She has this program P90X - OMG. I was sore for days. I think I am going to go back to Wii Sports.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
P90X Bam!
Greg was testing the new phone so he uploaded this super awesome picture of me after working out with my neighbor Lindsay.
She has this program P90X - OMG. I was sore for days. I think I am going to go back to Wii Sports.
She has this program P90X - OMG. I was sore for days. I think I am going to go back to Wii Sports.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
UGH
Friday, November 6, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Run Cory, Run!
Cory ran the Marine Corps Marathon Sunday morning and I had the best time cheering him on. This was the first marathon I attended and I didn't know what to expect - I was blown away at how many people where there to cheer on the runners.
I don't have much to compare it to, but if you are going to attend a marathon, it's better to support someone who is as good of a runner as Cory. It was great - I would show up to a mile marker, he would run by in less than a half hour. So when I got to the next mile marker, I was one of the first people there. Then the crowds would start to build, and just when I started to get annoyed at everyone crowding me - Cory would go by and I could move on to the next stop.
Here are a few highlights of the day.
Before the race we hung out at the IAFF tent - a great place to hang out ladies.
See... Here we have Boston (forgot his name, only recall where he is from), Cory, Scott (?) and Chad (Prince William)
And they are off. Here they come... Holy crap - so many people!
After they took off I headed over the Arlington Memorial Bridge and over towards Lincoln Memorial. Down by the river was mile marker 10. It didn't take Cory long to pass by, but he didn't hear me yelling his name.
Then I went up to the memorial for mile marker 16.
This time Cory heard me and I got a few shots of him.
One even with the memorial in the shot.
Then over to the finish line. Got a video here - and even screaming at the top of my lungs, he didn't hear me.
But I was able to get a recording of the announcer congratulating Cory.
Cory made excellent time!
He was the second person across the finish line from all the fire fighters. Here's 1 & 2 back at the tent.
The weather was gorgeous and DC is not such a bad place to catch some sights. Too bad my camera battery was low, I would have taken a few more shots. But got a couple good ones. I like this one.
Here's a slideshow of the day. I would have posted this yesterday - but I was exhausted. Just walking around and watching Cory took a lot out of me, I was spent and took a nap when I got home. And today, I am pretty sore. I can only imagine how Cory is feeling today.
I don't have much to compare it to, but if you are going to attend a marathon, it's better to support someone who is as good of a runner as Cory. It was great - I would show up to a mile marker, he would run by in less than a half hour. So when I got to the next mile marker, I was one of the first people there. Then the crowds would start to build, and just when I started to get annoyed at everyone crowding me - Cory would go by and I could move on to the next stop.
Here are a few highlights of the day.
Before the race we hung out at the IAFF tent - a great place to hang out ladies.
See... Here we have Boston (forgot his name, only recall where he is from), Cory, Scott (?) and Chad (Prince William)
And they are off. Here they come... Holy crap - so many people!
After they took off I headed over the Arlington Memorial Bridge and over towards Lincoln Memorial. Down by the river was mile marker 10. It didn't take Cory long to pass by, but he didn't hear me yelling his name.
Then I went up to the memorial for mile marker 16.
This time Cory heard me and I got a few shots of him.
One even with the memorial in the shot.
Then over to the finish line. Got a video here - and even screaming at the top of my lungs, he didn't hear me.
But I was able to get a recording of the announcer congratulating Cory.
Cory made excellent time!
He was the second person across the finish line from all the fire fighters. Here's 1 & 2 back at the tent.
The weather was gorgeous and DC is not such a bad place to catch some sights. Too bad my camera battery was low, I would have taken a few more shots. But got a couple good ones. I like this one.
Here's a slideshow of the day. I would have posted this yesterday - but I was exhausted. Just walking around and watching Cory took a lot out of me, I was spent and took a nap when I got home. And today, I am pretty sore. I can only imagine how Cory is feeling today.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Lucky Cats
After the morning I had cleaning up vomit and diarrhea ever so kindly left by Benny and Chewie - those two were lucky they looked so cute as I gathered my things to leave this morning.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Happy Birthday Dad
Dad would have been 67 today and we would have been planning how to celebrate over the weekend with the family. I know the deck would have been involved, grilling, drinking, laughing and happiness. And most likely, at some point he would have fallen asleep on the couch. :)
It's hard to remember that Dad would rather us celebrate him rather than morn. It's hard not to think of him daily, sometimes the tears come and sometimes they are held back. But the amount of missing him never ceases.
Mom recently asked for Shell and I to send her what we said at the service for Dad. We sent them yesterday and after rereading them, these feeling for Dad are just as strong and true today as they were over a year ago, and as they will be 100 years from today.
Here is what Shell said:
Thank you all so much for coming out this morning to celebrate my father’s life. To come up here and summarize all that my father was and all that he means to me is truly an impossible task. My father is Jerry Beck. A statement that I have always been, and will always be, proud to shout from the rooftops. That is why it is so important to me that I at least try to share a bit of Dad with you from my perspective.
My dad lived and loved with a passion for life that is second to none. He is the patriarch of a very large and loving family that not only includes those that were born or married into his family, but all those that he has loved and loves him right back. He had an amazing capacity of love that was genuine and he always greeted you with a smile and a hug or a handshake that left you with the feeling that you were indeed the most important person in the room.
Dad told us that we are to celebrate his life and he didn’t want any whining. (Direct Quote.) So, please indulge me as I do my best to celebrate him with you.
I have had the opportunity to share many of dad’s passions in life and in doing so, I was able to meet a lot of people that have known Dad and took the time to tell me what a great person he is, often with a bit of humor. One of dad’s passions was his work. I was very fortunate to work at NAVAIR and on my first day there, people would come up to me and introduce themselves because they knew I was Jerry Beck’s daughter and often, with a grin and a handshake, offer their “condolences”. Of course I giggled but most of all I was proud. My dad was a very well respected man and it was an honor to wear the badge of “Jerry Beck’s daughter.”
One of Dad’s passions was music. I just love the fact that my dad was a Mummer. For those of you who know what a Mummer is, that needs no explanation needed. For those of you who don’t know what a Mummer is, there is NO explanation possible. I have had the honor of being on Broad Street with the parade on New Year’s Day and got to watch my dad enjoy himself like a child. There again, people would make a point to meet me so they could tell me what a great guy my dad is and how much they enjoy knowing him.
Of course his greatest passion was his family. He LOVED his family very much and he let everyone know it. He was a grandfather and he LOVED each and every minute of it. He has two grandsons and a granddaughter that would make his face light up whenever they walked into the room or whenever he would talk about them or just think about them. My son’s have always been referred to by my father as “my boys.” Once in a while he would share them with me and refer to them as “our boys.” But I always knew the truth – they were his boys.
He was a father. He was a FANTASTIC father. We always knew we were loved and we always knew he was proud of each of us. He was our Dad, our Pop, our Daddy and our friend.
Dad’s greatest passion was my mom. My brother, my sister and I are the children of a true love affair.
There is no doubt in my mind that Dad has left behind a legacy that has left this world a better place.
I thank God every day that He blessed me with the honor of being Jerry Beck’s daughter.
And here is what I said:
I am never more proud then when someone tells me I am like my father. This is something Michele, Tim and I work towards our whole lives and it is what we try to pass along to his grandchildren.
Dad’s lessons were not just discussed but shown to us in his character every day. Family above all, work smart and work hard, cherish your friends, respect others, be dependable and find the laughter.
Finding the ability to laugh has helped us through these past few months. I think the ER and oncology ward will remember the Becks for quite a while. And it will help us for years to come to handle the loss of Dad.
We have an enormous hole left in all of our lives now but we cannot ask why me, why us, because that is something Dad never did. All of us in this room were so blessed to have known him. To have had him take your hand strong, smile while looking in your eyes, you felt lifted because you knew he meant that handshake and he was genuinely happy to see you or was proud of one of your accomplishments, no matter how small.
We need your help to fill that hole left open by sharing your stories. Some stories have been told many, many times – usually over the card table - others we forgot and need to be reminded of, volumes we have yet to hear. And then there are the stories that the kids in the room will have to wait to hear until they are older; and we all have at least one of these stories. Tell them every day especially today, Dad encouraged telling a good joke, even at a funeral, and through these stories and laughter we will find our strength.
Dad lead an amazing life, one that he was very proud of - his accomplishments, his career, his strength over adversity, his dear circle of friends, and most importantly of his family. He will live on forever in all of our hearts and will be seen reflected in Michael, Christopher and Tatum.
On behalf of my Mom and our families we thank you for coming today. Please join us at Rustico to continue to celebrate the greatest man I have ever known, Jerry Beck.
My mom spoke as well, I will have to see if she is OK with me posting her words that were so close to her heart for the love of her life. I bet no one was more surprised than Dad at Mom getting up to speak. We were all proud of her and her strength. Still are. Tim's job at the service was to keep Dad's girls together - it was a tough job and one that he continues to do every day. Recently Shell and I were talking and we realized that all of us have picked up something Dad did that we need; whether it be an ear, encouraging word, constructive suggestions, or build us up to make us feel special. And that would make Dad proud, which we all strived to do.
We are lucky to have a father that we loved that much and that we miss this much. Very, Very lucky. We are also very lucky to have the rest of our friends and family who continue to fill our lives with grilling, drinking, laughing and happiness.
Happy Birthday Dad. We love you.
It's hard to remember that Dad would rather us celebrate him rather than morn. It's hard not to think of him daily, sometimes the tears come and sometimes they are held back. But the amount of missing him never ceases.
Mom recently asked for Shell and I to send her what we said at the service for Dad. We sent them yesterday and after rereading them, these feeling for Dad are just as strong and true today as they were over a year ago, and as they will be 100 years from today.
Here is what Shell said:
Thank you all so much for coming out this morning to celebrate my father’s life. To come up here and summarize all that my father was and all that he means to me is truly an impossible task. My father is Jerry Beck. A statement that I have always been, and will always be, proud to shout from the rooftops. That is why it is so important to me that I at least try to share a bit of Dad with you from my perspective.
My dad lived and loved with a passion for life that is second to none. He is the patriarch of a very large and loving family that not only includes those that were born or married into his family, but all those that he has loved and loves him right back. He had an amazing capacity of love that was genuine and he always greeted you with a smile and a hug or a handshake that left you with the feeling that you were indeed the most important person in the room.
Dad told us that we are to celebrate his life and he didn’t want any whining. (Direct Quote.) So, please indulge me as I do my best to celebrate him with you.
I have had the opportunity to share many of dad’s passions in life and in doing so, I was able to meet a lot of people that have known Dad and took the time to tell me what a great person he is, often with a bit of humor. One of dad’s passions was his work. I was very fortunate to work at NAVAIR and on my first day there, people would come up to me and introduce themselves because they knew I was Jerry Beck’s daughter and often, with a grin and a handshake, offer their “condolences”. Of course I giggled but most of all I was proud. My dad was a very well respected man and it was an honor to wear the badge of “Jerry Beck’s daughter.”
One of Dad’s passions was music. I just love the fact that my dad was a Mummer. For those of you who know what a Mummer is, that needs no explanation needed. For those of you who don’t know what a Mummer is, there is NO explanation possible. I have had the honor of being on Broad Street with the parade on New Year’s Day and got to watch my dad enjoy himself like a child. There again, people would make a point to meet me so they could tell me what a great guy my dad is and how much they enjoy knowing him.
Of course his greatest passion was his family. He LOVED his family very much and he let everyone know it. He was a grandfather and he LOVED each and every minute of it. He has two grandsons and a granddaughter that would make his face light up whenever they walked into the room or whenever he would talk about them or just think about them. My son’s have always been referred to by my father as “my boys.” Once in a while he would share them with me and refer to them as “our boys.” But I always knew the truth – they were his boys.
He was a father. He was a FANTASTIC father. We always knew we were loved and we always knew he was proud of each of us. He was our Dad, our Pop, our Daddy and our friend.
Dad’s greatest passion was my mom. My brother, my sister and I are the children of a true love affair.
There is no doubt in my mind that Dad has left behind a legacy that has left this world a better place.
I thank God every day that He blessed me with the honor of being Jerry Beck’s daughter.
And here is what I said:
I am never more proud then when someone tells me I am like my father. This is something Michele, Tim and I work towards our whole lives and it is what we try to pass along to his grandchildren.
Dad’s lessons were not just discussed but shown to us in his character every day. Family above all, work smart and work hard, cherish your friends, respect others, be dependable and find the laughter.
Finding the ability to laugh has helped us through these past few months. I think the ER and oncology ward will remember the Becks for quite a while. And it will help us for years to come to handle the loss of Dad.
We have an enormous hole left in all of our lives now but we cannot ask why me, why us, because that is something Dad never did. All of us in this room were so blessed to have known him. To have had him take your hand strong, smile while looking in your eyes, you felt lifted because you knew he meant that handshake and he was genuinely happy to see you or was proud of one of your accomplishments, no matter how small.
We need your help to fill that hole left open by sharing your stories. Some stories have been told many, many times – usually over the card table - others we forgot and need to be reminded of, volumes we have yet to hear. And then there are the stories that the kids in the room will have to wait to hear until they are older; and we all have at least one of these stories. Tell them every day especially today, Dad encouraged telling a good joke, even at a funeral, and through these stories and laughter we will find our strength.
Dad lead an amazing life, one that he was very proud of - his accomplishments, his career, his strength over adversity, his dear circle of friends, and most importantly of his family. He will live on forever in all of our hearts and will be seen reflected in Michael, Christopher and Tatum.
On behalf of my Mom and our families we thank you for coming today. Please join us at Rustico to continue to celebrate the greatest man I have ever known, Jerry Beck.
My mom spoke as well, I will have to see if she is OK with me posting her words that were so close to her heart for the love of her life. I bet no one was more surprised than Dad at Mom getting up to speak. We were all proud of her and her strength. Still are. Tim's job at the service was to keep Dad's girls together - it was a tough job and one that he continues to do every day. Recently Shell and I were talking and we realized that all of us have picked up something Dad did that we need; whether it be an ear, encouraging word, constructive suggestions, or build us up to make us feel special. And that would make Dad proud, which we all strived to do.
We are lucky to have a father that we loved that much and that we miss this much. Very, Very lucky. We are also very lucky to have the rest of our friends and family who continue to fill our lives with grilling, drinking, laughing and happiness.
Happy Birthday Dad. We love you.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Ta Da!!!
I may have overdone it a bit, burned a few too many candles on both ends because I am fighting something. Even though a few people at work have had H1N1 - It feels like I have a cold a brewing. I know Greg doesn't want his best girl to be sick, but he is enjoying the time off from the taskmaster.
At least we got the rooms done. I get a bit irritable when I am not feeling well, and I was starting to lose it by tripping over everything. So having it all back together is nice. And not feeling well and being irritated is not a good combination.
On to the big reveal. Here is the bedroom. You cannot see it but underneath the covers are our new micro fleece sheets - which are heaven. It's like cuddling with Snuffleupagus.
Here is the computer/accessories room.
And the guest room - which is ready for some company if anyone from Florida is looking for a place to stay. Friends and family from any state are always welcome too!
I think the only ones that liked the mess were the cats. All the stuff piled up on the chairs were like a big invitation to boys to nap.
Don't worry, I left some comfy pillows on the chair for them to continue the cuddlefest.
At least we got the rooms done. I get a bit irritable when I am not feeling well, and I was starting to lose it by tripping over everything. So having it all back together is nice. And not feeling well and being irritated is not a good combination.
On to the big reveal. Here is the bedroom. You cannot see it but underneath the covers are our new micro fleece sheets - which are heaven. It's like cuddling with Snuffleupagus.
Here is the computer/accessories room.
And the guest room - which is ready for some company if anyone from Florida is looking for a place to stay. Friends and family from any state are always welcome too!
I think the only ones that liked the mess were the cats. All the stuff piled up on the chairs were like a big invitation to boys to nap.
Don't worry, I left some comfy pillows on the chair for them to continue the cuddlefest.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Put a Fork In It - The Laundry Room is DONE
It is so nice to have one thing checked off the To Do list! Kinda bites that it is the laundry room. After all the effort that went into this room, it should be used for something more than dirty clothes.
It all started from a leak that mucked up the insulation. And since Wade has so many tools he doesn't miss the ones he left behind during the floor install - we dove in.
After the insulation goes in, then the vapor barrier.
Then the dry wall -
A few rounds of joint compound and sanding and our corners were money.
Primer, Paint and Floors, Oh my. We decided to make some things a bit easy on us and rather than tiling, we put in laminate squares that look like tile. Aside from the fact that the glue took off the top 3 layers of skin off my fingertips - it was super easy. But it looks great and if I want to, I can commit a crime without worrying about leaving behind evidence it was me.
Look how happy I get with a power tool in my hand. The trim and shoe mold went in like butter - well, drummelled butter, but still.
The finished floor. Looks close enough to tile for me.
Our neighbor Lindsay came over to help install the shelves. She is thinking about putting some up in her place so I invited her over to see how easy it is. Greg and I love us some Container Store Alpha shelves.
The done deal.
Well - close to done. We still need to change out the light fixture and grout the trim - But the trim is on Greg. And if he doesn't finish that, as Jerry Beck's daughter, I am used to one thing going unfinished per project. The light fixture is the both of us, but it is held up by Greg hemming and hawing about the light fixture I bought. Once I convince him it's good, it's as good as done.
Now I just need to finish the floors. Hopefully this weekend will be the last of it for a while. Greg will be happy to have his lazy weekends back. I on the other hand will be sad to give Wade back his tools - he has so many, I wonder if I just keep them a bit longer till he notices them gone. Just kiddin' Swade - we appreciate you hooking us up.
It all started from a leak that mucked up the insulation. And since Wade has so many tools he doesn't miss the ones he left behind during the floor install - we dove in.
After the insulation goes in, then the vapor barrier.
Then the dry wall -
A few rounds of joint compound and sanding and our corners were money.
Primer, Paint and Floors, Oh my. We decided to make some things a bit easy on us and rather than tiling, we put in laminate squares that look like tile. Aside from the fact that the glue took off the top 3 layers of skin off my fingertips - it was super easy. But it looks great and if I want to, I can commit a crime without worrying about leaving behind evidence it was me.
Look how happy I get with a power tool in my hand. The trim and shoe mold went in like butter - well, drummelled butter, but still.
The finished floor. Looks close enough to tile for me.
Our neighbor Lindsay came over to help install the shelves. She is thinking about putting some up in her place so I invited her over to see how easy it is. Greg and I love us some Container Store Alpha shelves.
The done deal.
Well - close to done. We still need to change out the light fixture and grout the trim - But the trim is on Greg. And if he doesn't finish that, as Jerry Beck's daughter, I am used to one thing going unfinished per project. The light fixture is the both of us, but it is held up by Greg hemming and hawing about the light fixture I bought. Once I convince him it's good, it's as good as done.
Now I just need to finish the floors. Hopefully this weekend will be the last of it for a while. Greg will be happy to have his lazy weekends back. I on the other hand will be sad to give Wade back his tools - he has so many, I wonder if I just keep them a bit longer till he notices them gone. Just kiddin' Swade - we appreciate you hooking us up.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Flip is In The House
I got a special visit from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey mascot Flip today. He's making a special appearance this weekend at the Bike For The Heart event in DC this Sunday.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Kittie Favorite New Spot
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Another Day, Another Check Off The To Do List
I had to get up super early Sunday to return the pneumatic nail gun to Home Depot so we wouldn’t get charged another 3 hour min. rental fee. Since I neglected to check the Sunday hours I had to find a way to entertain myself for an hour and a half until doors open at 8am. Luckily for my belly Ihop was directly across the street.
Even luckier, when Home Depot did finally open, the first person I saw was the one and only John Kraynak (Pamdemonium’s hubby). John is the Woodbridge manager and one of the nicest and most helpful people I know. Not only did he make sure there were no additional rental charges, he spent an hour helping me get a few things on the HD shopping list. Greg and I were so bummed when he left the Springfield store for the Woodbridge store.
One of the things on the list was the ¼ rounds for the floors. Greg wasn’t too thrilled with the fake wood and wanted to put in real wood instead. Since none of the pre-stained trim matches Golden Teak, I now have to stain 30 12’ pieces of trim. Two weeks ago in full on steroid medication, I would have been thrilled for the extra work, but as the meds taper off and the To Do list continues to grow, I am getting tired just thinking about all that work.
But yesterday my energy level was in full gear. One of the things we were able to check off the list was painting the computer room. Thankfully, Mom offered to help and since I had a couple minutes until she came over – why not weed & mulch and plant some grass?
Mom brought Diva with her. I do love that dog, but mostly to look at and play with; not so much with trying to stop her from tormenting Benny and keeping an eye on her. But when we were bringing everything upstairs, goofing around, I put Diva into the laundry basket to transport her.
This turned out to be the solution to getting things done with a dog in the house. She loved being able to see everything going on and didn’t mind being confined.
Even Greg didn’t mind Diva this way. :)
Mom was very surprise I went against my rule to never paint a room white, but as it turned out, I still haven’t. Even though I had the paint color matched to the exact room color before – it wasn’t white as we were putting it up. I was a little irritated cause it was more beige and why the heck is painting a wall to look like a dirty old white? But then mom said it looked more like linen than beige and that the slight contrast works. It’s amazing how psychologically changing a word helps. I say psychologically, Greg would probably go with mental.
Greg was so funny yesterday before he left for the grocery store he pulled me aside and said 'can we please be done when I get back' which was fine by me. I am a bit bummed facing life without steroids – this stuff is wonderful. I can focus better, tons of energy, heck I even lost weigh and am not hungry all the time. I wish there was a way to have a steroid daily vitamin.
Even luckier, when Home Depot did finally open, the first person I saw was the one and only John Kraynak (Pamdemonium’s hubby). John is the Woodbridge manager and one of the nicest and most helpful people I know. Not only did he make sure there were no additional rental charges, he spent an hour helping me get a few things on the HD shopping list. Greg and I were so bummed when he left the Springfield store for the Woodbridge store.
One of the things on the list was the ¼ rounds for the floors. Greg wasn’t too thrilled with the fake wood and wanted to put in real wood instead. Since none of the pre-stained trim matches Golden Teak, I now have to stain 30 12’ pieces of trim. Two weeks ago in full on steroid medication, I would have been thrilled for the extra work, but as the meds taper off and the To Do list continues to grow, I am getting tired just thinking about all that work.
But yesterday my energy level was in full gear. One of the things we were able to check off the list was painting the computer room. Thankfully, Mom offered to help and since I had a couple minutes until she came over – why not weed & mulch and plant some grass?
Mom brought Diva with her. I do love that dog, but mostly to look at and play with; not so much with trying to stop her from tormenting Benny and keeping an eye on her. But when we were bringing everything upstairs, goofing around, I put Diva into the laundry basket to transport her.
This turned out to be the solution to getting things done with a dog in the house. She loved being able to see everything going on and didn’t mind being confined.
Even Greg didn’t mind Diva this way. :)
Mom was very surprise I went against my rule to never paint a room white, but as it turned out, I still haven’t. Even though I had the paint color matched to the exact room color before – it wasn’t white as we were putting it up. I was a little irritated cause it was more beige and why the heck is painting a wall to look like a dirty old white? But then mom said it looked more like linen than beige and that the slight contrast works. It’s amazing how psychologically changing a word helps. I say psychologically, Greg would probably go with mental.
Greg was so funny yesterday before he left for the grocery store he pulled me aside and said 'can we please be done when I get back' which was fine by me. I am a bit bummed facing life without steroids – this stuff is wonderful. I can focus better, tons of energy, heck I even lost weigh and am not hungry all the time. I wish there was a way to have a steroid daily vitamin.
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