different! I'm optimistic!!


My New Years Goals, 2017 style:

• To further deepen my relationship with Jesus
• To write to my sponsor child more often (than I already do)
• To be a better wife and mother
• To read 20 books this year
• To be more positive, in general
• To lose weight so I can be more fit and healthy

Hope everyone reading this has a blessed New Year!!

It's The Holiday Season - 2016

Isaiah 9:6  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Taken at our church's Christmas event

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas season!!

Catching Up

Yes, yes, I'm well aware I am a flip flopper. Wordpress just wasn't doing it for me.

Lets play catch up, shall we.

November is pretty much a dead month, as far as working goes. I had the first week of November off because the NJEA teacher conference. I get Thanksgiving Eve off because it's a half day of school, as well as Thanksgiving and Black Friday off, of course. Then I also get the last week of November off for Parent Teacher conferences. I literally worked 11 days for the month of November. I am not complaining, lol.

This week off of work was very productive. Got a ton of Christmas shopping done (thank you cyber Monday), as well as write up a few blog posts and set up a new blog page.  I keep saying I'm gonna sit down and tend to my blog but then just never get around to it because #life.

Gonna go back to the end of October and make my way forward.....

Halloween 2016 was a success. Delaney dressed up as Harley Quinn and Dylan ended up throwing together a soccer player outfit and calling it a day. They came home with way more candy than anyone would ever need, lol.

The four of us had off the first week of November. One day we went to go see Samson at Sight and Sound Theaters in Lancaster, PA. It was absolutely amazing! The kids loved it and already want to go back next year. Sounds like a plan, I say.   Another day we went on a nature walk at a beautifiul place called Duke Farms in Hillsborough, NJ. It was nice.  We made it a day trip kinda week....

I wrote a response letter on behalf of Steven and myself to our sponsor child in Haiti named Michelton. The kids also wrote him their own separate letter. He probably won't receive them all till a little bit after Christmas, due to turn around times from Compassion International.  We are continously praying he and his family are well.  I hope he writes us back.

Steven and I celebrated 12 years of marriage on November 20. We went to see Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, followed by dinner at a local restaurant we wanted to try. The movie was amazingly good.... the restaurant, not so much.

I took NO pictures on our anniversary, so a wedding photo will have to do, lol.

Thanksgiving was a success. Woke up and watched the parade on TV, followed by my parents coming over for dinner. Nice and easy. I do miss my sister for the holidays though (she moved out-of-state).

Delaney mashing potatoes.     A rare photo of my mother and I.

It's now December. Christmas shopping was mostly done online via AmazonSmile*. We put up and decorated our tree this past weekend. This year I am REALLY in the holiday spirit, and early, both of which are unusual for me. I'm just gonna roll with it.....

*I wrote a post about AmazonSmile & it can be found here

Okay, so now that I took the whole afternoon to write this post yesterday, I have to actually go and adult. Laundry needs to be tackled and the kids are fighting. One of those days, lol.

We Will Never Forget

Watching the second plane hit the tower on live TV can never be unseen from my mind.