On Saturday Rob and I helped build a row of townhouses with some people from my office for Habitat for Humanity. This was our first time helping the organization and it was definitely a learning experience. I was expecting to do some painting or smaller projects but we literally put up walls, installed flooring and carried sheets of wood that weighed more than me. When I was a kid I helped my dad build stuff but I was more excited about wearing the workbelt. Now I know some terms for contractors that had an entirely different meaning before:
Term: 8 and 10 nails
Before: Really long nails.. time for a manicure
After: There's a size difference for the nail, but there's also different things you do with them. 9 times out of 10 we used the 8s.
Term: Brace
Before: Something to help support an achy joint. If they said braces, it meant the stuff an orthodontist puts to help straighten your teeth
After: Small support structures that are used when connecting walls. You have to use an 8 nail. Small piece of wood, small nail. If you use a 10, you'll split the wood.
Term: TGI
Before: Abbreviation for Thank God It's...Friday
After: Wood boards that look like makeshift gutters that help support planks of wood. In this case, we used them to help support the sheets of wood that were for the second level of the house
Term: Toenail
Before: The nail on your toe (duh)
After: To support a plank of wood to another, you put nails in on the angle. You have to use an 8 nail.
Term: Sawall
Before: If you saw it, you'd think it was an electric slicer for Thankgiving or something
After: It's a saw that can saw all types of wood.
There were several other terms that got tossed around but it was definitely cool to learn how to build a house. We had a great time working with some of the people on the site. I definitely lucked out because my group was more fun than Rob's team who was doing flooring. That team seemed to forget we were people volunteering and didn't know how to build a house. Either way it'll be cool to go back one day and say we helped build that.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Sunday Dinners
During the week our schedules are crazy, especially since Rob has so many work related events that run late. By the time we get home from work, walk Buster, exercise and make dinner, it's late and we're both tired. Come the weekend on Fridays Rob passes out from exhaustion while I do my laundry and cleaning and Saturdays/Sundays we have events to go to or run around for errands.
So for the last several weekends Rob and I have made a tradition to enjoy a family dinner together at home on Sunday nights. To change it up this Sunday we ate in the dining room. Maybe it was the different atmosphere or the delicious chicken marsala, salad (with fresh veggies from our garden), and yummy side dishes but we really had a great time talking and enjoying relaxing time together before another crazy week begins.
Hopefully we can keep up this tradition because it's something I think we've both come to really enjoy.
So for the last several weekends Rob and I have made a tradition to enjoy a family dinner together at home on Sunday nights. To change it up this Sunday we ate in the dining room. Maybe it was the different atmosphere or the delicious chicken marsala, salad (with fresh veggies from our garden), and yummy side dishes but we really had a great time talking and enjoying relaxing time together before another crazy week begins.
Hopefully we can keep up this tradition because it's something I think we've both come to really enjoy.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
It's the little things in life..
...like a great bathroom.
My company recently moved into an incredible new space which was built with so many amenities. Thanks to our amazing CEO and the other higher ups, our office now has a manicure room (with a manicurist who comes in once a week), a Zen Den with three full body massage chairs, a billiard room, a foose ball table, a putting green, dart boards, the largest TV in the state of New Jersey (no joke), and so much more.
It's really an incredible facility but the thing that I am the most amazed about is the bathrooms. Not only does it smell drastically better than our old building, but there's a vanity so you can do your makeup with professional lighting, plenty of stalls, and the automatic water, soap and flushing toilets. It sounds crazy, I know. But in all seriousness the highlight for me is that the toilets give you ample time for flushing. I hate when you go to a place and the toilets start flushing when you're on the bowl, or they don't flush at all and then you have to try to flush it yourself without touching any disgusting part. I use the bathroom more than I'm able to use the massage chairs, so having a state of the art stall is something I'm very appreciative of in our new home.
My company recently moved into an incredible new space which was built with so many amenities. Thanks to our amazing CEO and the other higher ups, our office now has a manicure room (with a manicurist who comes in once a week), a Zen Den with three full body massage chairs, a billiard room, a foose ball table, a putting green, dart boards, the largest TV in the state of New Jersey (no joke), and so much more.
It's really an incredible facility but the thing that I am the most amazed about is the bathrooms. Not only does it smell drastically better than our old building, but there's a vanity so you can do your makeup with professional lighting, plenty of stalls, and the automatic water, soap and flushing toilets. It sounds crazy, I know. But in all seriousness the highlight for me is that the toilets give you ample time for flushing. I hate when you go to a place and the toilets start flushing when you're on the bowl, or they don't flush at all and then you have to try to flush it yourself without touching any disgusting part. I use the bathroom more than I'm able to use the massage chairs, so having a state of the art stall is something I'm very appreciative of in our new home.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Pure Bliss
For the first time in a long time we didn't have any committments this weekend. Well, minus Rob's 5K on Saturday morning, but for the most part we were just able to relax and hang out. The big things on our list were foodshop, watch movies and lounge by the pool. Since we had the time we even made some delicious dinners boths nights. While I have a bad habit of always scheduling things, it was nice to have the problem of what minor thing to do first rather than rushing around trying to be at a party, wedding or family event.
Maybe it's just us settling down and getting older, but the highlight of my weekend was cuddling on the couch with Rob and Buster. The other highlight was a surprise trip to Bed Bath and Beyond to get a few odds and ends for the kitchen. Oh how I love that store! :)
Maybe it's just us settling down and getting older, but the highlight of my weekend was cuddling on the couch with Rob and Buster. The other highlight was a surprise trip to Bed Bath and Beyond to get a few odds and ends for the kitchen. Oh how I love that store! :)
Sunday, July 10, 2011
The fruits of our labor
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Saturday, July 9, 2011
Class of 2011
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Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Cuddle Time
I know there was a recent study which said you're not supposed to have dogs sleep on the bed with you. However, Buster isn't just any dog so I don't let it apply to us. Plus, he's always pretty clean and receives a bath at least once every two weeks and gets wiped down after he's out for a walk.
It's funny how Buster has a predictable routine of where he likes to go throughout the night. On a typical evening, he starts up at the top by us, moves to the foot of the bed, and then eventually hits the floor for a while before coming back on the bed. Once Rob gets up for work he moves over to his side until I'm up and begin making the bed. That's when he heads to the hall so I don't disturb him while I'm getting ready. He is SO not a morning dog.
Part of his routine is cuddle time with me. Usually Rob and Buster are asleep by the time I get into bed, but when I lay down I pat my left side and he comes up for a few minutes to cuddle. You can tell he can only take so much - especially now that his hair is growing in a little more and he's warmer - since he usually only spends a few minutes in my arms before getting up and going back to the end of the bed. Even though it's only a few minutes, it's always a great way to end the day and one of the many things I love about our Buster bear.
It's funny how Buster has a predictable routine of where he likes to go throughout the night. On a typical evening, he starts up at the top by us, moves to the foot of the bed, and then eventually hits the floor for a while before coming back on the bed. Once Rob gets up for work he moves over to his side until I'm up and begin making the bed. That's when he heads to the hall so I don't disturb him while I'm getting ready. He is SO not a morning dog.
Part of his routine is cuddle time with me. Usually Rob and Buster are asleep by the time I get into bed, but when I lay down I pat my left side and he comes up for a few minutes to cuddle. You can tell he can only take so much - especially now that his hair is growing in a little more and he's warmer - since he usually only spends a few minutes in my arms before getting up and going back to the end of the bed. Even though it's only a few minutes, it's always a great way to end the day and one of the many things I love about our Buster bear.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Montreal Sightseeing
On our first full day in Montreal we loaded up with a delicious breakfast and then headed up to Mont Royal, a large park on top of a hill. We were heading up there with the mission to see the St. Joseph Oratory, which is supposed to be a breathtaking chapel. After hiking up hill, asking several people, stopping for pictures and then finally getting someone who really helped us (everyone else said go that way, but in a nice way), this lovely couple basically told us we wouldn't be very happy if we walked there since it was another 45 minutes (uphill) from where we were. This oratory was definitely outside of the park! After deciding we can save that for the next trip, we continued on to see some other highlights of the park that were conveniently on our way out.
On our way back down we walked through McGill University, which had a pretty campus (not as nice as Bonas, though) and then stopped off at the Montreal Jazz Festival for a drink and show. I'm not a big jazz fan but the people watching was great.
After our stop at Jazz Fest we pressed on to see more of the city. Along the way we saw some cool buildings including St. Patrick's Basilica and Place Bonaventure - a giant expo center near our hotel. We decided that would be the perfect place for our annual SBU t-shirt picture, taken the next morning:
One negative thing I can say about Canada is that their fireworks shows stink! We saw the ones down by the water on Saturday night and it was not very impressive. I've never even seen fireworks that have no sound. There was no finale (or if there was, it wasn't impressive) and people didn't really cheer for the event. Maybe us Americans are just that excited to be free from the British that we do our fireworks in style!
Day two, Sunday, we decided to take a trip to the Olympic Parc and Biodome. We managed to hop on the metro (despite some minor complications to find the right line) and then arrived at the stadium area. There was plenty to do here and we managed to see most of it.
First stop was the top of the Montreal Observatory. The Montreal Tower is the highest inclined tower in the world with a 45 degree angle and 175 meter elevation. To get to the top you have to take a funicular up the curved inclined structure. It was pretty cool and had some nice views from the top!
Then we went on to the Biodome where you walk through four ecosystems, including a rainforest (complete with humidity), underwater observatories and even penguin time in the Polar World, which was my favorite. Some came right up to the glass to say hi while others sat in the corner facing the wall. I didn't see any dance like Happy Feet, but it was still cool to see them and hear all the kids know what penguin was what thanks to that great movie.
We also got to see the Botanical Gardens and had a great time in the Chinese and Japanese areas. There was a great amount of detail each one had an arts and crafts time for kids, which Rob had fun joining as well. Don't you love his hat from the Chinese area?
Next was a quick stop at the Olympic Stadium where we saw the pools and diving boards from the old events. We were surprised to see they even had kiddie pools - maybe they weren't there for the Olympic games.
After a relaxing break on the Metro Rob and I pressed on to Old Montreal. Despite trying to be clever and getting off two stops after where we got on, we realized it took us about 2.5 miles out of town. Always up for an adventure, we walked all the way back to Old Montreal and finally saw Notre Dame Basilica. It was so pretty to walk through the quaint streets and see the old buildings. Even city hall was beautiful!
On our last night we had dinner, walked around a bit for some souvenirs, and then decided to power walk it home to beat the rain. Unfortunately it didn't work out timing wise and we got dumped on. It actually got to be hysterical since the rain kept coming down harder and then even in waves. Our map served us well over the weekend, not only getting us from point A to point B, but also as a trusty umbrella for several blocks.
It was definitely a fun vacation with great friends. We had awesome weather, saw a ton and had some great laughs and meals. The only downfall is how fast it goes. Go Bonas!
On our way back down we walked through McGill University, which had a pretty campus (not as nice as Bonas, though) and then stopped off at the Montreal Jazz Festival for a drink and show. I'm not a big jazz fan but the people watching was great.
After our stop at Jazz Fest we pressed on to see more of the city. Along the way we saw some cool buildings including St. Patrick's Basilica and Place Bonaventure - a giant expo center near our hotel. We decided that would be the perfect place for our annual SBU t-shirt picture, taken the next morning:
One negative thing I can say about Canada is that their fireworks shows stink! We saw the ones down by the water on Saturday night and it was not very impressive. I've never even seen fireworks that have no sound. There was no finale (or if there was, it wasn't impressive) and people didn't really cheer for the event. Maybe us Americans are just that excited to be free from the British that we do our fireworks in style!
Day two, Sunday, we decided to take a trip to the Olympic Parc and Biodome. We managed to hop on the metro (despite some minor complications to find the right line) and then arrived at the stadium area. There was plenty to do here and we managed to see most of it.
First stop was the top of the Montreal Observatory. The Montreal Tower is the highest inclined tower in the world with a 45 degree angle and 175 meter elevation. To get to the top you have to take a funicular up the curved inclined structure. It was pretty cool and had some nice views from the top!
Then we went on to the Biodome where you walk through four ecosystems, including a rainforest (complete with humidity), underwater observatories and even penguin time in the Polar World, which was my favorite. Some came right up to the glass to say hi while others sat in the corner facing the wall. I didn't see any dance like Happy Feet, but it was still cool to see them and hear all the kids know what penguin was what thanks to that great movie.
We also got to see the Botanical Gardens and had a great time in the Chinese and Japanese areas. There was a great amount of detail each one had an arts and crafts time for kids, which Rob had fun joining as well. Don't you love his hat from the Chinese area?
Next was a quick stop at the Olympic Stadium where we saw the pools and diving boards from the old events. We were surprised to see they even had kiddie pools - maybe they weren't there for the Olympic games.
After a relaxing break on the Metro Rob and I pressed on to Old Montreal. Despite trying to be clever and getting off two stops after where we got on, we realized it took us about 2.5 miles out of town. Always up for an adventure, we walked all the way back to Old Montreal and finally saw Notre Dame Basilica. It was so pretty to walk through the quaint streets and see the old buildings. Even city hall was beautiful!
On our last night we had dinner, walked around a bit for some souvenirs, and then decided to power walk it home to beat the rain. Unfortunately it didn't work out timing wise and we got dumped on. It actually got to be hysterical since the rain kept coming down harder and then even in waves. Our map served us well over the weekend, not only getting us from point A to point B, but also as a trusty umbrella for several blocks.
It was definitely a fun vacation with great friends. We had awesome weather, saw a ton and had some great laughs and meals. The only downfall is how fast it goes. Go Bonas!
Montreal
My college roommate, Jessica, and I chose Montreal for this year's annual reunion weekend. Neither of us had been there before and it was equal traveling time for both of us, making it a perfect destination for a long weekend get together.
We all arrived early on Friday night and our first stop was dinner. We had a delicious meal at a restaurant called Universal and then wandered around town for a bit. On our way back to the hotel we passed a restaurant that had basically a mini-keg on the table. It was either 96 or 120 ounces of beer, and Rob really wanted to try it but of course with a challenge: he wanted all four of us to finish the entire thing in under 10 minutes (at first it was 5 minutes - thank goodness he increased the time). Despite our hesitation, we actually managed to drink it all in 9 minutes, 47 seconds. Here's the before and after shot:
Since we did so much I'm going to write a a separate post about the highlights we saw around the city. Overall I think we were all impressed by the friendliness, cleanliness and beauty of Montreal and would definitely love to go back. We had a great stay at the Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain and would highly recommend it. The rooms were great, it was in a prime location and the staff was very friendly.
Check out some of these shots from our room!
We all arrived early on Friday night and our first stop was dinner. We had a delicious meal at a restaurant called Universal and then wandered around town for a bit. On our way back to the hotel we passed a restaurant that had basically a mini-keg on the table. It was either 96 or 120 ounces of beer, and Rob really wanted to try it but of course with a challenge: he wanted all four of us to finish the entire thing in under 10 minutes (at first it was 5 minutes - thank goodness he increased the time). Despite our hesitation, we actually managed to drink it all in 9 minutes, 47 seconds. Here's the before and after shot:
Since we did so much I'm going to write a a separate post about the highlights we saw around the city. Overall I think we were all impressed by the friendliness, cleanliness and beauty of Montreal and would definitely love to go back. We had a great stay at the Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain and would highly recommend it. The rooms were great, it was in a prime location and the staff was very friendly.
Check out some of these shots from our room!
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| Awesome view from our room. |
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| Fancy chocolates delivered to our room each night. I was very impressed with the wax seal! |
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| I want this dressing area in my house! |
My "Brush" with Royalty
Ok so it wasn't a brush per say, but when we were recently in Montreal I was so surprised to find out that William and Kate were stopping there on their tour of Canada. It was so exciting to see the news all over the TV and paper, as everything commented on what they were doing, who was visiting them, what she was wearing, etc. I'm sure they will make more news when they're in the US, but it was still exciting to say I was in the same city as them. I'm sure if I lived in London the novelty would wear off, but for now it was quite a thrill :)
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