To be generous

My friend Maria decided to celebrate her birthday by donating to a charity as well as blogging about being generous. As a chance for her to donate to my 'charity' - the Ronald McDonald House - I have to in turn write a post about what giving means to me.

So what does giving mean to me?

I think for me giving and being generous makes your soul shine. Whether you believe in God or not, you can be generous to those around you, making you a better person. You can be kind to others in need - whether you are in a good mood or grumpy. You can smile at a stranger and listen to someone who needs to vent. You can do a lot by doing little.

I decided to start volunteering for a purely selfish cause. I admit it. I needed something to do to take my mind away from the job I didn't enjoy and the fulfillment I wasn't getting. It was plain and simple. Little did I know that my life would change because of the wonderful people I met, and the smiles and sincere thanks for just being myself. I came to realize that I was getting so much more from volunteering than I ever imagined. I would say the people (managers, guests, other volunteers) at the RMH were generous to me; allowing me to be generous in turn. And teaching me to give a part of myself each week.

So week after week, month after month, and year after year I have become more generous because of the RMH. I have shared this experience with Darin, my family, and even my coworkers. I will always be in awe of this amazing organization and hope to have the RMH be a large part of my future (hopefully we'll move to a big city so I can latch on to another house outside of Orlando). I have learned to put my troubles aside and to try to be happy in my situation.

And that, my friends, was what giving means to me.

Lazy lazy summer dayz

What do we do on our weekends?

Other than:

- cutting the annoying grass that seems to grow and grow and grow inches every single day

- hedging, edging, blowing off, weed-wacking, etc. the grass

- cleaning the house/doing laundry

- playing with Jake

- watching movies (we are movie fanatics)

- eating out (bad us)

- etc.

We:

- are lazy.

(As seen from the pictures that follow - and even though Darin is the only one in them, do not be fooled. I am just as lazy. As is Jake.)

This last picture was taken while I was washing the couch cushions after Jake puked on two of them (let me say fantastic). Thankfully they were very easy to wash...

Jake though preferred them without their coverings... he made a little Jakey nest.

At least he's got personality.

Whose Sixty?

Last week we celebrated a good friend of ours birthday :

Joe turned sixty!

Ha ha, Over the Hill!



Happy 60th Joe!

Somehow his coworkers got him to come to Smokey Bones in Waterford Lakes all the way from Park Ave in Winter Park - and a group of us were waiting to surprise him!

Don't you love a good surprise party?

I didn't get a picture of him being surprised (bad lighting), but he really was. There were like 12 of us waiting at a table just when you walked into the restaurant... he kept saying he was going to go home to take out the dogs... but we knew he wouldn't let down a friend.

Some of the group:
Russell, Bill, Teddy, and Tammie



Tammie and Joe!
She made him wear the hat for like 30 seconds...



Russell and Darin



Olga and Anatoly (my coworkers)



Darin and Del

Tammie (Joe's wife) ordered a whole bunch of nummy appetizers - they had pulled pork nachos. Damn good! And then we got these crazy drinks (I didn't, but others did) in little pitchers. Ha ha. It was a great celebration and a nice way to relax after a beginning week (we went on Wednesday)!

Side note: we know Joe from where I used to (and Darin currently) work. He became a great person to b*tch to about all our troubles (as he was experiencing similar difficulties) and fun to go out with and watch him drink appletinis. He also helped me get my current job! Yeah for Joe!

Love. Birthdays.

Silly Pictures from the Man

One afternoon while I was either at work or on my way home from work, I received the following pictures with text information.

Enjoy.

The reward hammock.



Hi, Mama.



Close-up



Princess. (His ears flipped back.)



Nose.



Annoyed yet?



Doggie p*rn



I see you.

My husband was very clever. Oh dear.

Romania: Darin's First European Adventure

Bucharest:

Iasi:

Last Week

I was busy last week.

Sunday - went to church and had lunch with the in-laws (FIL, MIL, SIL, BIL, Lady - dog-in-law)

Monday - Jake's six month wellness checkup. He was not a happy camper - he's afraid of the vet ever since he ate a six foot leash (fun story) and had to be at the vet's for 10 hours. He loves his vet, just not the rooms. He cowers.

Tuesday - Doctors appointment for me. Rewarded myself with a double bacon cheeseburger from Steak n Shake. Shouldn't have.

Wednesday - Volunteered after work at Ronald McDonald House. Had a fantastic dinner from a church in Lake Mary.

Thursday - Lunch with good friends Raji and Cathy at Houlihans. Made them look at wedding pictures. I'm cruel, I know. Went to get a pedicure after work with my friend Janice (got a deep dark purple. very goth) and then went to Toojays. Proceeded to eat an entire piece of Banana Dream cake by myself. Had to lay down on the bed because it was way too much.

Friday - Played with Jake and went to sleep early. Was very very tired.

Saturday - Went and had sushi with Diana and Carol (MIL), and saw Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. Very cute chick flick! Definitely recommend it!

AND that night I went and picked Darin up from the airport because he was in:

Romania!

Thus, I kept myself busy while he was gone. Pictures of his to follow!

Florida Annoyances

Wherever you live, things about that particular region can bug you.

Ha. Pun intended?!

Here in Orlando, I am particularly annoyed with the wide variety and number of bugs present in the summer.

Why?

Is it the warm climate? Rain? Sunshine? I don't know. But like tourists, bugs just swarm here. And it's annoying.

In May, we had love bugs. They are actually pretty fun just to look at, kill (I'm evil, I know this already), and for Jake to try and eat. He'll snap at them when they fly by. It's pretty funny - and in case you didn't know, he's terrified of most bugs. Very strange, but the love bugs don't seem to bother him.

Now, we have June bugs. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say I probably hate these guys more than spiders. Not more than mosquitoes. (Can come close to that... remember this?)

I guess the rain has brought them 'out'? But they are everywhere and think I am a tree and try to land on me. They bombard Jake and me when we head outside for a night walk. They tip-tip-tap the windows each and every night trying to get inside. Even without lights on. They are driving. me. crazy.

So I took a picture of them the other night. For you to see. At least three get into the house every night. And I have to hunt them down and squish them. It's gross.

Front porch.

I think they think the front porch is a resort of some sort. Not sure why they like it so much.

Close up. Not taken by me.

***

There are also mushrooms growing everywhere. I think that's because of the rain as well. I do not like mushrooms. They are gross. (But fun to kick!)

Eww.



Jake trying to understand the mushroom

I am exciting about cutting the grass this weekend and killing all of the mushrooms. Having their pieces go every which way. Thankfully Jake has not eaten them at all. Or taken any interest in them.

Not sure what I would do if my dog liked mushrooms. Can you disown a dog?