Update

Wow, it's the end of June already! The weather in RI has been VERY, VERY, VERY rainy. Today was the first day in June that I remember the sun being out. We all went for a hike earlier today and we got home just in time, because the thunder storm started to roll!

Sean got home yesterday. He took a week long trip to PA and NJ to visit his family. The day he was planning to returning home, a school in NC called to request an interview. So, he was gone for almost another week and he made it home yesterday. Bella and I were very excited to see him. On his way home, he was able to stay a couple days in Virginia Beach with some friends that he hasn't seen in years. He feels like the interview went really good. The principle told him, two years ago they would have hired him over the phone from out-of-state. Unfortunately, with the economics being so bad there were 50 applicants for the position (actually 3 positions). So, they will continue to interview next week and make phone calls for second interviews the following week. We plan on moving before winter if he gets hired or not, but that option isn't ideal.

I haven't been to MI since January!! I miss my family and can't wait to meet Logan. Hopefully, we can visit before we move.

Work is going okay...it pays the bills. I work with a good group of girls so it makes it better. I find my fob frustrating due to all the additional paperwork we have to do. No time for the patients and up to our eyeballs in bureaucracy. It's kinda weird to think I've been a nurse for 8 years. I was always so used to being one of the youngest nurses at whatever hospital I was at...not so much anymore. It's funny to compare the perception I have of myself versus reality. I'm easily 10 years older than some of my co-workers, and even though I've only been working at this hospital for four months, they are making me be charge nurse half of the time. I'm looking forward to moving and working a different job, I like variety. I guess doing the traveling gig spoiled me!

Bella has been freakishly good. I'm not sure if it's because I have been doing a good job of exercising her or she is just growing up, maybe both. Sorta makes me sad to think she may be moving out of her puppy phase. Don't get me wrong, she's still crazy. We are planning on getting a buddy for her when we get settled after the move.

Sean and I will be married 2 years this August, and have been together almost 5 years. You may be wondering when we plan on starting a family. As Sean would say, we've pulled the goalie from the field. We've actually been trying casually for quite awhile now. I'm not too stressed about it, I'm happy with my life. If you think about it, say a little prayer for us, it couldn't hurt (wink,wink)!

The King of Pop

I haven't been very faithful in writing on this blog, but really, it's hard not comment on this event in history. Everybody knows this, but for future reference Michael Jackson died yesterday. I'm very sad to hear the news. I admired his talent that was far above all (okay, most) other acts out there. I was never on the band wagon that was ready to scream guilty to all the negative publicity he has had in recent years. There are a lot of people who will say anything for money. I'm not saying he was perfect, we all have our flaws, weaknesses, and challenges. I'm much slower to judge these days, most likely because I see flaws in myself. Goodbye, I hope you rest in peace.

Fresh

Finally! Fresh veggies and fruit from the farmers market. I got 2 cucumbers, 2 tomatoes, strawberries, snap peas, broccoli, lettuce, strawberry jam, and strawberry balsamic vinegar and basil shallot vinegar for salad dressings...YAY!!! Oh, I forgot, locally made cheese spread with onions, parsley, garlic, and sea salt in it, Mmmmmm!

Love That Girl

Jedi, in bed early in attempt to avoid all the noise. Note the doggie paw at the lower left corner.

Quality Time Together

Sean and I had a great time hanging out in the kitchen the other day. We had a couple drinks, cooked, talked, laughed, and just enjoyed each other. I made some brushetta and some doggie treats for Bella. Sean made baked stuffed sole, crab cakes, steamed broccoli with sauce, and a death by chocolate type dessert made with chocolate cake, chocolate pudding, whipped cream, and butterfingers....mmmmmm! Then Sean proceeded to beat me 2 out of 3 games of horseshoes. I'll get the little punk next time!

Classic Bella Moves

Watching for squirrels.


She eats her food from right to left.

Welcome Logan!!! (Cutie Pie)

Good-bye

This is the final shots of my car as I cleaned out my belongings from the garage we towed it to. It was a good car to me, in the short 3 years I had it. Mike is going to try to get some money out of it on Craigslist, he knows how to do the 'car talk.' I have been patching it little by little the last year, but in the end I can't compete with the transmission. All I have to say is I'm so thankful I'm a AAA gold member...free car towing within 100 miles. I bought a nice little 2006 Honda Accord to replace it.

Peek-A-Broo

Craigslist Killer/Happy Endings

Have you heard of the Craigslist Killer? (story) Warwick, RI is the town next to ours. We drove past the Holiday Inn Express on the way to meet our friend for dinner tonight. Maybe I should think twice about giving my special 'messages' at random hotels in the future, or make sure Sean is hiding in the closet!

Nice Day

What a great day. The weather was perfect, although I'm not sure the world is ready for my ghostly white legs. Sean, Bella, and I went for a great hike. We came home and played some horseshoes in the back yard, and played catch with the baseball. Then we headed to the basketball court...it's been awhile. I did win at HORSE and around the world, but lost when it came to 21. My lungs failed me. I was ahead the whole game, but lost it in the end because I had too much lead in my pants. I am so out of shape, it happened so fast! Then we met our friend Hutch at Hooters. All the girls had bellies on them, just like mine! Maybe I should apply, and make a little extra cash.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter! We had a furry animal with floppy ears around the house, but it wasn't the Easter Bunny (aka Bella) I worked last night so I jumped in the shower this morning, then Sean and I headed to church. It was a nice time to remember all that Jesus has done for us. We went to brunch after, then I was off to bed. Definitely a lazy day. I loved hearing that today the Captain of the ship, who was being held hostage by the pirates, was rescued. More good news, Sean and I are heading to bingo with Jen tomorrow. After that, our favorite slot machine awaits...Happy Days! I won $150 last time I played it. It's good to see spring here. Bring on the summer.

Mmmmmm

I made a loaf of bread today. Now if I could just do some laundry and do the dishes...nah, probably not!

How Cute!!!

Sean's School Picture

Sean has been busy with his student teaching. He's teaching Geometry, Algebra I, and two Algebra II classes. We can't wait until May...GRADUATION!!!!!

Sean Made the Providence Journal (the Projo)

Bartender saw pub-crawl fight brewing

01:00 AM EST on Tuesday, February 3, 2009

By Katie Mulvaney

Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE — A former bartender at The Red Parrot told a jury yesterday that he saw an escalating confrontation between two groups of bar-goers seconds before a Fairfield University student died under the wheels of a bus.

Sean Caffrey said he was shutting the windows of the popular Thames Street restaurant around 1 a.m. when he observed a crowd of drunken people spill onto the sidewalks from area bars. A collection of five to seven young men and women caught his eye. The two sides — one in formal wear — would surge toward each other and then separate.

“It looked like a fight that may happen but most likely wouldn’t,” said Caffrey, a graduate student who teaches geometry at Scituate High School.

One woman was upset, her hands flailing as if she was about to slap someone, he said. Then a bus turned onto Thames, obscuring his vision. The next thing he saw was a man lying dead in the street.

Caffrey took the stand in Providence County Superior Court in the civil suit against two former University of Rhode Island students who are accused of contributing to the death of Francis J. Marx V on May 20, 2004. Marx’s parents allege in the suit that Jarrad Rocheleau, of Cumberland, and Loren Welsh, of New Jersey, scuffled with their son, causing his death.

Marx, of Richboro, Pa., was in Newport attending a Wheaton College formal with his girlfriend. Marx and his friends headed downtown to go to a club when they got into a fight with some URI students in town for a pub crawl. Marx either fell or was pushed into Thames Street and run over by a charter bus, days before he was to deliver Fairfield’s valedictory address.

Marx’s parents brought a suit against Rocheleau, Welsh and others after a grand jury declined to indict anyone on criminal charges. The other defendants, including the City of Newport, have been released from the suit. The family is seeking $5 million in damages, said Robert D. Parrillo, the family’s lawyer.

Caffrey could not recall how the woman who was striking someone was dressed, but said he believed she was in formal wear.

In response to questions by Rocheleau’s lawyer, Ronald Langlois said he saw people falling off curbs almost every night.

Marx’s former finance professor, Robert Ford, told the nine-member jury that Marx was the best-prepared student he ever taught. He gave him an A only because the school didn’t offer A-pluses.

In addition, lawyers read the sworn deposition of Scott Mahan, who lives in Nevada and could not be subpoenaed to testify. In the deposition, Mahan said he and another Wheaton friend headed to Newport to meet the formal crowd at the bars that night.

He said he drank six or seven Red Bull and vodka drinks and a few beers and was outside the Rhino Bar and Grille when he heard a woman shriek. He and his friend approached, drawn by a brewing fight, he said.

Then a man was pushed or lost his balance just as a bus pulled onto Thames Street. Mahan said he didn’t actually see the push, but inferred it after seeing hands on the man’s chest and grabbing his shirt and lapel. “I saw hands push … but I don’t know by whom,” he said.

Then, he saw people from that group running away, he said, later adding in response to defense lawyers’ questions that the crowd in general scattered after witnessing such a traumatic scene.

Under questioning by Welsh’s lawyer, James S. D’Ambra, Mahan said he believed a white male pushed the other white male onto his back. He did not recall a female coming in contact with Marx.

The trial will resume this morning before Judge Susan E. McGuirl with testimony by Marx’s father, Francis J. Marx IV.

Finally finished Angela's Ashes. It was a good book contrary to Jay's rude comments at Christmas. It's a memoir of the childhood of Frank McCourt who was a poor, Irish Catholic who had a drunk for a father.

My beautiful mother.

Did Harold find a way to bring in additional income? Is this his practice pole! He does have nice legs.

Bella cuddling with her Christmas present from Grandma and Grandpa.

Mathman couldn't create a high enough Yahtzee score no matter how many times he worked the numbers

My Latest Reads

Merle's Door was an okay book. Dog and man learned from each other, blah, blah.

Identical Strangers was a really good book. A lady who knew she was adopted started a search for her biological mother. In the process she found out she had an identical twin. They also found out they were for a short time part of a secret study on separated twins.

Scratch Beginning was an okay book. It was about a recent college grad eager to see if he could make something out of nothing. So, he took $25 to a random city, and was not allowed to use previous contacts or depend on his previous college education. His goal: work his way out of homelessness and into a life that would give him the opportunity for success.

No, I haven't watched the movie. I usually don't read fiction, but it was my moms book. I read it over a couple days while I was visiting in November. I really enjoyed it.

Who knew the members of Kiss were so tall? Our brother-in-law Tony gets to meet lots of cool people with his job. Go Dr. Pepper!! (I stole this photo from his facebook, just wanted to properly cite my sources.)

Look who has a new cell phone. Mom has one too! I have gotten more phone calls from my dad in the past 3 weeks than I have ever had in my life...I love it. He's turned into quite the conversationalist.

Finally

After sitting for 2 years on my New Year's resolution list, I am finally ACLS certified (Advanced Cardiac Life Support).

I Have My Hands Full

New Years in PA

Weird, these are the only pictures we took. Sean's family was nice enough to save their Pollyanna celebration for New Years instead of Christmas. These pictures don't depict an accurate representation of our visit...maybe next time.

Bella Breaks in My Parents House

She had to check out all the cool hiding spots.

Emma loved Bella...

Mikayla, not so much.

Christmas in Michigan

Our first stop to Michigan for Christmas vacation was at Rick's. The poor guy, we didn't make it to his house until 3am, due to the snow storm. We drove 35mph the entire way across Canada. We kept Rick up until 5am and he had to work that day. Moose and Bella had a good time playing and we had a good time watching them play. It was good to see our Rick again.

Queen Bella