Hey there, hi there, ho there - you're as welcome as can be!

Clearly, I've given the blog a face lift.

I was bored. You know, I go through these phases where I feel like the site looks stagnant - and while there aren't any templates that are exactly the way I'd like to have my place - at least I've got the opportunity to freshen up every now and again.

Oh - American Idol update: So, as much as I loved, loved, loved Simon Cowell - the truth is, I didn't miss him these last two nights. I mean, maybe in the future I will - but for now, I'm good with Steven Tyler & Jennifer Lopez as replacements. Sure it's all fuzzy fuzzy right now, but first off - Jennifer is stunning. STUNNING. And, she's seemingly genuinely nice. Love her. Steven Tyler on the other hand - is already making lacivious comments which I wondered how someone who's practically had little girls throwing themselves on him his whole life would be in a role of judgement. That aside - he's just a riot. And, they are no joke -- its not like Ellen DeGeneres as a judge, who has zero insight in the music industry. These two are the real deal - and I have respect for them as artists in the industry, so why wouldn't they be fantastic judges.

Speaking of theatrics and talent...tomorrow, I'm taking my son T on an audition. It seems that Mr. Mark Wahlberg is making yet another Boston based film and there is a casting call for boys his age. He is beyond excited - and I have to keep reminding him that truly, they may just look at him - ask a question or two - and then he may never hear from them again. Or....maybe he will. It's a experience none the less, and that in of itself is fun.

Tomorrow night....it's the "gathering of the girls". For those of you who have been reading regularly - you know that myself and my best girlfriends used to meet monthly and have themed potlucks; well - life has gotten in everyone's way and so now some of us might meet in smaller groups throughout the year - but all 14 of us get together at Christmas. The girl who always hosts in December had surgery so we've postponed until tomorrow night. Guaranteed to be a night full of laughs and I should have some fun pictures to share.

Speaking of pictures - I've got some great ones of the Pat's game that we'd all like to forget about. I'll share them, once the disappointment fades a little bit more.

Besides, pitchers & catchers report for Spring Training on Valentine's Day....the best Valentine's Day gift ever.

In the meantime, life goes on....
However you're spending your weekend, I hope it's filled with laughter and love.

Home Sweet Home....

I am so loving this weekend.

I took the tree down this morning and finally got my house back to "normal". (Listen, I've got 2 kids, a husband, a father visiting from out of town, a dog and two cats - define "normal". At least it looks "normal"...) It felt great to put everything away and see my den empty again. Not to say I don't love the Christmas tree and it's glow - because I do; and I miss the pretty lights (we kept them on every night right up until last night....), but it's time.

We had a birthday party down the street for Princess Petunia to attend, and when we came home it was Chinese food on the table - and the Jets/Colts game just about to start. I find it hard to believe I'm sitting here rooting for the Colts. (I actually think I may have thrown up in my mouth a little, just writing the words...!) But listen, the Colts suck because they're a great team -- the Jets, well - they just suck.

Tomorrow, there is nothing going on in this girl's world. I've got a pork roast marinating, and outside of a little laundry - I've got nothing to do but relax! My son is going over a friend's house - and my daughter will I'm sure, keep me quite busy.

So, I'm happy to report on this Saturday night that all is well in my corner of the world. I've got football, kids quiet and sleeping...my Yankee Candle "Christmas Eve" candle glowing - and some fabulously decadent Island Bakery Organic Chocolate Ginger cookies. If I can get a solid night's sleep, that would be a bonus.

If I was a cat, I think I would be purring.....

May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day.

I don't think this weekend could've been any more beautiful.
This whole summer is one that I am just not ready to see go. Usually we have such wishy washy summers that I can't wait for fall, because I'm typically so disappointed with the lousy summer weather. But not this year.....

Saturday was a gorgeous day, and we spent it at the Topsfield Fairgrounds Arts & Crafts festival where I found some great new artisan food lines for the store - and some deliciously good home made soaps for moi! Peppermint is my favorite at the moment... love, love, love it!

Sunday, we went to Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport for the day. It was a perfectly beautiful day at the beach - and lots of kids around. The football game that was had was so much fun - and for me, it was great to see my son get to play with a really large group of kids. Usually there's three or 4 - but there were about 11 kids, ranging in age from 7 to 14 and they all got along so well. Princess Petunia alas, as always - the only girl - but fortunately had a few little cousins who were as obsessed with playing in the sand as she was, so all was good.

And today, though I worked all day - was still just a beautiful day. I left work early and had dinner outside with family and it was the perfect way to end the long weekend.

And for once, this girl is truly not ready for the Harvest season....

Goodbye Earl....

I knew he was going to be a dud. For us anyway...
Listen, we live in New England; we don't get hurricanes -- we get snow storms. Seriously....you can never believe the hype.

Last night, I went out with three of my girlfriends for dinner and had so much fun! I very rarely go out because life is just too hectic right now, and so it was really great to get out and just laugh -- alot. We went right from work too, so the best part was - home before 9pm, and not completely exhausted today... yippee!

I had really anticipated a quiet and sleepy rainy day today with the kiddies; instead, we've got a gloriously beautifuly day and so I think we're going to go to one of the largest fairs in MA for this weekend. How can we not? Besides, I've not been to yoga since before vacation -and I'll be starting back this week, so why not over indulge just a little more with yummy fair food? Sure it's horrible for me, but what the heck.

However you spend your day today, enjoy! May the sun be shining, and your heart happy - and enjoy.

Monday, Monday...it's here to stay...

So sad to have seen the weekend end.

Saturday, the kiddies and I went to the most beautiful town in the Boston area - "SWellsley" (Thanks AE for the backstory on the nickname!) where we spent the day at Elm Bank and enjoyed the Massachusetts Marketplace Festival. It's an annual event where local farmers market types come and sell their wares. We got to get food from our favorite little Amish farm, StoneyBrook out in Montgomery, MA. The BEST peach pie in the whole entire world!! Pear Bread, Shoefly Pie...mmmm, good.

I found a few new food vendors that I'm excited to see their products at the store; but I was rather disappointed in this year's event. There were far less vendors than before, and the food wasn't as good either; I packed a sheet for us to picnic -but there was no food to have lunch with. Usually there's a caterer, but this time it was one guy working the grill, and everything was sold out by 12:30. But that's okay - we still had so much fun.

Sunday, it was the Feast of the Madonna in the North End. One of the smaller ones - but still so yummy. I had an Arancini and I am now good for at least another year with that incredible indulgence. Speaking of indulgences, the chocolate covered marshmellows - were insane. Insane!

We then left after a while and went to the Nevin's Farm shelter in hopes of seeing adorable little puppies; but we got there just as they closed. So, instead we hopped in and out of store and the Rockingham Mall before settling in for dinner. (Not that I was incredibly hungry after that Arancini, but hey - I found the room for it.)

It's weekends like these that make it difficult to enjoy Monday.
And I'm always thankful for this blog, because when the kiddies get older and don't want to hang out with me anymore, I can always look back and see all the fun we used to have.

Happy Days are here again....

I love Fridays.
Who doesn't, right?

But today's a really nice one. I'm totally digging the rain; the kids and I are on the sofa right now, watching "The Tooth Fairy" in front of a fire (yes, it's gorgeously tropical still, but they wanted a fire and it just looks like a good fireplace kind of night!) while they have a nice hot cocoa, and this girl - a glass of wine. (Dinner: Marinated pork loin, salad w/ lettuce fresh from the garden, and corn with fresh basil. Can't wait - the house smells delicious!)

I got a text from a good friend of mine who also happens to be the best yoga teacher in the world. Truly - the best. Around these parts anyway! I don't get to go to her studio that often anymore because of my work hours, but I'll be going tomorrow morning. (Yay!) I was supposed to go tonight, but it didn't work out - and, she's going to come to the new studio that I go to on Tuesday with me, which is so very cool. I just love her, and have truly missed her - so to get to see her again is a great thing, despite the fact that it didn't go as I'd planned for today.

I'm really quite fortunate. I mean, I've got a beautiful family - but in addition to that, I'm surrounded by good people; I've got friends who are just genuinely good people.

And that's just one of the many reasons why I'm loving Friday today; it's a good day to reflect upon the week, and life in general.

Time in New England, takes me away....

It was really just a lovely, lovely weekend for this girl.
Truly.

Yesterday, the kiddies had a birthday pool party to go to and we had lots of fun; I'm friendly with the boy's mom and her family - and we just had such a nice time. Then, I went and worked at the Boston store which is such a switch for me! It was funny trying to get acclaimated to where all the wines are and how the register works because it's all so different from my store; but it was really fun to see different walks of life because it's such a tourist area, it's just so different from where I am day to day.

Afterwards, G and I had dinner at Monica's in the North End. It was pretty good; the service was a little slow, but it was a booming and beautiful Saturday night so needless to say - the place was packed wall to wall. But it was good; a little pricey given the quantities, but the flavors were good.

Today, we went to Fanueil Hall and really just had so much fun. The only downside to the day was that the Brown Derby Deli was no where near as good as I remembered it being. I had a deli pickle that was horrible and the corned beef sandwich was less than impressive; but everything else we ate was rocking! Besides, even bad food being eaten outdoors at Fanueil can't be all that bad, right?

So a funny thing happened; last year when we took T for his birthday, he was picked to help out a street theatre duo. He was beyond pleased and loved it. Well, today that very same group was there, and.......you got it! Out of all the people standing around there, they picked him again!! He couldn't have been any happier. It was so much fun, watching him ham it up being the center of attention with everyone calling his name. Seriously, there are few things that make me smile more than seeing my children shine.

All in all, it was a fun and laid back weekend - and one that I'm sad to see come to an end. This is the last weekend my Dad will be here with us, he's going to stay with my sister before heading back to Florida. It's been nice having him here with us - and I know the kids are going to be sad to see him go.

But one never knows what the future holds.

Why I love my job....

Well, some of the reasons anyway.


Sunday, we're having a fundraiser for Dana Farber Cancer Institute. In conjunction with a local Boot Camp, we're sponsoring a shopping day where 10% of our sales from Sunday will be donated to DFCI . I love that I'm now in a capacity to give back in so many ways -- even more than what I do on a personal level.

Monday, is the airing of the Chronicle special...!! Exciting, scary, fun, all at the same time.



And seriously -- look at just a fraction of the fun stuff I get to bring in and sell to people. Truly, does this not look just delicious?!?! Trust me -- it all is. And I love, love, love to share it with everyone.


And then of course -- there's the wine.....
(anyone know what Jason happens to like? anyone....?)

It's the most wonderful time of the year.....

I don't care if we hit 90 degrees tomorrow -- it will be "indian summer" from here on in. It is most definitely the beginning of my very favorite time of year.

I'm sitting here in my Snuggie, and waiting for it to get just a bit darker before I light the first fire of the season in my fireplace. Chicken is roasting in the oven with fresh garlic, marsala and orange sauce....the house just smells like home, happiness and harvest. I've even picked up a fresh turkey to make for tomorrow's dinner because it's supposed to be a rainy and cool day again and what's better than roasting turkey on just a random day - rather than on Thanksgiving?

This weekend, it's a lazy Friday night for us just relaxing and unwinding from a relatively stressful week. Tomorrow we're picking up one of my nephews for a sleepover, and then we've got my son's first travel soccer game. He's really excited to be playing another community and it's a home game for us which is great. Afterwards, we'll come home and the kids will play - I'll pop in the turkey and maybe even bake a pumpkin pie. (Oh yeah baby.....) Sunday, we have my niece's 4th birthday party so that will be a great day too; all leading up to the big Monday night football game. I'll have to think of something delicious to make for dinner that night too. What's football, without good eating? That would be just wrong.

Autumn to me is all about good food, good sports, fantastic smells and lots of color. It's the smell of crisp air, sultry smoke, sweet apples, warm pies and savory pumpkin; it's the sound of leaves crunching underneath your feet and the sight of bright sunflowers and fiery leaves. The fall is just a "feel good", warm and fuzzy time of year.

And this girl is so very happy that it's here.
Have a fabulous weekend!

Tuesday's Thoughts....

1. What is up with the annoying pop up ads that Boston.com and Bostonherald.com have whenever you want to click on an article? Truly, if I wanted to solicit the advertisements, I’d click on the ads. It’s pretty irritating when I’m trying to read an article and a full screen Comcast ad takes over the page. Just sayin’…

2. So, I’m probably the only member of Red Sox Nation who wasn’t overly enamored with Nomar while he was here. But I do have to admit, watching him last night and his reaction to the crowd was very touching. I didn’t dislike him per se, it was more of a dislike of his disenchantment with being here; his diva-like personality at times and of course – his being injury prone. Injuries, I suppose you can’t do anything about – but personality is absolutely a choice. Sure, some may say that some of that had to do with age and maturity. That may be the case; but I know this much – it was definitely nice to see him gracious and happy in his interviews. I wasn’t at all surprised at his reception, it was sort of sad to hear that he was nervous. Boston is fiercely loyal, and though while at the time we were very ready for change at his position, there is no doubt about the contributions he had made while he was here.

3. The Tall Ships arrived into port this morning. I am really excited about this, and I am hoping to take the kids there this weekend, weather permitting of course. (yes, that dreaded rain is overtaking the forecast once again…*sighs*) I think it will be awesome for them to see, and something they will remember for quite some time to come.

4. Today is the Michael Jackson memorial and funeral. (As if anyone with a pulse didn’t know, it’s monopolizing all things “news”.) I wish I could see it, but unfortunately here at work just about everything is blocked so there’s no way for me to watch it. I would’ve liked to have DVR’d it but it would’ve taken up too much space in the memory so clearly, I will have to just watch the reviews. I have mixed feelings about it being such a public event at the Staples Center, and I suppose it’s because I’m not sure if it’s going to be a concert – or a tribute, a celebration of his artistry? I think I would prefer a more traditional type of memorial. But I’m sentimental like that.

I’ve heard quite the anti-MJ sentiment today on the airwaves today and truly – I think there’s been enough that has been said about him. Let the poor man be in peace at this point. If you don’t like him – then don’t watch it, and don’t listen to his music. No one is saying anything new or shedding additional light on the situation, so truly – enough is enough. He was childlike and odd; and yes, he brought a lot of his troubles onto himself. He is ultimately responsible for the tarnish of his reputation. But I’m sorry, he was acquitted; and the last time I knew – that meant “not guilty by a trial of peers.” (loosely translated, of course.)

The same old argument that he paid money to keep one person from pressing charges, to me – is irrelevant. As a parent – the mere fact that the family accepted it -- screams deception, dishonesty and extortion. I assure you, there is no amount of millions that would keep me quiet if my child was harmed in any way. Out of the thousands of children he impacted and spent time with – only two, and two with questionable motives and intentions – come forward? And none since his passing either? Was he eccentric and insecure? Yes. Was he unhappy? Absolutely. Was he sad, and lonely and tragic? Without a doubt. But if you can’t also acknowledge that he was an incredibly gifted artist who absolutely changed the world as a whole, as well as the world of music – then you’re clearly too high on your horse.

"Cheese has always been a food that both sophisticated and simple humans love.”

So the Sushi Soiree weekend didn't come to full fruition.
But my God did I eat. I ate like I'd never seen food before.

Friday night - I was supposed to go for sushi & shoe shopping to celebrate a girlfriend's birthday. But....she had a borderline anaphylactic reaction to some allergy medicine she was on, and the poor thing not only looked awful, but felt even worse. So we rescheduled to this evening, which I inturn, have postponed - due to the fact that I think I have a sinus infection - and feel lousy in the morning, and even worse at night. But I'll get to that in a bit...

Anyway - I stayed home Friday, and G ended up ordering me a prosciutto & roasted pepper sub from AJ's which was okay. Not sure why TV Diner has raved out of their minds about it, I think the subs and calzones are just okay; but then again - Summer Shack is like their "golden child" and I'm rather unimpressed with them as well, so... look at the source, right? I mean, AJ's is good -- but I can think of a few places better. Just sayin'...

Saturday, another girlfriend came over - and we took the kids to Minado in Natick for lunch. She'd never been - and my kids and I love, love, love it there. The best sushi and Japanese cuisine buffet anywhere. She stayed the night, and we watched chick flicks which was a ton of fun. Of course we were stuffed from lunch and didn't feel like eating a big dinner, so me and my brilliant ideas thinks...."what goes best on chick flick movie night? Insane snack food." So I run out, and get all the fixing's for home made guacamole, 7 layer dip, salsa -- oh, and this amazing Pumpkin flavored cheese with wheat crackers. I swear, it was like eating Pumpkin Cheesecake. To die for....

Here's the thing, I can resist peanut butter -- but I have zero tolerance with any cheese products. Needless to say, I was congested and barely able to breathe - with a buzz from some good Sauvignon Blanc, as well as my overdose on sodium.

Sunday afternoon - we took the kids to brunch; hello, banana stuffed French toast (no whipped), homefries, sausage and two eggs over easy. And then I wonder how I put on 7 lbs. since the surgery? Right....

Which brings us back to today, which is the actual birthday of my girlfriend from Friday - whom I've cancelled with for tonight. Well, turns out - her lunch plans cancelled so I said "lets meet quick for lunch at least!". We initially opted for Panera - but then this sign "Sakura" caught her eye. It's a fast food, yet made fresh Japanese restaurant in the Woburn Mall. (I know what you're thinking, "mall sushi?!?!". Trust me, we both thought the same thing; but it was cheap and we were short on time, so mall sushi it was.) We're both pretty picky about sushi, and we were not at all impressed with what we saw (or the rude woman at the counter, but I digress....) but yet we were both very pleasantly surprised at how good the sushi was. It was better than good - it was actually, very good. And exceptionally inexpensive, might I add. Which allowed for a light, healthy and inexpensive lunch.

And even though my eyes hurt, and my sinuses are pounding -- I am going to venture into my first session of jogging tonight. Must get back into the physical routine of life again -- and say goodbye to those extra 7 lbs. which I'm oh-so-aware of. I think my surgery is far enough behind me to slowly get back into the running groove -- and today is the day I am starting. Besides, getting the blood circulating through my system might not hurt this sinus thing I've got going on as well.

Here's hoping, anyway....