S.A.D. . . . in Summer?!

Is it possible to have SAD (seasonal affective disorder) in the summer months? I have always heard of having SAD in the winter months, but the summer ones?

I just have been sooooooooooooooooo bummed about this Erie weather lately. I have been to the beach once this entire summer, and since Labor day is right around the corner, I have to admit to myself that summer is almost officially over. :-(

Everyone I have been talking to has been saying that this was the one of the worst winters we have ever had in Erie . . . followed up by the worst summer we have ever had. And after coming back from Virginia for 2 years, I guess I was hoping the weather would've been a little better.

I think I am going to have to take a trip to Florida or some place warm, sunny, and sandy so that I can at least get a little warmth and sunniness in!

Next year Erie. You can do it.

Seriously?! I'm Not Ready!

We are going to NYC next week!!!!!!!!!!! EEEkkk!! It really caught up to me and I still haven't planned anything out except our plane flight, hotel, and how to get from the airport to the hotel (and even that still needs a little more planning).

I am still super excited, but I feel like I really need to start planning this all out.

Is it best to just get a weekend pass for the subway?

Should we just get our broadway tickets from the TKTS stand?

Any other last minute (week) tips or hints you can give us?

More Babies!

Went to my grandma's last Thursday to catch up with some out of town family that was in town! This cute little boy is Kevin Titus!

And here is my cousin Carrissa's baby girl, Lily! I can't believe she's 2 months old already! Such a doll!

And a bunch of my little cousins on the hill before the big lightning storm came!

I always love getting to spend time with family!

Photography Classes!!

Wow . . . I have a lot to blog about . . . Bryce's 1st birthday, Shane and I's anniversary, family get together, Nikkie's bachelorette party, and some other random things, but I have been soooooooo busy and have not been home long enough to do any of this!

For now, I can tell you that I did finally officially sign up for photography classes!! I'm super excited and got the confirmation email today! Mase and her co-worker, Bethany, are also taking the class with me, so that makes it even more fun! I have no intentions on making this my career, but it is definitely a hobby that I GREATLY enjoy and have always enjoyed, but since getting our new cam, I want to learn even more about photography!

Bryce's Pre-Birthday Pics!

I went a little early to Bryce's 1st Birthday so I could help set up (aka - chase Bryce around and take pictures of her because she is so gosh darn cute!!)! Here is Bryce all excited for her big day!

God made us all wait a long time (Bry & Sommer tried having a baby for 2 years), but that was because he had Bryce in store for us!

Probably one of my favorite pics ever.

BTW . . . I did not edit any of these. I just looooove my new camera!

Stay tuned for Bryce's cute cupcake outfit and more details of the big day!

Bryce's Birthday Tidbit!

pic taken by yours truly . . . i attempted to edit it a little too . . .

I have a TON of pictures I need to share from Bryce's 1st Birthday, but for now you just get a sneak peak!!

I can't believe our niece is 1 already!! Time flies!!

T Swizzle

Got this from Brooke & Freeland and had to pass it on!!

I love it!! Especially the end!

KT & Mike's Pittsburgh Reception!

KT & Mike had a second reception in Pittsburgh to celebrate their wedding with their Pittsburgh friends!

It was at the New Hazlett Theater.

My favorite was the photo booth set up with mustaches, masks and hats!

We had quite the fun time with our mustaches! This reminds me of our cruise ship excursion where we walked around the entire cruise ship with mustaches on and got pics taken at the "photo booths" there! Everyone thought we were crazy. . yes.

The guest book and some pictures from the wedding!

Nikkie, Me, the preggers CJ, and KC!

The newlywed couple!! Mr. & Mrs. Hammer!

Lilyauna!

phone pic sent from my cousin Carrissa

I'm so sad it's been since Lilyauna was born (June 16th), that I have seen her!! Hopefully this week when out of town family comes, we can all get together to reunite!! She is such a cutie!!

Photography Class?

So. . . .

I want to take some photography classes and I am having trouble deciding on where to take them.

Erie Art Museum has classes that include beginning photography and some picture editing as well (which I really want to learn)! (about $11.25 per hour)

Erie County Tech School also has a photography class that has 9 more hours of class for only $40 more, but I'm not sure if they do photo editing. (about $8.33 per hour)

Has anyone taken any photography classes in Erie??

Art Museum or Tech School? Which do you suggest?

Beach Visit!

4/5's of the S.K.A.N.K.s (Nikkie had to do wedding stuff) decided to take a cruise to the beach 2 weeks back after Nikkie's bridal shower.

I really was not standing up to take this pic, I just have monkey arms (aww you can see Waldameer in the distance . . . which I still have yet to visit this summer)!

Here are the girls after successfully helping a lady get her car out of the sand! We felt like such good samaritans! A couple other people came to join us in helping, b/c I think they thought . . "4 girls all dressed up can't push a car out of the sand" . . . but it was mainly us who got her out! Girl power ( . . . that was lame, I know. . . I'm sorry. . . .)!

Mase, KC, and KT getting their toes wet! Seriously . . . this was the first time ALL summer that I was "in" the water. It felt so great, but was like a little tease b/c I miss swimming so much!

KC, Mase, and I are meeting at the beach this Saturday to do some kayaking and then some relaxing in the sun! Hopefully I can swim around a little too!

My girls!! So awesome and so blessed that we are still friends after 16 years (give or take a few)!!

Umm . . and then our normie "awkward pic session" started . . . .

We like taking pictures and we like being weird.

And it continues . . . .

I love this one b/c the biker guy is looking back and laughing at us!! I would too!

The sad part is, these were only a FEW of the "fun awkward" pics that we took!

Love my girls!

Nikkie's Bridal Shower!

Only two weeks late for this post . . . Nikkie had her bridal shower @ Sloppy Duck's in Erie! Here is Nikkie (she likes to be called Nicole now, but it's just so hard to change after calling her Nikkie for . . . . 16 years . . holy crap has it REALLY been THAT long?!) and her bridesmaids (Me, KC, KT, Jen - her cousin and maid-of-honor, and Mase).

Mother-of-the-Groom, Mrs. LaPaglia, Nicole (ugh, that just doesn't sound right to me), and Mommy-of-the-Bride, Mrs. Pfadt.

Our beautiful gift for Nikkie (purchased & wrapped by KC)! We got her cookie pans, a pizza pan, a pizza cutter, a grater, some other stuff I can't remember, a scale (for the irony . . good idea KC), and of course a little something sexy for her hubby-to-be!

The "silent auction" items. Us girls each did a "pail" to contribute. Mine is right on the end. The "Chef" pail.

The yummy cuppies! They had some type of cream filling! The same lady is making the cake for the wedding and that makes me happy, because they were soooo good!

Two of the skanks . . . KC & KT!

Some of Nikkie's prezzies! She got a lot of good stuff!

The yummy food! Quiche, sausage, bacon, taters, fruit, and cinnamon pastry!

Close up of the cuppies!

Matt (the soon to be hubby) and Nikkie (Nicole). They are getting married in less than a month! Can't wait for the wedding!

Our 2nd Anniversary!

Today marks the 2 year anniversary of my hubby and I! We got married August 11, 2007 in Erie, PA (Edinboro). It was seriously the best day of my life.

I got to marry the man who makes me laugh, supports me, gives me advice, brings out the best in me, enjoys eating mac n'cheese with me, loves animals, teaches me something new every day, keeps me safe, plays games with me, acts stupid with me, dreams with me, pushes me, and loves me.
I got to marry my best friend.
We have definitely had soooo many milestones already in just our first two years together. We moved 7 hours away from friends and family with just each other to lean on sometimes, started new jobs, bought a house, adopted a puppy, had to go through several major family losses, adopted some kitties, made some major home repairs, moved back home, tried (and finally successfully) sold a house, started new jobs again, and had to pay lots of money to sell our house.We have been through a lot, but have grown closer because of it. Every day I just love him more and more!
We have fun together all the time and I am just so blessed that God put him in my life.
I am looking forward to everything that awaits us in the future. What the future stores, I am not quite sure, but we will trust in God and hope that our marriage becomes even stronger than it already is.

I love you so much Shane and I am so blessed and so thankful for you. From the minute I leave you in the morning, I want to be right back in your arms. I just feel so safe with you. So happy and so in love.

p.s. - For our anniversary we are going out to dinner (on the actual day) and then taking a trip to NYC (at a later time)!!!

p.p.s. - For last year's anniversary look here or here or here to see what we did.

KT & Mike's Wedding!

A little overdue (only like a month overdue . . . ) . . KT & Mike's Wedding! They got married at Stephany's Garden in Erie, PA, and had the reception there as well! I wish we had pictures of the morning when it was absolutely POURING outside and we were soaking wet (Kristen's flip flops got taken away by the river - aka the parking lot flood), but it ended up being a perfect night for the perfect couple!

Linda Austin cake. Always beautiful and yummy!

The beautiful Newlyweds!

Their first dance!

And of course some fun with sparklers!!

It was a great night. So emotional and so sweet.
Mike and Katie are one of the cutest couples and have been together forever and always will be!

Bryce & Mary

Sunday our Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Jerry had a family picnic! Mary (our 2nd cousin) was there with her mommy and daddy from Florida. She is about two months older than Bryce. They were both so cute and I just had to get a couple pics of them!