Buffalo, Baptism, Babies & Nephew

The title of this post really is alliterative, as Nephew's name starts with a B also! Oh alliteration!

As per usual, Ry & I had a super fabulous time in Buffalo!

We spent some good times with the folks and the lil' bro & his awesome gf. Lots of yummy Buffalo food and lots of cards (fun new rummy game!)! There's just something great about sitting around the table in the backyard and playing cards with the family! After staying up late (almost midnight!), we all got up at 8am to try to get some Wiis (Nephew's 5th birthday is coming up soon!), but didn't get any (though I think we're up to a combined 4 systems now!!)!

We also spent a beautiful day at the zoo with Nephew, big bro and sis-in-law. It's been years since I went to the Buffalo Zoo (since Nephew was only 2!), so I was excited. It looked great, there was an animal I had never even heard of in the new rainforest exhibit, and I think we all had a super great time! I also got to go to Nephew's house and meet his cute little bunny (named Mojo, after Transformers!)!

And the main event -- the whole reason we drove the 6+ hours home -- the baptism of baby Ally! I forgot to bring my camera, but she was the cutest thing in her beautiful white dress! And she didn't cry at all when the water was poured over her head! And we celebrated with a picnic at a local park. It was great to see everyone -- including little Nolan (see below), the son of our good friend (and my junior prom date!). It was chilly, but I think we all had too much fun to care!
We can't wait for our next visit -- just a few weeks until Nephew's birthday party!

I swear my Nephew will be some sort of scientist someday!
*************************
"Aunt Sneks, why do you always have to take so many photos of me??"
***********************
Baby Nolan is the cutest! He really like pulling my hair!
(I think the drizzle also helped to make my hair look oh-so-cute)

Too much time in the basement men's room ...

It's not what the title leads you to think ...

My scientific laboratory is acutally in the men's room in the basement of the science building.

And, really, a converted bathroom/locker room/shower room without windows (and thus outside light) is ideal for a fish laboratory.

But lately, I have spent far too much time there!

This semester I am not teaching and I am my advisor's research assistant (or ... as I like to say .. I'm my advisor's bitch).

Most graduate students would be thrilled to avoid teaching and get to spend all of their time in the lab! And I am.

It's just a lot of time in a hot (92 degrees) room, alone, with only a couple hundred fish to talk to. And I need to be there at "dawn", which means I have to be to work and ready to collect data at 7am. And, because the rest of my depatment does not function before noon, most meetings are after 4pm, so I rarely get home before 5:30 (more like 6). Thus, the 10 or 11 hour days are starting to take their toll ...

So today I found myself especially cranky. And maybe not 100% nice to everyone. And maybe I just need to get out of the men's room ...

Good thing Ry & I are headed to the B-lo for Baby Ally's baptism! Yay for a whole weekend away from work filled with family and friends (including a visit to the zoo with my awesome Nephew!!!)!!

I love Nephew

I just had to share this photo of Nephew that my sis-in-law passed onto me a week or so ago!

I adore Nephew! For many, many reasons, but the number one reason right now is this photo! He spent some time on the Great Lake this summer and found this lovely fish that he wants to share with us all!

I swear that I in no way try to persuade him towards water-creatures (other than buying lots of whale and fish paraphanalia)!

The picture is now hanging above my computer for all to see (and to make me smile when I am having a crappy day at work!)!

Thanks for being great Nephew!

Nephew & Every Step

Have I mentioned Nephew lately?


He's not even 5 yet and he's already doing some good in the world!

On September 13th, Nephew is doing the Every Step -- The walk for universal newborn screening -- sponsored by the Hunter's Hope Foundation.

If you're a non-Buffalonian and are unfamiliar with the Hunter's Hope Foundation, it is in honor of Hunter Kelly, the son of Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly. Hunter was born with a horrible disease that affected all of his neurons and nerves. If he had been properly diagnosed as a baby, he would have been able to receive a transplant and his hopes of survival would have increased tremendously. Unfortunately, Hunter Kelly was repeatedly misdiagnosed. The Kelly family is now working to enact laws that will require all newborns in the US to be screened for diseases that can be treated. They have already worked to pass laws in NY State and the Every Step Walk will raise funds for more legislation, research, and care for babies and their families!

As it was the "Year of the Baby", I hope that some of you could take a few minutes to sponsor Nephew in honor of all of the newborns! Just $5 will really make a difference!

To donate, just click HERE, then click the SPONSORSHIP tab, then SPONSOR NOW!, then fill out the fields with Nephew's name, his team (Savings Safari Team) and then all of your information and click away! I just did it and it only took 2 minutes!!

Thanks friends for being so generous!!!!

I'm in love with a girl ...

Ry & I had such a wonderful time this past weekend visiting little Ally in VA!! We were so excited to meet her and are so happy to have a new little "niece"! It's fun to be "Aunt" and "Uncle"!

It was great to just hang out with BF Kimmy, her hubby, Anna & Gorgeous too! We play cards, watched some olympics and even took Ally to her very first fair!! Check out the video below to see me realize one of my dreams in life -- riding a mechanical bull!!!!!!

I'm just so happy for BF Kimmy & my BF-in-law! They have the cutest daughter and she is just so happy! I can't wait to see you all again in B-lo in a few weeks!!!

Cutie Baby Ally!

**********************
RyGuy and Ally ... Isn't the expression great?
She's all "Really??! You're letting Uncle RyGuy hold me?"
*************************
I just wanted to take her home with us!!
*********************
So much fun at the fair!
**************************
Ally's enjoying her first pig races!!!
(My first pig races too!)
****************************

So excited!! I actually rode the bull!
(Anna did too, but I figured I should only humiliate myself with a blog video!)

Can't wait to meet her!

Just another day or so until I FINALLY meet BF Baby Ally!!

Just look at this photo of her! Can you blame me for being so excited??
(and not only is she so friggin' cute, but she's also wearing the fish dress I sent her!)

Oh, and I am excited to see BF Kimmy, BF-in-law, and the newly married Anna & Gorgeous too!

YAY for super-fun, non-working weekends!!!!!!

Goodbye Texas ... FOREVER!!!

After 17 hours of travel, that included much time at airports, 2 planes and a bus, I finally made it home to Ry & the Little Town!

Let's just say, I couldn't be any happier to end my field work!


I'll spare you the boring stories of spending 3 weeks in a small town, 5 hours of travel for 2 hours of work, and the desire to kill my advisor! The highlight of the trip was the "Terlingua Pub Crawl 2008" (which means Joe & I drank at the ONLY 3 bars within an 80 mile radius)!

Here are a few photos for you!

A few mating pupfish (male on left (silver), female on right (brownish)).
I took more than 100 of these stupid photos!

*******************************

2 male pupfish in a throw-down battle!
*************************

A different species of pupfish that we were able to swim with at a little state park!
******************

I love fish shoals!
********************

Me & Joe at Santa Elena Canyon (in our kick-ass hats)!
The left part of the canyon (behind me) is Mexico and the right side is the US, with the Rio Grande running between them!
**************************

The roadrunner that lived with us!
(This photo is for Nephew, who asked if we'd really see roadrunners in the desert!)

Trapped in Texas!!

Ahh!

After 22 days in (far, far) West Texas, we're stuck in the airport because of a stupid tropical storm that is hitting Houston (one of the 3 connections we have today!!). Which means will miss our 2 other flights. Which means another day in Texas.

I am never coming back to Texas. Ever.

I'll post some photos and excitement from our trip soon!