Holiday Exhaustion

We are leaving to go home tomorrow AM. On the way we are going to stop by and see Adam, Les and Jules who we have not seen in forever. Our holiday was good. Saw more family than I can count. Also saw Julie, Taylor and Dave which was great. Ava is a professional at opening presents. She got a fabulous Radio Flyer tricycle with a wagon attached to the back.

In wedding news, we have booked a photographer and DJ. We also decided on a bakery to get the cake from. Church, reception hall, DJ, photographer, bakery and most of the attendants asked. Things are moving right along. Progress has been made. Sigh of relief.

Moving along

Today was wedding madness. Appointments with photographers and bakers. Converstaions with DJs. Because I have waited so long to book finding a photographer is a bit hard. I only found one guy I really liked and thought his work was within my ecpectations. My expectations being minimal cheese. The only problem is that he is twice what I am able to spend on a photographer. Decisions, decisions... I think we will just book him because finding someone else would be insanity. I believe we found the perfect baker/"pastry artist". That means he is cheap and good. I just want a really tall over the top cake. Not even like fondant fancy. Plain is ok as long as it is so tall it touches the ceiling. I found one DJ who seems ok and am waiting on a call back from another one. Progress is good. If I book a DJ, baker and photographer by the New Year I will be in business. Then after that comes all the making of things. Hours and hours of making things. This is when it is good to live near friends and family. Alas I will be the lone bride plugging away at her wedding extravaganza.

Home Again

We made it to Hazleton in one piece. It was touch and go for awhile. Ava has an ear infection and that can be rough. Seriously though everytime I come home my mother starts telling me what to do. It is so weird. She was reminding me about five times to turn the lights off before I went to bed. And encouraging me to go to bed early. It's funny, she is always in parent mode but when I am in her territory it is in super parent mode.

Tomorrow I am going for a magnetic treatment at my mother's chiropracter. I am super excited. I have never had it done before and you are supposed to feel fabulous afterwards.

Also in happy news, I have one confirmed A. Slammin'.

Freedom...Sort of...

So I have finally finished my finals. I think I did well. I'll update when I find out for sure. This semester went by quickly and I am beginning to believe I could actually graduate. The only real problems are those days when I hardly see Ava and the fact that I haven't done any wedding stuff since like September. I work better under pressure I think.

So as soon as I finished my exams last night, I had to wrap presents, finish writing Christmas cards and pack to go to my parents. I am happy to go home for a long week with Ava but of course my mother already has everyday scheduled. I have to fit some wedding stuff in there somewhere. Steven will be joining us on the 23rd. He will have four glorious days to himself this week. He is thrilled.

My parents arrived today and we had a rousing game of pinnochle tonight while we listened to Christmas music. I felt normal again. I have to say my bff Les and her family did make it to PA. They seem happy and are thrilled to have friends close by again. I miss having friends and especially a close group of friends. I have made a few friends at school and they are all great but it is not quite the same. I feel a bit lonely again but I am sure it will fade.

Floridians No More

So my BFF and crew are moving back to PA after 3 years in FL. I can't even stand it. Currently I am trying to figure out where they are. I haven't had contact in two days and may be having withdrawl. Actually she just has a really good way of calming me down. Let's all hope they have finally reached their destination.

She's a Brick House

Today was the Italian Civic Spaghetti Dinner for all the clients and staff at the Arc. They throw the dinner every year and apparently the clients look forward to it all year long. The food was no thrill but the company was great. I will mention that the mentally retarded community loves their disco. The YMCA brought the house down. Also at one point the DJ said "I know we have already played this song twice but Bobby was in the bathroom and would like to hear it". Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer came on and there was a rush to the dance floor. It was so cute and funny.

I really like working with this population so far. They are so sweet. The whole goal is to get this population more integrated into the community and as independent as possible but I just can't help being protective of them. It may be my downfall.

Chill

It is cold here. 15degrees. Plus we are having a snow storm tomorrow again. I love living in the snowbelt. Bundling Ava up is such a chore. She hates her winter jacket. We haven't been able to take her sled riding yet and I wish we could.

It seems like the semester will never end. I am a bit stressed. Yesterday I was using a phone card to call my best friend from Hazleton. The call wouldn't go through and then I called customer service three times trying to get a person and not a goofy voice prompter thing. I broke down in tears. When Steven came home from picking up salads we figured out that I had been dialing the wrong area code for my friend. This was my area code for about 22 years. I just lost it. I started bawling and went upstairs threw myself on the bed and decided to quit grad school. After a cookie and back massage I started my next paper. Crazy much?

Tense

Things are still ridicuously busy and out of control. Finals assignments and papers are kicking my ass. Now I have to put together a self esteem class for the mentally retarded at my internship. Of course it is also due finals week. So thanks. Anyway we caught a mouse which is good news. However, the same day we caught the mouse we found mouse poo on our couch. This confirms that they can climb up things which means they can get anywhere. It is terrifying. I am completely freaked. Anyway we are still using the traps which I feel are a bit unhumane but if we don't get the other ones (if there are other ones) I will die. I have no clue when I will write again. This finals crap is taking over my life. See you mid December.