Two Dogs & A Mortgage

Welcome 2010!

2010-02-06T17:10:00.004-05:00

Welcome 2010! Sorry it has been so long since I updated the blog. The end of 2009 was kind of a crazy time. My grandmother and family dog passed away. We found out we were pregnant in mid November after trying to get pregnant for 16 months. The past 3 to 4 months have been emotional and I haven't felt like blogging about anything. I am going to try and be better in the new year.

Video of Alex

2009-09-06T14:39:00.003-04:00

A Great Vacation!

2009-07-25T10:25:00.010-04:00

Matt and I had a great time out in Wyoming and Colorado! Even though a week flashes by when your on vacation I think we made the best of it. We went to Wyoming for July 4th weekend and had a lot of fun going to the Mud Bog, shooting off fireworks, sitting by the campfire, and boating. After spending 6 days in Wyoming we headed for Silverthorne, Colorado where Brad and Brianne live. We did a little hiking, ate good food that Brianne cooked and drank some beer. It was a short visit but we feel we were able to see a lot of what Colorado has to offer. Here are a few short videos from our trip and a few pictures. Enjoy!

Surprise!

2009-06-17T06:12:00.005-04:00

So this past Saturday I hosted a baby shower for Michelle. She was fully aware that I was throwing a shower for her but what she didn't know was our mom flew in for the occasion. Below is the footage. It was a complete surprise and the shower was a success!

T,T&T out for a walk

2009-05-28T13:39:00.003-04:00

Here is a cute video of my dogs and TK out for a walk yesterday. Tk has been staying at my house during the move. We are headed to her new house after nap.

Moving Day!

2009-05-27T13:49:00.003-04:00

So today is the big move for the family I work for. Things have been crazy with packing the last couple of weeks and I am sure it will be crazy with unpacking. I am so sad that they are moving out of the city, but thankful to still have a job! TK and I will miss many things about their old neighborhood. We will miss Doggie park, Ritten House square, Fitter Square, the 3 piggies that we had to walk past everyday, and of course all our city friends. I look forward to things in their new neighborhood like the great sand park they will live by, better libraries, and of course the great community pool. Main Line here we come like it or not!

RIP Kodi

2009-05-17T09:40:00.010-04:00

Yesterday Brad and Brianne beloved chocolate lab Kodi passed away from a sudden illness. He was 5 year young and one of the sweetest dog I have known. You will be greatly missed! My love goes out to Brad and Brianne during this very tough time.

Back to being a Main Line Nanny

2009-03-21T10:47:00.002-04:00

So it is official the family I work for is moving to the Main Line. After months of looking at houses my work family has found the house of there dreams. It has been stressful the last few weeks as negation went back and forth but finally came to an agreement. From the pictures the house looks very nice it is a small 4,000 square feet 5 bedroom and 3 bath home. The location is great it's near a local elementary school and close to Philadelphia. I am excited for the family to move but will greatly miss working in the city. My commute is about to get long again but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. By September I hopefully will be cutting my work week from 5 day to 3 days. Keep your fingers crossed on that one!

Welcom Spring!

2009-03-20T13:44:00.003-04:00

I am so happy it is the first day of spring! We have had a long cold winter and I am ready for the warm weather. As I headed off to work today it was snowing but now the sun is out and the snow is long gone. It is still chilly but this tree gives me hope that spring is really here!

I think I am on a emotional roller coaster?

2009-03-12T14:28:00.005-04:00

I feel like I am on a emotional roller coaster. So for the last 2 years Matt and I have been riding a emotional roller coaster that shows now signs of stopping soon. Right after we got engaged in August of 2006 Matt had some blood work done that didn't come back normal. No big deal with thought it was due to a illness but turns out it wasn't. With a few more test the doctors determined it might be a benign genetic disease. So for a while we have been thinking nothing of it. But then a few weeks ago Matt unfortunately had a exposure to dirty needle at work and has had to have more blood work done. He was refereed to a specialist who has ruled out the benign genetic disease and now Matt has to go in to see a hematology specialist to find out what is going on. We are both scared and numb from both the needle exposure and the unknown that is causing abnormal labs. We are both staying positive and looking to God to help us through this tough time. We know God has a plan for our life it just hard sometimes to see it. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

This is a sensitive subject in our house and I not even sure if Matt is ok with me writing this post but I think it is important to have the support of our family and friends through this time of unknowns.

4 dog household

2009-02-04T09:48:00.004-05:00

So for the next 7 days Matt and I have a 4 dog household. We are dog sitting our old dog walkers fur children. Penny is a Jack Russel mix who is very frisky and always looking for an adventure. Barkley is a Golden Retriever who is very sweet. Tyson and Tater are enjoying having their dog friends over and the snow is a added bonus. Here are some pictures I took of the dogs playing in the snow!

Shadow the Library Cat

2009-02-01T17:52:00.006-05:00

So today I was babysitting Amanda who is the little girl I use to nanny for. We decided to take a trip out the the Bala Library. We were sad to find it was not open but we pleasantly surprised to meet a cat outside the library. I wasn't sure if it was a outdoor cat or one that just escape from it's home. So I called the cat over and it ran up to me and he was very friendly. The cat had a collar with a tag on. To be on the save side that the cat was not lost I called the number. I talk with the owner who was very nice and said that Shadow loves spending time at the library and was seen there often. I have spent lots of time at the Bala library and never met shadow before but hope to see him in the future. Amanda said "maybe we will see him again the next time the library is closed."

(Shadow is waiting for the library to open it doors)

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-01-22T14:03:00.002-05:00

So yesterday was my 29th birthday. I can't believe I am only one year away from turning 30. I am very excited to see what this year will bring for me. Matt and I hope to start a family this year and maybe I will even become an aunt! Who knows only time will tell. I had a great day it started out with Matt and I opening gifts, then it was off to work where the family I work for had birthday cupcakes waiting for me and a nice gift. My boss knitted a scarf for me and gave me some of my favorite tea. I went out to dinner with Michelle at our favorite Vietnamese restaurant. I ended the day with a few phone call from family and friends. It was a good day!

Finally getting into the Holiday Spirit.

2008-12-21T09:17:00.019-05:00

The Giant Christmas tree in RittenHouse

I am finally getting into the Holiday Spirit; It just hit me last week during work as I was preparing the final touches on TK Family's Hanukkah presents. So I took a few holiday inspired pictures around Philadelphia and thought I would share them with you.

TK Favorite Turtles have red bows on them. :)

Baby it's cold outside!

Fitlers Square Cute Christmas decorations.

Wherever you find yourself this Holiday Season, I hope it is with family and friends! Have a safe and happy holiday!

Elf Yourself

2008-12-06T23:09:00.001-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

The best Saturday EVER!

2008-11-16T16:32:00.008-05:00

In the words of Andrew yesterday was the best Saturday ever! Yesterday afternoon Matt and I picked Ethan and Andrew up at their house for an afternoon of bowling. We met Michelle and Wynnewood Lanes for some fierce competitions. We played boys against girls, so of course Michelle and I never had a chance of winning. We commemorated the event with everyone getting tattoos.

Time flies

2008-11-08T16:00:00.005-05:00

Wow I can't believe it has already been a week since Michelle and Jim Wedding. It really was a great time! It was great to spend time with all our family. The wedding went off with out too much drama. I was very stressed out the day of the wedding but once Jim and Michelle were married I kicked my shoes off and got in to the party. I even survived giving a toast in a room of 55 people which is very scary to me. To view more pictures click on the flicker box. To view the photographer pics click the link Enjoy! http://www.cpa.photoreflect.com/

Congratulations Michelle and Jim

2008-11-04T18:54:00.004-05:00

Congratulation to Michelle and Jim they got married on Saturday and wow it was a blast! They couldn't have picked a busier weekend to get married in Philadelphia. All the guest made it and it was a beautiful day. There are lots of funny story's to be told and funny pictures to look at. I will try and post some later.

I just voted!

2008-11-04T06:22:00.002-05:00

I just voted for the first time as a Robertson, how exciting! Matt and I got to the polls 15 minutes before they opened and there was already a line of 20 people ahead of us. Once the opened the polls it went fast and now we don't have to worry about it the rest of the day.
If you haven't voted yet don't forget!

Part two of our anniversary

2008-10-25T21:17:00.009-04:00

So the second half of of wedding anniversary took place the weekend following our actual anniversary. Sorry it has taken me so long to post about it. It was a lot of fun to go back a year later and walk around and remember being there with all our friends and family. We had a nice picnic and walked around looking at 17 tree houses that were on exhibit at the arboretum. Here are some fun pictures from that day.

Please vote for us!

2008-10-09T18:00:00.001-04:00

Please vote for Kody and Mugys. It is simple just click on the picture and sign up for an account and you can vote for them once an hour. Please help their doggie dreams come true!

Tyson gives this video two paws up!

2008-10-09T17:48:00.003-04:00

Happy Anniversary!

2008-10-07T05:51:00.003-04:00

So yesterday was Matt and I first wedding anniversary. It is hard to believe that a year has past by so fast. We had a nice celebration last night and will celebrate more this weekend. We are going to go back to were all the magic happened and have a nice picnic right were we exchanged vows. Were planning to make this a anniversary tradition for as long as we live in the Philadelphia area. Matt and I are so happy that all our friends and family were with us on the day we got married and look forward to them helping us grow as a couple in the future.

Free Kibble

2008-09-21T19:33:00.004-04:00

Please check out this website freekibble.com Click on logo to play the bow wow trivia and help give kibble to dogs and cats in need!

Bark Busters!

2008-09-14T14:10:00.005-04:00

Bark Busters has come to town! So for about 6 months I have been saving my pennies to be able to afford a dog trainer for T&T. Finally in August I had saved enough and made the appointment. The day before they came out I keep saying to T&T that Bark Buster was coming and they we not going to be badly behaved anymore. Our dogs are really not that bad they just have a few issue like jumping on us when we come home, barking at the door, pulling when being walked on a leash, and they also think I am a personal dog toy holder. So day the trainer came to our house I put both dogs outside so they wouldn't bark like crazy when she got to our house. Well at first I brought Tyson in and he knew something was up he was hiding under the table and shaking, which is just not like him. Tater of course had to be chased down and carried inside which is normal for her when a new person comes over. So the training session began and she talked about the philosophy of the training and how they use no treats to train the dogs and do use growls and a water bottle to correct bad behavior. The first training session lasted for 3 hours and Matt and I were beat after it. Tater seemed traumatized and Tyson was terrified at just the site of the water bottle. Well we were suppose to practice these things everyday and I have to admit that we were not so good at doing all the training with them. I worked on the jumping and having them wait for a command, but the lead training was taking a back seat. About 3 weeks later the trainer came back for the second visit which was a lot shorter, yet successful. This time we showed off what we had been working on and then she showed us how to walk the dogs together without them pulling. It was amazing how fast they picked up on it! I can now say I have successfully walked them twice since then and I no longer feel like the dog owner who dog's are walking them instead of the other way around. Matt and I are so proud of T&T they have come a long way and we know they will keep learning more good behavior. I have to say those were well spent pennies!

Labor Day weekend

2008-09-07T09:36:00.006-04:00

We had a great Labor Day weekend. Our Friends Jen and Jamie invited us, Allyson, JJ, and Addie down to their house in Richmond Virginia. We all had a great time catching up. This was our last vacation for a while so we really enjoyed it. We took the dogs with us and I am pretty sure Tater would have rather been left at home, she was terrified of all the new people. Tyson on the other hand found a new best friend Jamie, he enjoy all the BBQ chips Jamie gave him. We did a wide rang of actives while we were down there. We went biking, swam in their new swimming pool, went to Bush gardens, and even took in some of Virginia history. Matt parent’s came to Richmond for a night to visit and we all had a nice fajita dinner that Jen cooked. Thanks Jen and Jamie for inviting us to your home and letting our dogs shed all over it.

Happy Birthday TK

2008-08-11T06:43:00.004-04:00

So the little girl that I nanny for just turned 1 last weekend. Her parent had a giant birthday party for her. TK is getting so big she just learned to walk on Wednesday and has gotten 3 new teeth in the past week. I guess she likes to do everything at once. I have been caring for TK now for the past 7 months, she has changed so much and I have been able to see a lot of milestones. I am looking forward to see how she changes and grows over the next 7 months.

4th of Thanksgiving!

2008-07-15T21:49:00.005-04:00

So we are having a great time up here at Glendo. We are spending the days out on the lake with the wave runners and the boat. At night we are hanging out by the fire roasting marshmallows. My mom is the master of planning meals for everyone. One night she made Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings and then later that night we had a nice firework show put on by Michelle, Jim, Robert, and Lesley. We officially named that night the 4th of Thanksgiving and we might even make it a yearly event.

We are off to Glendo Wyoming!

2008-07-11T06:31:00.005-04:00

So we are off to my parents place in Glendo, WY population 269. We are looking forward to having a whole week off from work and to just be able to relax. The lack of people is a nice change of pace from our day to day of living on the east coast. Hope everyone has a good week.

Finally a new Fence!

2008-07-06T08:43:00.013-04:00

We are so happy we finally got our new fence! After waiting 9 weeks and lots of phone calls Tater has her new fence. She can now run free in the yard with out a lead. It was a long day for the fence guys they started at 11:30am and left at 10pm. I guess that is why they are called Midnight Maintenance. Tater is a little scared to initially go outside but once she is out there she is happy to run free. I think we are all a little sad that we don't have a open view anymore, but I think it was a good trade off. Below I will post some before and after pictures. We look forward to everyone coming over for a BBQ sometime soon. We want to thank my parents for helping fund our new fence. We had been saving for the fence for sometime and when my parents were out here visiting in April we all came into a little extra money. We all decided to go check out the newish casino in Chester. When we were at the casino we were all standing around my parents while they played a dollar slot machine. Some how the fence topic came up and out of the blue my Dad said if we hit the 777 that they would give us the money to go toward our new fence. As luck would have it they hit the Jack Pot. Matt and I were jumping up and down and in shock that we were going to get our fence that would have been at least a year of saving for. Thanks Mom and Dad, Tater and Tyson love their new gift!

Tyson with Matt Dad when we first moved in to our house October 2006.

It's a little sad that our grass looks better in October than July!

Tater getting her first good run in the new fenced in yard.

Tater and Tyson having a good time.

Still dealing with the ticks!

2008-06-25T06:18:00.002-04:00

So we are still dealing with the ticks. Just yesterday morning before I got into the shower I found another tick on me. Of course I am freaking out and all worried about Lyme disease. I going to keep an eye on the bite spot for a few days. So far it only a little red and seems to be fading which hopefully is a good sign. We are gearing up for another weekend of hiking. We have plans to go up to Bushkill in the Poconos and I am feeling a little uneasy though. Hopefully we won't bring as many ticks home this time!

The Pine Barrens

2008-06-22T20:25:00.006-04:00

Today Matt, I and the dogs hopped in the car and headed to the nearest place to go hiking. Which is the Pine Barrens in South Jersey. Matt did some research and found a great state park with lots of hiking trails. We all had a great time, we hiked about two miles around a lake. Tater and Tyson had so much fun running around off leash getting drinks from the lake. We were loving this place and talking about how we should come back often, that was until we did a tick check on us and the dogs. We probably pulled 20 to 30 ticks off all of us combined. It was very scary! After we dusted our self off of all the ticks we couldn't wait to get home to shower. But of course we had to stop at Stuart's Root beer stand for some cheese fries and shakes. I had a blueberry shake and Matt had a Strawberry, they were good. All and all we had a great day with our dogs.

Wow it's June already!

2008-06-05T06:23:00.006-04:00

I can't believe that it is June already! Where did the month of May go? So for me the last couple of weeks of May just flew by for me. Again I have been staying busy with home improvements. We finally got our new roof, and I painted our wood paneling on the front of the house. Our house is slowly becoming one of the nicer houses on the block. We are currently in a holding pattern for our fence. We were hoping it would be up by now but still nothing. Luckily it hasn't been all work and no play for us. We did get to go down to Charlottesville for Memorial day weekend to visit Matt's parents. We had a great time they showed us around their cute town and Matt's Mom planned vegetarian meals for me. We even got to visit with Matt's friends Jenn and Jamie. To kick off the begin of the month we went to see James Taylor with our good friends Sue, Charlotte, and Maureen.

Staying Busy

2008-05-19T09:01:00.010-04:00

So it has been a while since I last blogged. The past two weekend we have been busy. We got some much needed yard work done. We got rid of some half dead bushes and trimmed back the have dead pine tree. Matt also trimmed the bushes on the side. When all the work was said and done we had over 30 brown bags filled of bush, leaves, and branches

When Matt was trimming the pine tree he got a nice surprise he found a nest with a morning dove and her baby. Later the dad must of come for a visit because we got a nice picture of them together. The birds are no longer in the tree they have left that nest or something has eating them I am going to believe they found another nest.

So this past weekend we had a little relaxation. We went up to Northern NJ for a concert. For Matt's birthday I bought him ticket to see David Wilcox one of his favorite singer songwriters. Since Matt birthday is in December he has had to wait five months to enjoy his gift. It was a long wait to get his gift but he said it was worth the wait. We stayed in a hotel for the night and got to sleep in a king bed so that is always nice when that happens. Below are a few you tube videos of the David Wilcox and Justin Roth. Both put on a great performance.

45 Life Lessons

2008-05-03T09:14:00.003-04:00

45 Life Lessons by Regina Brett (Celebrate Growing Older)
I read this recently and thought that almost everyone can relate to it so I hope you enjoy it.

This was written By Regina Brett The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio -- To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolls Over to 70 in August, so here goes.
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their Journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God Never blinks.
16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get Busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is Up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no For an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie.Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years,Will this matter?"
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends Will. Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did Or didn't do.
35. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
36. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
37. all the truly matters in the end is that you loved.
38. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
39. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd Grab ours back.
40. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
41. Envy is a wast of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Chihuahua Meetup

2008-04-27T18:12:00.004-04:00

Today we had the Chihuahua meetup at our house. It was to celebrate Tyson birthday which was early this month. There were 12 Chihuahua and Tater running around in our backyard. Tyson is still the biggest chi in the group weighing in at 19 pounds while the smallest chi in the group is Trixie only 2 pounds. Some may say it is crazy to have dog meetups but I think it is great, we basically turned our backyard in to a dog park for the day and we didn't have to go any where. Tater and Tyson are beat! Hope you all enjoy the great pictures we took.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8826559@N06/sets/72157604761858436/

Kids these days!

2008-04-06T16:20:00.005-04:00

TK loves her Blackberries! She is such a busy baby at only eight months she is already making great big decisions. Her days are filled with what she going to eat for breakfast, how long her naps are going to be, and if she wants to go to the park or Barns and noble. Now recently she has had to decide which blackberry taste better the silver or black?

The decision is in, she has chosen sliver!

Tyson turns 3 today!

2008-04-03T06:04:00.003-04:00

Happy Doggie Birthday Tyson!

The Pink Bag Mystery

2008-03-30T14:15:00.007-04:00

Matt and I have solved the pink bag mystery in our neighborhood! So soon after we moved into our house and started to take the dogs on walks in the neighborhood we would keep finding these pink bags with dog poop thrown on the ground in our yard and in the notorious spot for the pink bags to always appear. We live in a neighborhood with a lot of dogs so we were always wondering who the rude dog owner was that thinks it ok to throw their dogs feces down on the ground in stead of just packing it home to throw away like most sane dog owners. Now don't get me wrong I some what applaud there efforts for initially picking up the poop but really what is the point if you going to put it in a plastic bag to throw on the ground only a few yards away from the initial drop site. If your not going to pick it up and dispose of it correctly why not just leave on the ground to eventually become one with the earth again some day. Putting it in a bag and letting it rot on the side of someone property just seems wrong to Matt and I. So to get to the part of how our great detective work paid off. One Sunday as Matt and I were upstairs putting our laundry away and Tyson was looking out our bedroom window he started to bark so we looked to see what he was barking at. It was the guy in our neighborhood who has two beagles, we noticed his dog was dropping a load in one of our neighbor's yards and low and behold he whips out some pink plastic bags out of his pocket at this point Matt and I are intrigued to see what he going to do with the bag. So after he pick up the poop the dog owner continued on his walk he was holding the bag and walking towards the notorious pink bag spot and to both Matt and I dismay he throws the bag down turns around and walk back towards his home. At this point Matt and I are shocked and saying "no he didn't just walk to the post to thrown the bag down and now turn back towards his house." One thing you should know is the distant between the dump site and this guys house is maybe a half of a block. Is the poop really that heavy that he can't carry back to his house? I think Not! Well the mystery is solved and I am very tempted to deliver all his little pink bags to his yard and leave a little note saying I think you forgot something! Pictures Courtesy of my iphone

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T17:58:00.006-04:00

Happy Easter Everyone! The Robertson family has had a nice day. First Matt and I went to church then we took the dogs for a nice walk in Wissahickon park. We hope everyone else is having a great weekend!

Remember Me

2008-03-21T19:46:00.003-04:00

This Video is one someone forward to me a while back and I really think it is speaks volumes of what is going on in our county. No matter what your opinion is on the war in Iraq I think this video has good message. Just remember we have now been at war with Iraq for 5 years!

A little catching up to do!

2008-03-16T13:26:00.003-04:00

So it has been since the end of February since our last post. Things have just been busy and if I don't have time to write on the weekends it just doesn't get done any other time. So Matt and I have been busy getting our cars fixed both of us had an accident happen with in a week of one another. My accident unfortunately was my fault in the parking garage that I park in for work. Matt's also took place in the parking garage that he parks in for work but he was not at fault. Someone backed into him as he was leaving the parking garage. Fortunately for us Matt's repairs were all payed for by the other driver, but for mine we paid a $500 deductible. Both cars are good as new know and we are both happy to be driving our cars again and not the yucky rental cars that smelled like smoke and car freshener.
This past week has been busy but also filled with potential costly repairs. On Saturday night we had a very windy storm come through. When we woke up the next day we noticed a roof shingle in our front yard, we both said I hope that's not from our roof. But as luck would have it we are pretty sure it was, because we noticed at the back of our house there are 3 shingles missing. So next week it looks like we will be making some calls to roofing companies for quotes. Also on Monday I was at work and I noticed that one of the baguette diamonds on my engagement ring was missing. I am a little sad but I am glad it not the main diamond, so last night we dropped it off for repairs. Well in a nutshell that is what we have been up to in the past couple of weeks.

You got to love your dogs!

2008-02-27T18:22:00.003-05:00

I don't have much to say today, but I did want to post a couple cute pictures of Tater and Tyson.

SKILL

2008-02-25T18:58:00.002-05:00

In each of us there is a small seed of talent waiting to be planted, watered with the practice of time, and nutured by the rays of triumph and defeat.

Tag Your It

2008-02-24T09:38:00.004-05:00

Ok so Matt and I have been tagged to play this blog game(Thanks Jen). Below are the rules.

1. List 7 random things about yourself that people may not know.
2. Link the person who sent this to you, and leave a comment on their blog so that their readers can visit yours.
3. Post the rules on your blog.
4. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, linking their blog. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So coming up with 7 Random things about myself is a little tricky so I will list things about Matt and I.

1. I have lived in 4 different states. Wyoming for 18 years, Kansas for a month, Pennsylvania for 8 Years, and New Jersey for 1 and half years.

2. You can usually find Matt and I watching something on HGTV, Style, Discovery channel,or Comedy central.

3. When I was younger I took tap and jazz classes. I currently have no dance skills now.

4. While Matt earned his masters degree he got all A+'s except for one class where he earned a A.

5. Matt and I are always toying with the idea of getting a third dog. We love lab puppies, but we know we would be crazy to get a third dog knowing we want kids in the near future.

6. When I say we want kids in the near future I mean in a year of so( well that's what Matt wants I would be willing to have them sooner).

7. I have been a vegetarian for 11 years now and have no plans of converting back anytime soon.

So there are 7 random facts about Matt and I. I only know 2 other people to tag so I guess I am not following all the rules but I should get an A for effort!
The two people I am tagging are Brianne and Anna good luck guys. You can find the link to there blogs on the side of our blog.

A Funny Commercial

2008-02-16T16:23:00.002-05:00

We are back from the happiest place on earth.

2008-02-16T10:26:00.009-05:00

So we have returned to reality. We had a whirlwind of a weekend, last Friday we got up at 3:30am to catch our 7am flight then we landed in Orlando some time after 9 am and we boarded our magical express bus to the Animal Kingdom lodge. Once we had arrived we were in a African paradise and blessed to get our room before normal check in. We had a busy yet fun time in Disney. We managed to fit 4 parks into 2 days, we don't recommend this to others but it is possible. It was so much fun to be able to celebrate Sue birthday with her. Friday night we drank around the world, Saturday we went to MGM and then to the Magic Kingdom for the Pirate and princess party, then last but not least Sunday morning we went to Animal kingdom and had breakfast with some Disney characters. For all the detail and better pictures check in with Sue and Charlottes Blog http://www.sueandcharlotte.blogspot.com/
Below you will see some of our pic's from Sue Birthday Bash

Off To The Happiest Place On Earth

2008-02-07T14:00:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow we are off to Disney world at the crack of dawn. Our plane takes off at 7:00am and is suppose to arrive in Orlando at 9:40am.
Today Matt and I are both working and neither one of us has packed a thing. So I would say tonight is going to be a fun night of running around trying to pack everything and then trying to get enough sleep for our early flight. We are so excited to be heading to Disney it will be a short trip but it will be all worth it because we are going to celebrate my good friend Sue birthday! We have waited a year for Sue's Birthday Bash and I know everyone is going to have a great time celebrating the greatness that is Sue! Wish us save traveling and we will try to post a few pictures while we are there if my wifi works.

2008-02-03T11:25:00.000-05:00

So on Saturday we picked up Ethan and Andrew for a sleep over at our house in New Jersey. It was so nice to get to spend time with them and for Matt to bond with the boys. The night was filled with wrestling, wet willies and lots of Wii playing. We also had pizza and went out for ice cream. Andrew ordered the biggest waffle cone with chocolate ice cream, and Matt challenged him to eating it all. By the time we got home Andrew had mad a big dent in it but was defeated and was not $3.00 richer. It really was a fun night, but Matt and I are trying to rest our sore Wii shoulders!

Here Ethan and Andrew are trying out my iphone.

Not an ordinary day!

2008-02-01T19:00:00.000-05:00

So I have to say today was no ordinary day for me. Today started out like any other Friday, then during TK's second nap, this is when my day turned from ordinary to extra extraordinary. Tk was up from her nap so I headed up the stairs to get her and when I reach her door I was unable to open it. My first thought was what the heck, but then when I still couldn't get the door open I started to panic. I had vision's of me having to break down the door swat team style. I frantically tried and tried to get the door open, but I had no success, so I had to make the call to her dad with out trying to sound to panicked. So after delivering the news that his daughter is lock in her bedroom and I have no way to get her out he arrived 15 minutes later and was able to get the door open. Tk was such a champ through the whole thing she was so happy to see us and had no idea that she for a short time was stuck in her room. I am now pretty sure I will be leaving her door cracked open from now on!

A Special Delivery

2008-01-26T18:32:00.000-05:00

Well today I have managed to not get out of my PJ's all day! It's not that I haven't done anything productive today it's just that I made a decision I wasn't leaving the house today, so I could stay in my comfortable penguin pants that my good friends Sue and Charlotte gave me a few Christmas' ago. Matt and I tackled the house cleaning which was over due and some of the laundry. But most of the day we have been sucked into the wonderful world wide web. Matt has been exploring his amateur radio hobby (if you don't know what that is you will have to ask him for the details). As for me I have been selecting photos for our wedding album, trying to buy new itunes which was not successful as itunes was not wanting to work for me today. I have a love hate relationship with technology. So as Matt and I were oblivious to the outside world we heard a knock at the door and my first thought was who the heck is at our door. Usually it's not good and I figured it was a Jehovah's witness or something, but I decided to answer it and boy was I glad I did. It was a neighborhood girl selling Girl Scout cookies. She was toting a large wagon filled with all sorts of yummy goodness! I was very happy to buy two boxes of Thin Mints, Matt and I are going to have a great after dinner treat.

The Innocent Man

2008-01-26T12:42:00.000-05:00

So I just finished reading a book by John Grisham called the Innocent Man. I have never read any of his books, but my mom had given this book to Matt for Christmas. Since Matt is so busy with work he has a hard time reading things other than his medical articles for work, I took the book when he wasn't looking. Just kidding he was glad to lend me his book. I really enjoyed reading this book. It has changed my mind on the whole right to a fair trial and innocent until proven guilty ideal. I knew things were not perfect in our court system, but I didn't realize how many innocent people are sent to prison and death all over this county. Things are getting better now with better DNA testing. This book is based on a true story that happened in a small Oklahoma town. It tells the story of a 1982 murder and the conviction of 2 innocent men. The book also tells the story of a few other men convicted for crimes they didn't commit. If you like books about true crime then this is a book that you will enjoy. Now I am on the search for my next book, if anyone has any suggestion send them my way?

The end of the week review

2008-01-20T19:11:00.000-05:00

So it has been a full week since my last post. It is really hard to find time to blog during the week, but I will try to fit something in every once in a while. So this week was my full official week at my new job. The verdict is I love it! I am really enjoying not having to commute as far and it so much fun to care for a baby again! The little girl I am caring for is 5 months old and so sweet she is very easy going for a baby. I also have to occasionally care for her older sister who is almost 3 years old.

So this week has been filled with ups and downs, this week the little girl I take care of rolled over from her back to her front for the first time and it was very cool to be the first one to see that milestone. Then later that day I had a little bit of an accident with my car, which totally sucked. I had a little mishap in the parking garage, my car scraped against a wooden pole and the pole won. On Saturday night I had a great birthday dinner with all my friends at a cool vegetarian restaurant called Blue Sage. I had a great time just spending time with good friends and eating good food. Then today Matt and I decided to make a trip to home depot to get a few things with our gift cards from Christmas. We had success in spending them but not a lot of our purchases worked out as we had hoped. We bought a new rug for our family room, but it reminds us of something out of the 1970's and then we bought two lamps for the same room and one was broken. Also the other failed home project was the weather stripping we bought for our laundry room was to thick and didn't work. So that was basically my week in a nut shell. Tomorrow is a start to a new week and is my birthday so I would say I think it will be a good week!

An Early Birthday Present!

2008-01-13T10:41:00.000-05:00

So my birthday has come early this year. Yesterday Matt took me over to the AT&T store and he purchased an iphone for me. For about a month now Matt and I have been discussing if we were going to switch phone company's. With Matt's new job they provide him with a cell phone and they just gave him his new blackberry curve which he loves. With AT&T being Matt's new phone company we decided to switch me over too. I had been researching lots of phone I looked at blackberry, the tilt, and the iphone and the winner was the iphone. It just a great phone, it fits all my needs and has been really easy to figure out all the features. My favorite feature is the Youtube button, I love this phone!

Matt thank you for my awesome gift!

Please help a kidnapped dog in Philadelphia

2008-01-11T06:07:00.000-05:00

Please help a dog that has been kidnapped in the Philadelphia area go to this website to read the story and sing the petiton.

www.thepetitionsite.com/1/help-a-kidnapped-dog-in-philadelphia

The petition site for Edna has been extended. It was originally closed off to new signatures on January 1st, 2000 signatures short of the 5000 signature goal. The site decided this petition was short-changed because of its timing during the holidays, so they've extended it until the 12th of January. It you can think of anyone else who might sign and circulate it - please feel free.

thanks for any help...

Pete the skateboarding dog

2008-01-08T14:37:00.000-05:00

Most of you have heard of Tyson the skateboarding bulldog but Pete the skateboarding dog was a new one for me. Watch the video it is amazing how the dog will stay on the skateboard while going down ramps, doing jumps and more. I can't help wondering if this dog is really doing this or if it is digitally enhanced.

Warm weather!

2008-01-07T12:57:00.000-05:00

Today it is so nice it is already 60 degrees outside and it might even get to 64 today. Tomorrow is might even get to 68, it is always nice to get a break from the cold weather. Yesterday Matt and I enjoy the nice weather and took the dogs for a long walk. Today I have cleaned my car out, taken down all the outside Christmas decorations, and took the dog for a nice walk. I have a few days off until my new job starts, so I am trying to get a lot done around the house. Soon I need to go out to the grocery store which I have done a good job at avoiding for at least a week now.

Jo Koy

2008-01-06T12:42:00.001-05:00

So last night we went out to Helium comedy club with Michelle and Jim. We all had a great time. The head liner was a guy name Jo Koy he was really funny. Going to the comedy club is a lot of fun unless you are the people in the crowd that the comedian zooms in on, which is what happened to Matt and I last month when we went to Helium for Matt's birthday. We highly suggest trying out Helium sometime, and if you do go feel free to invite Matt and I because we are always up for a good laugh!

A Resolution

2008-01-01T15:16:00.001-05:00

"I will seek elegance rather than luxury; refinement rather than fashion. I will seek to be worthy more than respectable; wealthy and not rich. I will study hard, think quietly, talk gently and act frankly. I will listen to stars and birds, and babes and sages with an open heart. I will bear all things cheerfully, do all things bravely, await occasions and hurry never. In a word I will let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common." - William Ellery Channing

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T14:10:00.001-05:00

new years eve 2007 046
Originally uploaded by Sibyl and Matt

Welcome to 2008! We ended 2007 with a bang, well not really but we might have started a new addiction for the year. We had a great time last night Sue and Charlotte threw a very nice New Years Eve party. Carter and Adriane brought over their game Guitar hero over and we all gave it a try. Some people were more seasonsed at the game and others like Matt and I were really good and getting booed off the stage. It is really a fun game but at the same time very frustrating. I look foward to giving it another try in the future.

In Extreme

2008-01-01T13:47:00.001-05:00

Extremists are seldom completely correct in their heavily slanted line of thought, but these individuals frequently serve as a flag post or rather a marker of subtle ideals which most should heed. Take for instance the life and work of Timothy Treadwell, a self-proclaimed naturalist and activist for “grizzly bears and their habitat worldwide”, who abandoned society and all of its cumbersome rules, regulations, and addictions to lead a life serving creatures whom some may say were in little need of help. During the thirteen summers Timothy spent living among the grizzly bears in Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska he championed the lives of animals above even his own. A great deal of criticism has been generated in reviewing the conduct of this intriguing, seemingly mad, recluse and many of the comments shadow Timothy’s life with shades of mental illness. Yet in review one message remains brutally clear in that Timothy Treadwell believed in protecting his beloved bears and their environment, and in doing so he has reiterated the timeless message of “thinking globally and acting locally” in extreme.

Notes on an Ivy League graduate education

2007-12-28T13:26:00.000-05:00

Recently, and by that I mean over the past thirty years, quality has taken the back seat to the "branding" of America and this seemingly ubiquitous fleecing has slowly found its way into the very fabric of an Ivy League education. For most, the notion of an Ivy League institution conjures thoughts of historic buildings, great architecture, and the brightest minds in the country (or possibly the world) collectively united in academic pursuits. Among these establishments, the University of Pennsylvania is currently heralded as one of the “best of the best” and in this regard is currently ranked as the number one graduate school for many nursing specialties. However, the classroom fails to substantiate the reputation, and as a new alumnus I remain disappointed that the curriculum was far from Ivy League caliber. As an example, lectures have turned from the process of imparting information to an interactive format through which the student is forced to embrace their feelings on subject material. Quality, substance, intellect, and empowerment have been replaced with hypothetical scenarios, sweeping generalizations, and professors who struggle with the dichotomy of teacher versus practitioner. And in this light, I experienced little grandeur within the walls of the Ivy League.

The presents have come and gone!

2007-12-25T15:08:00.000-05:00

Well the presents are all unwrapped and now we are trying them all out. I would say everyone made out well. Tater and Tyson got lots of toys to chew and destroy. Christmas has sure made two dogs tired. Michelle is on her way with Milo and then we will have Christmas round 2 and a lovely dinner. Below are some highlights from this mornings gift exchange.

2007-12-25T15:06:00.001-05:00

Christmas 2007 023
Originally uploaded by Sibyl and Matt

Our first Christmas as a married couple!

2007-12-25T15:05:00.001-05:00

Christmas 2007 017
Originally uploaded by Sibyl and Matt

Tater trying on my new hat.

2007-12-25T15:04:00.001-05:00

Christmas 2007 016
Originally uploaded by Sibyl and Matt

Matt gearing up for gifts!

2007-12-25T15:03:00.001-05:00

Christmas 2007 022
Originally uploaded by Sibyl and Matt

Diane also geared up for gifts!

2007-12-25T15:02:00.001-05:00

Christmas 2007 045
Originally uploaded by Sibyl and Matt

Here is Matt and his Dad putting together his big gift, and it was the gift that keeps on giving.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-24T17:37:00.000-05:00

Today is Christmas eve and it doesn't really feel like it for Matt and I, we both have to work today. Chances are I will get off early and there is a good chance Matt will have to work late!
Below are just a few Christmas pictures from around our house. We hope you enjoy!

2007-12-24T17:35:00.000-05:00

This is our sad attempt at decorating our house this year. The wind really has not helped the lights on the tree.

2007-12-24T17:33:00.000-05:00

It might be hard to see but this is Tyson waiting for his Dad to come home.

2007-12-24T17:29:00.000-05:00

Santa came early!

2007-12-24T17:21:00.000-05:00

Tater is feeling the holiday crazy!

Sorry it has been so long!

2007-12-21T09:28:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone sorry it has been so long since Matt or I have blogged. Things have been busy, with Matt's new job he has no time to blog and I have been busy trying to find a new job. The good news is that I officially accepted a new job! I will be caring for a 4 month old girl and occasionally her 2 year old sister in Center City Philadelphia. I am so excited about my new job it is closer to our house and I love to work in the city, where you walk everywhere. So as I put in my time at my current job, I mostly thinking about how I am so ready to be done but I am sure on the last day of work I will have mix feeling (only 5 days to go!)

We have also been busy getting ready for Christmas. Doing all our shopping sending out packages, and decorating the house. Last night I was the mad wrapper, I was trying to get everything wrapped up before Matt's parents come in to town today. I was up until 10pm which is late for me since Matt and I go to bed by 9pm every night so we can get up by 5am everyday for work. Then I was wrapping at 5:30am this morning doing the finishing touches before I left for work at 6:45am. So I think I got everything done and if it not it just going to have to wait until later. I will try and post some holiday photos from around our house later.
Matt and I hope everyone has safe travels home and a great Christmas!

A little home project

2007-11-28T08:58:00.000-05:00

This past week we have spent a lot of money on our house. We had to replace our 23 year old heater which was not cheap to replace. We are thankful that we have not gone into debt over the new heater but were very sad that we had to use all of the money we received from wedding gifts to afford it. So last Friday in the mail we received an unexpected surprise in our mail box. It was our security deposit from our wedding reception site. We had totally forgotten that about that money, we were jumping for joy when we opened it up! Matt and I decided that to make us feel better about the whole heater situation we would make a trip to home depot. We bought a louvred door so our house will be up to code with the new heater, we bought some curtains for our bedroom and we got some Scotland road green paint to paint or long over due walls. The whole room needed a overhaul the woodwork, walls, doors, and a little dry wall fix. The whole process took us 2 days of work, but it was all worth it. We still have a few thing left to do before the room is totally finished but we think it is looking a hundred times better. One Room down a million more project to come!

2007-11-28T08:56:00.000-05:00

This is Matt nice patch job on our dry wall that is bursting at all the seams.

2007-11-28T08:54:00.000-05:00

Tyson likes to lend a helping paw

2007-11-28T08:53:00.000-05:00

2007-11-28T08:39:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-23T14:45:00.000-05:00

Well Thanksgiving has come and gone and we sure did have a great one! As you can see Matt could hardly wait to try the bacon turkey breast that we cooked. This year we were thankful that Matt parents and Michelle could join us for a great thanksgiving dinner. Tater and Tyson are enjoying turkey left overs.

Tater and Tyson all dressed up for Thanksgiving

2007-11-23T14:43:00.001-05:00

The meanest cherry pie you have ever seen!

2007-11-23T14:30:00.000-05:00

Tater's one year anniversary for finding her forever home!

2007-11-14T19:18:00.000-05:00

So today one year ago Matt and I made the long journey up to Northern Jersey to the New Jersey Puppy Rescue. We were on are way to pick up an new addition for our family. Matt and I left right after work and we brought Tyson with us, to meet the new puppy. We had seen a few pictures of the litter and we knew we wanted a male dog we had even picked out a name (Amos). On our way up we started talking about dog names and weren't sure if Amos was the right name or not, so I mention to Matt that I had seen a dog on pet finder named Tater Tot and how cute that name was. Together we talked an decided our new dogs name was going to be Tater, and that we were definitely going to get one of the two boys out of the litter. We were so excited and could wait to get there. After about two and half hour drive and a little off road driving we arrived at the house where our new puppy was waiting for us. The were all so cute when we walked up they were in on outdoor crate so we had no idea which ones were boys or girls. I immediately fell in love with a small yellow puppy, but soon found out the puppy was a girl, so I was sad because I new Matt was set on getting a big boy dog. So we met the two male pups one was very friendly and the other one was so timid it pooped the minute it came into the house. I ask to see the girl puppy the one I feel in love with at first site. She was a little timid also but she would sit on my lap them go to Matt's lap it was so sweet, I knew this was the dog we had to have! But Matt really wanted the big friendly pup, it took a little convincing but he said yes to us getting Tater. We are both so happy that we ended up with Tater, she is a sweet, lovable, and cuddly dog ( if she knows you). I even think Tyson is happy to have a sister!

2007-11-14T19:17:00.000-05:00

Matt and Tater after we got home from our long journey.

2007-11-14T19:15:00.000-05:00

This is Tyson trying to love his new sister?

Tater Tot Casserole "Not so Tater- reee!"

2007-11-13T08:04:00.000-05:00

So the other day I tried a new recipe. It sounded great Tater tot casserole how could you go wrong with this right? It has tater tots, french fried onion, sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, broccoli, and red peppers. This must be good it has at least 3 ingredients that are sure to lead to a heart attack, but that was not the case. Don't get me wrong it wasn't the worst thing I have ever eaten but it was a let down. Now our great giant casserole dish that Charlotte gave to us as a gift is full of this not so great food. My guess is that it will sit in our refrigerator for the next week until I finally don't feel guilty for throwing it out!

Home

2007-11-12T18:07:00.001-05:00

I have always been rather fortunate to have four sound walls and a solid roof to call home. Yet, I have seemingly taken this simple and reliable fact for granted for much of my life. I guess in part I have always had the expectation that a "home" was a fundamental right, that is to say everyone deserves a place which becomes their refuge from the tumultuous day-to-day rat-race waged outside our front door.

Yet, knowingly a home is never assessed by the strength of the walls and beams supporting its structure but rather by the character of its inhabitants. And on this account I have been blessed beyond measure with the love of my mother and father and the laughter of friends.

And now Sibyl and I have come together to create a new home by merging our lives together. I must say what a wonderful privilege it is to share the intimacy of coming home to someone who loves you so wholly, so entirely, so utterly completely!

Home is not a privilege and cannot be confined by brick and mortar, but rather it is a blessing constructed of time, of effort, of laughter, of tears, of sacrifice, and of love.

The Dog Park

2007-11-11T18:30:00.001-05:00

Dog Park Nov 2007 047
Originally uploaded by Sibyl and Matt

Tater and Tyson have been spending a lot of time inside this past week as SIbyl and I have been working. So we thought it would be a nice treat to take them to the dog park for a little R&R and socializing with other doggy friends. I must say, they had a blast! Tyson even treated us to rolling in some strange black goo!

Once we got home we treated the dogs to a nice bath!

My current and possibly all time favorite book

2007-11-11T11:25:00.000-05:00

I have never been a huge fan of fictional books, with the one certain exception of the Harry Potter series, rather I have seemingly always been drawn to authors who have a something to say about the current state of affairs or about history and science. Yet, at the same time much of what authors write seems to be presenting a negative twist/spin/slant on the current affairs.

Possibly this is why "A Walk Across America" has always appealed to me. This true story takes place during the mid-to-late 1970's when much of the country was split over the fallout and ensuing reparations resulting from the Vietnam War. As a disillusioned college grad, Peter Jenkins was tired of hearing only the negative spin portrayed by the media. In a moment of clarity, he decided to reacquaint himself with what has made this country so prominent for so long, that is the simple, the everyday, the seemingly mundane acts of people doing what superficially appears as normal things which collectively and critically amount to greatness.

“A Walk Across America” is about the journey as much as it is about understanding perspective; I suppose it is a metaphor for life insomuch as we all are at times frustrated with the current state of affairs, but seldom chose to see the good in common things.

Additionally, the book is about the blessing of friendship as Peter walks across the country with his dog Cooper.

All together, I would certainly add this book to your must read collection.

Singer-Songwriter

2007-11-11T10:45:00.000-05:00

I saw Mike Errico play at the Steel City Coffee House (in lovely Phoenixville, PA) a few years back, and I still remain a huge fan. This guy epitomizes the "singer-songwriter" genre with his awesome lyrics and cool guitar playing. I would totally recommend seeing him play live. I guess the main reason that I truly dig his music is that he has a simple, pure manner by which he expresses feelings through song. Also, he seems to really be in it for the music...and not for the fame/fortune!

Meet the Dawgs!

2007-11-11T10:22:00.001-05:00

Winter 2007 122
Originally uploaded by sibylsnow

Tyson is a Chihuahua, and Tater is a lab mix. Both dogs have very unique dog personalities. Tyson is a very loyal dogs, who loves to lick anyone and everyone. Tyson loves to get a good snooze getting up before 8am everyday is a challenge for him. His Favorite spot in the bed is under the covers all the way at the bottom.

Tater is a very loving dog, loves to cuddle, she is a chicken dog though. She is scared of anything and anyone she doesn't know. We love that she is going to look like a Lab puppy forever! Tater loves to run, she is so fast it is fun to watch her run around the backyard or at the dog park.

Tyson and Tater favorite game is called how many people can we bark at today! We have a 3 or 4 ft picket fence so they can see everyone who walks by. There favorite time to bark lately has been at 6:30am, which I am sure or neighbors are loving us for!

Our House

2007-11-11T09:23:00.001-05:00

Our House
Originally uploaded by sibylsnow

Welcome to our house. Matt and I made the move to South Jersey a year ago. We love are cute twin, it has a great backyard for our dogs and it has a brand new kitchen in it which is why we love this house!

Top of Mount Mansfield

2007-11-10T18:17:00.001-05:00

Top of Mount Mansfield
Originally uploaded by sibylsnow

Matt and Sibyl

2007-11-10T17:38:00.003-05:00

Matt and I
Originally uploaded by sibylsnow

Our very first blog post!!!!!!!!

2007-11-10T17:31:00.000-05:00

OK. Who could believe it...we have a blog. Thanks to our good friends Sue and Charlotte!