Catching Up

Getting caught up on the most important thing - TV! Drop Dead Diva!

Back On Track

I know I missed a couple blogs during our trip to Connecticut but now that I am home hopefully I won't miss anymore days.  Super busy the next few weeks and hope to have some good blogs with pictures of stuff around the house getting done.

No Place Like Home!

I love to travel but it is nice to be home with my dogs.

Oops

Forgot yesterday's blog :(

35

Today!

Tired

Going to need a vacation from our vacation!

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

I love my Dad for infinite reasons but his pure non-chalant conversations and actions are highly amusing. Tonight was a classic Dad moment. After deciding what kind of pizza we all wanted my Dad picked up the TV remote to call and order our dinner.  My Mom, husband and I laughed for quite a while and talked about his other classic moments.
Years ago we were all attending a family cook-out at my Aunt and Uncle's house when my Mom looked down and noticed my father had worn 2 different shoes.  This was hours into his day and he never noticed he had on a black shoe and a brown shoe.
While on a trip to Vegas for the NASCAR race my Dad had some trouble with his room card. He swiped and swiped and it wouldn't work so in a huff he went to the lobby and told the woman behind the counter that his room key wasn't working and handed it to her. Without missing a beat the woman handed the card back to my Dad and said "Sir, that is a bus pass, not your room key!".
You might have to know my Dad to find this as funny as I do but it brings me a chuckle and a smile every time and I just shake my head and think - Classic Dad!

P.S. We spent the next hour tonight placing imaginary phone calls from the remote.

Sunday Funday

Baseball, Pizza World and Casino (I am losing)!

Made It

Happy to be in Connecticut with family after an over 11 hour drive. Looking forward to a good week!

Ready

Leaving in the morning for 9 days in Connecticut.  I know it will fly by but I miss my dogs already!

A Day Early

Almost all packed one full day ahead of schedule.  This never happens - usually we are packing until midnight and then leave at 6am.

DMV ugh

Turning 35 in NC means it is time to renew my license and get a new picture taken.  I am not looking forward to the picture or going to the DMV.

Wish me luck!

My Boys

I love it that my dogs think they have to protect me when the husband isn't home.  They stay by my side and listen better.  I just wish Jack wouldn't bark every time a neighbor closes a car door.

Who????

Have you seen the Old Navy commercial where Jordan from New Kids On The Block (who I still love, NKOTB 4-eva) comes out riding a bike piano?  I asked my husband if he knew who it was and after guessing Donnie (always his first guess) he said "I want to say Dirk".  My shock made him start rambling things like, "I don't know" and "it starts with a J".  He finally guessed it but I don't think I can get over Dirk!

Paint

All colors have been chosen for every room in the house.  Painting will start June 19th and new furniture will be delivered June 26.
Can't wait to see how it all looks!

Joel Lane House

While researching my family tree I have found a few branches that are here in North Carolina.  I was born and raised in Connecticut but finding such a strong family history in my new home state has been strangely comforting.  Since moving to North Carolina in 2004 I have felt relaxed and happy here.  We did move here to be close to an NHL team and be able to buy a house but I truly feel at home here and wouldn't consider moving.
To make a loooonnnng story short I have a bunch of relatives that lived in NC in the 1700's.  Some of these relatives were important people in the state back in the day.  My 1st cousin 7 times removed or my 5th great grandfather's first cousin was Joel Lane.  He is said to be the founder of Raleigh.  Today we went to his house built in 1770 and it is now a museum.  We took a tour of the property and learned more about Joel and his family as well as what it was like to live in those days.  We had a great afternoon looking at the house and gardens.  I hope to bring my Dad back when my parents come to visit and show him some of his family too.
The Joel Lane house has a great website with lots of information: www.joellane.org.

Storage Wars

I don't know why this show interests me but it does.  Every time we watch it the husband wants to go buy storage lockers and lately he has been trying to come up with his own saying when he gets a good buy.  The ones he likes the best are "Well Looky Here!" and "Hot Diggity Dog!"
Oh my life would be dull and boring without this man of mine!

A Lot Going On

Cleaning and selling junk to get ready for new paint and furniture and even going to try and clean my closet out.  Getting ready for a trip to Connecticut.  Still researching family information.  Ryan will be traveling for work next week.
It is going to be a fun few weeks.

Hatfields & McCoys

Tonight was the last of the 3 part mini-series and after watching all 6 hours I can say it was completely entertaining.  It was gut-wrenching and heartbreaking but well acted and interesting.  I looked forward to watching every day even knowing how bloody and sad it would be.
Way to go History Channel. I hope you make more movies like this!

Carolina RailHawks

Tonight I attended my first professional soccer game.  The LA Galaxy were in town for the US Open Cup third round match against the Carolina RailHawks.
What a great game! The place was packed with a record crowd of 7,939.  The fans were into the game from minute one even when the Galaxy scored the first goal.  It wasn't until 75th minute that we got to see the RailHawks score and then 13 minutes later they took the lead.  The final was 2-1 RailHawks with the upset.  The Galaxy did not bring their star players like Donovan or Beckham but were still favored to win.

RailHawks in Blue, Galaxy in White

Final Score 2-1

Hatfields & McCoys

I watch my fair share of the History Channel and have seen this mini-series advertised.  I have been looking forward to it for weeks now.  Tonight was night 1 of 3 and it did not disappoint.  I went into it  knowing very little about the feud and even though I know this is not all based on facts it shines some light on what it might have been like.  It is hard to imagine those days - the men seem like it is nothing to take a life and kill another man but if one of their own kin is killed they take it personally and get revenge firmly believing in an eye for an eye.  I find it crazy that for one minute they don't stop to think it is someone else's family they are killing.
So far a little dark and bloody but looking forward to part 2 tomorrow night!

Really Animal Planet???

So now you are telling me Mermaids are real?  I hope this isn't like Finding Bigfoot all over again!

Nice Day

Took a nice drive around NC today looking for land my ancestors may have lived on 250 years ago.  Still have more research to do but this is getting really interesting.

Guest Blog - Husband

One of the highlights of my day at work is my daily bathroom break. I get to have 10 minutes or so of time alone in the john to clear the ol' bowels and read my Twitter feed. Frankly, I look forward to this every day (partly for the alone time and partly because I find it funny that I'm getting paid to poop).

My office building only has 3 men's bathrooms and only 6 total stalls. Considering that my office building has mostly tech companies, it's probably 80% men, so at peak times (mid-morning and after lunch) it's very difficult to find an open stall, so when you walk in and one's open, you grab that sucker and hold onto it for a little while. Sometimes nature calls around lunch time, which is great because the bathroom usually isn't busy then. Sounds like everything is looking up, right? Not quite. Apparently, our cleaning lady takes the noon hour to clean the bathrooms and fill up the paper towels. It never fails that as soon as I sit down, there's a knock on the door.

At this point, I have to yell "Someone's in here" and then I feel like I'm rushed. This is because the lady waits outside the door until you're done. Who does that? Even if it's like 5 minutes, she just stands there. Then when you exit, she knows the foul odor and messed up toilet is your fault. Thanks cleaning lady - you just ruined my afternoon.

Oh Buggy

This summer is going to be really bad for bugs this year because of the mild winter and I already hate it.  Our neighborhood has had a ton of people and dogs with ticks and the gnats and mosquitos are already yucky in the early humid weather.

Jackle and Hyde

Jack is like two different dogs.  At home he is crazy, doesn't listen and never stops moving.  When we take him in the car to the vet or anywhere he is a perfect dog.  He will be held or sit perfect right by my side.  On the table at the vet he barely moves and lets them poke, prod and stick him without a flinch.
At least he behaves in public in front of other people so I don't look like a bad dog owner!

Kinect

With the Xbox we also got the Kinect.  This is my kind of game - no controllers.  Those things have way too many buttons and I have no idea how or when to use them all.
The husband and I played some of the sports games they have for the Kinect and after about an hour of beating him at most games I have to say it is a workout.  I know I move around more than I should or even need to and probably look like a crazy person but it is fun.
Now he is back online playing a war game with a friend.  I hope this friend realizes this won't be a nightly occurrence!
Time to go find a new book for my Kindle.

XBOX

After being taunted by friends to get XBOX to play online games my husband has finally got one.  He is officially hooked up and online, now all I hear are gunshots.  This will be his obsession for a while it's a good thing I have good books to read.

I Make My Own Sunshine!

That Lowe's commercial gets stuck in my head.

Could Be Worse

We didn't go buy our furniture today but I got to watch Chelsea beat Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League Final in penalty kicks.  Way to go Nando, Lampy, Side Show Bob Hair, Dogbutt, Cech Mate and Bazinga (just an FYI these are my nicknames for some of my favorite guys from Chelsea).  I have only recently started watching soccer but some of the games I've watched have been crazy and fun I might be a fan now!
We turned on the Rangers vs Devils game for a few minutes.  I don't really care about who wins this match-up and I will be rooting for the Western Conference in the Finals anyway.
Now time for some NASCAR.  Just watched Dale Jr race his way into the All-Star Race.  GO #88!
The day was spent mostly on the couch since I feel pretty crappy with a cold and sick tummy but at least there was good TV on.  As a bonus, when I feel better we will go buy our furniture.

Too Lazy to Play

Jack and CT have been so lazy lately that they just lay on their sides, growl and bite at each other until one or both fall asleep.  Aren't they cute?

Baseball = Summer

I feel like Summer has officially started now that I have been to a baseball game. Tonight we went to the Durham Bulls game to see World Series MVP Hideki Matsui. I liked him on the Yankees and am happy we might see him more now with the Bulls.
The night was off to a rain-delayed start but Matsui got a big cheer when coming up for his first at bat. The Bulls won 5-0 against the Pawtucket Red Sox.
Great night of baseball and I got to see a Red Sox team lose - woohoo!

Cancelled

I have read that some of my favorite TV shows from this past season are cancelled!  I watch a lot of TV and usually am a little disappointed when a show isn't coming back on but I get over it quickly.  This year I started watching The Secret Circle since I watch Vampire Diaries and they are on the same channel on the same night.  I thought it was good for what it was and I admit I really looked forward to it every week.  I will miss it next season.
The biggest upset comes from The Finder being cancelled.  I started watching this show on-demand because I never knew what day it was on.  I don't think FOX even gave this show a chance since I never saw it advertised.  I liked every character in the show and thought it was well written and quirky.  I have never written a letter or email to complain about a shows cancellation but this might be the one.
I was also shocked to hear Who Do You Think You Are was not coming back.  This show chronicles famous people as they explore their family trees.  Basically this was an hour long advertisement for Ancestry.com but was really entertaining and made me want to start my family tree and it has lead me to find two distant cousins and really learn about how and where my ancestors came from.
This is why I should be a Nielsen household.

DNA

I know I have been talking about Ancestry.com and my family tree a lot lately but it really is something I have been working on constantly.  I even have the husband doing his family tree!
Last night I got an email invitation to the DNA beta testing.  It did cost about $90 but I am really excited to see what comes of it.  Even if nothing happens now who knows how many people are going to try it and maybe sooner or later I would find a long lost cousin or find where some of my ancestors are from.  I should have the testing stuff in a week and then 6-8 weeks for the results.
Things could get even more interesting.

River Monsters

Never swimming in anything that is not a chlorinated pool!

Family Info Overload

My head is swimming with a million details and stories.  I have been wrapped up in this for weeks now and have found interesting stories and some relatives going back to 1630 in Connecticut.  Hopefully when we are going to CT in June I can do some research and find definite answers.  Someday I will blog about it when I have the correct information.
Connecticut Landons - I am looking for you.

Ice Cream for Dinner

The husband went to play poker with friends so I watched some hockey and ate some ice cream!

Wicked!

Went to see Wicked tonight with some friends and it was great!
Loved it!

Season Finales

Watching our favorite Thursday night shows.

Rainy Day

Yuck!

Amendment One in NC

I very proudly voted AGAINST Amendment One on the NC ballot today.  This is the wording of Amendment One:
 "Constitutional amendment to provide that marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State."
Personally I feel like this is adding an amendment to our State Constitution that takes away rights of some citizens. Isn't that discrimination?  I am all for equality and I feel this is the opposite.
I am extremely sad to live in a state with this in the Constitution but unfortunately it looks like it will pass.

6:30am

Going to try getting up in the morning with my husband to go walking before it gets too hot and he has to go to work.  I am going to keep walking with Julie too.  I am hoping by doing this and eating better I can get some of these pounds off.  It is just so hard for me to say no to yummy food!

Dale Jr.

I don't watch as much NASCAR as I used to but I still love Dale Jr.  I noticed before todays race that he finally shaved his beard.  No win today but hopefully soon.  A championship would be nice for him this season too!

Happy Cinco de Mayo

Yup - I have had a few Coronas!

Husband's Sense of Humor

Last night while watching 30 Rock we had to pause the TV because of a funny line Tracy Jordan said: "I think I just solved the mystery of the phantom pooper!"  He was coming into a room he thought was a bathroom but found out it was someone's office.  Later last night we were talking about my husband's favorite episode of The Office when Michael was in New York and walks out of the subway and says "Ok, there's a guy pooping in a cardboard box."  My husband then just says out loud "I guess I just like poop!"  What a weirdo!

EWWW

I really wish my husband would SLOW down while eating pizza so he wouldn't get the gross hiccup-burps!

91 Degrees

Tomorrow it is going to be 91 degrees!  Friday and Saturday 90 degrees.  I missed spring!

New Sofa???

This is the sofa I want.  It is a sectional made up of all recliners separated by console wedges with cup holders and a compartment.  It is the most comfortable thing I have ever sat on.  We just don't know how it will look in our TV/Hurricanes room and the husband worries about having only 4 or 5 seats in the room.

Family Tree

Spent most of the day on Ancestry.com.  It is so interesting and now I am branching out and finding information at other places online to confirm some people, places and stories.
The strangest story I found today was while I was researching the building my Grandmother lived in when she was about 6 years old in Los Angeles, CA.  The census from 1920 listed an address with about 8 other families which I assume is an apartment building.  Two of the other residents were actors.  One was Tom Kerrick who lived with his wife Sarah.  I did a quick IMDB search for this actor and found a crazy story about how he was a young actor that was famous for being shot and killed by his wife during a party thrown in their home in 1927.  The newspapers made a big deal the party because everyone was drunk and it was during Prohibition.
So many interesting stories...

So Many Choices

Paint colors, sofas, chairs, tables and office furniture. Fun stuff but I just can't picture how it will all come together.
I think we are going to paint one wall in our Hurricanes/TV room with Magnetic paint so we can hang posters and pictures with magnets and change things up often.
One decision down, a lot more to go.

New Furniture

Well not yet but we are going to look at some tomorrow.

Quiet Night

Went for a nice walk tonight, then had some pizza and now watching hockey - perfect!

30 Rock Live

This is one show my husband and I watch together every week. Tonight's episode was live and great. I love it when someone laughs or messes up a line especially because it seems like some of them try to get other people to do it. They had a bunch of guest stars and it looks they had so much fun.

New Paint

We got an estimate today to paint the interior of our whole house - now we have to figure out some colors.  We have lived in this house for over 2 years and haven't hung many pictures on the wall because we always planned on painting first.  Now for some crazy reason my husband is in a mood to get stuff done around the house and I am not going to stand in his way.  He has done research about the house painting, a new deck and new furniture in the TV room!
This is what I have in mind (subject to change):
Kitchen, living room and hallway - light tan with a chocolate brown dining room and accent wall in living room.
Guest room and bathroom - light green.
TV room - light gray with a darker gray sectional and black accent tables (has to match our Hurricanes decor).
Craft room (my personal space) - a fun color (maybe pink or purple)?
Master bedroom - we are undecided but maybe a dark color (has to match our black furniture) with a lighter shade in my closet and master bath.
Husband's office (his personal space) - whatever color he wants that doesn't clash with any of the colors I pick out.
I hope this is as much fun as it is in my head!

One Word

Gloomy

Little Things

Sometimes it is the little things in life that make me happy!

Quiet Day

Rainy Sunday just hanging around the house watching Hockey.
CT did go to the groomer yesterday and our handsome boy looks a lot younger.

Yankees!

What a crazy afternoon.  We had to go pick up CT from the groomer and when we got home I saw the Yankees were losing so I watched the end of the Capitals vs. Bruins game and then flipped to Yankees vs. Red Sox.  The score was 9-0 Red Sox. Yuck.  Just a couple minutes later I see Mark Teixeira hit a dinger - woohoo - but still the game is 9-1.  I go downstairs and we have dinner - yummy chicken on the grill and some corn.  My husband goes outside to clean up the grill and stuff and I head upstairs to the TV and see the score 9-8. WHAT!?!  I run downstairs and get my husband to come and watch.  We then see the Yankees take the lead and not look back, ending the game 15-9.  What a game - that is the Yankees and Red Sox for ya!
So now my husband is busy reading all the articles since he finds the Boston ones very amusing.

Motivation

I have walked 4 days this week and it makes me happy to be staying active after my half marathon but I am lacking the motivation to run.  My husband has promised to run with me and hopefully that will push both of us to eat better and get in better shape.

Jessica Blvd?

Julie showed me this game over the weekend and now I can't stop playing!

Happy Birthday Mominator!

Today is my Mom's birthday and I didn't get a card in the mail, but I did call a couple of times.  I still thought I would post this picture and say "thanks Mom for always playing so hard you had to nap too"!

One of my favorite pictures of my Mom and me!

Which Ones?

I have wanted these Skechers for a while now but after looking at www.skechers.com I also want these too:

Where To Go?

We are looking for a trip for Memorial Day weekend.  The husband is thinking baseball game in a stadium he hasn't been to before (that is difficult because he has been to 26).  I am ok with baseball but I want a fun city with other stuff to do.  Our other option is Orlando for the parks but with only a few days I don't think we will see everything we want to.  I am sure we will find something and it is fun looking.

Half Marathon Weekend

What a great weekend!  I admit I was crazy nervous but the whole weekend turned out great.  Julie and I got to the hotel in great time.  The Hyatt Place was nice and the room was huge and comfy.  We got our race packet with bib numbers and t-shirts, bought a couple sweatshirts as souvenirs at a small expo type event right in our hotel.  We got some sandwiches for lunch and relaxed for a little while.  We then drove around to find where the run was in the morning.  After a tasty dinner at Spaghetti Eddie's, we went back to the hotel to watch Princess Diaries 1 and 2 and get some sleep.
Race morning we woke up at 5:20am and were at the Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon starting line around 7:15am.  It was a chilly 52 degrees to start but warmed up quickly.  The race started and I felt great for a few miles, good for the next few miles and then wondered why in the world did I want to do a half marathon.  I slowed down a little (thanks to Julie for staying with me when she would have finished a long time ahead of me) and kept going to finish with a time of 3:06:59.  I got my medal and could not be happier!  I felt pretty icky after having some water and we just went back to the hotel.  After relaxing and a little napping we got dinner at Friendly's.  This is a huge treat because we love Friendly's but don't live close to any in NC.  Yummy dinner and great ice cream and now it was time for bed.  Yes, I was asleep before 9:00pm.
Slept late this morning and headed home.  I really want to thank Julie for everything this weekend. She calmed me down when I was crazy and ran/walked the whole time right next to me.  I couldn't have done it without her.

I don't know if there will be another half marathon in my future but this was a fun weekend!

Race Done

So happy to have finished my first half marathon. Going to rest today and will post all about it tomorrow. Thanks everyone for all the support especially my running partner Julie!

Tomorrow

Ready to run!

2 Days

Leaving around 9am for a few hour road trip to Chesapeake, VA.  Almost all packed.  Very nervous.

3 Days

Saturday in Chesapeake Va - weather looks great: High 74 Low 58 and mostly sunny.  That is good news. Getting more nervous but Dismal Swamp Stomp, here we come.

4 Days and Counting

Today was our last run before our race on Saturday.  We ran 5 miles today at our best pace.  Going to just go for a simple walk on Thursday and then we are heading to Virginia on Friday for our weekend of fun and Half Marathon.  Think good thoughts and wish me luck!  Thanks!

A Few Updates

Last week I had Thai food with a friend and we got a couple of dishes to split so I could try different things.  We got Pad Sew Yew (Stir-fried fresh wide rice noodles with broccoli, carrots and egg with black soy sauce) and Thai Thai Fried Rice with Chicken (Fried rice with onion, scallions, green peas, carrots and egg).  I really liked both dishes and the Spring Roll that came with it.  It was still good as leftovers and I will definitely go back.
The Hurricanes - no playoffs and a long summer that hopefully does not end in a lockout.  I am disappointed with the Canes this whole season but I am optimistic the offseason will see a great player sign to play with Eric Staal.  I don't know who to root for during the playoffs but I am sure I will have something to say during the games.
Running is going ok.  I have been able to finnish a 10 mile run and have been running or walking a couple times during the week.  I wish I would have been eating better because I have gained a few unwanted pounds during training.  I was either too tired to cook or thought I worked hard enough for a treat.  After this weekend I will get back on track and eat better and still run but stick to 5k's.
I am still working on some Zentangles and really like how they look and I will post some pictures soon.
Last but not least, ladies - Greg is still single!

Two Days

It was just a couple of days but we got used to having 2 more dogs around. I miss Molly and Mungo since they both listen better than my dogs!

DQ

Dairy Queen blizzard > sore throat!

Dog Sitting

I love watching both dogs but I really love this sweet boy!

I Forgot :(

I forgot to post a blog yesterday.  It totally just slipped my mind when we got home from the Hurricanes game last night.  I will post 2 today to make up for it but I am still disappointed I missed a day.

Long Island Medium

I love this show and Theresa.  I admit I believe in psychics, mediums, ghosts and spirits but I also think most of the people and witnesses are frauds.  I don't know why but I really like Theresa. She seems like a real person going about her life with a special gift she uses to help people when she can.  The show makes me cry every week and my husband thinks I am crazy because he doesn't believe in any of it but I don't care.

Trying Something New!

Tomorrow I am having lunch with a friend and I am going to try Thai food.  I am excited since I have wanted to try different foods lately but with a husband who eats like a 5 year old, I don't get a chance very often.  Even if I don't like the food it should be fun!

I am the Champion!

Thats right folks - I won our Fantasy Hockey league.  It may have only been 6 of us and some stopped checking their team but I still won.  This makes 2 times in a row I have beat my husband in fantasy hockey.  I would like to personally thank Mr. Stamkos and Mr. Lundqvist - you are my MVPs!

10 miles

First time running/walking 10 miles today!  Total time 2hours 19minutes or 13:54 min/miles.  With only 13 days until my first half marathon I am more confident I will finish. I don't know what our time will be but all I want to do is finish.  Tired and just a little sore so I am going to enjoy some TV and off to bed.

Dreadful

The Carolina Hurricanes as a whole organization are the worst. Yes I am bitter! Fan appreciation my ass! They have to give free tickets to get people in the door and treat Season Ticket Holders like we are a dime a dozen. We have had full season tickets for 7 years and probably spent more than $35,000 over those years and since that building is very rarely full there is no one else that would purchase those tickets -  especially for the price we pay!
My reason for the bitterness tonight is I clearly explained to my ticket rep this year that we would keep our seats next year if I received a "Jersey off a Players back", a promotion the team does every year. He called my bluff and no jersey!  Up until last year I always thought random fans won these jerseys...nope! People are pre-selected before the game. So when I told my ticket rep I wanted one and after the time and money we have given the Canes I thought he would tell whoever chooses the winners. This leads me to think only friends get them! I understand that a lot of people would want these and there are people who have been ticket holders longer or buy better seats but as an overall experience I have NEVER felt appreciated by the Hurricanes organization! Yes, sour grapes and bitter but it sucks they still get all they want out of us because to watch live hockey we either have to give them money or move!!! Tampa is looking better and better! Not to mention for a lot less money I could buy a game worn jersey of the player of my choosing!

Frowny Face

The Hurricanes are eliminated from the NHL playoffs!  This whole season was a roller coaster but I like where they are headed if they can pick up some key players over the summer.  The Canes have a decent coach, good young players and some core players coming together. Now I just hope for no lockout.
Just a couple more home games and then it is GO YANKEES time!

The Big Bang Theory

"We built the pyramids!"

This blog post is only going to make sense to a few people. Sorry!

Maybe

I might actually enjoy running a little.  After the last few stressful days it was nice to get outside in the beautiful weather and go for a run. I even ran 2 days in a row!
I have been more excited about the shorter runs lately when I usually only looked forward to walking.  I don't think I will ever enjoy the long 2-3 hour runs but I can definitely say I will do more 5Ks and keep running with my partner in crime and look forward to it!

My Poor Puppy

I hate it when my dog doesn't feel good.  It is a helpless feeling.  My oldest dog, CT (7 years old), is having a bad week.  He has been throwing up here and there and coughing, burping and licking non-stop.  Today we took him to the Vet because it is not like him to turn down a meal and he was being more aggressive than usual, even to me.  They asked a million questions and did a bunch of tests with no definite answers.  They gave him a shot to help with nausea, antibiotics, special bland food and told us to come back if he doesn't get better.
He was so good at the Vet he had a thermometer stuck somewhere, blood drawn and a shot and still wagged his tail and gave the Vet kisses.  He ate his duck and potato dinner, with antibiotic pill in it, and he is keeping it down but having trouble resting because of all the licking, burping and coughing.  I wish I could magically make him better.  If I am this upset about my dog, I don't think I could handle kids!

Pictures from DC

Here are some of the impressive buildings, monuments and memorials we saw while in Washington DC: White House, Library of Congress, Archives, Capital, Washington Monument, Martin Luther King Jr Memorial, Roosevelt Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial and Lincoln Memorial.

There is so many amazing details of these buildings that you could look a million times and always find a something new to look at.  Here are some up-close pictures from the various buildings we saw around DC.

I can't wait to go back to this city and explore more details of this city - it is beautiful!

Allergies Yuck!

I never had allergies until I moved to North Carolina.  I hate this green-yellow crap everywhere.  Zyrtec and goodnight!

Hunger Games

Loved the books, liked the movie.  I am glad I read the books because I don't think enough of the emotions and relationships were explained in the movie.  I know they only have a short amount of time to tell a very detailed and complicated story and they did a good job.
I loved the casting. I couldn't imagine a better Cinna or Caesar Flickerman.  Peeta wasn't too bad either.
Hoping they hurry up and make Catching Fire!

So Annoyed!

It should not have taken 3+ hours to update my iPhone. First it made me update iTunes and then errors while backing up required me to take out my sim card and restart both MacBook and iPhone. Finally downloaded update and it's working.
All of this because my app for running wouldn't work until I updated my phone. Hopefully won't have to do that again until I get my new phone!

Catching Up

After vacation there is a lot to catch up on: rest, cleaning, laundry, friends, running, blogging, etc.  At least I caught up on some TV today - you know the most important of things to catch up on!
Hopefully in the next couple days I will upload my DC pictures and blog about my fun trip.

Home

I love traveling but there really is no place like home.

DC Day 5

DC Ghost Tour...need I say more? We had a delightful lady named Binny dressed like it was the 1800's tell us about life and death in Lafayette Square near the White House. I will write more about this with pictures when we get home.
Stay tuned!

DC Day 4

Jefferson Memorial, Smithsonian Museums of American History and Natural History, walking and more walking. Dinner at The Dubliner, which was very good, and now cupcake time!

DC Day 3

Spent a couple hours in Arlington Cemetery and saw all the Kennedys, the Challenger and Columbia Monuments, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Arlington House. We walked from Arlington Cemetery across the Potomac to the Lincoln Memorial and past that we found a place to eat and then saw the Vietnam Memorial, World War II Memorial and the Washington Monument up close.
Crazy amount of walking but really interesting and moving. Going to relax and watch the Canes game tonight.

DC Day 2

President Lincoln looked right at me!

DC Day 1

After a roundabout drive we made it to our hotel around 1:30pm. We went for an interesting ride on the Metro and spent a little while at the Expo for the Rock n Roll Marathon. Early dinner and ready to watch some TV and relax before Jen is running in the morning. Good Luck Jen!

PNC Arena

The first Hurricanes game in the renamed arena is a success. The Canes win, we all got free pucks and I got one of the t-shirts they throw in the crowd.

First Zentangle

Working on my first Zentangle.  Sometimes it is a little difficult finding a pattern but once you start it just kinda flows.  I have been using a bunch of great sites that have step-by-step directions for some patterns: TanglePatterns.com
Enthusiastic Artist

This is my first attempt.  It is an Anniversary card for Mom and Dad!

(Mom - if you're reading this, SURPRISE!)

DC or Bust!

We are going with a couple of friends to DC this weekend and I hope to still be able to blog from my laptop or phone.  Probably mostly pictures.
I am looking to getting away for a long weekend and see some sights, cherry blossoms and museums.
Also want to wish Jen good luck for the Rock n' Roll half marathon this weekend which is one of the reasons we are going to DC.

Zentangle

If you don't know what it is, Google it!  I am obsessed lately.  I have ordered a book and am looking forward to posting some pictures soon.

Las Vegas

Watching some of the NASCAR race in Las Vegas today made me want to take a trip.  I have lost count of how many times I have been to Vegas but always have fun and great memories.  Twice we even went to the race and that was a great time.  Last March, we took a trip to Anaheim with my husband's brother and friend Greg to see UConn play in the NCAA tournament games and then drove to Las Vegas for a few days including my brother-in-law's 30th birthday.  Great trip to Vegas - the 2nd morning the guys sat at a three-card poker table and my husband got the best hand possible and won the progressive jackpot of over $2500.  I don't know if we will ever have a better trip to Vegas than that but I would like to try.

New Table

I know this isn't exciting for most but after looking for a couple years for a table to fit and match the hall by the front door, we finally found it.
Our dining room table is natural wood colored and roughed up a little with some tiny holes and looks scuffed up.  The chairs are all black and also made to look a little older with some paint sanded away in places.  Above our dining room table we have a light fixture that belonged to my husband's grandparents and means a lot to him and it is tiffany style with shades of red.  The dining room is open to the front hall and it was important for me that the table match and after all this time we found a table with a natural wood color top and black legs.  The black legs also have a shade of red that shows through a tiny bit that matches the light fixture.

This is a picture of my brother and me that I just got from my Mom and Dad.  Above the table we are going to put family pictures.

Weekend Goal

A rare weekend without too many plans so our goal is to get some stuff done around the house.  Looking for a couple tables and to get some pictures on the walls.  I hope to have some pictures after a successful weekend!

The Weather

It was over 70 degrees with white clouds and some blue sky.  The weather and my fantastic friend made running 8 miles today almost fun.  The unfun part was feeling light-headed for the last couple miles.  I guess 20 miles in the last 5 days might be a bit too many for me.
Feeling better now and happy I finished it.  Thanks again Julie!

Windy

Monday here was super gusty windy and we lost a roof shingle.  Now every time I hear a gust of wind I ask my husband if the roof is ok.  I am guessing this is going to drive him crazy in no time!

Fancy Pants

Jack got a haircut and bath today.  He looks like a completely different dog.  He has been looking like a lumbering, fuzzy bear and now he looks like a prancing, skinny fancy pants.

Before 

After

Hoardering

I just heard someone on the show Hoarders say "I don't like your hoardering!"  I shouldn't make fun - I know these people are struggling.  Good thing my husband hates clutter and goes through our house a couple times a year and sells anything we aren't using.

8 miles!

It is in the books - my first 8 mile run/walk.  We ran 1 minute and walked 2 minutes for the first 6 miles and then went to running 1 min and walking 3 minutes.  I will be happy if I can keep the run 1 minute/walk 2 minutes pace for all 13.1 miles.  Little tightness in my calf and some soreness but overall I consider my first 8 miler a success.
Thanks Julie for keeping the conversation going, the laughs and pushing me when I needed it!

Hurricanes vs Lightning

I am not going to write about the bad call by the ref who cost the Hurricanes the game but that was the worst call at the worst time I have ever witnessed at a game.
Now lets talk about Zach Boychuk...what a disappointment!  Drafted in 2008 and only played 2 games for the Canes in 08-09.  The first time I noticed him was in the pre-season 2009-2010 and I remember thinking he seemed lazy and unprepared to play in the NHL.  He did play 31 games that season and I didn't notice any improvement.  The next season it seemed like he played with an expectation that he had already made the team and only played 23 games in the NHL.  Now this year 16 games played and I think it is time we cut ties with this guy.  Called up for the first time under Coach Muller and it only lasted 3 games.  He gets pushed off the puck and gives up on plays.  Tonight he only played 7 minutes and looked benched most of the 2nd and 3rd periods.  As I am writing this Chip Alexander (who covers the Hurricanes for the News and Observer) tweeted he has been sent back to the AHL.  I hope Muller saw what we all saw these last few games and he doesn't have a part in this team's future.
That being said I would not surprised if he gets a spot in another organization and comes back to haunt the Canes. He is still a young guy with some potential and I just think we have spent too much time, money and effort on this kid.

Ancestry

It was the show "Who Do You Think You Are?" that first made me sign up for Ancestry.com.  Since then, I have typed in all of the information I have collected from my Mom, Dad and grandparents and started building my tree.  On my mother's side, my grandparents are still alive and provide a great deal of knowledge but we only go back 2 generations in the US and then the rest of the family tree is in Italy and it's difficult to get records online.  Ancestry.com does not have much either from Italy.

My father's side is very big and has been in this country for centuries and I have found a ton of information on Ancestry.com and online.  Growing up we lived about 1000 miles from my Dad's family and since he is the youngest of 4 kids I didn't start with a lot of data but have found some interesting stories and distant relatives.

The most interesting story comes from the research about my Dad's family.  Someone had written down what was known of both my Dad's parents and the only information known about my grandfather's mother (Della Mae Blake) was that she was an orphan.  I became intrigued with finding anything I could about her and her parents (they would be my great-great-grandparents) and I had already found 14 out of 16 of my great-great-grandparents.  I began with some simple internet searches of her name and possible orphanages based on where and when she lived and I found some old message board posts of someone looking for Della and her sister Cora.  Also, listed on findagrave.com was Della's grave information and someone was maintaining a memorial.  I contacted this person and it turns out she is my 3rd cousin - my great-grandfather's sister's great-granddaughter.  We have talked through facebook and IM and she had introduced me to another family member who was the person on the message board looking for Della and Cora.  The only information she had found was about Della and Cora being at the Odd Fellows Orphanage in Lincoln, Illinois.  I sent an email to the Grand Lodge of Illinois for the Independent Order of the Odd Fellows and was shocked to get an email back with a scanned copy of the record when Della and Cora entered the orphanage on January 22, 1895.  Della was 11 and Cora was 9 and then listed was the names of my great-great-grandparents Elisha and Margaret.  It was sad to read that the girls mother, Margaret, had died in 1891 of consumption and Elisha had also died of consumption in 1894.  Elisha also must have remarried after losing Margaret because the form states the girls were given up by a step-mother, Mary Elizabeth.  How sad to lose both parents and be given away by a step-mother, I know I don't know the circumstances of why she didn't keep the girls and I am sure it must have been heartbreaking for all involved.  Knowing what happened in Della's life I was curious about her sister Cora.  In a document from the Odd Fellows found in a google search I learned Cora never left the orphanage as she died in 1903 of Tuberculosis.  The documents had said she was sick for a couple years and reads like she was loved and well cared for while there.  

It was great sharing this information with my Dad and the relatives I know had been searching for it for years.  One of the cousins I have found during all of this has gone back farther finding information about Elisha and Margaret's parents.  I am also extremely grateful to the woman at the Odd Fellows in Chicago that received my email and went out of her way to help me find some long lost relatives.

Maybe one day I will make it to Italy and learn about my Mom's heritage. 

March 1st

What a beautiful day!  Ran 2 miles in the sunshine today and then a nice 3 mile walk with my husband this evening.
Now watching the Canes vs Rangers game. I usually loathe other team's announcers but these guys on MSG aren't terrible and have complimented the Canes a few times.

Cake Pops

While grocery shopping at Walmart today, I found the Cake Pop pan.  I have a friend with a birthday in March who just last week said she wanted Cake Pops.  What perfect timing.  I am looking forward to trying out some fun Cake Pops soon!

Canes Hockey

It has been brought to my attention that people thought I would rant more in my blog about the Hurricanes and hockey in general.  Honestly, I thought I would too so I will catch up on some of my hockey thoughts.
I like the Ruutu signing. This surprised me just like when Gleason re-signed.  I hope Muller has a plan for how this team can grow and we aren't bringing back the same team that has not played well together or made the playoffs in 3 years!  Carolina is a great place to live but I don't want these players to stay because they are comfortable. I want them to be determined to win a Cup here.
The Nashville Predators look like a strong Cup team even after a close loss to the Hurricanes tonight.  Their defense is impressive with Suter, Weber and Gill.  They have some big, strong and talented players and made some smart moves at the trade deadline.  For a small market team, the front office works hard to stay competitive.
On the flip side of the Preds are the disastrous Columbus Blue Jackets.  I think it is cowardly for the GM to call out Rick Nash and tell the public that he requested a trade in January.  You make your fan base and others look at him as a traitor - how uncomfortable for everyone since he is staying.  I understand if you trade him and have to explain why and how you are rebuilding but now it just sounds like sour grapes and is a morale killer for the team and fans.
Tonight we got to pick up our season ticket holder gifts.  Every year we are given points and can get anything from umbrellas to team signed items.  We chose signed pucks and with our points we got 3 of them.  We didn't get to pick which players we received but I am overall happy with who we got.

Brandon Sutter * Tim Gleason * Chad LaRose

Fat Nugget

This was the gem of the weekend from my husband and his brother: Fat Nugget, which is their idea for the next hit reality show.  You send a group of overweight people to Alaska to mine for gold while getting in shape.  In a twist at the end, the contestants don't receive the gold they mined but they find that the true gold comes from within.
Needless to say, we caught an episode of the show Gold Rush on the Discovery Channel and the guys thought of ways to improve it.
Never a dull moment...

The Oscars

Watching the Academy Awards with my husband and brother-in-law. This should be interestingly funny!

Brotherly Love

My husband's brother is in town this weekend. It has been a day full of laughs, Nerf guns and Atari. Times like these I miss living closer to family.

Short Blog

I cut off a chunk of my finger cutting up eggplant tonight so I don't feel like blogging. :(

I Should Never Turn On Food Network

It never fails when I watch the Food Network I catch Cupcake Wars and then I want cupcakes. Not just one - I want to be a judge and eat them all!

Beautiful Day

It is February 22nd and I had windows open in the house and went for a walk wearing shorts and a t-shirt. I love NC!  It was sunny and 70 degrees this afternoon.  This might be why I have been in the mood for spring cleaning.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Growing up we watched a lot of old movies and musicals because, well, my Mom made us and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is still one of my all time favorites.  I don't know if I would have found some of my favorite old movies on my own one day or not, but I appreciate my Mom for always having them on our TV.
Today I put this movie in the DVD player and had fun singing, dusting, vacuuming and dancing.  While watching I had some strange thoughts: I wonder how many of these people are still alive?  (I know, morbid, but it just seems like forever ago)  If they remade this movie today, what actors would play each character?  This movie isn't exactly politically correct at times but did anyone in 1954 complain?
I hope there are parents out there still making their kids sit through these movies so no one misses out on finding a movie that can make them enjoy an afternoon cleaning!
Thanks Mom!

Hurricanes vs Capitals

5 Goals
3 Fights
1st NHL Shutout for Justin Peters
Does it get any better than that?  Well yes, if the Canes were in the playoff race but this season we will take what we can get!

Mockingjay

Just finished Mockingjay, the last book in the Hunger Games Trilogy.  I liked how all the books flowed together and the story was well told - I read the books very quickly and had trouble putting them down.  With Mockingjay I kept reading hoping for different things to happen than what actually happened in the book. This was my least favorite of the three but I am still looking forward to all of the movies.

Boo Boo Foot

My usual running partner is out of town this weekend so my wonderful husband joined me for a 4 mile run today.  He did great keeping me company and entertained but now I feel awful because his foot hurts and he has been limping all day.  I hope it heals in a hurry - I hate seeing him in pain.

Two Years Later

We moved into our house in December 2009 so I guess it is time for us to get curtains upstairs.  When we moved in we had blinds installed on every window so it didn't seem urgent to get curtains.  About a year later we were having a family Thanksgiving with people from out of town coming to see the house for the first time so we bought window treatments for all of the downstairs windows.  Next weekend we are having a house guest and although we have had plenty others come and stay I think it is a good time to put curtains in the guest room.  I am hoping that this means I can also buy new linens and hang some pictures in there too!

Rain Rain Go Away!

I ran.  It rained.  I hated it!
We are running 8 miles on Sunday and it is supposed to rain.  Is there an anti-rain dance I could do?

Cake Nearly Gone

The Funfetti cake I made for my husband for Valentine's Day is almost gone :(

Sweets for My Sweet

My husband LOVES cake so of course for Valentine's Day I made him one of his favorites:

Who doesn't love Funfetti?

Catching Fire

I could not put this book down - it took less than two days to finish.  I never would have picked up this trilogy if my friends hadn't recommended it but I love it so far.  One book left - Mockingjay - and I will be sad when it is over.  I don't know if there is anything like the Edward and Jacob thing from Twilight but if there is I am Team Peeta!
Gotta go read Mockingjay now!

The Grammy Awards According To My Husband

We are watching Live from the Grammy Awards on E! and this is what my husband has said:
"Who is that?"
"Why is she wearing guns?  That is just stupid!"
"Is it me or does Julianne Hough look like Jennifer Aniston?"
"Who are these people?"
"Finally someone I know (Carrie Underwood) except she thinks it is 1982!"
"Is that the Pope?  People are not going to like that!"
"Why does Kelly Osbourne have gray hair?"
"Why don't people just dress normal, like Adam Levine?"
"Wait...Flo Rida is just one person?  I thought it was a band!"
That was just the pre-show - the Grammys should be interesting!

Great Day

Ran 6 miles.  Fun brewery tour and great dinner at Boylan Bridge Brewpub with fantastic friends.  Now relaxing on the couch watching hockey!

Hunger Games

Just finished Hunger Games, the first book in the trilogy, and loved it.  Can't wait to see the movie and read the other two books!

Keeping Hydrated

Went to Bull City Running Company today with Julie, my running partner, and got a great new hydration belt for our long runs.  We are running longer every weekend and will need to have water available.  I also bought a new pair of running socks since it is hard to find size small socks anywhere but a running store.  The store was great and I will definitely go back for other running needs - they have everything and really reasonable prices.  Can't wait to go running with this:

Nathan Trek Waist Pack

Kinda Grumpy

Bunch of little reasons and a lack of cupcakes!

Championship Memorabilia

After one of our favorite teams wins a championship (which has happened 4 times in the last 4 years with the Giants, Yankees, UConn Basketball and Giants) we go to footballfanatics.com and order some reminders of the great seasons and games.  I really like Football Fanatics as a company because one year our order was delivered a little late and they gave me $10 off my next order and even though my next order was over a year later, they gave me the $10 off without me even entering a code.

We always get a pint glass and Christmas ornament and usually a t-shirt or two.  This year my husband got a Justin Tuck t-shirt and I got this beauty:

Can't wait to wear our Giants Super Bowl XLVI Champs gear!

Pinterest

I have seen all of my friends on Facebook using Pinterest and it looked like fun.  Last week I sent a request for an invite and it came today. I signed up and will start pinning soon.

Go GIANTS!!!

That is all!

Tired

Dog woke us up at 6:15 am because he had thrown up.  Thankfully my awesome husband cleaned it up since I had to wake up at 8 am to get ready to run.  Ran a good 6.31 miles.  Foot is sore but hopefully on the mend.  Went to the RBC Center to watch the Hurricanes beat the LA Kings.  Now some sleep.

Who Do You Think You Are

So excited this show is back tonight.  It always makes me get back on Ancestry.com.  I have found some interesting stories on my own family tree.
Tonight is Martin Sheen and this season I am also looking forward to Reba and Rob Lowe.
Who Do You Think You Are
NBC Fridays at 8pm

Groundhog Day 2012

I understand the rodent saw his shadow but it was around 70 degrees today in NC and I ran outside in shorts and a t-shirt.

How Cute are These?

TOMS now has ballet flats!!!  I already have two pairs of classic canvas TOMS and love them.  I also feel good about buying from a company that gives back:  "With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One."

Natural Natalia Linen Ballet Flats

These are the ones I want.  $74.00 seems kinda pricey but it is for a good cause and I think they are super cute.

Updates

It is the end of January and I followed through on some goals and am stumbling on a few.  Here are some updates on goals and blogs from the past month.
Goal 1 is to blog everyday - CHECK
This was difficult some days - if the day was quiet or I was in a bad mood - but I feel an odd sense of pride in getting it done everyday.
Goal 2  Run a half marathon - In Progress
We have set a date of April 14th and will travel to Virginia for what is hopefully a successful and fun weekend.  One month in and we have had a couple good, long runs.  I am keeping track and posting mileage which has helped me stay motivated.  Right now I'm pushing through a little tendonitis in my foot but everything else feels good.
Goal 3  One day a week be artsy/crafty - not so much
I do feel like I have a lot of ideas going on and things started but I just have to be more consistent and get stuff done.
Goal 4  Complain less and find the silver lining - Probably not
What can I say the silver lining might be getting to yell a little.
Goal 5  Cook twice a week - Complete swing and miss
It is just so much easier to make a sandwich or order out.
I'm still going to work on all 5!

Blog updates:
Greg is still single - come on ladies, what are you waiting for?
I have successfully avoided Finding Bigfoot since my blog about it on Jan 17th.

Tim Gleason...Four More Years!

Today the Carolina Hurricanes and defenseman Tim Gleason agreed on a 4-year contract extension for $16 million dollars.  Jim Rutherford, the Hurricanes GM, does not usually deal with any contract extensions during the season so I take this as a good sign that things are changing within the organization. What I hope happened is new coach Kirk Muller is deciding on who he wants on this team and who he doesn't and the GM is listening and making things happen.
I like Gleason and as alternate captain he has a lot on his shoulders so maybe with his contract being settled he can focus on playing more consistent hockey for the rest of this season and the next few.
I can't wait to see how this team changes around the trade deadline and over the summer because what they have done the last 2+ years has not been working.
Read about the signing here.

Nielsen TV Ratings

I don't often answer the phone when I don't know who is calling (thank you, Caller ID) and that's especially true lately due to all the political polls.  Today when the Caller ID said "Nielsen TV Ratings" while I was watching the NHL All-Star Game, I answered so I could tell someone that people in NC watch hockey.  I LOVE TV so I was excited to tell someone all the shows that I like and my TV viewing habits. I admit I don't know exactly what Nielsen does but they were calling me - I didn't track them down.
The call started as expected by politely asking about my day and the weather, which were both lovely, thanks.  Then the usual like "Are you over 18?".  The next question was "Are you Hispanic or Latina?" I am not, I told her, and then she thanked me for my time and told me to have a nice day.  But wait lady - I love TV and I want to talk about it!
Well, if any of your favorite shows get cancelled, it isn't my fault since nobody cares what I have to say.

Quiet Night

My husband is going to play poker with some friends so I am going to relax with a book.  Pretty exciting Saturday night around here.

 

I Wonder

What are my dogs thinking?

NHL All-Star Weekend

This year, watching the All-Star festivities on TV isn't as much fun as it was to be at all of the events last year.  Tonight we are watching the fantasy draft.  I like this idea since it gives us a new way to watch the players interact with each other.  I love seeing the players personalities and how some of these guys still act like kids in a schoolyard.  This year it seems the crowd is closer to the players and they're actually mean.  It's great seeing some of the players get rattled while getting heckled.
My favorite part of the All-Star weekend is the skills competition.  The different events show off the incredible talent of the players in a unique way.  Getting to see it live last year was more fun than the All-Star game.  My favorite part of game day is the introductions. What can I say - I like smoke, laser lights and fanfare.
Here are some of my favorite pictures from the 2011 NHL All-Star game in Raleigh, NC:

Goodreads

I was looking for a way to add the book I was reading to my blog and I found www.goodreads.com.  They had a handy little widget with the book I am currently reading and at the bottom is a list of all the books I have read and rated at Goodreads.  This website is easy to use and a great place to rate the books I read and then they also give you personal recommendations.  It isn't often I don't know what to read next but now I will always have a good list of books I will probably like.  I haven't looked around too much but there also seems to be some fun social networking aspects where you can see what your friends are reading and recommended.  I look forward to keeping this updated as well as this blog.

New Kicks

I already have a pair of these in Raspberry Lightning and love them.  They are last year's style so I got them online for a little cheaper and it saves me from trying on a bunch of different shoes, especially when I already know these feel great when I run in them.

Now I just need my foot to feel better!

Yucky

Just eh.  My foot is sore from running 6 miles on Saturday so I have to rest for a few days and I am frustrated by it.  I was in a good routine of running at least 3 times a week and going to Yoga but I really don't want this minor pain to get worse.
It was nice today that two friends called to check on me and my foot.
Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow!

GIANTS

What a crazy day of football.  Now 2 weeks of Patriots this and Giants that.

Happy Birthday Jack

Tomorrow is our puppy Jack's 2nd birthday.  I know I joke a lot about him but he is a sweet, happy dog and I wouldn't trade him for any other dog.

Happy Birthday Jack!!!

Canes Win!!!

Carolina Hurricanes shut out the Washington Capitals 3-0.  Great win and it was a total team effort.  It was also good to see Skinner back on home ice.  I don't have some crazy dream that this team can make the playoffs but it would be nice to string some wins together, especially at home.
Go Canes!

Good TV Night

Just going to relax on the couch after my run with some of our favorite shows: 30 Rock, Parks and Rec and The Office.

NHL Hockey: I Love You, Now Change

Before I get to my main point, here is a little back story to my life-long passion for the great sport of Ice Hockey.  I have a twin brother and being raised in the Northeast, we took a learn-to-skate program at about 4 years old.  At the end of this class everyone asked my brother if he wanted to start playing hockey.  I might be a little competitive so I also wanted to play.  My great parents spent the next few years buying expensive equipment for their growing children, suffering through two freezing cold practices at a time because we were not on the same team and endured hours of driving to get us to games and practices.  It stopped being fun for me after a while though I don't know if it was because I was on an all boys team or I just wanted to do other things.  My brother continued to play for years and as a family we supported our local NHL team, the Hartford Whalers.  In my playing days I was #16 and this being the early 80's, my favorite player on the Whalers was #16 Sylvain Turgeon.  This is when some of my strong opinions against and in support of some teams and players started.  With my devotion to Turgeon (who I still say is my favorite player of all time) I found myself hating Ron Hextall for slashing and breaking Turgeon's arm during a PRACTICE at a Team Canada Camp in 1987.  This began my list of players I like and players I hate.  After Turgeon left the Whalers, I watched him play in New Jersey, Montreal and Ottawa (and I still own an Ottawa #61 Turgeon jersey).
When the Whalers left it created a void and I no longer had a favorite team.  I still watched hockey and had my list of guys I liked and guys I hated and that is who I would root for and against.  In 2004, my husband and I decided to leave Connecticut and move south.  We chose the Raleigh area because of the great housing market and also because they had the Hurricanes.  13 days after moving into our new home, we found our perfect seats at the RBC Center and purchased season tickets.  I once again had a favorite team and I even had a history of rooting for this franchise.
On October 7th 2005, the horrible lockout was over and we had our first game of the season at the RBC Center.  It was Hurricanes vs Penguins and Cam Ward gets his first NHL win after stopping Palffy, Lemieux, and Crosby in the shootout.  I will never forget this game not only because of how awesome it was but because some jerk behind me asked me to sit down during this amazing shootout.  How are you any kind of hockey fan if you sit down while MARIO and Sid the Kid are shooting against a rookie goaltender in the first year of the shootout in the NHL???
The Carolina Hurricanes ended the 2005-2006 season on June 19th with a Stanley Cup Championship. Does it get any better? I don't think so.  That team and season will always have a special place in this sports fan's heart.  Well most of that team - Doug Weight is no longer a part of that after his hit on Brandon Sutter in 2008.  I understand this was deemed a legal hit but as a veteran of the league, why would you hit a rookie with his head down like that?  Weight had nothing to gain with that hit and it's hits like that that are changing the NHL for the worse.
I know that the NHL has tried to crack down on some illegal hits with suspensions and fines along with them being explained by Brendan Shanahan.  I don't think this is all that needs to be done.  First, these men have to start having some respect for their fellow players and not take these cheap shots.  As much as I hate to point out a guy who has been considered the dirtiest in the NHL, lets take a look at Matt Cooke. He has been suspended numerous times for dirty hits, elbows and reckless plays.  Hearing he had vowed to change his ways after an illness with his wife, I was skeptical but the numbers say a lot.  In the 2010-2011 season, Matt Cooke had 129 PIM (penalties in minutes) in 67 games with a couple of hefty suspensions in there.  In this 2011-2012 season, in 45 games Matt Cooke only has 14 PIM and no suspensions.  Matt Cooke's numbers say a lot of things.  No matter how many times he was suspended for a cheap shot or dirty hit, it didn't matter to him until he made up his mind to play a safer game and respect other competitors.  I also think it disproves the players who say the game moves too fast to stop some of the hits especially when a player has their head down and gets the first contact of the hit.  I hope Matt Cooke keeps his mind on the type of game he is playing now and doesn't fall back into old habits.  That being said, more guys have to stand up and play that way.  Like most fans, I have a list of guys I hate seeing on the ice against my team.  I still hate Brooks Orpik for the hit that broke Erik Cole's neck and after last night, dirty or not, the hit on Jeff Skinner was uncalled for.  One more problem with these hits is the equipment.  When you hit someone in the head with a hard shelled shoulder or elbow pad it isn't going to hurt you.  Maybe going back to softer pads where you have some pain when you hit someone else would make them think twice about a dangerous hit.
This is where my thoughts, feelings and emotions about hockey contradict themselves.  I told a friend during last night's Hurricanes/Penguins game that after the Skinner hit, if I was one of the players I would crash into Fleury until he was injured.  I know that isn't the answer but I think it happens when guys start to feel like an "eye for an eye" is better than "two wrongs don't make a right".  I admit I am a hypocrite since I stand up and root on a good fight at the game but when I read an article about the brain trauma and what some of these players go through, it isn't worth it.
The NHL players are getting bigger, stronger and faster everyday and something has to be done to make this game safer while keeping the integrity of the game we love.  I for one am tired of not being able to see some of the elite players of this league because they are out with serious injuries.