Blast from the past.....

When I was about 7 years old my parents started taking me and my sister Roller Skating as a family night out event. It didn't take long before I really started to take a liking to this sport. I started beginners classes on Saturday mornings, then moved on up the ladder over the next year or so. I enjoyed skating so much that my parents put me into private lessons. I made so many new friends and found it hard to not be at the skating rink most days. I would rather have been practicing than going to school and on the weekends I either looked forward to competition or more time at the skating rink with my friends. I loved all the places we traveled and how much my family grew together during that time. I don't think we would be as close as we are today if it wasn't for our skating days.

As I just began my skating days at Wooster Skateland (the old old one that used to be on Rt 3 in the current carpet place) I met so many great people. One of those people and families were the Shadels. Amanda and I became close friends and my fondest memories of skating are spending time with her. Our families would travel together, eat meals together, get our hair done together (oh those painful early mornings), root for each other, etc. We felt like family. Even after Amanda switches coaches we still remained great friends.

I still remember the day Amanda told me she was switching coaches. We were in my parents van and I was devastated to hear that we wouldn't be practicing together. But I knew that we would always remain friends and that I would have her support and she would have mine. We still saw each other occasionally at a practice in Elyria and at competitions. We went through a lot together. Even prior to all of this I remember the first time in my life that I was afraid of losing someone was when Amanda had her accident and had surgery. I remember coming to her house to visit and I was just so glad that she was ok. She had a long tough road but she made it and she was able to skate again.

But these times never last forever. We all grew up, stopped skating and drifted apart. However, due to the Internet and the famous myspace, we found each other again. We began chatting and catching up and I even ran into her sister Bri at college one day. (so random) Amanda was living in Arizona and was getting married soon. Shortly after coming back from their honeymoon she posted a blog about being pregnant. Then came along Brynn and I am stunned at how quickly things change in our lives.

Just this past Friday (12/28) I was able to reunite with the Shadel family after many years apart! It was incredible to see them all! I didn't realize how much I missed this family! It brought back so many memories. We are all grown up now, some with families of their own, new husbands, some going to graduate school (congrats bri) and many more things. But it doesn't take much to slip back into the days when we were young and skating was our life. Amanda, Bri, Sally and Don it was so great to see you all!! I hope it doesn't take this long for us to see one another again!

Oh, so I really wanted to post a ton of pictures from our skating days but my parents have all the skating photos and I haven't had a chance to get to there place to search through them but I do have a couple here at my place that I wanted to share. I will be sure to add more when I get to my parents house! One is a collage of buttons from way back when. The middle button has my sister, Amanda and me in it. The other picture I am posting is from our visit last Friday when Amanda was home for the holidays! What a great picture of all of us!

Merry Christmas

It's hard to believe it but Christmas has come and gone! I had such an enjoyable time going home and visiting with family and friends. On Sunday we had a nice dinner at my grandma's in Chippewa Lake. I don't think we've had a family dinner at her place since before my grandpa passed away 5 years ago. It was nice to hang out and chat and unfortunatley watch the Browns lose to the not-so-good Bengals! lol!

On Christmas Eve, Lisa and Ben came over to my parents so that we could celebrate Christmas with them. We opened presents and enjoyed hanging out! I posted some pictures of the fam opening their gifts.

Mom checking out the slippers I bought her....they didn't fit so now the returning begins..lol

Mom and Dad

Dad opening his gift from grandma

The greatest lady ever, my grandma!

Oh the happy couple...haha

Opening the picture frame I got them and the vacation memory pictures I put in it for them!

So after we hung out all day, we got cleaned up and went to Christmas Eve Mass at 5:00pm! We have attended this mass for many years! All of our friends attend mass as well and after we have a little party at Mom and Dad's. Many people from church come over and we have lots of food and goodies. We play games and watch the little kids get excited for Santa to come later that evening! I wish I would have taken pictures but I didn't. Too busy socializing I guess! Maybe next year! haha!

Another fun thing is that my sister and ben (her husband) sang a duet for the first time this Christmas! Ben's family is a very musical family! They sing, play instruments, etc. For the past few Christmas they have recorded a Christmas CD and it's so much fun! Well this year Lisa and Ben sang a song together, and even though they don't like to share their gifts, I do and I'm so proud of them! It takes guts to sing for others! Click on the link below to listen! I also linked a funny song that Ben sang with his little cousin Jillian and a beautiful song sung by Ben's sister Rachel. The song Lisa and Ben sing is called "On that Holy Mountian", Ben (Will Farrell doing Robert Goulet) and Jillian sing "Winter Wonderland" and Rachel sings "Hope is Born Again". I enjoyed it! Hope you do too!! All the songs are together!!

http://www.box.net/shared/l7ahzdiosg

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! I'm sure i'll post again soon!!

Christmas is almost here! Wow times flies! I am looking forward to spending a few quality days with my family! Today my grandma is have Christmas dinner at her house. So the eating begins today...haha! Tomorrow is Christmas eve and we are celebrating Christmas with Lisa and Ben during the day, then mass with everyone at 5pm and then back to my parents for our annual Christmas eve bash! It's a nice time to relax with family! Christmas day will be very light this year. It's just me and my parents! Nothing major just hanging out! Then back to work on Wednesday! boo!

So my grades finally came in and....I finished with a 3.608 and made the Dean's List! I was a little excited but relieved that it was over! :) Now I have a bit of a break before doing it all over again! :) On Friday I had my first ever party at my apartment. Just a few close friends and family! I took pictures but most were of my god daughter, Catelyn Clare, opening her Christmas gifts! If I can figure out the video I will post a video of her. She loves Dora and I got her a couple things with Dora on it and she was a little excited! Here they are:

I am going to try the video...hope it works!

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you and your families have a blessed holiday! Best wishes for a happy 2008!!

Merry Christmas everyone! We are 9 days away! :) I finally finished the semester on Friday December 14th at 3:00pm! Phew! What a semester! I'm still waiting on grades but I think I did well! I am looking forward to having 4 nice weeks off! Too bad I still have to work! hehe! I feel relaxed already! Oh, I finally decorated my tree and here are a few pictures:

Once school finished, I finished my Chistmas shopping and decorated all the presents! They are under the tree as you can see! I am having my first ever party at my own place. It's pretty exciting. It is going to be super small and mostly family! My place isn't big enough to have a huge party but I wanted to open my place up for people to visit. I hope it turns out well! I have major cleaning to get done but that's what these good ole' snow days are good for. Yesterday and today we have had just about every type of weather imaginable. (other than beautiful sunny skies and heat...haha) It snowed yesterday and freezing rained and rained last night. Now we are back to snow and at some times today it has been blizzard like. I love it! lol! Here are a few pictures of the first snow warning of the season:

Oh and best story of all I almost forgot to share: My dad called me last weekend and said "Hey, we got a new dog!" I was like WHAT?!?! You guys don't want another dog; why on earth would they get a new one. Well after chatting he told me that this dog showed at the house and basically wouldn't leave. He would follow my dad around and of course my mother, the one who has this things for animals had to feed him! So of course he wasn't going to leave. My parents dog is a Sheltie. Which is a smaller collie. Here are a few pictures of this stray so you all can get the idea of how differnt this dog is from the one they have:

hehe! He was a fabulous dog! But way too much for my parents to handle with the dog they already have and the cats they have living outside. "Moose" as my parents called him would drive the cats crazy! After a week of trying to find "Moose" at home my parents found a Rottweiler Shelter that agreed to take him in! My parents said that the place was fantastic and that they would find him a good home! Good news on that end! I tease my parents that they are the drop of zone for unwanted pets. All kinds of cats, a domestic bunny and now their first dog! For their sake, I hope it's the last! :)

I will be sure to keep all posted on my grades and hopefully some pictures of the party! The holidays are a great time to enjoy family and friends so be sure to do that!

Christmas Joy to All

I love Chrismas!! It is probably one of my favorite times of the year! The beautiful lights, smiling people, adorable kids excited for santa, christmas trees and decorations and all the time to share with family! The only downfall to Christmas is that school goes until a week before Christmas and it all just flies by way too fast!

This year I am living on my own for the first time and it's so much fun decorating the apartment! I still have a lot of work to do but I got a tree up! It still needs decorations (which are at my mom and dad's) but just having a tree lit up in the apartment brings so much joy to me! I have too much school work to get done but let's just forget about that for a moment and enjoy the holiday season! It's only just begun but 4 weeks will fly by!! Just take the time to enjoy your families and all those you love. Take time to think about those who you don't love and pray for them! We all need someone to love us and pray for us! May God Bless all of you during this blessed season!

Here's a little pic of me and the un-decorated tree (i promise when i decorate it, i'll re-take the picture..hehe):

Lil Mo & Softball Reunion

My sister and her husband are the proud new parents of their first pet! A kitten! Mo is his name but we like to call him Lil Mo since he's so little! Here are a few pictures:

On Saturday, Lisa and Ben had our summer/fall softball team over for our end of the year party!! We ate good food and played cornhole as long as we could before we got to cold! Here are a couple of pictures:

Anna being Anna

Jon being Jon

Jen & Lana being Jen & Lana

Ben cooking

Corn Hole fun

Is it April yet?!?! I'm ready for another great season with this team! Go Rookies!!

weekend full of love

Wow! What a crazy weekend! Well, let me re-phrase that...."What a crazy Saturday"!

On Saturday I attended the wedding of Jessica Ann Vigneault and William Heid! It was so beautiful. Jess and I have been friends for 10 years now and I am so blessed to have her and her family in my life. I am blessed to have been able to share in her big day! Here are a few photos:

For her wedding, a friend who lived with Jess' family for a year from Spain, came in to visit. He had not been to visit for over 3 years and it was so special that he could be here to attend her special day! Here are some photos of him from the wedding:

After the wedding and before the reception, I attended my God Daughter, Catelyn Clare's 2nd Birthday Party! I can't believe it has been two years since the day she entered this world. I won't ever forget that day! It was one of the greatest days of my life. She has changed my outlook on so many things! I am blessed to have her in my life. Her mother, Jill, is pregnant again and I am so excited for the birth of their second child in April!! Here are a few pictures of Catelyn's Birthday: