New Year's Day

My dear friends Nancy & Jason Riggs had their baby today, a little boy they named Levi James Riggs. He was 7 pounds, 1 ounce and 19" long. Of course he is adorable and is such a little sweetie. Congratulations to the proud parents!

We had quite the storm on New Year's Day - we got a foot of snow! I was informed that I had a little bit of "redneck" in me because I wanted to go with JD to plow... there is something so satisfying about seeing the big piles of snow and a clear driveway. I like jolt from the plow hitting the snow banks, I like to watch the snow swirl in front of the headlights... I like sitting in the cab of a warm truck when it's cold out and I really like spending time alone with JD. We both have so many friends it feels like there is always somewhere we are supposed to be or people we are supposed to be with, it's a bit of a treat when I get him to myself :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

For the 2nd year in a row I spent New Year's Eve at Peter & Vivian's house. It was so fun!!

Here are a couple photo highlights:

JD & I

All the girls

Vivian with her sassy new short haircut


Shiloh, Karri, Suzanna & I

The Newlyweds: Sandy & Fabrice (Peter married them earlier in the day!)

Cory & I

Wishing you all a very happy 2008!

Christmas Highlights

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

It was a great Christmas! To keep it short - here are the highlights (in the order they occurred not in order of importance)

Christmas Eve with the Blackstones: blueberry martinis, scallops (a.k.a. chicken of the sea), JD & I being told to get a room - without even touching each other! (too funny not to mention), the boys in their Christmas jammies, hide and seek/scream with the boys, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, watching Caleb clean up for Santa so "he doesn't trip", putting out cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer, Connor telling me "I wuv you"

Christmas Day: Morning with JD, Stone's Annual Christmas Party: opening presents with the St.Jeans while having a bloody mary - it's tradition! Seeing all the St.Jean Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and babies of the cousins, fabulous food, LOTS of laughs. Talking to: Donee & Grandpa Rick, Meagan, Lauren and Dad (for about 2 seconds). Having The Mother come up, her meeting JD for the first time, cooking dinner at my house (group effort), talking to mom while I washed dishes, JD being a good sport and watching my favorite Christmas movie: Love Actually

Thanksgiving in Maryland

This year I had Thanksgiving with my Dad, Sue and siblings for the first time in 17 years! We were all together - Tom was home (safely, thank God) from Iraq, Jordan was home from her mission, I was home from Maine, Sarah from Vegas and Lauren from BYU! Meagan, Corinne & Chris are local :)

This is the first Thanksgiving I (we) haven't hosted in 5 or 6 years... It was a good transition considering the circumstances... although I missed my St. Jean family and the good times we've had. It was weird not to have the stress... staying up late the night before making place cards, washing the serving dishes, etc., making a plan with Steve of who was going to do what the next day. Arguing about who was doing more, who was going to make coffee Thanksgiving morning to get the ball rolling, hehe - good times, huh Wasband? ;-)

It has been quite a year, a lot has changed... most of all - me.

I am thankful for a loving family and amazing friends who support me and stand by me. I am thankful to have a job and a home. I am grateful for the challenges I have been given that have made me a stronger person... I am truly blessed.

Happy Easter!

We had a great time with Steve's family on Easter. We went to Renee & Payne's house in New Gloucester, ME. Wish The Mother could have been there, but she wasn't feeling well. Steve's family cracks me up, we have such a good time together. The nephews are getting so big. If you get a chance - ask me about Simon's (my nephew) fish... a bit of a grown-up story I won't post here so as not to offend anyone :)

A little bunny named Leah (a friend, not The Mother) gave me some pink peeps! I don't think I have had a little something on Easter since I lived at my Dad's house and the Easter Bunny would bring us kids a little something wrapped in white tissue paper and decorated with ribbon and Snoopy stickers... not to mention massive amounts of candy. Mrs. Bartlett (Chris' mother) gave me some adorable dish towels with little chicks embroidered on them... wrapped in white tissue and tied with a yellow ribbon!! - it was just like being a kid again!

St. Patrick's Day

I can't believe my last post was the middle of March... how time has flown by! I will back track a bit...

Saturday 3/17/07 we celebrated St. Patrick's Day with our friends the Senecal's and their son Chase who had his first birthday! I can't believe he is already a year old. He is so cute and personable!

That night my girlfriend Nancy Riggs and I volunteered at the Sweetser Auction. We did it last year and had a great time. Our job was to sell the 50/50 raffle tickets so we get to mingle, and talk to a lot of people. What made part of the day/afternoon an bit of an adventure was the power outage at our house! The auction is a bit of a fancy affair so we needed to get dressed up, much thanks to Vivian for letting us get ready (and the wine) at her beautiful home before heading to the birthday party.

I donated handmade gift cards (duh, should have taken a picture of them!) and they sold for $45!! Granted the first bottle of maple syrup made by the kids at the Sweetser School went for over $300... I think people just really want to give. And I am glad they do since it pays my salary! Gotta love a not for profit work environment!

Happy Valentine's Day!

That picture is from one of my favorite sites http://www.stuffonmycat.com/ perhaps you have to be a cat lover (which I might not be...) to appreciate it, but there is some funny stuff on there. Steve sent this to me this morning as an e-Valentine.

We are finally getting some snow! We have hardly had any this year and now we are supposed to get over a foot! I will be surprised - pleasantly so - if we get that much. Sugarloaf is supposed to get over 2 feet! I am playing hooky on Friday and we are going skiing! I need to keep breaking in my new ski boots! I hear it can take over a season! ugh...

Tonight we are celebrating the overrated Hallmark holiday with me cooking a "special" dinner: caramelized onion and goat cheese salad with balsamic vinaigrette, salmon with a balsamic reduction, roasted new potatoes and sugar snap peas. For dessert? A Cold Stone ice cream cake! YIPPEE!!