Morning Rituals

I'm going to kill him.

Seriously.

Okay, I hear the snickers, gloating that finally something is "not peachy." Truthfully, we have hard times like every other couple. We fight (although we never yell, I hate loud noises) we ignore each other, we (I) give dirty looks, and we (I) pout until one of us (me) gets our way.

But this is it. He has sentenced himself to death.

I have a very difficult time sleeping; a gift from my Mother's side of the family. I can't get to sleep and once I am in la-la land it doesn't last. For instance, last night we went to be at 10:30 and I was out like a light around 11:15 but by 12:30 I was up, thinking it was time for work. I went back to sleep only wake again at 4:40am.

This is my normal process just about every night. So where does that leave me? Tired. For some odd reason I get my best sleep between the hours of about 3:30 and 7:30. I am, however, usually up around 6:00...

Coincidentally, the mornings I am able to sleep are the mornings that Aaron suddenly needs help dressing himself.

A: Baby? Baby, I know you're sleeping, but does this match?
J: (exaggerated inhale and exhale) I don't know (sarcasm) let me find my glasses so that I can check. (rummage loudly through the night stand to find my glasses, put them on with force, look.) Yes. (rip glasses off, put them on night stand, slam head back into pillow. heart beating too loudly to go back to sleep. damn)

This morning, in the hours of my best sleep, Aaron wakes me to ask about a symptom he is having because apparently I am the resident-freaking-dermatologist (he's having skin issues- nothing bad, just seasonal stuff.)

A: Baby, is this normal? Can you look at it?
J: Yes (sigh, resigned) lemme see. (reaching, squinting for glasses)

What does it take for a girl to get some sleep around here, seriously? I woke this morning with a terrible headache and I know it's because I slept like crap. This weekend, when I am up at 7:00 and he is sleeping soundly, wrapped in a cocoon of fleece blankets, I will suddenly find that to be an appropriate time to vacuum.

Face-off Photography

Since Aaron and I met we've had a recurring theme with our photography. We love to take pictures of us. Not "oh we love to have pictures of us" more "we love to take our own pictures." Almost every picture we have of us, as a couple, is from the neck up. It's something we started as a joke and has now become a resounding theme in the Molloy household.

Often times we've been in public, bracing ourselves, carefully positioning to capture a memory, when a bystander approaches and offers "would you like me to take that for you?" we courteously reply, "Oh no thanks, we're all set, but thank you!" The helpful stranger usually skulks off feeling slightly miffed at the rebuff assuming we think they will steal our camera... but that's not it at all. We have a theme and we are upholding it.

Word to the wise... we know you want to be helpful and we aren't being rude we just love taking our own pictures ;)

The first ever face-off, when this all began:

Sometimes we're silly:

Sometimes we make mistakes:

Sometimes we make beautiful mistakes:

We have even become pretty good about capturing our surroundings:

And we LOVE to play Kissy-face:

And some all-time favorites:

Say 'Cheese!'

I heart Waterfalls

We have been on three beautiful hikes recently. The first on Monument Mountain in the Berkshires, which I posted about during our Tanglewood 2008 trip, the second to Moxie Falls in Maine (where Aaron proposed- I will post about that at some point) and the third to Arethusa Falls in the White Mountains of NH. Something they all have in common? Waterfalls. When hiking or going on a trip Aaron always tries to find me either a waterfall or a lighthouse... love em both!

Arethusa Falls was exceptionally amazing. We took the Bemis Trail which was a bit more difficult and required us to scramble up a steep embankment and do a bit of bouldering, but it was so, so worth it!

It's roughly about a 4.5 mile hike to get to the 200 ft waterfall that originates from the Wildcat River in Crawford Notch, White Mountains; Bartlett, NH!

Amazing!

From the Archives...

I found this picture the other day while cleaning out some old files. Aaron was trying to be cute, cooking breakfast for me in my apron. This is an 'old' picture (from the very beginning of our relationship 'old.')

If this is my last blog entry, it's been fun. Don't bother looking for the body; Aaron has made it abundantly clear they "will never find the pieces."

Wednesday, Oui?

Monday night I arrived home from work earlier than usual due to a few client cancellations. I had made a big crock-pot full of chili before I left that morning so we wasted no time preparing food. After the dishes were done we went for a nice walk with the boys all around the neighborhoods.

On the way home we passed by a big box full of stuff from a weekend yard sale. It was beside the road waiting for trash day. I couldn't help myself... and it's a good thing too. With a little digging I recovered 2 BRAND NEW board games not even out of the packaging. Yes, unopened! New! New! New!

Sadly, I was also clinging to a stuffed Santa pillow that Aaron made me leave in the rubbish, warning that it could be bed-bug ridden. I hate to think of Santa going into the trash truck. Maybe I'll sneak back tonight to scoff it up, wash it, and put it in with the Christmas decorations. Aaron will never know!

One person's junk is another's treasure, Oui?

Bragging Rights

Last Sunday was the last official "team race" for the MetLife cycling team. It was a criterium race in Portsmouth, NH. I loved this race because 1. My Dad came to watch. 2. Aaron raced an amazing race with a hard effort. 3. I got to see some of Aaron's team mates who I haven't seen in a while, and 4. The race was located in my old stomping grounds.

Having grown up in Rochester I would often spend my weekends shopping and dining in Portsmouth. So to watch the boys racing past the stores I frequented often when I was young was so nostalgic.

Aaron/MetLife in the Foster's Daily Democrat click here
Aaron/MetLife in the Portsmouth Herald click here

How cool is that?

Gossip from ManchVegas

Last Thursday night all of Hanover Street was closed down for a wine tasting festival. Now, there are several treatment facilities on this street in Manchester and thousands of streets in Manchester. Yet outside of my building, a ton of vendors set up shop with alcohol everywhere! UGH! I am going to write the Mayor about this one. Yes, temptation doesn't walk though a door that isn't deliberately left open, but come on... let's not dangle the carrot people!!! My skin crawled when I left for the night, just minutes after I dismissed the kids from my group; I can only imagine what their first thoughts were when they walked out of the building. ---AND the straw that broke the camels back? A nun puking on the sidewalk. Yes, a nun. puking. in her robe. on the sidewalk. still holding the wine glass...

Yesterday on the way home from work I saw a penis pump laying on the side of the road... actually not laying... more of "positioned" Like it was on display... perhaps the same person who lost the big rubber penis also lost the pump...

This morning on my way into the building a huge burly dude approached me, "Do you have a dollar to spare?" I lied and said "no." I felt badly then figured he was probably going to use it for drugs and alcohol- or perhaps he is the former owner of the big rubber dick and pumping paraphernalia looking for financial aid.

Who knows? Only in ManchVegas!

Not that it's likely...

I could survive for 57 seconds chained to a bunk bed with a velociraptor

Wedding Songs: A Sneak Peek

With our wedding about a year away I have been thinking a lot about music. I love music. I much prefer music to television and we almost always have music playing in our house. We are both 'music people.'

That said, I am thinking forward to what songs we want to have our bridal party introduced to, what songs will be playing while dinner is served, to what song our first dance will be and what songs we want playing while guests wait for us to walk down the aisle.

I have a informal list composed but today, on my way to work, I heard a song and absolutely fell in love with it. I could barely wait to get to work so I could hear it without distraction and add it to my list.

A few "must have" songs for me:
Jason Mraz- I'm Yours (one I heard this morning)
Barry Louis Polisar- All I Want Is You
Regina Spektor- Fidelity
Leona Lewis- Bleeding Love

This is a fraction of the compreshensive list... but wanted to offer this as an appetizer.

Any suggestions?

Wednesday, Oui? Jealous are 'oui?'

Aaron, by nature, is not a jealous guy. Protective, yes. Jealous? Not so much. Occasionally he will be bothered, but he doesn't hem & haw about things or hold them against me. He will simply state "I'll kill you and they'll never find the pieces." Just kidding! Sort of ;)

When I say protective I mean that. He worries about me simply because I trip a lot, spill things or burn myself on accident. If there is danger within a 30-foot-radius, it finds me. One of my redeeming qualities is that I have the memory of an elephant. I can hear something and I have it memorized immediately. I know birth dates, phone numbers and can even recall conversations verbatim. However, I am "forgetful;" usually the first to say "where's my cell phone?" "have you seen my keys?" I think Aaron internalizes that quite a bit and worries about me.

Several times per day, he will call me to see how my day is going. If in the morning, before he leaves for work, I tell him I have a slight headache he will check on my vitals via text, email and phone. To be honest, at first I found it annoying, now it's endearing.
"Baby did you take your medicine this morning?"
"Did anyone harass you when you were running today?"
"How's your head?
"Are you thirsty?"

Frankly, I love it. So, no, he is not jealous-- just a worry-wart about me

Last night however, jealously reared it's ugly head and I was a bit surprised.

I have been reading a lot lately. I began the Twilight series; a four book saga about a vampire/human love story. I've read two of the books (over 500 pages each) in the last two days. Yeah, completely obsessed and what's more, I totally identify with the main character/love interest of the vampire... she too is clumsy.

Last night, as we settled down to House, watch my favorite TV show... ever... Aaron looks over at me squinting his eyes. "Would you rather be reading about your vampire right now than watching House?" He knows I have a huge crush on Edward Cullen, the main character/vampire in the novel. "No, of course not" I chide slightly amused, "You know how much I love Gregory House" I add stabbing the knife in a bit further, stifling a laugh.

I was up until 3 am last night finishing the second of the four books. In the wee hours I woke him and asked, "are you mad that I'm reading?" He responded "no, of course not, I love that you read so much and am so impressed at the great speed to which you do it."

This morning, however, he didn't feel so generous. "I am going to race my bike all weekend long so that you can finish the other two books about your vampire and I can have my wife back."

Hehehe, Aaron is jealous of a fictional character... how adorable is that?

I can't help myself...

Come on people, you know I love these more than life itself. Humor me and consider yourself tagged if you want to participate.

1. My uncle: Once peed on our couch because he claimed to have gotten a "chill on his ear."
2. There’s this person I know who: Every time he pees in the toilet he has to spit into it before he flushes. (I'm not naming any names...)
3. Once, at a bar: I showed off a tattoo that I have in a fairly inappropriate place to a bunch of random strangers.
4. By noon, I’m usually: Ready for a nap and needing a cup of coffee.
5. Last night: I went out with Aaron and some friends to celebrate Lucia's birthday... Happy Birthday Lu!
6. What I like best about the eighties is: The music, TV shows, and commercials.
7. If I were a character in Shakespeare, I’d be: Julius Caesar because I've always wanted to say "Et tu, Brute?" and can't work it into a regular conversation.
8. By this time next year: I will be planning a beautiful fall wedding.
9. I have a hard time understanding: Why people have such difficulty recycling.
10. One thing I'm thankful for right now is: my huge diamond ring (I know, so shallow.)
11. If I ever won an award, the first person I’d thank would be: Depends on the award... for my wonderful prowess in bed I certainly wouldn't thank my parents...
12. Take my advice. Never: give me unsolicited advice, I believe it's a hostile act and will let you know this in no uncertain terms.
13. My ideal breakfast is: Vanilla yogurt with berries and granola with coffee/or Aaron's breakfast wraps.
14. A song I love is: Come on Eileen (Dexy's Midnight Runners)
15. If you visit my hometown, I suggest: Going to the border town of Barrington to hit up Calef's and The Christmas Dove.
16. Why won’t people: Vote!
17. The world could do without: People who abuse/mistreat/neglect animals.
18. I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: eat sushi.
19. My favorite blonde is: Alexander Richard LeBlanc
20. I can't count the number of times: Aaron sends me "thinking of you texts" every day.

Remembering

"Real peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice."
-Martin Luther King Jr.

Today is a profoundly sad day for me. It seems every time September 11th rolls around I am struck with a deep sorrow; a sadness for my life, my country, my future, and for those who lost someone 7 years ago today. There is so much I could say about today. So many angles I could process it from, so many questions run through my mind. I could blog about this event every year and still not be any closer to peace and justice.

I still can't wrap my head around the events of that day. I can't imagine being on a airplane, going on a business trip or a vacation with my family, only to die at the hands of a terrorist. I can't imagine getting a phone call from a loved one who has to tell me, terrified and helpless, that they are going to die. I can't imagine going to work and dying in my office building. I can't imagine waiting, helplessly, to find out if someone I love has died. I can't fathom the years of planning it took on the part of the terrorists to hurt America so badly and make it so vulnerable in the matter of hours.

In a lot of ways I am very lucky that I have been so indirectly affected by the events of September 11, 2001. Yet still, in so many ways, terrorism has affected my life and will continue to do so in ways I'm not even sure about yet.

Through these feelings of sadness, fear, and anger trickles in another feeling; hope. I hope for a better future for my children, my family, and myself. I hope the events of September 11th are always remembered. I hope those who have given their lives, both directly (soldiers, victims of the attacks) and indirectly (family of the victims, women who watch the news everyday hoping their US Soldier is unscathed) are honored.

I don't think there is a solution to what happened that day. I don't know that we have always done the right thing, (our reaction to the attacks) and I'm not sure I even know what justice is anymore. What I do know is until tolerance is universally taught we are never going to stop the world from fighting.

We pray today that from the ashes will rise a new spirit of beauty and unity in America. Already, all across this nation our hearts have been knit together into a new tapestry of one America. Because of this tragedy, we have been bound together by a silver chord of hope and brotherhood and sisterhood. What was meant to drive us apart has really drawn us together.
May we always remember.
-Reverend Wintley Phipps

Wednesday, Oui?

"It's time for me to take the air-conditioners out of the windows." Aaron said last night, searching my face because he knows what that means. I absolutely love fall. It is, without a doubt unquestionably my favorite season, time of year, and climate.

My love for fall dates back as far as I can remember. There is something unmistakable in the scent of the leaves, the patchwork of colors falling to the ground, and the need for a light sweater or "fall jacket."

Every morning this week there has been that familiarity in the air, the chill on my hardwood floors, and the perspiration on the windows of our cars. I have barely been able to contain myself on my morning walks, almost fainting from breathing too deeply the crisp fall air with the slight aroma of harvest.

Fall, to me, means:

Mums

Cornstalks and pumpkins on my porch

Apple Picking

Hikes with out bugs

Views so amazing that one would sacrifice a month of summer just to get two extra weeks of foliage

Drives to the Whites to "Leaf Peep"

Apple Cider on a hayride to pick out a pumpkin at the pumpkin patch

Trick-or-treaters

Reading a book on the hammock in a cuddly sweater

The first frost

My oh my, I just can't wait. I love fall beyond words. This year Aaron and I are paying particular attention to when the foliage is at it's peak as we are planning a fall wedding for 2009.

Hopefully, at some point this weekend, I'll get all my mums planted. There are few things that pleases me more than being greeted at the door by two tiny puppies, the red, orange and yellows of fall, and Aaron with a glass of wine! Oooohhhhh Oui am I excited!?!

Happy Blogiversary! Reader Challenge

I have officially been in the Blogosphere for one year!

Here are some interesting facts about The Adventures of Aaron & Jessi:

• I started this blog to keep track of the trips/hikes and fun things we do, and to document my bone marrow harvesting.
• I had a lot of trouble deciding on a title of this blog, as it was very difficult to sum up our lives in a few words or a catch phrase. I chose 'The Adventures of Aaron and Jessi' because it seemed as though it was continual and ongoing; 'The Adventures.' The Internet address is a little different. In that I incorporated one of our favorite games "I Spy," - "I spy with my little eye..."
• I used to only read my sister's blog and one other, now I read 14 blogs regularly, only one of which is written by a person whom I have never met.
• There have been 208 posted blogs and there are 8 drafts waiting to be posted.
• I read, and reread my postings after I have used spell check to ensure quality.
• I get an adrenalin rush when I have a new comment, but I primarily write this blog thinking of how Aaron is going to view it, how his experience may have differed from my own. Seldom do I think of the reader, unless I have been particularly funny or clever.
• I almost always blog in the morning, before work and while I am drinking coffee.
• Aaron reads our blog about 3-4 times per week, on average.
• Aaron has posted 4 entries.
• I have contemplated starting a wedding planning blog, but I know Aaron would peek at it and see my dress and other tid-bits he should not see.
• I blog at least 2 times per week, sometimes more, and rarely miss a Wednesday, Oui.
• I have about 39 Oui postings, and my first Oui was about my nephew.
• I really enjoy posting conversations between Aaron and myself.
• I ponder every day whether or not to open my blog up publicly, then I look back and see some of the intimacies I share, and stories about my love of the sauce and I shudder. I think if it were public, I would begin to write for the reader and no longer for Aaron and I.
• I have approximately 40 invited readers.
• About 7 people comment on the blog, 8 comment via email, and the rest are creepers, lurking around.
• My favorite post was probably my Dear Aaron letter.

My questions for you:

1. What is your favorite post?
2. What do you think about me opening up my blog, publicly?

For my "emailers," please try to post in the comments as it will stimulate conversation.

Congratulations to us for our first year as bloggers!!!

Camp 2008

Highlights:

• We spent a ton of time all together as a family.
• I saw my Pepe almost every day.
• I watched my nephew swim in the same places I used to as a kid.
• We had bats in our cabin (hence tennis rackets.)
• My Brother-in-law waterskied in... JEANS!!
• We hiked the beautiful Moxie Falls and I fell in!
• We played Sequence almost every night.
• We went on two beautiful kayak trips to spy on wildlife.
• I went to the Skowhegan Fair with my family.
• We went in the boat on the most gorgeous afternoon and I waterskied.
• On Wednesday August 13, 2008 Aaron asked me to marry him and presented me with the most beautiful ring I have ever seen.
• I said Oui.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy 49th Birthday Dad! Only one more year until you are half a century old!

I love you!

XOXO

J&A

Wednesday, Oui... The Brady Bunch?

Growing up my father would always say..."Hey, we are just like the Brady Bunch." Anyone who knows anything about my childhood knows this statement is clearly delusional. My dad was no Mike Brady and my mom was far from good old Carol. We had no Alice and I'm not even sure we used a butcher. There certainly weren't minor problems ironed out within a half hour over milk and cookies.

Monday evening, after we came home from Aaron's parent's house, I was on the couch reading while Aaron was preparing for his first day of school when the following conversation happened:

A: I want us to be just like the Brady Bunch.

J: What?! (Scanning his face to see if he has lost his mind thinking I would actually have 6 of his babies...)

A: You know, like the parents.

J: Yeah, I know who they are... but, how?

A: I don't know... go to bed early together, and read a book at night and talk, stuff like that.

J: Oh! (whew!) Yes, I would like that.

I love that Aaron wants to be like the Brady Bunch with me. I can see myself with this man, growing old, having children (yes, Nicki, I said children.) I want Aaron to say to our children "We are just like the Brady Bunch." And although they will have no clue who that is, it may actually be true this time around.

Happy Birthday Wally!

Happy 33rd Birthday to my Wolfie, the very best brother in the world. I love you more than you will ever know and I'm so lucky to have you in my life.
XOXO,

Jessi

A Happy Labor Day

I must say this is one of the most relaxing weekends I've experienced in a long time. Aaron and I are always, perpetually, go, go, go. We never stop to rest. This weekend was quite the opposite. We have done very little, and have been outside most of the weekend; eating thoughtfully prepared dinners.

I have read a book and Aaron has kept himself busy around the house... but we've barely gone "out" and are truly enjoying the last of what summer has to offer. Basking in our newly engaged bliss and with the "first day of school" sneaking up on Aaron ready to rob him of his much deserved summer freedom, we were ready for this break.

What a great beginning to what will be an amazing fall.