news of no great importance.

- i need to start studying for the GRE. blah blah blah. i hate standardized testing. HATE it. why do you need to take a test to get into grad school? why can't a college degree be enough? how is this one stupid 4-5 hour test going to prove that i will be an adequate grad student? huh? huh? i just don't get it. yes that is my rant.

- debo and i are now proud macbook owners. it was the last thing we bought before leaving pittsburgh last tuesday. i know it's about time.

- can i just say i love my husband so much? jonathan joseph dibenedetto you are wonderful and i can't wait to pop out half a dozen of your children. ;-D

- i hurt my knee on thursday. embarrassingly it was while i was dancing with my 14 month year old, kiki, at my apt. somehow i planted my leg in some weird fashion and my knee popped out of its socket and then popped back in. it hurt. like hell. poor kiki was probably wondering why her babysitter was lying on the ground grasping her knee and moaning in agony. i am determined to recover however. especially as i plan to run again in the annual hodson half marathon this april. it looks however that my training will have to start out a little slower then planned as i work my knee back into shape via walking.

- our boys are moving back in for a new semester. i forgot how much i miss them when they are not around.

- trusting God is not always easy, but i have this knowledge in my heart that everything is going to be alright, and i know it's Him.

- i think i want to take a bath. usually at 10pm i am getting ready for bed (as nannying all day is quite exhausting and i need my rest). however, i am off tomorrow, a weekday rarity (except as of late, considering i just spent two weeks in PA visiting family over the holidays), but either way i am going to enjoy this just the same.

- i've been way too many hours on this computer today.

so signing off! <3

pretty little thing.

i'm not a big jewelry person. i like the idea of jewelry, but i don't really wear a lot of it. i blame it on my less is more mentality, and my allure to simple pretty little things. so when it comes to wearing jewelry i have my wedding bands on my fingers, and then usually a pair of earrings on, and sometimes on occasion a necklace. last valentine's day debo bought me this beautiful handmade necklace from the noisy plume. i love it. it's simple, elegant and very pretty.

as of late i find myself eyeing some pretty necklaces that i wouldn't mind debo "surprising" me with one for valentines day again: loves embrace & paloma's crown of hearts.

here's to the new year.

so here we are, 2010.

the past few weeks have flown by. here's a recap.

- flew in thursday the 18th by myself for a weekend in pittsburgh and the cene family christmas party (debo was wonderful enough to let me buy a plane ticket, since he had to work).

- my connecting flight out of baltimore let me reunite with my bestfriend (regina aka reggie bean) who i haven't seen in over a year (although we do talk weekly). we got to fly to pittsburgh together and she and my other good friend katie klos spent the night over my house. we watched old movies, laughed a lot, and cuddled. it was wonderful.

- had my family christmas the following friday and had a sleepover with my cousins on saturday. hung out with my mom on sunday, debo came monday, and we left for philly on tuesday.

- spent a week in philly/jersey with debo's family. had a very nice christmas breakfast at his aunt wendy's house and dinner at his aunt shirley's. went to the poconos with debo's dad, and came back to pittsburgh the following tuesday.

- since in pittsburgh, we have spent some wonderful time with family. new years eve debo and i went out to mccormick and schmicks with clare, jena, and chaz. had a fabulous seafood dinner then over to chaz and jena's and just hung out until 3:30 am.

- my mom is currently making us a turkey dinner tonight, clare and tall john are coming over, and we are going to watch the pens game.

we leave tuesday for indiana. i'm looking forward to getting back to our own place as much as i enjoy spending time with family. it's just nice to be in your own place and get back into normal life again. plus i miss our hodson boys, and my kiddos.

so am i ready for 2010? as ready as i'll ever be. i must say there is something charming about the start of a new year. and it's even better when you usher it in with the people you love.

happy new years!