Carriage Ride

Friday night was our Annual Westerheide Family Carriage Ride. Nick's mom takes the whole family on a carriage ride through Tilles Park to see the Winter Wonderland lights display.



It was cold, as usual, but the kids loved it, as usual. We picked up Dom and got him nice and bundled up. Then we headed to pick up Nick's mom. We got her and headed straight over to Tilles Park. When we got there, they were waiting with our carriage. We loaded into the carriage and pulled out our blankets (we brought 3, just me and Nick!). We squeezed in and were on our way.

Dominick loved it. He already loves Christmas lights and points them out every time we are in the car at night, but he loved this even more. I didn't get ANY good pictures. They were either too dark, or too blurry, or something. But know that Dominick had a blast, even if I couldn't capture it.

After the carriage ride, which lasted about 15 minutes (maybe less), we headed back to Nick's sister's house. We ordered Cafe Manhattan and just had take out. Then the kids ran around and the adults talked and we just relaxed.

It was a good Friday night. A good kick off to a BUSY weekend for us.

And Dominick had a ball.

Semester is OVER!

I just had to do a quick post about my first semester back in school.

It's over! I'm so glad I decided to go back to school. I'm loving it and doing well so far. I know it only gets harder from here, but I'm happy with my start.

My final grade was posted for my Human Growth and Development class. I got a 95.67% or an A. I'm such a nerd and I love it. :)

I don't have my final Anatomy grade posted yet, but before this final exam, I had an A. I'm hoping that I'll keep that after the final is graded! Grades are due this week so hopefully I'll find out soon and hopefully I'll have a 4.0 for the semester!

Next semester is just one class. Anatomy and Physiology II. It will be tough (especially with having a baby over Spring Break) but I think I can handle it.

Until then, I have a glorious month off! Happy Christmas Break!

Reminiscing

Let me preface this by saying I'm extremely bored at work right now. Winter is always our slowest time and I'm the only one in the office and finished all my work around noon...

So I've spent the last 20 minutes or so looking up old pictures on Facebook. I looked at a few pictures of me from way back and then clicked on my "Dominick" album from when he was born...Holy cow. I can't even remember him that tiny!!!

I looked at all the pictures of my family and friends holding him and wishing us well. Then I looked at another friend's album of him. Then I looked at some of when he's a few months old...

I just can't believe that he'll be two in a month. TWO. I'll have a TWO YEAR OLD. And shortly after that, I'll have TWO kids. Woah.

It's amazing how much our lives have changed in just a few short years.

Les, me, Ash, Win, and Michelle at the wineries for Ashley's birthday

I remember everyone thought I was crazy when I got engaged my junior year of college. They thought I was too young. I was 21 when I got engaged. But Nick was 25 when we got engaged and he was ready.

The next few years out of college are a blur. I got married, Ashley got married, I got pregnant, Winnie bought a house, Michelle and Lauren got married, Ashley got pregnant, Abbie bought a house, Jim and Leslie got engaged, Michelle got pregnant, I got pregnant again. And a million more things that I'm sure I'm forgetting.

So many things have been going on in our lives and it's strange to think about the past.

I remember when we used to call each other and meet at a bar and be out all night having a blast. Or decide to go to a baseball game. Or when we used to not even think twice about being out until 3 am on a work night or a school night. Things are so different.

I wouldn't trade any of it for the world. I am so thankful for all the memories I have with everyone. And I'm so thankful for my beautiful son and my absolutely amazing husband. I'm happy to say that those close girlfriends I gained freshman year of college (and Leslie - sophomore) are still my best friends in the world.

Les, Abbie, Win, Lauren, Ash W., Ash H., Me and Michelle at Ashley's baby shower

Thanks to Ashley, Leslie, Michelle, Winnie, Abbie, Lauren, and other Ashley for some of the greatest times, memories and experiences of my life. These last 8 years have been amazing. I'm looking forward to many, MANY more.

Ice

Yesterday was a very productive day for me, but started off awful.

I was lying in bed when I got a text from my immediate boss, Mike Jr. He told me that the roads were bad and to take my time and just be in by 9:00 am (I normally start at 8). I said, ok, and went back to bed. About an hour later I got another text saying, "Roads are worse than we thought...10 am at the earliest". So I was thinking, score! I get to sleep in and take my time and it will be a great morning. At 8 am, I got a phone call from the big boss, Mike Sr. He told me that the roads were bad and not a lot was going on and I should just stay home for the day. That was fine with me!

So I let Dominick sleep in and then we took our time getting ready. I decided that if I was going to be home for a day, I might as well be productive! So I got Dominick ready for daycare and then I was planning on working my tail off on our house. We have a lot of people coming over next week for a Christmas gathering and I had work to do.

After Dommie and I were all bundled up, we headed outside. The steps looked ok, but not great, so I decided to carry Dominick down the stairs...

The first set of steps went fine.

The second set of steps were not fine.

I made it halfway down and my feet flew out from under me. I had Dominick in my right arm so I tried leaning to my left so he wouldn't get hurt. I also wanted to stay on my back because I didn't want to land on my belly and hurt the baby either. When I landed (straight on my back) my eyes filled up with tears because it hurt but I was even more afraid that I hurt Dominick.

"Are you Ok? Are you Ok? Are you OK???" I asked him after I got up. He looked fine but I was afraid he threw his arm down or something and broke it or something horrible. He looked up at me and said, "I'm ok Mama".

Oh thank God. I made the decision then that I'd rather walk him to daycare than drive because if it was this bad I didn't want to total a car too.

In hindsight...that was dumb. The roads were probably MUCH safer than the sidewalk death traps we were walking on, but that's neither here nor there at this point.

So we walked. I carried Dominick the whole way (well it's only 1/4 mile so it wasn't that hard - but I am 25 weeks pregnant, so give me some credit). We walked mainly in the snow covered grass area between the sidewalk and the street, only coming out into the sidewalk when a big "Look Mama! Twee!" blocked our way. Every time I was on the sidewalk, I slid. I never fell again, but I slid.

And every time I slid, Dominick's eye went wide and he gasped and said, "Are you Ok Mama?!?". And I had to smile and kiss him and say, "Yes baby, I'm ok".

We made it to daycare without any other incidents. I dropped him off and headed back. I was almost to our street when my neighbor was driving and saw me. She pulled over and gave me a ride back home. She's a nurse and she asked if I was since she saw I had been crying. I told her I fell. She assured me that the baby was fine and asked about me. I told her I was fine, it just hurt. When we pulled up to the house, her husband walked me up the stairs to my front door and then he poured salt on our stairs and sidewalk. God bless him.

I went inside and went straight up to bed. I laid in bed until about 11:30. Then I came downstairs, made a quick and easy lunch and headed to the basement couch. I ate lunch and watched Top Chef. Then around 12:30, I got moving.

And then I was productive!! I was still sore, but I got a lot done. I rearranged the basement and organized Dom's toys (and Man does he have a LOT of toys). I dusted the whole basement. I did three loads of laundry. I went upstairs and cleaned the kitchen. Like SCRUBBED cleaned the kitchen. I cleaned the stove. I even cleaned the inside of the oven. I went to the front room and rearranged furniture in there. I brought a bookcase out of Dom's big boy room and brought it to the front room. I moved all the books from the old nasty bookcases to the new bookcase. I moved the old bookcases out of the front room (to either go in storage, or on Craigslist). I did some hard work.

After all this, it was almost 3:30 which is when Nick gets home. He came home and told me that his mom fell on the ice. She was ok, but sore and couldn't go to Nick's sister's house to watch the kids while Kate when to get Nick's brother from the airport. So we loaded up the diaper bag and headed to get Dom. We got him and headed to the airport.

We picked Dan up and dropped him off at Nick's mom's house. Then I was done...

All in all, it was a very productive day... But I still have a lot to do...And my back still hurts...stupid ice.

Wordless Wednesdays

Food Names...

So is anyone out there a big "Friends" fan, like I am??

I don't know if you remember the episode when Rachel has the baby and she and Ross are trying to decide a baby name, but the dialogue went something along the lines of Rachel was sad because they didn't have a name and Monica told her not to worry because the perfect name would come. Ross told her it was easy for her to say because she had her names picked out since she was a little girl. Chandler replied with a, "Oh great. Our kids are going to be named after some snack good, aren't they?" or something like that...

ANYWAY, the point of my story is this:

The other night Nick was playing with Dominick and calling him "My Dommie Salami" like we normally do. After Nick said that, he asked Dominick if the new baby should be a Baby Salami too. Dominick said "No!". Then Nick said, "Well what can we nickname the new baby?". I said, "Anna Banana" because hello, it's an easy nickname for an Anna.

Then I realized that both of our kids will have nicknames related to FOOD!

We'll have our Dommie Salami
and our Anna Banana

Oops! Oh well. I am a fan of food.... :)

Now what the heck would we name the next kid? I think I'm out of food nick names!!

Happy Holidays!!

My sister made me a Christmas Card to mail out to family and friends. However, I didn't think she was going to have time so I had already ordered Christmas cards from Shutterfly. I LOVED her card though and thought it deserved some recognition.

Therefore, to all of those who I didn't get to send a card to, here's your holiday card! :)

Happy Holidays!



PS - Isn't she good?!?