I have gratitude today for...
* meeting with Chet to clarify some things we discussed yesterday. 

* getting through the work day in one piece today- I am very overwhelmed and nervous about the changes that have occurred over the last few weeks. I feel uncertain about what my new roles & responsibilities are. It is all new to me and I am really trying to tell myself it's a chance to learn and grow. It's accepting I need to move beyond my comfort zone and that doesn't come easy for me. But I am going to try, give it my all, and do everything I can to make it work. 

* Gary letting me leave the office at 2:30. It was weird working on New Year's Eve (I've never worked on NYE!) so it was nice to be able to leave early. 

* having a few hours to relax in KOP before leaving for the city. Andy got out of work early too so we met at the house and drove from there to Philly. 

* deciding to take Andy's mom to see "Elf" at the Walnut Street Theater. We started out by going to Barrymore's Cafe, located in the basement of the theater. They served the wine/beer in sippy cups which made us laugh. We hung out there for about 45 minutes until it was time to take our seats. We had the last row which at first, I was worried about. The theater only seats 1,100 people so even in the last row we could see great. The theater is beautiful and the show was excellent. There were just enough funny one-liners to make you laugh yet it wasn't cheesy. All three of us loved the show and we all said we'd love to go back. 

* making it home in time to see the ball drop at midnight. We walked in the door with 47 seconds to go. It was a different NYE for sure, not really partying and going to bed shortly after ringing in the new year. I had stomach pains again so I had no desire to drink anything when we got home. Thankfully the heating pad helped immediately. 

I have gratitude today for...

* the discussion I had with Chet & Steve about my new role here. Officially I am going to be running the entire marketing department. I will also be running the affinity programs (including sales!) I am completely overwhelmed because I feel like I don't know what I'm doing, but excited at the same time about what this could turn into. It hasn't been an easy transition but I'm going to go along for the ride and do the best I can. 

* Mom sending me some houses in the OBX that they would like to rent this summer. We were saying at Christmas how fun it would be for the 6 of us to go away together. 

* talking with Kerry tonight. We hadn't talked since Kelly's wedding which is the longest we've ever gone in years and years. I was wondering if I had done something that made her not want to talk to me and was happy to find out that was not the case.She filled me in on everything going on with them. We had a great talk and made plans for her to come over on Monday night. 

I have gratitude today for...

* spending the morning hanging out with Jeff, Megan & the kids. 

* getting the house cleaned up, making a fresh batch of guacamole and chicken nachos for lunch and lounging around this afternoon. 

* getting a lot of the office cleaned up and making room so we can put the desk together. 

* a fun time watching the Eagles game. It was just Andy & I and of course he was pacing around like a lion. I decided to open a bottle of red wine and really enjoyed it--it was a pinot noir and very light. It was a close game and very exciting! So many people thought it would be a cake walk because Romo was out but it ended up being a great game!

* talking to Aunt Kathy for a little while towards the end of the game. She called to see how our party went yesterday and to talk about how fun Aruba was.

I have gratitude today for...
* deciding to sleep in this morning instead of getting up extra early to go out to breakfast. We just had granola bars on the balcony before it was time to go to the lobby to wait for the jeep to pick us up. 
* finally doing a jeep tour of Aruba! I've wanted to do it since our honeymoon but we blew it off in 2011 and 2012. I found this great family owned company that does their own tours. They have good reviews and it sounded more personal than the big jeep tours that have 20 people each on them. Today ended up just being Andy & I. It was cool that it was just us. Gio did pick up a few of his friends after the natural pool who came along for the ride. They live in Aruba and had never seen some of the most popular tourist spots. It's funny how no matter where you live, you tend to skip over what your hometown/city has to offer. 
* our tour guide, driver and new friend Gio. At first I was a little disappointed it wasn't Maddie because she sounds like a blast. Gio ended up being awesome. He's her son and has been driving the jeeps since he was 14 (he's now 30.) That made me feel better when I was wondering if we'd be going down the side of the mountain and into the ocean, on our way to the natural pool! 
* our drive to the natural pool. All I can say is "holy shit!" Even driving on the normal streets was crazy- they drive so fast in Aruba. I don't get scared easily, but in my head I was freaking out a bit. You're in this jeep with no protection should an accident happen. It was definitely a fun adventure though. Once we paid to get inside the national park it was about a 20 min drive to the natural pool. Oh. My. God. It was so bumpy, rocky, hilly---I don't know how else to describe it. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous. You could see the ocean and so many animals- goats, donkeys and I don't even know what else. After holding my breath a few times and praying to God we didn't tumble down the side of the mountain we arrived at the natural "pool" area. Gio dropped us off and we had about 45 minutes there to hang out and explore. At first we couldn't even find the "pool" because it looked nothing like it does in the pictures. It turns out the wind was so strong that the water was much more rough than normal. The pool really looked like it was just a part of the ocean. We finally figured out where it was after talking to a couple of other people who had arrived. We were told typically 30-40 people will be there and that it's a great snorkeling spot. I was disappointed we couldn't snorkel there but it didn't look safe. Huge waves were crashing over the rocks causing a strong current and surges. I did go in to say I went in. I was glad I had my water shoes! The water was beautiful and I could see how it was pool-like when the water is calmer as it usually is. I've wanted to see it for so long  was happy we finally went. Now we know we'd like to go back and hopefully next time we can snorkel. 
* going to the Three Bridges and to see the holes in the ground. We've been to the bridge on the other side before but not to this spot. It was absolutely gorgeous. We only stayed for a few minutes because we wanted to save time for snorkeling. We did have Gio take a few pictures. One was a redo of a favorite of mine from our first trip to Aruba in 2009. 
* finally...snorkeling! We went to a new spot (for us) called Mangel Halto Beach. We put on our snorkel gear (I forgot how hard it is to walk in flippers!) and went in. At first we didn't see much. It was very shallow and coral was everywhere. Sometimes it's hard to tell how shallow it is when you're floating on top of the water. I scraped my legs pretty bad but was determined to see fish. We almost gave up but decided to try one more spot. The water was very rough (just like it was at the natural pool.) Usually there is hardly any current--it's basically like swimming in a pool. Not today...we were warned by other people you needed to be a strong swimmer. I consider myself a strong swimmer, but this was tough water. We did finally find a lot of really great fish. All different species, colors, sizes, etc. I thought they were so cool I lost track of how far out I actually was. At one point I realized Andy was a lot closer to shore and I knew I had to start heading in. It. Was. Hard. It was very hard to swim to shore. I was trying but it felt like I wasn't getting anywhere. The current was strong and I was in water I couldn't stand in. My mask was leaking so I was trying to tread water and tighten it. I swallowed water a few times and realized I was starting to panic. We all know you can't panic in water. I tried to breathe and told myself to just take it slow, focus on breathing and start swimming. Obviously I eventually made it, but it was certainly a lesson for me. I've never really understood how people drown. You always hear the water doesn't have to be deep, that it comes down to people panicking, and so on. I believe all of that now. I am not saying I was any where near drowning, but I can relate now, to how it does happen to people when you wouldn't think it's possible. Even with the scare and my battle wound (a gash near my ankle that was bleeding everywhere when I got out of the water), this was my favorite part of the day. I just loved being with all of the fish, watching them swim around and eat and not even paying attention to these big blobs floating above them. 
* Gio taking us by the rock formations before heading back to the hotel. They are natural formations and they are the biggest rocks I've ever seen. They are beautiful (like everything in Aruba), and when you get to the top you have an incredible view of the area!
*getting a few cute picture's with the Madi's Magical Tour jeep, including one with Gio. He had me sign the jeep too, I chose to write on the front of the hood. Gave some love from Philly. 
* going to Bugalo and sharing the chicken satay platter since we didn't eat anything all day. Love the views from that pier!
* hanging at the pool for about an hour after Bugalo. They had a DJ playing and I laid down and closed my eyes for a while. 
* going to Amazonia for an early dinner. Their food is amazing. They had the best roasted peppers (red and yellow) I've ever had at the salad bar. We loved everything just like last time we went (during our honeymoon.) Our favorites were the house specialty top sirloin, the garlic filet mignon, the sausage and the grilled pineapples. We both ate way too much but knew we would. I wish I could have kept eating because they'll bring you endless amounts of food but I reached my limit pretty quickly and couldn't look at anymore food at that point. Like I've said over and over this past week, a detox is coming after the holidays. Juicing and healthy meals for a few weeks will be a must! We've definitely eaten well this vacation!
* going to bed early tonight. And I mean early. We got back to the hotel from dinner and walking around town for a bit around 8pm. Our plan was to rest for a bit, get through the food coma and then have drinks and go to the Hyatt casino. Nope...I watched Jeopardy and tried to feel less full and ended up falling asleep. I woke up around 1am and couldn't believe we wasted our whole night sleeping. Andy woke up too and was wide awake so he went to the casino at our hotel. He won $10, woohoo. It was a weird night because I got up in the middle of the night and finally changed out of my dress from dinner, brushed my teeth, etc. (around 3am.) We had a long day so I was ok with taking it easy for a night. This trip is going by so fast. I can't believe we only have 3 full days left!

I have gratitude today for...
* getting up early to get a palapa. I got one in the front row right on the water. Becky & Chris hung out with us until it was time for them to leave. 
* getting something different from Scott's Brats today. I went with the Italian Beef- it was very good!
* the move from the Hyatt to the Westin going smoothly. We packed up and got a cab because we have so much stuff. We basically have our own liquor store after everything that was given to us as people were leaving. 
* spending the rest of the day on the beach at the Hyatt relaxing. It was another gorgeous day. I took some time and walked around the stores this afternoon. I'm in love with a David Yurman ring at the Hyatt and I was trying to find a cheaper version.  No luck. I'm usually not a big jewelry person but there's something about this ring, I just love it. 
* having drinks on our balcony and then trying out the Italian restaurant in the Westin. Our balcony has the most gorgeous view! 
* walking down to the Hyatt to play roulette.  I've become quite the gambler here (j/k)! The table we like wasn't open so we tried the other one. I won the first spin but then gave it all back. Oh well. We had a good time watching other people play. We ended up hanging around for about 2 hours. 
* Andy winning $50 at our casino when we got back to the Westin. I went to bed but he went down to play for a bit and did ok. I'm glad he's having fun at the casinos while we're here. We never gamble and I know it's been fun for him.

I have gratitude today for...
* going to the lounge for breakfast this morning. It's been nice having the lounge to grab cereal in the morning as well as drinks for the day. 
* spending the morning on the beach with everyone. It was sad when everyone had to get ready to leave,  especially Grandma. 
* Scott's Brats for lunch...yes, again.
* the tasty Bloody Mary Bobby bought me this morning. 
* going down the slide and in the hot tub with Andy, Chris & Becky.  We had poolside drinks in the late afternoon until it was time to get ready for dinner.
* dinner at Scala. The broccoli cheese soup was as good as I remember it! Andy had the chicken picata which we didn't love as much as last time. I do love how it's in the 2nd floor and overlooks the street.
* drinking the bottle of champagne that was delivered to us on the first day in the lobby. It's so beautiful there with everything being open air. We listened to the guys playing music in the upstairs bar and waited for everyone to get back from dinner. 
* hanging out in the lobby for a bit with everyone and then hitting the roulette table with Chris & Becky. I did well but Andy didn't so all in all we left up $30 for the night. It was fun to play though!

I have gratitude today for...
* having breakfast with A. Kathy & Grandma at The Palms. A. Colleen & U. John joined us towards the end. It was nice to have a real breakfast and fun seeing everyone from the wedding at the restaurant. 
* meeting up with A. Colleen & U. John at Carlito's Sports Bar while they ate their pizza.
* spending most of the day at Althea & Lori's palapa. Grandma came to the beach all day with us and even went in the ocean on a raft. I hope I have her zest for life when I'm 83! Love her! We listened to stories and had vodka & tonics with the fruit punch vodka she bought at the airport while the guys watched football at the bar.
* meeting up with the guys to watch the second half of the Eagles game. Both the Giants and Eagles played like crap but we still had a good time. I had a couple tasty margaritas and wings. Serious detox coming after the holidays.
* meeting up with Chris & Becky and Jim & Mike at Bugalo for Happy Hour. We had the perfect spot in the corner with a view of the water from every seat. I had the chicken satay for dinner. I forgot how good it is there. Later A. Kathy, U. Tony, A. Colleen, U. John, Bobby,  Carol, Althea, Lori and Grandma met us there. We had so much fun listening to the band from Friday night. You could tell everyone was a little less energetic from the last several nights but we still had a blast. We even got up and danced a few times. Aunt Kathy wore the "energy belt" to help her make it through the night. Too funny!
* the buckets of beer Grandma bought us for the night I've dubbed "last night fun".
* goings back to Sopranos one last time with everyone. Uncle Tony's favorite spot!
* meeting up with Lindsay and some of her friends before going to bed for a slice of pizza at the outside bar.

I have gratitude today for...
* Andy getting up super early (around 4:30am) to get in line for the palapas. It paid off and he got the one right next to the Boytano's.
* another great day on the beach with the same crew. 
* walking around town at lunchtime. We were trying to find somewhere different to eat but there was hardly anything open. We ended up at Scott's Brats, again...I'm going to need to eat a veggie diet for a while after the holidays.
* Facetiming Mom & Dad on the beach. It was pretty cool being able to call them from the beach in Aruba! Everyone got to say hi.
* Brian & Mary's gorgeous beach wedding ceremony. Everyone looked amazing. Her nephew Tommy was the star of the show. He was adorable walking down the aisle in his little suit. 
* a great time at the cocktail hour and reception. Everything was so beautiful. Christopher's and both of Mary's sister's speeches were fantastic. The food was excellent and so were the DJ's. It was one of the most fun weddings we've been to.
* Brian deciding to extend the party and getting the Hyatt to open up one of the ballrooms. The DJs set up and we had another hour of drinks and dancing. So much fun!!
* going to the casino for a little while, and then leaving. I was not doing well watching Andy playing. I hate to see money being lost and I knew it wasn't fun for him having me sit there. So around 1am I decided to go to bed. After a long night of dancing and drinking I was tired. Around 3:30am Andy came up, turned on the lights, and threw money on the bed, saying "I won $700!". It was pretty awesome. I'm glad I decided to leave him alone and have fun with the guys in the casino. :-)

I have gratitude today for...
* sleeping in this morning- we didn't get up until 10:15!
* Scott's Brats for an easy lunch.
* the Boytano's sharing their palapa with us. We spent the day on the beach with Althea, Lori, A. Kathy, A. Colleen, U. John and U. Tony. It was a beautiful day as always. We had a great time talking, laughing and floating in the water. Bobby had a mini bar set up and we had drinks on the beach. 
* going to the restaurant on Pelican Pier for a snack and drink with Jimmy and Mike. Andy & I shared the wings, they were very good. 
* an awesome time on the Kukoo Kunuku. It picked us up from the hotel and drove around for about 15 minutes before dropping us off at Bugalo.
* Brian and Mary's party at Bugalo tonight. It was so beautiful and lots of fun. They brought out food and drinks the whole time. There was a great band playing and all 80+ of us were dancing and singing on the dance floor. It felt like a wedding before the wedding. Most people left when the party officially ended around 8. A. Kathy, U. Tony, Althea & I stayed until closer to 10.
* hanging at the bad after we got back to the Hyatt. While I was doing that Andy won $100 in the casino playing roulette, woohoo.

I have gratitude today for...

* getting to the old house by 9:30 and spending a few hours packing the stuff left behind from yesterday. Mrs. Roth met me there and we got most of the kitchen and upstairs bathroom packed. There is sooooo much more left to do than I thought. I don't know how this happened again since I swore the movers would move "everything". We've been so busy these last couple of weeks, it was impossible to have everything packed in time. I was thankful for the help today. 

* Mom & Dad coming to visit. We had bagel sandwiches for lunch and gave them the tour. They brought us a gorgeous vase with fresh flowers. They looked so pretty on our kitchen table. It was so special to have them there today. I could really feel their happiness for us and I can't wait for all of the great memories that we'll have in this home. Mom helped me hang a bunch of my clothes and Dad unpacked all of my books and organized them in the office. 

* having Mom take a few pictures of Andy & me before Bill came to get the "SOLD" sign. I thought they turned our pretty cute!

* watching Homeland in our cozy new family room. 

I have gratitude today for...
* getting up early to get a head start on things before the movers arrived.
* the movers showing up at 7:30, right on time. They were great! There were 3 guys and they didn't stop. I did not realize how much stuff we really had. It ended up taking them 7 hours! That did include a stop to KOP to pick up Mom-Mom's bedroom furniture.
* Andy picking me up Chinese food for lunch. By the time we got to the new house I was starving.
* Mrs. Roth coming over to see the house. She helped us unpack the kitchen stuff.
By dinnertime we pretty much had the kitchen and family room set up!
* Laura & Win stopping by. They brought a bottle of wine and visited with us for about an hour. It was fun "giving the tour". We're really happy that we'll be closer to them now!
* Mrs. Roth treating us to dinner at The Drafting Room. The three of us each had steak and we all thought the food was excellent! We got the peanut butter pie to go but we were too full and tired to eat it when we got home.
* being able to buy this amazing house. I could write this every day. I am so grateful everything worked out. We've made a fantastic investment and I am so proud of us for being patient. There have been (many) times over the last few years when I was frustrated we hadn't purchased a home yet. The wait was worth it!

I have gratitude today for...
* it finally being CLOSING DAY. Woohoo, soooooo exciting. Of course I hardly slept last night, I was up practically all night. I kept myself occupied until 3am by reading Emily's marriage blog on Philly Mag's website. She is adorable and I could relate to so many things she talks about. She had me laughing out loud a couple times.
* having the Park Power car. Andy packed the Infiniti with everything I'd need to clean the house. I had everything timed so I'd be able to stop at the bank right at 9 when they opened to pick up the check for my portion of the down payment. Naturally, the car wouldn't start. I knew it wasn't out of gas and I hadn't driven it since Tuesday when I went to yoga so I had no idea what the problem was. After trying a few times and it still not starting, I realized I'd have to take the Park Power car. I didn't have time to move all of the cleaning products from one car to the other (in the end I actually did have time, but I didn't know it then) so I knew I'd have to come back after closing to get them (annoying.) I was proud of myself, because instead of freaking out and letting it ruin my morning, I decided to say to myself "no big deal, thank God you have another car, you're BUYING A HOUSE TODAY!" and went on my way.
* the teller at the bank waiving the bank check fee for me and wishing me good luck with our new home.
* everything going smoothly at closing, even though it took a little longer than expected. It felt so weird to be given the keys and house documents. I still can't believe this house is still ours!


THE papers, all signed. We're homeowners!

* having lunch with Cat at Plaza Azteca. I was pretty excited to see there is one so close to our new house. We initially went to the a little café but their menu was less than exciting and when I mentioned how good Plaza Azteca is, Cat said let's go there. We shared the tableside guac (sooo good) and had a nice time talking about all kinds of things.
* the voicemail Mom left me today- I'll save it forever.
* all of the congratulations from family & friends via email, phone messages, texts and Facebook messages/comments.
* talking to Mom, Dad and Mrs. Roth while driving to/from Conshe to get the cleaning stuff. It was so excited to talk to them and tell them we are officially homeowners.
* pulling into the garage, and walking into the house for the first time. Andy was here this morning for the final walk through but I was at the bank so I missed it. The feeling was so overwhelming---I had a rush of energy come over me and just couldn't believe this is ours. All of the hard work and saving money and living with parents and moving from place to place landed us here. In an amazing house that we'll have for years and years. I couldn't help it, the tears started falling and looked around in amazement. I plan on writing about the whole experience from start to finish once I can sit down and concentrate for more than 5 minutes on it. This is what I wrote on Facebook as I was standing in the middle of our empty kitchen, it summarizes how I was feeling exactly.

"I remember when I drove off the lot in my brand new Honda Civic almost 10 years ago. I was listening to David Gray and there were tears because I couldn't believe I bought a brand new car all by myself. Just now, I pulled into the garage and walked into our new home. Tears again...I can't believe we did this together Andrew Roth. So many years of hard work and saving and now we have this amazing place to call our own. I can't wait to share it with our family and friends and I am so thankful for everyone who has helped us get to where we are today. Wow, just wow..."

 * getting the whole house vacuumed and most of the cabinets cleaned out this afternoon. By the time Andy got here I was done. Too tired to do anymore, especially knowing there's still so much to do at the house in Conshe.
* picking up a pizza from Sal's Pizza Box in Gateway Shopping Center. I thought it was really good, wish I had known about them during the 4 years we lived in King of Prussia!
* the quote Debbie sent a few of us today who are helping a family in need at her school.

"Helping others helps you, at the very deepest level. Giving real value serves to create real value in your own life. By providing encouragement, you receive encouragement. When you teach, you learn.
Each day is rich with opportunities for you to make a positive difference in the lives of those around you. And it is through genuinely enriching the lives of others that you find true richness in your own.
Right here, right now, there is a beautiful way to give of yourself, and to make the world a better place. Choose to do so, and immediately feel the benefits begin to manifest. You have the chance today to change lives for the better. It’s difficult to imagine anything that could be more fulfilling than that. Reach out, give a hand, make a difference, and offer a kindness. The lives you lift will most certainly include your own."

* thinking of Grandpa today, his 84th birthday. It felt funny not seeing him this year for his birthday since we're not in Holden Beach. First time in many, many years. I called and left a message but didn't get to talk to him.
* Andy figuring out what was wrong with the Infiniti- it was some safety feature that was activated. I'm just glad it's not going to cost us money to get it fixed!

 

 

I have gratitude today for...
* being invited to the BenFM "Women of the Week" luncheon at Harvest Seasonal Grille. I saw with Melanie, Christy & Becca. There were a few great speakers and the food was excellent. I won the drawing for a $50 gift card to Harvest as well. I had a great conversation with Jaime too.
* an easy drive to NJ. I went to Starbucks in Barnes & Noble and treated myself to a Vanilla Latte. Caught up on emails and finalized everything for our move on Saturday. I sat next to this father/son who may have been the most annoying people in the world because they were so loud. It was interesting to hear what the son was saying about his outlook on life though, I plan on writing a little more about it later. 

* learning about a family who really needs some help from reading Debbie's blog. Reading their story broke my heart and I immediately wanted to do something to help. I am going to send a Christmas card and a Target gift card so they can maybe a brighter Christmas this year. 
* a nice time at the CJCA dinner. Steven was able to be there this time so we sat together. I saw Carla from Selective and we talked quite a bit with JoAnn from AmTrust. I won one of the door prizes- a Dunkin Donuts gift card. It was my lucky day today for winning prizes. :-)

I have gratitude today for...
* Brian from Penn Liberty Bank inviting me to their speaker series event this morning at Paoli Design Center. The drive took longer than I expected and I was running a little late and sort of thought to myself maybe I should skip it. I'm so glad I didn't! I met some really great people (Pat, Frank, Beth) and loved the speaker (Francine). She is a "Book Yourself Solid" coach and I could relate to everything she talked about. We talked at the end for a little bit and she told me more about the Business Play Group she is starting on the Main Line. I am going to help launch it and I'm very excited about that!
* lunch at Blue Bell Country Club for the Penn-Suburban's Women's Networking event. Lori met me there and we were able to sit together. When I started to tell her about the meeting I went to this morning she started laughing- turns out she knows Francine really well. Lori is an ambassador for Book Yourself Solid and they've traveled together! Crazy, it's really small world.
* going to Iron Hill with Lori to catch up for a while in between the lunch and the Play Group meeting tonight. We had a couple of hours to talk about a million different things. I told her the whole house hunting story and how we ended up buying our house in Exton. When I'm with Lori, it doesn't matter how much time we have, it's never long enough. I am so thankful for her friendship.
* a great time at the Play Group meeting in Lansdale. By the end of the night I think I had explained Park Power 50+ times, but it's all good. I felt really great about all of the people I was able to talk to today. It was tiring to pretty much talk non-stop from 8am-8pm, especially because a lot of it was repeating the same thing over and over, but I wouldn't ever trade it for a 9-5 office job.

I have gratitude today for...
* being invited to CHOP's ground breaking ceremony in King of Prussia this morning. It's going to be an incredible facility. We heard a mom speak who's been a nurse at CHOP for over twenty years. Eleven years ago her daughter was born and had to have heart surgery when she was 6 days old. It was such a great story and made me feel lucky that we have such an incredible hospital so close to us. I pray I'll never need to use their emergency services, but know if I do they're the best. 

* going to the luncheon at BenFM that Kathy invited me to. She left the station last week but I decided to still go. Admittedly I didn't know much about him, but I met John O'Hurley at the luncheon. He's such a nice guy! Turns out he had a major role on Seinfeld! John just wrote a book called "The Perfect Dog" and he read it out loud to us. It's adorable! I talked with Melanie most of the time and met Jim, her boss. He invited me to the Women of the Week luncheon next week. I was able to talk to a few people about Park Power too. The lunch was great, from Margaritas in Langhorne, PA. 

* Steve driving to our Allentown meeting tonight. We had a couple drinks and apps before the meeting. It went well again tonight. 
* scheduling our moving company today! I was worried every company was going to be booked. Laurie was very helpful at Brothers Moving in KOP. They were booked but she had a cancellation and she gave us the spot. We have 3 guys coming so I'm praying it's a painless move. Now we just have to get packed!
* the picture of this cute little guy mom sent me...

I have gratitude today for...
* our meeting with Gary this morning. I have some more clarity on my role with the non-profit side of our business. I am excited about what I will be working on moving forward. 
* making plans to meet up with Laura tomorrow. She has some kids videos she's donating for our CHOP drive. I can't wait to see her, I think it's been about 10 years since we last saw each other!
* getting the conditional approval for our mortgage. I think we might really be homeowners, whoa!
* my workout session with Dave this afternoon. I could tell he increased the weights on some of the machines and could see some more definition in my arms. I'm really going to miss working with him when we move. :-(
* dinner coming out really well tonight. I made grilled chicken piccata, sliced potatoes with rosemary, steamed carrots and roasted brussel sprouts with balsamic and chopped bacon. Although the kitchen was a complete disaster, everything was so good!
* Andy giving me a ride to pick up with Park Power car. 
* spending some time reorganizing my Pinterest boards- I created one for each room of the house so I have my ideas organized when we start decorating.

I have gratitude today for...
* the Living Social deal I bought a few months ago for Rapunzel's in Lansdale. It was for a one hour massage and a European facial. It was amazing! If I could have a 5 hour massage, I would. I was so relaxed and really enjoyed the facial. I haven't had one in a few years, and don't remember liking it as much last time as I did this time. 
* the nice guy at Shop-Rite (he was one of the owners) who helped me find canned chipotle chili peppers today. I needed them for the barbacoa recipe I have that's supposed to be a Chipotle copycat. It's nice when people are actually helpful in stores. 
* making an awesome batch of chicken noodle soup this afternoon while watching the Eagles game.
* going to the restorative yoga class at Aim High tonight. It was a great way to end my weekend and relaxing day. 

I have gratitude today for...
* using our tickets for the Villanova vs. WCU basketball game today. It was an exhibition game but it's probably the only time our schools will play each other. 'Nova was killing WCU by halftime but I'm glad we checked it out. 

* Andy not killing me when I was freaking out about the traffic we were stuck in on our way to Reading Terminal Market. There was an accident on 95 and Arch St. was closed and I was hungry. I tried to be patient but after almost an hour I couldn't take it anymore. We finally were able to get to a parking garage and then I was happy again. 

I posted this for Andy and publicly apologized on Facebook for turning into a crazy person.

* spending the rest of our afternoon exploring Reading Terminal Market. We had lunch at Dinick's (again). This time I had the hot roast beef with brisket gravy, it was excellent. Then we walked around for a while checking out a bunch of the vendors. There are some I'd like to go back to once we move. We treated ourselves to a cookie from The Famous 4th Street Cookie Company. Oh my God, I think they're the best cookies I've ever had. If you ever have a chance to visit RTM, definitely check them out! We also bought some toffee covered roasted almonds and fresh bacon from one of the butchers. 
* finding tickets for the Joshua Radin/Matt Nathanson show tonight at the Electric Factory. It turns out the woman I bought them from is the same person I bought Amos Lee tickets (for Mom & Dad) a few years ago. Too funny. 
* Andy giving me a ride to/from the Electric Factory, Ben met me there. I knew I'd love Joshua Radin but I loved Matt Nathanson too. It was a great show, but weird not knowing any of the words to Matt's songs. I really didn't feel like going initially but was glad I went in the end. 

I have gratitude today for...
* the arrival of Dan & Marlana's healthy baby girl. 
* a great workout this afternoon with Dave. 
* hearing from Debbie tonight and finding out Craig was at home during the shooting at LAX. One of the reasons I keep this blog is to find the good in each day. Our world is full of really scary people and you never know when you're going to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. 
* walking with CJ this afternoon. We did 6 miles on the trail!
* going out for frozen yogurt at Red Mango with Andy after dinner. 

I have gratitude today for...
* the funny videos Aunt Kathy sent of her and Aunt Colleen doing a dance to "Beautiful Morning" by Rod Stewart. We have a bunch of potential YouTube stars in this family!
* going to CVS and picking up a Halloween treat for Andy and me (5th Avenues and M&Ms). I said no to candy in the house because we only get a handful of Trick-or-Treaters. We were the house that gave out bags of pretzels- I think it will make parents happy, Andy says we'll get egged. I guess we'll see.
* doing the elliptical when I got home- I caught up on X Factor. 
* this cute pic I found from Halloween many years ago. It was '86 or '87. Me, Tina & Wendy. 

* making roasted tomato & garlic soup with all of the tomatoes I had in the fridge. It came out really good!

I have gratitude today for...
* meeting with Joel this morning to further discuss my investment accounts and the help he is giving me with getting them set up the way they should be for my age. 
* John helping me out and giving me a ride back to our house after I dropped off the Park Power car for inspection. 
* lunch at Baggataway's (yes, again) with John. I like it there but he is seriously obsessed. 
* dropping off a bag of clothes in the collection bins for the MS Foundation. I like knowing stuff I don't need anymore will be put to good use. 
* meeting some great people at the Allentown meeting tonight. We went to a restaurant called Roosevelt's 21st. The manager (& soon to be owner) was super friendly and we had a decent turnout. The food was good too. I loved meeting Kathy's friend Amber, we had a lot in common and it was fun talking with her. 
* finishing up all (we think anyway) of the paperwork for the mortgage company when I got home. We were up until after 1am but hopefully it's everything they need. 

I have gratitude today for...
* being able to help Mom with something she was writing. 
* talking to Cat about our 2nd deposit and starting to feel really excited about the house. I just wish everything was finalized!
* a fun time at the Flyers game with Andy. We ate dinner at home before we left for the game and still made it in time for the puck to drop. We've also discovered a $5 parking lot so it's nice not have to pay $15 or $20 to park. They were off to a great start with a 2-0 lead, but ended up losing. We were disappointed but it was still fun to go watch. 
* watching last night's episode of HIMYM when we got home. 

I have gratitude today for...
* getting a random on-line Tastefully Simple order today. 
* lunch with John at Baggataway's. It was good to catch up with him. He told more more about ID Life and I think it seems to be a pretty good program. 
* another good workout with Dave. We talked a little bit about my frustration about my stomach area (not really changing). He said I need to start eating more (good foods). I already know all of this, just need to apply them.
* seeing Wally Lamb's Christmas book Wishin' and Hopin' on the "for sale" shelf in the library. I was there to return a CD and I couldn't believe this book was sitting right there! I've been talking about Wally Lamb this week because of his new novel coming out. It's like the universe put it there for me to find. I bought it for $1 and can't wait to read it around the holidays. It looks brand new!
* catching up with Megan for a while this afternoon. I wish I had time to book a visit to Cocoa Beach. I miss them!
* meeting Kyle, our insurance agent, when Andy got home from work. He's a really nice guy and I might join the networking group he and Cat started. 
* getting a bunch more paperwork together for the mortgage company. I hope this is over soon, the waiting is killing me!
* an easy dinner tonight- Andy made stew last night so I didn't have to worry about making dinner. 
* going to bed early tonight. We went upstairs around 10, for some reason I felt tired all day today.

I have gratitude today for...
* laughing hysterically with everyone watching Grandma's "webcam" video. It's a video of her trying to figure out how to use the webcam Uncle Gary bought for her so she could talk to the kids. 
* a great time at Mary's shower at a beautiful place in Spring Lake Heights. It was nice meeting Mary's mom and sisters. So excited for the wedding in Aruba!
* taking a detoxifying bath when I got home. I used my lavender bath salts, lit the candles, and put on some yoga music. It was awesome---I haven't used the jacuzzi tub enough. 
* watching Homeland with Andy tonight. After a few so-so episodes tonight's was excellent!
* getting an email from the Avalon library with a link to download "We Are Water" by Wally Lamb. He only writes books every 5-10 years so I've been waiting a long time for his next novel to come out

I have gratitude today for...
* going to hot yoga this morning. I was feeling a little crappy from all of the wine last night but I made myself go anyway. The instructor, Steph, used to teach at Ryah. She's adorable and makes it fun. We had to go around and each say something positive about ourselves. I said "I am getting stronger." I've always thought of myself as weak (physically) and throughout the last few months of working out with Dave, I've been able to see myself getting stronger each week. 
* Andy picking up a Bertucci's for lunch while I got ready to go to the airport. 
* things going smoothly when I picked up Grandma from the airport. I haven't used short-term parking in years. It was so close to the terminal and they were great helping here on/off the plane and into the wheelchair. 
* a nice ride catching up with Grandma from the airport to Mom & Dad's. When we got there we had lunch and relaxed for a couple of hours laughing and talking. 
* spending some time with Mom while Dad & Grandma went to church. We talked about the house, I couldn't wait any longer. 
* a great dinner at Carlucci's with Mom, Dad & Grandma. The food was excellent! They served a crusty bread with garlic on top before our meals. I had their version of chicken saltimbocca and it was very good. The restaurant was beautiful. We'll have to go back some time when Andy, Kelly & Alex are around. 

I have gratitude today for...
* Andy dropping off the check for the stucco inspection- it saved me a trip. 
* Gary asking me to sit in on the website meeting this morning. We're pretty close to going live!
* meeting Megan for lunch this afternoon. We talked about the PR position and the Park Power business. I'm excited to work with her on both fronts. 
* reading about Maca Root from foodbabe's blog. I forwarded the email over to Julie and we're going to place an order together. I like that it's from a very small and family owned. Their website is http://themacateam.com/. 
* walking with CJ after work this afternoon. We did a little over 4 miles on the path. 
* making steaks again tonight. This time with mashed potatoes, green beans w/almonds and a salad. CJ came over and the three of us had a great dinner. We opened a couple bottles of wine and talked about all kinds of stuff, then watched the Whitney Cummings stand-up routine on Netflix. What a fun night!

I have gratitude today for...
* working out with Dave this morning. Although I hate getting up early, it is nice to start out my day with a great workout. 
* getting a ton of stuff done at the office today. I stayed for the meeting tonight so I had a lot of downtime in between to get things done. The people that were coming for the meeting ended up cancelling so I was able to leave around 7:30. 
* catching up on Nashville- I just love that show. 
* the crockpot beer chicken for dinner. It came out good again, I added green beans this time and used the Shocktop again.

I have gratitude today for...
* going to Chipotle with Stephen for lunch. I actually brought my lunch but the power went out so I couldn't use the microwave. 
* our visit to CHOP. We met Neil & Matt there and they gave us a tour of a good portion of the hospital. It was incredible to see all of the services they provide for not only their patients, but the patients' families. Of course going through the oncology area was very emotional. We didn't see that many children but we did see their rooms, decorations on their doors, artwork they've made and the Ronald McDonald room that works to make them feel somewhat "at home". Of course it's hard to imagine being there with a very sick child, but they are the best children's hospital in the world and we are lucky to be so close. They are able to take VHS & DVD donations so now I know where I can donate the box of movies I have in our basement. 

* the cute boy scout selling popcorn outside our office when we got back from CHOP. He couldn't have been older than 7 or 8 and had his sales pitch down! It was pretty funny when he said "For the low price of $15, you can have this bag of popcorn. Oh, and we take credit cards." $15 for a bag of popcorn is pretty insane, but he was really cute. 
* deciding to skip yoga tonight. I lost the credit for the class but I was really tired and worried about my fall from last night, so I decided to take it easy tonight. 

I have gratitude today for...
* meeting with Gary this morning and talking about my role with Park Power. As we learn more about the market and how we can find our place in it, my role is changing. I understand we are figuring out things as we go and I am ok with being patient as that happens. 
* talking with Mom today and making plans to pick up Grandma on Sat. from the airport.
* Andy reaching out to the insurance guy Cat recommended for our home owner's insurance. He's done all of the legwork for the mortgage, insurance, etc. I feel very lucky that he is so knowledgeable about all of that stuff. 
* going to Hot Yoga at Aim High with Rachel. Her classes are challenging and hot, but I feel great afterwards and know it's good for me to keep up with going at least a couple times a week. 
* Dave being understanding about me only coming in one time last week and this week for training. 
* the amazing steak dinner we had tonight. Andy made the roasted potatoes and carrots. I made the NY strips in my new Le Cresuet grill pan. I started out by coating the steaks with seasoning and pepper, and then seared it on the stove. After about 8 minutes, I put the grill pan in the oven and finished cooking them through. I've heard before that restaurants make steak this way and I've always thought grilling is the way to go. Now I know to do it this way from now on, they tasted just like a steak house!
* being ok after falling down the steps tonight. I was coming down to get my phone and some water before bed and had "fuzzy socks" on. I slipped and went straight down. I was ok, but I'm going to have some major bruises. 

I have gratitude today for...
* going to the gym this morning at the hotel. They had a nice workout room near the pool. Of course I packed enough gym clothes for each day we've been away but didn't go until today.
* going to the pool for a while after the gym and then having lunch at Lulu's. We had a great table with an ocean view. I had a salad with crispy chicken, it was very good!
* moving to the pool on the "west" side of the hotel. There was a group of loud, obnoxious guys (from NY of course, way to keep up with the stereotype) that were so annoying to listen to at the other pool. We weren't the only ones to leave because of them. We had a great last few hours relaxing, reading, swimming and enjoying the FL sunshine. 
* the W's excellent customer service! We were able to use one of the hospitality rooms to shower before going to the airport.
* getting to the airport safely. Our cab driver was on the phone and trying to fix his computer in the taxi while driving. 
* a smooth trip home and John hooking us up with free parking.

I have gratitude today for...
* the big comfy beds at the W. I love this hotel! I could have slept all morning but didn't want to waste the time I had to get to the pool. I saw there were magazines in the fitness center so I grabbed a Women's Health and took it to the pool with me. We stayed until noon and then left to get ready for the game. 
* finally seeing the famous Parrot (Eagles bar in Ft. Lauderdale.) It's a pretty cool place with tons of Eagles paraphernalia. Brad met up with us so it was nice to see him too. We ran over to Primanti Brothers for a slice of pizza before kick off. It was so packed we had to stand. Unfortunately the Eagles had a pretty crappy game. By the second half Brad left to go home and I was over standing and the heat so we went across the street to the Red Dog Cantina. We had chips & guacamole and chicken tacos. Everything was pretty good. It looked like the Eagles had a shot but they couldn't score and then Foles got hurt---it was all over.
* going back to the pool for a bit before the cloud rolled in. They were dark storm clouds and we made it back to our room just before it started pouring. It didn't let up for quite some time and I didn't feel like going out in the rain. We ordered take out from a local pizza place (it was terrible, we ended up throwing most of it away) and watched Homeland. After lots of beers and a late night last night it was nice to relax tonight.

I have gratitude today for...
* a nice breakfast this morning at the hotel. They had really good fresh fruit and all of the typical breakfast buffet stuff. 
* the nice ride we had in an escalade from the airport hotel to the W. Our driver was super nice and is from the Bronx. We were talking about the schools there and I told him Kelly is a teacher. I gave him a good tip (more than usual for a cab) because he was so nice and pleasant. Plus, his car was immaculate and comfy. 
* being able to check in to our room at the W super early (around 11am). Gold status got us free internet and a room upgrade. When we got up to the room we found an awesome balcony with an ocean view. Woohoo. We dropped off our stuff and headed to the pool.  
* the gorgeous pool and view of the ocean from the pool deck. I already love this hotel! 

* lunch at a little mexican place called Beach Taco. It was set up like Chipotle. The chicken tacos were excellent. I was a bit disappointed in the guacamole (it was kind of watery and had way too much lime) but everything else was very good. The people working there were super friendly too. 
* spending the rest of the afternoon at the pool. We were going to hit the beach but it was $60 (PER DAY) for chairs and an umbrella. I'm sorry but that's crazy. I could see $15 or $20, but $60? Even If I was rich I'd still think that's insane. The pool was great. As it started to cool down we went in the hot tub. Eventually it was dark and time to figure out dinner. 
* having drinks in the room/on the balcony and listening to music as we got ready for dinner. We decided to check out the Sopranos Piano Bar (I was wondering if it's related to the one in Aruba, it is not.)
* having such a fun night at Sopranos! We were sat right in the front, directly in front of one of the piano players. We ordered wings and a burger (their menu was very basic and there wasn't much to choose from) and a bucket of beers. The guys playing were so much fun! People were sending up requests and they played a little bit of everything. There weren't just two pianos, but also a drummer and guitar player. We ended up talking quite a bit with two of the guys playing (one looked just like my cousin Timmy.) Another guy that came up on stage to sing a Bohemian Rhapsody looked like Uncle John.  During a break one of the guys sat down with us and insisted we do a shot. Out came shots of Patron (I regretted it immediately when it was just sort of cold and I had nothing to chase it with but warm beer.) We ended up staying until they were done playing, around 1:30am. I'd definitely want to go back next time we're in Ft. Lauderdale.

Uncle John look-a-like                            Tim McTague look-a-like

I have gratitude today for...
* the inspection at the house going really well. I learned a lot about what to look for and Mike was very knowledgeable. He gave me some ideas for the basement too! 
* lunch at Panera. I've been craving their tomato soup all week and I finally caved. 
* seeing Gary & Steve at the office this morning. We had a great conversation about the direction of PP and what we will be focusing on moving forward. I am excited about all of the good things to come with this company!
* talking with Stacie for a while this afternoon and then telling her about the bonus we'll be announcing next week!
* getting to the airport on time and having easy flights from PHL to ATL and then ATL to Ft. Lauderdale. 
* our shuttle ride from the airport to the Sheraton Airport hotel. Our driver was a friendly young guy who shared he was in the military. He was telling us that he's had back problems for five years and never received treatment. When he got back from Iraq they found he had herniated discs and several other back issues. Now he's battling with insurance and VA bills. It's so sad and disgusting to me that our military can't easily be treated for their injuries while they serve over seas. I thanked him for his service and then everyone in the van echoed what I said. I gave him a nice tip and wish him the best. He seemed like a hard working, genuinely good guy. 
* being upgraded to the club floor, and getting extra points and breakfast vouchers as a gold member perks. I like this gold status stuff!

I have gratitude today for...
* getting up early to go to the WBA meeting even though I was really tired and wanted to sleep longer. I went to the wrong place which was annoying (last month's meeting spot was listed on the WBA homepage). When I finally got to the Main Line Night School, it was almost over. I did get an idea on how we might be able to work with them so that was worth going. 
* dropping off our first deposit to the RE/MAX office! I can't believe we really might be buying a house! I'm trying not to get too excited because so many things still need to happen but we're getting closer!
* grabbing a quick lunch at Baja Fresh today. There are only a couple left in the area and I love one of their salsas so I was happy it was along my route today!
* using my Groupon to get a pedicure and gel manicure at a salon in Lansdale. I was really annoyed they charged extra to remove my old gel nail polish when I could have done it myself at home. Most places do not charge if you're paying for a service as well. On top of that the girl didn't have me dry my toe nails and they were smudged when I put my shoes on. I know this sounds ridiculous to complain about on a gratitude blog but it felt like it was kind of poor service. Oh well, I probably won't go back since it's out of the way from where I live anyway. My nails turned out nice though and I'm happy they are looking so healthy. 
* visiting with Chrissy before the ICORP dinner. I was only able to stay for a little while but it was great talking with her and seeing the kids. Hopefully we'll be able to hang out for a bit next weekend when I'm in NJ.
* a nice time at the CJCA dinner. Steven wasn't able to make it so it was just me. I sat with a bunch of the AmTrust people and had a nice time. The bruschetta was an awesome appetizer. It was a wine tasting so we had a little bit of prosecco, red wine, white wine and champagne with the different courses. The champagne was a $200 bottle! The entree was fish so I ended up having a big plate of sauteed spinach w/garlic and olive oil without the fish and some more bruschetta. I learned the club has another restaurant, we'll have to try it sometime. 
* going to Mom & Dad's for a little bit before driving home. I told them a little bit about the house and we talked more about things going on at Mom's work. I'll get to see them more in two weeks when I go to NJ for Mary's shower. 
* talking with Debbie on my drive home from NJ. It was nice to catch up a bit. We talked a little bit about how I've been feeling about buying a house and she made me feel much better. I'm hoping we'll be able to see her when she is home for Christmas.

I have gratitude today for...
* Ardmore Acura giving me a loaner car today when I brought in Andy's car. His passenger side window was stuck and would not go up so we had to bring it in, even though we really don't want to put anymore money into that car. It has 250,000 miles on it!
* talking with John about possibly using/buying some of the flooring and granite trade from the magazine. 
* going with Viki to the outlets before heading to Lorin's for our girl's night dinner. We had a great time catching up and walking around. I have lots of places I'd like to go back to after we find our house, but today I was really good! Aside from some travel containers and an Auntie Anne's pretzel, I didn't buy anything!
* Lorin hosting our dinner. It was such a beautiful night with practically a full moon. We sat out back of her house with the fire pit going. Lori wasn't able to come so it was me, Viki, Lorin & Jane. We drank some wine and had a fantastic french dish (Coq au vin) that Gilles made. That's one I need to learn! As always we had great conversation, lots of laughs and enjoyed each other's company. I'm hoping our next get together will be for Christmas in our new house!
* an awesome quote I found today that reminded me of mom & dad.

I have gratitude today for...
* Cat calling this morning to let us know she was able to get us in to the other house on Far Hill Rd.this afternoon. I was absolutely sure I was going to like this one better than Cote Circle. I love the front yard and brick exterior. As we walked inside (around the back) we found the deck isn't in the greatest shape. After going through the house we found it's more cramped than Cote Circle, the two car garage cuts the closet space in the master bedroom in half and it wasn't as well taken care of. The kitchen needed a ton of work and although the basement was finished, it wasn't that great. In the end, seeing this house made me realize how nice and well kept Cote Circle is! Now I just pray everything goes smoothly. 
* going to Williams-Sonoma to pick up my signed copy of Relish by Daphne Oz. I also picked up a cute Eagles t-shirt for our trip to The Parrot in Ft. Lauderdale and went to L'Occitane to use a free sample offer I had. The sales lady Robin spent a good amount of time with me explaining their products. I look forward to trying them out, maybe they will be the answer to my redness problems!
* going to hot yoga at Aim High tonight. The class was with Rachel and it was a great class! I felt strong and was even able to do crow pretty well. We did a ton of high to low push ups and planks---it was a great workout!* talking with John for a little while this afternoon. It was good to catch up, I miss working with him. 

I have gratitude today for...
* requesting information on a house that's on the market as a short sale. A realtor called me back about it and it turns out she is the realtor that sold the other house on Cote Circle, she had talked to Cat earlier today. She told me another house is coming on the market in the neighborhood. After lots of calls with Cat and emails we found out where the house is and who the agent is. We are hoping we can see it before we decide on Cote Circle. 
* after Cote Circle's agent coming back with a pretty crappy counter, their final offer price was more in line of what we were hoping for. Hopefully we can see the other house and then we'll know what to do!
* talking with Mom on Gchat and finding out her meeting went well. 
* working out with Dave today. I knew it would be hard since I hadn't done anything since Thursday. It felt good though, and I continue to see myself getting stronger!
* ordering the new Clairsonic Pedi Sonic. I found it on skinstore.com with a 20% discount code. They are never on sale so I decided to buy it now instead of waiting for Christmas or something. I'm excited to try it out!
* watching Homeland with Andy after dinner. 

I have gratitude today for...
* Andy making breakfast while I laid upstairs praying to feel better. Those 9.5% beers, although tasty last night, were not the best idea! I do not know how we used to party several nights a week, that's for sure!
* Julie coming over to watch the Eagles game with us. It was a pretty good game, and we ended up winning again. Woohoo.
* making a nice dinner for the three of us- baby back ribs, roasted potatoes with rosemary and green beans with almonds. 
* relaxing after the game---looking around on Pinterest, realtor.com etc. We watched 60 Minutes and HGTV. Of course I wasn't tired until late tonight because I was basically laying around until 1pm. 
* finding out Jenn B. is pregnant with baby #2!
* filling out all of the paperwork to put our first offer in on a house. CRAZY!!!