Photo Hunters-Shiny

Picture of Brooklyn Bridge taken by Dirkey 6/2/07

5 Minutes for Mom

Hey, Don't forget to check over at 5minutesformom for some fabulous giveaways for Fourth of July!!

Hair

About 4-5 years ago my appendix ruptured while I was in the emergency waiting room. Because of this I was in the hospital for 2 weeks, and was pumped full of antibiotics and pain meds. Once I got home I noticed that something was different, I was slowly losing my hair. I've always had nice, thick, full hair and it was getting thinner and thinner. I was scared to wash my hair, scared to brush it. It broke my heart to watch my once full thick head of hair fall out. I remember being so self conscious touching my sparse, coarse, brittle hair and spilling so many tears over the loss of my "best" feature. I really felt like that was the only thing that set me apart from people. Now my hair has since returned to its normal texture after about a year of thinking it was curly and its really long.
I haven't thought to much about this until I started reading Heather's blog. Heather was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor and it going through chemotherapy and radiation. While I don't know how it feels to have cancer,  I do know how it feels to lose my hair and its something that I can at least do something about. So I will be donating 10 inches of my hair toLocks of Love in honor of Heather.
I know now that I am worth more than some pretty hair and losing it does not define me. I am a wife, a friend, a sister, daughter; I choose how I will be defined. My actions, my faith, my heart and my words define me. For all of you struggling through cancer and hair loss, I'm pulling for you and I wish I could do more.
I will post before and after pictures up here when I'm able to have it cut (hopefully today or tomorrow).

Wordless Wednesday-Determination

This picture cracks me up.
Pic of Mason and Annonymous boy taken by Dirkey on Labor Day 06

I'm so proud of myself

I installed a dimmer switch at home.
I feel so empowered, next something that requires power tools :)

Tackle it Tuesday-Tallented Husband

Our dining room needed some help. But my wonderful hubby installed an awesome lighting fixture (we had a ghetto 80's gold thing blech). We got a new china cabinet, I still have to get the glass for the sides on it but I love it!
Here are some poorly lit pictures enjoy!

Fathers Day

Today is Father's Day, reflecting on today I realize that I have received a tremendous gift in life. I have a father that I love, and that I can respect. I have alot of friends who love thier fathers but not too many who truly respect them and can look up to him as I can mine.
My dad is probably one of the silliest people I've ever met. I remember growing up being aggrivated that I couldn't stay mad at him, every time I tried he would make me laugh and all the anger would just melt away. One of my favorite things to do with my dad is to take a walk with him. My dad is a big walker, at almost every gathering there is at least one walk involved. These walks are spent just talking and being silly but its where my dad has told me some of his best stories, crazy things he did when he was young or just telling me about something he's been reading lately or about some piece of family history. My dad is probably the smartest person I've ever met, he can do anything, I know standard Daddy's girl statement but in his case its true. He can fix anything you put in front of him, build whatever you could dream up and generally it "turns out better than he thought it would". There are times when we have disagreed, not many though and those times have torn me apart inside. The one thing I know is that he does what he can for all of us, he's had six kids and he's been and continues to be a great dad because he tries hard to be one and thats way more than I could have ever asked for. He's extremely honest and does what is right and what is needed. He's set an amazing example in that area to all of us, an example that he lived out when my grandmother was ill and bedridden. He took care of her and her house better than anyone else ever could have, and when she did pass he worked hard to make sure that everything was done fairly to everyone. All this to say that my daddy is my hero and I'm really really really grateful that I grew up his daughter.
I always knew growing up that I wanted to find a husband like my dad, and even early on I can see that Schmoop is alot like him. It makes me happy to know that my husband has some of the attributes of such a great man.

PHoto Hunters-Hair

My niece Gracie has some awesome hair, photo taken by Dirkey on 6/30/06

Saturday

So Saturday we headed over to Reading Terminal Market, on the way over my camera died. I seriously thought I would cry, the place was begging to have its picture taken. Rows and rows of fresh fruit, veggies, meat, cheese, flowers, etc. Its an amazing place I already told Schmoop that I want to bring him but since he didn't get to go I picked him up some hot horseradish cheddar cheese.

From there we went to the Liberty Center but didn't really do too much there, then did lunch at Hard Rock.
After we left Philly I had to scoot down the shore to help my sister with her boardwalk store. She was going to a party and needed someone to keep an eye on the store. I was determined to catch a shoplifter while I was there, my sister seriously has a security system that no other on the boardwalk can rival. I imagine she's on par with some small banks. So anyway in walks a couple and thier small child, the dad stays up in the front of the store and I'm keeping an eye on him. Well the lady walks to the back and one of the girls from the store goes back to keep an eye on her, the lady asks for the dressing room key. While our girl walks away to get the key, the woman hides behind a pillar and shoves a shirt in her purse. Well our girl comes up and tells me so I don't feel like waiting for them to leave the store to call the cops and go through all that. I walked up to her and asked her what was in her purse, she automatically takes it out and is like "I was going to pay for that, I was going to pay for that!!!". I did good was super firm and was like "Get out of our store! We don't want your money we want you to go!" Finally they left, it was so fun. My brother told me that they could have been prosecuted for just putting it in thier purse, oh well!
Later we were walking on the boardwalk and a thousand cops came and swarmed the boardwalk. There was a huge crowd of people and we weren't allowed to move at all. We found out there was an armed robbery and the cops shot the suspect. Crazy Day last Sat!
I'm trying to update from last weekend before this weekend!!!

Busy Busy Dirkey

Hey guys,
I'm so sorry I've been negligent lately in my posting here and commenting on everyone else's sight. As I've said before I have a very awesome job and that awesome job's really busy period is right now. I've been working alot of OT so whatever leftover time is spent with my Schmoop over my blog ( I know suprise suprise!). If you're curious here is where I work at.
Be back to my normal blogging and commenting soon! :)
Dirkey

Wordless Wednesday-Pirates!!!

Photo taken by Dirkey on 6/10/07

Friday Night

So Friday night we went out to celebrate my friend Anne's 40th birthday. We went out to the meltingpot for dinner, it is by far my favorite restaurant. We went with the owners wife so we got some amazing perks, like having 3 burners on our table. Three burners that were first filled with 3 different types of cheeses, then with 3 different cooking styles for the main dish, then 3 different chocolate fondues. Holy cow it was so good, seriously 3 different types of cheese do you really need anything else!!

view of Denine and Anne across the table.

From there we went to our hotel, the Courtyard Marriot in Center City. We had a room overlooking City Hall, it was a gorgeous room with a flat screen tv and some of the softest pillows in the world!

most amazing to me was the view though, here is a picture of Anne and June checking out City Hall and Ben Franklin. This is probably one of my favorite pictures I've ever taken.

We headed out to Cuba Libre but missed the dancing. We ordered up a round of Mohitoey goodness though!! Then being the old ladies we are went back to the soft pillows and called it a night!!

all pictures taken by Dirkey on 6/9/07
stay tuned more to come!

Hey, Paris is back in Jail

Wow, she might actually pay the price for her indescretions. That is good to see, instills a little more faith in the legal system.
See the things you miss when you aren't "connected"

This Weekend

So, this weekend I was without internet for over one day. Holy cow! I'm going to just give you some tidbits of amazingness that I will expand upon shortly.
1. Melting Pot-soo good soo good soo good
2. Courtyard Marriot-Center City-nice
3. Cuba Libre-Mohito, need I say more
4. Reading Terminal Market
5. Seaside Heights take 1- I caught a shoplifter at my sisters store
6. Seaside Heights take 2- Gunshots as we are walking around?!?!?!
7. Pirate Mason
8. Broken Car-again
9. Amazing Husbands mad skills
10. Minivan-megafun

So really there are stories to go along with all of these that I promise I will update. I have pictures for most except the Seaside Heights ones. Stay tuned faithful readers.

Paris Is Out of Jail

Nice to know that if you have alot of money you can completely avoid the legal system. Thats ridiculous.

Huge sigh of releaf

My babies have homes!!

This is what my brain feels like

Wordless Wednesday-Conversation between sisters

"so let me tell you something...." picture of Gracie taken by Dirkey 6/2/07

"Oh my gosh, you have got to be kidding me" Picture of Meggie taken by Dirkey 6/2/07

Paris Hilton is in Jail!!!

yeah, I still don't care.
How is this news people, really?!

Oh My Gosh

So yesterday I saw my brother and his family for the first time since the wedding. They had gone away shortly after our honeymoon so this was the first time we were able to get together and Oh My Gosh I didn't even recognize by God-daughter Meggie. Let me just show you the before and after pictures.
From the wedding March 17th


and now

Her hair is now a gorgeous blond and she is a big girl now. Such a change, I can't even believe it!

Photo Hunters-Art

Art

My art is photography, Schmoop has started teaching me photoshop this week. This is one of the things I was playing with. Thought the lighting did funky things to my wine glass details, and I liked.

Here is the original picture, flower from my front yard and the wine glass is one of the new ones I registered for.

Photo's by Dirkey 5/29/07

Clumsy, handle with care

So yesterday I'm on the phone with kitten mom and I hear a "crash".
I go to investigate and my tart burner (such a weird name) is on the ground. I decide to do the thrifty thing and super glue the sucker back together. I piece it back together then take it apart and start glueing and unknowingly get some glue on my fingers. Well right then my nose starts itching, and I rub my nose; do you see where this is going? Yeah I superglued my hand to my nose, it hurt. Well I pry my hand off of my nose just in time to dribble a bunch of glue down my leg onto the carpet, yeah I glued my foot to the carpet. Well I went to put my hand on the couch to stand up and unpry my foot from the carpet and glued my hand to the couch. I finally get myself unglued from my nose, the carpet and the couch and go to look at my poor nose in the mirror. Well I have a mirror wedged between my dry sink and the wall waiting on the bathroom to get a new paint job, I rather ungracefully lowered myself to the floor and in the process bent my fingernail on my thumb back to the point of bleeding. After this I called Schmoop and sat still until he got home to avoid any further injury.
I question the validity of the below test.