I am devastated and in complete shock...

Life changed with one phone call. I have never been in as much shock as I am in right now. Earlier today Jamie picked up the phone and I could tell right away something wasn't right, and then he hung up. I shot up and asked, " what is it? what happened?" And he said, "My mom passed away"...nothing could have prepared me for that. My heart is so sad right now.

Today I lost the person that I thought would be the grandma of my children. I always knew that she would make a great grandma, because of how loving and giving she was with her own children. She was the mother of 3 lucky boys who have grown up to become young men. I really feel like she made her life's purpose to love her family and take care of all of them and she welcomed me into the family and I always felt like a daughter to her. I can't believe she is gone.

She is the person that brought my Jamie into this world. I am forever grateful to her for raising such a thoughtful and giving person who like his mom likes to take care of people. She was the wife of my boyfriends dad who has also always treated me like a daughter, who I hope knows how much he means to me and how much I appreciate him and hurt thinking of how sad he must be feeling.

Mrs. G lead a simple life she loved her boys; she loved her dogs and she loved her husband. She was proud of her family and would always add that she was happy they all had great partners. She never spoke badly about anyone and was a smiling person who you could always count on. She never missed a birthday and had great style. She was more in fashion than I was.I will always think of her when I it's just a little chilly and Jamie is about to walk out the door without a jacket. She would always encourage him to take it.

Things are going to change with no time to adjust organically. Holidays will never be the same, going home to visit won't feel the same. She was the glue to her family and always brought the best out of everyone. I'm not sure if there is a god, or if there isn't. I don't know if there is a heaven or not, but if there's a God, then there's one more angel, and if there's a heaven she's there now reunited with her own parents.

...I lost the person I couldn't wait to call mom. I couldn't' wait to be married to Jamie. I knew how happy she'd be and how happy I'd be and Mr. G too. I couldn't wait for the group hug and to call them mom and dad. I know that would be a moment she would want to be a part of as well as holding her first grandchild. I can't think straight; I feel all over the place...God this is so hard.....

GDC: San Francicso 2009

Hey everyone!

Jamie just got back with the camera from GDC, and so I've put some pictures up from our trip to San Francisco! Everyone would have been so proud of him!! It's so unbelievable that this moment has finally arrived. I think that all of us that know Jamie knew that it was only a matter of time before the rest of the world saw the success that we did. I wish family and friends could have been sitting by me when they announced," And the award goes to..... Fieldrunners" for both Best Achievement in Art and IGF Best Mobile Game. I was on the verge of tears! I probably would have cried but I wanted to make sure I got pictures! What an emotionally confusing moment!! I was just so proud of him and happy for him to be recognized...finally!! He's work so hard for so long, I'm just so happy for him and his friends. They truly deserve it. Enjoy the Pics!

Oh, I guess I should mention that Jamie and I flew out a day before so that we could spend a day together in San Fran since we were going to be in the area. I had to leave Tuesday, and Jamie was booked solid with classes and meetings. Sunday was really the only day we spent together exploring the city. Since Jamie had been there twice before he had showed me some of the hot spots including the Japanese garden at the Golden Gate State Park, Golden Gate Bridge, Industrial Lights and magic, Fisherman's Wharf, China Town and the Presidio! We had a great day and he did a great job navigating us by bus from one corner of the city to the other. I also got a picture of the Fieldrunners Icon from the front of the Apple Store in Downtown San Francisco. Megan has sent us pictures from San Diego and we've seen it here in Boston....SO COOL!!!

On Monday he had classes all day so I called up my roommate from Spain and she picked up me and showed me the more "cultural areas" of San Fransisco including, additional areas of the Golden Gate Park, The 7 sisters which is the opening credits of Full House, Jerry Garcia's former residence, her apartment, Japantown, the Castro District, and the Mission. She even took me to the beach where I got to touch the Pacific! Unfortunately the camera stopped working for the rest of the day, so I have some additional pics on disposable cameras which I need to develop. I'll try to get those scanned and up as well.

I'm not sure if the pictures will capture the grandiose and prestige of the moment, but trust me, Jamie and Serge are celebrities now! I love seeing and hearing from Jamie about his super fans...it's funny:)!

Lots of Love,

Allyson

PS- That reminds me, I should also post pictures of when Jamie spoke at Postmortem in Boston. I think that's when it hit us that Jamie's a celebrity in his own right! This one guy kept offering to buy us drinks, and when he found out thaamie didn't drink he made sure that Jaimie always had a full glass of water in hand! I've got some pictures from that night as well and will post them. It was the first time I was able to see Jamie speak publicly. He did a great job with an even balance of knowledge and humor!

You will need to set-up a shutterfly account...I think. let me know if you have any problems. The pics are still uploading...

http://www.shutterfly.com/lightbox/view.sfly?fid=c876bf9447b8e428cf4ab00f16ca9e1e

A Friendly Update...

I think it's time for a vacation. I'm noticing that this blog began with talk about my travels and excursions and was definitely less of a personal diary, but now that it's been a while since I've been out:). Don't worry, Jamie and I are planning out our trip to Aruba for the month of April, so you'll get to see some pictures from that. I guess I will hit some life highlights, they are in no particular order:

My Birthday

So I had an AWESOME birthday! My mother, sisters, nieces and brother-in-law were able to make it up for my birthday weekend! Jamie had planned out things to do and surprised everyone with tickets to see an improv comedy show! He also was super creative with gift wrapping as he didn't just wrap the gifts. He typed clues and put them in balloons with shaving cream leaving McKenzie and I to pop the balloons in front of everyone in the hallway...we popped a couple of balloons in the middle of the day(Audacity of Hope & 2 addresses). Then we went dinner, The Cheesecake Factory, where Jamie treated everyone...I'm telling you that I'm definitely a lucky person, and yes, Jamie is a giving and thoughtful guy! After dinner we drove to the first address, the Comedy show, where McKenzie volunteered to go on stage! Then we drove to the 2nd address, a very elegant dessert place, Finale. It was a great day and went by way too fast....oh, did I forget to mention I popped the last balloon when we got back after singing happy birthday and that my last balloon was...A TRIP TO ARUBA?!?!..So awesome:)!! I love me a travel excursion to somewhere new.....oh and warm...oh and with beautiful water:)!

My Grandma's Birthday

My grandma's 79th birthday just passed and it was the first one since she passed on. I kept my promise and made a donation to the library. I tried making in on the phone, but found that I wasn't emotionally stable enough so I sent in a letter and a check. I got the best e-mail once they received my donation. Firstly the woman actually new my grandma, and appreciated the letter I sent. Secondly the money will be spent by replacing the book" A Walk to Remember" since the copy went missing, and the rest will go towards Montrose's New Library Fund. I responded to the woman's really thoughtful e-mail and she responded back because I asked about volunteering opportunities. I'm excited to say that I will be helping with the summer festival by washing blueberries and helping out with whatever I can with the breakfast with a person named Biff...who I can remember my grandma talking about...I can't wait, and I can't think of anything greater than doing this in memory of my grandma. I also bought myself some flowers...yellow ones...

Jamie's Continuing Success

Yeah- so Jamie's game is on the Apple website! They actually sent an e-mail to Curty Schilling and he forwarded it to Jamie! It's so cool, especially after we went to the Apple store here and saw the icon for the game on the wall in the store...go SUBATOMIC STUDIOS!

My Life Revelation

I feel great to be me. I feel like I was a person who in high school and beginning of college really knew herself, but got lost along the way. I know that each person goes through identity struggle. I also know that some people are more in tuned with themselves than others, to each their own. People will live life how the want. I just have been appreciating little things like being around people that make me laugh and questioning why I would be around with people that I don't laugh. It sounds simple, but I think that I got so busy and comfortable with life, I kinda lost myself for a bit...anyway, it's good to be back and just finding opportunities to laugh and enjoy moments.

I've also had the revelation that I want to just focus on my friendships in the world. I also realized that I was creating way too many expectations for my relationship with Jamie. Why do I care if we get married? I just want to enjoy the time I have with him and stop thinking about "where are we going"....too many Disney and lifetime movies. I've been trying to make my life match the life with others....You know get married, have babies....and then it hit me, why do I want my life like everyone else's? I've always relished the fact that I am unique and I don't need to do "what everyone else does". I know Jamie loves me, and I love him.

I also know that I love to travel A LOT....I'm not sure about my intense travel passion and the thought of kids. Maybe my passion will die down a bit, but right now I just love to escape way too much! This is not to say that I don't want kids. I think I do, because I know that all of my teaching experience has opened my eyes to all the different parenting styles that exist as well as what you can get out of a kid with each parenting style....I think I might have an idea on how to raise a couple of good people in the world. I also know that I'd want to be a good mom, and I know in my heart that I couldn't be the best mom I could be if I don't really establish myself, be selfish now, and get some good stories to tell:)!

As for Jamie and I's Future, which is something a lot of people seem to think about:)....well I don't know. I do love him and would love to end up with him, but we both need to make sure we're making decisions that will be best for our lives. I am not sure what those decisions are right now. I can't say if I'll return to my school next year or not. I don't plan on giving him any sort of ultimatum about marry me to lose me. I can't say what I'll do. I'm just going to let time answer the big questions, and I'm not going to worry about them anymore:)....I'm just going to enjoy the people I spend time with every day and like I said...just try to be a good friend and good person in the world...it's the only thing that truly matters to me right now...

Peace and Love,

Allyson:)

I guess the beauty of losing loved ones, makes you want to live an even happier life. maybe it's knowing that you don't know when your time is up, maybe it's that you don't know want to take life too seriously cause you'll just die anyway...I don't know...but I thank my grandma for my new breath of fresh air on living my life....

My Heuristic Entry

I guess a lot has happened since I last wrote on my blog. I can remember the last time I visited, because it was right after my grandmother's passing. I just finished reading my last post and it's obvious to me that I was still in a calm state....shock. Well, my feelings don't feel so calm anymore. For the most part I go on with each day, but the truth is I keep a picture of my grandma at school, the picture of her and I that I have on this blog. A student of mine even created a replica in oil paint. I definitely had to fight the tears that day when the little 8th grader handed me the picture he had drawn of me and my grandma.

My grandma's death has really hit my life hard. As a child we had moved enough to never feel like any place was truly home, maybe that's why I feel like I can call any place home. Home is where my crap is. My grandma's passing represents so much more in my life. I know people say, you should feel lucky to have a grandma.

This holiday season has left me so confused. One moment I'm thinking and feeling I really want to get into the holiday spirit this year; I want to try and capture everything that Christmas used to feel like. When it really comes down to it, Christmas as a child was Christmas because of many things, but a major part was grandma and grandpa's house.

I have tried to "capture the Christmas spirit" by doing things like making cookies, listening to holiday music non stop, watching all the great Christmasy movies, but every time I hit the holiday high, the low is nearby as I start thinking of Christmas as a child and knowing I can never truly replicate the memories of when I was little no matter how hard I try. My grandma and grandpa will never be present for my recreated memories of Christmas past.

Contrary to the sadness you've just read, I have been trying to stay upbeat and not let my sadness keep me from taking care of myself and others. Since I last wrote here, Jamie and his friends successfully began their own company and have reached number 2 on the charts on the iPhone App Store with the game Fieldrunners. I really am proud and knew this day would come for him.

Since I've known Jamie, I've known what a thoughtful, skillful, talented, dedicated, and intelligent man is was/is, not to mention extremely hardworking and passionate. There was never a doubt in my mind that he would one day find his success because he worked so hard and dedicated so much of his time to accomplishing his dream of owning his own business. He has many important decisions to make in the next couple of months, possibly having to quit a fabulous company, maybe move to the south or west, and lastly figure out where do I fall with everything he wants out of life. I will support whatever he does and know that he needs to do what he needs to do and that I wont' take any of it personally because business is business, and business is currently his dream and priority.

As far as the rest of life, well I'm still trying to adjust to life with constantly losing people. 2 weeks after my grandma passed, My Uncle Freddy passed too, her brother. Then, we tragically lost my Aunt June who was married to my grandpa's brother. I'm not really sure what God has planned for me or my family, or if there is a God or what happens when people die. I know it's common to reevaluate ones beliefs after such tragedies, and that is where I am right now.

School has been great and yet overwhelming. I'm still trying to figure out if I like being busy all of the time, or if it is at least helpful so I don't sit around and sulk. I have been blessed with a great group for my homeroom, and a talented group of students to work with me this year on the Leadership Team. And, while I feel like a lucky person, I can't shake my grief and am trying to find the things in life that truly motivate me.

Today I participated in my first race. I was so excited about signing up and picking up my number, 903, and getting the chip to tie into my shoe. I don't feel like I did my best, but I still came in under 35 minutes for a 5k. I know if I had kept up with my gym visits, it would've been A LOT better. I knew this before I went to the race and hoped that I would walk away with feeling motivated to pick up where I left off. I guess I will never just feel that way so until I do, I will just force myself to do the things I was doing before my grandma died until I get the same sense of happiness again.

Thanks for putting up with this entry. I will try to create posts that are more upbeat. I will always be honest on here about who I am and what I'm feeling...cause that's just who I am.

With Love and a heuristic whisper,

Allyson

Check out my Most recent Pics:

http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders

I love Grandma

On Friday, August 15, 2008 I received a call that I had been dreading- that my grandma had passed away. The last time I had gone through the process of a loved one was 10 years ago, Sept 5th of this year to be exact. My grandma loved to read my blog; she loved to see what I was doing and the pictures that accompanied my various excursions. I have already written my personal public statement on her memorial site, so will use my blog space to display her self-written obituary. Help me honor and keep my grandma alive by reading her obituary and the exceprt that I added to her page as well as making contributions to your local historical society and/or library.

Joan Saunders of Montrose, Pa.

Joan Saunders, 78, of Montrose, Pa. passed away, Friday, August 15, 2008, at the Endless Mountains Health Systems. She was born Feb. 17, 1930 in Drexel Hill, Pa. Joan was the youngest of six children of the late Dr. Frederick Boerner and Esther Wilkie. She graduated from Upper Darby High School in 1948 and from the University of Pennsylvania in 1952. In 1953 she married Stanley Saunders who died in 1998. She taught for 19 years in the Montrose Area School District as a first grade teacher. In 1992 she was listed in "Who's Who among America's Teachers." For many years Joan did genealogy and was a member of the Susquehanna Co. Historical Society. She also enjoyed doing cross stitch, puzzles and was an avid reader. In later years she was cared for by her son, David, with a lot of love and patience. She was also helped by special friends, Gail Stone and Terri Bennett. She is survived by her sons, Kenneth (Kathleen), Tunkhannock, Pa., Stephen (Diana), Merced, California, and David, at home; grandchildren, Kristina Olah, Allyson Saunders, Hillary (Justin) Bishop, and Joseph Saunders; great-grandchildren, McKenzie Olah and Janie Bishop; nieces and nephews; sister, Nancy (Warren) Smith; and a brother, Frederick. She was predeceased by a brother, Robert; and sisters, Doris and Eleanor.Please go to bartronmyerfuneralhome.com for directions. Services: Tuesday, 1:00 p.m. at the Bartron-Myer Funeral Home, Inc., Montrose, Pa. Visitation: Monday, 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Instead of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Susquehanna County Historical Society and Free Library Association, 2 Monument Square, Montrose, Pa. 18801 in memory of Joan Saunders.
Published in the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin on 8/17/2008
Notice • Guest Book • Flowers • Visit the gift shop • Charities

Guest Book Link:
http://www.legacy.com/pressconnects/Obituaries.asp?Page=SEARCHRESULTS

Photos:

http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/GodBlessMyGrandma

Memorial Day

Dear World,

I am writing a week later, but I thought our Memorial Day was worth returning to the blog and writing about. Last weekend was awesome;it was almost perfect! On Saturday we had orignally wanted to go sailing in the harbor, but after finding out that Memorial Day kciks off sailing season, we figured it'd be better tp hold off so we drove up to a beautiful town that we've been to before, Rockport. It is located on the northen tip of Massachusetts, right before entering New Hampshire, and it is beautifl and expensive to live there:)...must be we we love it so much! On Sunday, we took the Minuteman Trial and rollerbladed from Arlington to Lexington. Lexington is another one of our favorite towns and like Rockport it is an expensive location to live:). Then on Memorial Day I took Jamie to a place in where a couple of girls and I go running after work for a picnic that basically consisted of pasta salad and rice crispie treats; we had meant to grab some subs but had forgotten:) The place was called Noddle Island located in East Boston or more specifially the Jeffries Point area(that's the picture you see:)!...told you it was a beautiful location:)!!)); it was a nice and BEATIFUL day and location. I also went for a walk around Tufts because it was a perfect picture day! You have to check out the pictures! Memorial Day also happens to mark the day that Jamie and I moved in together to begin our years of cohabitation:) I hope everyone had as wonderful of a weekend as we did...

~Peace

Ally

http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/MemorialDay

Egypt

Some excursions I would call vacations, while others are trips. Egypt was neither it was an experience. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't scared initially.Though Ive always wanted to go to Africa, and I've always wanted to see the last standing Ancient Wonder of the World, the thought of being an American so close to the Mid East made me anxious during this period of instability.

Yes, of course, when you return upon a vacation you might reflect back and think, "That really was a gorgeous place," or "I never tried that kind of food before" or "It felt good to be at the beach/pool and just relax." The effect that traveling to Egypt had on me occured the instant we left customs in Cairo and entered the airport. Instantly I was surrounded by a new language which wasn't the first time, I heard sounds unfamiliar to my ears, but it was the first time, I couldn't even try to use logic to figure out signs. Looking at signs in German or French or Portuguese you can at least say it out loud and hear how funny it sounds to your ears. In Egypt, with Arabic, I had no idea what sounds to associate with the "letters" I saw.

It also took a while to get used to being one of the few women who wasn't covered head to toe. Many women wear head scarves. For the most part I was fine, until I would spot young girls looking and laughing. It made me think of every time I saw someone wearing a headscarf in America. It made me remember that I too had stared out of curiosity, and then my thoughts turned to wondering had Americans made people of a different background feel so isolated?My mind was going about a million miles a second thinking a bajillion thoughts.

It made me think about racism in our country; it made me think of my young students. It made me appreciate even more the people that risk everything to come here, where diversity for the most part is so prevalent that people are comfortable with it. In my mind I used to think that racism doesn't exist much anymore in this country. Of course, I'm speaking as a white educated woman, it makes me wonder if my students feel the same? Do people of other cultures feel the same here in the US? Are they having experiences here that make them feel as though people aren't curious by the differences but laugh at them?

Yes, Egypt was amazing I saw the pyramids and rode a camel, and visited mosques and the Egyptian Museum and Alexandria, and the Mediterranean Sea. The trip was filled with many cool memories, and we came away with many great photos, and we had a driver that taught me quite a bit of Arabic during our short stay, but I think that the trip sparked something more in me. I've always been a reflective, observant and culturally curious person, but I could never had been ready for the impact this trip had on my life.

God Bless,
Ally

Egypt Pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/Egypt2008

Sunday River

Hello my people
This past weekend Jamie and I headed up to Maine with a another couple. We had so much fun, and it was the first time I used my own ski equipment! I was so excited to skip the rental lines and paperwork hassle! The weather was pretty cooperative, and it snowed for a short while while we were skiing. It was actually the second time we went there. The first time was for my birthday last year. We did a 3 mile trail that turned into quite an experience as a sign had warned us there was a very "thin cover". For those that are wondering what that means, it meant that there wasn't much snow and yes, that mean moments of "trying" to dodge rock and dirt. It became pretty narrow, and I got very nervous; I even took someone down while trying to keep myself from traveling down a steep closed slope! Make sure to check out the pics. We got some nice ones at the top of the Mountain.
Love,
Ally
http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/SundayRiver2007
PS: We stopped by Freeport, Maine on the way back...home to LL Bean; it was HUGE!!!!

I own Skiis!!!!

Dear World,
I am officially a PROUD owner of Skiis!!! I was so excited when Jamie and I went out and looked at skiis before heading to Maine to ski with some friends. I came across the same skiis I had been looking at all summer, which were on sale. I tried on the most comfortable boots, and a nice random man working at Ski Market was able to cut my poles for my height! I am in-love with my ski items. They were the last thing on my mind before going to sleep and first thing I thought about in the morning. I'm in love and I'm telling the world!!!



Thanks to my Dad for giving me money for boots last Christmas and thanks to an early Christmas gift from Jamie!!


Love,
Ally

Oh Christmas Tree!!!

Here yee, Here yeee, This is just a short note to announce that the Saunders-Gotch Christmas Tree has arrived! We got it last Sunday, and while shopping around it began to snow. It was a great night!


Aint she a beaut?!?!

Thanksgiving

Dear Blog Readers,
It was so great to finally make it home for Thanksgiving! The time back home flew by, but I was able to be there to visit everyone, rock out with Jamie's family, babysit my nieces, hang out with my sisters and brother, and drop by to visit Santa! Jamie and I split our holiday spending half of the Thanksgiving Day with his family and half with mine. Make sure to check out the picture!
Love,
Allyson

More Thanksgiving Day Pics:

http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/Thanksgiving2007

Stone Zoo

Bonjour!
So the day after we went to Vermont, Sunday, we woke up and went to the zoo! It was a beautiful day in the mid 70's. After spending the day at Stone Zoo which isn't very far from here we went into the city for dinner in the North End. The North End is like Boston's Little Italy. We had dinner in a beautiful, dimly lit restaurant. Jamie had some lobster ravioli and I had mussels and a glass of wine. It was the beautiful ending to a beautiful weekend! I wish Monday never came, although Monday was ok too. It just wasn't comparable not the weekend! With Love,
Me

We got some nice pictures of the animals at the zoo, click below to check em' out!:
http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/StoneZoo

Vermont

Hello!
Yesterday marked the day that I officially visited all of New England(and the first year since we've been here that we didn't attend the annual Boston Pumkin Festival; we even almost went to Keene, NH- the rival?!) We finally took a road trip up to the neighboring state of Vermont, and yes it's as beautiful as they say! We initially went up to go to an orchard, and stopped at a bridge that had an awesome view, saw the COOLEST RAINBOW I've EVER seen, and visited Brattleboro, a temporary homestead to Ruyard Kipling. I found out where the end of the rainbow is....Putney, Vermont:). We ended our evening by grabbing a bite at a small diner and tried some of their fresh local hot apple cider. It was a great day. I can't wait to head back up in the winter for some skiing!
With Love,
Cat
Click here for our pictures. There are some great ones:)!
http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/Vermont

Quinceañera

¡Hola!
Last weekend I attended my first Quinceañera! A "Quince" is celebrated by some Spanish-speaking countries and celebrates the transition from child to adult when a girl turns 15. An English equivalent would be a "Sweet 16" or "debutante ball”. Not all Spanish-speaking countries celebrate Quinces as intensely, for example Quinces are super rare in Spain and usually occur of a young girl's family's origins are from a Latin America Country.

Here's what to notice in the photos:
1.) The decorations and attire- I found out this event was around $25,000.00

2.) The throne- the mother puts a cloth over a chair to create a throne for the birthday girl to enter and sit on.

3.) The changing of shoes- it is tradition for the birthday girl to enter, sit on the throne and have her father change her flats for a pair of high heel shoes. This is a father's acknowledgement of the girl's transition from child to adult. You'll also see a little girl who brought the shoes in on a pillow, much like a ring bearer for weddings.

4.) Changing of tiaras- I wasn't able to capture a great action shot, but you can see the birthday girl holding her tiara. This is because prior she was wearing a smaller one, which her mother exchanges for a larger tiara, again signifying childhood to adulthood in the eyes of the mother.

5.) Dancing- The girl then stands for a dance with her father, followed by her "damas" y "caballeros". You'll notice that 7 young couples enter and create an isle up to the birthday girl's throne. These are her damas (ladies) and "caballeros(gentlemen). These are friends/family that are close to the girl and will join her in dancing. Traditionally there is a walz performed followed by something upbeat like salsa, merengue, bachata...depending on what the girl likes.

Enjoy the pictures...and hopefully you've all learned a little more about the world we live in. "Paz"----> "Peace

Señorita Saunders

Las fotos:

http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/QuinceaEra

My Babies- Joey, Micky and Janie

Hi Everyone,

I have been organizing my pictures and came across some classics that I feel I need to incorporate on my blog. Here are pictures of Joey, my brother and my two nieces, McKenzie and Janie. They are all my babies and are growing up so much. Enjoy the pictures. There are some funny ones:)!

Love,
Ally

Joe, who was named athlete of the week:
http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/MyBroIsBecomingAMan

McKenzie and Janie:
http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/MyNiecesAreGrowingUp

Recreational Time- Carson Beach

¡Hola!

I thought I'd show you guys what Jamie and I do when we get some free time and have energy. We had been on a rollerblading kick, checking out different trails and came across this great find. Carson Beach is located on The Harbor Walk Trail, which runs on the coast of Boston off the Atlantic. It's nice, huh?

Ciao Bella...
...Ally

http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/CarsonBeach

Exploring and Enjoying Massachusetts

Hey Guys,

These are some pictures we took over the past couple of weekends. The first link will take you to pictures from a fair we went to in the middle of the state. It was about a 2 hours drive to Springfield, and it was our first time to the "Big E". It was fun!

The next link will show you how we spent our first day of fall. Yes, we spent it at the beach! Also, I must say that Rockport is just about the cutest place. It reminded me of Martha's Vineyard but inland. Since Rockport located right on the water, they had some killer seafood deals. I actually took a picture of the sign, because the prices were so cheap. Jamie and I shared a lobster for 15 bucks?! You can see that he really enjoyed it:)

If anyone decides they want to visit this place upon their next trip, just say the word!

With Love,
Ally

Rockport and Gloucester:
http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/GloucesterAndRockport

The Big E:

http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/BigE

Annie's Visit

Hello!

I apologize for being so negligent with my blog. As you know the school year is started and in full swing, which means my personal time is limited. This is Columbus Weekend and therefor I don't have work tomorrow and have some time to spare to catch up on things here:)!

Right before the school year began my friend Ann came to visit us. She had been in Dominica in the Caribbean in Med school. She is now back after taking the boards and was placed in NY! Here are some pictures I took of her while we were in The Common and The Garden!

~Allyson

http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/AVisitFromAnnie

Las Vegas

We're Baaaaaaaack!

I just wanted to let everyone know that Jamie and I
just got back about 12 hours ago from Vegas! We had a safe flight and an awesome trip. It was really relaxing and a lot of fun. YOU HAVE TO CHECK OUT THE PICTURES! You will see things like Me with an Elvis impersonator, on the street to Jamie playing poker with Ben Affleck! The pictures should be entertaining especially since we got to meet so many celebrities...oh, and I GOT MARRIED:)! ...Check out the pics:)
Check in with everyone later!

Love,
Ally

PS- I am not done writing the captions, but promise to continue writing them and have them done by tomorrow evening:)..I'd say sooner, but my computer is broken so I have to use Jamie's and you all know he only leaves his to go to work and sleep:-P

http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/LasVegas2007

Fly Fishing with My Dad and Brother

Howdy,

In letting Hillary and Justin settle in with their new family, I headed out way into the country to do a little fly fishing. My dad and brother came and picked me up at my sisters' earlier than I had been waking-up and we headed to Reynolds' Pond; this is a place my family has gone to for many years. I have many fond memories of this place including the one time a sunny cut Hillary's leg as it flopped back into the water. As soon as we got there, I stepped out and smelted only the smell that place has. It was awesome...

Smell ya later,

The Cat

http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/FishingWithDadAndJoe

Janie's First Dorm Room

Hola,

After Janie's delivery she was taken to another hospital to receive some antibiotics and some extra pampering. My sister and brother-in-law drove every day to be with her and have already won "Most Dedicated Parents":)!. I was lucky enough to be able to visit her almost everyday. Aunts and Uncles had some tight visiting hours, but we all made it work. Here are some pictures of Janie in her first week of life. ....what a trooper:)

Adios,

Sa-oon-ders

http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/HospitalPictures

Olympics- Hangin' out at Hill and Justin's Place

Estimado todo el mundo,
Throughout the course of the 2 weeks I was in we played darts, billiards, water/beer pong (Just for the record since my brother is only 16 and my sister was pregnant they played/drank water:)), rummy, horse shoes, and spoons. It was a lot of fun; we called it Olympics and sometimes took arbitrary score:) ....I mean, I wasn't really keeping track, but I think I won:-D.....of course, then again, I marked myself 1rst place even when I came in last:-D
besos,
Ally
http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/OlympicsHangingOutAtHillAndJustins

Family Fun

Dear Family and Friends,
The day after I arrived into town the entire family got together for a day of "Family Fun". It's not unusual for the crew to get together, but it's usually for Family Fun Night, which can include bowling, signing, playing games, having a picnic, or simply chilling on my parents' porch. We had a blast mini-golfing. it was McKenzie's first time and she beat Joey....just kidding:)...She did do very well though:). After golf we hung around and got some ice cream. It was a really fun day; I love having ALL (and that includes you too Justin:)!) of my family together(we were missing a couple of people that would have just made the day even better, a couple of other family members and Jamie).
Love,
Ally

http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/FamilyFunDay

Lake Scranton

Dear World,
While I was home I walked the entire beautiful lake Scranton for the first time. Jamie, Mike, and I went for a walk right before I headed to Tunkhannock. If you live in NEPA and have never visited you should make the effort; it was nice. Just be careful the squirrels are way too comfortable with humans:)

Peace Out:)
Ally

PS- There's a shot of the Lake Scranton "beach". If you watch "The Office" you're probably thinking...hmmmm:)

http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/LakeScranton02

Janie's Arrival

Hey Guys,
Yesterday I became an aunt for the second time of my life. The special part of the arrival of this baby is that it was the daughter of my baby sister and brother-in-law. I just can't believe how much she looks like a mini-Hillary, and most of all I just can't get over the fact that my little sister is a mom. Though she is younger than I, I have learned so much about life from her, especially in the realm of love. She's never been afraid to be vulnerable and emotional and to love. Growing-up, I was always the logical, profound,and more level-headed one. Sometimes I would just watch her while she laughed intensely or cried dramatically and was intrigued by her array of emotions. I wasn't much of a crier or into showing much emotions; I always viewed those kinds of acts as weak or weird (just never made sense to me). I truly believe that by watching her be emotional, watching her love and care for others has helped me open doors of myself that I might not have otherwise. She is wise beyond her years and continues to help me appreciate life and all it has to offer. She's now given me the gift of a niece, and has asked me to be the Godmother. I will love this little girl and make sure she is happy, has what she needs, make sure she knows how lucky she is to have parents who are so loving and affectionate to one another...and I'll never let her doubt how much they love her. God Bless...

PS- She was born July 17,2007 at 3:20pm. She was 8lbs and 9oz and 21 inches.....Oh, and if you're wondering, I won the baby pool ;-)

Warning: Some pictures contain blood. If you have a sensitive stomach check back to see the photos after August 1, 2007

http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/JanieSArrival

Weekend of July 6 and 7:Boston, MA and Hampton Beach, NH

Here's the update!
I know you're thinking I've been checking in everyday, and staying up all night just waiting to see what she's done next. Well, let me help you rest more easily at night, because I'm finally posting some new stuff:) These are pictures from last weekend where we went into the city and just enjoyed walking around Beacon Hill, where John Kerry resides. We also hit up Quincy Market to catch some of the street performers. You'll also be able to see Hampton Beach, NH. It's about a 40 minutes ride north of us, but it's a nice quaint little beach with a boardwalk that you know used to be happenin' back in the day:). Also, I know it may seem corny, but I took a picture of a blueberry coffee cake I made, because it's the first product I've made in quite some time that turned out well. I also included pictures of Jamie's office(orfice) which I surprised him by doing a little remodeling!
http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/BostonPictures

Take Care and Keep in touch,
Ally

PS- Check in once a week for updates. I figure weekly updates are way more manageable /interesting (trust me) than daily:)

Cancun

Calling all family and friends who have requested to see the Cancun pictures!!!

I am finally posting our pictures of Cancun! I know it has been a while (since April actually:)) The summer means that I have time off to catch up on my own personal life. I will tell you that this was a great trip...and so BARATO (cheap)! For both of our airfares and a hotel for 3 nights/4 days and shuttle service to and from our hotel it only costs a total of 1100!

Since we didn't have to spend so much to get and stay there, we had some extra cash to play with, and we did! We did the following things like go on a Jungle Tour which included my first snorkeling experience, took a boat ride out to Isla Mujeres(Women Island) and went on a sky ride, which you'll actually be able to see pictures of us in the air! It was a reasonably priced package deal, and I highly recommend this hot spot for beach lovers and those that like to play in the naturally beautiful waters of the Caribbean!

We definitely plan to venture back to the azure waters of Cancun, and we both agree that Cancun has had the best waters thus far...and wicked waves!
Hope you enjoy the highly anticipated pictures of our Cancun trip.
Yours truly,
Ally

The link to our Cancun Pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/Cancun2007

Hillary and Justin's Baby Shower

The Friday night, before Memorial Day weekend I had organized a semi-formal dance for our graduating 8th grade class. The following morning Jamie and I woke up and drove back home for Hillary and Justin's baby shower!

The pictures I have linked here are both the baby shower and pictures from Memorial day. Lots of pictures of the family though unfortunately my dad was working and therefore, I didn't get any pictures with him:(!

Enjoy the pictures; they're great!
PS- I can't wait to be an aunt to a second niece:)!
http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/JustinAndHillarySBabyShowerWeekendMay272007

Megan and Johnny's Wedding

On the last Thursday of May, Jamie and I flew down to the DC area to be a part of Johnny and Megan's special day! After a 6 year courtship, Johnny proposed to Megan outside of where they both met and exactly one year later, June 2 they finally said, "I do" and Megan became the first Mrs. Gotch to that family of this generation!

The two currently live in Fairfax, VA an adorable suburb of DC and had the wedding ceremony not even a couple of miles from their apartment at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fairfax. After the ceremony Johnny and Megan had to get some sleep for their early departure for Hawaii!

Before I close this blog, I wanted to publicly thank Megan and Johnny for allowing me to be a part of the most special day for a couple. Megan, it meant a lot to me, when I received a little card you sent about a year ago asking me to be a bridesmaid. I was deeply touched and have enjoyed getting to you know. You've been so great with Johnny and you are both adorable together. And, Johnny, I am so proud of you. I have already told you this, but I can remember you back to your more immature days, and it is really amazing to see your maturity and your carefree love for life grow. May you both grow old and learn about life together.

Much Love and Sincerity,

Ally

PS- Here are the links to some fabulous wedding pictures:

http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/MeganAndJohnnySWedding

and

http://inthevalley.org/johngotch/wedding/

New York City

The weekend of June 16-17 marked an important event on our school's calendar. It was the first grade-wide overnight field trip our school has ever organized. I am proud to say that I was actually the one who organized it! I won't lie, it was a lot of work and I sent some long days at the school making sure all payments were in and figuring out ways to help the children of our low income school fundraise for such a costly trip of $191.00.

There was one definite perk to being the one who organized the trip. I didn't have to chaperone a particular group of students, because I needed my hands to be free to speak with our tour guides, and also to be the adult in the case we had any child misbehaving. Fortunately our kids were really well behaved and I was told this by many people throughout our trip. The kids got to visit places such as: 5th Ave, FAO Schwartz, Times square, Harlem, Ground Zero, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, Planter Hollywood(free dinner)

The trip provided me with tremendous insight and inspiration. It reminded me another great reason to be a teacher. Not only is a teacher a person who gives information, but it's a person who offers experiences. This weekend, I had moments where I just stood on the sidelines and watched the faces of all the kids(50), fellow teachers(5), and parent chaperones (14) and I thought to myself if no one says thank you, this is the reason I did this. Their enjoyment was my reward, my thank you. I love my profession:)!

You can check out some pictures I was able to take here and there from the bus or walking around. Enjoy!

Love,
Ally

PS- Here's the link to my NYC pictures and the link to my school:
http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/NewYorkCity

http://www.prospecthillacademy.org/

Arnold Arboretum

Hello everyone!

On Saturday Jamie and I wanted to get out and enjoy the nice air, as well as adventure to some new territory. Though we've been in the area for 3 years (wow, that long ago?) there's still much of New England and Boston we haven't seen, and one place in particular we've passed but never stopped to enjoy is Harvard University's Arnold Arboretum.

For those that don't know an arboretum is basically like a collection of trees/botanical garden in a park-like area. The arboretum was beautiful and though it's right off a highway, once you crawl up the little pathways into the hills of it all, the city noise vanishes.

It was a nice little stroll for free, and Jamie and I did see some interesting trees. Check out the pictures and find the tree that grew some sort of cotton like stuff:)!

Love,
Ally

PS- You'll also see some other pictures during our ride. In fact the second picture is of the O'Neil tunnel, where the slab of concrete fell and killed a lady. I'm sure you've all heard of Boston's "Big Dig". This is part of it.

http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/ArnoldArboretum

You can also look at more about the arboretum if you'd like:
http://www.arboretum.harvard.edu/visitors/visitors.html

Martha's Vineyard

Hey guys!
Yesterday Jamie and I finally went out to Martha's Vineyard! It was about an hour and a half south of here to a place called Woods Hole. Once we got there we had to park the car and take a very efficient shuttle to the ferry. We had no reservations and no idea how long the whole process would take, but we ended up on the ship without being rushed and with perfect timing. Before the boat left we had time to snap a shot of us waiting on board!

After a windy boat ride, we arrived to The Island at 3:15ish. Once we stepped off of the dock we were on a mission to explore and find something to eat, as we hadn't until then. We were really taken back by the charm of the island, more specifically Oak Bluffs; Martha's Vineyard has little areas as we learned. The 3 most popular are: Vineyard Haven, Edgartown and Oak Bluffs. Also, before we left, I had read that Jaws was shot some there near Edgartown...cool,huh:)?

After we had some local seafood, we continued to explore the area, and came across our favorite house. Of course, we crossed an entire park to look at this house close-up and then realized the little community of cottages behind it. We tried to capture how close the cottages were and the quaint neighborhood streets which were more like sidewalks the little cottages were adorable, and Jamie captured them the best by saying they looked like doll houses. They were so small and colorful with cutesie names. We even found a house called "The Pink House".

After walking around the neighborhood, we did a little shopping where I finally purchased a hoody. You might be thinking oh God, more brown, but I LOVE it! As the day wore on, we grew a little tired so we headed to the beach just to chill. After a little rest, we skipped some rocks to pass the time while we waited for our boat. Just for the record, I'm not very good, but Jamie was great! Finally it was time to board the ship, and from there we left the Island behind.

Hope you enjoyed the story of our yesterday. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. We'll be coming in soon as my sister is about to give birth to my second niece, Janie LuluBelle Bishop.

With Love,
Ally

PS- You can check out more pictures from this trip by clicking on the following address:
http://picasaweb.google.com/allysonsaunders/MarthaSVineyard