I can't believe...

Christmas is one of my favorite hollidays. I love baking, wrapping carefully selected gifts , hanging up stockings and decorating the tree.

I just can't believe next year, my little one will celebrate their first Christmas. Santa will visit on Christmas and New Years (for stockings only), and we will start our own family traditions.

The stockings tradition is one of my favorites... on Christmas morning we didn't get our stockings, rather Santa would deliver them to us on his way back to the North Pole on New Year's Eve. It extended Christmas for us, and Santa had the means to give the world's most awesome stockings.

Yeah... I can't wait!

The First Trimester is OVAH!

Our first trimester has been over for almost a week and it has been interesting, painful and fantastic all rolled into one.

Knowing that the Monkey is growing and thriving every day kept me from really hating every second of the morning sickness, back pain and extreme exhaustion that happened. Just reminding myself that the outcome is going to be our little guy/gal is all I needed to smile and soldier on.

I lost a ton of weight mostly from having violent morning sickness, but my doctor is not really that concerned yet, because I wasn't tiny to begin with. Blessed anti-nausea medicine worked until Monkey decided my stomach made a good bed.

Speaking of doctors, mine is awesome. Super awesome even. She is very aware of certain things that I need to look out for and we are proceeding super cautiously. The whole practice is awesome, especially in the event of reporting odd occurrences, i.e. odd bleeding. They brought me in the first time, and gave me my RH shot, and then sent me for an ultrasound. My ultrasound showed that the Monkey was ok, and I got to see the fingers and toes just starting to form. The second time, they were able to get the baby on Doppler, monkey was perfect and somewhat well behaved. (Monkey is a bit of a ninja with the Doppler. He/she tends to hide wherever they can to get away from it. )

The constant need to lie down kind of stunk. I was in bed at 7:30-8:00 just because I couldn't sit any more. Not just that, but my lower back and my hips hurt.... I mean crying hurt sometimes, even now. This is normal, according to Awesome Doc, but something we have to monitor.

Adapting to pregnancy has been different for me, I have to let things slide, and ask for help. Trying not to get overwhelmed at work has been a challenge, but my co-workers have helped to make life easier.

Now that I am somewhat adapted to small meals, sleepiness and the back pain; the second trimester begins, and I tell you what... I am going to rock the hell out of it.

Here is Monkey at 7 weeks!



Here is Monkey at 9 weeks!

This week Monkey grew his fingers and toes. Next week, there is a lot more in store for him!

Finding out...

The whole baby story begins on a rainy Thursday night. We had just gotten home from an amazing vacation in DC, where I was sure that I was coming down with a bug, but I wasn't going to let that ruin the vacation.

On Wednesday the time we landed in Boston, I was tired and grumpy and couldn't shake it for some reason. My "get a rental car at the airport" plan fell through which put me in a worse mood.

That Thursday, I returned back to work a tired woman. We picked up my rental car after work and I went to go pick up something for dinner at the food store. While I was there I picked up a test, just in case, but I honestly was not expecting a positive. When I got home I went into the bathroom and took it, and I watched one line appear.... and then another. I was giddy and I called to Mr. and told him. We must have spent the next half hour looking at the test, and hugging each other. It was October 14, 3 days before our one year anniversary.

The next day, I called my doctor after another positive test in the morning, and they didn't even need to see me. They congratulated me and we set up my first appointment. They estimated me about 6 weeks pregnant with a due date of June 9, 2011. We started talking about telling the parents around Thanksgiving.... but we wouldn't make it that far.

We were away for our anniversary when I realized that it was tough getting into my pants. I couldn't zipper them up any more. We had to go out and buy maternity pants. It was at that moment I realized my belly was not going to cooperate with the plan of waiting to tell everyone about the baby (who we affectionately refer to as the Monkey). We decided to tell them the next week.

It was so hard not to tell them... with my mom calling every day and stuff, but we made it to the day of. Everyone was really excited, and we spent the day glowing.

Up next: Our first doctor's appointment, ultrasound, and an eventful third month for my first trimester.

Name changes and exciting news

So I have been quiet because I didn't want to spill the beans... but Mr. and I are expecting our first child! So the blog has undergone a name change! Baby Nacho, lovingly referred to as Monkey, is due to arrive in June 2011! Aside from the all day sickness, back aches and exaustion, I am feeling great. More on these developments later!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.4

Almost a year?

Today marks eleven months since we tied the knot, and I am still in disbelief!

My husband is awesome. I am lucky. Just Sayin'.


Also, a very Happy Anniversary to Murphorelli, who were married last September 19th. We love you guys! Enjoy!

Happiness is...

A lazy moment with my godson,

A movie date night that reminds you how made for each other you really are,

A day spent in the company of good friends and family,

A four plus hour Rock Band Session just because we can,

A 6 hour gaming session where your character was so incredibly awesome,

A great weekend that leaves you begging for more.

Happiness is a warm muffin.

You know what...

Not sad that this week is ending. Not at all.

I have been fighting a staff infection this week that has had me at the ER Monday night, Tuesday night and this afternoon. It is quite painful and my right arm is about as useful as a T-Rex's and has about the same reach right now. It is super uncomfortable. I am typing with one hand.

I have been promised Kick-ass Cupcakes, and that better be a deliverable promise. Because 1) today is Friday and the s'mores cupcakes are available and 2) Mr and I deserve a cupcake.

Seriously. And tomorrow I will have fried oreo's at the Acton Fair without guilt.

Wow.

I can't believe how great vacation was. But it began with a great piece of news. Remember when I said "Vote for me"? People actually listened....and I won!

What does this mean? Well, I earn the title ENnies Judge for 2011. I get to read and review the latest and greatest in the gaming industry. And most of all, along with my fellow judges, we will decide on the nominees for next years awards. So excited!!!!

It also means a lot more gaming talk. But do not fret my non-gaming friends, I have syphoned the gaming chatter to a separate blog.

I am happy to introduce The Lore Mistress Chronicles : my one stop shop for a look into my ENnies year, chatter about gaming and reviews of the products that I play test, read or purchase.

So if you are interested.... follow me over there, and if you are interested in everything else...stay over here. Or both!

Ryan Reynolds makes a kid's day at San Diego ComicCon

This is a great video and the appropriate follow-up to my last blog post!

In Blackest Night...

I am a Batman fan... err... well more of a Robin fan than Bats himself. We have been reading the current storyline like two twelve year olds spending their allowance on comics.

And while we are enjoying that, we are also enjoying another DC hero that has been wonderfully written by Geoff Johns.... Green Lantern.

Someday I will go into detail on what I think of the new Batman arc and Red Robin and Damien Wayne as the new Robin.... but let's just focus on the awesome of the Green Lantern, shall we?

The latest story arcs for all of the DC universe are Blackest Night and Brightest Day. This is an ode to the Green Lantern battle cry. The world is facing yet another crisis. Batman is dead. Final Crisis has left the world broken... and now Black Green Lantern rings have been forged and sent to the dead to bring them back to life. (And the Batman inclusion issues were some of my favorite issues ever. Grayson and Drake facing their dead parents was a great idea, but the way it happened blew my mind.) This is Blackest Night. They even brought back dead titles for one last go round (1 issue). I am reading the compilation now.

Brightest Day is still ongoing, so I will not go into this in full detail. White rings land on specific heroes fingers, why? And who can pick up the white lantern that recharges their power? I am totally digging it.

Another reason to get excited is next December, the world will be treated to Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan in the Green Lantern movie.

I can not wait to see Hal Jordan on screen reciting the oath I know by heart:

In brightest day, in blackest night

No evil shall escape my sight!

Let those who worship evil's might

Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!

Recipe Corner: Capri Salad

Capri Salad is a gorgeous plate of yumminess that will appeal to those who don't like a normal salad. (Shhhhh.... it is totally a salad.) It's origin is on the Island of Capri off the coast of Naples, Italy. Most of Capri restaurants have gardens in the backyard or in another place on the island, so all the ingredients are super fresh!

This recipe is simple, easy and refreshing on a summers day like this.

(Photo Courtesy of myrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

2 Tomatoes (medium/large)

2 Balls of fresh Mozzarella

Whole Basil Leaves

Balsamic Vinegar

Salt

Pepper

Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella and arrange on a plate with the whole Basil leaves. Add a dash of salt and pepper and drizzle with Balsamic Vinegar. Grab a fork and enjoy!

See? How easy is that?

Missing GenCon... but still discovering awesomeness!

So over the weekend we attended BisbeeCon and as has been the trend this year... I have discovered a new to me game that I HAD to post about here.

The game was called Umlaut: Game of Metal. If you like heavy metal music and kicking ass... this very well could be the game for you. It was for me.

You form a band, and give them ranks in stage mechanics, power, showman (or woman) ship. Then set off to earn fans, cash and hope. But lose a "roll" (the turning of the cards) and you earn ego, and that is both bad and good, as it is the basis to earn cash.

Along the way you challenge other bands to a gig, break bands up, earn cash, practice and do promotional stunts (like streak through a mall).

The mechanics are simple. There are no dice or a GM, which works out better than I thought they would. Success or failure are determined by the flip of the cards. You can be pulling up to an unlimited amount of cards, depending on what you are trying to do. The horns to indicate that you are ready to battle is a great touch!

In the end there is a Battle of the Bands (of course, how could there not be) to see who comes out on top. Then based off of fan base and ego, you determine whether or not the band makes it long term or whether they die out!

It is not hard to put together a great soundtrack for a game like this. Our GM was kind enough to allow me to keep the music, which I was headbanging while making sauce on Sunday night.

In our game, I came out on top with my band HellKatt. It was a great time, and I totally loved it.

And will be purchasing it to run at future game days...

My Love of Cookbooks!

So my friend over at Dry Spell got me thinking about cookbooks this morning. She was talking about getting a cookbook from her husband as a gift. It got my mind wandering to my favorite cookbooks in my collection.

We had maybe 2 cookbooks when Mr. and I moved in together. Then we expanded when he bought me the Star Wars cookbooks and Paula Deen's Celebrations.

Then we got married. And then the cookbooks just started coming. From the Joy of Cooking to Betty Crocker.... from Cupcakes to Indian to Irish to Italian...we have it all!

You would think having a ton of cookbooks would stop me from wanting more. Not so. If we went somewhere, like Italy for example, we would bring home a cookbook or two from the region. When we went to DC, I picked up the White House Cookbook and Presidential Cookies. I love seeing recipes for what people in other cultures or in other parts of the country eat. It intrigues me, but also introduces me to ways of cooking that may get more veggies into my loving husband.

I am working on a regional/international cookbook collection now. If any readers have suggestions, please leave them in the comments! I would really appreciate it

Vote for ME!

So I know that this adds a whole slew of stuff to my plate for the next year, but it is something I had never thought I had the guts to do... Run for a spot on a judging panel. I didn't realize what just running would do for my self esteem. It all started with encouragement from a good friend. (Here's lookin' at you Wabbit)

The ENnies is essentially the Game (RPG) industry's Oscars, with a little bit o' People's Choice thrown in for good measure. The products are submitted to a team of Judges who read, review, discuss and then make a list of the best submitted in categories, and that becomes the Nominees. Then the polls open to the fans and they vote for a favorite products of the year.

I am running based on my love and passion for the hobby, I want to give back to the awards ceremony that gave my husband and I so many hours of unique and fun gaming. (Lookin' at you HEX and Dread!)

So how can you vote for me? Simple really. You can vote for me by going here: http://www.ennie-awards.com/voting/judgesballot.asp and vote for Tracey Michienzi!

I also stand behind voting for Kennon Bauman, Jeramy Ware and C.W. Richardson too... and since you can vote up to 10 judges, I would appreciate it if you voted for them as well.

You can vote once. It looks at your IP address. Thanks for your support in advance!

Resolution Update: Half-year mark

So back in January, I listed my resolutions. It is hard to believe 6 months have gone by. It has been so fast. So I thought I would rediscover my resolutions!

1) Spend more time at home- we need to spend more time relaxing at home. Mr. wants to work on his art, and I want to spend more time working on my scrapbooking.

We have cut back. It feels great and is a welcome change to the craziness of the last couple of years. We get date nights with friends who we rarely got to see before, and all because we eliminated a couple of recurring things on our calendar.

It is nice to see the clear weekends to be able to go to the beach near our house or clean or cook. And can I tell you how nice it is not to be busy on a Friday night. It is so sweet.


2) Scrapbook my Italy photos, wedding photos, Disney photos, and GenCon photos. - Then if there is time work on other pages as well.

So I have been working so hard on learning my new craft that I am behind on all this... although I did complete my nephew's baby book. This one may be a couple year plan!

3) Start making my cards for Birthdays, get wells, and congratulations.

This is a hard one. I am hoping to be back on track, but I made it until the end of February!

4) Lose 30 lbs, and prepare my body for potential pregnancy. This would also keep me healthier than I have been recently.

I lost 15 but then put the weight back on because of a medical issue. Now it is time to lose it again.

5) Cook More and Utilize my cookbook collection.

Now this. This has been fully accomplished, and will continue to be done.

Add in the organic goods we get at the Farmer's market and it makes me a happy squeeing Mrs.!

I am becoming a good cook. And I bring the leftovers to work, so I get to enjoy everything a second time!

6) Become more organized!

This is happening! We are still trying to combat office organization, but we are doing extremely well with the Kitchen organization, and I can now use my phone to track our calendar, which is super handy when I try to schedule vacations, games, and other such fun.

Don't get me wrong. Our life is still nuts! And our family is adding members and some are fading away slowly. But to quote Mr. "I love my life, mostly because of who is in it. And it is only going to get better!"

You know what really grinds my gears....

So I am listening to Boston Radio on my way to work this morning and someone is giving their review of Twilight:Eclipse. They said and I quote "If you are a woman and you don't like Twilight, then there is something wrong with you. Either that or you are not willing to try it." There were a barrage of phone calls that followed of people who hated the books or thought the movies were laughable, but this radio personality kept telling them how wrong they were.

No offense to anyone who likes Twilight, but the second I say that I don't like it, I get the "You just haven't tried it right yet" snap my head off defense. And that folks is what really grinds my gears today. Truth is, I have tried reading the first book, and to tell you the truth they bored the crap out of me after 2 chapters. (Thank goodness the book was in the work lending library, I read while eating my lunch and put the book right back on the shelf.)

Unfortunately, there is no book series that will enthrall everyone. Some come close, but there will always be one group that doesn't like it.

So go out Twi-hards and enjoy your movie, but don't criticize my choice this weekend at being a kids movie.

We will be seeing "The Last Airbender", based on the great family show on Nickelodeon. And I am totally looking forward to it.

Happy Belated Father's Day!

I know this is rather belated, but I just want to wish all the fathers, fathers to be and future fathers (whose children are but a gleam in their eyes) a happy father's day! We know many people are new daddys and many are going to be daddys by this point next year! The world is lucky to have guys like you.

A special Happy Father's Day to my Dad, who hit the milestone of completing paying for college for his kids this year. He is a special guy, and I am very lucky to call him Daddy.

A Moment of Sadness and Reflection...

This weekend my best friend from college lost her grandfather pretty suddenly. She was devistated and I told her I would come to the wake and funeral to be there for her.

It was the second time since 2006 I had been to a wake and funeral, and I thought I was going to be good to go.

We got to the wake on Monday and I discovered something that we could add to our list of similarities.... We both called our grandfathers "Grampy" and we both concidered our respective Grampys our best friend and our grandfather. I could see it in her. The bubbley, fun loving, sweet friend I knew had a broken heart, and it broke mine. I could see that she was going to be begining the long path of healing. One that I am still on. The funeral was so sad. My friend gave the eulogy. I couldn't stop crying for her.

I could tell when I left her after the funeral, she was just really down in the dumps. So I called her after work to make sure she was ok and didn't need me. This started a half an hour of her and I just chatting and going back and forth about things and I could tell it made a difference. But she will never know (unless she reads the blog) that it meant the world to me too. I know that she is there for me and I am there for her.

How lucky we are to have friends like her... I hope she can think the same about us!

Cooking together.....

So one of the great things about cooking as a couple is the chance for great conversation! A wonderful chance to catch up on the day, and unwind after a long day of work.

Last night, that is exactly what we did. We turned on the radio, turned down the phones, and spent an hour cooking together.

We ended up making a quick meat sause, and had egg noodle bow ties with homemade garlic bread. The herbs, garlic and onion were all fresh from the farmer's market or the local italian specialty shop near Mr.'s work. Fresh ingredients are what make a good sause great!

But what really made the meal was the love and fun we had making it. I seriously look forward to many more nights cooking with my Mr.!

Go Boston! Beat LA!

Over at Julia's Rants blog on the MLB Blogging network she had the right idea! (Even though it was a post from January... It still rings true today!





Courtesy of Julia's Rants

Friendly Girl's night

Last night, Bloggerelli and I went to Fenway to catch the Sox game with free tickets. They won and we got a chance to enjoy some frosty beverages and good conversation.
It was wicked fun and much needed!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.3.4

Farmers' Markets!

Tis the season for the farmers market!

In an effort to save some money to put towards laying our roots down in a house (and paying The Man his share), we are going to try saving money on the grocery bill. This means making a lot of things from scratch, using fresh ingredients, and taking the time to cook together.

The Farmers' Market around work opens Thursday at 1:30. I am sooooo looking forward to it!

Fairy Godmother...

Dear Jack,

You don't know this yet, but last night your parents gave me one of the greatest honors that a family member or friend could get. They asked me to be your godmother. Of course I said yes, after all I am wrapped around your tiny finger. They also gave me a gorgeous guardian angel which has a place of honor in our house, and makes me smile everytime I walk by!

You scared us. You scared Mommy and Daddy too. But you were eager to meet us and meet the outside world, you couldn't wait. You couldn't even wait to get to the hospital.

I can't wait to teach you about life. I can't wait to help introduce you to Fenway. I can't wait to buy you comics and buy you your first set of dice. I can't wait to show you that everything is better when you incorporate ninjas, robots, monkeys, dinosaurs, and pirates.

Most of all, I can't wait to watch you grow into the amazing man that I know you will become.

All my love,

Auntie

P.S. You are totally going to be a lady killer!

A Blessing of the Highest order....

This morning at 2:06 a.m. our world changed... for the better.

That is when Jack Robert Ford made his way into our world, and set out immediately to wrap his aunty around his finger. He is gorgeous!

He came in at 7 lbs and 15 ounces and 19 inches long.

He joins Big Sister Bean and a very proud Mommy and Daddy.

Pictures will be coming once they are available.

Welcome to the world Kiddo! I can't wait to meet you!

And congrats to my sister and Brother in law who waited so long for this miracle!

Gaming: Exciting gaming news for me!

In an effort to get Mr. and I to back up a dump truck full of money to their headquarters, Green Ronin has announced the newest licence to their collection. DC Adventures!

The pairing is perfect. M&M (Short for Mutants and Masterminds) is a great supers game (my favorite), and you can start out at the beginning powerful and not pathetic. I have been hoping for them to get the rights to the DC characters. I yearn for about 50 different DC centric games. (And I am fairly certain that Mr. is looking forward to playing Plastic Man. And I am excited to see if they put out the stats for Ra's Al Ghoul and the League of Assassins.)

I am also thinking that Mr. and I can play some 1 on 1 adventures on a night when we are at home with nothing to do. Pretty much be Batman v. Joker and go all Iron Age!

Then they went on to announce a new edition of M&M, which will hopefully make character creation a little easier, so that more people give the game a try and not dismiss it. It is still keeping the simple d20 mechanism, so that excites me.

The DC Adventures line is going to be 4 books, and we will pre order all of them.
We will also pre-order the new M&M edition (probably 2 copies, one for each of us). Not to mention everything for Song of Ice and Fire, Dragon Age, Wild Cards, and Steve Kenson's side project ICONS for Adamant(which rocks on toast after the first read).

I am sure I will place reviews here. And I am sure I will find lots to be excited for with these projects in the next few weeks!

Heard it through the e-mail...

So yesterday, my husband and I were e-mailing each other back and forth about weekend plans and other assorted stuff. Then the question arose: "What do you want for dinner?"

I asked that and figured I would hear enchiladas or pasta. What I heard instead threw me for a loop.

"I was thinking we order pizza. I saw some one's pizza and it looked yummy. And my sweet wife won't have to cook."

Now, normally I cook dinner and he does dishes. I love the way that this works. I love being in the kitchen. But the 90 degree temperatures on Wednesday made cooking hard, and I could barely enjoy the Indian food I had put together for dinner. I really didn't feel like cooking, and even though I didn't say it, and we hadn't talked about it before then, he knew what I was thinking.

It was kind of eerie and a super sweet and really appreciated gesture.

And the pizza was yummy and no dishes needed to be done. Score one for the Nachos!

I was just sitting at my desk...

And I realized how content and happy I am with my life right now.

Seriously.

I have a great husband, who I find new ways to love more and more every day. It is so amazing to have someone who loves and supports you all the time. I have a family who loves me, wonderful friends who support me, and a kitty who cuddles up in my lap. We have a roof over our heads, food on the table, and our health. Life is good.

You all know who you are, so thank you for being a friend.

(This is where I would have the Golden Girls Heavy Metal theme song as seen on SNL, but that would be infringement, so I will just end here.)

Jury Duty or... New Bedford???

So I got called for jury duty.... as ms. (pre) Nacho when I was registered in the town where I used to live. They were trying to send me to New Bedford Court. Even from my former hometown, it was a long trip to get to New Bedford Court. I don't even want to imagine what the commute would be like from Boston.

That wasn't even in my county, so I am attempting to be disqualified due to both my name and address changing and the fact that I am registered to vote in my new home city which is not in the same county.

Now I thought calling and reporting this was going to be a huge pain in the - well... you know. But I got through to some one in under a minute, and they walked me through what I should do to get everything straightened out.

Sure I will probably end up in Cambridge, but to be honest, I will take it and be glad!

Summer in the city...

IS HERE!!!

Today it's supposed to reach 90 degrees! I was going to go to the beach tonight, but I think I will just stay in with the fans on. Besides the beach for one stinks and tonight is gamenight for the Mr., so I am going to go home and get some stuff done and enjoy unlimited access to our awesome TV.

I still have to figure out what to have for dinner. I think I may stop by the foodstore and get some fresh fruit and veggies for dinner, I will see how I feel in a little bit.

Hopefully you all can enjoy the beautiful weather! Ciao!

Looking Forward...

I am so looking forward to a long weekend, just to us. We aren't going anywhere, doing anything that we don't feel like doing. Things on our non-agenda can include sleeping in, going to the beach close to the house, seeing the muppets exhibit in Lexington, and enjoying some comic book reading.

I can not wait! 4 Days until the weekend!

Scrapbook Project 1: Baby Book for Peanut!

I actually finished a great project just in time for Mothers Day! As I mentioned last post, our nephew Peanut will make his entrance into this world next month. Upon learning the good news, I set out in planning a baby book for her.

I worked really hard to get it done in time, and even though we have not yet discovered Peanut's name, I did it! I finished the Saturday night before Mother's Day.

Here are a few of the pages.

The front page:

The pre-baby page:

My first food:

My first Halloween:

My Favorite Toys:

The book came out amazing and my Sister in Law loved it. I am proud of how it came out!

Looking forward to summer!

I just realize today how much I look forward to Summer. There is so much going on and so many things to be excited about. The biggest of which is the arrival of our nephew "Peanut" next month.

It is a glorious day outside today and I have my window open with the sounds of the street serenading me as I pound away at my keys.

Peanut will join his big sister Lily who is probably just as excited as Uncle Mr. and I are.

Other things we are excited about:

• We purchased tickets to enjoy the July 4th Extravaganza at the MOS. They have activities, allow for picnics, and pipe in the Pops concert. The Boston Fireworks are right there. Mr. told me he has been wanting to take me to the Boston Fireworks since we began dating.

• We have a couple of House Conventions coming up. The first one: PegCon has a great many games, and all of them are pretty much from different systems. This excites me. Variety is indeed the spice of life. I am also possibly running twice. Once with my Dragon Age game and once with Danger Patrol. I will have an ICON's game at the ready for any last minute cancellations. The second is BisbeeCon, where the list of games have not been finalized, but I am running Danger Patrol. The games that are listed sound fun. I can't wait to see a finalized list!

• My M&M monthly game is thriving, and I am very tempted to write the last story arc. Mr. joined us as a guest during this story arc, playing Mockingbird. I may have to post a character story here from last nights game. It. was. awesome. I was really happy to see everyone around the table and our friend Piratecat was able to play this session.

• The Cape House and Maine~ Hopefully we will be there soon!

CONGRATS LIL' SIS!!!

My younger sister has grown into an incredible woman. She is smart, witty and not afraid to be silly every once in a while.

Sunday, Mr. and I had the honor of attending her graduation at Lasell. And in her never ending quest to take absolutely beautiful photos, I present the following!

Crossing the Stage!

She did it! And with a 3.7 GPA she graduated Magna Cum Laude from the honors program!

Here she is getting her Alumni Rose and joining me as a distinguished alumni!

Jess, I don't think it is possible to be any more proud of you. You are an amazing person and we are lucky to have you as our sister. Now you are in the real world. It is exciting to watch you thrive. I can not wait to see what you do with the journey before you.

Congrats Kiddo!!!

Wednesday- The Journey Home

This is the only picture from Wednesday. The trip home was long, but worth it because of this picture. This is the d20 Blonde and The Universe and their adorable child who have been mentioned here before. It was a great visit, and we wish we could have stayed longer but we needed to get home.

Our rude awakening came on I90 in MA: Mr. said he wasn't feeling well and proceeded to get worse. By the time we got home, he was really sick.

Not the ending to the glorious vacation we hoped for...

Tuesday - Oh say can you see...DC?

Unfortunately our morning began with Yarngeek's truck stalling and not starting back up. Her day off that was supposed to be playing with us at the Smithsonian was instead spent dealing with her broken car. :(

She encouraged us to go, making sure to tell us that she would be fine and we headed toward the platform.


















The Metro was far more comfortable than the T, mainly because the chairs were cushioned! So it was a comfortable ride in to the Smithsonian.

The Smithsonian consists of a ton of museums, but we were only going to focus on two: Air and Space and American History.


Our first stop was the Air and Space Museum. We got to see the Spirit of St Louis, the Apollo capsule, the original Wright Brothers plane and lots of WW II planes. Here is Mr. in that exhibit.


















We even learned about all the effort it takes for the astronauts to get into their suits! Did you know that Kevlar was actually invented for the space program?

After a quick lunch, we went over to the American History Museum. They had lots of really neat stuff. The coolest by far was seeing the Star Spangled Banner Flag. It was huge and very well kept. The only parts that were missing were the portions that the flag maker's family cut to sell when they couldn't make ends meet.

We also saw the First Ladies exhibit, where only a few days prior, the current First Lady donated her inauguration dress. It was stunning.





















But we were not done! We also saw some amazing artifacts from the Apollo Theater, Julia Child's kitchen, Kermit the frog, the ruby slippers... and something about lasers!



















(Mr. was super excited about that!)


We picked up a copy of the White House Cookbook and the Presidential cookie cookbook. (The macaroons looked incredible!)


After the museum, we headed over to the memorials. Our goal was to see the WW II memorial, the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial.

We passed by the Washington Monument, which was breathtaking. While we were over there we saw the White House in the distance, and I managed to get a photo of Mr.


















The WWII memorial was gorgeous, and a beautiful tribute to all the men and women who served our country durring that tough time and those who died for the cause.

The Lincoln Memorial was just as impressive as the last time, but more so... the view from there is spectacular!




























Post Vietnam Memorial, we grabbed a cab and went to the nearest Metro. A short hop back and we were in Crystal City to meet our hosts for Tapas. It was my first time trying this, and it was delicious and tons of fun. Also: The best sangria I have ever tasted!

Then it was back to our hosts house where we got to just relax and chat. When it got a little late, we turned in... we had a long journey home in the morning.

Monday... Time to Visit DC!

Monday only has one picture to it, as we were traveling all day. We got up early in the morning and repacked the car. After checking out of the hotel, we met some of the stragglers for breakfast and farewells. I was so sad I actually teared up in the car. But we were not heading home, but rather heading towards Washington D.C. where we were going to be staying with our friends Yarngeek and Madwabbit and their adorable daughter Plum.

On our way out of town, and before we reached Church on Fire! (Please note: that is the actual name of the church.) We got a picture of this beautiful car:

The ride took the morning and into the afternoon. We arrived safely, spent the afternoon getting settled in, and caught a viewing of Empire Records. (Damn the man, Save the Empire!!) When we got hungry, we went out and grabbed some Thai food in Old Alexandria.

Old Alexandria was awesome! It had the older houses pushed together and made me think of what the old colonial city looked like at the beginning. The street we were on had tons of fun store fronts, and after dinner we strolled down and got ice cream from a great home made place. (I got one... Stomach be damned!)

Afterwards we went back to the Yarnwabbits house, and hung out and chatted for a bit until it was time to go to bed. We were all worn out because it was a travel day. I fell asleep dreaming of the sight seeing that was to come!

Sunday.... Time for Farewells and the Official End of gameday...

Sunday, we woke up exhausted but happy. We quickly got ready and headed off to NCSU for the last day of gaming. We stopped at Dunkin's for the worst coffee and bagels we have ever had.

Our first game was Danger Patrol with our friend 'Wabbit (Name is changed to protect the innocent... or semi innocent, depends on who you talk to. ;D ) and I fell in love with the system. To me it was a perfect game to play if you are a GM, because you help write the plot hooks as players. Danger Patrol is modeled after an old 50's Sci-Fi Saturday morning show, like Flash Gordon. You even shill for companies in the middle of the game. (Exact Quote: "The one thing I miss about being alive is the taste of Maxwell house Coffee"- Jenny Jones, Ghost Detective) We also got to do our own commercials. Mine was teaching kids about stranger danger with the second part of our "power hour" Batman and Robin.... It was awesome, and our GM, 'Wabbit, was awesome. Here Mr. explains his next move!

Mr. played Zachary "Frak" Balsac, Two Fisted Pounder, Man of Manly Action. I played the Ghost Detective Jenny Jones. I loved the system so much, I am running it at the summer conventions.

Then it was time to do my thing. I ran my Dragon Age game. It was awesome, and I enjoyed having the players I had at my table. (Honestly it is a shame they don't live closer. I am running it a few more times, and I notice I still have a pretty good knack at writing decent dialogue. The players responded to it really well, and a couple of people (including Mr.) told me it was really well done.

Post game, it was time to celebrate a game day well done and well received. We went to Jack Astors and sat down to a filling meal with the greatest drink EVER... the Twister. (Strawberry Daiquiri and Lemonade Daiquiri with a shot of raspberry vodka. Soooo Good!) I loved it and could probably have drunk more, but I didn't.

Then we headed back to our Host's house, where we just sat around and chatted until we couldn't chat anymore. We arrived back at the hotel... where we still had packing to do.

NCGD Washington DC trip

Click here to view these pictures larger

Saturday: Gaming and Spies and Mexican, OH MY!

Saturday began with an early-ish start and our easy-peasy trip to NCSU for the gameday kickoff. Our first game was our friend's Spycraft game. I had played in the first two chapters, and my ass kicking Techie does not disappoint. (I killed the electricity and rerouted the calls to 911 and the electric company from the house to my phone and could answer. It was AWESOME!)

(Our awesome GM....I can not say enough about how great a game this was.)

We then left with a group and went to have some Mexican food. It was good. I am still not sure I got what I ordered, but it was yummy. Not only that, I got to catch up with friends of ours that we very rarely see.

Then, because our afternoon GM had to cancel, my (super talented) husband ran his Repo Man game. Let me tell you, this game is fun. This game had me laughing so hard I couldn't keep the camera straight...

I played a 1980's Las Vegas Stripper (yes, you read that completely right.) who had the IQ of the gum she was chewing. I can't tell you any of the best lines or scenes, because Mr. is running this for a few more conventions/ gamedays in our future.

We all had such great chemistry as a group. I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard during a game! Mr. also said that is the most fun he has ever had running a gameday/convention game. It was so much fun!

After the game, we all went over to our Hosts' house and we ate BBQ and drank and played Rockband. Below, Mr. and our friends Rel, Bubba and Mik form a super group for a song.

After it was back to our hotel, where we read and crashed to watch some SNL!

Friday: Party Time!

We slept in Friday morning and then began the 9 hour trek down to NC.

America is gorgeous country. Virginia is especially gorgeous, but I drove that stretch, so no pictures! (YAY 70 MPH speed limit!) But I got to enjoy the foliage! And the many landmarks we look for on the way... such as the CHURCH ON FIRE!!! (Awesomest church name ever!)

Then we got to our hotel...and let me tell you the reception was so great! We were tired but by the time we got done with the rounds of hugs and checking in... I felt revitalized! We got help unpacking, cleaned up and headed down to the little get together that had been going on!


They were smackin' the Kracken... rum that is!

We played tons of catch up, as many of us hadn't seen us since before the wedding, so we got a chance to hang out. By the end we were either buzzed or drunk and things got silly!


The night ended with a trip to the Waffle House and some Cookout burgers. Thus setting the pace for our crappy eating over the course of the next couple of days!

Thursday Night: Away we go!

So Thursday we got home and packed the car. Once we were done saying goodbye to the Nacho Kitten, we were off bound for adventure! I began the trip, mostly due to my knowledge of the Mass Pike Traffic flow!

As such there is only one real photo to share! It comes from our hotel in Jersey, where we stopped to sleep.

Look at what they were hosting:

Vacation was Bliss!

So the Mr. and I went this year to the tri-annual North Carolina Gameday over the weekend and we decided to make a vacation out of it. We left after work on Thursday night and were gone until Wednesday night!

This mini-vaca was not just to North Carolina, but also to our Nation's Capital, Washington DC!

It was awesome! As Kick Buttowsky says, "It was Epic!"

It was also much needed. As Mr. said, he can't remember a gameday with that many great games that everyone loved. We couldn't remember the last time we laughed that hard in a game.

It also reminds me that we should have a retirement community where all we do is play games and crack jokes.

I was trying to figure out how best to deal with the awesomeness of this trip without showing all 300 photos. (Which are available for viewing on Facebook.)

I think I am just going to start at the beginning and pick a couple pictures for each day that tell that day's story!

Starting with the next post!

Happy Administrative Professionals Day!

To all the support staff out there... You who get the coffee and call that guy back because your boss doesn't want to talk to them. You who work overtime to make sure your boss looks great at that meeting the next day. You who don't take lunch because you are too busy to leave your desk.

Today is for you!

Happy Administrative Professionals Day!

Congratulations Liz and Kennon!!!

A week and a half ago, our friends Liz and Kennon had their little boy Archer! This cute little bundle of joy came into the world and gave his Mommy, Daddy and family (and extended family) a scare. But after a week in NICU, I am happy to report that this bundle of joy is home now! We get to meet him next week when we are traveling home from gameday! (We are very excited about seeing this wonderful family all together in person!)

Congratulations Liz and Kennon!!!

Welcome to the world Archer!!!

Cookies!!!!

Our house smells so good right now as I am working on cookies. They won't be baked until Wednesday night, but even the mixing of the ingredients is an incredible smell!

And the dough tastes as yummy as it smells!

Pax East Day 3: The end of the weekend of fun

There aren't too many pictures today, but that doesn't mean that there was less fun.




We got up and raced to the T station, and got to the convention center shortly after 10. I grabbed the other 6 comic books and then headed on to the Exhibit Hall. The hall was going to be our focus for the day, so we could try some new games, and get demos of others.


Our first stop was to the Civ V demonstration. Mr. went and stood in line for Red Dead Redemption. I waited and chatted with the people behind me. About an hour later, I had a spot at the last demo of the day. I went to wait for Red Dead Redemption with Mr. and after an additional half hour we were in.



While we were waiting for Red Dead Redemption, we saw a happy cooling robot:

Red Dead Redemption was awesome. The authenticity was awesome, the graphics were great and the aim was better than a lot of games out there. Definitely looking forward to that.

We wandered the Exhibit hall, saw the new control-less X-Box and tried a Wii game involving Afro Ninjas. Then we stopped by the 3-d gaming booth. It was incredible! I am in awe of technology sometimes.

After that we grabbed lunch and did a little shopping and we went to a panel called "Save my Game", which was not as good as it could have been. I think it was because any game system that was not the new one was not given a serious answer that they deserved. The sad thing was is that people in the back cheered them on. Seeing as we play Pathfinder now, this may have made the aggravation of their annoying behavior more apparent.

After, we grabbed an SNES in the classic console room and we played a little Mario. Mr. had never played Mario! We both had fun and when the half hour was up, it was time for my demo of Civ V.

It was worth the wait. I am hoping to get my computer fixed enough to actually run the game. And the designers were so excited about it that you couldn't help but be excited too.

When I left the demo, I saw the empty exhibit hall and became sad. Boston, for only 3 days, had become a geek mecha. We met so many new people, connected with the people who create our favorite games, and met up with old friends. Sure it would happen next year, but that was 363 days away.

Mr. was sad to see it end too.

How did we mourn this loss? By getting nachos and burritos at the Cactus Club before taking our swag home to remember the awesomeness that was the first PAX East.

Next up for us... NC Gameday... But more about that later... I have a game to prepare!

PAX East: Day 2- Not so convention-y but full of friends!

PAX East was so busy that we couldn't get the three day passes or Saturday passes. It was sold out before we could order. So we got to do something we don't normally get to do when we are at conventions....

We stayed home and relaxed, watched TV, slept in... It was glorious!

Although we both kind of wanted to be at the convention center too....

The end to our day was dinner with good friends of ours from New York, their kids, and another friend of ours from Rhode Island. (One thing I can say about gaming, you are never short on friends.) We met at the Longhorn Steakhouse and spent 2 + hours talking about life, knitting, games, and PAX. Our friends from NY could only get Sunday tickets. But get this... their kids are going... they want to go, and the oldest would like to roll dice soon.... in an Avatar: The Last Airbender game. (Their daughter introduced me to Plants vs Zombies... I thanked her for that addiction. ) We met early so the kids could eat at a reasonable time and our friend from RI met us about an hour later. He was at PAX today, and said it was a mob scene to get into anything. But tomorrow we try again.

It was so much fun to hang out and just get a chance to catch up, as these are people we talk to all the time, but only see once a year or so... It really is a shame. I always wish that everyone lived closer. (What an amazing game group we would have then!)

Hopefully, we will run into our friends from NY while running around the con tomorrow. I have also mentioned to our friend from RI that we needed to get together for a Dragon Age game or something soon. Cause the last time we saw him (Get this!) was right after we met each other. We weren't even dating! Not even close!

So all in all a day full of win. The whole weekend has been awesome. Tomorrow is the end, and I can't help but be sad.

However, PAX will be in Boston in 2011, 2012 and 2013, and we have already decided that not only will we go... we will have 3 day badges!

PAX East: Day 1- Welcome to Boston

Boston has never really hosted anything this big in forever. PAX East has arrived in all of its geeky splendor. And it is awesome!

After working a half day, I drove to the close to home T station and hopped on the train into the city. In short time, I found myself at the convention center. Where there was quite a line to get in!

It took about 30 minutes to get in... which left 30 minutes to the Keynote with Wil Wheaton. I began my sprint towards the main theater. I got to the door just as they announced that they were full. I was walking away crushed, when I heard a familiar voice behind me. It was a buddy of ours, who was being an enforcer, running an errand. I told him my predicament, and he told me to sit right where I was and wait for him to come back. He was back less than 5 minutes later and took me back down to the main theater where we went through a side door. (I have to admit it was pretty cool feeling entering the VIP area!) He found me a seat and I got to enjoy Wil Wheaton in all his glory.

First off... the guy is hysterical. His comedic timing is so spot on. He used the term "wicked" and spoke about a variety of topics including:

• How awesome gamers are.


• How video games are becoming a mainstream form of entertainment.
  
• How awesome the convention is.
  
• How gaming leads to lifelong friendships.
  
• How the geek stereotypes are going the way of the dodo. Everyone in a small way is a geek.
  
• How Dragon Age is a emotional video game, where the player gets so invested.
  
• He also talked about Star Trek and Stand By Me.
  

It ended to a standing ovation.

After I searched for my friend to thank him, but couldn't find him. Then I left the Main Theater and I headed to the line to meet Wil Wheaton. While there I spoke with a gamer girl blogger, and we chatted about being a girl gamer in the current gaming environment. She was pretty awesome and I will start following her here soon. After about a half an hour, he came out. He was awesome. Not only did I mention he and Star Trek: The Next Generation were my gateway drug to the awesomeness that is Star Trek, I also got to mention that we are fans of his Dragon articles. I also got an autograph and this:

The photo I instantly sent a SQUEEEEE!!!! Text message to my husband about.

And I found this on the way out!

Speaking of my hubby, he was stuck at work, so I started to check out the con while I waited for him to meet me. I saw the classic arcade games, classic consoles, and a little bit of the expo hall.

I ran into someone from G4 and got to say how much fun I was having! I got a photo.

Then I decided it was time to shop. I went and picked up some fun t-shirts and was such a line, someone started hitting around a beach ball. Then the Hubby arrived and we got dinner... and had to sit on the floor to eat it, but when we were done, we went back to try and get some Expo hall time in.

We saw 3D gaming, and some demo's of new games. We couldn't see much, but finished at the Intel booth where I won a "Life's a Glitch" T-Shirt. It was really cool and compact.

Then we attempted into the Bringing up Geeks panel, but it was full, so we went and stood in line for the Girls in Gaming Panel. There we ran into another friend who sat with us for the session.

After that we checked out the Rockband Party, and sang along because the line was way too long to get up on the stage and sing.

By that point it was late, and we were tired. So we hopped on the T and went home. Tomorrow will be our second and final day at PAX.

Will we get to try the 3D gaming?

Will I get to try Civ 5 and Bioshock 2?

How is Red Dead Revolver?

Stay tuned!

Convention tricks and tips.... Nacho style!

So Convention going is fun, but there are things you should remember.

1) Have fun. This one is a given.

2) Shower.... no one likes a funky smelling gamer. Seriously. And if you are staying over in a hotel: the hotels supply soap. USE IT! 3 days of no showering is nasty.

3) Remember Hygiene matters~ This could have been put in the shower conversation but I think it deserves its own point. Wash your hands after going to the bathroom. Wear deodorant and brush your hair. (Yes... I did encounter all this at conventions)

4) If a game is going on, please observe quietly. If you are playing or in the general area... Please turn off your cell phones.

5) Conventions are a great way of meeting people. Be friendly and you may finish the weekend with many new friends.

6) Don't try to see everything. I know. Once you get there and see everything all set up, you become awestruck and want to see everything. Don't try... you will be rushing around trying to see everything and not enjoy yourself.

Follow these and you will have a blast.

How to prepare for conventions/gameday.... Nacho style

Tomorrow is the start of PAX East and here in Boston, the Gamer community is buzzing about the weekend filled with events.

But how does one prepare for a convention or a game day?

That is what todays post is all about! How best to prepare for a weekend of non stop fun and frolic.

1) Get lots of rest. If this means skipping or making your stint at a precon party short, do so. Trust me the next few days will be filled with tons of fun to make up for the 2 hours early you left that party and they played Basic or Apples to Apples.

2) Drink lots of water/liquid. You are going to do TONS of walking. (I am going to wear my pedometer to measure how far I have walked. I am very curious) You don't want to spend part of your time dehydrated.

3) Eat Healthy! For the week before, eat as healthy as you can. You are going to be eating so badly during the convention, you want to try and be good before and after.

4) Think about what you need to bring versus what you want to bring. You may want to bring all your Munchkin games with you, but the second you step on the T and have to stand, the extra weight makes you regret it. Remember this rule- You bring it, you are stuck carrying it all day. (Unless you are staying where the con is. Then you carry it until you find a moment to dump it back in your room)

5) Pack the night before. Rushing the morning of may make you forget important things.... like your badge. You do not want this to happen, because there is no way, no way at all you are getting in.

6) Try and see what is going to be there ahead of time so everything you want to see is planned. But also check out the exhibitors you want to see just so you don't miss them.

7) Have fun!~ It is a game convention after all. And games are supposed to be fun!

I will be blogging from PAX East. Stay tuned this weekend for updates!

Rain Rain Go Away....

It's Baaaaack! The rain has once again hit the Boston Area.

At least we are at work and not at home. But to get to work... well soon I will need a paddle.

But after today it will be sunny and chilly but not go under 40 through the weekend.

Speaking of weekend.... PAX East is this weekend. This convention covers both video gaming and RPG's so we are really excited to see some of the new and awesome stuff being presented.

For Example, there is going to be a company there that is creating a plug in so that you can play your actual guitar while playing Guitar Hero, Rockband, etc. I don't play a guitar, but that is pretty freaking sweet.

Also.... their guest of honor....the one that I am taking a half day to go hear his keynote address..... Wil Wheaton, self proclaimed geek and one of my first crushes when he played Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Sure he was one of the kids in Stand By Me.... But as a fan of The Next Generation, I am completely geeking out! I am totally excited about this.

Also, friends are going to be in town for this, and I am super excited to see them!

This weekend is going to rock! And I will be blogging the whole experience.

Knitting for a good cause!

Brookline Smiles, a local organization, in conjunction with Town Hall is having a knit along on Wednesday for a good cause.

They have a program called "Knitting for Veterans" and on Wednesday all the knitters and crocheters of Town Hall will come together and knit or crochet a square for lap blankets for wounded veterans of the Iraq War. This cause is also looking for knitted hats, scarves, mittens, sweaters, and anything else that can keep these heroes warm.

If you knit or crochet and would like to donate something to this totally worthy cause, please contact me and I can arrange to pick it up and drop it off with my offerings.

Don't worry if you are a beginner. Anything that can help will be welcomed with open arms.

Monday... Monday...

I totally didn't want to get out of bed this morning. The sky being cloudy like this always makes me ready to go back to bed. So to get up and start the week on this note is tough. Especially after a great weekend!

But I am here, and it is chilly in our office. I actually think it is warmer outside, but I am not freezing, so no complaints.

Although I am dreaming of that 75 degree day that was Saturday. That was awesome.

We went to IKEA today!!!

Have I ever told you I love IKEA?

Well I do.

Mr. and I realized we really needed more storage space in the kitchen and more media boxes. So we hit the road and went to the local IKEA (all windows of the Jeep down of course... it was stunning out!)

We created our own cabnet and picked out a spice rack. Then we passed by a table. THE table.

I have been complaining about the lack of counter space as of late. It makes it hard to cook or use things like our food processor. So I had plans to buy a great table that would hang out in the corner and be another work space. And on top of that awesome... it has more storage!!!! I have to admit I was quite giddy over our find.

We also picked up a kids cookbook of sweedish recipes for $3.00 and new media boxes for our DVD's.

When we finally buy a house... IKEA may be a dangerous place for us.

A losing battle...

Did you ever wonder what people would be like 10 years down the road when you graduated from high school?

I did.... once.

Now I know.

My 10 year reunion is this year, and it is really bothering me for some reason that people stayed the same.

Specifically the ones who thought it was all about them in High School... now believe it is all about them after college .

I grew up in a small town about an hour from Boston. Many still live there and have families, others live around there. A small handful live in the Boston area. Guess where the reunion is going to be held?

If you guessed Boston, you get a Scooby snack!

Now I have voiced my well thought out opinion on the whole situation. The whole thing started out fine. Have it in our hometown, keep costs down... etc.

But then people came in who were the representatives for the class and went "I think people would rather have it in Boston. It will be cheaper."

Seriously? I want to live in your Boston. A Boston where meals for 2 at a decent pub (where they are claiming we are going to have it) doesn't run you $70-80....Where parking is not sparse or expensive....Where there is always street parking... Where public transportation runs 24/7 and it is not a scary place to drive for people still living in Norton. That sounds like a Boston that I (and many other people) would enjoy.

We are going to be drinking at a pub, a fancyish pub from the sound of it. The bill is going to be huge. And if they chose a pub that serves a lot of seafood and serves appetizers and stuff with seafood, then I am just going to be able to drink. Not to mention the other things I can't eat. I don't ask that I make the decision of where we go, I just ask that they pick one with a wide ranging menu. But the likelihood of that happening, is slim to none.

And here is the best part.... You ready? Everyone has been planning on Thanksgiving weekend... and there is talk of doing it in the summer. Namely June.

June... you know, the month that is about 3 months away? The month that is pretty full on my calendar already.... So now if people are coming from out of state, they will be scrambling for tickets, hotel, etc. People with vacations will miss out, and I don't think anyone that is being listened to really cares.

Sigh.... seriously not trying to be catty or anything, but I am up at 8:19 on a Saturday wondering if a reunion is actually worth going to. I looked at the Facebook group yesterday, and I am glad I did, because this topic had come up and there was no notification. I had a restless sleeping night, and this was part of the cause.

I feel bad, because when the planning started, as a Facebook group, the person planning it took the time to listen to everyone. And now I feel like if it is not about having the reunion in Boston, people are being ignored. She was pushed out and lost her say, which ticks me off to a whole new level.

I have reconnected with some classmates on Facebook and would love to see them, but with the location they are saying they won't attend. A alternative reunion taking place in November in my hometown for all those who couldn't attend the Boston one would be looked at as just a ploy to make this reunion the "negative reunion". The cluster of confusion and "My way or the Highway" is a tad bit frustrating.

I have grown up a ton since high school. I have learned a lot about life and I love where I am in it. I just wish that my peers had grown up some too. Mr.'s reunion made me realize that something fun near our hometown would be good for us. I became excited about mine. But that balloon has since deflated.

People I mention it to are surprised that we were having it in Boston. They thought, as did I, that it was supposed to take place in or around where you graduated from... Apparently not.

But I said my piece there and was (I think) ignored. So now I say it here. People will read it... They don't have to respond, but they will read it. And here... I feel heard.

Just wondering

Why was the food store insane on a Friday afternoon?

Seriously.

I was there this afternoon after getting a early release from work, and it was a madhouse. But I got my shopping done, and we now have food for the next two weeks.

The good news: I bought flowers. Roses and Gerber daises to be exact. We finally have flowers in our gorgeous vases.... Including the gorgeous one we got in Moreno, Italy! I can't wait to show it off!

Pics of the flowers should be posted sometime this weekend.

Tackling my own Sauce....

So this weekend we have a TON of household stuff we need to get accomplished. So instead of going out to eat like we usually do on the weekends, I am cooking at home, and we traded out weekend dinners for St. Patrick's day dinner out and Mexican at our favorite place (El Sarape in Weymouth).

So seeing as Saturday we are home (not all day, have to run to IKEA and Target) and all, I thought I would be adventurous and try to do something new. I am going to try and make pasta sauce. Hey, it looks easy when Giada does it!

I know... I know... Married to an Italian man and don't know how to make the sauce... Shame on me. But truth be told, I never really made anything substantial when I was single, and we were always so busy during the dating/engagement years. So we always had jarred sauce.

Having the jarred sauce opened our horizon to new types of sauce that we can enjoy. Especially vodka, white wine, butter and red pepper sauce. But now it is time to spread my wings.

Sure, at some point I am going to learn my mother in law's recipe which is incredible, but for now, I am going to use one of my many cookbooks.

So dinner Saturday night will be:

Toasted homemade garlic bread with tomato, mozzarella, and prosciutto

Linguine with the homemade sauce and meatballs

And something yummy for desert

I am looking forward to being in the kitchen. We have a ton of cleaning to do in there, so I am going to clean while I cook. I am actually hoping to do some appliance shifting too, as I would really like to have my food processor readily available for stuff like making pico di guio.

Top Ten Things I love about Spring!

With sun and temps in the 70's , spring has come to Boston at last!

So in keeping with my favorite late night segment, here are the top 10 things I love about spring!

10) The sun is out when I leave work! I can enjoy the sun for about an hour, and I can see the potholes that have yet to be filled in along my route home. (And there are a lot of them!!)

9) The windows at work can be opened revealing fresh air!

8) The sound of kids playing outside and walks to Coolidge Corner at lunch time. (They have a Paper Source AND a comic store. Heaven I tell you Heaven!)

7) Everyone is in a better mood.... and it shows. People stop to let you turn out of the driveway. Co-workers come by to say hi. It is a mood changing moment when the sun first shows itself in spring.

6) Time to start thinking of Convention/Gameday season! This would include our road trip to NC, which takes us through gorgeous Virginia country!

5) We are closer to summer.... and time on the Cape!

4)It is time to pull out the colorful outfits! Blacks and greys are OK for winters chill, but for the warmth of spring... time for colors!

3) On that same fashion note- SKIRTS! It is always too cold to wear them in the winter.... but the warmer weather changes that! I almost wore one today, but it is casual Friday!

2) Did I mention Gameday/Convention season?

And the number one thing I love about spring:

1) We can walk on the beach again!!!!!! And the Clam Shack has opened its doors once again!

This Top Ten list has been brought to you by the letter S and the number 19.

Spring has sprung!!!

It is gorgeous here in Boston, and after a 4 day rainfest, we are back to beautiful spring weather. Today it is sunny and the high is supposed to be into the 60's!

This is so exciting!

I hope that if you are in the area, you can get out and enjoy the beauty of the day! I am running to Serenade to pick up something sweet for my hubby, who took such good care of me while I was sick! I am looking forward to my walk!

Have fun!!!

Sláinte chuig na fir, agus go mairfidh na mná go deo!

Éirinn go Brách!!!Go gcuire Dia an t-ádh ort! Go dté tú an céad!

or

Ireland forever! Best of luck to you! May you live to be 100!

And the title of the entry is a cheers to the day: Health to the men and may the women live forever!

And for the Monty Python fan out there:

Tá m'árthach foluaineach lán d'eascainn - (My Hovercraft is full of eels!)

I am looking forward to my Irish cream and my boiled dinner tonight!

Have a wonderful day everyone!!

Sick of being Sick...

This winter the Mr and I have be wholloped by virus after virus. It just feels like we have constantly been sick, and it is driving me mad. We have been eating healthier. Increasing the amount of Vitamin C in our diet, and resting and getting to bed at a decent time. I have even begun really exercising for the exercise competition at work. I am out of ideas.

Yep, I am home from work today, sick with the worst stomach bug I have had in a long time. And with the IBD, whenever something involves the stomach area, it feels like things are so much more painful.

I am stranded on the couch today with no desire to move. And I think that is just what I am going to do.

Gameday Game 1: Dragon Age

I am so excited about my first convention game that I am preparing for the Game day/Convention thread. Here is the blurb:

Dragon Age ~ In War, Victory. In Peace, Vigilance. In Death, Sacrifice.

King Alistair has stopped getting the nightmares, as has his Queen. They, the Grey Wardens who brought the land together to defeat the Darkspawn 30 years ago, have departed to Orzimar, where they will make their last stand and die valiantly protecting everything they hold so dear, which you know is the way all Grey Wardens who survive battles die.

About two weeks ago, a messenger appeared from Orzamar, it was from Alistair. He sent word that the Darkspawn have suddenly grown stronger and are harder to defeat. All the Grey Wardens there are fighting as hard as they can, but they are afraid that the Orzimar hold will fall, beginning another Blight.

But it gets worse.

Much worse.

You only know one thing....

That 30 year peace...

That time is over.

British Invasion?

Saturday, the Mr. and I had a date night to see Muse at the Boston Garden. We grabbed some food and drink at a local bar and made our way over to the show.

I mentioned before that Muse was one of the BEST concerts I have ever seen.

Wow. This time blew the first concert out of the water.

The openers, the Silversun Pickups were good. It actually made me want to hear the latest album. Their radio single sounds like the worst thing on the album. They are a good band and remind me of Smashing Pumpkins.

Then after about 15 minutes of waiting..... BOOM!!!! The show began and we were up and dancing, taking a break to sit for the slower songs (which were few and far between) and they rocked the garden for a solid two hours.... Playing EVERYTHING from their new album and all their hits. Their 4 song finale ended with my personal favorite song, Knights of Cydonia.

Also the lead singer rocked robin's egg blue pants... You have to be secure in your masculinity to rock pants that color.

Somehow they were better than the first time. It was incredible and the energy they brought was only matched by the thousands of people in the crowd.

We paid $53 a ticket and I never I think we should have paid more. This time is different. I feel we cheated them money wise. We will go out of our way to see them every time they are in town.

Amazing. I wish they were playing Boston again... Soon.

Excitement....

I am in eager anticipation of our vacation. A trip to North Carolina for gaming and visiting friends, and then a couple days in DC on our drive home.

Now, I have been to DC and I love it. Hell, I almost moved there. But Mr. Nacho has never been. I keep thinking back to my first visit. It was so awe inspiring. The monuments were breathtaking, and spending 30 minutes in quiet contemplation at Arlington Cemetery was time well spent. I'll have to find some old pictures, but just thinking about it makes me excited for the less than a day and a half that we will be there, with the promise of a longer span of time to come. (We are planning to go and game and visit friends there in October with a few days more to sight see)

Mr. Nacho wants to see the Lincoln Memorial and the Smithsonian. We are going to do 2 of the Smithsonian museums (we hope... it is a try it and see). I told him that the two we have to do this time are Air and Space and American History. I am looking forward to seeing these museums again too, mainly because the cool stuff that they contain.

So our game plan is we leave on a Thursday night after work and drive until we canst drive no more, stay in a hotel, get up and drive to NC. (We should reach sometime Friday afternoon!) Check in to our hotel, grab grub and meet up with friends! Party Friday night, gaming and party Saturday, gaming and goodbye dinner Sunday. We will linger for Monday breakfast and then get on the road to DC. Reach DC in the afternoon, go to wherever we are staying, freshen up, and then get out and see more friends and explore DC. More DC Sightseeing on Tuesday and leaving on Wednesday, getting home in about 8 hours give or take.

Now I just have to get my game together. I am running Dragon Age the RPG, which seems like a boat ton of fun! I still have to come up with a game idea, but I am playing the computer game now for inspiration and it is starting to come to me.

I am so very excited. We have been looking forward to this trip since we left last year!