Goodbye Fridge

Over the weekend our refrigerator took its last living breath. Almost everything in the fridge is gone... including our wedding cake. I am heartbroken. I had the whole night of our one year anniversary planned out from the candles and flowers to the dinner and dessert. Well, what I thought would be the dessert. We had the most beautiful and delicious cake ever and now I have no idea what to do. I guess Ry and I could try to eat it now but it just isn't the same.


Other than losing our wedding cake, I am pretty excited to buy a new fridge. We went looking yesterday for a new one but it seems over the last 14 years ALL of the refrigerators are about 2 inches bigger. Two inches doesn't sound like it would be a problem except for when it is about 1 inch too big to fit. So, Ry and I are going to try our first ever home improvement on our own. We will try and pull out the cabinets right above our old refrigerator. If it works then we are able to buy just about any one that we want (and can afford). If not, then we are very limited to what we can buy. Hopefully it is as easy as it sounds.

4 Years

Here is a picture of Ryan and I on February 18, 2006 on our first "date". Some days it feels like we have only been together only for a few months and other days it feels like so much longer (in a good way though!) We have done so much together it is hard to figure out how we fit it all into only four years! Here are a few highlights of the best years ever:

He tried to impress me with a Harley. Guess it worked

On top of the Empire State Building


We both ate a Gorilla Split in Ocean City (2 bananas, 8 scoops of ice cream, 8 toppings, 1/4 can whipped cream and 4 cherries). Once you finish your name goes up on the wall. Mine is up there twice, Ry's... only once.


First family picture with the Bambushka (aka Foxxy)


Our first race together


This is right before our car was stranded on a sheet of ice in Western Maryland. We thought we would be stuck there for days...


Muddy Buddy


We bought a condo in Naptown

We went to a wedding in New Orleans.


We drove from Texas all the way to Maryland and we both lived to tell the tail


Ocean City for my birthday. I love the beach in the winter!


He proposed to me in the BVIs on Sandy Kay


We discovered our Super Pup! Or Super (ridiculous) Pup


Engagement Pictures with Shelby Leigh


Hiking :)


We said "I do"

"Iceburg Straight Ahead"

I have a feeling we will be seeing these HUGE piles of snow for at least the next 3 months.

I Blame This Guy

Look at him. Doesn't he look so cute, so innocent?

NO!! He is a scardy-cat! Who is scared of their own shadow?!?!

February 2nd was Groundhog day and when did we first hear of the "Snowpocalypse of 2010"? I don't remember exactly BUT it was right around Groundhog day. The sucker saw his own shadow, ran into his little hole and now we have 6 more weeks of winter. Therefore, he deserves it all! All 30+ inches of snow, BOTH blizzard warnings we have had in less than one week, and the responsibility of paralyzing Maryland (and half of the East Coast). Now, if I were him, I wouldn't show my face to anyone under the age of 18 until at least 4th of July. Those kids will be in school for half of the summer!

Snowpocalypse Part I (Feb 5-6th):

When I first heard we would be getting 20-40 inches of snow I thought someone was exaggerating a little bit. But then, everyone got 20-40 inches of snow. Where I measured, it was only 24 inches but there were drifts of 30+"! It would have been wonderful IF:

1. Ryan was home with me
2. I didn't have a swim meet that weekend
3. It wasn't so close to the end of the swim season
4. I had a sled

Because the snow started mid Friday, Ryan still had to go to work. Luckily, he was able to get off 2 hours early but, he didn't make it all the way home that night. Just as he promised, he called me right when he hopped into his car to let me know he was on his way. About an hour and a half later my phone rang. Ryan had only made it about half way home since he called (we only live about 25 miles away from where he started). Luckily, the half way point is my parent's house. He told me he was going to stay at my parent's house until the storm had passed and the roads were somewhat cleared.

So, Ryan stayed with my parents, my brother and my sister for 2 nights. He enjoyed their GINORMOUS TV, my mom's spaghetti, and love from Honey Bear (she was nice enough to let Ry sleep on her couch).

Honey Bear and HER couch

Now, I was smart enough to know that there was a possibility that Ry wouldn't be able to come home so, my other sister, Alicia, decided to move in for a few days (or a week) to keep me company. Once the blizzard stopped Ry ventured the rest of the way home. The roads and highways were a mess but, he made it home! He was home for a whole 2 days before "Snowpocalypes" Part II hit. I will get to Part II in a few days, but for now, enjoy a few pics from Part I!

Right outside our condo

Foxxy investigating the snow... and yes, that is the TOP of the picnic table!

Foxxy and her new friend, Lady, who LOVES to roll around in the snow!

She loves her ball!

When Ry finally made it home

Eye of the Tiger

Day 2 since the "Snopocalypse of 2010" hit us. Here is an inspirational video of Foxxy getting her rugby ball from the bottom of the hill.

*Video and Song provided by my sister Alicia

Swim Miami 2010

"Party in the city where the heat is on

All night on the beach till the break of dawn
Welcome to Miami (Bienvenido Miami)"
~Will Smith

As I am writing this post, I am looking out the window at the "Snowpocalypse of 2010". We are expecting a total of 20-30 inches of snow when the storm passes (not for another 10 hours or so) and all I can think of is the warm sand between my toes. About 3 weeks ago Ry and I were discussing which races he was looking into for the 2010 season. There was the Muddy Buddy and The Warrior Dash but, this year I really wanted to do an open water swim. I have researched swims the past few years and always found an excuse to avoid it. I "googled" open water swims this year and a 10k in Miami popped up. My first thought "SWEET MIAMI!!!" The idea of racing over 6 miles didn't cross my mind for another 30 seconds. My second thought "I might die". Luckily they also have a 5k and a 1 mile swim. I am pretty confidant that I could finish a 5k right now without training but it would definitely be a struggle!

As usual, I was really excited for about 5 minutes and then the typical excuses started to take over: It is expensive, I don't want to take off work and am I really going to train for this race? Ry saw the light starting to fade, shoved the credit card in my face, and told me to register NOW. So, I tried not to think too hard and I registered. What a rush! Right after I received the confirmation that I was registered I was so excited again (and extremely nervous)!

Now, when I told Ry there is a 1 mile swim it was his turn to get excited. He has finished an Olympic distance triathlon which starts off with a 1 mile swim. Sweet! A race for him too! We love anything we can do together and this is definitely a challenge for both of us! We decided we will leave a few days early and stay a day or two after the race to make a mini vacation out of it.

Once both of us were registered I started thinking of a training program for myself. Ryan has been working out nonstop since I have met him so, I am not too worried about his workout plan. I, on the other hand, haven't worked out in way too long! We had about 3 months from the date that I signed up and I needed to start swimming ASAP.

This is where fate took over. I was getting ready to leave swim practice the following day (I am a swim coach for 12-18 year old kids) and one of my swimmers came up to me and told me she got a part in her school musical and she can't come to Mon/Wed practices. She then asked if I could write her a swim practice so she can come in the mornings before school. "It's a BINGO!!!" I decided right there that I would come in and swim with her. This was the motivation I needed! It was a great idea... until the following morning when I woke up for our first practice. It was rough waking up and even harder to jump in the pool at 5:30 am but a great feeling when I finished (and yes, I am still faster than the 12 year old... DOUBLE BINGO!!!).

We are about 2 and a half months out from race day and both of us have been training consistently. My goal is to swim faster than 1.5 hours and Ry's goal is to finish before I do. Can't wait!!!

I Plunged!

Well, I didn't plunge but Ryan did! I stayed inside a nice heated 84 degree pool, watching the snow fall while Ryan was out in the snow plunging into the Chesapeake Bay. You might think he is a little crazy but then so are the other 10,000 plungers! This past Saturday Ryan raised a ton of money for the Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge. This year over $3 million dollars was raised by all of the plungers and the proceeds go towards Maryland Special Olympics.

Ry is probably somewhere near the Krav Maga Maryland sign

Now, if you are from Maryland you know Saturday was cold. I don't think cold is the right word... freezing, bitter, arctic even... but not just cold. The weathermen couldn't seem to figure out what was going to happen on Saturday. The forecast went from 1-2 inches all the way up to 6 inches of snow within just a few hours! I think the high was 18 degrees and the water temperature was a whopping 34 degrees. With the windchill it felt as if it was anywhere from -5 to 5 degrees... burrrrr! Plus, once he was out of the water he had a hard time finding his towel because all the snow covered it up!

I know this is a small picture, but that is Ryan (the guy on the right w/o a shirt), in the water in just his swim trunks

Yes, it was freezing, snowing and miserable but, it was all for a great cause! And when he finally arrived home, Foxxy and I were waiting with a warm blanket, hot chocolate and a movie to sleep through.