Silence is chocolate.

On Tuesday I ate my afternoon ding dong as I worked in the office doing some documentation. It was my second to last ding dong as I had been working on the box for 3 weeks now. As I finished my post-lunch treat and tossed the foil into the trash, I realized my throat started to feel tight and my lungs felt as though they were coated with molasses. For the rest of the evening, I had to use my inhaler to breathe and had a nasty cough.

Wednesday morning proved to be much better. I awoke normal again and able to breathe. The morning went well as did lunch. However, chocolate tragedy would strike again. That afternoon as I drove to my last meeting of the day I again enjoyed an afternoon sweet, another ding dong, the last in the box. Before I could even crumple the wrapper, I again felt the tightness in my chest and felt as if I were breathing into a paper bag. This feeling continued for the rest of the evening. I didn't seem to be able to get enough air. Thursday morning was not as good as the previous and I awoke with my voice completely gone. Never mind that I was facilitating two meetings and presenting my first training at work that day and was unable to utter a word; was I allergic to chocolate, I wondered?

I spoke with my mom about this concern and apparently it is something that runs on the maternal side of the family: my mom and her mom both tend to have an intolerance for "cheaper" chocolate, such as the kind that covers my cakey ding dong delight, to the point that it affects their asthma as well. What?? I couldn't believe it. How could it bother me now when I had been eating them for weeks? I don't know. I don't get it. Sigh... all I know is that Valentine's Day is around the corner and I just discovered I might allergic to chocolate. How depressing.

Halloween... 3 months later.

I wanted to put up all the photos of Ben from Halloween. We bought the Buzz Lightyear costume but I made the wings out of posterboard and shoe laces. We went to our church the weekend before Halloween for a Trunk or Treat. Everyone backs their cars into the parking lot and hands out candy from their decorated trunks. We missed the chili cookoff but made it just in time for Ben to get candy from about 20 cars. He was definitely the most polite trick or treater there saying, "Please" and "Thank you" to anyone who handed him a piece of candy. On Halloween, we walked around the neighborhood till we reached my mom's house (she lives right behind us) where Ben saw his Uncle Jake. After seeing family, he didn't want to go to anymore houses and made Eddie carry him home. Good thing it was so close. We spent the rest of the evening handing out candy in front of our house. We even demanded that the teenagers who would merely shove their bags in our faces say, "Trick or Treat" real nice and pretty. I guess we are lucky they didn't come back and egg us... haha. Ben has since worn his Buzz costumes a few more times (a couple of times he just wants to wear the wings), but each time he dawns part or all of the costume he runs through the house yelling, "TO INFINITY AND BE-NONNNNNDDD!"

Array of Photos

I decided to just post a bunch of pictures from the past, um... 7 months or so. You know, the period of time we went MIA due to computer technical difficulties. There are some from our trip to San Diego, our wedding anniversary, Ben being silly, more silly Ben, and some other random stuff. Enjoy!!!!

Holiday Time...

I know this Christmas post in late but I figure better late than never, right? Christmas was mellow but really nice this year. Didn't the season seem to go by really fast this year though? Anyway, on Christmas Day, we three spent the whole day together (I'm not sure we ever changed out of our pajamas) just relaxing and using our new presents. Ben loved his new tool bench. He still runs around with his tools saying, "I'm like you, Daddy. Like you!" So cute. I made a lasanga and salad for dinner. Simple, but nice. Unfortunately, my morning sickness prevented me from eating much so Eddie was left with the task to eat all of it in the week ahead. He did not disappoint me. Eat it, he did.

Been so long... will anyone read this?

So it has been over six months since I have posted anything. Our computer didn't seem to handle the move very well and refused to do much of anything. It would take 15 minutes just to get to my hotmail account. Ridiculous. There were so many viruses and despite purchasing software to fix it, the computer seemed to be taking a turn for the worse. And so, we just avoided using the computer completely for the past 8 months only using it when absolutely necessary as we feared we would lose our documents and pics if we messed with it too much and... because of all the viruses deeply imbedded in the system, we didn't want to just back up our stuff thinking it might take the virus to our new computer... Thank heavens for Geek Squad. We took the computer in and they were able to back up all our information and check it all for bugs. Whew. Now we've been able to plug in the computer we purchased back in May and forever lay to rest the junk one without the fear that it will die taking our precious baby photos and what not with it.

Draw a line

Written April 2009: Last weekend, Eddie and I moved into our new house. I found myself driving our CR-V jam packed with cardboard boxes, photo frames, and miscellaneous knick-knacks. As I attempted to look in my rearview mirror in an effort to make sure Eddie was handling the 26 foot U-Haul ok, I glanced at the pile of accumulated personal items. It should be noted here that I tend to hoard personal items that have any sort of sentimental or memory evocative attachment. Why? If you know me well, you would know that I have a less than perfect memory. I suppose I collect things to remember what I so often forget. These items fill in the gaps for me when my brain cannot recall it. Imagine if you will, my memory as a blank connect-the-dot game. Sad, perhaps, but true. It was then that it dawned on me... how my life is a pathway lined with or connected by these items. My yearbooks, elementary school journals, pregnancy clothes, mission photos, stuffed animals, Ben's baby clothes, Eddie's soccer jerseys... They all mark the path of our lives seperately and together. It's funny how moving makes you so nostalgic and "trunky."

And I am left with questions: Am I the sum of these boxes? Do they make me who I am? Or am I greater than these parts?

Triple threat, Baby... Yeah!

This is from March 2009..... just thought I would post it anyway.... We have been celebrating birthdays for weeks now. It has been a blast, especially with all the cake around our apartment. It started with Eddie's birthday on Feb. 19th. It was the big 2-5. :) We had family over and I surprised him with a 30" pizza (something he has only dreamed about). Eddie, of course, got soccer gear including a new training jersey and shorts. Ben's birthday was next on March 3rd. That night Ed and I took him to Toys R Us to pick out his present. It was a little overwhelming for him and he ultimately left empty-handed. Ed and I did pick out what he seemed to like most and went back that weekend to get him his first big wheel, which he absolutely loves. Since our apartment has carpet, he just scoots it across the floor for now. Once he can reach those petals though, look out! That Saturday we went to the park, came home to eat some pizza, and had tons of fun! Ben loved blowing out his own candle and made us do it over and over again. My birthday was the last of the three, being March 22nd. My biggest present? Eddie planned the weekend for me so I didn't have to stress. What a great hubby I have! On Friday, Eddie took me to dinner at Black Angus with some friends, Mike and Katrina, where I was craving some steak! I enjoyed my filet mignon and virgin Pina Colada. Yum! The party continued to Sunday; we had family and some friends come over. Yay!!!