He shoots...! He scores...!

It's been a while since we saw one of Adam's games online. In Czech Republic, a lot of these rinks are older and do not provide internet capabilities. However, today they played at home in Pardubice so I got to enjoy seeing my hubby do what he does best...play hockey! He got the 1st goal of the game. How great is the above picture :) Good job babe!!!

Merry Christmas

Wishing my blog readers a very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year! Also expressing my "thanks" for all your comments in the past year :)

To my darling husband in Czech Republic,

This is our 1st Christmas without each other. The Holidays are just not the same without you, but you are still very much a part of everything I do. I love and miss you so much, I hold you close in my heart. I thank you for all the wonderful memories you have given me in 2009, I treasure each and every one. Looking forward to 2010 and being together again!!

Merry Christmas baby! Love you ♥

My Birthday!

My Birthday "cake" -> Cookie Dough Flautas!!!! So yummy...! It's chocolate chip cookie dough loaded into a flour tortilla, lightly fried & topped with powdered sugar with a side of chocolate syrup. Heaven :)

Happy Birthday to ME! Isn't that what being on internet is all about.... Self acknowledgement ha ha! I am so thankful for my husband, family & friends who made this day a blast. THANK YOU!! We celebrated at Tijuana Flats. It was the perfect location for the kids to be kids!

I gotta tell you about my surprise. Like you know, my darling husband is in Czech Republic so needless to say, he couldn't join us :( However, he did organize for my parents to pick up my present which he purchased back in Canada and have it brought down with them. I was SO surprised!!!! He bought me a ring with his birthstone in it ~ Emerald. It's gorgeous!! Thank you sweetie ♥

I'm sure you can guess what I wished for when I blew out my candles.....

Life's a Charm!

Does it get any sweeter?!

Just two little hours and eight minutes past my birthday, sweet Owen arrived! I hijacked this picture from my friend Angie's Facebook page :) He is so darn cute.....! Owen was born on Friday, December 11th. I'm looking forward to getting some new pics already and meeting him one day. I'm very excited that he is here, healthy and beautiful. Congrats Angie & Myles!!!!

the sing-off

NOTA

The Sing-Off started this week and it's a fun 2-hour show. My favorite group so far is "NOTA" an a cappella group from San Juan, Puerto Rico. They are amazing and I hope they win at the finale on December 21!!

Skating

Riley after a little fall on the ice

Clayton trying to figure out how to get up hee hee!

Riley & Melissa skating.

Clayton with the figure skating teacher.

I can vaguely remember the last time I went ice skating...!? We had a blast with Clay & Riley (4yrs old). There was lots of laughing and falling down. A few tears but nothing that a good game of minnows and sharks to help. I was so impressed with the improvements of the twins skating at the end of the session. T'was a great time :)

Yippee!!!!

Today, I feel like I was walking on clouds :) Yup, it's come to that point... My husband finally signed his hockey contract over in Czech Republic!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!! Crazy to think that he'd been waiting since July. Well, the waiting is OVER sweetie! I'm so excited and what I would give to be there. Hopefully soon I can join you..! I ♥ babe xox

To drink or not to drink...

Florida has been rainy... yes... RAINY... for three days now. Ahhhh...! So what's better than a nice hot drink. I always wondered the nutrition information of the beverages I like best. Perhaps, I shouldn't have looked it up haha...!

Grande Calories

Mocha 410

Gingerbread 270

Macchiato 190

Skinny Latte 130

Cappuccino 80

Double Duty Products

If you missed The View today on ABC, here is what they talked about!! I took this information from their website (http://theview.abc.go.com/blog/double-duty-products).

Stacy Cox joined the ladies to tell us about simple household products that can serve double duty in your home! Here are a few of Stacy's money-saving ideas:

• Vasoline: Use a pink highlighter marker and a dab of Vasoline in lieu of lip gloss if you are at the office and forgot your makeup bag.
• Vasoline: Use vasoline around the edge of nails to help remove nail polish mistakes easily.
• Lemon: Use a leom wedge to whiten nail beds by rubbing it over each nail
• Olive Oil: Use olive oil to treat your cuticles.
• Olive Oil: Dip a cotton swab in olive oil to help dislodge a stuck zipper.
• Milk: Use it in lieu of shaving cream to shave your legs with. The lactic acid gently exfoliates the skin making each hair easier to remove.
• Milk: Use milk and a cloth to buff away scuffs on patent leather shoes and purses.
• Ice Cube Tray: Use it to organize necklaces, earrings and other accessories.
• Banana Peel: If you scrape your knee or elbow, emollient properties in a banana peel will help heel the wound faster.
• Banana Pel: use the inside of a banana to polish scuffed shoes
• Clear Nail Polish: Use it to help save snagged pantyhose and paint over belt buckles to maintain and protect the shine.
• Clear Nail Polish: Dab some clear nail polish under the flap of an envelope to seal it with ease.
• Toothpaste: Use it to remove crayon marks off the wall.
• Toothpaste: For scratched DVDs, take nongel toothpaste on a cotton ball and wipe from center out to the edge and then use a cloth to wipe the toothpaste away.
• Toothpaste: Mix white toothpaste with baking soda to make a paste that will fill holes in white walls.
• Hairdryer: Use the cool setting on the hair dryer to set the icing on your cakes and cupcakes giving them a more professional look and finish.
• Hairdryer: Use the heat setting to melt crayon marks off the wall
• Marshmallows: Stuff in the bottom of an ice cream cone to prevent the ice cream from leaking out the bottom.
• Marshmallows: Place 2 or 3 in your box of brown sugar, they prevent the sugar from hardening.
• Cornstarch: Use it to help unlock a knot in a shoelace or chain necklace
• Parmesan Cheese Shakers: Make great bud vases and more decorative way to store your baby powder then in those big plastic containers
• 3 Tiered Cake/Dessert Trays: Use it to help reorganize your jewelry
• Matchbooks: Use it as a substitute nail file.
• Matchbooks: If you light a match, blow it out and wet the end will give you instant eyeliner.
• Baby Teething Rings: Chill in the freezer and use on puffy eyes.
• Sugar cube: Rub a sugar cube across your lips a few times to exfoliate the dead skin away so your lip color goes on smoothly.

Victoria Secret

Selita Ebanks, Marisa Miller, Heidi Klum, Doutzen Kroes and Alessandra Ambrosio

The Black Eyed Peas' performance was outstanding. I ♥ them!

Last night, I watched the one-hour 2009 Victoria Secret Fashion Show. I've been watching this show for years. December 2008 was a tough show to beat... I still can't believe that they made a $3 Million dollar bra!!

Aspiring models had a chance to be the next Runway Angel as VS held an open casting call to pick one girl. VS announced the winner of their national search... Kylie Bisutti got her "wings". She is 19 yrs old and just got married in Cabo San Lucas.

Belated Turkey Day Post...

This is a picture of my Thanksgiving placemat crafted by little Miss Riley :)

Clayton setting up the table. The kids made the napkin rings out of pipe cleaners.

Such a great idea & cute!!

A late Thanksgiving post for you :) It was a wonderful day aside for one little thing. I was responsible for bringing 10lbs of mash potatoes and goodness I looked EVERYWHERE for my stainless steel potato masher?! Then, I thought I would use my electric mixer...! Well, it didn't work... and I just bought it this summer at Wal-Mart. So, at this point, I'm pretty much going to have to get a good grip on my wooden spoon and salad fork. It worked! Pretty good, I must add.

It was a full day spent with my Florida friends, lots of delicious food and laughter around the table. It marked my 1st experience sharing Thanksgiving without my husband (2 thumbs down). Adam spent T-day in a restaurant in Prague, which served a Thanksgiving meal, with two other hockey players. I miss him dearly ♥

My drive to the river and beach...

I got up very early a few days ago and decided to put Shadow in the truck, grab a coffee at Dunkin Donuts and go for a nice drive towards the river. It was gorgeous out!!

Then, I made my way to the beach. The sun was shining, people were walking and I was watching haha... This beach is a "no dogs allowed" area so Shadow stuck her head out of the window and was people/bird watching also Lol! This is like my little paradise... It's free, peaceful and relaxing! I ♥ the beach :)

Kiddos!

Ok, I'm managing to get a couple of posts up of pictures that I took lately... Yes, I'm behind! Still LOTS more to come, but hopefully now at least you all can see what I see everyday...

These lovely 4 yrs old twins (Riley & Clayton) are my friends Melissa & Ian's kids. They are so adorable! This was taken the day before Adam left for Czech Republic. Clayton was very upset that "Mister Adam" was leaving. It was fun to see the twins give Adam HUGE hugs :)

My friend Kim, who lives a skip and a hop away from my house, had a yard sale. It was a community event and all her neighbors were doing the same. Kim's daughter, Peyton also 4 yrs old, set up her cute lemonade stand which she called "Yumm-a-lade Stand"!

I met my friend Kristy (who use to work for Nascar) for lunch and we had a delicious meal at Aunt Catfish. It was fun to hangout with her little monkey Keaton. Look at those sweet cheeks!! It was so great to get that time to really sit and cover the stuff that's going on in our lives. I love those talks :) They are my favorites!

Big girl!

A few pictures that I've managed to take of Shadow rolling over from one side to another. I enjoy capturing what I get to see all day long. Shadow is an incredible dog who is 70.2 lbs now!!!

La Fiesta!!

Last night, we celebrated Katrina's birthday!! It was kind of impossible NOT to laugh your head off with these girls, and have the best time. I've had the privilege of walking alongside them and what times we had... What would I have done without their incredible support & friendship as I navigate these weeks without my husband (who is playing hockey in Czech Republic). Thanks girls and HAPPY BIRTHDAY Katrina!

p.s. sorry for the blurry cell phone pics...

Happy Birthday Shadow

Our birthday girl

Our little floppy ear girl!!

Shadow @ 8 wks

She would always pass out by her water bowl ~ CUTENESS!

Shadow giving Adam a "High-Five"

Shadow's Graduation @ Pet Smart

Shadow's 1st Halloween

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY SHADOW!!!!! Wow, I can't believe she is one year old. We got her when she was 8 weeks and I can truly say that she's been nothing but fun fun fun! Today was her day, of course! She got treats, toys and 2 full hours at the dog park (SPOILED). She brings so much joy to Adam & I :) We adore our Shadow girl!!! ♥