Joe and Melody

2011 In Review

2012-01-04T07:59:00.000-05:00

While thumbing through my Twitter Feed, there was a tweet that caught my attention.
It was a link to a list of twenty questions that you should ask yourself to evaluate your 2011.

What was the best thing that happened to you this year?
What was the most trying thing that happened to you this year?
What was the most exciting thing that happened to you this year?
What was the most memorable thing that happened to you this year?
And so on ...

About halfway through it seemed as though Baby Madzar was the answer to every question.
Something tells me that will never change.

Maternity Picture taken by Perry Vaile Photography.

Bringing in the New Year

2012-01-02T20:17:00.000-05:00

If January 1 was any indication of how the rest of the year will go ...
Then we're in for a treat.
For real.

The Riggs' Family invited us over for a New Year Day Get-Together
And Robin summed it up perfectly in her Facebook status,
'Happy 2012! Drinking a mimosa while I prepare collards, BEPs, cornbread, and spiral ham. And looking forward to hanging outside with friends in 70 degree weather today!!'

Spending time with Grace Riggs will always put a smile on your face.

Ninja Suit & Budget Brown

2012-01-01T09:25:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year, everyone!
Sretna Nova Godina, Hrvatska!
Happy 39 Weeks, Baby Madzar!

For New Year's, I would normally have thrown on my favorite LITTLE BLACK DRESS.
You know, all gussied up to the hilt.
This year instead of the LBD look, I went for the BBP.
BIG BLACK PAJAMAS.
Joe calls them my ninja suit. I call them comfortable.
We brought in the new year relaxing at home all snug as a bug in a rug.

And also note this is my first blog picture with my new brunette 'do.
We've been told our lives are completely about to change with the new baby.
Including our checking account.
So we're preparing by making some sacrifices.
One of the first things to go was my monthly visits to the salon.
Now I'm on the books for low lights and a glaze every so often.
We call it Budget Brown in the Madzar Household.

Advent

2011-12-25T08:54:00.001-05:00

Advent is a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the arrival of Jesus.
It ends today with His birth.

As Nana pointed out in her Christmas card to us,
"If anyone knows about waiting right now, it's Joe & you."

Touché, Nana.

Although I can't relate to Mary's ride from Mesopotamia to Bethlehem on the backside of a donkey.
(Per the doctor's orders, I haven't been able to travel outside of Wilmington since Thanksgiving.)
I know what it's like to wait.

Waiting for our baby to arrive.
Waiting to use all of these baby accessories.
Waiting to hold our baby.
Waiting for my back, hips, and legs to stop hurting.

In the meantime, Merry Christmas to all.
May your day be full of peace and patience.

Maternity Picture taken by Perry Vaile Photography.

38 Weeks & Daddy Warbucks

2011-12-24T07:58:00.000-05:00

I love musicals. Allof that singing and dancing combined with acting and an intriguing storyline islike one big conglomerate of entertainment fun. I can’t get enough. One of my favoritesof all time is ANNIE, that timeless red-headed orphan that makes her way intoDaddy Warbucks’ and all of our hearts.

As I was tuned in last night humming along to ‘It’s aHard-Knock Life’ (the original; not some revamped rap version) I was thoroughlyenjoying myself. The slice of key limepie propped up on my pregnant belly didn’t hurt either. About an hour in is the scene where DaddyWarbucks ever-so-coolly buys out all of Radio City Music Hall so Annie (and herdog, Sandy) can go to the movies for the first time. Near the end of the scene it shows Anniecurled up in her movie seat fast asleep. His secretary prompts the never-been-around-children Daddy Warbucks topick Annie up and carry her out of the theater in his arms until they can gether home and put her to bed. Please cuethe heart-warming music, tears, and for me, fond memories.

I can remember long ago (about 20 years) ‘falling asleep’ inthe back of Pappy & Nanny’s 1980’s Monte Carlo. We would be headed back from The Teddy Bear Caféand grocery store on Friday night, our weekly ritual. I would be laying down on the navy blue clothbackseat that was the size of a twin bed, all stretched out, looking up pastthe tree line and onto the stars. Withevery twist and turn the car made I knew exactly where we were on our oldcountry road without ever having to pop my head up for confirmation. As soon as we would pull into the drive Iwould hurriedly shut my eyes and pretend that the 15 minute car ride home hadput me fast to sleep. Try to nudge meawake and I would just moan and curl into a ball to further my protest. Pappy(my very own Daddy Warbucks) would cradle me out of the back seat and carry meinside. It is one of my fondestmemories.

So that’s me at 38 weeks. My reminiscent mind is a blur of old memories trying to make room fornew ones while I prepare for the arrival of our new bundle of joy all on top ofwatching all of my favorite musicals. Andcrying; lots of crying.

It’s hard for Joe to keep up.

Maternity Picture taken by Perry Vaile Photography.

The Nursery

2011-12-14T07:23:00.000-05:00

Ta-Da! Behold! Baby Madzar's Nursery.


Rocking chair and footstool, compliments of Cousin Heather. Papa painted the bike picture, of course.

Every inch of Mr. Octopus was hand-sewn (even all the buttons) by Aunt Jen.

Diaper Caddy and Plant (fresh oxygen for baby is always good) from Aunt Dana.
Basket O' Toys from everyone that loves Baby M.

'You Are Loved' painting by Aunt Jen.
Pinwheels made by my ladies for the baby shower.
Ms. Bunny hand-stitched by Mimi (my mom).

Sonogram picture on left. Pink Hydrangea picture that Nana discovered on the day we found out Baby was a Girl.

'Your Are My Sunshine' flag banner by Aunt Robin.

She wouldn't be my daughter if she didn't have a super-organized bookshelf.

Framed Fabric from Baby's quilt.

Framed Picture of a Newspaper Article about Carolina Beach. Baby M gonna be a certified Beach Bum, for sure.

Wow, You're Pregnant

2011-12-01T18:44:00.001-05:00

After watching his Adriatic Greens extensively assess my ever-growing bodacious curves, Joe says,
"Wow, you're REALLY pregnant."

I cautiously smiled back trying to interpret his comment. I figured it could go one of two ways.

"Wow, you're REALLY pregnant ... and I can't believe I'm about to be a dad any day now. Maybe I should read a book or watch a video or something."

OR

"Wow, you're REALLY pregnant ... I'm surprised you can still fit through the doorway with that baby all kangaroo-pouched up in there."

Either way, I could tell he was just as excited as I was. We're so ready to meet Baby Madzar and see her and touch her and hold her. At this point in the game, we're more cognizant of how many weeks pregnant we are rather than how old we are (is it 28 or 29 now?).

Just counting down the weeks ...

Maternity Picture taken by Perry Vaile Photography.

The Name

2011-11-29T07:19:00.001-05:00

The first question an old acquaintance or new friend asks when they see your bulging belly,
"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?"
That's an easy one. After the tell-all sonogram I can proudly say, 'GIRL.'
As I picture a young me with Joe's elegance floating around like a butterfly in complete happiness.

BUT then comes the second obvious question,
"Do you know the name?"
Duh. Duh. DUHHHHHH. (dramatic sound effect)
It's an ever-dreaded question simply because the response is not a short one.

If only we could proudly blurt out two names.
Then move on with the conversation.
Truth is that we have NO IDEA.
So instead ...

I first begin with, "Well we'd like to do a Croatian name because, you know, Joe is Croatian."
I'll tell you that this is no easy task.
Finding a Croatian name that sounds well in both languages can be tough.
We've come up with a few: Sofija, Olivija, Emilija.
(The 'ja' is a Croatian thing. But names are pretty ease to pronounce. See: Sophia, Olivia, Amelia.)

Then to add to the grief of figuring one name out, you have to come up with another.
The middle name. It's never-ending.
We've thought of using our mother's names, grandmother's names, godmother's names.
I even came up with a nice rendition of combing two of these names. Joe did not like it.
I"ll admit that it was a far stretch.

Our friends when referring to the Baby and to make fun of our indecisiveness will say things like,
"How's Sofija Ivana Olivija Emilija Lisa Mila Ann doing?"
To which we respond, "Just fine. Thanks."

It's not that we're keeping the name a secret. It's just a work in progress.
I have a feeling it will take the nurse walking in with the birth certificate for us to make a decision.
Some parents know their child's name before the child is conceived.
Joe & I are not those parents. Sadly ... or excitingly, enough.

All in "due time."

Maternity Picture taken by Perry Vaile Photography.

Pillows

2011-11-27T07:41:00.001-05:00

We're at 34 weeks. (APPLAUSE!)
That's only 6 more weeks to go. Not bad.
And most days, my thoughts center around PILLOWS.
The more PILLOWS, the BETTER.

When lying on the couch, I must have 2 small pillows placed on top of 1 large pillow under my head.
A small round, cylindrical pillow goes under my lower back.
And a medium-sized, gumdrop pillow props up my feet.
No small task for me to get situated but the end result is heaven.

Sleep time has been quite the task as of lately, too.
Two standard pillows (I've officially taken one of Joe's) on top of a Euro one to rest my head.
I've recently added my airplane neck pillow to this mix for more support.
One pillow between my knees. One pillow to hold onto tight.

At work I've brought in a soft, down-filled wool pillow.
With cute tassels. (Tassels do nothing for my back but look great.)

And every time I think of going to a restaurant or friend's house, anywhere I would need to sit.
I instantly think of the comfort of the seating arrangements.
I can't help it.

Luckily beyond the uncomfortableness that is this extra 23 pounds, we're healthy.
A doctor's appointment last week proved this.
It's still so sweet to hear Baby's heartbeat and feel peace inside my own heart.

Maternity Picture taken by Perry Vaile Photography.

Belly Button

2011-10-14T06:59:00.000-04:00

As Dr. Rhodes was measuring my 27th week baby bump yesterday,

I glanced down to notice that my belly button had officially given up.

What once used to be a cute, little pothole in the small dirt road that was my body

Has officially been filled in and paved over and expanded to a 6-lane highway.

27th Week Update: Mini Madzar & I are still doing great.

I passed my gestational diabetes test.

Babe passed her usual heartbeat and growth tests.

There was a bit of a bump in that 6-lane highway

When my blood pressure was elevated during a recent reading.

No worries though.

My amazing husband and Little Madzar's wonderful father

Has begun monitoring it with our very own blood pressure cuff.

Dr. Joe to the rescue.

The rug is neatly laid down in the nursery.

I may or may not vacuum it every day.

The walls are painted.

We went with a Benjamin Moore color called Weimaraner.

(No relation to Walter, the Weimaraner who lives next door.)

Our accent colors will be turquoise and yellow.

More to come on that later.

This weekend we start to move in the furniture.

Stay tuned.

The Blooming Bush

2011-10-05T16:40:00.000-04:00

My Nana shared this story with me and my girlfriends last weekend.

I cried.

I hope it does the same for you.

"Your Aunt Caroline gave me a blue hydrangea bush several years ago.  I planted it out back by the steps and have eagerly watched it for three or fours years waiting for it to bloom.  It grew and flourished green in color but never a blue blossom to be seen.  I restlessly told Ray, 'When that blue hydrangea bush blooms, I'm throwing a party!'  So on the day of your sonogram I looked out our back window and the hydrangea bush caught my eye.  It had finally bloomed!  I was thrilled.  But to my surprise there was not a blue hydrangea bloom on the bush.  It was a beautiful PINK one.  I took a picture, clipped the bloom off to put it in a vase, and called two couples over to have a dinner party!"

I'm pretty sure Mini Madzar & God had a hand in that blossoming hydrangea bush.

How perfect.

Our Parents' Shoes

2011-09-10T09:26:00.000-04:00

With walls up and floors down, the nursery is ready for some things to be moved in.

Partially so it won't sound so echo-y in there.

Mainly because the baby will be here before we know it.

Last night we laid on the floor in the nursery with our laptop.

(me on my side. Joe on his stomach, I'm so jealous.)

We discussed back and forth about the new area rug we wanted to purchase for the room.

We've been talking about this rug for weeks now. Even before the hard wood went in.

We continued to discuss colors and the new samples we just got in the mail.

Joe did a great job on picking out carpet tile squares to match the ideas I have in my head.

(I swear the guy should go on some TLC show that revamps people's houses. He's so creative.)

As we sat there conversing, once again talking about our baby,

It finally hit me that our parents went through this same thing...
WITH US.

The baby obsession that has become our lives, our parents felt/did/loved the same way.

I said this out loud to Joe. He nodded in agreement.

While he continued to measure out the space on the floor where the new rug would go,

I proceeded to talk about my new found revelation for the next 30 or so minutes.

First off, I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of this before.

How could I forget our parents?!

But right there on the new nursery floor it all started to flood my mind.

(I may have cried, too.)

Prepping for the baby with all the love in the world, our parents had done that same thing...
FOR US.

I guess that saying of not really knowing until you've walked in someone else's shoes is true.

I feel like we're getting to finally feel the joy/dedication/fright that our parents once went through.

My love/adoration/honor has officially tripled for all of them.

Labor Day, Schmabor Day

2011-09-07T07:03:00.000-04:00

As the nursery used to be Joe's Man Cave where he so frequently waxed surfboards, greased bike chains, and fiddled with all of his man stuff, the carpet was less than desirable for a new baby's room.

We originally looked into replacing the carpet with some more mid-grade off-white carpet and soon learned that carpet is not so cheap. We procrastinated and procrastinated some more hoping to think of something. Luckily with some prayer and positive thinking Joe stumbled upon some hard wood floors that were a fraction (about 1/5) of the cost of the carpet. We were elated!

Labor Day, Schmabor Day. Joe eagerly broke out his miter saw once again and Baby Girl Madzar had new floors by the end of the weekend.

The man is a machine.

Shopping With My Girl

2011-08-31T08:23:00.003-04:00

So my first clothing purchase for Baby Girl Madzar came from Baby GAP/Old Navy.

They had a heck of a deal online that included FREE shipping.

How could Baby Girl & I resist?!

I opted for something practical and something for funsies.

The pink onesies with matching socks are obviously my something practical.

I'm sure we'll go through all three in one day.

And then my something for funsies is Babe's 1rst 2-piece beachwear.

I'm sure Papa would've preferred a pink rash guard with matching hula girl baggies.

But maybe next shopping trip.

21 Weeks

2011-08-30T07:02:00.000-04:00

21 weeks and over halfway there!
(Applause.)

This past week was very momentous for Baby Madzar.
Our weather in Southeastern North Carolina consisted of tornadoes, an earthquake, and Hurricane Irene.
Little Girl's first series of catastrophic weather events.
Something for the baby book.

One other noteworthy occurrence also happened that was much bigger than the 5.8 earthquake or the Category 3 hurricane.
Ms. Heather Smartt came into town for a visit, posh baby clothes in hand.
Here's a sneak peak of just the beginnings of Baby Girl's wardrobe.

Update on Mama Madzar.
I'm doing FAN-TABULOUS these days.
I'm slowly putting together colors for the nursery.
My nails are super strong from the prenatal vitamins. Joe calls them my talons.
It's harder to paint my toes, shave my legs, and tie my shoes these days.
Luckily I have a very helpful husband.

Update on Papa Madzar.
His fatherly strut is starting to take shape and he loves talking about the baby.
He gets his 'kicks' these days from feeling for baby thumps while we lounge on the couch.
He still helps with cooking and cleaning.
He searches endlessly for nursery designs ... and little girl names.
Did I mention he is the awesome-est husband and dad?!

Update on Baby Girl Madzar.
She is 12 ounces. A whole can of Coke.
She's not so much a morning person but a 10am kind of girl. She's usually kicking up a storm by then.
After lunch she slips into a food coma and likes to curl up on my right side.
(This makes me look lop-sided.)
Then she wakes back up in the evening just in time to say hi to Dad.
She loves to listen to music in the car or GLEE on the television. Pretty sure she's a ROCK STAR.

Tickled Pink

2011-08-17T20:53:00.000-04:00

'It's a girl!' said the ultrasound technician, Kate. I immediately welled up with tears. I had only just laid down on the bed, roller camera in Kate's hand, Joe nestled on a stool with perfect view of the big screen television ahead and we already knew. Our little girl had no secrets and was quick to share.

Up until that point I had really tried to stay neutral. At times I even leaned toward the 'boy' side. But when Kate said the 'G' word, I felt so alive. Had I been secretly wishing for a girl this whole time? Had I been saying 'boy' just to prepare myself if it wasn't a girl? Who knows. The important part was that I finally had a sex to put with all those belly bumps I had been getting from inside. And we could now finally say the words 'she' and 'her'. We have a daughter and those pronouns have never rolled so smoothly off of our tongue.

The ultrasound went perfectly. All of Baby Girl Madzar's body parts measured right on par. Her head was perfect, her face was perfect, her arms and organs ... perfect. The tech said her legs measured long. That must be from her Croatian counterparts. Lucky girl.

All throughout the ultrasound the technician kept chuckling when she would attempt to measure an appendage or an organ or the blood flow because Baby Girl would move or twist or block so that the measurement couldn't be done. Babe must have done it a dozen times. Kate continuing to giggle says, 'She's trying to be funny, I think.' Looks like our girl is definitely her mother's daughter ... always trying to get a laugh.

I 'measured' on par too. Blood pressure was good. Weight was good ... I've gained 11 pounds. Us two girls are just chugging away getting this thing done. It's such a magical feeling to have a happy and healthy family.

New thoughts entered my ever-wandering mind today: hair bows, frills, daddy's girl. Knowing the sex has opened up all kinds of new doors. And we're just tickled pink.

Baby Girl Madzar's profile, smile and all.

THUMP

2011-08-10T07:32:00.001-04:00

It was midnight this past Sunday. Baby Madzar & I's 18 Week Anniversary. Joe had just finished the final touches on the nursery walls. I was laying in bed relieved that the first nursery project was done. I leaned back on a heap of pillows and began my nightly ritual of poking Baby Madzar and hoping for some sort of kick/head butt/elbow jab back. With a mix of sleepiness and idleness I started to drift off when something caught my attention.

THUMP.

A sudden tap on the palm of my right hand. My eyes darted to the convex surface that is my new midsection. Was that what I thought it was?

THUMP.

It was.
JOE! JOE, COME HERE!
He dashed into the room with panicked curiosity.
PUT YOUR HAND RIGHT HERE!
Before he could interpret my demands I jerked his left hand toward me and pressed it firmly on my lower stomach.

THUMP.

DID YOU FEEL THAT?

No, I don't think so.

COME ON, JOE!

THUMP.

WHAT ABOUT THAT TIME?!
No response from Joe because it was simply unnecessary. I could see it in his face.

THUMP.

We felt it again. A HUGE smile stretched across Joe's face so far that it leaped onto mine. We just smiled at one another for the longest time.

Babe's telling you they're ready to go to bed. You need to hit the hay.

I laughed. And cried, as most pregnant women do. I was thinking Babe was telling their dad what a great job he had done on the nursery. Either way it was sort of like our first family conversation. And it was a good one.

With all that thumping, Babe might just be a soccer player like their Dad & Dida.

The Walls That Dad Built

2011-08-08T08:03:00.000-04:00

Dear Baby Madzar,

Hi-Ho. Your mom here.

I know we talk every day. But some things are better in writing. Which is a lot of the reason why I write a blog. To keep memories in a safe place so that you and your children and their children can have them. This letter is no different.

You know, you are everywhere for me. And not just because we are literally connected at the hip. There's about a million things that run through my head a day. Most of them centered around you. Yesterday as I was looking around your nursery I realized I wanted to tell you one very important thing about your dad.

He has loved you from the start. And that love is right there in your room, in the walls that he has built.

I can remember before you were even conceived your dad used to talk about all of the thoughts he had for the nursery. He used to rummage through woodworking books and endlessly search for ideas online. When we first found out you were on the way, he was already so prepared. He flipped through his sketch book and instantly knew what he wanted to do. I think I may have even seen a light bulb go off above his head.

He scavenged the town for the best deal on the best wood. I came home from work one day and it was stacked high in our living room. It took him one weekend to clear your future nursery out. He sold the futon and desk and sacrificed his clothes closet in our bedroom to make room for all of his sports equipment. He then filled the empty bedroom with the carpentry tools he needed and soon got to work.

It was a very toasty July in Southeastern North Carolina and the average temperature was close to 100 degrees every day. No matter the weather though, every evening when I came home from work I heard some sort of power tool blazing. He was either cutting wood out back or sanding down putty holes. He worked a full eight hour work day as a carpenter and then came home to work another 5 hours in the same dirty clothes.

And it was all for you. Yes, he asked my opinion about design. I helped determine the spacing between vertical slats and the upper shelving ledge. But I can assure you none of it was for me. None of it was for him. I can't count the number of times he looked at me in all sincerity and said, 'I hope Baby Madzar likes this.' Every nail, every wood cut, every drop of paint was all for you.

The upper shelving ledge is my favorite part. I will most likely prop up some baby-friendly neatly-framed pictures that will impeccably match your baby quilt. Your dad and I often joke about you one day swiping those frames and replacing them with your favorite toys. If you're a boy, we see little toy cars lined up front bumper to back bumper making their way around the circumference of your room. If a girl, I'm sure there will be Barbie dolls perfectly perched. Either way, your dad has made it very clear to me that it is your room and you can decorate it how you want. After all, those are the walls that your dad built ... just for you.

And I will take those toys down only to dust and then put them right back where I found them,

Mom

16 Weeks

2011-07-23T07:40:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow is Baby Madzar & I's 16 Week Anniversary. (Applause.)

We had a doctor's appointment last week.
I've gained 6 pounds so far.
I'm assuming that's alright since no one told me to start cutting back on Wendy's Natural-Cut Fries.
(My new obsession.)
Baby Madzar's check-up was quick this time.
We were listening for the heartbeat and the doctor found it within seconds.
160 beats per minute.
Swirling, pumping static has never sounded so good.

Dr. Pierson said I should feel Little Madzar's kicks and movement in the next month.
Now I'm all alert.
Sometimes when no one's looking, I'll poke my protruding tummy.
Always hoping for a poke back.
But nothing yet.
All in due time.

Joe purchased wood last week to start his workings on the nursery.
In just the first night, it was already looking so good.
All of the paper sketches he's been showing me for weeks were coming to fruition.
I was finally able to see what he had been envisioning this whole time.
Nothing less than perfect, I might add.

I'm sort of starting to feel like myself again.
A real person if you will.
Although I still tire very easily, I'm going out with friends again.
I'm shopping again.
Running errands again.
Baby Madzar leads the way but I'm not far behind.

One last thing.
Mark your calendars for August 17.
Fingers crossed, that's when Baby Madzar becomes a he or she for us.
We'll know whether to buy the pink or blue triathlon gear.
And Mama Mel can finally start to pick out some fabric for the nursery.

Boy or girl, Baby Madzar will hopefully never experience a bad perm like seen above.

Grace

2011-07-12T15:35:00.001-04:00

It was another of my evenings with Robin & Ella. These are always some of my favorite evenings. Robin always makes a very fresh, very delightful dinnertime meal. Ella always says something that I have to tell to Joe as soon as I get home that night no matter the time. I help Ella with her before-bed duties and then there's story time and a nice, big kiss from Ella with a, "Good Night Aunt Mel, Love You." And then the evening is capped off with Robin & I talking away like Chatty Cathy's on the couch until we can't hold our eyes open any longer. Being a part of the Riggs' family is the perfect ending to a day, in my opinion.

I had just walked in the back door for another fun-filled evening in the Riggs' household. As usual, Ella came running from around the corner with open arms. She suddenly stopped and looked at me and exclaimed, "I"M GOING TO BE A BIG SISTER!" My heart immediately filled with joy. As I looked into Ella's big blues I could tell she was requesting a response from me ASAP. I reached over and gave her a big hug and shrilled with excitement attempting to match hers. My eyes instantly searched for Robin in the kitchen and saw her smiling. Putting Ella down, all I wanted to do was give one of my best friends the warmest of hugs. She was bringing another life into the world and I was the happiest Aunt Mel in the world.

Last Sunday as I held Baby Grace in my arms for the first time and felt her warm on my chest, I remembered this night seven months earlier. I then reminisced about the day when Ella was born and all of the unforgettable moments we've had together in the past three years. I thought about Robin and how much I value our friendship and the laughter we share. I flashed back to the night when John D (Robin's husband) thanked me for being a constant in their lives when really I knew I should have been thanking them for being such a huge part in mine. All of the memories I have with Robin, Ella, & JD are only good ones. And sitting there with Grace, I knew she was going to experience the same steadfast, undying, pure love I had always received from this family. Grace couldn't have asked for a better home on this earth. There's no doubt in my mind.

I fast-forwarded a few years in my head. I pictured Baby Madzar and myself coming home to Papa Joe from an evening with my favorite girls. Laughing, I say, "Ella said the cutest thing..." Joe starts laughing along with me. I then add in, "And then Grace said ..."

That will be a good day.

Grace McRae Riggs with big sis, Ella.

An Angel

2011-07-09T10:57:00.000-04:00

The official start of my pregnancy is April 4, 2011. Exactly 40 weeks from then is January 9, 2012. This would be Baby Madzar's arrival date by means of a perfect 10 month pregnancy. However, all you moms out there know this due date changes all the time. Mainly because the size of baby has influence on when baby will arrive. I guess some turkeys cook faster or slower than others.

For the the first ultrasound, Joe & I had a blast. Remember when I was the sleeping lioness who had just awoken from her slumber? Yeah, that was fun. After Dr. Robison left the room and Joe & I were left there looking at pictures of our first child, I suddenly noted the new due date based on Baby Madzar's growing size. It was now January 5 ... Joe's godmother's birthday.

I whipped around and shoved the ultrasound picture in his face. LOOK! LOOK! Joe knew right away ... and so did I ... Teta Joan wanted dealt in for this hand. She was already looking out for our new, growing family and this was her way of letting us in on the secret. Beyond Babe's amazing, earthly family and friends, there's an angel on watch, too. That's a nice feeling.

Teta Joan & Joe on a scuba dive in Nassau, Bahamas.

Cravings

2011-07-08T07:06:00.001-04:00

Long ago, Joe & I were playing the old 'Would You Rather' game when vegetables versus fruit came up. Would you rather eat vegetables or fruit for the rest of your life? I've always been a green vegetable girl, raw or cooked. I love brussels sprouts, broccoli, salad greens, etc. You name it, I'll eat a helping for four in one sitting. So naturally I was pro-herbaceous plants. Joe, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. He's a fruit-y guy. Apples, oranges, mangoes, bananas, etc. He can't get enough of nature's natural sweetness.

Come this pregnancy, I've had more fruit cravings than ever before. It's like I don't even know myself anymore. Just this week, we made a stop at the grocery store for a dozen peaches. It's all I could think about that day and I just had to bite into South Carolina's finest. Fruit smoothies are another big craving for me. If I'm within walking distance to a shop that sells them, I'm lacing my sneakers up and making the trek. Any flavor will do.

Another crazy craving I've had this pregnancy is my lack of desire for chocolate. Up until now I have always been the girl that had to pop a Hershey kiss after lunch. I always opted for the most chocolate-y dessert on the menu. Chocolate just always hit the spot for me. I still see it now and tell myself I want it. But when it actually hits my taste buds, the typical desired effect is less than desirable. It's not even worth wasting the calories.

Thirdly, I now am addicted to spicy. Now I've always thought I had quite a 'spicy' personality. But when it came to mild salsa, I would lightly dip my tortilla chip and then down a glass of water afterward. Heartburn soon ensued. Now I'm popping jalapenos and pepperoncinis like it's nobody's business. And slathering hot sauce on everything I eat. No more chicken nuggets dipped in sweet-n-sour sauce. Give this girl the spicy chicken sandwich ... with a side of extra spicy.

Speaking of spicy...

Unsolicited Love

2011-07-07T07:59:00.000-04:00

I remember a little game we played at one of my bridal showers. Everyone at the party was asked to write a bit of advice on a piece of paper for the bride-to-be about marriage life. Things like: Never go to bed angry, Don't sweat the small stuff, and Always appreciate one another. At the time, I had no idea that was the tip of the iceberg. But I'm not talking about marriage. Be advised that the advice really doesn't begin until a few years down the road when you decide to bring a new life into the world. Then it triples.

Often seen as a negative thing, this is my little twist on unsolicited advice. For our pregnancy and probably through the entire upbringing of all of our young-ins, I've decided to refer to those helpful hints that people tend to deal out so freely as Unsolicited Love. You see, I know these pieces of advice/love are coming from a very good place and I think that's what counts. It's just the 'village' making sure the young of our species will do well in this world. I'm learning to see all of the unsolicited love as a natural result of society's push to survive and people's longings to connect and share themselves with each other. Not at all a bad thing.

The challenge comes in when, as the recipient of the unsolicited love, you feel judged instead of supported. Joe & I are three months young into the world of BABY and have already been judged on breastfeeding (my first visit with the head nurse was greeted with a stern look followed by, 'I hope you're going to breastfeed!'), daycare (I had no idea that this was a scheme thought up by lazy parents who don't really want to raise their own children?!), and the size of our home (who knew the square footage of our house is directly proportional to how happy and healthy our baby is?!). But we bear in the mind that we must evaluate the giver of the love. They only see a snapshot of our lives and are judging accordingly. Without a shadow of a doubt, we are the ones who will know our baby the best. And we are the ones who know what's best for our family. Our good decisions have shown us through to this point and we must remember this and feel confident.

I love free advice. Don't get me wrong. I want to hear about your experiences, the lessons you've learned, and what to make sure we don't miss. Just tread lightly and walk that fine line of unsolicited love and judgment. A pregnant woman's heart is tender.

But a father's roar is fierce...

Love

2011-07-01T07:54:00.000-04:00

On a recent shopping excursion with my dear friend Lisa to one of our favorite beach boutiques, I purchased a simple yellow gold necklace with a disc charm that was inscribed with the word 'LOVE'. Because frankly that's all I'm feeling these days. I feel so much unwavering love from Joe. I feel this warm settling energy inside which I'm taking as love from Baby Madzar. And then there's all of our amazing friends and family who have shown so much support, so much LOVE.

There's the countless words of encouragement and advice. It seems as though everyone is coming around us and is eager to help us in any way they can. I guess the saying 'it takes a village' stands true. And that village has come to our aid much earlier and much bigger than I ever expected.

I've already received boxes and boxes of maternity clothes from my mom and Lisa (dear friend mentioned above). We have seriously been spared thousands of dollars in this department. Then Baby Madzar already has a start on their wardrobe and book collection. Apparently, unbeknownst to us, people have been buying us baby accessories since we got married a year ago. And come this past Father's Day, Joe received quite an array of the sweetest Father's Day cards and gifts. We are basically swimming in love.

Countless phone calls, emails, and packages. Nursery furnishings. Volunteer for the christening outfit. Future babysitters. Beginnings of baby's college fund. Baby shower talk commencing. Family heirlooms being passed down to Babe. People close to our hearts already making plans to visit us before and after the baby arrives. Meals. Pregnancy books. Prayers. Oh, and love. Lots of LOVE.

P.S. Happy 4th of July, everyone. Have a fun and safe weekend. Share the Stars & Stripes LOVE.

Oh, the Sleepless Nights

2011-06-30T07:16:00.000-04:00

No, the sleepless nights are not a result of the excitement and anxiety of raising our first child.
Joe's basically got that under control.

They are not from fear of not having the nursery ready in time.
Again, Joe is knocking that out like a champion.

And they are not from my concerns of losing that baby weight come early 2012.
For I'm sure Joe will have me signed up for a triathlon in early Spring.

I get up several times in the night because:
-I am way too hot. Those hormones really do a number on your body temperature.
-I am dying of thirst. I have never drank so much water in all my life.
-I have to use the restroom. Please see reason above and my new camel-like behavior.

Now I do believe in the biological reasoning behind many things.
Think about young children who put everything in their mouths when they are young.
It is not just to see their parents make that funny stick-out-your-tongue look while saying, 'Yuck-y.'
It is a sort of biological 'training' to build their immune system.

In the same way, my restless nights are biological training too.
They are to help me get used to being up several times a night with a newborn.
It's my body preparing itself to wake up on command every few hours.
And I accept this. I really do.
It still doesn't help me stay awake at work though.
I don't think 40-hour work weeks were considered when this biological schedule was set up.

But why just me, I ask you?
Shouldn't Joe get some sort of training too?
To this, I answer yes. After all, he'll be waking up sometimes as well, right?

Which is why I turn the hall light on, which shines perfectly on Joe's side of the bed, every time I wake up in the middle of the night for those pesky callings.
For biological reasons, of course.

Skinny jeans. Popped collar. Hand on hip. Hopefully Babe will be as fashion-forward as Mama Mel.

Father Knows Best

2011-06-29T07:33:00.001-04:00

Joe's paternal instinct has flourished at our house.
It's quite amazing and thrilling.
For the past three months he has become the sole housekeeper, chef, and support in our home.

I've always known he was a natural nurturer.
Always the voice of reason.
Ready to listen.
Ready to help out in any way.

With this new role as Papa Joe; however, his nesting mode has just exploded.
Food at my disposal. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Freshly laundered clothes.
Clean dishes. Clean floor. Clean car.
Plants watered. Inside and Outside.
Movie of my choice playing.

Beyond taking care of his ill-feeling wife, he has embraced Baby Madzar with open arms.
The nursery (second bedroom/Joe's sports room) has already nearly been emptied.
Joe has reorganized the rest of the house to take on our upcoming bundle of joy's arrival.
There are woodworking books laid out and sketches of what he plans to do in the baby's room.
He already has Babe's first bike picked out.
And is inquiring about attendance at St. Mary's Pre-K program.

Taking this in stride is Joe's way.
No Fear. Just Do It. Insert any brand's headstrong logo here.
Joe is Gettin' It Done.
He's full of pride but humble and content in the same breath.

I'm hoping Baby Madzar inherits some of these fine traits from their dad.

Here's hoping Baby Madzar also gets Joe's incredible fashion sense ... of humor.

Yin & Yang

2011-06-28T07:46:00.000-04:00

The timeless saying of Opposites Attract holds true for Joe & I.
I am Yin. And he is definitely Yang.
I like chocolate; he likes vanilla.
I'm an early bird; he's a night owl.
I can be too uptight; he can be too laid-back.
It works out well though.
As polar opposites we're still very interconnected.
We give rise to one another in turn.
Without one, there would not be the other.
Opposites only exist in relation to each other.

As Yin I make sure all bills are paid, schedules are kept, and house is cleaned.
As Yang Joe makes sure all surfboards are waxed, fun is had, and nothing is taken too seriously.

After reading my introduction post of Baby Madzar on this blog, I asked Joe what he thought.
His reply, 'I liked it. It surprised me. It was pretty artsy.'
Hmmm, well. I suppose it was a little unlike me. Maybe the whole lioness portrayal was a little out there. But if anyone can appreciate that, it's Joe.

A few minutes pass and I suddenly remember hearing Joe get up very early that morning.
So I say to him, 'What time did you get up this morning?'

'Around 5am. I cleaned up a bit.'

Looking around the house I finally pick up on the freshly cleaned rugs, wiped-down counter tops, and sparkling dishware neatly stacked in the cupboards. As my head is spinning around taking in the house in all its cleanliness glory I come full circle around and am staring Joe dead in the eyes.

Suddenly it hits us both and in unison we loudly declare,
'WE'RE TURNING INTO EACH OTHER!'

Will Babe be bald till they're 2 like Yin?

An Extension of the Spine?

2011-06-27T07:39:00.000-04:00

'Is that a penis?!'

I exclaimed after seeing this ultrasound view.

Baby Madzar's little bum is to the right.

Then Babe's cute frog legs are stretching out to the left.

With the top leg just slightly bent upward.

Little feet are the whole way to the left.

Now notice the white marking coming out from the bum in between the legs.

This is what caused me to scream such obscenities in the doctor's office.

Dr. Robison started to laugh.

'You never know. Could just be an extension of the spine.'

Wink. Wink. Nudge. Nudge.

'Looks like you'll have to wait till August to find out for sure.'

I Knew

2011-06-24T16:00:00.000-04:00

Not to brag, but I knew.

Remember this post from Palm Sunday.

Although I didn't mention it at the time, I had been feeling very different since the day before.

I kept replaying in my head the opening credits of the movie, Look Who's Talking.

You know ...

Where the little tadpoles are swimming frantically through cloud tunnels in search of the big, red floating ball.

(Very technical description, I know.)

But I felt pregnant.

I just knew.

Leaving the church I say to Joe, 'I'm pregnant.'

Joe,'Since when?'

'Yesterday.'

Joe skeptically, 'Gotcha.'

Then here was the next week.

I confided in Robin what I was feeling.

Trying not to sound like a complete lunatic, I made my usual jokes to make light of it.

We laughed. But I knew that we both knew.

Robin was 7 months pregnant at the time and her pregnancy radar was on point.

I felt pregnant.

I felt like a mom.

I felt ... happier.

I just knew.

Exactly two weeks from Baby Madzar's introduction into this world was our anniversary.

Coincidentally it was Baby's first theatrical production as well.

After a dinner celebration we were off to Thalian Hall to see Amadeus on stage.

I could barely focus on the play though.

I couldn't stop thinking about the possibilities of a baby.

In fact, thinking back ...

There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't think of a baby.

I just knew.

I took THE TEST on Monday evening after work.

With tears in my eyes, I showed it to Joe.

We're having a baby.

Have sweeter words ever been spoken?

Now ... we knew.

Cindo de Mayo was the confirmation at the doctor's office that my maternal instincts had been right.

Baby conceived Palm Sunday Weekend.

Going to be a good Catholic, right?

Baby Madzar had spent our first wedding anniversary with us.

How perfect.

Baby's first stage production, Amadeus.

Not so perfect. Very boring play actually.
But maybe Babe will be a great musician like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Bicycle built for three.

I graciously accept.

Will Baby have fair skin and baby blues like Mama or an olive complexion and green eyes like Papa?

Stretch, Yawn

2011-06-23T07:47:00.003-04:00

I feel like a big cat.
A lioness, if you will.
And I'm in this dark room.
All curled up in a ball. Sleeping. Preserving my energy.
A sort of survival mode.
All of a sudden, I feel a presence in the room.
I'm too tired to fully open my eyes but I can make out a figure walking by me in the darkness.
Suddenly, a light is FLIPPED on.
My eyelids slowly start to flutter, gradually letting the light stream in.
I stretch out my front legs. Nice long stretch.
My front paws spread apart as I reach, Reach, REACH as far as I can.
Then comes a long yawn. A big gasp of air is exactly what I need to wake up.

Turns out that bright light is connected to a long, flexible bend-y thing.
Think a very, expensive reading light.
It's attached to a doctor's bed. I am there on the bed. Human this time, not cat.
The light is shining down on me and is waking me up from my 10 week, 2 day slumber.
Then I notice Joe to my left leaning over me, totally crowding me.
I swear he doesn't realize that I'm there.
He's looking past me. At a monitor.
It's almost like he's cheering the screen on.
Big eyes. Mouth agape.
It looks like he's watching Croatia. Up for a penalty kick in the World Cup finals with a 1-1 tied score.
Then I look to my right and see the screen for myself.
This is way better than soccer.

A little flutter on the screen.
Ba-DOP. Ba-DOP. Ba-DOP.
And this teddy bear-like image going crazy.
Arms waving.
Legs flailing.
Turning this way. Turning that way. Somersault. Flip.
I'm thinking, 'This is why I've been so nauseous. This little bundle of energy has been spinning donuts inside of me. Kicking up dust. Partying like a rock star.'
I hear Joe make a comment about being a great triathlete.
Then I look at him and see him for the first time as a proud father.
We're watching his/my/our little lion cub for the first time.

Presenting Baby Madzar!

It's Like Family

2011-05-03T19:44:00.003-04:00

Note: Buckle down for another story about my favorite 3-year-old.

A little background before getting too far:

Many moons ago Robin, Ashley, and myself brainstormed the idea that we would ... from that moment on ... call ourselves TripleThreat. I won't go into too much detail as to not give too much of our craziness away but it was a term that laid near and dear to our hearts. We WERE TripleThreat in every sense of the word. We carried the name well. We had TripleThreat nights where we celebrated ... ourselves. Emails between us girls proudly displayed our TripleThreat name. We even emblazoned Forever 21 hooded cardigans with our very own TTT (TripleThreat slang) logo.

Fast forward 4+ years:

One night last week I was off to have tacos with my favorite Wilmington mother/daughter duo, Robin & Ella. Arriving at our destination and departing the car, Ella stretches her right hand out to meet mine and her left hand to hold her mother's. We were an instant train of three. Three as in triple.
Triple as in ... you guessed it.

I say out loud, 'Hey girl. This is like TripleThreat!'

Ella turns to me and with complete intentness says,
'No, Aunt Mel. This is like ... FAMILY.'

Touché, Ella Jean. Too true.

First Wedding Anniversary

2011-04-30T23:13:00.000-04:00

We made it!

ONE WHOLE YEAR.

Not that there was any doubt.

This past year has been amazing as husband and wife.

And on the tandem bike of life,

I'm lucky to be this guy's backseat driver.

In Pure Libra Fashion

2011-04-20T11:44:00.003-04:00

The Libra astrological sign is a scale.

Meaning they are well-balanced creatures.

They can see both sides of the scale very well.

They tend to be unbiased.

They see the good (and bad) in all.

A nice quality, right?

Not all the time.

Seeing the good in both sides tends to make them very indecisive.

They love vanilla, but chocolate is good too.

They love comedies, but thrillers are exciting too.

They love sunny weather, but rain is so calming too.

Joe fits this description all too well.

Since Joe & I aren't big television people we've opted for the basic cable package for a mere $10/month.

This limits our t.v. experience. We watch the shows most people skip over.

Last weekend was one such occasion.

Watching OWN's new show, Kidnapped by the Kids, the kid asks her mom,"What's your fave movie?"

Due to some severe thunderstorms outside and with nothing else to do, I decided to dive into the show.

Turning to Joe, I say, "What's YOUR fave movie?"

Joe, "Um, I can't pick one. I like a lot."

Me, "OK. Well what's ONE of your favorites?"

Joe, "I can't just name one."

Me frustrated, "OOOOKKKK. Let's start with something easier."

"What's your favorite color?"

Joe, "I guess I like blue ..."

Then ever so quietly, dramatically, and in pure Libra fashion I hear, "...or green."

well-balanced on his skis, here's our Libra now

Easter Eve

2011-04-18T15:53:00.000-04:00

Palm Sunday.

The beginning of Holy Week.

It's sort of like Easter Eve.

It gets the excitement of Easter festivities started.

With the sweet, humbling smells of fresh cut palm branches.

And a strong reminder of who/why/what we're here to do with this short life.

Joe & I were asked to present the gifts of communion to Father Bob during the service.

That was neat in itself. It was the first time since our wedding that we walked down the aisle together.

On the way back down, I whispered to Joe that I had to run to the restroom.

Once back, Joe says to me, 'Did you pick up a palm?'

'I didn't know I was supposed to.'

Joe, 'Yeah, I wanted to make one of the branches into a cross for Father Bob.'

Isn't he just the sweetest?!

FULL

2011-04-02T12:15:00.002-04:00

My father-in-law is full of many things.

LIFE.

ENERGY.

HIMSELF.

He is quite the character. Just like his neon yellow baggies (see below) he is loud and colorful. You can always count on him to be the life of the party. He loves to sit around a good meal with a glass of vino and tell a tale or two. Non-fictional or not, he'll always tell you it's completely true.

Joe was web-cruising the other day and lightheartedly said, "Look here. Look at these sheepskin seat covers for your car. Vlado used to have these in his BMW. Sweet, huh?!"

In complete agreement, I could totally picture him leaned back in his BMW red convertible with the top down and sheepskin fluff flapping in the breeze. It was so Vlado.

Then I read the description and knew without a shadow of a doubt that sheepskin seats were created by God with only Vlado in mind:

And in summer, when the sun is scorching your BMW's interior, these genuine sheepskins keep your seat cool so you can sit in total comfort wearing nothing but a swimsuit.

Do I Know You?

2011-04-01T17:57:00.000-04:00

I was the first car waiting at a stop light on my usual morning journey.

I double take a silver Honda Accord with a middle-aged woman as the driver. She had round glasses, curly black shoulder-length hair, and a certain posture I recognized. Suddenly I place her, IT WAS JEANIE.

'HEY!' I'm waving with a big smile. 'HEY JEANIE!' My heart is leaping. My jerky movements prove this.

Then I suddenly realize that Jeanie was the office secretary ... of my high school. And since I went to high school in Pennsylvania and I now live in North Carolina, unless Jeanie realized what a paradise southeast NC is I'm pretty sure that's not her. Then after a scowl, a nose-in-the-air gesture, and a not so southern-hospitality head turn I get from 'Jeanie' I know for sure that's not her.

Embarrassed, I remember again that this happens to me all the time. You?

I've called three different places home. Pennsylvania. North Carolina. And England. And all too often I completely misplace people I see. When I think I know a familiar face I ask myself, 'PA? NC? Or UK?' Sometimes it gets pretty tricky. Most of the time I end up feeling like a loser. A few times I've made some friends and shared a coffee.

It's crazy how different people all over the world can share similar appearances. It's even crazier that it's so hard for me to keep up with it all. I try to figure it all out but it's still a big mess in my head. I do believe what they say about you having a look-alike in this big world. It's a big cycle. "The circle of life", if you will. "And it moves us all".

And for sanity's sake, if someone's in the Warfordsburg, PA area will you swing by Southern Fulton High School and ask the school secretary if she's got a twin sister that lives down south?

embrace the camera: march 31st

2011-03-31T20:38:00.000-04:00

Now I know what you're thinking:

CHEATER.

Embrace the camera is supposed to be a picture that includes yourself, the author of the blog.

But I'm there. See me? The one on the left sporting the UNCW tee.

It might not be my best shot but an important one nonetheless.

Besides the fact that we're eating at the coffee table and our etiquette is out the window,

we're in the midst of our Croatian mealtime prayer.

It's one of my favorite moments of the day every day.

It's a time when I can say the most consecutive Croatian words in a row that I know that make sense.

It's a time when the television is off and all I can hear is my husband and I praying to God.

It's a time when I can smell the fresh meal we just cooked and I know I'm about to dig in.

It's a time to be thankful.

It's a time when I can sit really close to Joe and rub my thigh against his and wink at him ever so slyly.

For more thigh-rubbing and eye-winking, head over to The Anderson Crew.

Risotto Queen

2011-03-30T12:00:00.001-04:00

I didn't know if any of y'all knew but ... my alias is actually Melody.

Because my real God-intended name is Risotto Queen.

At least that's what I call myself as I'm stirring this arborio rice treat.

It takes skills, believe me. And time. And biceps.

It's constantly stirring ladles of warmed chicken broth into a pan of the rice mixture for up to an hour.

There's no 'just add 4 cups of water to 1 cup of rice' easy stuff.

It's much more labor-intensive than that. And I have mastered it.

The best feeling in the world is to say, 'I'm making risotto tonight.'

And to have my family (Joe) release a big, 'YES!'

It's nice knowing that one of my dishes is one of his favorites.

Nothing

2011-03-28T19:20:00.002-04:00

And today's Croatian Word of the Day: ništa

(nEE-shta)

Which perfectly describes our weekend last.

After realizing that last weekend was our FIRST weekend this year where we had no agenda we realized exactly what our agenda would be. A little something called ništa, otherwise known as nothing.

We did nothing and yet everything.

We laid on the couch.

We ate sherbert on the couch.

We ate breakfast on the couch.

We napped on the couch.

We read on the couch.

We surfed the web on the couch.

We ate lunch on the couch.

We watched movies on the couch.

We ate lunch while we watched movies on the couch.

We did get up Sunday morning to go to church.

Then it was right back home to resume our schedule.

It was bliss.

Heaven.

Whoever said nothing is impossible?

Nothing is DEFINITELY possible. Joe & I proved that this weekend.

Cherry Blossoms

2011-03-25T07:30:00.000-04:00

Growing up two hours from Washington D.C. was always a treat for me. The number of field trips I've been on to go explore our nation's capital were endless. I hit up every monument at least a dozen times going through elementary school. Then once I got to high school the trips were a little more intensive and focused. There was the Holocaust Memorial Museum with the German Club. And the Smithsonian for Chemistry. The Washington D.C. Zoo for Biology. And the White House for History. The list goes on and on.

Along for those dozens of D.C. trips was my mother. She was a steadfast. At the end of my thirteen years of pre-college education I think she could draw a tourist map of the area with her eyes closed and one hand tied behind her back. She was older and more mature than me and never took one museum or monument for granted. She was always busy trying to get me to appreciate this aspect of my childhood. I was busy thumbing through my notebook for a blank piece of paper to write my boyfriend (who didn't get to come on the trip) a letter of how much I had missed him that day and how these field trips to D.C. get SO OLD.

Even though I was usually busy crushing on some boy or making jokes with my friends, every trip was unique and exciting for me in its own way. However, there was always one that stood out more than the rest. It didn't involve an entrance fee or getting your hand stamped though. It was something more.

My mother's birthday falls at the end of March which coincidentally is when the cherry blossoms start to bloom on the National Mall where the Washington Monument lays down its shadow. One year while we still lived up north my mother decided that the only thing she wanted to do to celebrate was take the train into D.C. and lunch picnic-style beneath the cherry blossoms.

As a teenager I thought, "EASY ENOUGH FOR ME."

Little did I know it would be one of the most memorable trips to Washington I would ever make. The Mall was jam-packed with people as usual that day. Dogs bombarded us wanting to get a free pet on the back. Frisbees zoomed by barely missing us. There was kiteflying galore. You could hear the hot dog carts ringing their bells and the nonstop car traffic that is a city. There was noise everywhere. But even with all of the commotion going on around me I still remember it as one of the most peaceful moments of my life. It was just my mom and I enjoying each others company for hours. We were chatting and laughing, probably talking prom dresses or what my first car should be. There was no anxiety. All was right with the world it seemed. I can remember being in the moment and never wanting it to end. It's still a moment I wish I could relive over a thousand times more.

I may not remember how many bones the T-REX at the Smithsonian has or the exact quote the plague that sits below Lincoln says but I will never forget the smell of those cherry blossom trees that day and the sight of my mother resting beneath them.

embrace the camera: march 24th

2011-03-24T20:28:00.000-04:00

As Emily says, too often us bloggers are behind the lens ... rather than in front of it.

We're always trying to capture life's moments through our cameras and keep them safe in our blogs.

Embracing the camera is about putting ourselves first for a day.

And showing our own pearly whites in a picture for a change.

Here I am embracing the camera with my sweetie AND embracing my computer.

Do I get double points for that?!

See what else Emily is saying and doing over at The Anderson Crew.

Get Your Sunglasses Out

2011-03-23T10:37:00.001-04:00

The summer weather is upon us down South. It's time for the beach and all that comes with it.

Meeting Dana, Robin, and Miss Ella for lunch yesterday, Ella hopped out of the car exclaiming,

"AUNT MEL. I got NEW SUNGLASSES!"

And sure enough she did. New pink Jackie-O sunglasses adorned her face along with a priceless smile full of confidence and glee. Turns out spring fever effects everyone, even toddlers.

We picked a table outside (of course) to take in the beautiful 70 degree weather of the day. Robin started to explain that her and Ella had just been bathing suit shopping. They had picked out a stunning pink get-up to match Ella's new pink sunglasses. Ella was vigorously shaking her head yes in agreement with Robin. Her big blues so full of joy.

After lunch, back at work and working diligently (of course) I caught a glimpse of my Lifestream feeder. Robin had uploaded a new photo, worthy of being published in the next GAP Kids catalog, of Ella decked out in her new summer wear.

Three words: Ella. Is. Ready.

get it, girl.

Joseph

2011-03-21T22:08:00.001-04:00

Joseph.

Or as I like to call him, Josip. (in Croatian, pronounced Yo-sIp)

It was St. Joseph's Day on Saturday.  Meaning it was Joseph's Name Day in the Catholic World.

I've always thought that Joe's name fit him perfectly and his saint fit him even more perfectly.  

Here's why:

St. Joseph was the earthly father of Jesus so he must've been an awesome dad for God to pick him.

Joe is awesome with kids.

St. Joseph was one of the best known carpenters of all time and history and a very hard worker.

Have you seen my blog posts on Joe's handy work?!

All of the pictures of St. Joseph have him with a wicked good beard.

Joe loves his facial hair, too.

Did you ...?  I think I heard ...?  What's that ...?  Yes ... it's the beginning of a photo montage ...

Easter Eggs

2011-03-18T11:09:00.006-04:00

When Joe & I go away for a few days I tend to 'hide' our valuables amongst the house. A nice necklace goes underneath a random couch cushion. Our video camera gets stashed behind the third red book on the second shelf down from the top of our bookshelf. (Obviously these are fake items and fake places I've invented to get my point across. I would NEVER divulge my true hiding places. I'm not stupid.) We don't live in a bad neighborhood or anything. I've never been robbed in my life. It must come from some sort of internal survival instinct.

Either way before we leave the house Joe, making fun of me, always says, 'Did you get your Easter Eggs hidden?'

With a proud smile on my face, 'YEP!'

Sometimes I think it must be the fact that I was an only child most of my life. It was tough for me to share and I was always of the mindset, MINE NOT YOURS. If someone even eyed my things (favorite toy or not) savage mode instantly kicked in and I was a force to be reckoned with. I would actually hate to see if I walked into my house in the midst of a burglary. Picture the Incredible Hulk ripping his shirt off, fists poised, and a snarl across his face. That would definitely be me.

Last Friday when the tsunami dampened Japan, we were packing up for Bald Head Island. As I was hiding my Easter Eggs before we left the house I started to think about all of the objects in my hands and what worth they brought to me. Everything was of a financial worth. They were expensive. They were materialistic.

Why was I putting so much thought and purpose behind saving these 'worthy' things? Is that the worth that really counts though? Is the worth of my THINGS comparable to the worth of me?

I think not. Unfortunately too often I'm guilty of becoming consumed with all of these shiny objects I possess and I forget about what really matters. Our worth is not based on the money we make or the things we own. Our worth lies in the decisions we make. It is a direct result of the way we react to circumstances we're faced with.

As always is the case it usually takes the witnessing of a tragedy to refocus our priorities. The crisis in Japan should lay heavy on our hearts. These are our fellow man. We should pray, we should think, and we should do. We should love and spread compassion at the very least.

Our worth is not in the things we own ... it's what's in here (pointing to my heart).

embrace the camera: march 17

2011-03-17T20:26:00.000-04:00

It's the luck o' the Irish that I ended up with this Croatian stud.

I think?!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone.

Hope yours is as exciting as ours!

(YAWN.)

For more exciting, less yawn-filled posts hook up with The Anderson Crew.

Rearview Mirror

2011-03-16T14:56:00.001-04:00

Driving along today with the sunroof open, windows down, and Avett Brothers blasting I was feeling good. I started thinking about my blog and the latest comment my dear friend Shauna had posted with the slight hint suggesting Joe & I get to gettin' in the baby-making department.

Even without Shauna's nudge-nudge-wink-wink having a baby is on my mind more often than not these days. And thanks to one of my coworkers being pregnant I actually get to talk baby talk pretty often too.

Then I looked up into my rearview mirror and sort of pretended for a split second that I was looking for my baby in his car seat in the backseat. Cute blonde hair and big blue eyes like his mother. Perfectly bronzed skin like his father. The wind from the open windows was whipping through his hair and he was smiling at me through the mirror.

Then I got a little embarrassed. I was totally just looking for my make-believe baby.

Is that WEIRD?!

A Lovely Weekend

2011-03-14T21:39:00.000-04:00

It was another lovely weekend on Bald Head Island.

I've written many times about BHI, a remote destination that is uber peaceful and relaxing. One of my favorite perks of the island is that no cars are allowed; only golf carts. There are miles of empty beach. They have the cutest food market and quaint coffee shop. There's a lighthouse and a turtle conservatory and nature walks and ... ummm ... that's about it. No pressure to go do this and that; no pressure to catch this movie or make that restaurant reservation. Just peace and quiet.

As always we spent the weekend with the Wheless' out on the island. We would have it no other way. I was too busy doing nothing and totally missed taking any pictures. Luckily Aunt Caroline is more on top of her game than I. Here are some of my fave moments from this weekend.

embrace the camera: march 10th

2011-03-10T10:26:00.000-05:00

I've been following Emily's blog, The Anderson Crew, for several months now. You can find her blog button on my right-hand nav. She's fun. She's witty. She writes well. Oh, and she has super cool style.

Emily promotes embracing the camera every Thursday and encourages everyone to post a snapshot as well. This is my first go 'round and hopefully not my last.

Since today is my BFF's birthday it was only appropriate to post a picture of her and I at our finest. I'm pretty sure this is the most recent picture taken of us. Besides a little run-in at the Charlotte airport last December, we haven't seen each other since this fun-filled weekend in Charleston, SC in September 2010. Faye lives west coast and I'm an east coast-er so snapshots together are few and far between. But I think that makes them more unique and more special. Here's wishing FAYE a very happy birthday!!

Ash Wednesday

2011-03-09T17:26:00.002-05:00

To continue on from yesterday with our Catholic studies, today marks the beginning of Lent otherwise known as Ash Wednesday. Lent is a Catholic tradition dedicated to remembering Jesus' sacrifice for us wherein we honor Him by making our own sacrifice for 40 days (now through Easter). The 40 days represents the time Jesus spent in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry where he was tempted by Satan which should reflect the temptation we will face through our sacrifice during Lent.

(I'm totally being a Catholic show-off.)

Loads of people (even non-Catholics) make a little game out of Lent. Trying to give up something habitual for over a month can be pretty difficult. And it's always fun to keep track of the caffeine addict in the office who gave up coffee for Lent by clearing your throat every time you see their eyes wonder to the Starbucks across the street. It's like Survivor but with no immunity idol.

I have been thinking about my sacrifice for WEEKS. What should I give up for Lent? I thought of giving up television. I thought of giving up eating out at restaurants for lunch and/or dinner. I thought of doing without coffee, soda, etc. but nothing seemed extreme enough. I couldn't think of a single thing that was worthy of Lent. I became pretty frustrated with the idea and started asking around for suggestions. I still came up empty-handed.

Eventually time ran up and I had to pick something. Last weekend at the mountains I happened to drink like 5 sodas (way more than I would normally drink in a weekend) and decided that would be my sacrifice. It was a weak call but I had nothing else.

I went into today a little half-hearted. It was the beginning of Lent and I was giving up soda? Stupid. So as I was doing my usual blog browsing this morning I came across this:

And that's when it hit me. My sacrifice should be to give up WORRYING. Put the joking, happy-go-lucky part of me to the side and I am a TOTAL worry wart. In fact that's what my grandmother used to call me. She even gave me this shiny, blue pebble that I was supposed to hold in the palm of my hand whenever I worried and it was supposed to stop the anxiety. It never really worked but it was worth a shot. I can remember from a young age getting constant butterflies in my stomach because I was worried about a test that day or the game that night. Nowadays the subjects of stress are a little more serious like mortgage payments and starting a family. It's the same butterflies though.

When I saw this little note a light bulb went off in my head. And when that happens I get super excited because it's like striking gold. I'm a big believer in doing what feels right. So I decided to give up soda AND worrying this Lent. But then I got to thinking ...

How does one give up worrying?

It's just an inanimate object. Giving up worrying is so NOT black and white. It's all in between the lines. How do you give up an emotion? It's not like giving up coffee. That's easy ... don't drink it. Can I give up worrying? Can I make myself not worry? Can I keep up with that?

Then I realized I was totally worrying about not being able to give up worrying.

Hilarious. Maybe I should give up irony for Lent?

Fat Tuesday

2011-03-08T22:06:00.001-05:00

Today is Fat Tuesday, the last HURRAH before Lent begins tomorrow. And because I'm a newly confirmed Catholic and constantly trying to sharpen my Catholic SkillZ, I wanted to celebrate in style.

And by style I mean jambalaya, an amazing concoction of chicken, shrimp, and sausages melded together with hot sauce, red pepper, cumin, and loads of other spices to give you that extra KICK into Ash Wednesday. I totally went New Orleans-style for dinner minus the loud music, beads, and parades.

Side note, please note the white cloud of sticky rice heaven piled high in the middle of the dish. This is my new obsession. It's sushi rice and is super plump and sticky and delicious. I discovered it last week when I decided to have Asian Supper Week at home. Believe it or not, I actually have Chinese relatives who introduced me to many Asian dishes when I was growing up. Last week I decided to tap back into those childhood memories and explore Asian cuisine again and that's when I discovered sushi rice in all it's stickiness glory. Please try it. It's amazing.

So yeah, now that my sporadic thoughts have covered Catholic traditions, sticky rice, and my married-into Asian heritage I think I'll quit while I'm ahead. At least I like to think I'm ahead. Tune in tomorrow when my train of thought carries us through the joys of carpet cleaning and leads to how I feel about buying brown eggs versus white eggs. (That was a joke.)

She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain

2011-03-07T16:15:00.000-05:00

This weekend Joe &I found ourselves driving west to the mountains of North Carolina. Well ... technically ... it was Virginia ... but who's keeping score?

I have a friend who dates this guy whose family has a vacation home high in the hills where we stayed for the weekend. (Who do I send the thank-you note to?) It is definitely what you would call 'in the sticks.' Once off the main highway you drive through a quaint little town until you reach the Jottem-Down Store on the left. I have no idea what 'Jottem-Down' means. All I know is what I read on the sign. Once you make that left there's many hills and turns. Over the river and through the woods ... make a right at the 'BIG COW' onto Marion Road which I wouldn't really clarify as a road. It's more of a two mile dirt path that leads right to the gate that leads to the yard of our mountain getaway where I only had one bar of cell phone service which I loved. No pressure, no problems.

Saturday we woke up at 10am. Not my typical routine but hours of S'mores and wine the night before led to a late start the next day. Even though there was a light drizzle we geared up to do a little hiking. We roamed the land taking in the sights, sounds, and smells that the forest had to offer. We wandered down to this creek and endlessly threw a stick into the water for Sampson, the dog. That boy loves to retrieve.

Then ... HARK! What do I spy? An amazing 2 story log cabin built right into the side of the mountain overlooking the creek. In the middle of nowhere. And what do we have here ... the cutest old man out on the porch chopping wood with a saw. After further investigation and a very hospitable invite inside, we learned that this entire house had been built by this old man with the help of his even cuter wife. The entire foundation of the house was built on river rock from the very creek Sampson was just frolicking in. They had gone into this river and picked each stone out one by one and laid them side by side. There were HUNDREDS.

All of the wooden shingles on the outside of the house were hand constructed by the old man. Everything inside too. The cabinets, the walls, THE BEDS ... all made out of wood and by his own hands. It was so amazing. So impressive. The quilt they slept with at night was sewn by the wife. Their clay pot mixing bowls ... spun by the wife on her pottery wheel. It was something out of a storybook. I wanted to knock on the door and ask for some porridge until I remembered how that story ends. Anyway ... they had put so much time into this home. Years. So much labor. So much sweat. So much HEART.

Looking around I was speechless yet couldn't stop blubbering like a fool to this old couple. I knew they had a secret to life that I had to find out about. For a girl that can barely find the breath, energy, or time to make my own bed in the morning let alone build my own house, this place was nothing short of a miracle. I felt like I was in a dream and needed some sort of evidence to prove to myself that I had really been there and seen it and touched it. All I could think was, 'I want to take a picture.' And I probably would have taken a picture if I hadn't forgotten my camera. But truthfully I almost enjoyed leaving this piece of heaven how I had found it. No interruption by the outside world. I wanted to leave it a secret. Except now I'm totally blabbing about it on here ... whoops. But I couldn't explain to you how to get there anyway. Unless you're familiar with the whereabouts of the Jottem-Down Store and the BIG COW.

Pendant Lights

2011-03-04T09:51:00.001-05:00

My friend, Dana and I have this joke. It goes like this.

'Look at these great new pillows I just got. (pause) Oh my goodness, now the rug doesn't match.'

($100 later)

'Look at this great new rug I got to match the pillows. (pause) You know what would go great in here, a new ceiling fan to accent the brown colors in the new pillows and rug.'

($250 later)

'Look at this gorgeous fan I got for a steal at Home Depot. It really brings out the brown in the new pillows and rug I got. (pause) Wait, wouldn't tearing down this wall bring in so much more light to really accent the brown in the pillows and the rug and the fan?!!'

You get the idea. One thing leads to another which leads to another which leads to another. Long story short, a domesticated housewife's decorating responsibilities never let up. We must keep on keepin' on. It's a tough job but somebody's got to do it ... and somebody else has to pay the Pier One bill. (wink)

So at our house we have this amazingly big counter top in our kitchen. It's great for rolling out pies, making fresh pasta, and just about anything else you want to do that requires a lot of space. (Sometimes I pretend I'm on Top Chef Finals and only have 35 minutes to make the best meal of my life in hopes of winning that free trip to Croatia and $30,000.) You get the idea, it's a nice space. For some time I had been wanting to get bar stools for the area. Why only limit the counter to cooking? Let's expand our horizons and eat at the counter, use our laptop at the counter, use the counter as a landing pad for our remote control helicopter (don't ask ... that's a whole 'nother post). Anyway, that's when I found these cheap white saddle stools that fit perfectly in our little space.

(This is where Dana & I's joke comes in.)

Looking at our great additions I thought to myself, 'These new stools look great. (pause) You know what else would go great in here ... PENDANT LIGHTS!'

And that brings us to Valentine's Day 2011. Knowing my domesticated housewife decorating wheels were in fifth gear, Joe stepped up and took the reigns on installation and gave me pendant lights as a Valentine's gift. All I had to do was pick out the light shades and get him a very nice North Face jacket in return. Everyone wins.

Look at how well the new stools and pendant lights really add to the space. (pause) You know what else would look good in there ... ?!

Cars

2011-03-03T17:30:00.003-05:00

I've had 4 cars in my life.

First there was NEON DEON. She was a red 1996 Doge Neon with grey bumpers, good for knocking those pesky roadkill out of the way on the old country roads I grew up on. She was lightning fast compared to the 1982 Monte Carlo I got hauled around in before I turned 16. She was my first love.

Then came Jetta Cheese. A 2001 mean green Volkswagen Jetta machine that moved me and all my belongings from PA to NC, one of the biggest moves in my life. She was steadfast carrying me and my 15 friends to and from the beach every day. She was sold right before my move to England.

Next was Rhonda the Honda. I was a few weeks from coming home from abroad and I told my dad to pick something out for me. My only two requests: 4-door and NO SPOILER. So my dad gets a white 2-door 1999 Honda Accord with a super-sporty spoiler. Go figure.

Rhonda lasted several years before she left me stranded in a very busy intersection in Wilmington one morning on the way to work. I vowed never to drive her again. She had let me down.

Enter BIM. She's my new ride as of a year ago. She's a black 2003 BMW X5 and I love her style, class, and energy. She's energetic like me. She's hip like me. And she's far from humble ... just like me. We fit well together.

Thinking about the 4 loves of my car world today I realized that Bim is by far the HARDEST one to keep clean. Her black on black butter exterior shows every bit of dust, pollen, dirt, etc. I'll clean her to pretty and bright and within a day or two she's a complete eyesore. And if you know me, I like things clean.

(Hang in there. I have a point to all of this, I swear.)

So thinking about dirt and cars today on my way back to work from lunch I got to thinking about Pappy Dearest. He's the sweetest man that loves himself a clean car.

Growing up, every Sunday after church he would BLAST gospel tunes on the garage radio and clean all the cars. Nanny's car. His work truck. The van. My car. He took such pride in his work. It must be where I got it from. And still to this day when I make my 8 hour trek home to visit PA, the first morning I wake up in my old bed and look over at my old alarm clock I always know that the second I take back those lace curtains and peer out to the backyard there will be my Pappy cleaning my car. And he'll look up and smile. And I'll turn, looking for my sandals, and make my way outside to be with him.

48 Years of Bliss

2011-02-23T19:54:00.002-05:00

You know Nanny & Pappy.

Hopeless romantics.

Eternal lovebirds.

Today marked their 48th Wedding Anniversary.

APPLAUSE!!!!

I made my celebratory phone call to the happy couple as I nestled into my Pottery Barn throw and asked again for them to tell me all about the day they got married. It always starts with, 'You remember where the old block factory used to be in town on Pennsylvania Avenue?' And ends with, 'Now we didn't have any big party afterwards ... unless you count the hotel!' Insert chuckle from Nanny here.

APPPLAUSE AGAIN!!!!

They just melt my heart.

A Day In The Park

2011-02-22T07:27:00.000-05:00

To further celebrate this sunny weather good fortune,

I spent a day in the park with my favorite Snuggle.

And my favorite Snuggle mom.

Spring Is Springin'

2011-02-20T10:03:00.000-05:00

The entire town of Wilmington was all a' buzz last week. Everyone knew our first 70 degree Saturday was coming. People were making last minute party plans for their backyard. Getting their boats gassed up. Flip-flops out. All to-do lists were put away in honor of such an amazing occasion.

Joe & I already knew our plans. Drive out on Carolina Beach, Sandpiper Subs in hand, and enjoy a nice ocean-side lunch together. With excited hearts pounding, we watched as some dolphins played in the surf nose-diving for the little fishes that live there enjoying their own sort of lunch. A local horse farm brought out their young riders and we watched as they trotted along the water's edge. Lots of people were grilling out. Walking their dogs. Playing frisbee and touch football.

I, Miss Pasty White, got my first sunburn of the year. It only takes a minute, Dr. Tanner would say. Eh, it's worth it.

C is for Charlotte ... and Christening

2011-02-02T18:11:00.000-05:00

If you've been keeping up with the Top 10 of 2010 you'll know that we have a new little baby niece, Charlotte. Having been born last September, we've patiently been waiting 4 long months to meet her and snuggle her and whisper sweet nothings to her. Finally our time to shine as Aunt Mel & Uncle Joe had arrived and it was perfect. She was perfect. Her nose. Her lips. Her eyes. Her amazing gentle spirit.

We flew up to NH last weekend to meet her and witness her christening. We felt so blessed to have been part of such an important occasion. And are eagerly looking forward to our next visit with this SWEETNESS.

Joe & Mel's Top 10 for 2010

2011-01-25T10:53:00.000-05:00

#1 - Presenting Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Madzar

Yes. I'm sure you guessed it. The #1 highlight for 2010 was our marriage to one another. The fact that we found each other is perfect enough. But then being able to celebrate it in style thanks to our parents was whip cream on our ice cream. And then having the most amazing family and friends along for the ride was the cherry on top. We are blessed in every sense of the word.

And now for a photomontage...

Joe & Mel's Top 10 for 2010

2011-01-20T07:13:00.001-05:00

#2 - Confirmed Catholics

Joe was born and raised Catholic but fell short and never got the confirmation under his belt. I was raised non-Denominational and was constantly exploring Christian religions on my own. I never quite settled down until ... Joe & I started investigating our local Catholic church. Father Bob, Sister Isaac, & Loretta embraced us with open arms and we instantly felt at home. It couldn't have worked out more perfectly even if we had planned it. Personally, we think it was Joe's godmother pulling some Catholic strings Upstairs. Either way, Joe remembered what he had been missing for so many years and I fell in love with this new & exciting, super-spirited, timeless faith.

Joe & Mel's Top 10 for 2010

2011-01-18T16:45:00.000-05:00

#3 - Charlotte

Joe's sister and brother-in-law brought a brand-new baby into the family last September. A true miracle.

Joe & Mel's Top 10 for 2010

2011-01-17T14:07:00.000-05:00

#4 - All you need is LOVE.

Fabulously enough love seems to be contagious around these parts. Firstly it was Josh & Jen getting engaged which we were beyond THRILLED about. They are some of our greatest friends and we feel so fortunate to be spending these amazing days ahead with them.

Then come December our great friends Ashley (bridesmaid) and Dave (gift bearer) signed themselves up to get hitched as well!

Joe & Mel's Top 10 for 2010

2011-01-14T10:37:00.000-05:00

#5 - Let's get physical ... physical.

It wouldn't be a true JOE & MEL'S TOP 10 without some mention of an endurance race/triathlon/mind-body alteration. I am proud to say that this year I decided to put a little love behind my races in the hopes of showing my support to someone I admire. The year started out with a 5K Breast Cancer Walk with my Nana who is a survivor. To walk side-by-side with her was a moment I will never forget. Then later on in the year Robin, Dana, and myself teamed up to do a relay triathlon where we ended up placing. The medal wasn't worth near as much as the time I spent together with my girls.

Joe & Mel's Top 10 for 2010

2011-01-13T11:27:00.000-05:00

#6 - A New York State of Mind.

I'm sure you've heard me talk about Hector & Andrea quite a few times on here. Hector & Joe served in the Marines together and since then have remained extremely close friends. Luckily enough for me too, I love Hec's wife Andrea and treasure all time we get to spend together. We've visited Hec & Andrea a few times in the past but it's usually as a detour from some other reason we're in the area. This past year I had had enough of that 24/hour-visit business and decided we were going up to spend a full Labor Day Weekend with the Delgado's. It was a real treat and definitely worth the airline miles used.

Joe & Mels Top 10 for 2010

2011-01-11T21:32:00.000-05:00

#7 - Bald Head Island

Joe & I were fortunate enough to spend a weekend at Bald Head Island with Aunt Caroline, Uncle Kenny, and our two favorite 9-year-olds this past year. It was a time full of beach adventures, marsh explorations, birthday celebrations, and laughs. To spend time with our perfect family in such a perfect place was unforgettable.

Joe & Mel's Top 10 for 2010

2011-01-10T18:08:00.000-05:00

#8 - Live Free or Die.

New Hampshire's great state motto. And anytime we visit there it is FO' SHO' 'bout to make TOP 10. Hey now.

Once again in August, the gang made our way up to Wolfeboro for the Timberman Half Ironman. Three things made this trip WAY better this year.

First, we flew up. No 14 hour car drives for this girl anymore.

Second, Joe stayed fully hydrated during the race and didn't have to go to the medical tent and have two IV's pumped into him afterward. High fives all around.

Third, this go-around included a whole round of new folks to the party. Top of the list was Joe's sister, brother-in-law, doggie, and Ms. Charlotte (still in Nikki's belly at the time but nonetheless still there).

Joe & Mels Top 10 for 2010

2011-01-09T13:04:00.001-05:00

#9 - Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things.

In my opinion, I have THEE best girlfriends in the world. Their love for me is limitless. And what's best yet, they show me their love all the time. It's multitudinous. In this post are just a few fun moments out of the million little things from this past year of my girls in full swing.

First up, Ella Jean with self-written, self-produced, self-directed, self-sung song dedicated to Aunt Mel.

Next up, Faye was all and more of a BFF in 2010. She'll be mentioned in 'Joe & Mel's Top 10 for 2010 - #1' for sure! But for now, a special shout out to her for our amazing girls' weekend in Charleston, SC this past year! We're like an old married couple and it was our 10 year anniversary and about dang time she take me out somewhere nice. (wink) She did and treated me like a queen the entire time. Love you, girl.

And last but certainly not least, let us not forget the amazing 28th birthday ice cream surprise party Dana threw for me! I don't think you could pay friends to be this nice to you. And knowing they all have welcomed Joe into theirs arms as well and consider him a best friend too is that much sweeter. I am a very lucky girl.

Joe & Mels Top 10 for 2010

2011-01-08T11:14:00.000-05:00

Last year, Joe & Mel's Top 10 got some rave reviews.

So much so that I knew I must bring it back again this year.

Enjoy.

#10 - Happy wife, happy life.

Joe has become quite the amazing husband, always making my dreams come true. But did any of us really doubt that?! I keep throwing up perfect domesticated pitches and he just keeps hitting them out of the ballpark. Case in point, just take a look at our dining room & kitchen areas. Joe spent a lot of time and elbow grease this past year finishing our new hutch that perfectly displays all of his godmother's china. And in the same year put up stunning white subway tiles as our new kitchen back-splash.

Some one give this guy a pat on the back.

JOAN

2011-01-07T18:01:00.000-05:00

Joan was Joe's godmother. She was Brooklyn-raised and in her adulthood became a nun and devoted herself to the Catholic church. After a heartbreaking good-bye from her religious calling she moved back to Brooklyn to care for her ill mother. Her final days were spent in the place she had started and she loved that.

She was an amazing person with a vibrant spirit, immaculate soul, and the most unique slapstick Irish humor. She calmed your soul when she talked to you. And she put your mind at ease when she looked at you. Devastatingly, she passed away years ago but still holds a stronghold in our daily thoughts and lives. Joan was, in her entirety, the most pure soul I've ever met. Think Mary Poppins but way cooler. And words are not enough to tell the story.

I had the privilege of having many phone conversations with Joan during the first few years of Joe & I's relationship. I even got to meet her in person one time on a weekend trip to New York. Joe was lucky enough to have this woman in his life from the very start. She loved Joe and showed him every chance she got.

Joe has many great stories about Joan that he loves to tell. There's one where she travels from New York City to Jacksonville, NC (where he was stationed in the military) with a cake on her lap the entire way to help him celebrate his most recent birthday. Another one ... Joan, at the ripe old age of 73, gets certified to scuba dive just so she can go with Joe on a dive in the Bahamas. But I think Joe's favorite story is the time when Joan took him into an Irish pub and ordered him a Guinness from the bar ... and he was only 16. Joe's first beer in a bar all thanks to Joan.

This past Wednesday was Joan's birthday and a perfect time to celebrate this amazing woman's life. Shepard's pie, a classic Irish dish, was on the menu. And to wash it down, a Guinness of course.

In honor and in memory of Teta Joan.

Come on in, 2011.

2011-01-06T18:43:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year! Or as the Croatians say, Sretna Nova Godina!

We said goodbye to 2010 and hello to 2011 in the arms of our favorite Durham couple, Josh & Jen.

With an amazing night spent in honor of a new beginning, it's tradition to make a new year's resolution. And since I love tradition, I'm always game for inventing something new that will hopefully better myself. And hopefully last past the month of January.

So my resolution for 2011 is (drum roll, please!) to become more COMPASSIONATE. I don't know if you're thinking I sound really deep right now or too vague but hear me out. I hate to admit it but I find myself doubting how much people hurt. I'm usually skeptical and sometimes standoff-ish and prefer to look the other way if I think someone is faking their emotional pain or playing their own sympathy violin just for attention. And this year, I want to stop all that. If someone is hurting, I want to be there for them. Wrap them in my arms. Hold them tight. I want to be their friend. I want to give unconditionally and gullibly, if necessary. Break down the wall and let the river come flooding in.

And well Joe ... I think his resolution was to drink more Guinness. You win some, you lose some.

Cheers to a new year, 2011!

Christmas Catch-Up

2011-01-04T19:50:00.000-05:00

Now that Joe & I are married but with no children, we're in the infamous "My Family This Christmas, Your Family Next Christmas" tumble dry low setting. You get tossed around a bit but it's fun. People tell us what to do and we do it. A lot less choices to make which is fine by us.

So this year was "my" turn. And since I come from the typical modern-day tattered family, I have many different "homes". I can pretty much go anywhere between the states of Pennsylvania & Florida and be welcomed somewhere.

Last year was "Joe's" Christmas and was spent in snowy, winter wonderland New Hampshire. It was marvelous and sparked my first idea for this year's Christmas vacation ... let's do something completely opposite and head to hot tubbin', good time Florida. Where the umbrella drinks are free-flowing and the Gulf of Mexico is like a big bathtub.

Actually. Who am I kidding? I didn't make this decision at all. I think the convo went something like this:

MAMA D: Everyone's coming here for Christmas. So are you. Here's your plane tickets.

ME: Sounds good. See you then.

Long story short. Naples, Florida is where we found ourselves for Christmas 2010. Bathing suits in hand.

Christmas this year was, simply put, magical. And not just because we were within driving distance to Disney World, the most magical place on earth. It was because this was the first Christmas for us in ages that was spent with children. Having Cooper, Helena, & Dean Patrick there brought a whole new perspective to Christmas. I had forgotten all about milk and cookies for Santa. And the undying, restless excitement on Christmas Eve. Racing down the stairs Christmas morning in only your pajamas and red/white Santa hat. Ripping open millions of toys and just being relieved that luckily it turned out you remained on the 'Nice List' despite some bad decisions you had made at school ... church ... home ... Christmas Eve the night before. (Santa is a very forgiving soul.)

It was just so much fun. Pure fun. Magical fun. Disney World x10 fun.

What (I think) the Weekend Has In Store for Us

2010-12-10T07:48:00.000-05:00

(Joe & I's First New Year's together, circa 2005)

This time of year I'm always super excited. Super excited to celebrate Christmas, super excited to sing those tearjerker church Christmas songs where you turn down all of the lights and hold candles, super excited to get everyone's Christmas cards in the mail, etc. You know where I'm going with this. It's an amazingly uplifting time of year.

So I guess that inspired me to do a blog post and since I haven't talked to y'all in a while, I figured I would combine my weekend To-Do list with this post and make us all happy.

A list of what (I think) the weekend has in store for us:

1. Last minute Christmas shopping along with wrapping of all gifts that need to be shipped up NORTH this year. Sending out the Christmas cards as well.

2. Joe will be watching Mr. McKinley Saturday morning while his mom/our friend, Lisa does some light Christmas shopping. Please send Joe some good vibes. I think this will be good practice. I'll be at work pulling my usual 6 hour day ... this time of year is always hectic for us retail jewelers.

3. A little drive to Virginia Saturday night. A little drive back from Virginia Sunday. Can't tell you why just yet. It's a secret. All in due time though. I'm just glad there's tv sets in our headrests. I plan on catching up on my Mad Men episodes.

Not Celebrating Halloween

2010-11-02T10:32:00.000-04:00

Due to our recent exchanging of vows, my planning skills were tried from May 22, 2009 to the very end of the day on April 30, 2010. That's almost a solid year of matching colors, creatively collaborating, and so much more.

Herein lied the problem this Halloween season.

Because I had maxed out my innovative efforts earlier in the year, I had no desire (zero, zip, zilch) to celebrate/decorate/say-BOO come the last weekend in October. It was time to get away.

My solution = CAMPING. It's a great time for me to relax, catch up with friends, and give my mind a break. Bonus is Joe is completely satisfied fishing, building campfires, and hanging out with the boys. This year, we really had a much better time celebrating where we live with an overnight adventure on a deserted island versus some haunted hay ride.

Mel's 28th Birthday, Part 2 - Ice Cream Party

2010-10-24T16:23:00.001-04:00

In the Summer of 2000, I was preparing for my grandiose move to the state of North Carolina to begin my new life as a college student at UNCW. Bags were packed. Class schedule was set. And Galloway Dormitory would be my new home away from home. I still remember it like it was yesterday.

I had received a welcoming letter in the mail from my new college that included the name and phone number of my new roommate. Boy, was I exited! Being an only child for 17 years had gotten a little lonely.

I grabbed the portable phone out of the kitchen, made my way to the back porch, and dialed the number. That first conversation with Dana was so easy and familiar. I know you hear the expression all the time but it honestly felt like we had been friends for years. We talked and talked ... and talked for hours. We had obviously been friends for many lifetimes before and were simply just picking up where we had left off.

And I'm so thankful our conversation is still going strong ten years later. Joe can attest to the countless number of phone conversations that begin to end until ... 'Oh, I forgot to tell you one more thing...' Those 'one more things' can sometimes last a very long time.

For my 28th, it was no surprise to me that Dana would go out of her way to make me feel as special as she could on my birthday. Mission accomplished, girl. She threw me a very elaborate, very amazing ice cream birthday party (girls only!). All of us girls laughed and talked. Ate ice cream. Reminisced and talked. And ate more ice cream. I had the most fabulous time. More importantly I have the most fabulous friend in Dana.

(special shout out to Jen for the awesome bday gift ... killer cowboy boots!)

Mel's 28th Birthday, Part 1 - Bald Head Island

2010-10-22T10:00:00.000-04:00

Before I get started ... yes, there is a Part 1 to my birthday. Because there is a Part 2. And that's how I roll.

Let's Begin.

Bald Head Island is an island of magic. It is completely removed from your everyday nonsense and has made itself an exclusive club off the coast of NC. The only way to get to the island is to be invited by a resident of the island. I even think there's a secret handshake, password, and decoder ring in there somewhere. The only way on and off the island is through an exclusive Bald Head ferry ... or if you happen to own your own yacht. There are no cars on the island; there are only golf carts. Some of which probably cost more than my car. It is quiet. Relaxed. Reserved. Southern hospitality oozes from it's pores. And my family is lucky enough to have an aunt and uncle who have a vacation home in this lap of luxury.

I was fortunate enough to celebrate my 18th on BHI with loads of friends and family. Now ten years later I thought it was time for another go-around. And that's where Joe & I found ourselves last weekend for my birthday. And as if that wasn't fabulous enough, fate aligned the stars once more and placed our godchildren's Fall Break on the same weekend. And I always say, the more the merrier.

Undisclosed location where we boarded the BHI ferry and began my birthday weekend.

The Wheless' met us at the door as the golf cart tram dropped us off. They were ready for adventure. Dean Patrick swiped Joe's headlamp and we were off to visit the nighttime beach-scape.

Helena's star wand was one of those cool light-up things ... where you snap them and they begin to glow. Then you store them in the freezer so they keep longer. Talk about bringing the 80's back!

Girl Talk.

Saturday morning (nice flannel, Chancho) Joe was up and at 'em. A bike ride is always the perfect way to start a day.

The boys piled in the back of the golf cart. First stop, the market for some shopping!

Next stop, the remains of the original lighthouse on BHI. We spotted a red fox here. There is tons of nature on BHI. Helena & I even caught sight of some deer.

Turtle Conservatory. BHI is home to loads of Loggerhead turtle nests. In fact, the weekend we were there was a huge release.

Joe brought his take-along hammock. He was the perfect picture of a happy camper.

This was our ride.

This was the birthday palace.

Of course, we got in some sunny beach time.

Uncle Kenny conquering his new hobby. He found $1.80 in change. Just sayin'...

Joe took this $1.99 Tazmanian kite to new heights literally. 250 feet in the air. If you don't think it can be done, Joe will do it and make it look good. That's my boy.

Couldn't this be on the brochure for BHI ... or Broadway. We'll take either one.

Get it, girl.

Beautiful Monarch butterflies were at every corner.

This was the Yellow-bellied slider turtle lookout.

... and this is what popped out of the water! I almost died. See you later alligator; after while crocodile.

BHI Chapel. Possible location of our children's weddings?!

Old Baldy ... the new and improved lighthouse on BHI.

Time to celebrate! (The crew of Twilight was even with us.)

Had to throw this one in there. We went on a nature walk Sunday morning. I caught this shot of Joe looking like a flippin' J.Crew model. What a stud.

Happy Birthday, Joe

2010-09-29T13:52:00.000-04:00

Dana (my great friend) dates Brad, fishing/hunting connoisseur. Joe loves Brad to say the least. And because of Brad, Joe has recently become enamored with spear fishing. He goes into magazine shops looking for spear fishing magazines. He checks by the local dive shop looking at fins. He's always trying his old snorkel mask on at home.

So for his birthday I decided to feed the beast. I enlisted Brad & Dana as my helpers and bought Joe his first pole spear. There was really no hiding this 7 foot long humung-o thing so as soon as I picked it up Sunday night I took it right home and gave it to him. I don't think he let go of it the rest of the night.

2010-09-23T12:34:00.000-04:00

Faye (BFF) is on her way right here right now. YAY! We haven't seen each other since the wedding in April. And we miss each other severely. And we express that in our 25 emails back/forth everyday.

Let GIRLS WEEKEND 2010 begin!

Billy & Cortney Tie the Knot

2010-09-22T21:16:00.001-04:00

We had the privilege and pleasure of sharing in Billy & Cortney's wedding day last weekend! And what a beautiful day it was. A perfect 70-some degrees outside at Fort Fischer nestled right in between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean. Simply gorgeous. Billy & Cortney were old neighbors who turned into great friends. Billy & Joe do lots of fun ocean hobbies together and Cortney & I actually work together. All of our lives are very happily and very luckily intertwined. Congrats you two lovebirds!

weekend updates

2010-09-12T22:03:00.002-04:00

Even though the 70 degree days last well into November around here, it still feels like the end of summer once you hit Labor Day Weekend. And the end of summer always wakes me up,kicks my butt into gear and helps me get a bunch of last minute fun-ness in before the cold weather bears down.

So with enough airline miles in pocket to cash in for 2 free round-trip tickets to New York, we were well on our way to spend Labor Day Weekend with Hector & Andrea. When I saw their decked-out backyard complete with a pool, grill, and more lounges than the local hotel I instantly reverted back to our honeymoon in St. Lucia. And I once again became a pool hog. We had breakfast by the pool. We laid by the pool. We had lunch by the pool. We roasted s'mores by the pool. If possible, I would've slept by the pool. It was the perfect relaxing weekend to a perfect relaxing summer...

UNTIL

(dun. dun. duuuuun.) (scary movie music)

It was time to shape up or ship out. Robin, Dana, and I decided to do a relay triathlon. Dana swimming. Me biking. And Robin finishing us off as the runner. We called ourselves the HUSTLIN' HONEYS. And believe it or not, we placed 3rd out of the relay teams! That's much more than I ever did by myself. I'm so proud of us.

But with all the hoopla going on around us, we didn't forget to stop and Remember 9/11. This is where I do a special shout out to my husband. Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Hvala, Josip.

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world.

But, the Marines don't have that problem."

Ronald Reagan

goodbye earl

2010-09-03T10:53:00.000-04:00

We saw Earl across the room. He flirted. We nodded. He asked us out. We got all dressed up. And then he was a no-show. Not a drop of rain. Not a gust of wind. It was calm and breezy all night long. I kept jumping up and looking out the window to see if anything was a' brewing. Nada. Nischta. Nothing.

So goodbye Earl.

earl

2010-09-02T09:15:00.002-04:00

So there's a hurricane headed toward us in the month of September? What's new? I'll tell you what's new ... this beast is a Category 4. Winds blowing at 131-155 mph with storm surges generally 13-18 ft above normal. That's what we call a BIG 'EN. Luckily Earl's eye isn't anywhere near us and we're only getting hit by the most outer band of this thing. Which means we're only getting effects that are tropical storm strong. We'll still be bringing in the porch chairs and sitting in the innermost part of the house away from windows. But it could be worse.

Right now we're experiencing the calm before the storm. The air seems still and calm. Birds stop chirping. A sudden temperature change. An eery quietness. And then BOOM!

That boom will happen at about 11pm tonight. Just in time for it to be completely dark outside so you can't see the flying limbs coming at you. Perfect timing.

moving on up

2010-08-31T23:48:00.005-04:00

Today is Ella Jean's 1rst Day of Preschool!

I mean, can you even believe it? I feel like it was just yesterday when I was posting pictures of her happy as a clam sitting on my lap with a bow clipped to 7 strands of hair on the top of her head. And now she's off to school. And lookin' good while she goes ... note the red nails. Hey girl.

knobs

2010-08-30T23:59:00.004-04:00

I have LOADS of home improvement ideas. Well I have loads of ideas ... period. But with the home improvement ones there's a certain degree of help I need from Joe. Like 99.9%. So I'm always waiting and scheming and buttering Joe up to get my way.

But the Lord was on my side yesterday. He just placed it right there in our laps ... no butter required. Joe sent me a picture text yesterday of a box full of silver door knobs that someone was about to throw in the garbage. AAAAHHH (angels singing) (lights shining down from the heavens). Silver door knobs to replace our yucky gold ones ... a project I've had in mind since we bought the house four plus years ago.

a little slice of heaven

2010-08-30T11:37:00.002-04:00

if you don't know, now you know

peach ice cream. chunks of peaches. chunks of pie crust.

getcha some

New Hampsha'

2010-08-29T08:26:00.015-04:00

For the second year in a row Joe & Josh participated in Timberman, a half Ironman located on Lake Winnipesaukee where Joe grew from a boy to a man and where his dad still lives today. Besides the race we usually try to make a weekend of it and enjoy ourselves a little in New Hampshire, the Granite State (a new valuable fact I picked up on this visit).

Many of us were veterans and had done this weekend retreat before. Vlado (of course), Joe, myself, Jen, Josh, Craig, and Puff (the cat). We knew what was in store. Great food, great conversations, stick tricks, loads of laughing, nice cool temperatures, more great food, the beautiful lake, the amazing town of Wolfeboro and its people that never change and why I like it so much, reminiscing of last year, and more great food.Joe did the race three minutes faster than last year. Go Joe! Go Joe! Go Joe!You thought the half Ironman was hard?! Try some of Vlado's stunts.
NOW let the games REALLY begin!We did have some greenies this weekend. Some fresh meat. Some newbies if you will. Count Joel, Stephanie, Sami, and the Bless Family ... Eliot, Nicole (Joe's sister), Baby Bless (due in September!), and Cody (the dog).And last but certainly not least we had some fall-outs. Some superstars that heartbreak-ingly were traded to another team. Stric (Uncle) Luca to the French and Heather to the Chinese. But these two teammates were definitely there in spirit. Please note the gap between Craig & I:

ella loves aunt mel

2010-08-19T15:41:00.001-04:00

Ella wrote and produced a song. It goes like this, 'Auuuuunnnnt Meeeeellll, I lllloooovvvvve yoooouuuuuu!' She sings it high. She sings it low. She sings it fast. She sings it slow. But one thing is for sure, she sings it. Every time I'm around I get the pleasure of hearing her sing 'my song.' While I was at work this week Robin sent me this video ... a little pick-me-up. I couldn't stop laughing and crying and laughing and crying. It hurts my heart ... in a good way.