Blog Challenge Day 22:

My favorite vacation...easily my honeymoon. Sorry for a repeat answer, but it truly takes the cake!

Blog Challenge Day 21:

My favorite city...

This is almost as difficult a question as was the dream house question!  I guess I have 3. Is that allowed? I guess since it is my blog, my rules!

#1: Paris--a city I fell in love with long before my visit there in 1999. Being there was simply magical. I cannot wait to visit the City of Lights with Dave. Sigh. Someday.

#2: Boston--This is a city I fell in love with after I had fallen in love with Dave. We try to make a yearly trip there for our anniversary because there is no better way to celebrate your marriage than cheering like lunatics at a Sox game! While Dave used to live there, we try NEW places each time we go. It is so much fun to wander around and stop wherever the mood strikes us. One place that we ALWAYS go before a game is the Boston Beer Works for a Fenway burger.

#3: Saratoga Springs--our sort of home city.  The vacation spot for many horse racing fans, but an overall charming city year round.  From Congress Park to Broadway, there are plenty of sights to see and places to eat. The nice part is that it has a small-city feel. We used to (okay, sometimes still do) dream about renting a place downtown and how cool it would be. Maybe someday!

Blog Challenge Day 20:

A picture of myself

Catching Up

I have really enjoyed the blog challenge so far, I miss just posting regular posts. While I know I can, I just haven't been posting.

So what's been going on?  Not too much in all honesty. Last weekend, we celebrated my Nan and Pop's 55th wedding anniversary! It amazes me that they have been married for all those years, and are still in love. I think that is pretty cool.

In other news, my candle business has some business!  I have ~12 candles to make for co-workers this holiday season! While I am selling them at cost (more of less), I am just pumped to have people like what I make. I will be spending some time this weekend filling those orders.

I must admit that my mind is already very heavily fixated on Christmas. I know we haven't celebrated Thanksgiving yet, but I just LOVE Christmas. I have already ordered our cards, designed the Evite for our holiday party, and have started thinking about decorating. Many people who are waiting to adopt struggle with the holidays, but I am trying not to. Sure it will be way cool when we have a little one, but I think that holiday magic is there no matter what! I am putting our tree in the library this year (I think), and I also want to get lights out front. I love to see a home decorated with white lights and pine garland, so that is my goal this year. Luckily, Dave really likes the look I have in mind, which is awesome because I will need his help! Happy HolidayS!

Blog Challenge Day 19:

Nicknames:

At Home:
Shel
Frit
Fritter
Fritz
Shelly
Beave (don't ask)

At School:
G-Sleeve
G-Money
MSG
Mary Poppins

Blog Challenge Day 18:

I missed yesterday, so here is yesterday's topic...
Something(s) I miss...

+ having a Starbucks by my work
+ being a student
+ my first car--Pontiac Bonneville
+ my friends from Union
+ eating at Homestyle

Blog Challenge Day 17:

Something I am looking forward to...SNOW DAYS!

Blog Challenge Day 16:

My Dream House!

How fun, sort of. As a couple who has been house hunting on and off for a little over a year, this question is not so easily answered. We have actually bid on 4 houses in the last year, each perfect in its own way.  The common factors are: open floor plan, 4 bedrooms, sweet kitchen, private (but not too large) yard, 2 living rooms/den, gas fire place, a jetted tub in the master, and 2.5 bathrooms. Unfortunately for us, the homes that have all of these are just out of our price range. Aside from having a home to sell, that is the major reason why we have not upgraded from our starter home.

When we first moved into our current home, I was so madly in love with it. I admit that it was an emotional purchase--the house just felt right. Now 3 years later, we are getting the itch to get more house. Who knows what the future will hold, but house hunting is a lot of fun.

Here are a few photos of our house!

Blog Challenge Day 14 and 15:

Since we did not have power allllllll day, I will be doing two entries today.

#14: A picture that I love...this one is a piece of cake

#15: A favorite Bible verse

“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)

Blog Challenge Day 13:

My Goals
Hmmmmm, this is a tough one too. I am pretty satisfied with my life so far, but here are some things I hope to accomplish someday :-)
#1: write a book or a series
#2: open a coffee shop
#3: grow my candle business
#4: add to our family
#5: stay happy
#6: retire in the Dominican Republic

Blog Challenge Day 12:

What I believe...

This poem hangs on my door at school, and I give a copy to each of my students at the end of the year. It sums up my feelings perfectly.

"Attitude"
Attitude is more important than facts.
It is more important than the past, than education than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success,
than what other people think or say or do.
It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill.
It will make or break a company, a home, a relationship.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice, every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for the day.
We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that other people will act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.
I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90 % how I react to it.
And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitudes.
- Charles Swindoll

Blog Challenge Day 11:

My Favorite TV Shows:
Glee
Modern Family
House Hunters
Property Virgins
One Tree Hill
Law and Order
Sex and the City
NFL Games
Jeopardy (but I never watch it)

Blog Challenge Day 10:

Something I am afraid of...

Blog Challenge Day 9:

I missed yesterday so I will do 2 today!

A picture of my friends...I don't have one with everyone, so here are a few of my besties.

Anna is my oldest friend. We met  in Kindergarten at St. Mary's Instuitute, and we have been friends ever since. We are not in touch as often as I would like, but I hope to see her soon.

L-R: Anna, Liz R., me, Liz C., Jenn and Meredith

My BFF, Beth. We met in 1999 and the rest is history...that we will not divulge!

Blog Challenge Day 8:

A place I have travelled to...

The best vacation I have ever had was our honeymoon. We went to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.  We went there on a recommendation of our good friends, and it was the trip of a lifetime.  I am not kidding when I say that I think about going back there every day. The weather, the beaches, the pools, the food, the fun. It was amazing, and I hope we can go back there someday. In the meantime, here are some photos.

Blog Challenge Day 7:

Favorite Movies

This one is tough since I don't really like movies the way that most people do. So here goes...
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Up
28 Days
The Wedding Planner
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Mary Poppins
Beauty and the Beast

Blog Challenge Day 6:

Something that makes me happy:

Blog Challenge Day 5:

My sisters!

Blog Challenge Day 4:

My Parents!  We lovingly called them the Bickersons! While I look like my mom 110%, I get most of my personality traits from my dad. My parents are two of the best people I know, and I am so proud that they are mine. XOXO

Blog Challenge Day 3

My first love...

This is hard to write, but not for the usual reasons. My first love was a friend from childhood. We met when I was about 10 years old and he was 12. He was my next door neighbors best friend, and we all hung out together. We spent many hours playing basketball, hide and go seek, and kickball. I don't really remember when we became more than friends, but it was sometime during high school. I had liked him on and off since I first met him, but you know how boys are! I think it was 10th grade when I finally got sick of him not picking up on the fact that I liked him SO much. I told one of his lacrosse teammates who said he would make it happen. I didn't really believe him because he was "so cute" in my 10th grade eyes!

He did end up calling me, and we went on our first date in May 17, 1997. Why do I remember the exact date? I just do. We played tennis because he thought I liked tennis. It was awkward to say the least! We did a lot of the usual stuff, movies, hanging out at our houses, etc. He had a great sense of humor and the blueest eyes. The glitch in the plan was that he was leaving in August for Basic Training. We tried to stay together, but I was in high school and he was in the Army. Looking back, we wanted very different things but we did love each other. I don't remember when we really broke up since we were pretty on and off until my senior year. We took turns breaking each others hearts.

The reason it is hard to think about him is because he is still in the Army and has been in and out of Afghanistan for years. I hope he is alive and well, but I have no way of knowing for sure. I would assume that I would hear if something had happened since our parents still live in the same town, but every time a prayer is said for our service men and women, I pray for him. My dear friend. I wish I had told him how brave I think he is, and how proud I am of the way he serves our country. At 15, I never realized how much he was willing to sacrifice for our country. I know his life has not been easy, but I hope that somewhere out there, he is happy.

Blog Challenge Day 2

I have always like the country song "Just Another Day in Paradise" because it makes everyday life seem special. I believe that there is much to be happy about and thankful for in the day to day, even if we are often too busy to see it.

Just Another Day In Paradise By: Phil Vassar

The kids screaming, phone ringing
Dog barking at the mailman bringing
That stack of bills - overdue
Good morning baby, how are you?
Got a half hour, quick shower
Take a drink of milk but the milk's gone sour
My funny face makes you laugh
Twist the top on and I put it back
There goes the washing machine
Baby, don't kick it.
I promise I'll fix it
Long about a million other things

Well, it's ok. It's so nice
It's just another day in paradise
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be
Well, it's two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the lord every night
For just another day in paradise

Friday, you're late
Guess we'll never make our dinner date
At the restaurant you start to cry
Baby, we'll just improvise
Well, plan B looks like
Dominoes' pizza in the candle light
Then we'll tippy toe to our room
Make a little love that's overdue
But somebody had a bad dream
Mama and daddy
Can meand my teddy
Come in to sleep in between?

Yeah it's ok. It's so nice.
It's just another day in paradise.
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be
Well, it's two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the lord every night
For just another day in paradise

Well, it's ok. It's so nice.
It's just another day in paradise.
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be
Two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the lord every night
For just another day in paradise

For just another day in paradise
Well, it's the kids screaming. The phone ringing
Just another day
Well, it's Friday. You're late
Oh yeah, it's just another day in paradise