Thank heaven for mother's

It's amazing how you can feel so grown up and independent but when you are in need or in doubt it's so nice to go to your mother - today I experienced that. I was reminded that no matter how old I get I will always be her daughter and I was grateful for it. Thank you mom, I love you:).

Our apartment~

Joe and I have recently been looking for a new place to live that will be closer to the school. In looking for a new place it got me thinking that I hadn't ever posted pictures of our current place (better late than never right?). Below are pictures of our abode, sorry some of the pictures are kind of dark.

This is what you see right as you come in the door.

The spot for our dining room table that we have yet to buy.

Our family room.

Our kitchen.

The computer room where Joe spends hours...and hours...and hours studying (good job working so hard in school sweet thang!)

The lou.

Our bedroom. Thanks Dianne for the quilt!

Our patio with our little grill that we LOVE!

We really love our apartment but I am REALLY looking forward to being closer to Pitt. Love to you all - bye for now.

Happy Birthday Joe!

Today is Joe's birthday! He has been on this earth for 30 years enriching everyone's life that knows him. I am lucky to get to be married to such a wonderful man. I love him more than anything and for his 3oth birthday I wanted to say 30 reasons why.

1. I love the way he smells.
2. I love his piercing blue eyes, the bluest I have ever seen they are amazingly gorgeous.
3. I love the funny songs he makes up and sings to me.
4. I love the way his arms feel around me.
5. I love his smile.
6. I love his sense of humor - he can always make me laugh.
7. I love how logical he his.
8. I love how much he loves school and learning - specifically science.
9. I love his point of view on the world; it's a nice balance between taking care of yourself and taking care of others.
10. I love how affectionate he is with me.
11. I love that he speaks his mind.
12. I love how much he loves to be outside.
13. I love his hands.
14. I love his honesty, with himself and with me.
15. I love how kind he is to his mother.
16. I love how responsible he is with money.
17. I love his work ethic.
18. I love the look on his face when he gets excited or when he laughs REALLY hard.
19. I love the way he is my exact opposite while being my exact mirror image at the same time - we fit together like a puzzle.
20. I love that he is such a rocker at heart.
21. I love his sense of style from clothes to cars to furniture, he really recognizes quality.
22. I love his big, big, big heart.
23. I love his generosity.
24. I love his respect for women,
25. I love that everyone that knows him likes him....and how could they not!
26. I love that he is a good tipper.
27. I love that he is strong both physically and spiritually. He has really nice muscles and his soul is strong like a mountain.
    
28. I love his dance moves.
29. I love how he just gets me.
30. I love the way I feel when I am with him - it doesn't matter what we are doing if I can be by his side and soak up his energy I am happy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!!!!!!

Lets hear it for love!

I had the most wonderful time on Valentine's Day, it was truly magic. I think that has to do with the fact that I am married to a gem of a man. Joe is sweet, sensitive and thoughtful and all of those qualities were magnified yesterday. I had to work at the Pharmacy during the day and when I got home at five Joe had bought me a rose and a glass candy heart dish that had chocolate hearts and $80 in it (notice below that he had folded the twenties into origami hearts!) and was cooking me dinner. He had also made a Valentine's music mix of love songs and had it playing in the background. I got to just relax sipping delicious Chianti while we talked and Joe cooked me dinner. He grilled rib eye steaks with mushroom onion and Parmesan cheese sauce and Spanish rice and for desert chocolate fudge cake and whipped strawberry frosting. After dinner we had a girl movie marathon and watched The Duchess and Mama Mia. And ended the night with snuggling and talking about us, where we are, and where we are headed. The whole evening was perfect my head is still in the clouds, I have pixy dust trailing behind me when I walk and my eyes are star struck. I never knew it was even possible to be this happy! I am one lucky girl :). Thanks Joe...I love you!

Let's hear it for sunshine...even if it's artificial!

So I got my light box yesterday and I all ready love it! It gives off a very peaceful light that I find myself wanting to be around all the time, I have been carrying it from room to room so I can do just that. The light makes me calm, and even though I have only had it for one day I think it is really going to help. And it came at a perfect time because it is so so so dark and rainy today:).

SAD

The sun doesn't come out in Pittsburgh all that often and it is getting me down. I think I am suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) so we bought a full spectrum light box from Indoor Sunshine that I think will do the trick! I am keeping my fingers crossed anyway.....wish me luck!

Some have all ready seen these.....

I know that some of you have all ready seen these pictures from previous emails but I wanted to put them on the blog for those of you that haven't.

During the fall of last year Joe and I went hiking in the Allegheny National Forest.

It was beautiful and relaxing.

It reminded me of an ancient enchanted forest....very neat.

Next we went hiking at Seven Springs which is a ski resort area kind of by where we live.

On the way home we found a farmers market just off the road-

and got some delicious fruits, vegetables and homemade cider right before they closed, it was a fun treat!

In October we went to the symphony - it was a wonderful performance and a fun night out.

We are so fancy:).