A Year Gone By...

A year ago....

...Joel and I graduated from college.
...my niece Eliza was born.
...Joel and I started working in the real world by starting our first full-time jobs.

Two Sundays ago, we celebrated my niece's first birthday! I can't believe the time has gone by so fast. It seems not that long ago that Joel and I were busy planning a wedding. We have now been married for almost 7 months! Time flies when you are having fun! :-)

And in life, some not so enjoyable things have happened. But through it all, we have come to learn (not like we did not know already) that everything just does not go as planned. Apparently we just are not the people that get their cake and eat it too....AND...that's ok! I'm sure we are not alone. We thank God for what we do have left - the more important things in life. We have come to grow and learn that it's how we use our circumstances that teach us and make us who we are. When I was younger and had to do things that I didnt want to do my father always told me that it would build my character. Not such a bad thing to acquire. God has blessed us these past months despite our circumstances. I think it is in those times that we learn the most.

Eliza's 1st Birthday Party

Me and Joel...a year ago...

It's A Girl!!!

After much anticipated waiting, the baby finally came!! My brother Jonathan and his wife Lori just had their second baby yesterday. It's a girl! Paige Elizabeth Russell! She arrived about 8:15 pm on 5/4/06. She weighed 8 lbs 8 oz and is 19.5 inches long!

So WOOHOO, I'm an aunt again (for the 3rd time)! My parents got off the plane in NY from KY just in time to find out that they got a new granddaughter. So we all rushed to the hospital to see her. I got to hold her when she was only 2 hours old, all red and newborny. So cute!! I'm now the proud aunt of 2 gorgeous nieces and a handsome nephew. Joel's pretty stocked about it too. ;-)What blessings God has given my family.

Here are some pics. I'll keep updating!

Top Five

Thanks Amy for the idea, we have some things alike ;-)….

5 Restaurants you never get tired of:
1. Chili’s
2. Two Vine (Italian & French Bistro - In the heart of Rochester)
3. Natraz (Indian-Nyack)
4. Ciceros (Pizza – Bardonia)
5. Any restraunt that doesn’t serve American food

5 Places You’ve Lived:
1. Hamilton, OH
2. Syracuse, NY
3. Harfort, CT
4. Various places in Northern Jersey
5. Bardonia, NY (then Rochester and now currently still nomading around NY)

5 Movies you could watch over and over again:
1. Elf
2. Pretty Woman
3. My Best Friend’s Wedding
4. What About Bob?
5. Goonies (and I’m sure there are some obvious ones I’ve forgot)

5 Books on your Nightstand:
1. My Study Application Bible
2. Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks
3. His Needs Her Needs by Willard Harley Jr.
4. One of the Harry Potter Book
5. SuDoku Books (I’m a dork, I know)

5 Websites you visit daily:
1. Gmail.com
2. Some recipe or cooking website
3. Different Blogs
4. Joseph-Reps.com
5. Ofoto.com

5 Places you like to shop:
1. Anne Taylor Loft
2. KOHLS!!!
3. Gap
4. Grocery Store (hahaha)
5. H & M

5 Jobs you’ve had:
1. American Eagle Sales Associate
2. THQ Summer Temp (Cand, Development, and Property)
3. RWC Student Government Web Designer
4. SLC Pre-Camp Staff
5. Babysitter to many families

5 Things you would do with a million dollars:
1. Pay off School Debt
2. Buy a condo in Rockland (yes a good one almost cost that)
3. Buy an SUV and not worry about the gas
4. Build a dream kitchen
5. Shop at all the stores I can’t afford but love (buy a Louis Vuitton Bag or Seven for All Mankind Jeans)

5 Things you would rather be doing than what you’re suppose to be doing right now:
1. Sleeping
2. Watching a good movie with the husband or just spending time with him
3. Cooking Dinner (weird I know)
4. Spending time with my Family on my parents back porch (good times there) or in OOB!!
5. Spending time with the RWC girls or Devos with the girls from work...just plain ol' Girl Time


Your Turn!

Amazing Weekend!!!!

here it is for those of you who were waiting.... :-)

Two weekends ago, Joel and I had the opportunity to do the teen activities for the SFOT Family Retreat. The retreat was held at the Willow Valley resort in Lancaster, PA. We had a blast and the teens were awesome. The first night we went to LaserDome. Everyone got to play laser tag and got a bunch of tokens for the arcade, which was my favorite part. The teens had a great time too. After LaserDome we were starving, but it was 11:15. What do you do with 10 teens at 11:15? Of course, you look for the GOLDEN ARCHES! We ventured around Lancaster to find an open McDonalds. We found one, but only the drive thru was open. Yup 12 of us ordered from the drive through. God gave us the nicest McDonalds worker ever. She acted like she hit gold when we came through. All the teens yelled from the back of the van "THANK YOU." She was thrilled.

The next day it poured! OH MY. We had planned on going bowling and when we called about going there two weeks earlier they said they would be opened. But, when we called that morning to double check our directions, they then told us that the alley was open but to junior leagues, so there would be no open lanes! Joel and I just looked at each other and we thought the same thing..."what are we going to do?" We went to the teens who were waiting patiently and told them what happened. We expected moaning and groaning, but they said not to worry about it and we'll figure out something else. Joel jokingly said, "Anyone interested in going to the Intercourse, PA Pretzel Factory?" Surprisingly...They were all excited about it. So that's what we did - we went to INTERCOURSE! The factory was lame, but we all made the best of it. Our tour guide was about 12 years old and really didn't get too excited about the whole thing. But it was still a good time. After the factory, Joel called the alley to see if they might have 2 lanes open by then, AND THEY DID!! So we went and bowled a few games and ended up just having a really great time with the teens.

Being in the van with the teens was so much fun also. It reminded me of
when I was younger and our times of being really really loud in the van and joking and telling stupid stories. It was a lot of fun to reminisce.

Joel and I got to do some much needed clothes shopping also when we went to the outlets in Lancaster. We made out pretty well. It was so much fun. We also got to go in the jacuzzi every night and swim with the teens. It was just a great experience all around. We couldn't have had a nicer group to be with.

(Pic of all of us at the Bowling Alley)