Happy New Year

Hi All,

We hope everyone had a nice Holiday. I can't believe 2008 is almost here. Before I forget, I wanted to post the Macaroon recipe. They are seriously delicious and so easy. I made them for my friends at work and they were a big hit!

Coconut Macaroons
14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large egg whites at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until they make medium-firm peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.
Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using either a 1 3/4-inch diameter ice cream scoop, or 2 teaspoons. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and serve.

Once the cookies cool off, I melt chocolate in a microwave safe dish (like Baker's semi-sweet) and dip half the cookies in the chocolate. Make sure you then put the cookies on wax paper b/c the chocolate will stick to the plate.

We had a really nice Christmas. We are now having a low key weekend. I was sick on Friday and didn't start feeling better until this afternoon. We are just planning to do chores around the condo and get organized for our big meeting on Monday. We have the Social Worker coming to our home on Monday 12/31 to start the adoption home study. We've both been working on our autobiographies which need to be 4-8 pages. I'm having a harder time with it than I thought I would. I guess it is the childhood stuff that I'm finding hard. I know it will all come together though.

We hope everyone has a happy and fun New Years and we'll keep everyone posted on our adoption Journey!

Happy 1st Blogiversary

Hello All,

Kyle thinks it is too early to do a new post since I only did the most recent one two days ago. However, my hubby just reminded me that it has been one year since we've started this blog. I figured I'd say hi and post the promised picture of this year's Christmas tree and Rosie with her cute Christmas bandanna from her biggest fan Jeanette, my former co-worker.

We are having a major snow storm. So far it is the biggest one this winter. It has been snowing since I left work @ 12:30. I had to pick Kyle up at the train station around 2:30 and it took us 1 hour and 15 minutes to drive from the train station to our condo, which is 3.5 miles. Needless to say I was soooooooooo annoyed.

Luckily I'm working at home tomorrow (Friday) so I don't need to deal with the snow. That is one good thing about my job-they are very accommodating. Right now we are organizing the condo because we have our niece and nephew sleeping over tomorrow night. We plan to make sugar cookies with them. Right now I am making chocolate crinkles (anyone heard of them?), which I've never made before. My sister Megan is having a Xmas party on Saturday night and I am planning to bring my new favorite cookie recipe (Macaroons half dipped in chocolate.) They are soooooooooo delicious. If the crinkles come out good, I'll bring those too.

Above is what the Macaroons look like before they get dipped. I've decidedthey are my FAVORITE cookie and they are so easy to make! If anyone wants the recipe, let me know :)

Here is a good shot of our tree. Kyle wanted me to clarify that our tree is 7 feet, not 8 ft as I previously stated. It is so pretty. I went shopping today for Kyle's stocking and he saw one of his presents that I got him, so I decided to let him have it early. It is an ornament of the abdominal snowman from Rudolph. I thought I was buying Burl Ives but I was wrong. I really need to learn my Christmas characters better since I am married to "Mr. Christmas."

Anyway, I gotta go check on my cookies. Hope to hear from more readers soon :)

Happy December

Hi All,

Sorry it has been almost a month since we've posted. Things have been busy. This past weekend we went to NYC for Kyle's work Christmas party in Staten Island. We left MA at 9am on Saturday morning after dropping Rosie off at my mother's house. Our plan was to meet up with my sister Maura in Brooklyn. We arrived in Brooklyn around 1:30 thanks to my fantastic GPS. We hit a little traffic in RI and on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, but overall we did pretty well. Having the GPS gave me such a sense of security because I knew we would not be lost. Last time I went to NYC, this past March, with my mom and sister Megan, we got really lost in the Bronx and I did not want a repeat of that. The GPS may not always give you the most direct route, but it does get you where you need to be. I just switched the voice to a woman with a British accent.

We went to lunch with Maura at a delicious Thai place. Then we went to an awesome cafe called the "Tea Lounge" where I had the best latte. http://tealoungeny.com/

It was so awesome to spend time with Maura. She will be in Australia for Christmas with her new partner. We are REALLY going to miss her! I love my sister :)

I was really impressed at how clean Brooklyn is. There was no trash anywhere. What a difference from Boston. It was neat to see the Christmas trees for sale on the sidewalks.

At around 5 pm ,we headed to Staten Island and checked in at our hotel. The party was located at a really neat place called "The Old Bermuda Inn,"which is apparently haunted. Tami-did you hear that? Below is what I found online about it:

This period restaurant is located in house that dates back to 1814. Allegedly, the house is haunted by a young female apparition. It is said that woman is occasionally seen walking through the dining air and ascending the main staircase. Diners have reported getting a momentary chill or feeling a hand stroking their arm or hair.

Everyone was super nice that Kyle works with and it was so nice to meet everyone. We left the hotel the following morning around 9 and got to my mom's house a little before 2pm. Rosie was SO happy to see us. We missed her so much!

Kyle & I at the Xmas party

A few other minor updates:

1. We have a front loader washing machine. Yahoo!!! Thanks to Dad & Barbara (They moved and were going to leave the washer and dryer until they heard we were about to buy one.) I love being able to do laundry so easily.


2. We sent in the $ to start the home study and the Social Worker is supposed to call me at work today.


3. Our Christmas tree has been decorated for over a week. We'll take pictures soon. It is the tallest tree we've ever had. I think it is almost 8 feet.


4. I have only 2 more Christmas cards to write. Overall, we are in really good shape with our shopping.
5. I've gained close to 15 pounds since the last time I was weighed-hence the double chin in the photo-I'm so upset!

Can't wait to hear from you all.

70th B-day, Cait's mom and the Adoption Journey

From the far right- Kyle, Heather (sister), Alyssa (niece), Caryl (mom) and John (brother)

Hi Everyone,

We haven't written in awhile and wanted to give a little update. Last weekend we had a 70th b-day lunch for Kyle's mom at local restaurant. Above is a picture I took at our condo after lunch. It was a very nice day and Kyle's mom was really happy to have all her family together. I am missing from the picture and so is Jay (Heather's husband.)

Here is a shot of the delicious B-day cake!

My mom had surgery this week and she stayed over our condo Friday night. We had a lot of fun. A few years ago, I came across an article in Real Simple magazine on interviewing your parents. I have been wanting to interview my mom since I read the article b/c it gives 3 pages of questions to ask. I just thought it would be neat to have an oral history of my mother , so I recorded her and got lots of info. Some of the questions were things like "What is your favorite book & why" and "What is your best and worst childhood memory?" It is nice to know that I will always have her voice to listen to.

This is a shot of Alyssa and Rosie. Alyssa LOVES Rosie sooo much! You can also get a glimpse of our new rug that is under our kitchen table!

This weekend was be pretty low-key. I hung out with my mom yesterday and watched an awful movie (The Age of Innocence.) Kyle & our brother-in-law Jay headed to the new Bass Pro Shop near Gillette stadium (where the Patriots play.) They both loved it, but since it just opened and it was completely mobbed. To my surprise, they came home empty handed. After that, we headed out to dinner at the Olive Garden and met up with Heather (SIL) and Alyssa (niece pictured above.) After dinner we went to Pier 1 b/c I had a gift certificate and then Target. It is Amazing how easy it is for us to spend money at Target! I love that store!

Today Kyle got his hair cut and he looks so handsome :) He gets his haircut at the local mall, so I went with him and did a little Xmas shopping :) Now we are home and have about an hour before we have to head to our nephew Garrett's family birthday party. On our way out to the mall we ran into our neighbor's new black lab puppy! OMG she so beautiful. I can't wait until we have a house with a yard so we can get Rosie a sibling. Oh, speaking of expanding our family... we finally sent in the adoption application. I am now waiting for them to call us to set up the home study! We are excited but we have a lot of work ahead of us.... Ok, hope everyone is doing well. Much love from us.

Didn't Get the Job

Well, I finally mustered up the courage to call the Director and ask where they were in their decision process. She said "you didn't get my email?" She then proceeded to tell me that they hired someone else. I am more stunned than I thought I would be. Maybe I misread some signs but I really thought I was going to get it :(

So below is what her email said:



"Hi Caitlin,

It was good to meet you last week. We are going to be hiring another individual for the vacant position. Thank you for your interest. Good luck to you."



My response was as follows:

"Hi ___________,

Would you mind giving me some feedback as to what the deciding factor was in your decision? I'm just curious as I thought our interview went very well and I know I was very qualified for the position. I also feel that my experience as a person with a disability would have been a huge asset to the Ross Center. Thanks for your time and consideration. "

Ok, I guess that is what I get for not proofreading things more than once. I should of said "I am very qualified.. not I was." Duh.

Anyway, do you all think I was out of line for responding back to her. Part of me says what the hell!! I want to know what the other person has that I don't. How much do you want to make a bet that the person is not disabled?? It pisses me off to have these centers run by non-disabled people. Wouldn't you think that would want someone that really gets what it is like to live everyday with a disability. Ok, I'm just upset.


P.S. Rosie has some parasite and had an accident at work. I was sooooooooooo mortified.

P.S.S.

The more I think about this the more upset I get. Do you all know that it is ILLEGAL (ADA) to ask a person with a disability what their disability is during the interview? Well, the Director not only asked me what my disability was but how I became disabled. When I said "car accident" she then wanted to know when. Isn't that all irrelevant? The fact that I have a disability would of been a HUGE plus to them. However, my merits alone regardless of the disability qualified me for the job. Anyway. I guess I ignored the fact that she blatantly disobeyed the law b/c I really wanted the job,, so I just suppressed it. Since I didn't get the job I'm annoyed. I have to remember that "THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON."

Below is what I found online regarding the "disability issue" for interviews.

What can’t an employer ask during a job interview?

Although the ADA doesn’t prevent employers from seeking the information they need to evaluate a job candidate, it does restrict the scope and purpose of their questioning. Before the passage of the ADA, it was common for employers to ask job applicants about their medical or physical conditions. Now, with the enactment of the ADA, an employer cannot ask disability-related questions unless a job offer has been made. Prior to a job offer, employers cannot ask questions that are likely to elicit information about a disability or ask questions that are closely related to a disability.
For instance, an employer cannot ask if you are blind or ask questions about the level of any partial vision you might have. This type of information was often used to categorically exclude applicants who were blind before their ability to perform the job was even considered. These questions are now prohibited to ensure that persons with disabilities are given an equal opportunity to apply for a job without regard to their disability.
The law categorically prohibits “fishing” for information about a candidate’s physical or mental condition on application forms or during interviews or informal meetings. An employer may inquire only about a person’s ability to perform specific job-related functions.
Example: If you’re interviewing for a maintenance position, an employer can’t ask, “How did you lose your arm?” He or she may ask you to explain or demonstrate how you would use certain tools in that job.

The ADA prohibits employers from asking the following types of questions:

Have you ever been treated for the following listed conditions or diseases?
Has anyone in your family ever had any of the following listed illnesses?
Have you ever been hospitalized? For what? List any conditions or illnesses for which you’ve been treated in the past three years.
Have you ever been treated for a mental disorder?
Are you taking any medication?
Have you ever been treated for drug addiction or alcoholism?
Do you have any major physical disabilities?
If so, how did your disability come about? What is the prognosis for recovery?
Have you ever filed for worker’s compensation benefits?
How many times were you absent from your previous job because of illness?
Do you have any disabilities that would affect your performance in the position for which you are applying?

No News Yet...Looking for Feedback

Hi All,

Several friends and family have been asking if I've heard anything on the job yet and the answer is NO. I thought I would hear by the end of the week but no such luck.

The big question is... if I don't hear by Tuesday should I call???? Monday will be a week since I interviewed with the Director and met the other two staff members. I feel apprehensive about calling and if I do call what should I say? The way the Directorleft it is that I would hear from her by a weeks time. I don't want to be too pushy but I also want to show that I really want the job.

I'm not really nervous either way. I really hope I get it but if not I guess it is their loss. Any feedback on the best game plan from here is greatly appreciated.

Tonight we are off to a wine tasting fundraiser at the Glastonbury Abbey, which is a local monastery that both my mother and family friends attend. It is a good cause and should be fun. I can't believe we are venturing out because we are getting the strong winds from the most recent tropical storm and it is super windy.

Rosie is sick so we are a tiny bit worried. She has the runs and had an accident last night. She is smart enough to not go on the carpet, thank god. Anyway, I hope it doesn't last b/c she was already at the vet last week for an ear infection. She is beside herself because we are not feeding her and she does not understand why. Anyway, enough for now....

Happy Halloween

Shots from our Halloween/Game Night get together last weekend

Here is a shot of our pretty table before our guests arrived.

Rosie's Halloween photo for 2007

Hi All. I wanted to take a few minutes to post a picture of Rosie and a few shots from our Halloween party last weekend. I also wanted to update everyone on the job situation. I had my 2nd interview on Monday and it went really well. I met with the Director of Disability Services and the two other employees and they were all really nice. It lasted about an hour and I feel that I would really like to work there. They told me that I should hear within a week so I'm hoping to hear by Friday. I'll let everyone know as soon as I hear!

The Halloween party was a lot of fun. We all dressed up played a game of Apples to Apples, had a yummy dinner, watched the ball game, and chatted away. It was great to see friends and just hang out. Everyone loved my mom's homemade Mac & Cheese recipe and apple crisp. Bob made a yummy Shepherd's pie. Thanks all for a great night, yummy appetizers and great company :)

Halloween Photo's

2 witches-Megan & Cait (note the broomstick on the back of my chair)

Megan L & Cait.

Guess Who???

Napoleon Dynamite & Jester Bob

Belated Curtain Photo & 2nd Interview Thoughts

Hi All,

Here is a shot of the curtains Kyle recently hung in our bedroom. My mom actually gave us the curtains because she bought news ones and they happen to match our quilt perfectly. We bought the rods at Lowe's and they have a great selection. We were really impressed with bot h the rods and the curtains at Lowe's. Next we need to buy curtains for our office and the spare bedroom. Please note the pretty leaves in the picture. The picture doesn't do it justice. The leaves are just bursting with color. We are really late with the "peak" foliage this year because it was such a dry summer.

The interview is tomorrow, Monday @ noon & believe it or not I'm not freaking yet!!! I prepared a little tonight and will do more preparing in the morning. I feel like I over prepared last time and most of what I studied is still in my head. I also don't want to be too rehearsed. I'm going to just be me and if it is meant to be, I'll get it and if it isn't that's OK. I'm lucky I have a job and I know what I want and that makes the journey a lot easier.

We will soon post pics from our Halloween party last night. It was fun and there are lots of good shots. I'm off to watch a movie with Kyle.

Happly 70th B-day Dad & Interview Recap

Here is a shot of my dad and 3 of my 4 siblings (Maura is missing)

Hi All-

First things first... Happy 70th Birthday Dad. I hope the next year brings you better health and continued happiness.

As some of you know we went to Keene, NH this past weekend for my dad's 70th birthday. The picture above was taken at Alyson's Orchard. It is such a beautiful place on top of a hills with apple trees everywhere. Check out the link below. http://www.alysonsorchard.com/alyson-orchards/

We got to pick apples and they are sooooooooo yummy. There is no comparison between what we've been buying @ the grocery store as opposed to the hand picked ones. This weekend we are having a game night/ Halloween party & I plan to make an apple crisp with our apples. I'll be sure to take pictures from the party to post. I can't wait to show you all what Kyle's costume!

On Sunday we went on a "Covered Bridge Tour" with my dad in Swansey, NH, which is the town next to where they live. It was pretty interesting.http://www.tmclark.com/Bridges/bridges.html

Here is a view of the side of the bridge

Above is a shot of one of the 4 bridges we saw.

Look Brig---I saw a waterfall. I think it is a man made one but it was still really Pretty!!!

Below is a shot of my dad & I near one of the bridges.

Ok, now onto the interview. I think it went pretty well. It lasted 45 minutes and I think I answered the majority of the questions well. I was very nervous though and did stumble a few times. I've decided that I just need to leave it in the hands of God and if it is meant to be that it will work out. I'll know by the end of the week if I made it to round two which would be an interview with the Director. Since I returned home I've felt really stressed and anxious though. I think I just hate not knowing if the interview went as well as I thought it did. I guess time will tell.

I'm going to end with this picture below that I absolutely love with my five nieces on my side. They are all so precious and different in their own way. I love them all so much!

Rosie is a local star!

Hi All,

I submitted Rosie's picture last year for a Halloween photo contest on the Boston Globe online. Kyle just happened to be looking at the pictures and came across Rosie. We had no idea she was on there. What a great surprise. Check out her cute Halloween picture from last year (Below.) Don't worry we will also be posting her pic from this year but I'm waiting until we get closer to Halloween.
As a little background information, the family that had Rosie b4 us used to dress her up for Halloween. When we got Rosie we received a photo album and there were several pictures of her with cute Halloween costumes. We decided to keep up the tradition and so far she has been a pumpkin, jester and this year she is a bumble bee. I find it hard to find costumes that fit her. There seems to be a better selection for the smaller dogs. This year I saw this AWESOME moose costumes @ Target but of course it was too small. I was so bummed. Anyway, enjoy the pic.

http://www.boston.com/ae/events/gallery/halloween_pets_2006v3?pg=31

Cait Has An Interview!!!

Yeah- they finally called &I have an interview for the UMASS job @ Disability Services on 10/22. I'm excited but really dreading the interview! I just hope I don't get stumped by any questions.

We had a productive weekend. On Saturday we headed to NH to meet with Kyle's cousin & his wife for lunch. They recently adopted a little girl from China and we were meeting with them to find out more about International Adoption. We are in the process of figuring out what countries would be option for us. Unfortunately b/c I'm disabled, many countries are not an option for us. This really pisses me off.!! Anyway, we had a great time with Chris, Holly & Allie. They were such a wealth of information for us and little Allie is sooooooooo cute!

After we got home we were invited to dinner & game night at my friend Megans parent's house. We played a really fun new game called "Chicken Foot." Anyone heard of it? Actually Kyle didn't play b/c he watched the Red Sox game against the Indians with Tom ( Meg's dad.)

On Sunday, my mom came over and helped Kyle hand curtains in our bedroom. What a difference the curtains make. I'll try to get Kyle to take some pics for posting. Kyle had to work last night & I had dinner @ my sister's house. It was a nice weekend.

That is about it from here. I'll keep you all posted on the interview. Wish me luck. Prayers are also welcomed.

Happy Birthday to Rosie

Rose is 4 years old today! Happy Birthday dear Rosie, Happy Birthday to you!!!

Rosie's Birthday Bone!!!

She had a special day.

Camping in Maine...

Kyle & his mom on the swing outside the cabin (Oh-Rosie too)

Ok, here is our Camping Recap:

We both had Friday off and since Kyle's mom had to work and she was going away with us, we spent the morning cleaning the condo vacuuming, washing floors, dusting, doing laundry, and packing for our trip. We left the condo around 2pm. We were trying to avoid the traffic, but seemed to run into it anyway. We arrived at Kyle's mothers house around 3:30pm. It should have only taken about an hour. Kyle's mother had just got home from work. We gathered her camping gear and were on our way by about 4:30pm. On our drive up we figured we would stop in Kittery, ME for dinner. Kittery is a popular area because they have outlet stores. We had dinner at the Weathervane, a seafood chain restaurant in the southern Maine & New Hampshire seacoast area. http://www.weathervaneseafoods.com/


Below is a shot of the bunk bed inside the cabin.

We left the restaurant and continued our drive arriving in Saco, ME around 7:30pm. We unpacked, settled in for a bit and read for a little while before going to sleep. Yes, there was electricity in the cabin, which we weren't aware of. We thought we'd be reading by candle light or flashlight. We did not sleep all that well. Kyle awoke first at 6:00pm. The beds were extremely uncomfortable! It was still dark out. He set up for breakfast. We had Caitlin's muffins (banana nut), instant oatmeal and coffee (Moriah we bought a french press & it was very handy during our trip.) We then decided to drive north along the coast up to Camden, ME. We had both heard a lot of great things about Camden but had never been. The movie "In the Bedroom" was filmed there and we both remember the scenery being beautiful.

The ride to Camden was nice. It was interesting seeing the coast, towns of Bath, Darmassocata, Rockport on our way to Camden. What a beautiful town Camden is.

A view of beautiful Camden from MT. Battie

We arrived to Camden around noon. There was a craft fair going on. Since we had a small breakfast we decided to have lunch first. We choose a deli style restaurant on the water. We ordered sandwiches, ate and got back out and began exploring. One little note- Eric you will like this. Kyle had his Ohio State sweatshirt on and an older gentleman noticed this and started saying, "OH". We finally figured out he was referring to the Ohio State sweatshirt. He came over and told of someone in Columbus, who had done his basement over to look like the stadium. Apparently you can see it on Utube!

Below is a pretty bridge of flowers in Camden

We first walked though the craft fair area looking over various items, some locally made some from different areas of the country. We continued exploring the downtown and shops and came across a "bridge of flowers." We strolled across it and headed back to the van. We took a little drive and decided to drive up one of the hills that had a view of downtown and the water. Camden is surrounded by hills. We drove up Mount Battie. What a view. You could see the village of Camden, the islands surrounding the town, part of Acadia National park http://www.nps.gov/acad/, which I have been dying to take Caitlin to visit. As we walked around up top, we met other people with dogs. One couple was from PA, their dog was named Boo. What a beautiful Golden Retriever. We also met a dog from Maine that was named Keeper. Her owner was a lobster man hence the name. We enjoyed the view for a little while longer and headed down and back to camp.

Here we are on top of Mt. Battie. Words can't express how breathtaking this view is.

We stopped in Freeport, ME on our way home. For those of you that may or may not know, this is the headquarters of LL Bean. We stopped in LL Bean and walked around. We also visited another outlet store(there are lots of outlet stores in the downtown). We had dinner at Gritty McDuffs http://www.grittys.com/ in Freeport and drove back to camp for a campfire and good night.




The following morning we all awoke about 8am and headed over to breakfast in the campground at Merry Moose. Caitlin and Kyle's mom had blueberry pancakes and Kyle had strawberry pancakes. Breakfast was good. Then took Rosie's annual Halloween photo. We will decide and publish soon not to spoil the surprise for everyone. Rosie was a good dog during her photo shoot. After this we checked out and headed home.



This post would not be complete if I didn't post pictures of the gigantic pancakes we had for breakfast at the "Merry Moose" on our last morning at the campground. I had the blueberry pancakes.

Notice how big this pancake is? It takes up the entire plate!







Ok, below is Kyle's strawberry pancakes, which I wasn't sure I was going to like. They were really good. I'm lucky my hubby is a good sharer!

Yummarooskies!

What vacation is complete without good food and good company ? :)

We have lots more pics from out trip. Let us know if you want to see more and we'll email them separately!

Autumn is here!

This past Tuesday night, my sister Maura was in town as I mentioned in a previous post. My mother (far right) , sister Megan (next to mom in brown) and Maura and her friend Tracey went to eat at a fabulous restaurant. As some of you may know, my mother managed a restaurant for 17 years and all of my sisters & I worked there at some point. Around 10 years ago the restaurant closed. It opened about a year later under a different ownership & name, but it didn't do well and closed shortly thereafter. Anyway, it is open again and is called the Scarlett Oak Tavern & it seems to be doing really well. http://www.scarletoaktavern.com/

The menu was really diversified, which I love. We ate in the pub though because it is super expensive. I wish they showed pictures on the website because it is an old beautiful New England farm House that was converted to a restaurant many years ago.
Tami--if you are reading this- this is the place that is haunted that I told you about & in case your wondering, the ghost is still playing pranks!!! Anyway, we chatted with the wait staff at length about the ghost. It was fun :)

This weekend we attended an adoption informational session on Saturday morning. It was very informative and we have a lot to learn. It is somewhat overwhelming and I find myself feeling sad, frustrated and overwhelmed with the blatant discrimination that occurs againist people with disabilities. There are so many countries that won't even consider us because of my disability and it is just heart breaking. After the meeting we ran some errands and tried to enjoy the glorious weather. It has been absolutely gorgeous!!!

On Sunday we headed to Boston to meet friends. Kyle's good buddy from college, Bob, is an expert on Boston and he gave us a tour. It was great. Bob wrote a book on Boston that can be purchased at the following link:
http://dorrance.stores.yahoo.net/discoverboston.html

Well, that is about it so far. No word on my "dream job" yet. We are headed for our camping trip this weekend and hope to take lots of pics to post! Have a great week.

Our New Stove & My First Homemade Cake!

Here is our new stove. We had it installed on 9/10. So far, it is working well. I love the storage drawer underneath. We didn't have one on our last stove. Since my hubby & I both like sweets I decided to try making my first cake ever! I went with a bunt cake recipe that I've had forever, but never tried making. The recipe is "Chocolate Chip Bunt Cake," and since Kyle LOVES chocolate chip cookies, I thought the cake would be a big hit. He wasn't as into it as I expected.

OK, not a flattering pic of me, but I wanted a shot of me and the cake. When I took it out of the pan, about a quarter of the cake stuck to the pan (notice the missing piece?)

Here is a close up shot. I tried to cover up the missing piece. Kind of obvious, huh?

The cake was delicious and super moist. I think it was so moist because of the sour cream and the vanilla pudding in it. Yummy! I wound up giving most of the cake away because I was the only one eating it & I figured the best thing to do was just get it out of the condo. I brought it into work and shared it with 2 of my co-workers.

My sister Maura is headed to MA for her exhibit at Wellesley College (Hilary Clinton is an alumni.) See Link ::http://www.davismuseum.wellesley.edu/exhibitions/exhibitions_global_feminisms1.html

Kyle and I are going to see the show on Wednesday night after work. Kyle didn't get to see the show in NYC, so I'm excited for him to see what an awesome job Maura did.

Anyway, that is about it for this week, so far anyway!

Go BuckEyes!!!

Hi All,

We've been home for almost a week and I'm finally getting to updating now. We had a great time in Columbus with Moriah & Eric. Although I am not a football fan, I loved going to the Ohio State game. Moriah was patient enough to explain the game to me! Thanks!!! The game was fun!!! Ohio State beat Akron. Ohio State also has a big Marching Band that plays for all home games. It is a big honor to make the band as it is very competitive. The individuals try out for every game. I do not remember if Georgia had a band, maybe Bridgette or Justin can elaborate. I loved going to the game in Georgia, as well!!! I just love the spirit and the atmosphere. It sort of brings me back to college. I loved going to school! Great times and great friends :)

We arrived on Friday around 11:15. We flew on Jet Blue and we both loved it. They were so accommodating and they serve Dunkin Donuts coffee (what do you think Aunt Mo?) The seats are super comfy and you get your own TV. We didn't bring Rosie b/c Moriah & Eric have a cat and since Rosie isn't good with cats, we decided to let her have her own mini vacation away from her parents. Kyle's sister watched her and said she was great :)

After Moriah picked us up we went to a yummy Mexican place for lunch ( I forget the name) and then headed back to their condo. A few of Moriah's friends joined us for " game night" and delicious pizza. We played Nintendo's Wii for the first time and loved it. I tried bowling and loved it. I felt like I was really bowling. Eric said that Wii was created to be inclusive for all people and apparently is a big hit at nursing homes. It was funny b/c I was reading New Mobility (my favorite Disability Magazine) and there is an article on Wii and how it is an all inclusive game.

OK, so on Saturday we got an early start and headed to the tailgating party. Kyle got to try some of the famous sausages and he really enjoyed them. I , on the other hand, went crazy over the "to die for" cream puffs. The game was a blast and our hosts gave us a great tour of the campus! It is a pretty campus! That night for dinner we went to "27" which is owned by Eddie George. http://www.southcampusgateway.com/directory/detail.php?location=42. It was a yummy and cool place. Next time I am DEFINITELY ordering the Mac & Cheese!

We had a yummy homemade breakfast on Sunday morning before heading to the airport. It was a great weekend that went by too fast.

This week has been busy! I just applied for my "dream job" as a "Program Specialist" at the Disability Student Center at a local College. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but it really does seem to be exactly what I'm looking for. Please keep your fingers crossed for me.

OSU Marching Band from our camera

Ben & Jerry’s Confession

Why, oh why do Ben and Jerry call to me from my freezer? Ok, so Ben & Jerry’s ice cream was on sale this week. It was 2 for $6.00 or 1 for 3:00. I spent a good 10 minutes perusing through all the unknown flavors and Kyle was somewhat annoyed. He thinks their ice cream is overrated and a lot rip off. I don’t usually buy Bed & Jerry’s ice cream but when my friends Moriah & Tami visited us in May we had ice cream for dinner once and they totally hooked me on B&J’s pistachio. Prior to trying the B&J pistachio, I didn’t think I even liked that flavor. I guess the saying” Don’t knock it until you try it” is right. Anyway, while at the ice cream counter I was torn between the pistachio or a new flavor. I was torn between the sweet cream and cookie (Brig---Justin was on my mind) but I wasn’t sure what type of cookies, so I went with “Turtle Soup. “ Ok, for those who haven’t tried it…. Yumarooskies!!! It is so freakin good. It is vanilla ice Cream with fudge & caramel cashews & a caramel swirl. http://www.benjerry.com/our_products/flavor_details.cfm?product_id=185


I always heard about people buying pints of ice cream and eating the whole thing and I never thought I could do it, but I came pretty darn close. We went food shopping on Sunday and by Sunday night ½ the pint was gone. Mind you there are 4 servings in that tiny pint. I totally know why all the diet books say not to eat ice cream out of an the carton b/c you do totally lose track of how much you are eating and since the pint is so tiny it is easy to do. So, yesterday I was already in bed and B&J were once again calling me. I tried to persuade my hubby who was on the computer to get me some and bring it to me in bed. He was either ignoring me or just so engrossed in Sim City (ERRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!) After three requests he finally got up from the computer but at that point “The Biggest Loser” had started & there was no way I was stuffing my face while watching that show. By the way, did any of you see the updates on past participants? It was awesome & super inspiring but obviously not inspiring enough b/c not even 24 hours later the ice cream was still calling me!

So tonight, after dinner the voice started again… I portioned myself out probably about 1 cup into a small bowl. I left the kitchen and went to watch one of my trashy entertainment shows. I woofed down the ice cream and guess what? I somehow found myself back at the refrigerator having an internal dialogue with myself, “why, not just polish if off tonight Cait since there is only a tiny bit left.” Twist my arm self!! Anyway, so here I write to you all with the empty pint of Turtle Soup just staring at me. I guess I’ll never be skinny!!!!

Mom, it is all your fault for giving us dessert every night as kids!!!! UGH!!! Thanks a lot Tami & Moriah for reintroducing me to my latest obsession!!!!

The Last Weekend of Summer

Hi All,

We had a nice long weekend. Kyle got out of work a few hours early on Friday and since we commute together I decided to leave early so that Kyle would not have to just wait outside my building until I got out of work. We decided to stay in town and go out to dinner near my work and go to the IMAX Omni theater at the Boston Museum of Science http://www.mos.org/. Our first date was at the Omni theater so it is always fun to return! Before dinner we bought our tickets to the show b/c I was worried it would be sold out. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that there was a promotion and the tickets were only $4 a piece. We bought tickets for Lewis & Clark at 7pm and the 8pm show, Kilimanjaro. They were both super interesting and educational. It is so cool to see this type of show because you feel like you are actually there. I know it is the closest I'll ever get to seeing the summit of Kilimanjaro!

On Saturday we headed to Kyle's sister's house and Kyle helped them out with a few projects and I went swimming in their pool. It was great! We wound up spending the night there. We didn't plan it so we had to buy a toothbrush and some pajamas which we wound up getting at one of my favorite bargain stores, Ocean State Job Lot. We stayed at Heather's house until around noon on Sunday. On Monday we stayed home all day! It was a nice relaxing day. The weather has been gorgeous. We are both super bummed that summer is over. It just flies by like this every year!

This Friday we are headed to Ohio to see Moriah and Eric. It will be nice to get away. Rosie isn't coming. Our niece Alyssa is dog sitting and is soooo excited! This will be a short week for both of us b/c we were both off Monday and we are off Friday too! I'm working at home on Thursday, so I'll only be in the office 2 days! Yeah!

Before I sign off I wanted to post a link of an online friend of mine.

http://www.thinkbeforeyoudrink.net/

I sent this email out last week and most people just ignored it but I want the message to be heard. It is not okay to drink and drive. Not only does it put your life in jeopardy but everyone else on the road. I was drunk when I got injured and although I wasn't driving I often wonder if I would have gotten in the back of a pick up truck if I was sober? I was young and we all make mistakes but I believe that if you can make a difference in the life of one person that that is all that matters. I know for a fact that drinking and driving is still a huge problem and I wanted to pass this email on so that the reality of its repercussions could be seen. Thank you Rhonda for sharing your story and being brave enough to share your pain!


Have a great week!!!

Summer is Almost Over-Boo-Hoo

Well, as most of you can tell we are posting less & less. Sorry! I think we will post more as the weather gets colder and we are stuck inside more.

We had a good weekend! Yesterday we had a low-key day and just did our usual stuff like cleaning & grocery shopping. Kyle took a dip in the pool. It was close to 100 degrees out. I stayed in the condo pretty much the entire day b/c there were heat advisories.

Last night I spent several hours online searching for campgrounds that have wheelchair accessible cabins. I was surprised at how many I actually found. At the last minute we were hoping to get reservation for Labor Day weekend but we were too late in the game. So, we booked a cabin in ME for the last weekend in September. Check out the link. http://www.sacokoa.com/

I'm really excited about the cabin! Isn't it so cute?

We lucked out b/c the only one with the ramp was available. We are going September 28-30. It is a one room cabin with one full size bed and a bunk bed. It also has a heater and ceiling fan, but that is it. It is going to be a rustic weekend. We have to bring our own sheets, pillows, etc. I'm excited. Kyle's mother may come with us. Kyle loves camping and did a ton of it during his childhood and as an adult-BC, we like to say (Before Cait.) Anyway, he's been missing it a lot, so I wanted to find a way that we could go together. I haven't gone camping since I was a teenager (pre-injury). I thought about doing the tent thing and buying an air mattress but Kyle would have to help me on & off the ground, so I figured the cabin option was better for both of us. Plus, Kyle's tent isn't big enough for the three of us (don't forget Rosie!!) so we would have to buy a bigger tent. They also have a blueberry pancake breakfast that I'm also anxious to attend! Maine has great blueberries! Brig-- this should prepare us for our Yellowstone trip next fall :))) I'm hoping I can find a waterfall somewhere near the campground b/c I REALLY want to see a waterfall!

I am finally over my awful cold, which was actually bronchitis. I had it for over a week. Today is my first Kleenex free day! Whoooo!!! I am counting the days until I have my allergy tests done at the end of September.

I made my hubby a yummy meal in the crockpot that he waned me to report about. It was a pork roast with a jar a Mango ginger Chutney and a little soy sause. It came out really tender and was bursting with flavor. We'll have that a few nights this week. I love the crockpot b/c you can just fix it & forget it!

Well, we hope everyone has a great week. Happy Labor Day!

Camping in Maine:

http://www.campmaine.com/region/region.php

Mouse Sightings at Work Making Us Crazy

Hi All,


As some of you may know, I absolutely hate mice. Kyle thinks I’m such a wimp but I always have and always will. I think the fear was ingrained in me as a small child, as my mother and sisters also hate them. I have many memories of my sisters jumping on tables to get away from mice during our childhood. Anyway, several months ago, I saw a mouse at work in my cubicle area and really freaked. They started construction at my office and that has made the situation at lot worse. This morning, my co-worker opened the cabinet above her desk and there was a family of 3 living there. Disgusting! We’ve been instructed to throw out any food at our desks or put the food in plastic containers. Zip lock backs don’t cut it because they eat through the bags. This really grosses me out to have to work in this environment.

My allergies have been SO Bad. I have an appointment to have allergy tests done, which I’ve heard is a waste of time, but I’m desperate. My allergies can be really debilitating. The issue is that (this is my summation) that the post nasal drip goes into my lungs and turns into a nasty cold . Yesterday, I was miserable with an itchy throat, nose, ears, etc. Today it has turned into a full blown nasty cold!! This seems to be a pattern for me. I’m at the point that if I need to have shots for my allergies then oh well. The concern is that the colds I get could turn into pneumonia or bronchitis. Yuck! So, now my co-workers have to listen to me hack all day, but I didn’t want to call in again. Plus, if I called in sick today, I’d lose my work at home day tomorrow! I hate when people come into work sick, but since I’ve been sick so much lately I didn't want to miss another day. Other than thte constant hacking and blowing my nose, I feel fine!

We had a good weekend. On Saturday we ran errands and we both got our hair cuts. We also bought a new oven. MASS was having a tax free weekend so we saved a tiny bit. I also bought a portable GPS at Best Buy with $ I got for my B-day. On Sunday, we had lunch with my mom and dropped by brother’s b-day gift off at his house. He wasn’t home so we hung out with my sister-in-law and some of the kids for about an hour. Then we headed home and had dinner with Kyle’s sister Heather, her hubby and daughter. It was a nice weekend!

This coming weekend we have tentative plans with Kyle’s friend and his wife. I also need to pick up my wedding and engagement ring from the jeweler because one of the prongs broke on the engagement ring. Anyway, that is about it from here. Hope all is well with everyone.

Delayed Vacation Recap!

Well, so much for updating everyone within a week! Sorry about that, but as always life has been busy. Above is a picture of Kyle and I with our nieces & nephew that we vacationed with. To the right of me is Colin (7), Sarah (13) and Lauren (9). Oh, and of course Rosie!They are great kids and we had a lot of fun just hanging out with them.

Our vacation in Falmouth was great! We went to the beach almost every day and I went swimming every day except for one day when it rained. The water was warm and it was just awesome. I love the water b/c it is one place where I feel totally free from all forms of mobility aids. I can just swim and not depend on anything. It is one of my favorite things to do! The beach we went to had a great beach wheelchair, which makes getting on the beach and in the ocean a lot easier!

Here is a shot of Kyle fishing. The house we rented was directly across the street from the beach which was awesome b/c we didn’t need to load up the cars to go to the beach. A few nights, Kyle and the kids and my brother-in-law Carl, went fishing. They bought deep sea fishing rods and had fun. I relaxed by reading (started and finished "Baby Proof" & loved it) and playing one of my favorite games "Skippo." I taught two of our nieces how to play and they love it now too! Here's a shot of me playing Skippo with my niece Sarah (13)

Here is a shot of Rosie in front of the Hydrangea bush at the house. I absolutely love hydrangeas and had them in our wedding. You see them at lot around places like Cape Cod or places near the ocean.

After our vacation I was out of work for a day and a half with a yucky virus. I also had a bad cold while on vacation. So, the past two weeks haven’t been great health wise. It could be worse though. It feels good to feel like myself again. So, I’m sorry everyone for not keeping in touch but I’ve really not been feeling up to calls or blogging because I've been exhausted! I’m sad that it is already August. How come the summer goes by so fast?

We booked our airline tickets to go to Columbus, Ohio to visit our friends Eric & Moriah and go to a Buckeyes game! It should be fun. We are going September 7-9th. We just need to find a dog sitter for Rosie! We’ve never boarded her and it is really a last resort. I was thinking of asking my mom but I’m not sure! Any Volunteers???

Well, that is it for now! Hope everyone is enjoying their summer. It has been SO hot here!!!!

xoxo