Entries categorized as ‘friends’
Just as Facebook has recently become the new MySpace, I have a feeling Pingg will become the new Evite.
Pingg combines a fresh and modern look with great functionality and a high level of customization. While the overall concept of Pingg is like Evite, there are many more available options. Users have the choice of using one of Pingg’s exclusive images for their invitation or uploading one of their own. There are also many formats in which you can send invites – via traditional e-mail, but also by text message, or even printed for direct mail. Invitations can even be posted on social networking sites such as Facebook & Twitter. And on the event website, users can add specific messages, a map to the event location, post pictures, and more. Additionally, the dashboard gives you access to all things related to each of your events. You can even add gift registries, request that guests make a contribution to a charity, or contribute funds to the event!
If you’re planning an upcoming event and haven’t checked out Pingg to communicate with your attendees, you’re missing out! The site allows for flexible invitations that are trendy and functional! Check out who’s been talking about Pingg, and get started on your own invitation today!
Categories: blogging · friends · holidays · life · nablopomo · review
Tagged: event, invitation, party, pingg, planning
A friend and I are looking for some sort of race to participate in this fall. Nothing monumental, but something that we can both focus on in order to stay committed to our fitness goals. Instead of being selfish and keeping the list to myself, I figured I’d share with you! All of these events are in the Baltimore & Washington, DC metropolitan area. If you’ve participated in any of these and loved/hated them, let me know! When we choose our event, I’ll be sure to fill you in, and will also detail our results once it’s all said and done. This list will be updated until we find the one that’s perfect for us!
Now, I’m accountable to the event for my fitness progress, I’m accountable to my friend for participation in the event, and I’m accountable to you to get my rear in gear and do this thing!!!
8/22/09, Manchester, MD … River Valley Ranch 5K/10K
8/29/09, College Park, MD … PGRC Girls Just Wanna Have Fun 5K
9/12/09, Pasadena, MD … Pasadena 5K
9/20/09, Baltimore, MD … Fort McHenry Tunnel 5K Run/Walk
9/26/09, Catonsville, MD … Catonsville Fall Into Fitness 5K/10K
10/3/09, Ellicott City, MD … BBMS 5K
10/10/09, Baltimore, MD … Baltimore Running Festival 5K Race
Categories: blogging · fitness · friends · health
Tagged: 5k, baltimore, DC, race, run, walk, washington dc
Don’t think first, think daily and meaningful. For the past year or so, I’ve been subscribed to a daily e-mail list from bibleleague.org. I’ll be completely honest with you – 9 times out of 10 99 times out of 100, I don’t read them. It’s not that I don’t want to, I just don’t.
For some reason, this morning was that 1 in 100. Here’s what I read …
Verse of the Day for June 23, 2009
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (NIV)
Meditation
Write down specifically how you are going to take the truths of God found in the Bible and “impress” them on people in your life. What are some ways to make this verse practical and applicable?
Lily and I are going on a little road trip today, so I should have some time to give this some thought and think of changes I can make in my life. How about you? How can you change your way of living so as to make valuable “impressions” on those around you?
Categories: family · friends · life · parenting · religion
… was a perfect day.
… was Saturday, October 16, 2004.
… my dad walked me down the aisle.
… my mom cried.
… our brothers, sisters and best friends stood by our side as we exchanged vows and said, “I do.”
… I was forever united with the love of my life.
… my sisters were amazing.
… I changed my last name.
… my brother-in-law-to-be threw virtual peanuts at me as we sat on the alter. (Thanks; I’m still laughing, Jon!)
… I walked down the aisle of a Catholic church with lots of personal family history.
… we reflected on memories of those who could not be with us, and were comforted in knowing that though they weren’t with us in body, they were there in spirit.
… we threw a big party!
… I enjoyed every second in one of the best days of my life. (Okay, everything but getting up at 5 am!)
… we were surrounded by friends and family from all over the US.
… I felt truly beautiful.
… we drank champagne from Waterford crystal and toasted to now and forever.
… there were some sprinkles to be felt, but mostly sunshine.
… I shed no tears, though there were occasionally tears in my eyes.
… I learned that smiling too much hurts!
… Justin and I looked forward to Jamaican beaches and sunshine.
… I was invincible.
Happy anniversary, Justin. Cheers to our 4 years of marriage and 6 years of history. May we have a lifetime full of memories as beautiful as those we’ve already shared.
And now, on to some photos. I’ve tried to limit them. And yes, it’s still difficult for me to look at them without getting teary-eyed. I’m such a sap!
Categories: blogging · friends · life
Tagged: memories, wedding
… and a good day it will be. I just got this picture from Justin:
Too cute! And now, there’s work to be done. Woohoo! Have a great day, and happy Monday everyone!
Wait! There’s more, just minutes later! Yes! He seems confused by the moving water … like it’s attacking him. Ha! That’s how he plays; like his tennis balls are going to jump up and bite him. I love it!
Categories: blogging · family · friends · life · pets & animals · travel · weather
Tagged: beach, cody, morning, nc, north carolina, shore
After today’s typhoon, courtesy of tropical storm Hanna, I’m back on my rain boots kick. I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect rain boots for a long, long time, but have yet to find them. I guess I’m going to have to settle. So here are the candidates in the category of “runner up” …
I spent this morning in the lovely District of Columbia. I’m not crazy about DC to begin with (Clarification – it’s okay to visit, but not so fun for school, work, and other normal activities.), and today’s combination was particularly dynamic. When you blend DC, the rain and wind from tropical storm Hanna, a 9 to 3 seminar day at my favorite “do it our way or hit the highway” educational institution, and a relinquished trip to NC because of the “do it our way or hit the highway” educational institution, you get a mean and bitter me. Lunch between sessions brought an encounter with the monsoon. A friend and I took a three block walk to the closest restaurant, and in that time, I managed to flood my sneakers and get my jeans wet up to my hips – all with an umbrella and rain jacket! She, being the intelligent and forward-thinking type, had worn an adorable pair of rain boots. My friends, I was envious! She’s super sweet, so I didn’t tackle her for them. Betcha she didn’t know it was her lucky day! Needless to say, the second session, following an equally entertaining return walk with a flipped umbrella, was cold and miserable as the drying out process began. Disgusted by having to be there to begin with, the water-logging only made things worse.
It’s really fine. I only have two 6-hour Saturday sessions left – 2 seminars each day. I’ve already missed my vacation because of this, and already faced the one professor I wanted to go absolutely postal on, so it only gets easier from here. The next 2 sessions/4 seminars are equally as nap-worthy, so I’ll take a seat in the back, wear a hat, and strategically snooze my way through them. Okay, I’m lying; of course I won’t sleep. But I’ll want to. Instead, I’ll hold my breath until I hear back from the Dean. Nope, won’t be doing that either, because I’m betting I won’t hear from him. How professional. Argh.
I’m getting mouthy and my blood pressure is increasing, so it’s time for me to go.
The whole point was to solicit help in choosing a pair of me-worthy rain boots, so help me, people! Leave your choice in the comments and I’ll be forever grateful! Mwah!
Note: The good of the day came when I stopped at Roots on my way home and found bottled cucumber water! The excitement wasn’t the water itself, but the reminder of a forgotten favorite. The bottled water was good, but no where near as good as homemade cucumber water! If you haven’t tried this and like cucumbers, you’re totally missing out!!! You simply need to add several slices of cucumber (English are best because they are seedless.) to your glass/bottle/pitcher of water and you’re ready to roll! It’s SO good!
Categories: blogging · friends · gripes · life · rant · shopping · weather
Tagged: angry, choices, city, city parking, cucumber water, DC, District of Columbia, drenched, driving, fashion, flooded, girl, Hanna, hint, hint essence water, master's degree, rain boots, rant, roots, school, sneakers, tropical storm, umbrella, weather
Yep, this weekend was a true “summer” weekend. Perfect in almost every way. With Cody off to grandma & grandpa’s house, we made our way down to my parent’s house. 
After spending about 5 minutes inside, we loaded up dad’s truck and headed down to the dock, jet ski #1 in tow. Justin and I had a blast running the jet ski around on the river. I took every opportunity to scare Justin, throwing us in the water twice! Once dad arrived with Alli, Billy and the second jet ski, the fun began. We went tubing, and discovered that two people on the tube is much more fun than one.
Saturday was Alli’s birthday, and she had a blast! After tubing, we had lunch on the dock. Dad’s sandwiches ROCKED. Lunch was followed by a 45 minute jet ski ride down the river, where we crossed under the Benedict Bridge and into a small creek. What we thought was a rough ride down the river was even more rough on the way back! On the other side of the river, across from the Power Plant, we stopped at a beach with a sand bar for some swimming. We watched a family of four and their weimaraner net fish – cool! After a short break at the beach, we finished running up the river and spent a little time swimming just beyond the ramp.
We spent the evening celebrating Alli’s birthday with good food and great company. The only disappointment of the day was that mom and April didn’t spend much time with us – mom fell on Thursday, doing some major damage to her knee, and April was sitting Lauren & Tommy.
We got to check out Alli & Billy’s house on Sunday … finally! So cute! We wrapped up the weekend by having dinner at Justin’s parent’s house, which added a nice, quiet touch to the end of this exhausting weekend.
For some reason, I went back in time, noticing several artifacts from my childhood. There’s an “I Minneapolis” bear above the shower, a bear that’s always found his home in my parent’s bathroom. My dad brought it back for my mom from one of his business trips in the ’90s. Inside the kitchen cabinet, I found a handwritten version of my grandma’s zucchini bread that I had written out for my mom at some point. I also noticed some old photos hanging on the walls that brought back memories.
Perfect weather made for great times outdoors. Peaceful, relaxing and FUN! I truly enjoyed it!
Categories: blogging · family · friends · life
Tagged: birthday, jet ski, memories, patuxent, summer
I guess it would be fair to say that I grew up on the water. Though we didn’t spend every weekend out there, and probably far from it, I spent a fair amount of time on a boat and within earshot of plenty of fishing conversations. My dad’s had a boat (or two, or three) since before I can remember, the most awesome of which he built. And when we weren’t taking his boat out, we were on Uncle Donny’s boat, soaking up the rays and catching plenty of fish and scooping up plenty of crabs in the Bay.
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of spending the day fishing on the Bay with my dad and four awesome friends. Not only was is great to spend time with them, which doesn’t happen often, but it was an incredibly gorgeous day – one meant for fishing. The kids had a blast, and did an amazing job of catching (and releasing) the fish! We caught six different types of fish: spot, croaker, toadfish, sea robin, bluefish, and perch. We also turned a landlubber into a man of the sea … at least for the day. He might even be ready for Deadliest Catch! Alright, maybe not …
Maybe that’s one part of why I love being on the water. It’s fun to watch people who are uncomfortable on boats and out in the open water transition from being all nerves as they first step onto the boat into a relaxed state of comfort as the day progresses.
Now the plan for this weekend is to take the jet skis out and enjoy the last bit of summer on the Patuxent River, which runs behind my parent’s house. I’m so excited; it’s almost like a mini-vacation. It’s a carefree world out there – no e-mail, no cell phones, and little contact with society. It’s a freeing feeling.
No matter what adventure this weekend holds, I’m ready.
Categories: blogging · family · friends · life
Tagged: family, fishing, friends, patuxent
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speak …
08/28/2008 · Leave a Comment
I was perusing the wordpress home page tonight when I came across an interesting family-centric blog. While the blog itself was extremely inspiring, what I found most useful was one of the bloggist’s pages; one that addresses blog commenting. Being a blogger myself, her thoughts on comments hit home. That being said, here are my thoughts on blogging and commenting etiquette.
It’s okay to enjoy reading other people’s blogs; that’s what they’re for! Reading other blogs does not make you a stalker. As such, what I write here is public. If I wanted an audience of only friends and family, I’d make my blog private. I know many of you are strangers to me, and that’s part of the fun of blogging. I like to meet and connect with people with whom I wouldn’t normally get the opportunity. And while my #1 intention of blogging isn’t to get comments and feedback, I do like to hear what you have to say. Don’t be afraid to say it, that is, if you want to. I love to hear from you, and without your comments, I’m very lonely and feel I’m on a stage without an audience. It’s no fun!
I don’t care how you got here, nor do I care what makes you stay or go. I read blogs the same as you, and it certainly does not make either one of us stalkers. We’re simply able to take advantage of this amazingly simple and widespread platform to quickly and easily find other individuals who have similar interests to our own. We’re able to make connections online that would be difficult to form otherwise.
Please don’t misunderstand my intentions; this is no attempt to twist your arm for comments. I don’t particularly care if you do or don’t. But please don’t feel like you can’t leave your thoughts because anyone will judge you and/or what you say. Blogs are public, and without you, serve a much more limited purpose.
Here, it’s okay that you’re a normal person who stumbled across this blog and has something to say about it. I’m appreciative of the fact that you enjoy reading blogs and do sincerely hope you’re able to find a topic or two here of interest.
So, welcome to all of you – friends, family, and strangers – old and new.
Categories: blogging · family · friends · life · web/html/tech
Tagged: blogging, comments, stalker, thoughts