I'm getting married tomorrow

Goodbye to blogland for a couple of weeks! I'M MOVING IN WITH A BOYYYYYYYY! (For those of you who don't know, that's friends....)

The song that keeps playing in my head is "Today I met the boy I'm gonna marry..." from Father of the Bride.

Sigh.

11 days...LESS THAN TWO WEEKS!

So I had my mini-bachelorette dinner Friday night and it was SO fun!!! We kept it classy no worries. The girls and I (6 total) had so much fun! It was great because all my friends didn't know each other, so it was all different people coming together, and everyone meshed really well!!! Brian was gone for the weekend so I revamped the apartment...soon to be OUR apartment! IT was so strange, I moved my stuff there...and it isn't coming back with me...it's staying...anyone seen the Friends episode where Rachel moves out and Chandler moves in with Monica? Monica cries, "I'M MOVING IN WITH A BOYYYYYYYYYYYY." AH ahaha that's how I feel. Bittersweet but totally exciting!

Thank you for all your advice fellow bloggers! It was great! Off to get a banana on what remains of my lunch...which is 15 minutes :-(

Going to the chapel.....in 15 days!

I can't believe, tomorrow is TWO WEEKS TILL I'M MARRIED! This has been a crazy but exciting time, I'm trying not to let the stress get to me (which is easier said than done!) All the last minute things are getting accomplished, such as guest counts, meal counts, ordering chair covers, hair appointments, nail appointments, everything! Soon I will be writing placement cards and tying bows onto my wedding programs...it's SO SURREAL!

UPDATE: The race went really well! For those of you who don't know, I run a "turky trot" every Thanksgiving called The Manchester Road Race, it's huge, like 12,000 people, and is just under 5 miles long. I trained really well this year, and my goal was under 50 minutes....and I did it in 49:52!!! MY BEST EVER! (Nothing like 8 seconds below your goal!!!) But I stopped twice to hug people and get my picture taken by Brian and my Daddy, who waited and hoped they would see me, and I'm the one who spotted them! It was a Thanksgiving "miracle" that I found them ;-)

So, over Thanksgiving we watched Father of the Bride. Since I had watched it a week earlier and cried like a baby, I was more prepared to watch it and control my emotions. It was then that I started to notice similarities between my wedding and the one in the movie:

- It's in the winter

- Brian is my fiance and the fiance in the movie

- My middle name is Ann, the bride's name is Annie....and we have a dog named Annie!

- Both my dad and the dad in the movie own their own businesses

- My wedding planner is named Frank, in the movie it's Franc (Pronounced Fr-o-nk)

Things I hope will happen that happened in the movie are:

- Snow for our wedding day!

- Everyone has a great time dancing

- My parents look back at it with fondness

- And no bad weather for the flight out for our honeymoon!!! :-)

Ok so seriously, all you ladies out there, I'm a wreck. This weekend Brian is away and I'm moving some of my stuff into his apartment that I don't need, such as books, pictures and summer clothes. AH. It's so weird. I'm a disaster simply because I have so much to do and not a lot of time to do it in, so I took work off on Saturday and I'm dedicating the day to cleaning up my life and getting organized! Sigh. Any words of advice???

Off to go teach my 1st graders about graphic organizers...it's the special ed group. They're a trip.

12 more days till I leave for CT! Then no work till January 5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

29 days to go! AND I got tagged! What a Friday!

1. What is your funniest childhood story? I can't think of anything right now. Alright here it is: I was videotaped at my sister's wedding, I was 5, with my hair in a french braid and a puff sleeved pink flower girl's dress (It was 1989) and I said to it, "Daddy I'm starving." For those of you who don't know, I was a bit chubby as a kid, and my whole family RIDICULES me to this day with those words. Especially when I say them without thinking of the reprecussions!

2. What would your dream dress look like if you could design it? Ohhhhh high boatneck in the front low v neck in the back, black sateen with amazing pumps

3. What weird habit does your hubby have? (future) hubby....hmmm...he reads 3 books at once. It annoys the DAYLIGHTS out of me!

4. How many cookbooks are in your kitchen? None, it's all in my head! I have scraps of paper with recipes all over my fridge! And I use allrecipes.com which is an electronic cookbook

5. Granny panties or loyal Victoria Secret girl? Sexy Little Bride need I say more!?

6. My favorite memory from 2008 so far is: Getting engaged!!!!!!! And little Evan being born!

7. I secretly: wish I could eat unlimited sweets without getting sick!

8. I could really go for: A good glass of wine....or the AMAZING trader joe's orange sesame chicken!

9. We are going to have a big snow storm and you will find me: sleeping in and cooking a BIG breakfast! Or with a cup of tea and a book.

10. I knew he was the one: he could go with my mood swings! ;-)

ONE MONTH!!!!

Check out the counter ladies and gents, one month from today I will be MRS. KRISTIN MILLER!!!!!! Oh it's so exciting I can barely stand it!!!! Wow. Pictured is the reception/ceremony site, Glastonbury Hills Country Club! It's not going to have the autumn foliage but we're crossing our fingers for a light snowfall during the ceremony with the awesome open windows! That is actually where the altar will be, made of a "hoopa" aka a garden arbor (For those of you who have watched Meet the Parents, you get me)

I've been running really consistently again, for almost two weeks I barely did any because I was so busy, not feeling well, and was completely run down. I'm still hoping and believing for no sickness colds etc!!! I will be running the Manchester Road Race next Thursday, it looks like it's going to be a COLD one again! My first one was really cold, one was rainy, but the rest have been fairly mild...last year was close to 60 degrees! But I've really been enjoying my long runs around my neighborhood, I've been doing 5.5 miles, it's just a big rectangle twice, but it's been a huge stress reliever for me!

Thanksgiving is looming...it's going to be an INSANE weekend! So much to do, my "to do" list is 3 post-it's long!!! Unbelievable but true. I'm really looking forward to the next month though, the end is near but it's been so enjoyable so far, and the season in which we are entering (can anyone say CHRISTMAS?!) makes it even happier! I keep walking into work every morning with the chorus group practicing Christmas songs, it's incredible. We're even including some Christmas music for the reception which is a DREAM COME TRUE!

I'm really overwhelmed at this very moment by how happy I am. Truly happy. I am marrying the love of my life. Brian has been incredible throughout this whole process, and supportive beyond words.

Tear.

What I've been up to....

So my internet hasn't been allowing me to post pictures, so strange, some stupid securties settings, but here's some of the highlights from the past couple of months!

My attempt at being artsy at our last Yankee Game :-( (New stadium next year!)
Uconn Football Game! My brother Jaime and his wife Deb

Amanda got married and she looked AMAZING!

Brian and I are SO excited for the wedding! One month and 13 days away, time is FLYING! This has been the perfect time balance. We're both working and super busy with school, college, small groups and pre marital counseling!!! But we're loving every moment of it. He has put up with me, and thankfully I haven't had any MAJOR meltdowns, just itty bitty ones.... :-D

Blogland has not been having any posts from me, I'm sorry for that! I have been blogstalking everyone else though :-)

Happy Fall!

A crazy day tomorrow!

Tomorrow is my 24th BIRTHDAY! And what do I do?! I cram EVERYTHING in. It's going to be crazy. Here's the rundown:

- Get a new license

- Dress fitting

- Uconn football game (!)

- Cake tasting

- Family dinner

- Putting together the invitations

Next day...

- Evan is being dedicated!!!

So yes, I feel overwhelmed and rushed already! Pray for no traffic! Last time it took us 3hrs and 15 min...it should only take 2 hours :-(

I ate a bite of the fried ice cream that I was surprised with at my "birthday dinner" with friends last night! I felt so guilty, it was practically shoved into my mouth. In one fowl swoop, my streak since we got engaged of no fried food and no dessert banished. We'll see how cake tasting goes this weekend! :-/

Anyway, Brian got together some of my closest friends to celebrate a little early since we would be gone. Unfortunately, about 5 of the friends invited couldn't make it due to being on a work trip to China, a (till 3am) workathon, babysitting, and being at a wedding in Kentucky! I picked a lousy time to have a birthday! :-) But hey, the people who did come made it so much fun! The thai food was great and we went shoe shopping after! The above picture is the restaurant we went to, it's so amazing, it's where I take people when they visit me in the city because it has everything; atmostphere, music, good food, fast service, and REASONABLE pricing!

Have a good weekend!

1 month and 30 days to go!

AH IT'S REAL! Look at my counter! It's less than 2 months away!!! I'm so excited! It's so surreal, and then with the shower it kinda became real. Things are finally coming together, a little hectic but they're coming together! Sending out invitations this week, hopefully I get them all done in time!

Beat the bus!

So, this is a story about beating the bus!!! Ha ha ha. This is on Steinway and Broadway, and I run up Broadway, so I found it highly ironic that I found a picture on google of the EXACT spot that I run on! Anyway, we started at the same point (I will not divulge the exact location for those stalkers out there!) and I beat it to the gym!!! (I run a mile to the gym just to get me going) It was so funny to think I could run faster than the bus at 3:30 when there's a lot of traffic.

Speaking getting places fast...so when Brian called me this morning and said, "Good morning." My immediate response was to LOUDLY say, "WHAT TIME IS IT?!" "Huh?" "WHAT TIME IS IT?!?!?!?!" The sun was up. I knew what that meant. I overslept. A lot. The sun doesn't come up till about 20 minutes after I wake up. And it was bright. REALLY bright. 7:45. School begins at 8:10. SHOOT. So, showerless, but with teeth brushed, I throw on clothes (A VERY wrinkled polo and jeans and clogs requiring no socks, too much effort) and run myself down the stairs and to the subway. Thank GOD it takes me 15 minutes or less to get to work. Thank GOD I can run fast in the clogs! I called to say I was running late and would POSSIBLY be late. I made it with ONE minute to spare. I now sit here, with my schedule completely changed from what it was supposed to be, tired and disheveled, and wondering, why didn't I wake up?! I know I set my alarm. But hey, just like any kid's story, it all worked out. I arrived on time. Still holding to the "never has been late" status that I have maintained since last January.

Have you ever done that???

Manchester Road Race

With the race a little over a month away, I'm starting to get excited about running it! What is the Manchester Road Race, you might ask? Here is a quick snapshot:

- It's a 5 (4.78 mile) mile race on Thanksgiving that I run every year!

- You get there by the 10am shotgun, so probably about 9am to stretch and run around a bit (I always eat a banana before I go!)

- You run into the "alley", which is a fancy way for 12,000 runners to "take their marks"

- The shotgun goes off...and because there are SO many people, you don't move! You have to wait for the thousands in front of you to run, and so on. Thank goodness it's an electronic chip recording system, so your time doesn't start till you cross the magnetic pads!

- By mile 1 the ameteurs are weeded out. People wheezing, coughing, barely breathing, AND IN MY WAY!

- Mile 3 is HARD it's totally uphill till about the 4th mile. It's tough. This weeds out the good runners who didn't train and walk on the sides. Also, it's when I usually get a horrible cramp!

- Mile 4 is amazing, bagpipe bands playing, you can hear the finish line announcer in the distance, it's great.

- Finishing is incredible. I run across that finish line knowing I get THANKSGIVING DINNER!

- Even though there are THOUSANDS (not joking over 12,000) people milling about, you still run into your old neighbor, a family friend, or an old aquaintance, it's the best part!

So, if you want to join me, come on down!

Below is my main competition (Since I'm a SLOW runner!)

Fire Drill

The last time I was in the midst of writing a post, the obnoxious fire alarm went off LOUDLY above my head, causing me to jump out of my skin, and thus run out of the building and not posting. A week later, and another fire drill later, here I am. School is going alright, I'm going into the classrooms now, just getting my feet wet etc. Trying to get LOTS of wedding things done. Speaking of weddings....who wants to donate a card box?!?!

Qualifications: Send me a pic of your card box, I want something really unique, I may even go for something that's not a card box (Since it's Christmas, I might do a wrapped present box etc), but if you have the right style I would LOVE to borrow it!

ORRRRRR:

Unique ideas for the "card box"

I'm in school again...

So I haven't blogged! Let's go through a quick rundown of my life the past two weeks:

- School is busy
- I gained 3 lbs (Don't want to talk about it)
- I read and finished Pride and Prejudice again, amazing as always
- I worked at the restaurant this Saturday and last Saturday; this past one was WAY better than the one before
- Packers are 2-0! WOOHOO!
- I'm getting REALLY close to getting married! We're under the 100 days mark! 96 days as of today!
- I hate my college class and the professor is a jerk. Pompous is the word I most often use to describe him.

Nothing exciting, which is kinda a good thing, because I'm tired. How is everyone out there?! It's STILL hot out, and subway stations need to RECOGNIZE that they need to cool down instead of being a humidity sauna trap! Ha ha

Off until I have something more entertaining to report!

Save the Date!

This is my save the date that went out! My friend Myssi Kao from NYC created it for me and did an AMAZING job, the printing place said they had never seen such a creative save the date! Ordering invitations this weekend!!! All I have left to do is the invitations, favors, and ALTERATIONS ON MY DRESS!

Yes it's true, I picked up my dress and I am SOOOO excited. It fits perfectly everywhere except, of course, the length!!! Unfortunately the dress doesn't come in petite :-(

HAPPY LABOR DAY EVERYONE!

Back to school...

My computer is still at the computer doctor getting a clean bill of health, so still now pictures as I am blogging from someone else's computer. 

I go back to work tomorrow. Sigh. For those of you who don't know, I worked at a restaurant 4 days a week this summer to have extra money, and I will return to being an ESL Push-In teacher in an elementary school. Tomorrow and Friday we go to school for professional development and planning, and Tuesday the kiddies return. Joy. I'm looking forward to it because I was JUST starting to get sick of the restaurant, but we'll see. I'm excited to go back to school, but I am anxious because I don't know what age range I will be teaching still, but I will have a clue tomorrow!

I think I'm also sad that summer is coming to a close. It was a wonderful summer but a busy summer, and I have to admit, having vacation so late really made me want even more of a vacation!!! So, if you're thinking of me tomorrow, pray that I'll survive long meetings and, inevitably, carrying heavy things around for the lovely preggers teachers!

Good-bye summer, hello fall work.

Yesterday.....4 months

So I forgot to post yesterday, but it marked exactly 4 months till our wedding!!! Evan (Kate's baby) also turned 4 months old, and Rae Tibbs was officially 4 months pregnant! Those are lotto playing numbers! :-D I haven't planned anything for the wedding in a few weeks. I feel unprepared, but everything is pretty much planned. Has anyone else felt this way? You've planned so much and still have a few months left, and aren't sure what to do in this time?!

Vacation has been amazing. Perfect weather and sun. I'm a little burned from yesterday (Forgot to reapply block in the afternoon!!!)

VACATION!

So I don't have my computer cord to post any pics, but I'm on vacation with my family in VA Beach! Also, my computer was acting up ridiculously, so it has been sent out to the sony vaio computer doctor. Let's hope she comes out of surgery alright. :-)

We already saw Katie and Peter last night, it was so much fun! Again, no pictures :-( But we had a great time playing Kan Jam...if you don't know what it is, look it up on Youtube! It's a fabulous frisbee game and great for playing on the beach.

This morning Brian and I went to the beach at 6:30am and watched the sun rise...and saw DOLPHINS!!! I love dolphins!!! It was so fun.

Alright this is quite a random post so forgive me, I'll write up some good stories soon!

Power Planning

So, here is what I've got so far:

- We have our save the date! Myssi Kao did it and, let me tell you, it's totally unique and NO ONE will have one like it!!!

- I registered at place; it was fun, did it all online. Still need to do stuff in person, like towels and little kitchen things.

- Going to look at flowers today, hopefully it'll work out!

- Trying to get our save the date printed....

And I have to fit in pool time in the midst of this...sigh :-) I already ran with my dog Annie this morning, so that's a plus!

Wordless Wednesday...

A few pictures from July...

For the 4th we went to Keuka Lake and a wedding, I have a couple of pics from the lake. Jojo is sending me pics from the wedding! This is from Keuka. Sarah Funk posted a contest about what makes us "beautiful". Here he is. My lovely fiance soon to be husband. Seriously it's so cheese ball and typical, but really he does. Even on my worst day he will tell me I'm the prettiest girl in all the world. When I don't ask for it he offers me praise. He is so kind to me. Below is another pic we took when we were home last weekend:

He is the love of my life, can't wait to be his wife! 12.20.08! So Sarah Funk, there is my answer! That and my running shoes (please see previous post for the other picture representing what makes me feel beautiful!) I just read an article in a running magazine that stated running boosts self confidence and makes people feel prettier/more handsome (the word they used was s*xy, thought that was too racy for my blog!)

Below is a picture of my good friend Jodi. My lifelong friend Jodi. I got to see her this weekend. She is going to be going to China in August for 9 months. She is one of my bestest, a person I will be friends with for the rest of my life...Jojo I'm going to miss you.

My last two classes are Mon and Wed...I thought I only had a Mon class, but, unfortunately, I have to go Wed too...she said we won't go the whole night though THANK GOD. Vacation is coming up too...can't wait for that!!! August 15 here I come!

Running in the rain

So. Brian told me last night he wasn't going to meet me at the gym this morning. Bad move. It UNmotivates me COMPLETELY! I was still sore from a great workout yesterday, so I decided I would simply run 3-4 miles. Of course I went for the 3. I woke up and it was gloomy. I was excited when Al Roker told me it was about 72 degrees here in NYC. Then Chris Cimeno (Local Weather guy who is WONDERFUL) informed me of 90% humidity. No big deal right??? WRONG! It was stifling, like being in a sauna! Ew. Thankfully it started to rain around mile 2. Everyone around me is scrambling because of a few sprinkles. I was relieved. I love running in the rain, especially when I'm warm!...but then it stopped. I WANTED MORE RAIN! The rain stopped and I was left, once again, in mile 3, 72 degrees and 90% humidity. GROSS! The weather really does effect me and my workouts. So, here is a question:

What motivates you to work out? What prevents you from working out?

My wedding dress motivates me. And if I'm meeting Brian at the gym, I know someone is waiting for me and I have to go!!!

On another note...I only have two more summer classes left and I'm D-O-N-E! Fun summer can begin for 4 weeks! YIPPEE!

SPRINKLERS!

So I've finally been doing well with running again, getting used to the heat this year was a lot harder than last year. I run at about 8am, and it's already getting hot at that point. I was running yesterday (In CT), and I was SO hot. I indulged in one of my guilty pleasures...running through sprinklers! I'll purposely slow down when I see a sprinkler, or even wait till it comes around so I can get full on SOAKED! I must look like such a loser. Last weekend I chickened out because the owner of said sprinkler was in his driveway, and I didn't run through when it was spraying in my direction! Yes, so I'm sprinkler obsessed...

Has anyone ever planned a wedding and tried to get married at a church you don't normally attend? Word of advice: DON'T. CLG is unavailable for our date, so we've called about 10 churches in the area to try to rent, and they WILL NOT let us, either because we're not members, or because we want to bring our own pastor in...why would I want to be married by some person who I've never even MET?! I'll pay you NOT to marry us! SO annoying. Crisis has been averted by deciding we will marry at the country club. It will be pretty, we're going to decorate wonderfully, I'm excited. Mom is already on the mission! Therefore guests will not have to drive to two separate locations, which will be nice.

Everything is still coming together, getting things in order, and making decisions. Sigh. It's no big deal, I just know what I want and desire to be completely done with it! :-) I'm ready to get married...

153 days till we get married! (Just about exactly 5 months!)

Planning and planning and more planning!

Ahhhhhh things are still going smoothly, we've hit a few snags but we've plowed full steam ahead! I got an AMAZING deal on my bridesmaid's dresses, they're incredible and pretty and only $40! I know how it is to be in weddings and it's EXPENSIVE! I love the fact that I can make a decision and go with it. It's simply because I know what I want, and when I see it, I grab it and run! (Of course I pay for it first...)

All we really have left to do is nail the photographer down, which is in process, get a hold of our pastor to start pre-marital counseling (We have been away for 5 weeks STRAIGHT! We're not heathens, we go to church when we're at our family's!!!), confirm the church, and get flowers in order! Oh yes and the favors (ornaments which will be purchased "in season" and ribbons with our names...or not...) and invitations which will be ordered shortly. I want everything done before the school year starts so I don't even have to THINK. Honeymoon hit quite a few snags but we're pretty set. Everything is turning out BEAUTIFULLY! And Brian just told me someone is giving him a bed (Queen) which is awesome bc we both have twins (That won't do!), and my parents are giving us a dresser, Brian has couches etc, so we really lack for nothing! I feel so blessed, how everything is falling together and I'm barely stressed. God is good.

Running has been going well...with class at night again I'm VERY tired (Mon and Wed nights for FIVE HOURS!) but I drag my sorry butt out of bed. AGAIN the blessing of working at the restaurant is that I don't have to be there till 11am! I get so much done in the morning. And Brian is also back there now which has been so much fun. We're so busy it's not like we spend every moment together, but it's nice to see him all the time now.

DRAKE WEDDING: was wonderful! Everyone looked great and it was awesome to see people. Matt and Danielle are precious. I sadly didn't take any pictures, I need Jodi to email me some! For some reason the camera stayed in the bag....

OFFICIAL RESULTS OF THE *MAY*KEOVER: I originally weighed myself at Brian's parent's house on their digital scale. It was depressing. Needless to say, I weighed myself again this past weekend (I hadn't been back till now!) and I was 13lbs lighter! YES! Two months of busting my butt. I'm feeling really good now, I'm so glad I started living "healthier" in May instead of now! I got a head start on the "wedding dress" diet!

It's way too late for me (1:22) and I have to run in the morning! GOOD NIGHT!

Weddings are fun....

This is from Jenn (formerly Cavallaro) Chappell's wedding! I was thinking today about how fun weddings are. This is Amanda and her fiance James. James and Brian became BFF at this wedding. They went on a hunt at this country club for golf balls, this picture is proof that they were successful! Hahaha.

OFFICIAL WEDDING DATE: DECEMBER 20!
So. We got a place!!! Deposit is in, it's all coming together. There are some more details that OBVIOUSLY have to be attended to, but right now we're contemplating honeymoon sites: Hawaii, Mexico, DR, Puerto Rico, etc. Just trying to see the best bang for our buck! We are also going to a wedding this weekend up in Rochester. Matt Drake and Danielle O'Grady are getting married, Yea! It's fun to go and get ideas.

Running has been hard the past few days. Anyone see Sex in the City? Well, if not, I don't want to ruin it, but for those who have, I feel like Charlotte when she lost her stride. It's not like I stopped running, I was a little more relaxed the last week of school because I was so busy, but now it's a STRUGGLE! It's because I have a cold or allergies; really bad cough, slight nasal congestion, sore throat...not good for running! But WebMD says running through sickness is good because it boosts your immune system. So I'm trying! I've done 3-4 for mile runs Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and today, and they did NOT go well...had to stop and walk for a minute quite a few times! It's just frustrating for me because I NEVER stop running...I just need to be like Charlotte and get my stride back!

Working at the restaurant has been hysterical. I'm the most bubbly happy person! Not only because I'm engaged and SO excited, but I'm really content in life. Working at the restaurant, because it's not my full time source of income, is relaxing and fun. Knowing that I have a salaried job to go back to in the fall is priceless. I don't have time to get sick of either one! (With school there are so many breaks!!!) But God has really blessed me lately with good shifts I'm really trusting him to provide what I need when I need it.

Off to search for wedding things; yesssssss! Any hints or advice anyone has for me I will GLADLY take!!!

I GOT THE DRESS!

No no no, no pictures! I went to David's Bridal, assuming I would appease my ENTOURAGE that came with me (Mom, Kate, baby Evan, Melissa, Moriah, Lauren, Jen, Deb and Meghan...). I tried on about 12 dresses, poor April the dress consultant was working her tail off.

She brought me one last dress. I assumed I wouldn't like it but I tried it on because it was a little pretty. Oh. My. Gosh. It is beyond beautiful. Fit like a GLOVE (I cannot gain an ounce....they can only let it out a little bit!) So I guess the *May*keover is back with a vengeance! I'm feeling pretty good but it's going to be hard work around CHRISTMAS TIME with cookies! And Thanksgiving! AH! Ha ha ha.

Went for a run today and it didn't go very well. Of the 4 miles I probably walked 1/2 a mile total. I NEVER WALK. I've got some funky allergy/cold thing rocking and haven't felt well for a few days. Blah.

Can I just say that Brian is AMAZING?! He has been so calm, so understanding, and so helpful throughout this whole process. Truly he is incredible. Off to formulate a workshop! Last night of this class!!!

More pictures!!! Look at previous post for the first set!

1. 2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Picture 1 is us trying to get an artsy/good picture of the ring! 2-3 is the INSANE amount of confetti that fell right after we got engaged! Brian said he was contemplating proposing during "Fix You", but seeing the set list for the England concert that said after that song the next one had a confetti show, he said it confirmed that it would be the right time! 4-5 is of Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay (Funniest person in the world and amazing performer!) 6 is us at the end of the night, enjoying a little bubbly and letting it all sink in. (Speaking of sinks, this lounge had the coolest sink, wish I had taken a picture...it was like a fountain! Elevated square in the middle and a run off around all sides of it..if that makes any sense...)

Details details details! Ugh I get engaged and 5 minutes later everyone wants to know when where why how! AH! Driving me a little crazy. Let's just hope everyone will settle down and be patient. We're thinking December as a possibility. I'll keep ya posted!

going dress shopping tomorrow...AH!

Engaged part 2!

Alright here it goes! We were going to coldplay Monday night, and since the tickets were a raffle we decided (Brian really made the suggestion...) that we try a nice new restaurant bc we're not paying for the concert! So we went to Bobby Flay's restaurant Americain, it was SOOOO good! OMG I ate way too much. After that we met our friends Matt and Myssi and went into the concert.

Our tickets were three rows behind Matt and Myssi! It was totally great, but I found out that was semi-luck and semi-arranged! Now, my favorite coldplay song is "Fix You", look it up if you don't know it, it's amazing and emotional and I will love it forever. At the beginning of the song (Toward the end of the concert), Brian side-hugged me and said, "Is this our song?" And I said yes, and he told me quickly that he loved me etc. Well, while listening, I could feel him shaking. Uh oh. Just as the bridge began, I look to my left, and there he is down on one knee! We were both so excited, he was choked up, I was shocked, it was classic! Oh my heart jumps just thinking about it. I actually had a ring on that finger already so I had to slip it off quickly! Afterwards tons of complete strangers were high fiving us, cheering for us, it was great.

He picked out the most perfectly beautiful ring I have ever seen. Seriously. Picture is right here:

It's a princess cut, two smaller princess cuts on the side and 4 small circle diamonds on each side in the band. It's absolutely perfect.

It also must be noted in my "after" picture I look pregnant. Needless to say it's the dress, but it's not very flattering. So much for the *May*keover! Ha ha ha.

Afterwards we went to this rad lounge next to MSG, which was playing coldplay the whole time (perfect!) and Matt bought us a bottle of champagne, so nice! Thanks friends!

It was so memorable, I'm floating on cloud 9...all my students are so cute, asking me what my new name will be, if I'm having a baby (because that's what they're used to: marriage=baby!), is he a nice guy (yes, they asked that!) aw. Thursday is my last day, I'm getting sentimental.

Any questions or comments, just write! HOORAY! Dates etc TBA...we're still trying to manage time to sit down and really decide.

ENGAGED!

I'LL WRITE AND POST PICS ABOUT IT SOON! YAHOO!

Crazy Week(end)

MY LITTLE GUY IS SO BIG!

This is Kate, my mom and myself with EVAN! What a cutie pie. This picture was taken last weekend, and I saw him again this weekend. He fell asleep in my arms because he wouldn't go to sleep by himself on a bed...so all 10lbs of him became VERY heavy!!! We sat there a good hour under the umbrella chatting away. Had a fun weekend, Michael graduated from high school so Brian and I drove the 2 hour drive in 3.5 hours! YEA! (Sarcasm should be noted here) But he and I made it fun we found laughter where there should've been tears...many tears in traffic...

Saturday people rotated visiting my parents house so it was spent by the pool relaxing with the family, we had a blast. My little Meghan is way to witty for her own good. She showed me her "preschool yearbook", in which she listed her favorite colors as pink, purple, and rainbow, what she wanted to be when she grows up was a princess, and what makes her laugh is knock knock jokes! (She JUST turned 5 btw) She also showed me her BEST FRIEND Mikayla who, as she put it, "Has a disease called diabtes." Wow.

Today we did breakfast and drove back to NYC, only took 2 hours thankfully. I'm gearing up for COLDPLAY TOMORROW NIGHT! MSG! YEA! Brian won free tickets and I'm STOKED!

Off to listen to their new album...

Dad's Day!

YEA! I had so much fun hanging with my family this weekend..even if it was short lived. I had to do something at the restaurant Saturday morning (Times Square...) so I ran there. Literally. Went to the 59th st bridge, crossed over into Manhattan and continued on to Times Square! Everyone thinks when I say "ran there" I mean "real quick" by subway, but no, I mean all 5.5 miles of it! So much fun, Manhattan is so dead on a Saturday morning!

Today we did church, bagels after church, watched an old home movie, dad napped while I visited Gram and Gramp, and then I made sausage on the grill and sauteed peppers and onions to put on a bun... it's my dad's favorite from Fenway. (I know I know Amie, NO good thing comes from Fenway, but we need to yield for Father's day! After that it's Boston hate and Yankee love!) We had strawberry shortcake in between and lots of visitors! Melissa, Kate, Jaime, whew, I'm exhausted. I drove back here in traffic infested 95 S, wrote a 5 page case study and I'm BEAT! I need to go to bed early if I'm going to run tomorrow morning....

Till next time....

Tim Russert

Every morning I wake up and I watch the Today show. I get about 10 minutes of the local news with my favorite Chris Semino and Ro Morrison, and then they "hand it over" to Matt, Merideth, Al and Ann. Lately, Tim Russert has been a staple, in the midst of the nominees etc, he has been on every morning. I feel like I've gotten to know him in a way. Tim Russert died today. And although I didn't know him personally, he was such a genuine and intellectual person, I can't help but feel as though the world lost a great man. I loved how he helped me understand politics, how he always represented both sides equally, so I could make informed opinions and know the truth from many points of view. I remember seeing the visible pride when he said one Thursday that he was leaving to see his son, Luke, graduate from BC this year. He gushed about how proud he was, like any other father. It seems strange, but I feel as though I get to know these people I watch on tv everyday. It is always sad to see a life cut short. He was 58. My dad is going to be 57. Let's all keep this as a reminder to let the ones in our lives know how much we truly care. I can't begin to imagine what the family is going through. I hope you all will join me in praying for his family in this tragic time.

It's Friday!!!

Remember TGIF? Oh man what great times; Family Matters, Hanging with Mr. Cooper, Step by Step, I feel like I'm forgetting one....BOY MEETS WORLD! And now it's CRAP in tv on Fridays! Thank goodness for shows online!

ANYWAY! This week has been long beyond reason. Let's just say, I never want to relive it. I got observed at the worst possible time on Wednesday (Last period, super hot classroom, kids behaving INSANELY...) and it didn't go well...so I get a retry. I'm happy I get a retry, but it's tough not doing well at something. The two ratings you can get is a U or an S (Unsatisfactory or Satisfactory), and I'm scared to death of getting a U (It means you're on pretend probation and get observed more throughout the year.) So yes, pray for me if you can.

Brian is away at his cousin's wedding in Wisco, so I saw him for 20 minutes since Sunday, and I won't see him till Tuesday. Sad day. It's so funny that we live 20 blocks apart but are so busy!

One of my students, whom I have mentioned in my myspace blog, is obsessed with learning about the war. I brought in a picture of my Grammy's brother who died in the war, and he has been obsessed with him ever since. I will now type the poem in its entirety:

"Sgt. Buster"

Buster is a Sgt. and is a rifleman
He died on 01-08-45

He was a great paratrooper

In the 17th Airborn Division

He died in the Battle of the Bulge

He got the Bronze Star

And the Medal of Honor

He carried in granades

And he was 21

And he never got married.

NO JOKE, this 2nd grader knew all this info about the war without my even telling him! I simply showed him the picture of Buster and the picture of the medals he received. It cracks me up.

Any plans this weekend? I'm going to CT tomorrow. Can't wait. I think I'm going to run to ESPN in Manhattan in the morning to clock in etc and then drive home. Daddy's day!!! WAHOO!

College class has begun...

Let the games begin!!! Yea, so, it's a lot. Good thing I have a teacher that has us take a 10 minute break and then lets us out around 9:30 instead of 10pm! It's slow and unusual torture! And on top of that? My buddy Daniel and I have a deal: Whoever is there first saves the other a seat. Well, he did it for me yesterday and gave me the LOPSIDED DESK! Ugh. After half the class he offered to trade, but I knew the damage was done and I now knew how to deal with it :-(

Went to the beach Saturday! And now the Tale of a Jones Beach Saturday:

Once upon a time, in the middle of a heat wave, there were six friends who wanted to go to the beach. So, at 8:30am, the first four friends embarked to the beach (Myself, Brian, Drew and Sarah). Brent and Pete would arrive a little later. Upon arrival, Sarah and I ran 5 miles at the on the board walk. At the tail end of the run, I glanced to my left and, low and behold, there was Sean and Amanda! (Another couple we know from Brian's previous job!) It was unbelievable, running into them without any knowledge of the other being at the same beach! Suffice it to say, they came and set up camp next to us. It was a fun filled day. We were in the water, throwing footballs, frisbees, and people. Sean had this wonderful spray on coppertone sunblock which seemed easier to apply than my lotion. A lot of people used it. That's when trouble struck. The rest of the day was carefree, but terror awaited certain members of our party. Brian, Amanda and Sean all had MASSIVE sunburns. Painful to even look at. Hmmm. What's the one thing everyone used?...SPRAY ON BLOCK! Yes, it had expired a YEAR ago! Even though it was a fun fill day, it was marred by pain and aloe application. Let this be a lesson to all: in order to have a fairy tale ending for a beach visit, make sure your lotion is still in good working order. The end.

Yea, they're all still sore. I'm burn free! And tan. A student commented, completely shocked, saying, "Ms. McAuliffe, you got tanned!" As though I'm too white for this to happen. Sigh.

I met Al Sharpton the other day. Yup. It all stems from Brian meeting him once, and I said if I ever did, I would berate him him with questions as to why he sows hatred and violence with words and never can admit when someone has done something wrong! (i.e. killing people, robbing people, he continually shows up to courts and press conferences giving excuses as to why people did these things...and guess who's to blame?! WHITE PEOPLE.) Well, Brian ran into him again and demanded I make good on my promise. I chickened out. It was a Sunday. He was in a suit. I felt awkward. So, in a clever reverse psychology move, Bri said "That's it, you're not saying anything. I'm leaving." BING! I turned around in mock spite, walked up to him and said, "Excuse me Reverend Sharpton. Hi I would just like to say hello," extended my hand, which he returned his own pinky because his hands were full...awkward..."And say that Mr. Deeds is my favorite movie, and when you say the line, "Nice rhyme," well, my dad and I just lose it. Have a nice day." The End.

Wow too many stories. But I've been too busy to post, and now AOL has been blocked from my school computers! So there is nothing left to do but read and blog on my breaks. I fear this too shall soon be taken away...slow and unusal torture...