Almost here...

Four days to go. Here's one of the Monkey.

He LOVES Christmas!

Christmas from Kasey, Rob, and the rabbit

Pics from NYC

Clint on my fire escape.
On top of the Empire State Building.

On the subway.

Times Square

Looking at the Statue of Liberty.

Families Coming Together

This Thanksgiving marked a milestone in mine and Rob's relationship. We brought our families together and hosted a Thanksgiving meal. The turkey was from Whole Foods, and Mom helped with the sides, but Rob and I managed without any major hiccups.

Thursday morning we went to the Macy's Parade . Here's Pikachu!Then we picked up the turkey and walked through Central Park to the subway.Here's some shots from the meal...and the napping after.And that is Thanksgiving.

Thoughts of Thanksgiving

Last week at church we had a special service of Thanksgiving. Instead of a service we shared what we were thankful for. It got me thinking and all week I have been thinking about what I am thankful for rather than what I wish were different.

I am thankful for my family. I have a mom and a dad who love me and support me in anything I choose to do. And siblings, Grandma's, aunts, uncles, and cousins who are part of a close extended family that I am thankful I have.

I am thankful my family was able to come visit this Thanksgiving. We have had a great time so far and it is nice to fall into the same old patterns of talk and hanging out no matter where we are, Indiana or New York.

I am thankful for Rob. He has been there for me for so much this year, and he makes me smile. He couldn't have entered my life at a better time.

I am thankful that I have a job I love and all of the opportunities that the job has opened for me. I am so happy and excited about work and learning more and continuing my education while I work.

I am thankful for my friends. I sometimes take it for granted that I have friends who care for me. I am thankful for the small times we can take to spend time together.

I am thankful that no matter how bad things may seem, I still have good things in my life.

I am thankful that I was able to cook a Thanksgiving meal for eight with only a little help from Mom.

I am thankful that I am able to live comfortably and buy new shoes!

I am thankful for all of the travel I was able to do this year. The big trips and the short weekend jaunts.

I am thankful for all the blessings in my life. I need to remember more often these things. It helps the stress level.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Gems from the Kids

I thought I would post some of my favorite kid quotes from different research sessions over the past few months. Sometimes they give very cute answers and sometimes come up with just some of the strangest things.

On Bubble Guppies:
“Why are they wearing bathing suits?” (because they're Bubble Guppies!) “I want to be a Bubble Guppie!” 4-year-old girl

"They’re half fish! That’s a mermaid."

"It was funny because I was goin' like this (big smile)." 3yr old girl

On Construction:
“They were building, and made a doghouse, the dragon ate ice and ate a lot of crackers. He had a really big stomach!” 4-year-old boy

On Rock & Roll:
“When big crab pulled out a fork!” 4-year-old boy

“When he rings his bell and he can’t get the bell off the cow.” 3-year-old boy

On Restaurants:
“Mr. Grump was happy and the giant tomato was angry too. And Mr. Grump was angry like the tomato.” 3-year-old girl

"I didn’t like when the boy was stuck in the pickle, because if my mom was in the show and she was in there I wouldn’t like that." 4 year old boy

On Camping:
“A bear was comin’ to get them and an owl and he was about to sleep and they woke him up. And was eating marshmallows and he had the whole bag.” 3-year-old boy

“Camping on the dark side of the moon.” 5-year-old boy

On Cities:
“It’s hard to find a spot for the car. If there’s a spot you take it quickly and if you don’t someone else will take it.” 4 year-old-boy

On Doctors:
How was the python feeling? “I don’t know…. Nauseous?” 3-year-old boy

What would make the ape feel better? "I think he wants a leprechan!"

On Plays:
“Actors… the wolf came & Deema came over and she said she was late & she was like wolf don't come back. Can you read it again?” 4-year-old girl

"The owl going to kick the frog" (he means the wolf was going to get the Clam.)

On Spring:
“When he (Snow Monster) made it to winter. I hated it because I don’t want my life to be like that.” 5-year-old girl

“The fairy godmother (why?) she made flowers and then fireworks.” 3-year-old girl

The snowman. He;s not mad hes my friend.

On Dinosaurs:
(What dinosaurs do you know?) “A long tail" (Do you know any dinosaur names?) "Johnny" (Who’s Johnny?) "A big dinosaur.” 3-year-old girl


Now you see why I love my job.

Weekend to relax

I spend so much time traveling and scheduled on the weekends that I truly enjoy.

Saturday Rob and I drove up to his mom's house and she made us roast for lunch. Saturday night was Korean BBQ with some friends. It was an experience. They start by bringing hot tea and all kinds of sides. Tofu, noodles, potato salad, salad type stuff, and some spicy dishes. Then they bring out a bucket of coals and stick it in the middle of the table cover it with a metal rack, and cook the meat right there in front of you! We had beef and pork. To eat the beef you dip the beef in bean paste and wrap it in a lettuce leaf. The pork you dip in some oil and wrap in a radish slice. Very interesting and quite tasty.

Sunday Rob and I watched a movie and took a nap with the rabbit on the couch. The bunny gave us quite a scare last night when he took a nose dive from Rob's arms to the floor! But he seems to have recovered just fine.

And now I look forward to a busy week ahead...

Housewarming and Chicken Pot Pie

I have been terribly remiss in updating the last couple of weeks. There was traveling and an internet issue. And work has gotten crazy busy.

Saturday I helped Rob to host his housewarming / very belated 30th Birthday Party and the theme was Chicken Pot Pie. Thank you mom for passing on the Chicken Pot Pie recipe. We at four pies. I made a cake, and the rest was chips and drinks. But I forgot that people bring gifts to housewarmings. There were two more cakes and a pie and a box of cookies and numerous bottles of wine.

Everyone who came seemed to have a good time. We sent a some of the leftovers home with guests. And a cake and a pie made their way to work this morning. Good stuff but there is no was two people can eat that much food.

There was a definate cute contest as Chloe (9 months) discovered Mr. Theo Monkey (Rob's Rabbit) Chloe however did not eat the carpet so she wins.

Sunday was recovery and Rob is officially moved in!!!

HALLOWEEN

Visit to Peggi, Tyrone, and Aunt Gladys

Peggi and Aunt Gladys LOVE Rob... Here they are by the Paint Works.
Me.
Aunt Gladys and Peggi on a couch at one of the many bad flea markets we went to.

Wedding

Friends of Rob's got married October 26. Here are some pics...

Rob and the best man Eric
Eric and his wife Kristen
Me after the wedding. It was freezing so I was wearing Rob's jacket and the crazy party hat favors and maracas they gave us at the reception.

I-N-D-I-A-N-A

October 19-21 I spent the weekend in good old Bloomington Indiana for IU's homecoming, and my 4th year in the Marching Hundred Alumni Band. I got to meet up with Sara, Kaylene, Kari, and Kari for the weekend. We had a great time catching up and cheering on our Hoosiers. Despite the loss to Penn State, it was a great game. There were some intense moments, and my throat was definatly sore from all the yelling...although that could also have been from all the talking we did.


Marching Hundred
322 - Kari, Me, Nick

Cheering!

Me, Holly, Kari
Kaylene, Carrie, Me, Sara

Happy Fall

Yesterday Rob took me to Outhouse Orchard. It's a couple hours north of the city. We walked through the pumpkins. And looked at the apples. There is apple picking, but we skipped on that for the donut and cheesecake eating! And we took a hayride. Let me just say that is has nothing on the ones the Frazier's can do. Here are some pictures from the day.

We took Rob's friend Dave and his girlfriend Amy with us. The only shot I have with Amy in it is vertical...and for some reason I can't post those. But fun fact from the day...Amy went to IU and graduated in 2004 with a Telecom degree just like me...but we never knew each other. Hazard of a big school. Here is a shot of Rob and Dave in the store.I bought some pumpkin butter. And a pumpkin cheesecake, and some donuts!

We also picked up Rob's mom on the way. Here she is.Rob in the pumpkin patch.

Me with the crazy pumpkin with the growth. We're not really sure what's going on here.

A more perfect pumpkin...Me in the pumpkin patch so I can prove to Rob that this blog isn't all about him.

Girls on the Town

Sara came to visit last weekend. It was great to have a girl's weekend. Rob is amazed at the amount we have to say to one another. Sara arrived on Thursday evening, and we walked and shopped down Fifth Avenue! Then to dinner in Hell's Kitchen, Island Burger, gourmet hamburgers, yummy! Rob joined us briefly and after a quick stop to show Sara the office we went to a party.

Friday, I took the day off. We slept in and then hit lower Manhattan, shopping, and shopping, and shopping. SoHo, Tribecca, the West Village, then to Chinatown and Little Italy. Sara was happy to finally have the true Chinatown experience. The MOMA is free on Friday afternoons, so that was our next stop. Then back downtown to visit Bite, for a snack of banana nutella ciabatta. And off to a Birthday Party. After the party Rob took us back to Chinatown for food. Late night chinese yummm....Wo-Hop!

Saturday Rob joined us to go to Central Park. We found a waterfall and took some artsy photos. Here are some of my favorites.Then the BEST part of the weekend. Broadway. Legaly Blond the Musical. A great musical for girls. After we went to Sephora for lipstick and eyeshadow. Then to Rob's apartment for a couple of hours sleep before taking Rob's car to the airprt at 5am.Awesome Weekend!

My Cube!

Thought you'd like to see where I spend most of my week.

On the left, my shelf and office supplies, as well as Bubble Guppies pics. On the right, my work space, it's pretty clean at the moment. On the bottom, my computer (one of the NEW imacs), vase of flowers, and shared data files.

My Sumer Vacation(s)

Now that it is officially fall, it is time for the time honored essay, "What I Did This Summer."
I started dating Rob in the spring so by the time summer hit we were together most weekends. He says this blog is all about him. I say when there are two people one of them ends up in a lot of pictures, and I'm the one with the camera.

we kicked off the summer with softball and an amusement park. I played softball for the first time in years. I was in so much pain the next day. This was the Paul Beard Classic, a fundraising event in honor of an animator who was died a couple of years ago. AND we went to Six Flags Great Adventure. That seems so long ago now. Rob Vicky and I toughed it out and were there from 11 to 8. I don't know how we did it. The picture above is from the end of the night. Our other friends left us at 6.

June brought the beginning of my freelanceing for Nickelodeon, and full enjoyment of unemployment. I also got a new roommate in June. Deana. I met her at church and she works as a Physicians Assistant in a Brooklyn Hospital. We cleaned up the apartment (a later post) and get along splendidly.

For my birthday weekend in June Rob and I went to Saratoga Springs to stay with my cousins Peggi and Tyrone. It was on the chilly side, so we spent most of the time in town shopping one day. And then to the springs of course. The water is not always as tasty as one could be led to believe.

We came back from Saratoga on my birthday and went for cake with my friend Sarah and her husband Rob.

The end of June brough Aunt Cynde and Uncle Marty to town for a full BROOKLYN weekend. With the exception of traveling to the Yankees game in the Bronx, we didn't touch Manhattan. We had some real Brooklyn pizza, and walked the Promanade and the Brroklyn Bridge. Saturday was the yankees game and a walk through Park Slope. Sunday we went to Coney Island to take a ride on the Cyclone and the Wonder Wheel. And of course we ate at Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs.

Early July, Rob came to Indiana with me to meet the family. And to attend Nick and Kirsten's wedding. We had a great time. I left Indiana and dropped Rob in New York, and went straight to Brazil! Where I spent 10 days with my sister trying to pick up a little Portuguese. We really enjoyed our beach time there.

Back to New York I got two pieces of news. I had jury duty. And the opportunity for a job. I did my jury duty...I did not get picked for a case on the grounds of I had to start a new job Monday, and am excused for 8 years! And I did start the job here at Nick. (I finally got my computer at the office yesterday)

The end of July the cousins from Tennesse came to visit. Rob and I took Mindy, Lindsay, and Hannah on a whirlwind 2 1/2 tour of the whole city. I don't think I've seen that much of Manhattan since the great Connie Frazier visit of 2004. :)

August brought moving Rob in to his new apartment and settling into my job. Rob's apartment looks great. At the end of August we took a final end of summer trip back to Saratoga to bet on teh ponies. We won less than we bet...but didn't come out too bad for an entire day on the track. (Just add up how much you spend on dinner and a movie and popcorn and we did WAY better) We also floated down the Battenkill river for a relaxing afternoon.

So summer is over, but it sure was a good one.