Does Santa know that you left the North Pole?

Yes, we're definately into the season where it's perfectly fine for me to quote Will Ferrell in 'Elf', lines from "A Christmas Story" (FRAGILE), and contemplate the characteristics of Snow Meiser and Heat Meiser with my colleagues....Yes - it's time for the holidays.


Just like everyone else's holiday season ours is crazy busy. I had a looooonnngg business trip to St. Kitts (no I'm not complaining - if you gotta go - you gotta go!) and Eric accompanied me. Upon our return I launched right into our semi-annual off-site staff retreat which meant MORE time out of the office (and more eating out)...


As many of you know, we cancelled our scheduled holiday party for Saturday the 15th thinking that the bad weather would make for unsafe travels. We've rescheduled so check you're e-mail.


Last night we put up our Christmas tree and hung our "First Christmas" ornament together. In the middle of rushing around, wrapping presents, and small arguements that often ensue during the holiday season - it was nice to take a moment together. Though it seems small, hanging that ornament together was symbolic for both of us and I'm thankful that I have a wonderful husband who truly appreciates our marriage and tells me all the time that I'm stuck with him!


I wouldnt want to be "stuck" with anyone else....

On another note, we wanted to share some pictures of beautiful St. Kitts with you - it's where Ross' Vet campus is located and was the site for my alumni reunion and continuing education program. Eric and I had a wonderful time exploring the island and he was a BIG help to me as I was working the entire time.

Slown Down, You Move Too Fast.....

Got to make the morning last....

(sigh) Nowadays it feels like the morning whiz's by me and before I know it it is 3:30pm.

Days have come and gone and now the cold has really set in. Eric and I are still trying to get by without doing the summer/winter clothing switch but I think that this weekend it will be my task to make sure that we're properly dressed for November 2007.


We havent updated this blog in over a month and I'd be remiss to not do it now. We have a lot of happenings to share!


On October 28th, Eric and I became an uncle and aunt to baby Christian Charles Nielsen! Mom and dad (Jen and Chris) are esctatic over their new son and I have to say that Eric and I are in love with him too!


Ogood friends Christina and Bill got engaged on October 5th (their shared birthday!) and they're in full swing planning for their upcoming wedding.



We found out that Nicki and Kevin are expecting their first child! Dana and Chad are 6 1/2 months into the makings of baby girl #2, and our friends Peter and Nicole are expecting their first child as well! Round it out with Jamie and Susan also on baby #1 and we've got a lot of little feet that will be running around come Summer 2008!!!


Round it out with a big birthday coming up for Becks :) and we've had and are having a full fall 2007!!!


We'll be visiting my parents for Thanksgiving so hopefully that will give us a few days to slow down and enjoy some family time.....


wishing everyone an amazing fall....and hoping to see all of you this holiday season.

Keep Choppin'! 3 down....a lot to go...

Well, it's official. Football season is upon us and the cold(er) and dark(er) mornings are a sure sign of fall. It's making it harder and harder to climb out of our snuggly bed in the morning and do any exercise or go to work! That's no excuse not to blog though! :)

In all seriousness, though football has taken up a lot of our first few weeks of fall (and last few weeks of summer) we've also been busy at work and continuing to work on the house. Thanks to an air compressor and a nail gun (and a wife who isnt afraid to stand on ladders and hold 9 ft long pieces of wood) - Eric has put up crown moulding in the living room and dining room! It looks amazing and I'll definately have to post some photos soon.

These days are going so fast - I feel like before I know it we'll be packing the car to drive to Michigan for Thanksgiving. (sigh) Hopefully we'll find some time to relax with friends and family, go pumpkin picking, drink apple cider and enjoy the true splendor of fall.

That being said, I also have to take one more trip to Jersey Freeze. For those of you who didn't grow up in Manalapan/Freehold/Marlboro - Jersey Freeze is a landmark for us. It's the place you walked to after school and had shakes and ice cream. Its the place you BEGGED your parents to take you to - and they wanted to go to. It's the place that I drove to over a month ago just to bring home ice cream for my husband to try. That's right. All the way down the Parkway and Route 9 and back - because the ice cream (all of it - fat free included) is the best.

Jersey Freeze may be closing...for good. But we dont know for sure. What we know for sure is that the land is being used for something else and the best case scenario is that our stomping grounds is going to be moved to another location. The reality is that my children may never know Jersey Freeze and frankly, that's just sad....because Breyer's ain't cutting it.
Karen and I have decided that a last pilgrimage (or many) is definately in order....if you want a scoop let us know :)

Hopefully, we'll be posting more regularly soon. In the meantime, enjoy our photos from the first three Rutgers games. Though we're doing well, we've still got to face our conference rivals as the schedule goes on. That being said, we really have made the big time because...someone STOLE my magnetic Rutgers football off of my car while I was parked at work - at another University! crazy. So if you see someone driving around with a dirty Rutgers magnetic football on their car.....just take it....it's probably mine :)

I also like how I say "we" when referring to the team as if I actually play football with the Scarlet Knights.


HOMECOMING!!! September 15, 2007

Marcel and I - catching up after a LOOOONG time


Tailgating with my Rutgers buddies!



























RU v. NAVY September 7, 2007

Do you see Eric peeking out from behind Keri and I? :)




o

ok ok...I'm holding Steph's cup too while she fixes herself! don't get any crazy ideas :)

















RU v. BUFFALO - first game of the season - August 30, 2007!

Jason, Lori, and me! This is a few days before their anniversary!

There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be

Especially when you're with the one you love. Eric and I headed to Annapolis for the weekend. We took advantage of an opportunity to take a beautiful weekend away before the summer slowly drifted into fall.

So on Friday we dropped our "girls" at their Pop's house (read: Ginger and Morgen went to stay with their fan club - Eric's parents) and hopped in the car for the ride down to Annapolis. With me as navigator and Eric as pilot we made a fine team....until we hit the NJ Turnpike....at which point the navigator took a nap. For those of you who have been in the car (or plane or train or...anywhere) with me for an extended period of time you know that me sleeping in a car is as regular as the sun sets and rises. No surprises here.

We had booked a lil bed and breakfast called the Annapolitan right on West St and it was so cute. Our room was the entire 3rd floor - dubbed the Beacon Suite and once checked in we decided it was time for dinner! (also for those of you who have spent more than 10 minutes with me - you know I travel with snacks and hate to miss a meal!)

So based on our friend Sean's recommendation we went right down the street to The Ram's Head for the best light German beer (brewed on the premises) and onion rings that money could buy!

After dinner we took a loooonnngggg walk around Annapolis, just enjoying people watching till the sun went down....

Luckily, Saturday was beautiful and we took advantage of the warm weather (along with all the other tourists) and took a bay cruise and did some more walking. Later in the day we drove back across the Bay Bridge to Red Eye's Dock & Bar where Eric and I visited when in Annapolis/Kent Island for the RU v. Navy game last year. We had a blast sitting out by the water and just chatting and laughing.

Our drive back on Sunday was one with lots of rain and traffic but mostly laughs....that's the great thing about the two of us. No matter where we are - when we're there together...it's exactly where we're supposed to be. And weekends like this - filled with a lot of relaxing nothingness (you like that word dont you?) really helped us to unwind and gain a good perspective for the end of summer.

Fall - I think we're ready for ya!

"Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering.”-Winnie The Pooh

Ah lazy Sundays. They're the best arent they? Today we slept in, ran errands and even went to an open house of the home down the street (well a couple streets) that I've always loved - even before it was For Sale! and while its steep price tag means we wont be in the business of buying and selling, it was nice to walk through and dream big dreams together.

All this laziness came at a price though! Yesterday we did our chores of cleaning and mowing and laundry. All so that we could enjoy our Saturday evening with Becky and Bob and then actually HAVE a lazy Sunday.

Becky and Bob's visit was great and relaxing; as spending time with them usually is. There are no pretenses - no standing on ceremony. Just friends who are like family, sharing a meal together. Bob is an amazing photographer and shared some of his photos from our wedding with us, so I am going to share some favorites with you!
Thanks Bob, it wont be long before Im trying to hire you as the Nielsen Family photographer...or just as my photographer!

What's black and white and read all over?

OK ok ... so maybe its supposed to be "red" all over but (sigh) who knows? I'm well passed the age of those jokes...I'll ask my stepson tomorrow!

Anyway, the answer is (of course) the newspaper and... I'm in it! Today's Star Ledger's business section had a listing entitled "executives on the move" I think - at least that's how it was posted on the web. AND I'M IN IT. hee hee...

ok, that's enough.. .I know. But it's cool! and our neighbors across the street even called me at work to congratulate me on being in the paper. They're so cute!

How sweet it is to be loved by you....

It may sound corny to some and will probably show my age as I grow more and more reflective, but....life is good.
Seriously. Today the weather was terrible and cold and gray - who would know that it was August? But as I look back on my day, and the whole week, I not only smile but almost get a little misty eyed. There are funny things, sad things, and just oh so lovely things and at the end of the week I think about how we pack so much living into this time. We may not realize it but we all do - really do - live out loud...and A LOT!

There were a lot of hilarious moments this week, some of them are only funny now as I look back on them. Funny all the time is how Becky and I play an intense game of phone tag for weeks before speaking. Becks is my rock, my solid and heart of gold friend. The kind who you know will sit with you when you're old and gray and senile....and tell you that you are old, gray and senile! Today I finally got to chat with her and hopefully I'll be seeing her tomorrow AND next weekend. What a treat that would be.

Funny (now) is how my Morgen reacted to the enormous storm that happened this week. In her defense, this was a HUGE thunder and lightning show - like none other I've seen before. But then again....Morgen thinks that the bug zapper is somehow coming to get her and that the washing machine is a force to be reckoned with. Around 4am during the storm, my Morgen decided to rearrange our furniture in her attempt to be close to us and "feel safe" from the storm at hand. Finally Ms. Morgen ended up in the basement. In the morning, it took her 5 minutes to find her way out of the labrynth she had created for herself.

Bonding at work this week consisted of my colleagues/friends gathering in my office (I have a good view of the street) to watch (and create theories on) the police presence outside. Why had they blocked the road? who was in the woods? was it a bank robbery? Among our funny made up stories we stopped to realize that something big WAS going on. When my husband could provide no answers (yes, we all think he knows about ALL police activity in the area) we moved on to lunch only to find out that a truly tragic accident had occured. Our sadness for this woman produced more conversation - much more somber conversation and I know that we were all a little more grateful for what we had at that moment.

Our friend Christina lost a friend this week who had been battling for her life for some weeks now. Our love, thoughts and prayers are with her family and with Christina who is truly effected by her passing.

On the loving side....my husband and I had a date this week. On a trek to try to meet Dog the Bounty Hunter at a book signing we stopped for dinner in Ridgewood (thanks for the help Sean!) and never went to the book signing. The 4 block long line of crazed fans made us realize that we're not THAT crazy and that it was nice to take a drive together, talk in the car, talk over dinner and just enjoy each other.

Cairon and I also had a date this week :) as usual she prepared a great meal and we chatted like girlfriends do. Then Cam (her eldest son) showed us a hilarious sketch on YouTube from Flight of the Conchords. YOU MUST check it out. Search for "Flight of the Conchords Jenny" and just watch it. At work, we're all reciting lines from it.

and then back to today....the reason for my reflection. Today was raining and cold. The perfect day to stay in bed and cuddle. But I had work and we both had errands and appointments. So off we went, somethings we did together and in the rain, we huddled under one umbrella. Someone asked us - did we want another umbrella? and Eric said, "no, it gives us a chance to hug" and I thought - how awesome. It does! We walked so close under that umbrella, my hand in his back pocket, Eric's arm wrapped securely around me. Life is so good. When we stopped in to see someone that Eric has known since the age of 5, he hugged me like I'd known him since my toddler days and asked how "the old married lady" was doing. After a slew of great compliments (my confidence meter sky rocketed) he turned to Eric and said "I tip my hat to you. You done good" and referred to me as being able to bring all the good things out in my loving husband.

And that felt wonderful....When I got home from work today Eric was playing a video game that I know he'd been dying to get. And since I got a great present today (you'll have to see me to see it!) I thought "what the heck". As he played, I read my novel and we shared our time without speaking. Eric made my favorite dinner (favorite dinner from HIM) - grilled cheese on fresh bread from the local bakery and tomato basil soup. MMMMM today was a perfect day for this meal which is usually reserved for Valentines Day. And as I left the family room (he's playing again) to type this post, I brought him the fresh baked cookie I picked up for him when I got the bread. Our little ways of showing each other that we're thinking of each other - that we love each other. And I hope it never stops.

And so the reflection...and the song playing in my head....because every now and again we should all stop and think about how sweet it is......

Faster than the speed of light - there goes the weekend...

Whew! Well, we survived it - it was our first bbq with about 40 or so of our close friends and family! It was great, there was lots of food, drink, fun and catching up with friends. But as with any other party I didnt get to spend as much time as I would have liked to with everyone - playing hostess (and host!) means that you get approximately 6 minutes with each guest :) which is why, one day, when we're rich and famous (or just rich) I'll hire people to work at all our bbqs so that I can sit and chat with all my friends.

Though Eric and I had worked our butts off all week to clean a house that was in disarray from renovations and go food shopping and shopping for outdoor furniture, we woke up on Saturday and realized that we had gotten through the entire week like true partners - no arguements, a lot of compromise and a lot of laughter. Of course, there was frustration but all of that melted away each night when we snuggled on the couch before going to bed.

And when our guests began to arrive on Saturday with sunny smiles and children and presents in tow we relaxed and just enjoyed our evening. Our friends and family are incredibly generous people - from my sisters who went food shopping for me and cooked sides in the morning (and picked up liquor and some ice - wow!) to my best friend who brought pasta salad and another who brought my smiley cake :) to our close friends who gave us everything from great bottles of wine, great beer, amazing pastries, cookies and cakes...and even a beautiful housewarming gift in the mix from my awesome cousin and his gorgeous (and fun!) wife! An enormously huge thanks to our friend Cairon - she's so close to our hearts she might as well be family - for lugging the huge canopy to work for us so we could borrow it. She couldnt even make the bbq but wanted to make sure we had everything we needed!

The first photos is of our friends Billy and Christina :) Christina and I have become great friends through Bill and Eric.
The second is of our friend Gerard (we met him and his fiance PatT on our honeymoon and they're amazing and fun people! We missed you Heather and Keith)

There's PatT! Gerard's lovely fiance



Eva is so curious about PatT's broken foot :) she touched the cast a few times but was still puzzled ... so cute!

Saturday came and went in a flash and soon Sunday morning was upon us. Eric woke at 4:45am to head to work (sigh) while I slept soundly. I promised him that I would clean up as much as possible in his absence but my day also had another important event in it! Visiting my friend Shenin and meeting her two baby girls for the first time!!

But first, I caught Morgen and Ginger napping on a freshly vacuumed couch. They were totally wiped out from a day of fun with all their people friends yesterday. Their cousin Belle (owned by close friends Tara and Gary) even sent treats for them!
Here's our Dining Room - not finished yet, but definately clean - and gives those of you who couldnt make it (and my mom and dad in Michigan! a work in progress view of the house)
and living room - Every time Morgen hears the beep of the camera turning on she comes into the frame. I'm convinced she thinks I should only take photos of her! Ginger is in this shot too - still sleeping on the couch.

What I refer to as our "Wedding Mantle" :)
Our bedroom - the first room finished :)
Second Bedroom :) - Mom and Dad - doesnt it look different?!

And then the best part of the day - meeting lil Sophia and Serena Jamal. They are beautiful little girls who were born 2 minutes apart. Serena is older and Sophia plays the part of the little sister incredibly well, though I promised to give her pointers as she grows. They did what all 6 week old babies do - they cried, slept, ate, and gave us immense pleasure as we held and cooed at them. Shenin is a beautiful mom and is blessed to have her calm and always smiling mom and dad here to help her with her new bundles of joy. Thank you for letting us share in your joy - you know we'll be back soon and even sooner if you need something!
Rukshana and Abdul with baby Serena - she's such a munchkin!

And there's Grandpa with baby Sophia and then Abdul and me on the couch with two sleeping babies with full bellies! I've got baby Sophia and he's got baby Serena - who makes the greatest faces when she dreams.

We love you girls!