Hanging with the Harveys

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T14:39:00.001-05:00

Tummy Time!

2009-12-18T15:11:00.009-05:00

Noah is getting so much better at tummy time... he no longer screams bloody murder when placed on his belly. Thank goodness! He's also getting stronger - holding his head up for much longer than before. He's a rock star!

We are such proud parents! We love you Noah.

Guess who's 11 weeks old...

2009-12-13T13:11:00.002-05:00

Happiness After a Diaper Change...

2009-12-10T14:55:00.003-05:00

Visit with Santa

2009-12-09T11:25:00.007-05:00

Noah met Santa at International Plaza on December 1st. Noah was so good, although he didn't smile for the camera... But, I guess no smile is better than tears!

International Plaza is so nicely decorated for the holidays. Santa's area is based on The Polar Express. It's really cute!

Meet My Friend, Mr. Gator...

2009-12-07T08:38:00.000-05:00

Heart Murmur

2009-12-05T23:22:00.004-05:00

Noah's pediatrician sent him for an EKG to see if he has a heart murmur. We had the appt on Wed and Noah did really well. Not only did he pass the EKG and oxygen tests, he was pretty content while we were there. He was talking and smiling... he is such a cutie... take a look.

The cardiologist said Noah has a heart murmur, but that it appears to be "closing tonight - it's THAT small." I was thrilled with the news. He has a follow-up visit in March to see if the tiny hole has indeed closed. Fingers crossed, all is okay.

Sleepy Time

2009-12-05T23:07:00.003-05:00

Meet Noah Andrew...

2009-10-15T20:44:00.012-04:00

Noah Andrew arrived on Friday, September 25, 2009 at 4:19 p.m. He was 10 days early... here's the reason why -

I had my weekly OB appointment the afternoon before he arrived. I ate chicken fried rice that afternoon for lunch (a rare craving) and then went to my appointment. The nurse took my blood pressure about four times because it was unusually high (REALLY HIGH). So they checked my feet - yes, they were REALLY swollen (but they had been for several weeks). And because I had a headache earlier that week, the doctor wanted me to be immediately admitted to Women's Hospital. Then he told me I would deliver my son the next day...

I started to panic. I thought I had about 10 more days to mentally prepare for labor! I literally just watched the birthing DVD the night before while Brian was at the Rays/Mariners baseball game. I couldn't believe this was happening. After I was admitted, medicine was given to begin the dilation process. I didn't sleep that night - due to stress and pain from the contractions... I just sat in bed watching Brian snore in the tiny recliner he had to sleep in that night. ;-) Late morning that Friday, I was in severe pain. Asked for the epidural and it took what felt like an ETERNITY for the doctor to come administer it. That was painful, but nothing like the contractions I was feeling at that point. I just wanted the pain to go away, so who cares about having a HUGE needle in your spine!

After dilating to 10 cm, there were several nurses telling me to push and push and push. I was scolded for not pushing hard enough... After an hour plus of that, the head nurse wanted to get my OB on the phone for an "evaluation." Her face was very serious and that worried me. Come to find out, Noah's heart rate dropped significantly every time I had a contraction. Given this, my doc came in immediately and ordered an emergency c-section. I was rushed to the operating room and was told I would have my son here in about three minutes. I started crying because I was worried for Noah. The doctors and nurses were so kind to me - they tried to comfort me and assure me Noah would be okay. Brian made his way to the operating room a minute before Noah arrived (he had to drop off our bags to my mom in the waiting room since the nurses wouldn't watch our stuff and we'd lose our room immediately). Sure enough, within minutes - Noah Andrew was here! And we were relieved to hear him crying.

Noah is such a sweetie pie! He rarely cries (unless he's been waiting for some time for a bottle to be made or he needs to be changed). And even so, he doesn't really cry - just gets fussy! We are very blessed to have such a wonderful baby. Words cannot express just how much we love our little guy!

Baby's First Chair

2009-06-02T19:47:00.004-04:00

Don't you just LOVE it!!! Go Gators!

Level 2 Sonogram Update

2009-06-02T19:22:00.009-04:00

The past week has been beyond stressful... ever since I received the call that my second AFP test returned positive (as the first did), I haven't been able to breathe, sleep, or relax. With support and many prayers from family and friends, we got through the week and had a successful sonogram this morning. All I could do is tear up whenever the technician told us "the spine looks good" or "the brain looks great."

It's amazing how much of our baby boy they examined, which I'm most thankful for. He has five fingers and toes on each hand and foot, heart and organs that look good, and bones/eyes/mouth/nose that looked good as well. What a sigh of relief!!! He was constantly moving, so it was a bit difficult for the tech to get the pics she needed, but she was very patient. :) She was able to capture all the areas she needed to and after the doctor reviewed them, we got the thumbs up.

The baby currently weighs 15 ounces and has a heartbeat of 148 beats/min.

We have another Level 2 sonogram in 8 weeks to ensure the baby is growing properly in utero. At that time, I will be 30 weeks along. I can't wait to see our little one again...

Thanks to each of you for your many prayers and positive thoughts. We couldn't have gotten through the week without your support. We love you!

Here are a few pics from today ~

Latest Ultrasound Pics

2009-05-14T20:25:00.008-04:00

Last Friday evening, we had our 2nd ultrasound appointment. Since I was almost 19 weeks at the time, the doctor was optimistic we would be able to find out if the baby is a boy or girl... Lucky for us, our lil' one is NOT shy and bared all pretty quickly. So, the tech said she was 100% it's a BOY!

My belly is definitely expanding - quickly! It's cool to know that people know I'm pregnant by looking at me, and not just thinking I've packed on some poundage. Oddly enough, while my belly is getting bigger, I haven't gained any weight during the pregnancy (yet). I'm sure that'll change at our next doctor's appointment in two weeks. At some point, the scale is going to move up and up (especially with all the food I've been inhaling lately). My appetite has definitely resurfaced the last two weeks. I'm still pretty tired all day, every day. And I still LOVE taking naps and going to bed earlier than usual.

We are so happy to be having a baby and so excited that it's a boy!

Blessed & Overjoyed

2009-04-12T12:43:00.017-04:00

Brian and I are over-the-moon to be expecting a baby this October! It is something we've hoped and prayed for - for a very long time. Just when we thought it was another failed month - Brian asked me to take a home pregnancy test. We had one left from months prior. I honestly didn't think we had conceived. Maybe I was just too bummed about our miscarriage a few months before, that I just couldn't believe I was.. Even after the HPT came back with the joyous words - PREGNANT - I still was afraid to get excited as we did previously. So, this time, we kept the news to ourselves - until we were about 10 weeks along and had our first appointment and ultrasound.

Given the positioning of the screen, I wasn't able to see much of anything until the tech printed some pics. I've included some of the pics below...

Brian was able to see the baby moving - boxing, actually. He's started calling our baby - "lil Chuck Liddell" - as in the UFC fighter. Ha-ha! I love seeing Brian so excited. I like to call our baby jellybean.

The tech tracked the baby's heart rate at 168 beats per minute. The tech thought it was too early for us to hear the heartbeat, so we didn't get a chance to hear the heartbeat until a few weeks later at my next OB appointment. When we actually heard the heartbeat, I was simply giddy with happiness. It was such a special day for us!

We are loving every minute of this pregnancy... overall, I've felt pretty good. Just a few battles of nausea. I've been really tired, so I take plenty of naps, whenever possible. My cravings have dwindled a bit. For a while, I was craving green olives on everything. And one time, I REALLY wanted a Whopper with cheese from Burger King. And let me tell 'ya, that was the best Whopper I've ever had! :-) I've had trouble sleeping, so I finally purchased a pregnancy pillow last week. It's been a tremendous help in alleviating the back and body aches I had while sleeping. What a fantastic purchase!

We are looking forward to what lies ahead. In a few weeks, we have another appointment. I don't think we'll find out the baby's gender until the appointment after next... we can't wait to find out! I think it's a girl, but we'll have to wait and see!

For Brian...

2009-02-14T13:23:00.003-05:00

I LOVE this song... dedicated to my hubby ~

Plain White T's - 1, 2, 3, 4

Happy Valentine's Day!

Lucky

2009-02-14T10:45:00.011-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

To celebrate this overly commercialized day, I decided to share my love of music.

Jason Mraz's "Lucky" has been one of my favorite songs the past few months. So much so, that it's Brian's ring tone on my cell. :-) The video is somewhat new. Although I don't think the video does the song justice, it's still okay.

Hope you have a special V-Day! Enjoy the song!

LUCKY video

National Chomp-ions!

2009-01-09T12:18:00.009-05:00

It's Great to be a Florida Gator... CHOMP! CHOMP!

I am so proud of our Gator football team! They played a great game last night... Though I was stressed the entire game.

Time to check out Football Fanatics and see what goodies they're selling. ;-)

GO GATORS!

A Man of Many Faces

2009-01-06T18:09:00.029-05:00

Those of you that know my husband, know that he has quite the sense of humor! He ALWAYS has something funny/silly coming out of his mouth... That said - Brian has a way of making me laugh and smile all of the time. Even when I'm quite the crab-o. Even when I'm mad at him. One look at one of his many silly faces and I crack up laughing!

His motto for 2009 is "Nice in 09." Brian doesn't need this motto to be nice - as he's one of the most kind, generous, caring, loving people I know... I think the saying is more for me actually. He's trying to get me to not stress or worry as much as I normally do. This has been a bit of a struggle for me for some time now, so whenever the crazy Jolee comes out - he says "nice in 09, nice in 09!" While I know he stresses about work and stuff, he doesn't allow those things to bring him down. Oh, how I wish I could be more like him...

And then there's the annoyed, "stop taking pictures of me" face...

I married Brian for many reasons - but most of all because he makes me laugh. His humor brightens my life and I love him so much for all the smiles he continues to bring my way. I am a very lucky girl.

Gatorlicious

2009-01-05T18:17:00.008-05:00

The day of the SEC Championship game a few weeks back, Brian replaced the bulbs that light up our front garage area with a blue and an orange bulb. It looks so adorable! Thanks Patrick for giving us the idea!

Our house is Gatorlicious!

New to the Pond

2009-01-04T15:52:00.006-05:00

We returned from our trip to find a whole slew of animals swimming in our back pond... this is just the side closest to our house. It doesn't include the others that were swimming on the other side of the water.

Hmm...I wonder if the alligator made it's way to another waterhole...

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T10:56:00.051-05:00

I am happy to announce that I actually made it through the countdown last night and was up till 12:15 a.m. Last year, I was in bed by 10 p.m. Very sad, I know.

We spent Christmas this year in Phoenix with Brian's mom and brothers. This was the first Christmas all were together in a really long time, so it was definitely special. To everyone's surprise, the weather in Phoenix was much cooler than anticipated (30s-40s). The cold weather was a bit much for me at times, since I didn't really pack appropriately. I originally had several sweaters packed based on the weather forecast on TWC, but Brian told me I wouldn't need them... Who knew that The Weather Channel would on target with the weather forecast? :-) I guess they had a snow storm in Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon right before and during our time there.

Overall, the trip was nice. We spent time together as a family and were able to meet Jeff's girlfriend, Krista. We played pool, ping-pong, went bowling, and ate plenty of cookies. I bowled an all-time high score of 150... YEAH! I really wish we went bowling more often. Prior to last week, we haven't bowled in over a year. Ping-pong was really fun. It was challenging to understand the rules of the game. It seemed as though everyone had their version of "the rules" so I never really knew what was going on...

Brian, Aaron and I drove to Sedona the day after Christmas. On the way there, we stopped at Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well. Both very interesting! Sedona was cool - just a lot of road construction. The signs and barricades made it difficult to see the area.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

On the drive back from Sedona, we approached this dark cloud... ended up being a snow storm. This was the first snow fall I've seen - ever! Brian pulled off to the side of the interstate so that I can truly see the snow and enjoy it. If you look hard enough at the pic of me below, you'll see snow on my red sweater... It was way cool!

On Sunday, we went to the Cardinals game since they were playing the Seattle Seahawks. It was cold outside, but it was much cooler inside the dome... The security at the stadium wouldn't allow me to enter with my camera bag since it was bigger than 12". WHAT? Where did they get this stupid rule from??? We've been to several stadiums and none of them required me to go back to the car to drop off my camera bag. And by the way, they didn't seem to apply this rule uniformly, given that we saw several others with backpacks and diaper bags that were bigger than my camera bag. Urgh! As expected, the Seahawks lost the game. I was disappointed with the stadium, the Cardinal fans, and the TINY jumbo-tron. The fans acted as though they were NFL Champs already - very out-of-line and crude. The Cardinals organization doesn't do much to get their fans excited, nor do the play the right music to get fans out of their seats. I guess I'm used to the atmosphere at the Bucs stadium... it's a "party" the entire time - regardless of score or team affiliation. And us Bucs fans are in no way shape or form rude and crude like the Cardinals. So, given that their fans don't know how to behave - I REALLY want the Atlanta Falcons to BURY the Arizona Cardinals this weekend in their playoff game. Go Falcons!

Favorite Holiday Movies

2008-12-10T19:49:00.026-05:00

This is my favorite time of year. I love the holiday music, lighted houses, decorations, and of course holiday movies! There have been so many holiday movies made, but Brian and I have narrowed it down to our favorites...

Our Top 5 Holiday Movies
1) Love Actually (FANTASTIC)
2) Just Friends (I swear one of the funniest movies around)
3) The Family Stone (Great family film) / The Holiday (Very much a girly movie)
4) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (All-time classic)
5) A Christmas Story (Who can forget the leg lamp?)

Honorable Mentions: This Christmas; You've Got Mail

Sorry, I know it's supposed to be a Top 5, but I really enjoy them all. Though I'm sure Brian can do without the first four. :-) He also wanted to put HOOSIERS on the list, but it isn't a Christmas movie. He said it was snowing in a few scenes :-)

With all the holiday movies out there we're all bound to have our favorites. So, we'd like to know...

What are YOUR Top 5 Holiday Movies???

We'd love to hear from you!

Welcome to the Neighborhood!

2008-12-09T17:34:00.003-05:00

We have a new neighbor in Bahia Lakes... an alligator! Over the past few weeks, Brian has been stalking it. Every morning and afternoon he's looking out our back patio to see if he sees the gator. It's like he's excited that the gator made the man-made pond behind our house his new home. I, on the other hand, am terrified of real gators, so I don't like the fact that it's here. Oh well, can't very well ask it to leave - right?

It's Great to be a Florida Gator!

2008-12-06T19:35:00.018-05:00

Oh my! The Gators just won the SEC championship game over Alabama. It was a very intense game... I honestly didn't think we'd pull it off, especially given that one of our best players (Percy Harvin) was out with an ankle injury. But, with some luck, some great plays, and a Heisman quarterback - WE WON! Tim Tebow is my hero... and the future husband of so many Gator girls! ;-) Gator nation should be very proud.

Brian and I went to the SEC championship game in 2006 and it was truly one of the best games we've ever been to (of course nothing tops the 1996 National Championship game in New Orleans). The stadium, the atmosphere, the excitement. Wish we could have been there again this year.

Hopefully, the BCS system will put us in the National Championship game in Miami. We'll find out soon enough.

I'll leave you with photos from the 2006 National Championship celebration at Florida Field on 1/15/07... It's Great to be a Florida Gator!

Family Visit

2008-11-23T17:23:00.033-05:00

Brian and I had an emotionally-draining week... Thanks to our family and friends for your love, support and prayers during this very difficult time. We are so blessed to have such amazing family and friends.

After a heartbreaking week , it was nice to have my brother Andy & family visit. We hadn't seen them since April, so this visit was long overdue. It was really nice to spend some time with them.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

We had dinner with them Friday & Saturday night, and took them around Apollo Beach and to see the manatees. The manatees were REALLY cool. We've been there a few times, but we've never seen so many manatees there at one time. One of the volunteers told us there were 86 manatees there yesterday. The kids were intrigued by the manatees, so it was cool to see them so excited. I find looking at the manatees soothing and relaxing. Brian and I should spend more time there. It's a great de-stresser (and it's totally free).

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

After the manatees, we drove them down the street to E.G. Simmons park to hang out and see the water... Flora really liked the soft sand, while Chance liked throwing rocks/seashells into the water.

Gators stomp the Bulldogs!

2008-11-02T13:46:00.004-05:00

UF beat GA 49-10... awesome game! Click here for highlights.

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T09:54:00.004-04:00

Brian and Patrick tried on old halloween costumes earlier this week. It was very comical... so of course I took pictures! Enjoy!

Have a safe & Happy Halloween!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Seahawks @ Bucs

2008-10-23T21:32:00.006-04:00

As promised, below are photos from the game last Sunday...

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Sports-filled Weekend

2008-10-21T16:41:00.012-04:00

Brian and I had a blast this weekend...

On Saturday, we went to game 6 of the ALCS playoffs. We tailgated for a few hours before the game. I've never tailgated for a baseball game, but it was cool. It was exciting to see the fans supporting the Rays team. Unfortunately, the Tampa Bay Rays lost 4-2 that night - but, the good news is they won game 7 on Sunday. GO RAYS!

Brian went to both game 1 and game 6 - both of which the Rays lost. So, given that, he's forbidden to attend any of the World Series games! :-) We didn't get home from the game till 2 a.m.! We were so tired on Sunday, but had more plans for Sunday...

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Sunday night we went to see the Bucs vs. Seahawks game. The weather was a bit chilly - but perfect for a football game. Throughout the game, the Bucs honored my FAVORITE Bucs player of all time - #40 Mike Alstott - with shout outs from various sports personnel and celebrities. During half-time, they retired his number #40. It was quite emotional. I'm so happy I was able to be there for the tribute. He was truly a fantastic player and I'm so sad he had to retire. GO BUCS! The Bucs played well. The Seahawks not so much... I felt bad for Brian. His team has only won one game so far this season... We left after the half-time tribute, so that we can get home at a reasonable hour (11:30 p.m.). I mean, both Brian and I had to work on Monday (and I was scheduled to conduct interviews till 8 p.m.)

Pictures from the Bucs game to come soon!

UF 51, LSU 21

2008-10-12T13:05:00.012-04:00

What a great football game yesterday. UF played much better than Brian or I (or anyone else) had anticipated. It was such an exciting game to watch... I just had to share some gator love...

GO GATORS!

Remembering Alex

2008-10-04T10:06:00.039-04:00

I met Alejandro "Alex" Ferrera in 1st grade. We both attended Tampa Bay Elementary and we were both good friends with my neighbors across the street - Jenelle and Albert. He was buds with Albert; I with Albert's older sis Jenelle. We spent countless hours there - hanging out, playing Nintendo, playing outside and acting goofy.

We were more than best friends, we were more like siblings. He was my protector and I his. Don't know how many talks we had about our individual love interests. We gave each other advice frequently. We were so close, I used to tell him he was my "local" brother - since my brother lived in Atlanta with my dad.

Sadly, on Sat., 10/4/1997, my best bud died in a car accident. I was at UF and vividly remember how I heard the news... Monica and I were up really early that morning and were out running errands - grocery shopping and hitting Wal-Mart. When we returned, Melissa told us that Lucy called the apartment wanting to talk to either me or Monica. Lucy always called Monica (never me), so I was confused why she'd want to talk to me. So, Monica called Lucy while I stood nearby... all I heard Monica say was "Alex? Oh my God!" and I immediately thought Monica was speaking of her cousin Alex. As Lucy relayed the details of car accident to Monica, Monica passed the info along to me. When I learned that my Alex died in a car accident earlier that morning - I sat on the floor stunned. I couldn't believe it (and didn't want to). Alex was just 20 years old. It didn't seem fair. After hearing the heartbreaking news, I wanted to get to Tampa immediately, but first had to break the news to my mom, pack, shower, etc. I couldn't leave fast enough!

Alex was killed in a head-on collision about 4:15 a.m. that Saturday near the intersection of Florida & Fowler Avenues. His red 1995 Toyota Tercel was twisted by the impact that killed him instantly. Based on witness accounts, Alex was driving south in a northbound lane of Florida Avenue and did not have his headlights on at the time of the crash. Deputies estimate he was driving about 50 mph when he slammed head-on into a 1989 Chevrolet full-size van. No one knew why Alex was driving on the wrong side of the street, but as far as I know alcohol was not a factor.

Words can't describe how terrible I felt for Alex's family. Earlier that year in March they lost their only daughter in a car accident. Crista was a passenger in a vehicle that was hit by a drunk driver. She was hospitalized for a few weeks before passing. Crista was 21. Only the eldest sibling - Paolo - was alive. It was such a terrible, heartbreaking year for the Ferrera family.

On my drive home to Tampa, I cried and cried... I wondered how all this could be true? My Alex? The Alex I just hung out with two weeks prior? I remembered our last time together - I stopped by his house before returning to Gville, and we talked on his porch while we watched Buccaneer fans head toward the stadium for the football game. He talked about how much his missed Crista and how badly he wanted to be with her. We had a deep conversation about life and then I left back to UF. I wrote him a letter the week before he passed telling him how much he meant to me and even though he missed Crista that he needed to be here with his family and friends. We needed him here. He should have received the letter a day or two before the accident. I'm still baffled about it all. And I still wonder if he ever read the letter I mailed to him.

Alex was always cool and always stood out in a crowd... he was the center of attention and everyone gravitated towards him. He had a way of making everyone smile and have a good time. He was the life of the party. He loved Marvin the Martian and spent many hours drawing the cartoon. He also gave the BEST hugs! Hugs so tight and full of love, they would take your breath away. No one has ever been able to replicate his hugs. After he passed, I told myself that I didn't want to forget the sound of his voice or his infectious laughter. As time went on, I regretfully have forgotten them. All I want is to remember his voice and it pains me that I can't.

Eleven years have passed and I still miss my best friend, Alex... dearly. I miss our talks... I miss his hugs... I miss his laughter... and most of all, I miss the sound of his voice.

The photo below is from 1994 - after a pep rally - Class of 1995

The photo below is from 1996 - when a group of us were getting ready to go clubbing in Ybor City

The photo below is from Summer 1997 when I had friends over my house for a summer gathering.

Alejandro "Alex" Ferrera
8/11/77 - 10/4/97

And the stealing continues...

2008-09-30T12:47:00.006-04:00

Saw this on Yahoo today... The former Seattle SuperSonics are now the Oklahoma City Thunder. They unveiled their new jerseys.

YUCK!

Based on the article, the jerseys look familiar to that of another team... so Bennett continues to steal from others... LOSER!

A Love for Guacamole

2008-09-27T20:42:00.005-04:00

JC Mirasola LOVES guacamole - as you can see below. I couldn't resist taking a few photos of him eating... he had guac EVERYWHERE! :-)

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Go Rays

2008-09-21T12:22:00.007-04:00

After having the worst record in MLB last year, the Tampa Bay Rays clinched a spot in the playoffs yesterday by beating the Minnesota Twins 7-2!

(Today's Sports page cover of The Tampa Tribune)

Go Rays!

I've been tagged...

2008-09-17T20:21:00.019-04:00

So, I was tagged by one of my college roommates, Melissa, to post six quirky things about myself.

Here are the rules:
1) Link to the person who tagged you.
2) Mention the rules on your blog.
3) Tell about six unspectacular quirks of yours.
4) Tag six fellow bloggers by linking them.
5) Leave a comment on each of the six blogger's blogs letting them know they have been tagged.

Hmm ... this was really difficult, but here's what I came up with -

1) In true Virgo fashion, I am a bit crazy about things being in their place. I can't focus when things are not where they should be (shower curtain wide open when no one is showering, dresser drawers left even slightly open, toilet paper not on the holder, etc). Drives me crazy!

2) I won't drive by myself at night to get gas in my car (or anywhere for that matter). Don't know why - just don't do it. Poor Brian gets the wrath when I ask him to come with me somewhere and he doesn't want to go. :-)

3) Typos (especially on a resume) drive me bananas! You can't imagine how many senior level, educated folks have sent me emails (or resumes) with typos. Can someone please show them how to use spell check?

4) I FREAK if I see anyone’s purse on the floor. My family is from Cuba, and I’ve always been told it’s bad luck and brings money trouble. So, I’m that crazy friend (and coworker) that tells people to pick their purse off the floor. Yes, I know I’m weird (but at least I acknowledge it).

5) I could eat pasta and ice-cream every day and never get sick of it! But, then again if I did - I’d have to submit a tape to be selected on the show “The Biggest Loser!” While I LOVE ice-cream and pasta, I don’t think I’m ready for all that exercising and crying!

6) The dishwasher has to be loaded from back to front. I don’t want to see any glasses in the front of the rack when there’s plenty of room behind it. I tend to re-organize the dishwasher a bit.

According to the rules, I'm supposed to tag six more people... but, being that my blog contacts are minimal - I can only tag my sis-in-law Stephanie. What are your quirks?

Re-energized

2008-09-17T20:21:00.013-04:00

I attended the annual HR Tampa conference today. I try to attend every year, as they usually schedule excellent presenters/topics. This year was no different. All of the speakers and breakout sessions were GREAT, and each gave me ideas to incorporate into my life as a Recruiter/HR professional.

These sessions came just in time. Over the past year, I've been REALLY stressed at work, but didn't really feel challenged - just overwhelmed. I've worked many hours each week - but haven't felt like I've made much progress. And I actually began to question whether or not I wanted to continue in the recruiting field. I felt so disconnected from the HR world. I was drained.

But, after today - I feel RE-ENERGIZED! As I sat in these sessions, my mind was racing! I came up with several ideas to not only enhance my career, but improve how a few things are handled at work. Some of the improvements seem minor, but I think will make an impact on our employees - especially new hires. Right now, I handle the recruiting function (and have a lot on my plate as the only Recruiter), but I want to incorporate on-boarding and leadership development into my functions. I mean, these go hand-in-hand with the recruiting role (at least I think so). Recruiting, on-boarding of new hires, and developing future managers/leaders within the organization - how cool! I am going to spend my free time researching these functions to learn as much as I can, so I can come prepared to discuss with my manager during one of our weekly one-on-one meetings. I may need to work on this slowly though as she recently offered me another project...

When I interviewed for my position, I explained how I wanted to learn more about compensation and was told that perhaps I could work on comp projects as a Recruiter. I've always had an interest in learning about the compensation role, but never had an opportunity to learn from/observe anyone in the position (since I've never been based out of a corporate office). I even looked into taking online classes to receive my CCP certification. Since my interview (nearly two years ago), my manager has remembered my interest in comp and recently offered me to participate in the annual merit review process starting in December. It's approximately a four month project. There's a lot involved with it - spreadsheets, following up with supervisors, reviewing performance assessments, working with Corporate compensation, etc. One HR Generalist handles the process each year for our business unit, but I will be assisting her with it this time around. Definitely will add a ton of more work to my already full plate, but I'm VERY excited in taking part in this process and want to do a great job!

Thanks HR Tampa (& fabulous speakers) for inspiring and challenging me to make a difference, to learn more, and to aspire to give more for the betterment of our organizations and employees. All the things I set out to do years ago, but somehow lost track of for a brief moment.

My Husband, the Great

2008-09-10T20:33:00.008-04:00

So, I lost one of my pearl earrings when we first moved into the house. It was a pair given to me by my mom and grandmother when I was a teenager. I didn't really value them as I should've till just a few years ago. I was really upset I had lost them and talked to Brian about it all the time.

Brian has always given GREAT gifts. He listens to the things I really want or need, and at any given occasion - SURPRISE! I love that he listens to the details. Even though his listening skills are truly selective. None the less - he listens.

For my 31st birthday, he bought me pearl earrings from my FAVORITE jewelry store in the world... Tiffany & Co! I absolutely LOVE them! I don't ever want to take them off, but I will. I'll take excellent care of them. I don't want anything to happen to them.

I can't wait to buy the strand of pearls to match. It's such a classic set. But, the necklace will have to wait. I'm going to need to designate a savings account to save for it! :-)

Goodbye 30, HELLO 31

2008-09-10T20:23:00.005-04:00

Today I turn thirty-one. It's a bit strange to know that I'm no longer just thirty... I've actually begun my climb into thirty-something. My twenties were great; I hope my thirties are even better!

Some exciting things occurred during my 30th year - we moved into our first new home and Brian was promoted to Assistant Principal. I have so much to be thankful for - a loving husband, wonderful family, great friends, promising career, new home... There's still so much more I want to do and become. There's a lot to look forward to in the upcoming year. I hope year 31 is as good as (or better than) my 30th.

Thank you all for your birthday wishes! Your thoughtfulness and generosity are overwhelming.

I am truly blessed.

Happy Birthday, Monica!

2008-09-02T17:24:00.007-04:00

Legal to drink 10 years ago,
Back when we thought 30 was old.
Now 31 and a lot has changed,
With husbands to love and babies to raise.
And though we don't see each other as often as we did back then,
You're still one of my very best friends.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MONICA!

I found this picture yesterday... it's from your 21st birthday. Gosh that was a fun night out in downtown Gainesville. The week of partying was fun... three Virgo roommates - all turning 21 within a week's time... CRAZY! Oh, at that's Melissa putting bunny ears behind us... Awww, do you remember the gigantic 3/2 apartment we had for only $600 a month? Those were the days!

We've been friends for a very long time (at least 16 years) and been through a lot together - good and bad. And despite all of the crazy stuff, we've managed to stick together. I love you like a sister. I hope you have a FABULOUS 31!

Love ya,
Jolee
(sorry for the cheesy poem - I thought of it today at lunch)

P.S. - I wish I could still fit into those size 2 pants in the picture! Hmmm... how much exercise would I have to do to get back into a size 2?? :-)

It's Shutter Time!

2008-08-19T19:14:00.011-04:00

With the threat of Hurricane Fay, we decided to put up our shutters yesterday (for the first time). It was a team effort to get both of our houses done. Then, Brian and Patrick were so kind to offer their help to one of our other neighbors - Roland. We think we started a trend (or scared everyone else in Bahia Lakes), because eight additional neighbors put up their shutters last night! :-)

After the shutters were up, the inside of our houses were SO DARK! It was weird! Thankfully, Fay turned more East than originally expected, so we only had a lot of wind (no rain though). So, needless to say - shutters were down by 6pm tonight.

Below is a slideshow of us putting up the shutters. Below that are a few pics of the sky today at 10am.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Over five years later...

2008-08-05T21:29:00.007-04:00

Those of you who know Brian, know that he HATES vegetables and has refused to eat them for years. It's hard for me to believe that this list of his even includes corn (strange, I know). This has been a real challenge for me for years now. It's been difficult to plan a meal, making sure vegetables aren't included, especially since I enjoy eating them. There have been times where he's actually picked them out. I don't really understand his resistance to even "try" them, but then again I didn't eat many of the vegetables I eat now until college.

Last week, I made yellow rice & chicken (with sweet peas). Brian must have been in a really good mood (or just delirious), but he actually ate the sweet peas! This is something I've tried to get him to do since we met over five years ago! FINALLY!

I was shocked... Even though I had witnesses (our awesome neighbors), I couldn't pass the opportunity to capture this miracle on film!

Mr. & Mrs. Zeiler

2008-08-05T20:54:00.008-04:00

A month ago today, Mark & Renee became husband and wife... I've wanted to post pictures from their wedding for weeks now, but given that I took over 400 pictures of their special day - I was scared to download all of those pics to my ever-so-slow laptop. Anything to prevent my laptop from becoming any SLOWER! So, anyways - a month later I bit the bullet and downloaded them all... here's a few for your viewing pleasure...

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Brian and I had a blast at their wedding. The fact that my hubby actually DANCED at the reception was a special treat for me! I wish he danced more often - it's so much fun to be out on the dance floor with him.

My Hubby is Heartbroken

2008-07-23T14:57:00.012-04:00

About three weeks ago, THE announcement was made.

THE one that broke my darling husband's heart in many, many, many little pieces... the Seattle SuperSonics are no more. Their TERRIBLE owner moved the team where he wanted it all along - to Oklahoma City. And the NBA Commissioner - David Stern didn't do much to save the team either.

Brian has been so upset over losing his hometown NBA team - the one he grew up watching (even when they lost more games than not). He's been searching eBay for memorabilia - especially since the team's website DISAPPEARED the day after the announcement was made! He wants to keep the memories he's had throughout the years Alive! The Seattle Times has a great memory site... take a look - http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics

ESPN commentators have discussed possible names for the new Oklahoma City team. The best one so far - the one that truly defines the new team and their ownership = The Outlaws!

I just hope Seattle builds a new stadium so they can get another team soon. Brian will be anti-NBA until then - I'm sure of it!

Holy Snake!

2008-06-30T22:13:00.007-04:00

Once upon a time, in a far, far away land (called the "Ru"), there lived a fair maiden. One Friday evening, as she waited for her prince (outside their castle) to go out to dinner, a HUGE black snake invaded her space. She initially thought it was a fake snake - one in which the jester next door left in humor... however, when the snake opened it's mouth - the fair maiden started SCREAMING for her prince and the jester next door (and then ran as far away from the castle as she could). Both the prince and jester came to her rescue and fought the snake to its death! Although the snake did put up quite the fight!!!

The prince and jester saved the day and saved the land of the "Ru".

Jordyn Elizabeth

2008-06-06T17:41:00.006-04:00

Mark and Kim welcomed their baby girl on May 28th! Brian and I spent some time with Jordyn on Sunday... she's so beautiful! Congratulations Mark and Kim!

Jordyn with Uncle Brian

end of school bbq

2008-06-06T17:24:00.007-04:00

To celebrate the end of the school year (and Brian's promotion to Assistant Principal), we had some friends and family over our place last weekend. Instead of barbecuing in the 90+ degree weather, we decided to pick up our favorite bbq from First Choice. We had a great time hanging out with everyone - especially little JC. He's such a cutie!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Happy Birthday, Sophia!

2008-05-26T16:23:00.005-04:00

We drove to Cape Coral on Sunday to celebrate Sophia's 1st birthday! Sophia is the daughter of Harley (Brian's college buddy) and Teresa. And Sophia is ever so cute! Just like her brother (Harley Cole) and cousins... this Brazilian family is packed with beauty! Take a look for yourself ~

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Such Dedication

2008-05-26T12:17:00.017-04:00

Ever since we moved into the house over five months ago, Brian and Patrick (our neighbor) have dedicated much of their time tending to the lawn. They have spent every free moment watering, edging, fertilizing... Not to mention several trips to Lesco in Bradenton for fertilizer.

They have sweated and stressed over the lawn day-in and day-out. They work until they literally pass out in the garage from the terrible humidity and bright sunshine! Their hard work has paid off... well, partially... the backyard is looking great! The grass in the backyard is Bahia. While it's gone through its brown stage, the turnaround process has been much easier than the front.

The frontyard has more to go in terms of lush, green grass, mainly because St. Augustine grass is a bit of a pain to maintain. But, I have to say that it's definitely looking much greener than it previously did.

Here are a few photos of our backyard.

The Evergreen State

2008-05-08T15:29:00.018-04:00

We traveled to Washington last weekend for Sam's college graduation (see prior post). Brian and I had a blast!

We drove from Everett to Pullman, about a 6 1/2 hour trip. Along the way, we saw many beautiful, natural places (thanks to Mike & Deb). In and around the Seattle area, there are TONS of really tall trees. As you travel East, the trees disappear and you see nothing but farmland and crops... green manure, apple trees, hay, potato, and more. Pretty much everywhere I looked, I saw mountains in the distance. It's really cool!

Early in our drive, we stopped in Snoqualmie Pass - where there was SNOW! I had so much fun walking on the snow and gathering it in my hands! I had the biggest grin on my face the entire time! I can't believe there was still snow in early May! Born and raised in Florida, I've only seen snow once before in Colorado (over Memorial weekend three years ago)... but, the snow was old and melting. Unlike Colorado, Snoqualmie Pass had fresh snow - since it snowed two weeks prior to our trip. I don't know that I could handle a snow storm, but I definitely want to see more snow!

To get to our hotel, we had to drive 45 minutes Southeast from Pullman. We were in Idaho for a few minutes (Lewiston) before circling back around on the highway to Clarkston, WA. We saw Univ of Idaho (only six miles from WSU) and drove through Moscow, Idaho. It was fun.

On the drive back to Everett, we went a different route and saw more beautiful places... many small towns - including Starbuck... Palouse Falls (gorgeous waterfall!)... Wenatchee (Rocky Reach Dam)... Leavenworth (cute Bavarian town)...

While we saw a lot in only four days, there is still so much to discover in Washington and the Northwest. I can't wait!

Thank you Mike & Deb for making our trip so special!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Goodbye Wazoo!

2008-05-06T18:42:00.005-04:00

Pop Rocks,

Congratulations Washington State graduate! Over the last four years, you have worked hard and played even harder. We are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished. And even though life after college may seem a little scary, we know that you will kick butt in whatever you put your heart into. We can't wait to see what designs you bring to Free Ink...

Thank you for being such a fabulous tour guide and showing us around your beautiful campus - "Super Cow", the bears, Ferdinand's. We now understand why you decided to attend WSU vs. UW... Go Cougs!

We love you ~
Brian & Jolee

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Never Enough Time

2008-04-28T20:21:00.010-04:00

We went to Georgia this weekend to visit our niece and nephew, Flora & Chance. Their birthdays are only a few weeks apart, so they held a joint birthday party. Chance is now 10, Flora will turn 6 on Sunday. It's amazing how time flies! I remember when they were born. It just seems so long ago now. Both of them have grown up so fast! Every time I see them I'm amazed at how they've changed. Both are so smart and just really good kids! Flora soaks up the spotlight every chance she gets - always jumping, dancing, talking, etc. She's very animated! She LOVES the camera and poses every time she sees the camera looking her way. Chance is a little more reserved - more into building things and playing video games. I wish we saw them more frequently. Every time we see them, it's usually over a short time frame. It's NEVER enough time...

Visit from Seattle

2008-04-13T10:09:00.012-04:00

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Viewing the Manatees

2008-03-16T20:56:00.007-04:00

Brian & I decided to take a 5-minute drive this afternoon to see the manatees at the Teco Manatee Viewing Center. This was our first visit, so we were surprised at how many manatees were actually visible in the canal! The manatees were simply adorable. Their slow and gentle movements intrigued us. They are quite the sight! It's terrible how many manatees die because of boaters. These poor mammals had so many scars on their bodies...I took over 100 pictures for the 30 minutes we were there. We'll have to make this a routine visit. It was just so relaxing to watch the manatees glide along the water. We can't wait to bring Brian's family when they visit soon...

Time to celebrate! "Roll the Dough"

2008-03-02T21:26:00.009-05:00

Brian celebrated his 32nd birthday on Thursday. On Saturday, we held a small gathering to celebrate. We enjoyed some yummy BBQ from First Choice, watched funny clips of Rob & Big, played Texas Hold'em, and watched the (very late) UFC fight... It was great to have his closest friends over. We had such a great time!

How I Love Thee

2008-02-19T20:29:00.008-05:00

Brian ~

After a hellacious weekend of sweating out the flu... I just have to thank you for being so attentive, caring, and worried (did I mention bossy?). This was the first time in our five-year relationship that I've had a fever for four days straight. Regardless of what I did or didn't do - my fever wouldn't go away...Initially, you called my doctor & she actually called you back even though it was after 6pm on Valentine's Day. Then you called my mom, your mom, your dad... Gave me ice packs for my scalding hot head, tylenol, told me to keep sleeping, brought me tissues, water, took my temperature every hour or so. You didn't know what else to do to make my fever go away. On V-Day, you got me Spanish Bean Soup from Ybor Grille to make me feel better. While annoyed at the time, I am thankful that you made me drink TONS of water (after giving me a lecture about dehydration, of course). I LOVE you so much for being such a wonderful man and a loving husband. I couldn't have made it through this weekend without you taking care of me. I love you more and more every day.

XOXO,
Jolee

Settling In

2007-12-30T21:30:00.000-05:00

We hope each of you had a great holiday. With the move, we didn't have time (or the energy) to put up a tree or decorate. But, we had a fabulous dinner with my mom and Mike. My mom brought over all the Cuban food she made (yummy!). Mike enjoyed his time on the back patio. It's very relaxing back there (until it gets dark and the mosquitoes get hungry).

I can't believe we've been in the house for 10 days now. And what an exciting (yet exhausting) 10 days it has been! We have unpacked 95% of the boxes. Fans, light fixtures, garage door opener, and alarm have all been installed. Brian's office desk will be delivered on Wednesday, so once it arrives he'll be able to get his office together. I'll upload pictures next weekend of our progress.

On Friday, we went to Orlando to have dinner with Greg, Liz, Mark, and Renee. It was great to hear more Greg, Mark & Brian stories from UF. The stories are always so comical! Greg & Liz are moving back to Estes Park, Colorado tomorrow. Estes Park is very beautiful. It is where Greg & Liz met and were married. We wish them all the best and hope to visit there soon.

Brian used his new grill for the first time on Saturday. We had our neighbors over for the UFC fight. Patrick was uber-excited that Chuck Lidell won his fight. Patrick wanted to run down the block screaming, but we talked him out of it. After a night of drinking beer and taking shots ... Patrick and Amber walked home safely. We'll have to do this again in January for the next UFC fight with BJ Penn (my favorite UFC fighter).

The Mirasolas came by today to see the house. It was great to have them over and to see little JC. He's absolutely the cutest, happiest little boy! I just love watching him roam around, exploring all that is around him.

Mark & Renee are coming to town tomorrow to celebrate New Year's Eve with us. Brian will get to grill again, so he's excited. We wish all of you a happy, prosperous and safe new year!

36 hours to go!

2007-12-18T21:58:00.000-05:00

So, I guess I jinxed myself when I mentioned Verizon on a former post. See, Verizon decided to disconnect our DSL 10 days prior to our "transfer" date to Fios at the new house. They did this even after we called twice to confirm the 20th as the day DSL would be disconnected and Fios connected. Noone ever told us it took them 10 days to transfer an account. Two calls later - we're still without internet connection. I'm down to "borrowing" internet connection from someone in the apartment complex. Gotta love unsecured networks... if it wasn't for this - I couldn't publish this post. Nevertheless...

Brian and I are still preparing for our move into the new house. We have so much left to pack! Tonight, we moved another dozen boxes to our storage unit in Ruskin. We have plenty more to box up! We're so excited, but completely exhausted. We haven't had much sleep lately and we're constantly on the go. We're going to stay up as long we need to tomorrow to get everything ready for Thursday. We just have to be at the house Thursday at 8:30am for our final walk-through with our contractor. Closing is at 10am. Afterwards, Brian and I will spend the day moving boxes from storage to our house - until Verizon arrives for installation. We were told the arrival window is 1-3pm and that it will take 4-6 hours for the installation. Guess I'd better prepare dinner for the three of us...

19 days till closing!

2007-12-01T11:30:00.000-05:00

Closing is fast approaching ... we have so much to do and to schedule. Thankfully, I've put a schedule together for the first few days to make sure we know when things are being delivered and installed. We'll be adding more to it soon. It'll be hectic the first few days, but it'll all be worth it. We hope Verizon doesn't give us as much trouble with the installation as Brighthouse has given our neighbors, Patrick and Amber. BH keeps changing the installation date, which in turn effects other things.

We went by the house last night. They installed window screens and blinds, and have started cleaning up the house. It looks great! Our contractor will do his own walk-through early next week to make sure they take care/fix items before our walk-through on the 11th.

Brian

2007-11-24T21:01:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-23T20:58:00.000-05:00

I love this time of year ... the food, the family gatherings, the change of weather. Brian and I enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner at my mom's. We ate so much food... we couldn't resist, though. I made my first pie ever, which actually turned out pretty good (thanks to my mom). I struggled a little with rolling the crust, but with my mom's guidance - everything worked out. Brian was a trooper and ate a piece of pie (even though he's not a pie fan). He thought it was really good. Gosh, I love that man! :-) We hope to have Thanksgiving at our house next year.

We went by the house tonight (again) to take some pictures. The weather dropped 10 degrees within an hour, so it got cooler, quickly. The weather was nice at 64 degrees. We noticed our front door was painted and we now have a stove/range in our kitchen. Every time we visit, the house looks better and better. It's hard to describe just how excited we are about the house. We are so antsy to move in. A month left until the big day.

Approximately 4 weeks left!

2007-11-18T21:39:00.000-05:00

Another week has passed... we really like how the carpet looks in the bedrooms. Gutters look good too. The inside of the house was a bit weird. It looked like someone came in and threw white paint balls randomly on the walls. We assume that the workers did another coat of paint on the ceiling and are going to do another coat of paint on the walls soon to "fix" the mess. My mom accompanied us on our trip to Ruskin. She saw the house and our storage unit... we had to bring the fans and a few more boxes to storage. There's still so much to do in the next few weeks...

The house is almost complete...

2007-11-13T20:29:00.000-05:00

Brian and I are so excited about our new home. We can't wait to move in next month! We signed the contract back on April 1st, so it seems as though this process has taken FOREVER. But, it's been great to take part in the process from beginning to end - picking the colors, fixtures, etc... And while we've enjoyed our 3+ years in our apartment, December 20th can't come soon enough. We're ready for this new stage in our life together. Ruskin, here we come!

Learning

2007-09-09T21:39:00.000-04:00

This is the first time I've posted a blog, so I'm trying to get the hang of it. So far, so good - but there's much more to learn. Please bear with me...