Summer was Super but Fall will be Fantastic!

So, another summer has passed. And, boy was it busy! I spent three weeks at Horizons, travelled and visited some friends and family. I also had two birthday cakes to make in one week and they both came out really nice.

Jillian asked for a zebra striped cake that was funky but still girly. If I go by the expression on her face, I think I nailed it!

Kiera had a Zumba party so, therefore, a Zumba cake was requested. And, it HAD to have bright blue and the Zumba symbol. Once again, mission accomplished!

Well, needless to say, the time just flew by. Before I knew it, Thursday came and I was back to work... and all I can say is, "Yay!" I missed my posse of girls so much. It was wonderful to have them all back together again. We spent Friday together swimming in the most amazing pool and jamming out to good tunes. What a perfect way to end our vacations.
I have been dancing my heart out (while also wearing out the soles of my shoes) in Zumba class. Why? Well, other then the pure enjoyment and bliss I get from that hour, I am "in training". My sister and I enrolled in a Zumba Basic 1 licensing course. It's September 17th and I cannot wait! I am very nervous though. I kind of know what to expect and I know I can handle it but I am still a bit scared. I should be getting an email from the ZES (Zumba Education Specialist) who will be running the training within the week detailing the day. So, now it's just waiting and trying to tamp down my excitement.
If everything goes well and I recieve my license, there is a Zumbatomic licensing on November 6th with the fabulous Gina Grant. I will absolutely be enrolling in that. Then I plan to start up my own zumbatomic class sometime in January. I will keep everyone posted on my progress...

Turning A New Page

So, I know it's been a long time since I've been here. Truthfully, there was so much going on in my life that I could barely remember to eat. So, blogging? Forget it. But, I'm back. Finally...
And, in coming back, I'm bringing a whole new attitude along. The last year or two has been really rough. It felt like everything was sliding downhill and I just couldn't climb up. Well, over the last few months, I have been determined to change things. To make myself achieve things I never thought possible. Things that terrified me. Or just things I never believed I could actually do. And, of course, some things I just wanted to do for the heck of it. So, I did what everyone else in the world seems to be doing. A bucket list. Granted, a majority of things on there are typical; See the Great Wall, meet my favorite celebrity, be on T.V., etc. But, there were also a lot of things I have wanted to do but haven't. Whether due to fear or just no belief in myself.
Believe it or not, I have slowly begun to cross things off my list! And, with each thing I achieve, I feel stronger, more confident and proud. I am doing all those things I "couldn't" do. I am conquering those same fears and insecurities that have kept me down for so long. Don't get me wrong. There are many, many times in which I still say I can't do something. That I panic at the thought of all the negative things that could happen. But, recently, a very dear friend of mine wrote me a letter. In it, she told me how strong I was and how far I have grown in the last few years. She ended with saying, "You can achieve anything you desire; you truly can." The amount of belief she has in me floored me. I never thought anyone would think I was that capable of achieving anything... let alone, everything. She doesn't know this but, in times of serious self doubt or extreme sadness, I pull out that letter. I reread it. It makes me cry everytime but, I always feel this little ray of hope. It forces me to remember that there is someone out there who expects me to take a deep breath and go for it. To live my life without fear and regrets. To be the person I was meant to be.
And, that is exactly what I intend to do. One moment at a time. Every day. For the rest of my life.

Do you know what I wonder?
How many people, at this moment, are lying awake and crying?
I know there must be mire then just me, right? It's funny, you know. Not too many years ago, I honestly thought the best thing I could do was just give up. I was so depressed. I saw no point in anything anymore. Then, my life seemed to change. The scales seemed to at least be balancing out. I was, dare I say, happy.
Now, here I am, once again lying in the dark and crying. The nights are the worst. The house is so silent right now. All my animals are sound asleep (on the bed with me I might add). The only things I hear are the ticking of the clock and my husband snoring. It must be so wonderful to be able to just fall asleep. No thoughts slamming around your head like trapped ping pong balls. I wouldn't know. I have so much going on lately that it's a wonder I can function. Do you ever just feel so alone?
I do.
I feel as if everyone has just slowly changed their lives. Some better. Some worse. All without me. Even my husband has started pushing me away. My best friend as well. The two most important people in my life... Just seemed to stop caring. If no one cares what I do, why should I?
Why should I care about anything?

I did it!!!!!!

I DID IT!
Sorry, let me back it up and start from the beginning...

I have been doing a family Zumbatomic class every Thursday with my friend's daughters. Essentially, it's a watered down version of its adult counterpart; Zumba. I have been wanting to attend an adult Zumba class for awhile now. The problem is that I have always been too scared. Terrified that I'd make a fool of myself. Or that I wouldn't make it through the whole class. Well, my friend, Alisah, is a Zumba instructor. She told me about a "Dance To A Healthy Heart" event. It was free, for a good cause and 2 hours. I searched around for someone to go with. (Because there was no way you would catch me going alone.) Finally, my friend, Sonia said she was interested. Before we went in, we agreed that we could never make it through two hours. When we got too tired, we would just leave. Before I knew it though, we had made it to the third (out of four) instructors! We realized that we were going to make it and, as a reward, we bought ourselves hip scarves and wore them through the rest of the dances.

It was such a good time and I was amazed at how at ease I was after I got into it. I am completely hooked and fully intend to enroll in Alisah's class as soon as the nicer weather hits. Most importantly though, I am really proud of myself. I went into a situation saying,"I can't do this." When I left, I was incredulously saying, "I DID it. I can't believe it!"

The confidence boost that came with doing thisis absolutely amazing. So, my advice..
Step out of that comfort zone. Do something that you never thought you could. You may be surprised at what you CAN do!

WTB shirt

So, I designed a Who's The Boss t-shirt for my little sister and we thought it came out pretty neat. Here are the pictures...

<---------------Back of the shirt.

                                               Front of shirt

                                              Closeup of back

I order these shirts through my Cafepress account. They run me about $30.00 plus $5.00 s/h. If anyone is interested, let me know and I can put an order in. :)

Happy Birthday Judith Light!

Today is a cold and wintery Wednesday. Much more importantly though, it is also Judith Light's birthday.
I have been watching Judith for as long as I can remember. It started out with only knowing her as Angela Bower on "Who's The Boss". I was just a kid but I adored that character. As I got older, I began watching her other movies. I slowly began to realize that there was so much more to Judith then her WTB role. She was, and still is, beyond versatile. Her acting is not just surface deep. She truly becomes her characters. Right down to the tiniest details. It amazes me that she is not an A-list celebrity. For all her talent, she is sorely underappreciated.
Now, let's be honest. There are a decent amount of gifted actors. So, why Judith? What makes her special? Why do I admire her so much? Simply put, she is no one but herself. In all accounts, what you see is what you get. Judith doesn't portray herself as kind, considerate and loving... That's her natural personality. She truly appreciates her fans and takes time to meet them. Not to mention, Judith believes that celebrity is great but if she doesn't use it to help others, why have it.
So she does. She is extremely vocal in the fight against AIDS and an active supporter of the GLBT community. She was one of the first celebrities to really put herself out there and I admire her for the strength it takes to stand up and fight. Especially fir something so many people oppose.
So, Judith, today is your day. May it be filled with happiness, laughter and love. You deserve it!
Happy Birthday!

Keeping my resolutions

Did you make any new years resolutions this year? I did. Ten of them in fact. Some were little things such as finishing a project. Others were a lot more personal. Then there were a few that have somehow managed to overlap into each other. I promised myself that I was going to lose the extra weight that has crept up on me. Another was to step outside of my comfort zone. Last, but not least, was to conquer some of my bucket list.
How do these three connect? Well, thanks to my determination that I WILL lose that fat and my new, intense love for Zumba, I have essentially linked all three! Joining a zumba class will cross of a bucket list item (join a dance class), get me waaayy out of my comfort zone, and (hopefully) fit back into my favorite skirt.
I am practicing dances like crazy in hopes that I will be able to attend an upcoming two hour zumba for your heart event.
I will keep you posted on my progress and if I make it through the two hours lol...

Old Blog Posts I found...

I went into my old Myspace account and came across these old blog posts. I found them to be slightly interesting so, i figured I would post them here.

....Changes.... (May 9, 2008)

Current mood:melancholy

Tonight, I sit here, and feel so down.  The end of the school year is drawing closer and I find myself unprepared for the changes it will bring.  Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled and extremely lucky to be moving on to this new family. The children are so sweet and their parents are funny and nice. Yet, I find my heart feels heavy.  I have already begun to miss the situation I have now... I have never been very good with change.  My employer (but more importantly, my friend) says not much will be different. I will still be over there some days.  So, why do I not believe that things will not change?? Because, so many times, life has sent me down a path that my friends are not on. And, consequently, our friendship begins to fade away until it is just a bittersweet memory in the corner of my mind.  I'm not ready for this to happen again.  I suppose all I can really do is hope that these people care for and love me as much as I do them... 

my life goals (April 28, 2008)

Current mood:breezy

Well, the other day, Francis and I were chatting about what we would like to do before we die. (I suppose we had run out of otherwise intelligent conversation!) So, we went back and forth and listed every goal no matter how small or big it was. I thought it was an interesting list on my end so, because I am bored and in a great mood, I decided to share it:
1)  Have children.
2)  Visit Australia.
3)  Own a Subaru.   (As of today, I own a green subaru legacy: 4/28/08)
4)  Make a difference in someone's life.
5)  Become a foster parent.
6)  Own a cocker spaniel.
7)  Learn a foreign language... and remember it well!
8)  Write a children's book.
9)  Win a contest of any kind! lol!
10)  Travel to a variety of foreign countries.   (Been to: Germany)
11)  Meet Teri Hatcher.
12)  Be on T.V.
13)  Be a bridesmaid.
14)  hold a monkey.
15)  Own a sugarglider.
*There are more goals then these but I didn't put them down because these are my top 15**
(So, I was actually able to complete another one of these.. I was a bridesmaid in one of my dearest friends wedding in the summer of 2009)

WE"RE MOVING!!! (Oct. 17, 2007)

Current mood:ecstatic

So, I know I don't blog much but, hey, what can I say? My life is pretty calm and predictable. lol! But, seriously, this time I actually have GREAT news.... We are moving at the beginning of November!!! Hurray!!! And this time, it is a permanent move. It's our very own house!! (can you tell that I am ecstatic?!) It's a 4 bedroom, two story house with a garage. It has a huge yard and it's on the water. Also, it's right across the street from the playground/town playing field/ice rink. I am so looking forward to being in a place of my own. Especially celebrating the holidays there. No more rent or landlords or having to be quiet because the neighbors might get angry... WoooHooo! lol... well, that is all for now. When I have an official new address and phone number, I will post a bulletin to everyone. Take care!!

What makes my job so rewarding... (June 7, 2007)

Current mood:touched

First off, let me state that I really adore my job and I would not trade it for any other in the world. Unfortunately though, there are days that I want to pull my hair out. Especially as the end of the school year draws near. On occasion I have an experience that reminds me exactly why I do what I do and today was one of those days...
One of my school agers walked in with a gift bag which she handed to me. When I opened it, she had given me one of her stuffed animals. (A white gorilla to be exact. Because she knew I loved monkeys.) In it's arms was a card. I opened it and this is what it said... " Dear Teri, Thank you so much! I had the best time in my life this year! I had a happy time with you as a babysitter. I never met a babysitter that can make everything so fun. I hope I see you next year. I might get dropped off at home but, If I get lonely I will walked over to say, "HI" and play with S-----, K----. (Oh, yeah and with you too!) Hope you have a great time with the baby next year! I wanted to give you this monkey because I knew you like monkies! I will miss you so much! From, C------ H------."
I stood there in the kitchen and cried a bit. How wonderful and fufilling it is to be given such a thoughtful gift. And what an amazing girl she is to have done this all by herself! Today was what made all the stress of the past 9 months make sense. A reminder, if you will, of why I adore children so much and spend so much time with them. Because there truly is no greater reward then having a child whisper "I love you" as they walk by. Or the way they snuggle in your arms when they are tired, scared, or hurt. Or their blind trust that you can fix any situation and make it better... I work with children for their honesty and beautiful innocence and the ability to see the world with such wonder and excitement. A gift that many adults no longer possess. A gift that I refuse to relinquish. Because I believe that the world would be so much better if everyone could still see the world through a child's eyes.

A permanent case of "Pansy-itis"

There are many things about myself that I dislike. Some are fixable whereas others are not. Yet, the one thing that I hate the most (aside from my nose) is the fact that I seem to be an incurable pansy.
For as long as I can remember, I have been scared of EVERYTHING. Spiders, dogs, strangers, shadows... The list could go on and on. I was even afraid to talk to anyone outside my immediate circle. My mother never pushed me to get over any of this. Which I was greatful for at the time but, now I wonder if that would have made a difference in me today. As an adult, I am still painfully introverted. I can talk to my friends and immediate family for hours. In fact, I think they wish I was a bit quieter. But, put me with someone I don't know, or worse yet, in a group of strangers, and I freeze. Bring on the queasiness, sweaty palms, shakiness. It's crazy. Even after knowing my husband's family for over five years, I still am self-conscious around them. I also find that I limit myself because I am just to scared to go out and fail.
So, I have decided that I do not want to be a victim of my fears anymore. I am slowly finding ways to come out of my shell. I joined a family exercise class with my friend's daughters. Do I feel like a fool every Thursday when I make mistakes in the dance steps? Absolutely. Is it getting easier every week? Yes! Last week, no sweaty palms or nervous habits. I even exchanged a few words with one of the other ladies. The way I look at it, this class is a stair step to the adult Zumba class that I so badly want to take. I've set a goal that by April, I will have joined that class. And, I think I can do it too!
Maybe, by putting myself in these situations over and over again, I will slowly climb out of myself and start enjoying the world a little more. I may never be that sparkling and witty conversationalist that everyone loves bur, maybe, just maybe, I will gain a little of that confidence I am sorely lacking.

The most innocent games can stir up the biggest issues.

Today has been a long day... And it's not even close to being over. Maybe I could blame my exhaustion on Zumba class last night, but I didn't really work that hard. (Shame, shame) Truthfully, it was the fact I just couldn't fall asleep. You see, for the last 11 days, I have joined the masses and begun the 30 day photo challenge on Facebook. Up until yesterday, the "assignments" have been quite nonsensical; person you've known the longest, something you did on a particular night, etc. Day 11, on the other hand, really made me think. The topic was to post a picture of something you hate. Well, there are so many things I strongly dislike, but hate... Well, I reserve that term for the lowest and most loathful things in my life. While I'm sure most people just randomly picked something, such as liver or rainy days, I always tend to overthink everything I do. (Yes, I am one of those nerds!) I wracked my brain all day. What was the one thing I truly hated with a fiery passion. Finally, while lying in bed, the answer appeared. I hate discrimination, bigotry and narrowmindedness. I am, and always have been, a firm believer that each person has the right to live their life how they choose. As long as they are not harming anyone else, who cares?! It has always irked me to see the hatred people have for others who are different or make controversial life choices. Perfect example is that, in this day and age, we are fighting to allow gay men and women to marry the people they love. To let them fight (possibly even sacrifice their lives) for their country. The same country that limits their personal rights!
I find it appalling that people stand outside clinics and harrass people who are making, quite possibly, the hardest decision of their lives. (And, yes, I just went there.) Could I ever, under any circumstances, do that? No. But, just because I couldn't, does not mean I would stand out there with a sign calling young women murderers.
Why can't we, as a population, learn to live and let live? Allow people to be whom they want, or need, to be? Why do we continuously find a group of people to hate?
All I know is that, someday, when my husband and I have children, I hope that the world will be more accepting then it is today. It has come a long way, but it has an even longer way to go... So, with that, I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes:
"Bigotry or prejudice in any form is more than a problem; it is a deep-seeded evil within our society."

Winter....

So, here I sit, bundled up in multiple layers and my favorite pair of fuzzy socks. Yet, I am still chilly. In all honesty, if i could safely sit directly on my portable heater, I would! Why am I so cold? Because, Jack Frost must be angry. It is currently about -3 F outside. Which is actually quite warm. Seeing as how, this morning, it was about 30 below. The good news about that... A majority of schools cancelled so, I got a "snow" day of sorts.
There is something to be said about winters in Northern new York. Each one is different. They are beautiful, unpredictable and oftentimes, endless. Oh, and let's not forget, cold! People always ask me why i don't move. If I hate cold weather and driving in the snow, why live here? To answer is difficult to say the least.
I DO hate being cold. It makes certain joints ache and I spend a lot of the winter months with a slight limp due to the pins in my hip. And, as far as driving in this weather, well... I swear, my knuckles stay as white as the snow for the whole season.

Yet, there is something undeniably indescribable about winter here. When the first real snow falls, it changes people. They become child-like. Granted, it may be only for a few moments, but it is there. Throwing on their coats and running outside. Throwing snowballs, making snow angels, and simply standing there. Tongue out. Catching those tiny icy flakes in their mouths. Admit it, you've done it, right? I have. I do. Every year.

I love to take my dog outside. She adores snow! I bundle up in all my layers; jacket, snowpants, boots, gloves, and much more.  We go out and just race around the yard until we are both too tired to go anymore. Then, I collapse into a snowbank and look up at the sky. Pulling air in and tasting winter. Have you ever tasted the winter air in the country? It is sharp and cold. Yet, there is a sweetness. It's so hard to describe. And, everything just smells so clean and pure. It truly is such a sensory overload at times.

True, there are hidden dangers beneath all this beauty. There's icy roads, blizzards, freezing rain and temperatures that can give you frostbite in under 5 minutes. And, I can promise you, that I heartily complain about each and every one of those things on a daily basis. Yet, as much as I profess to hate this season, there must be a small part of me that loves the unique beauty of it. Because, every year, the glittering landscapes and serene stillness continue to take my breath away.

The City That Never Sleeps

Hello again!
So, I am currently beyond excited! I am going to New York City in April!! I know. Big deal, right? Well, let me back up a bit and explain why this is such a huge thing for me...

See, when I was a kid, I always thought I would grow up to be this superstar. Loved and adored by millions of people all over the world. Don't get me wrong. I was in no way a snob and never did I think i was better then sliced bread. I just was SO sure that I would be someone some day. And, part of that daydream always had me going to New York, meeting celebrities, eating at the hot places... Just belonging to the city. So, here I am, years later, still living in a small town. Older, more mature and a sense of reality that knows no end. ( I have even made it to Germany but never to NYC. )

Well, a few months ago, I heard about a play on Broadway that one of my favorite actresses in the world is in.

(In case you were wondering, the aforementioned actress is the amazing and spectacular Judith Light.)

She is playing the role of Marie Lombardi in the aptly named play, Lombardi. Some of you are probably thinking at this point; "Football? Vince Lombardi? Broadway?" All reactions that I also had. I heard about it and shoved the information in the back of my brain's junk drawer. Yet, the reviews kept popping up in random places. Her fans were going to see this play and raving about it. So, I began to look more into it. I watched the interviews, read reviews both of the professional and personal nature.

 (After all, I find that I disagree with most professional critics anyway.)

So, by this point, i am intrigued. I mean, come on, rumor is that Judith is now potentially Tony nomination material for this part. I must see this play. Not to mention, there seems to be a great chance that I can meet Judith after the show and get her to sign my playbill. Meet Judith Light? In person? I'm there! So, *click* my tickets are ordered. Of course, after, we will have to head over to the famous Sardi's  for dessert and a drink. And, while we are in the city, shouldn't I explore and pretend that I own the town? I suppose, to make a long story slightly shorter, the answer is YES! My husband and I booked the plane tickets, reserved our hotel room and I have been pouring over my list of places I have always wanted to go. Trying to create the perfect experience for that little girl inside of me. That doe eyed child who always pictured her name in lights, headlining a show, in the city that never sleeps...

Me in a nutshell...

Hi All!
As boring as this may be for a first entry, I always feel it's important to know a little about the person you are reading about. Granted, you will learn that from my future entries. Still, there is something to be said about the common courtesy of introducing oneself.
My name is Teri. I am in my mid-twenties. I currently am working as a child care provider to six beautiful girls. They make my life crazy and unpredictable some days. Yet, they fill my life with such joy and beauty that I can't complain.
I have been married for four years now to a wonderful man I probably don't deserve. So, I thank the higher powers for him on a daily basis. We are both softies when it comes to animals. As a result, we have seven cats and one spoiled, hyperactive dog.
I am definately a homebody during the school year but I wish I could travel more. There is nothing more exhilarating, or nerve wracking, then going places you have never been before. I also love taking pictures, reading, scrapbooking, spending time with the people I love and obsessively watching my favorite shows.
I suppose that is all I have about myself at the moment. I can't promise that this blog will have any great revelations or deal with current issues. I am very emotionally charged and tend to rant about whatever is on my mind so, all I can promise is that this will be an interesting ride.
Teri