Don't Run With Scissors

Well, that isn't exactly what happened, running with scissors I mean. But the way I did cut my thumb was just as dumb. So I decided to make stew for Ben and I on Saturday for dinner. And despite my mom's advice to use a cutting board when I cut vegetables (or anything), I did not use said cutting board. I was cutting the baby carrots length-wise and even thinking as I cut the first carrot that I should probably use a cutting board. I cut the carrot with the knife coming towards me. And I think that the knife had it in for me, because half way through the carrot it picked up speed and sliced not only the vegetable, but my thumb as well.

Needless to say, my thumb took a pretty good hit, but luckily no stitches were needed. The cut is still pretty tender, but it has started to slowly heal. Unfortunately the cut is still split open, so I have to keep band-aids covering it.

Oh well, I be dumb and I learned my lesson...i think. :)

Turkey Day!

7 days and counting until we come home! Can't wait to see everyone!!

Three Dog Bakery

That bakery we went to has a website if anyone is interested. The shop was really cute.
To check it out visit: www.threedog.com

Visit to Richmond

Ben, Aida and I took a trip down to Richmond to see Sara on Sunday. Aida did very well on the 2 hour trip. Once we arrived, as soon as I parked a BIG chocolate lab came wandering over to us. Of course Aida was barking her little head off at this point. The dog had no collar or tags but had a orange harness on. He (Ben found that out) seemed older and well fed. So we didn't want to just leave him, he was so sweet and laid back. Ben walked him around with the extra leash we keep in the trunk and asked people that were out if they knew whose dog it was or if they've ever seen him before. At first no one recognized the dog, but then some one said they thought it was one of the leasing agents dogs. He said that the dog has, in the past, pushed out the screen in one of the apartment windows and gotten out. So Sara called the emergency contact number since the office was not open on Sundays, and left a message that we may have the dog of one of the leasing agents. When the maintenance called back we found out it was in fact a leasing agent's dog and he had pushed through the window screen when his owner wasn't home. So long story short, we found the dog's home and all is well. If we hadn't, Ben was considering keeping him....I'm really glad we found his home.

After the lost dog incident, we hung out with Sara for a little bit before going to this really cool outdoor mall. The mall is really dog-friendly. Most of the stores allow dogs, including the Godiva shop! We went to this cute dog bakery called Three Dog Bakery. We picked up a couple bakery items: "chocolate" chip cookies, a pretzel, and a dipped bone. Aida was quite happy.

All in all, it was a very fun trip, Aida was well behaved, and we had a good time.

Aida playing with cousin Sara

Aida peeking thru her donut-shaped toy. That's really how she carries the toy around...

Just a Walk in the Park

Today, Ben and I took Aida on a walk by the government center. We took her down a path across from an outdoor shopping area. We have never gone that way before, so I guess you could say we went "left for adventure." The scenery was beautiful and now Aida is nice and pooped.

Ben is determined to make a runner out of Aida

Along our walk we could see the back of the government building that Ben had his graduation from the fire academy at.

There are trees in Fairfax!!!

The happy family

Finally we made it back!

Gotta Love Ikea

Ben and Dad found the Ikea chairs calling their names


*Just thought i'd post this picture for fun :)

More Fun With Mom and Dad

I have been having some issues with the computer and Blogger tonight so I wasn't able to upload all the pictures I had planned to. So here are a couple from Saturday and Sunday.

Mom and Dad helped put our slip-cover on the couch. It is an awfully stubborn slip-cover.

Here's Mom and Dad at The Silver Diner on Sunday. This seems to be the official send off breakfast place. :)

So far, things have been going relatively well with the new Virginia Dog :) Aida seems to be adjusting well. Although she did decide to give the apartment complex a wake up call at 4:00am and 5:00am. I certainly didn't appreciate it so I am assuming those who may have heard her didn't appreciate it either.

We had fun with Mom and Dad coming to visit. Dad left his rain jacket here so I was hoping they would just have to make a trip back to get it. This weekend works for me! But it doesn't seem that my idea is going to work :) Oh well, Thanksgiving is right around the corner.

Can't wait to see everyone!!

More Friday Fun!!

We had dinner at the Red Rock Canyon and we ran into Bond, Bob Bond

Ben had not only a pound of pork chops, but also a gigantic size piece of key lime pie...You'll have to excuse his blow-fish-face

Pooped out after a long day

Fun Times on Friday!

Dad enjoys his Reeses Nutrageous Bar..maybe a little too much :)

Aida helps grandpa finish up his shake from the Silver Diner

Mom and Dad playing the Wii. So much fun to watch!

More Pictures of the New Apartment

Entrance to the Complex

Fountain in the courtyard area

Lobby Area

Common Room/Lounge

Movie Theater (Right in our clubhouse!!)

The New "Crib"

Today Ben and I took Mom, Dad and Aida to the new apartment. They were very impressed and seemed to really like the area and the apartment itself. Aida seemed pretty happy too. There are lots of windows for her to look out. So even though we didn't stay with the apartment with the balcony (it was smaller and more expensive), there is a lot more room for Aida (and us) and since the windows are pretty low Aida is able to look out. All around everybody is happy.


Don't mind the pictures...it was pouring outside so it is a little gloomy...but overall we captured the "essence" of the new place. :)

I took some pictures, but let me tell you, Dad was a picture taking fool. I will spare you the pictures of the inside of the refridgerator and other appliances...you can use your imagination as to what they look like :)

Aida was ridin' in the back seat with her grandma and grandpa on the way to the new apartment.

Our apartment is on the corner of Brandeis Terrace and Boston Terrace.

Here's Dad enjoying our new living room.

This is our new dining room.

And here's the kitchen, with granite countertops and brand new appliances :)

Virginia Visit

Aida bonds with her dad after her first night in her new home. :)

It's a Dog's Life

Aida's first Dog Park

Aida enjoyed her first dog park experience. We took her to "Bow Wow Beach" in Stow with "grandma" and "grandpa." As soon as we got there she took off straight into the water, no hesitations. She spent the afternoon swimming, drinking the lake water, and chasing and being chased by the other dogs.

We have been looking for a dog park here in Virginia, however we haven't found one with a swimmin' hole. But if we can't find a swimming lake for dogs we can pay for her to swim laps at the many Dog Resorts in the area. I am not kidding. For $35 a session she can swim laps at the resort. Or we could pay for her to enjoy many of the services that the resorts offer from manicures to facials to private cuddle time. It is ridiculous what people pay for around here. Not that I wouldn't do it if I had the money burning a hole in my pocket, but i don't, so we won't worry about it. Ben would probably kick me out :)

Aida gives grandpa a snakey lick on the face on the way to the park.

As Aida would run through the water, Baywatch style, she kept scooping up water in her mouth. It's amazing she didn't get sick!

After running through the water, she had to shake it all off. Of course it was usually as close to you as she could get, thus getting us all wet!

Grandma and Grandpa watch from the bench as Aida runs by.

One of Aida's favorite things is to be chased and Ben is really good at it!

Happy Halloween!

Ben and I went to get pumpkins from a farm about an hour away. My pumpkin is the cute small one and Ben's pumpkin is the big, manly, pumpkin.

We carved the pumpkins a few days later and they lasted all of about 5 days before they started to mold. The weather here has been so warm it actually is cooler inside than out. So we attempted to put the pumpkins by the air conditioning vent so that they would stay cool. However, due to the previously mentioned mold, they did not stay cool enough.

So although the pumpkins didn't last at least we got to carve our first pumpkins as a married couple :) I know corny, but I though it was sweet.

Happy Halloween!!

Last Try

I am going to attempt, yet again, to keep this blog updated. Not sure that it will last and based on my previous record...it won't. But who knows, it may stick this time!

So here goes nothing, enjoy it while it lasts!

I know, I know

Well, I noticed that my last post was in February. I know that at this point my fellow bloggers may not even be checking for new material anymore. However, I was trying to edit some recent pictures to add to the blog but this computer takes so darn long......all would be right with the world if we all had Apple computers :) Just kidding, but I have been longing for a Macbook Pro or a 27" iMac....

In the meantime, as most of you know, the surgery went well and the wedding is getting closer!!! Only a little over three months to go!! I think a lot of the big things are handled, it's those pesky little details that mom and I keep remembering that we have to do yet. I am quite excited though. Hopefully everything will go smoothly and the wedding will be here before we know it!

Aida is doing well. She is scheduled for her spaying in a month and she's I am sure just as excited as I am for it! But seriously, she has gotten bigger (about 20-25 pounds)and she definitely has quite a personality.

Despite the computer being awfully slow, I was able to get this picture of Ben looking heroic in his fire gear...check it out!

I will try to post more pictures as soon as I can get them on the computer..until then take care!!!

The Blizzard of '07

Well, I guess Winter is officially here. No amounts of shoveling or snow blowing could keep up with the massive amounts of snow that have fallen in the last 24 hours. Our street was just plowed tonight at 9pm after they finally gained control over the highways and main roads. I have never seen so many accidents as I have over the last day.

The dogs seem to love the snow but us humans have to shovel, snow blow, and plow...thus doing all the hard work.

Hopefully the snow will stop tonight so I can actually get to work tomorrow. It is not fun making the 40 minute commute on a highway that is covered in snow.

Here are some shots of the cars and the dogs:

Meet Aida

Meet Aida. After finding out that I had to have surgery I decided that I deserved to get a puppy. Aida is a Samoyed/German Shepard mix that I got from a rescue group in New Philadelphia. She was Ben's Valentine's Day present (he loves her).

Although losing Koda is still very hard and I am not sure if I will ever get over that, I decided that I will never know if I can handle having another dog until I try. So, I'm going to try.

Aida is 9 weeks old now and is full of piss and vinegar. She loves to harass Jake and to play in the snow. She only weighs about 7 pounds now and they don't expect her to get very big (maybe 40 pounds).

We are on our way to house breaking her...I guess I should say I am on my way to house breaking her. I have slept on the couch for over a week and have only been sleeping in couple hours increments. I am crossing my fingers that she'll start sleeping through the night soon. She definitely has some typical puppy behavior: chewing on things she's not supposed to, harassing Jake, occasional accidents. But we are working on it.

Grandpa and his new grandpuppy Aida

Ben and his girl

A whole lotta woman!

As it may be no surprise to most of my family I was blessed with the talent and uniqueness of having two Uterus's (my plural version is "Uteri"). Well with a fun and exhilarating trip to the girl doctor I found out that not only to I have two Uteri, I have two of absolutely everything, as far as "female parts" go, i.e. cervic etc. While some may say "the more the merrier," I was not so thrilled.

I had an MRI today to start preparing for my surgery that I must have very soon. The surgery will be outpatient but I am sure will be greatly painful.

However, in light of such a depressing situation I have two bonuses...

Number one, I get to keep both Uteri...they won't be removing either of those, just a blockage.

And number two...

Back in the Swing of Things

A lot has happened since the last time I (or Ben) posted. So I am going to attempt to catch you all up (if anyone is still checking).

So here goes nothing...

Back in the beginning of January I, and Ben's parents, went to visit him in Virginia. I took a few more pictures of the apartment. Here they are:

Here's Ben sitting on our "grandma couch" (as it is affectionately referred to as due to its pastel colors and flower design.)

Here is the view from our balcony. I know it is just a parking lot and more apartments....it's our own urban landscape.

And here is the happy couple!!!