Some people wait a lifetime, for a moment like this...

Ah yes, it's American Idol in full swing.

And I know that every year I say the talent is insane, but really....this year, insane.  Last year, Princess Petunia picked the top two from the get go - right when she watched them the auditions and Hollywood week.  This year, she has picked Colton to take it all.  Truthfully - I think she may be right.

My two picks are Jessica and Colton to the end.  I'm just in awe of how most of these people have voices that are ready to go on record.  It's not like in years past where there's pitch issues, or just not so great singing.  These people are so talented that I can't help but wonder how they haven't been discovered to this point.

I love when we watch....the kids and I will DVR and then catch up on results night, because it's on too late for them to stay up and see it live.  It's funny when you're a mom, your kids really think the world of you.  Princess Petunia will say "Mommy you could be on here, you sing really good...." and then my son T chimes in with his serious honesty: "Mom, honestly - you might make it to Hollywood week but then...I'm sorry, you wouldn't be American Idol.".  No, really. Ya think??  It's interesting, I can carry a tune but a strong voice is not something I have, so it's always great to hear the kids think that I'm good, even if it's only a little bit good at something.  I mean, truly - I doubt I'd ever pass an audition, but hey - any compliment I can get from those two - I'm taking, and keeping!!

When they're little, you're the sun in their sky.  But then they grow up, and have their own thoughts and opinions, and suddenly -- you aren't the sun so much, as you are the clouds. It is what it is....

Me, me, me, me -- you!

Talk about it being a long time since I've been tagged in a post!!
I've missed it, truthfully; there has always been a comraderie in blogging and that's something that unfortunately the immediate gratification of Facebook has replaced.  People don't take the time to write thoughts longer than 140 characters it seems.  So disappointing.

But I've been tagged - and I'll happily oblige.
And, I may tag a few on my list - and if you want to play along, feel free.  Just throw me a shoutout to let me know if you do!

1. You have been awarded the time off from work and an all-expenses paid week anywhere in the United States. The catch is that it must be somewhere you have not been before. Where do you choose to visit?
First of all, if you know me - you know it's very difficult to get me to take a week off of work!  Okay, that being said -- I think I'd choose Hawaii.  No - Arizona.  Less travel time.

2. Name three of your guilty pleasures.
Mob Wives, Wine, and Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt

3. The best kind of Girl Scout Cookie is:
Peanut Butter Tagalongs, but of course!
4. What do you value most in other people?
Character/Integrity.  I don't have to always agree with you, but I can respect you if you have the core fundamentals of being a good person.  With character and integrity - other important traits should naturally follow suit.

5. Be honest. Do you sneak some raw cookie dough when you're baking cookies?
Um, hello....who doesn't??  I laugh in the face of Salmonella.

6. Have you ever looked back at your life and realized that something you thought was a bad thing was actually a blessing in disguise?
Absolutely.  I truly believe everything happens for a reason, if we don't necessarily see it right at that very moment.

7. What is the most beautiful place you've ever visited?
Hmmm.  That's a tough one.  The inlands of Jamaica was pretty darn beautiful.

8. Are you more of a thinker or a feeler?
Both, which is frustrating - even for me at times.  I think and analyze it all, but sometimes - I believe you just have to go with instinct.

9. Name three things you are thankful for right now.
My imperfectly perfect family, my business, and my health so that I can be here for my family.

10. Have you ever participated in a three-legged race?
I'm sure as a kid.

11. When you are at an event that plays the National Anthem, do you place your hand over your heart?
Absolutely - who doesn't?????

Pick yourself up, dust yourself off -- start all over again.

Monday.
New beginning.  Fresh start.
Running.

Tuesday.
Running.
Hair appointment.
ME day.
Long overdue.

Getting out of the blahs.....and into the Spring.
Shaking the "not so winter" blues off, and getting myself feeling good again.

It's about damn time!!

Haiku...and you?

Scent of spring in the air
Longing to recharge and renew
Feeling stuck.

A glimpse of summer....

This weekend was one of the best I've been able to experience in the house thus far.

It's been a bit of a challenge, mostly because well....we always seem to have someone living with us.  We haven't had the opportunity to just be us.  Not to say that our houseguest is a burden, it's just that it's hard to have our own normal little family life, you know what I mean?  And truthfully, it seems like this isn't going to end anytime soon, but I digress.....

This weekend, G and I snuck out of the house for a few minutes while the kids were up playing together and our houseguest was inside - and we went in the hot tub for the first time.  It was awesome!!  I can't believe we waited that long.  Not just being in the hot tub which in of iteself was unbelievable, but the view in our backyard....the quiet of the woods, the night sky....we have our own slice of nature, our little piece of decadence -- and it's really ours!!   Let me tell you, the glass of red wine I had afterwards never tasted so good....the hot water from the hot tub just makes you all warm and cozy, ready for bed.  Even though today was really warm - it wasn't so warm the other night, but getting out of the tub, you don't even feel the slightest bit chilly.  It almost made us wish for snow.  ALMOST.....

Then yesterday, we took the kiddies hiking on our street.  We saw a sign further down the street mentioning hiking trails; so, off we went.  Who knew that right on our street was a path that leads to a private pond with picnic tables?  A little woodsy paradise for us to explore, right in our neighborhood.  Then after, we explored the trails behind our house....where we found hawk nests, and all sorts of other cool things.  The PERFECT roasting marshmellow sticks are everywhere.  I can't wait to use the firepit!

I am so happy that we waited and didn't end up getting the house that we "loved loved loved" before.  Timing is everything, and clearly - this was the house we were meant to buy.

I hope the kids love it as much as we do.

Meow, meow, meow, meow......

Mmmmkay.
Real Housewives of Orange County.....
NO where as good as Beverly Hills.

Holy Bitchy, Holy Phony, Holy MEOW!!!!!!!
Not for this girl.

Give me the Beverly Hills crew any day....

I can't drive 55....

People are funny.

So, on 93N for an exit or two - it's acceptable to drive in the breakdown lane; it should be used primarily for those who are trying to get off at the exits, so that they don't have to sit in traffic waiting to get off, when everyone else is still travelling north.

Tonight, when I tell you the highway was wide open - I mean, to the point of the far two left lanes being completely empty.  I was in the 2d lane from the breakdown lane, approaching my exit.

So, here I am trying to merge into the lane to actually get off for my exit, and almost got wiped out by cars that were flying up the lane so fast -- just to continue on straight!  Why they weren't travelling in the fast lane, is beyond me. Really???

These are the people that ruin it for everyone else.  Always in a rush to go nowhere.
It's all fun and games until someone gets killed....

Today's post is brought to you today by the letter "R"...

So, this is a word I've used a lot lately.

Have you?

Relentless:

1. ceaseless and intense: never slackening, but continuing always at the same intense, demanding, or punishing level
2. persistently hostile: pursuing, attacking, or opposing somebody or something persistently and without mercy

My baby takes the morning train....

My son, who is my oldest - has never been away from home for more than a night.  Neither of my kids have actually. Sleepovers at a friends, or their Nana or cousin's house - are few and far between, and a luxury.

But next week he's going on a field trip with his school - for three whole nights!
He'll be perfectly fine....he's not the homesick type, and he's really looking forward to it, which is awesome.  I'm so excited for him.

I'm not nervous, I'm just..... I don't even know what to call it.
He's never been away from me for more than one night.

I think I'm going to have withdrawls.
Crazy, right???

Good times, bad times....

So the day has come that the Captain is retiring.
Wow.
Wow.....

I've been avoiding most televison coverage regarding it, until of course his press conference takes place.

It's truly bittersweet....and of course we all knew this day would come.

I'm really happy for him though.... he seems so happy.  He has a beautiful new wife (whom I really like alot, what little I know of her), is expecting a new baby girl, and is ready to start a new chapter in life.  How can we not be happy about that?!?

Selfishly, I hope that he stays on in some semblence of coaching capacity with the team.  That would be perfect.

And if not, well - if he's ever looking for something to do, I know of a good wine shop that would be happy to take him on.

Just sayin'....

Back to life...back to reality

To finish up the school vacation week, we took the kiddies to North Conway and spent time at Adventure Suites.  We really loved it there, outside of the fact that the bed was really not comfortable.  But it's a themed place and not exactly a 5 star hotel, so we took it in stride.  But the location is awesome and the service was great and the whole concept was just so much fun, we're already planning our return trip.

What's not to love about North Conway and Cranmore Mountain, right?

Best part of the hotel, was the water.  Yup, sounds crazy I know - but they served water with fresh cucumbers cut into it, and never have I tasted something so refreshing in all my life.  This girl will be serving it all summer long poolside, because truly - it was delicious and so fresh tasting.  I'm addicted to it....can't stop thinking about it.

Speaking of addictions, rumor has it that I'll be hitting the yoga mat once again starting this week.  I hope so anyway....

Love is a many splendored thing....

Love is.....

my heart bursting with pride watching my son play basketball each week.
hearing my daughter's unstoppable giggle.
the smell of my husband's clothes when I fold them as they come out of the dryer.
looking forward to the end of the day.
counting the days until a night away.
not remembering what life was like before little people...and not really wanting to.

Double your pleasure, double your fun....

(No, I'm not chewing doublemint gum.)
But, I am doing two posts in one day - something I haven't done in years.  Years!

So much to say, and I want to get it out before I forget it all tomorrow.  Because yes my friends, once you're in your 40's, the memory starts to go.  Things that seem burning with importance at 2 in the afternoon, are lost by 5.  Truly, this girl has too much going on to retain....

First off - postscript to my post from this am.  So, I'm at work and G is home with the kiddies having a rather large football game.  Long story short - one of my SIL's went on my son's IPAD and discovered rather inappropriate website searches.  How I missed it, is beyond me because I'm pretty diligent about that stuff. (OMG, the timing is INSANE given my post from this morning, right?!?!)  I actually had Google safe search on, but not as strict as I have it on the PCs.  It seems the IPAD requires an event stricter level than the PC version - plus I run a firewall on the computers to restrict keywords, something the IPAD doesn't allow.  But, the good news is - all inappopriate materials are completely gone and life can go back to normal. 

(Dear God, I think I already forgot my second thought that I was going to post about.  Seriously?!)

Oh well.  It couldn't have been too important.....

I'm gonna beat you down....

I have a few extra moments this morning before I get in the shower, so I quickly popped onto Facebook to post something on the store page about a tasting we're having this weekend.  But the first comment on my home page is from my sister who I see is calling a woman out because of a comment she read online, on a news channel about two girls fighting on YouTube.  It took place in the city my sister lives in which is unfortunately known for things far worse than two girls fighting - but it was once again, another not so great story to make the news.  Anyway, the reason she was calling the woman out was because the woman used a term of "hoodrats" and "ghetto" to describe the city and the girls who made this video. 

While I get why my sister got upset at the terms used...I think she missed the point of the comment.  The crux of the statement was because once again, a negative story came out about the city and it makes the city and it's residents look bad.  It's a generalization and stereotyping statement, which yes - is wrong - but unfortunately the way this woman reacted is probably the way most people who hear the story react.

My reaction to the story isn't to the woman who made the comment - but to the children.

I've written about this before, and I'll do it many times over.  Why is it that there is the unquenched thirst for "popularity" over the internet?  Why do children feel the need to do ugly things to other people in order to gain acceptance.  Fighting, bullying, and bad behaviour - sure that's nothing new.  It's been going on for centuries; we're a savage society, it's in our blood.  But the desire to publicly hurt others, to me is mindblowing, especially in young children. 

In an age when television isn't celebrity, it's reality - the perception of what is socially acceptable behaviour is blurred with what was always considered horribly inacceptable behaviour.  When children have access to have Snooki as a role model, or watch Teenage Mom - or my beloved Family Guy -- how are they to take what their parents are trying to teach them seriously? 

Yes, there are ways to try to prevent their access; but it's almost impossible now.  Even my own children have access to things that I cringe at; and there are times when I throw my hands in the air in disgust because I have lost the control.   For an example, you reward the kids with a televison in their bedroom and allow for basic cable.  DVDs get old (and expensive!), so you want them to be able to watch some of their favorite shows in bed before bedtime, or when they're sick.  But on basic cable - there are no parental controls.  You can't block by age rating or show like you can on a television that has a cable box.  So how do you prevent curious minds from clicking through channels and watching shows that are clearly not meant for kids???  You can't.  Unless you hover over their rooms and eavesdrop the whole time.  And there are times I've done that, believe me.  But that isn't always an option.  So what can you do?  You can take the cable out of the room.... But is that really fair either?

It's a tough job as a parent.  It's a constant balance of trying to not shelter, but not overexpose either.  We're not their friends, we're their role models.  And I think that there needs to be some serious work done in bringing the kids of today out of the internet/social networking/immediate gratification world, and bring them back to basics of social interactions and respect - to both themselves, and each other.

There's negative aspects to the internet, as well as many endless positive aspects.  But I do think that there's an age for certain exposures, and at a minium - a certain maturity level.  It has to start from the home -- and children need to understand that they don't need to be accepted on the world wide platform of social networking.  They don't need to bully, or be cruel to feel good.

They need to just accept who they are and feel good in their own skin....and then the social acceptance will be there.

Thinking of you...

Sometimes when I look at my hands, I don't see mine -- I see my mother's.

It's weird, because I don't look like she did - but yet I have similar traits.  My voice sometimes sounds like hers, my mannerisms resemble hers at times, I even have some of her habits....and what's so funny is that it's happening more so now that I'm getting older, rather than when I was younger.  It's like I'm becoming her in a way, and yet it's been almost two years since she passed.

Most days, I don't think of her at all.  Sounds odd I know, but since my parents moved away years before my mother actually passed - I adjusted to not seeing her on a regular basis, sometimes as little as once a year.  I think it bothered me more when my parents moved because they eliminated the option of seeing them, by choice; as opposed to death - where there are no choices. I always have believed that children move away from home to spread their wings, but parents are home.  So when parents move away, there is no more "home" to go back to, which can be rather unsettling.  I guess for me it hit home more than it would for most, possibly because I'm one of the only people I know who's parents weren't divorced.  In retrospect I guess most of my peers growing up dealt with the loss of their one secure home if their parents divorced.  I'd never really thought of it that way before now, actually.

I'm not a huge fan of hot chocolate, but my mother was.  And truly, the only times I really remember enjoying hot chocolate was when she made it for me after playing outside on a snowy day.  As an adult, she would always try new brands to get me to jump on the hot cocoa wagon, and it never worked....until she found these Land o' Lakes packages of flavored hot cocoa. Hazelnut, Raspberry, Mint - you name it.  Sure enough - I loved them. 

As a result, anytime it was my birthday, or Christmas - she'd always include a few of those packages in with my gift because it just wasn't something I'd think to shop for at the supermarket.  Needless to say, it's been years since I'd had any of it.  My parents moved away 10 years ago, and truly, I couldn't find it anywhere, even when I did look for it.

Last week when I was food shopping, something jumped out at me....and there they were.  Land o' Lakes hot chocolate packets, in all sorts of flavors.  I bought two of them.

Maybe it's because I watched Whitney Houston's funeral last night which was sad, despite the fact that she more than likely brought on her own demise.  Maybe it's because I was doing laundry and remembered that the shirt I was folding she gave to me.  Or maybe it's just because I miss her, period.

But today, I'm drinking my hot chocolate....and thinking of my Mom.

It takes a very steady hand....

I've always known my Princess Petunia was artistic.  I've even posted before how she has the gift of making something out of nothing.  But that gift isn't just with her hands; it's also with her eyes. 

I've often said that I wished I had the eye to take a good photograph. I can identify a good photograph, but when I take a picture, I never am able to really capture a moment.  If I do, it's accidental I assure you.  But she can take a picture of a plate of food and seriously - it's beautiful. 

I'm openly envious, and I hope as she gets older she realizes the gift she has and nurtures it.
Because, she really is talented.

Love is a many splendored thing...

Love is a family dinner.
Love is cupcakes after, frosted by little hands.
Love is working on homework problems that are frustrating for the adults just as much as the ones learning it.
Love is patience, and kindness.
Love is tolerance, and understanding.
Love is home made cards, gifts picked with care.
Love is home.
And home is where ever your heart may be.....

Cleaning house....

Both at home -- and at work.

When you have 5 bathrooms -- there's sometimes alot of cleaning to do!  Truthfully, all 5 don't get used all the time, but I did have to clcean up after quite the extended stay of a family member who had their own private bathroom.  Let me tell you - not looking forward to having to do that chore again.

Changes in staffing that are welcome and truly needed.  It's a new year, time for a fresh approach and with people who hopefully get the big picture.  I'm so fortunate, I have always had great staff and these are all people who truly want to be there because with the exception of one or two - this is a second job for them.  At the same time, there were a couple of people who just either didn't know what direction they were going in - or didn't really get the retail concept.  And that's okay too because they're nice people, but I can't just have people there because they are nice.  It's a business and needs to be treated as such.  And so a little housecleaning has been done, so to speak.

I feel good.

Warm and fuzzy ,soft and cozy...

I'm sitting in front of a roaring fire, with a glass of Pinot Noir in one hand - and Princess Petunia by my other, whilst we're snuggled in a blanket watching television as I type this. 
(Let me clarify, she is watching television; I am patiently awaiting the show to end so that she and I can have our "American Idol:Hollywood Week" catch up session on DVR.  I promise each week not to watch so that she and I can catch up together on Friday nights....so here I sit and wait.)

It's funny how the fire evokes such a feeling of home for me.  I never had a fireplace growing up, so I'm not exactly sure why; maybe it's just a concept of what I always felt home should be like?  Or maybe, it's because it reminds of me of my aunt's house, which always was like a second home to me when I was little.  I used to love to sit in front of her fireplace, especially on Thanksgiving....I even remember one particular time when I fell asleep in front of it one random time when I was having a sleepover. 

The snap. crackle and hiss of the fire - which has a smell much more subtle than a bonfire in the yard -- is one of the simplest pleasures in life that make me the happiest.

Along with sitting beside my Princess Petunia, of course....

Beautiful things....pretty things....favorite things

A good 10 year Tawny Port.  Any Kelly Clarkson song.  Lemon Verbana soap.  Almond butter cream.  Lavendar Vanilla softener.  Hot sauce with a really good kick.  French country decor.  Homemade coconut marshmallows. Organic cotton yoga shirts.  A deep, dark purple black nail color.  Chairs wrapped with tulle.  Hydrangeas.  Laughter, friendship and love.

It's been such a long time....

How about that Superbowl, eh?

Honestly - it wasn't that bad of a game.  I mean, it was actually a good game - both teams played well, and truthfully, the Patriots didn't even have a Superbowl caliber team this year, and yet....there they were.  Unfortunately, they just didn't seal the deal.  They had many lost opportunities right up to the last minute, because truthfully, they could've scored a touchdown if they had just 20 more seconds.  But alas, it wasn't meant to be....

Life is on it's way to settling down to normal, and that my friends is a good thing.

I've missed blogging. I've been running a "I'm just a girl" hotel of sorts for the last few months and so that's sort of been taking up my time at night when I might otherwise throw a thought or two out in the blogosphere.

Actually, it's afforded me the opportunity to really get caught up on my guilty television watching - and some not so guilty television.  While I'm all up to date on MobWives & Beverly Hills Housewives, I'm also loving other shows like Kitchen Cousins, Vanilla Ice Project (yes, that Vanilla Ice.  He's kind of there on the show as an accessory, but the house projects are fantastic!) and I'm also really enjoying Auction Kings.

But I miss blogging -- and I miss that other people have stopped blogging.  It seems that Facebook has replaced the blog and that is quite sad. Blogging is creativity, it is artistic, it is journalistic.  It can be simple and plain, or gripping and raw.  It can be a journal, or just a rambling of thoughts.  But it's better than 140 characters and certainly better than a simple statement of three sentences that other people comment on for the mere sake of having nothing better to do.

Blogs are thoughts and rants and raves - and hopefully they shed insight into those who write them.  And I think it's rather sad that it's being pushed aside for the immediate gratification and social circle of a website that garners, steals, and sells our personal information.

I'll be back...

Not recommended for the light of heart....

So, I went and saw one of the Academy Award nominated films earlier this week.

It must've been slim pickings this year; either that, or they Academy just feels that they have to give George Clooney a nod for everything he does.

The Descendants, was boring and mildly irritating.
Frustrating even.

There were some cute moments, but overall the idea that a family could place so little value on another family members life - is mind blowing.

I get dysfunction, I get teenage angst -- I don't get a complete sense of disconnection.

And while George gave a mild and nice performance, I didn't see anything that was Academy Award material in anything outside of cinematography.

Am I alone in this school of thought?

Home sweet home....

You know what I love about my house?
That I have a big ol' jacuzzi in my bathroom.
Totally big enough for two adults.

Tonight, the Princess Petunia and I may indulge in it.  We do have a hot tub in our backyard, but truthfully I haven't had the opportunity to test the PH, and that's not something you can mess around with. 

So I have a glass of wine, and even though it's a jacuzzi and not a hot tub - the little one and I are going to relax inside of it.  Bathing suits in the house are perfectly acceptable, don't you agree?

Definitely a nice way to end the week.
Definitely.

Inna gadda da vida baby...

So, when the Patriots won this past Sunday - G and I toyed with getting tickets to go to the Superbowl.  We said we'd "definitely go" if they were in the Superbowl, but seriously - it's almost impossible to get tickets and a hotel for under $7k per person.  Per person!!!  It's really very hard to justify spending that kind of money to go.  I mean, it's not like it's in Miami or Tampa - where we have family to staycation with.   So, home we will be.... truth be told it will be more fun to watch here than freezing our butts off in Indy.  Or at least I keep trying to convince myself of that....

Today we had a private wine tasting with a former Patriot, Drew Bledsoe - and Chris Figgins of Leonetti & Figgins Wine.  Drew has a wine called Double Back, which was actually my second favorite wine of the day that we tasted.  It was at Grill 23 and the only thing that was a disappointment was that there was no lunch that was served.  Who books a tasting from 12-2 and doesn't serve lunch?!?

(G is much more photogenic than I am... and look how happy he is!  Truthfully, I wasn't much of a Bledose fan and was thrilled when Brady was put in from his first successful play on the field.  But, give credit where credit is due....Bledsoe was one hell of a QB. And quite the gracious mentor.  I just hated that he was constantly getting sacked.  But I digress....)

So the countdown to the Superbowl is on!
Are you partying that day?  And are you cooking....or ordering out?

Free your mind...and the rest will follow.

I'm really disenchanted with the Republican party these days.

It's not that I dislike our current President, because I don't; he's a very eloquent speaker, seemingly a kind and nice person - I just find him to be less than effective and not necessarily on the same page as I am on certain topics that are important to me at the moment.

Basically, my vote is up for grabs.  And there is no one that the Republican party has suggested that can really get me to say "okay, I'll go with you...".  

I don't trust Mitt Romney.  He's a flim flam, flip flop man.  Poll watcher, talking puppet, "let me tell them what they want to hear" kind of guy.  It's unfortunate too, because I liked when he was Governor of Massachusetts.  I believed in what he did, and I like that he's a conservative business guy financially because that's the type of person you need in a time of financial disarray.  However, he has completely changed his views on many social issues in order to get the nomination and that I have a very difficult time with.  Listen, I don't have to agree with everyone - but I can respect you if I believe that you believe in what you say.  I don't have respect for him because he wavers depending on who he's talking to. 

Newt Gingrich, I just don't respect.  'Nuff said.

Ron Paul.  Here, I struggle a bit.  If he wasn't so extremist he'd stand a shot because he's fiscally conservative and socially liberal,  (Hello Libertarian, totally my kind of concept!)  But unfortunately, he's so radical on many of his views that no one with any real brains can vote for him with the thought that he'll actually be President. 

Who is the other guy again?

Speaking of our President -- I completely and whole heartedly disagree with Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas on refusing to meet with the President yesterday.  First of all, that speech I assure you was not written by him; I doubt he would be able to put together political thoughts of such depth and clarity - and communicate them as such.  Secondly, this was not a political roundtable -- not the time nor the place to make a protest or stand.  It was a friendly, non-political gesture by the President to publicly acknowledge the team for winning the Cup.  Regardless of partisan lines, how do you not agree to disagree and accept the honor of being in the presence of a world leader?  We're not talking about Ahmadinejad here. 

Here's a concept:  maybe afford the opportunity at that time to voice your opinion, should the moment arise?  But to avoid the trip, release a corny and overblown press statement - well it just screams "overdramatic" to this girl.  But hey, you're the one that lost out....