Blessed be....

It seems that the trend is to tick off lists of what we're thankful for at Thanksgiving. 

I look at it this way....

What aren't I thankful for? 

I'm blessed with healthy children. I have a handsome and incredibly thoughtful husband. My immediate and extended family are healthy and hopefully happy. 

I have two businesses with my husband-- potentially a third in the immediate future.   And I love every minute of the imperfect chaos that I call life. 

I am blessed, I am grateful and I am thankful. Not just on thanksgiving....but always 

That's it - I'm officially addicted.....

Shahs on Sunset. 

I love you guys!!!!

You are my new imaginary BFFs. 

(What....is that wrong??😳)

These are the days I live for....

Football in the yard. Turkey in the oven. Cabernet in the glass. Hot tub and fireplace calling my name. 

Ah, but Sundays are my favorite days....

Something new and exciting?

Sometimes opportunity knocks when you least expect it....

And I'm ready for it!

It's all turkey to me...

So I'm not really a fan of Thanksgiving dinner. It's my least favorite holiday meal.  

However....

I love turkey on just any random day! So I figured I'd make a turkey for Sunday's Pats game. Except....

They're playing on Monday night football. 

Oh well. Sunday dinner it will be....

Um....

So in one week, I've gone from....

Never having a cavity to...

Having a broken tooth.

Having a root canal. 

Having a temporary crown....

....the final replacement will be on 12/2.

Who knew stocking wine would be such an occupational hazard!?!

I have very white teeth so the temporary definitely doesn't match.  But that's ok because the final one will. My dentist is fortunately a cosmetic dentist and he has a team (yes I said "team") of ceramic specialists who come to his office with their own kiln to color match the teeth!! 

Yay!  I have very white teeth. (Though the photos don't reflect it well, I don't think.) 

But it was not comfotable. I'll take 5 root canals to 1 temporary crown. No lie. (Mmmkay, so these pics are not taken in the most optimum of circumstances. Just sayin'.   I'm no Gisele!)

 It's not perfectly shaped or colored or sized-- but it's better than a gaping hole like before!!! 

I'm just dreading the work again. 

I'm on my third glass of wine and I STILL have a headache. 

Ah, the pains you go through to be beautiful -- as my mother would've said.

Persian Jews?!?!

So, I'm finally watching Bravos "shahs of sunset" and I'm trying to catch up on the story lines. 

Wow. I'm a little overwhelmed. 

And confused....

They're all Iranian - but some are Jewish!?  I thought Iran hated Israel?  But they're celebrating rosh h'shana, and having people convert to Judaism!! 

Huh!?!?

I mean- that's awesome!  But can someone please explain this to me because I've always heard the complete and total opposite. 

Thank god for google....

Dear lawmakers,

How many shootings have to take place before you acknowledge there is am issue?  Since last October, we've had so many mass public shootings and attempts- that we've become jaded to them. 

Jaded to them?!!

What is going on in this world?

Anyone...anyone?

My most favorite time of year....

Fireplace crackles. Kicking through leaves. The crisp sting of cold air. Pumpkin candles. Hearty stews and chilis. Football parties. The warmth and coziness of falling asleep at night - and waking up slowly in the morning. Frost covered grasses. Cinnamon rolls. 

You're never fully dressed without a smile....

The freakiest of things happened to me on Halloween. 

A bottle of wine fell and broke my eye tooth. (Insert puzzled look HERE--I totally expect it. )

I was stocking bottles that rest on the shelf about shoulder height- and a 1.5 bottle started to fall. I could hear it fall-- I was bent down in front if it, taking another bottle out of the case to stock; but I turned my head to catch it and must've been smiling-- the bottle fell, nicked my lip but hit my tooth straight on!  Random, right!?!

I heard the crack and pop- knew my tooth broke - but would you believe I actually picked the bottle up and stocked it before actually reacting to my mouth!?!? It just all was so fast....

Needless to say that while I ended up bring fortunate enough that my tooth could be saved- the nerve was exposed and me- the girl who still hasn't had a cavity- experienced her first root canal yesterday.  (Truth-- it wasn't bad at all. I didn't even need a Tylenol or anything after. Pretty darn painless!!)

I'm not even going to go into the whole dentist debaucle- that's a blog post all in if itself!  

The worst part of it, from a physical aspect- is over. It could've been worse. But the part I'm most sad about is that I can't get even a temporary crown until 11/15!  Smiling is such a big part of who I am-- I'm almost always happy and sociable and I work with the public- so to have to cover my mouth when I talk or to not be able to smile- makes me feel like I didn't just lose my tooth, but like I lost a little bit of ME. 

I'm hoping they get a cancellation I can squeeze into...

Dear Home Beautiful....

....I was drawn to your current issue as I stood in line at Whole Foods; the pretty bedroom on the cover with it's cooling tones of lavendar drew me right in. 

But to my dismay, I had to get to page 77 before I could see any beautiful homes. Sadly, the preceding pages were full of advertisements. And while I do enjoy a good ad or two- mmm, that wasn't exactly what I had in mind.

Seeing more of THIS was what I'd been hoping for: 

Sadly, I don't think I will be buying you anymore. 

Opening up my world...

Pinterest is really fabulous. I know I've commented previously however...aside from being just mindless relaxation, every single thing I've tried from other pinners has been wildly successful. 

From THE most delicious chili, to the simplest of cakes- to designing collages or tablescapes- it's really never let me down. 

I highly recommend it. 

If for nothing else but to admire the creativity of others. 

It's just very, very cool. 

Gathering of the Girls....

I don't get to see my friends really but once or twice a year. Gone are the monthly potlucks, weekends visiting friends at the beach or even the quick dinners occasionally. Life is full of sporting events, homework, and other gatherings involving little people. I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world- and we have plenty of time to do those things once the kids get older- but I'm not going to lie...I miss my girlfriends. 

So I decided to plan a get together that was unlike any other we've ever done. And with some assistance from Kitchensurfing, we found a fantastic private chef to come and cook for us a fabulous plated meal. We set the budget, we work on a menu- and they make the magic happen. 

Almost best of all, was that for the first time ever- I got to enjoy my dining table, my meal and my company- without having to clean. That's right... My kitchen was left as pristine as it was when they arrived. Mmmyeah, I'll be doing this type of soirée again. 

What WAS best of all....was the laughter. Oh, I loved the laughter. Hearing it. Participating in it. Thinking about it again now. We laughed and laughed...and that my friends, was exactly what made the whole night worthwhile. 

So now I share with you a few snapshots of our Real Housewives of the North Shore- but without all the drama! 

Bread of life...

Making bread is a labor of love. 

I discovered this tonight as my son and I made two loaves of home made bread for his humanity class. They're donating a loaf to charity- and we get to keep the second loaf. 

This, my friends- has been a 4 hour project. 

But the house smells soooo good. 

It also further reaffirms why I cook, rather than bake. I don't have the patience for it! 

That being said, while the dough was rising, I took a moment to do something I've always wanted to do but never have--and that is to sage my house. 

There's no negative energy here, outside of typical famijy tensions- but it just made me feel like it was a fresh start to the season, and I look forward to winter to do it again. 

Nothing like a little warm, fresh bread and a smudge of sage to say "happy autumn". 

It's hard being at the top of the food chain...

You always hear that moms "don't get time off..."

Ain't that the truth. 

I've got myself a lousy cold- that I actually think is becoming an ear infection- and I'm just really tired. Tonight, I'd love to go to bed at like 730 and just try to get a good nights sleep....

But between the kids, dinners, homework (thank god we have no activities this evening)-oh and the dog- I'll be lucky if I make it sleepy time before 930. 

Thank goodness for Advil and extra strength Tylenol to get me through the duration.....

Nom nom nom...

I equate food with happiness. 

Not in the sense in that I eat to feel happy or that I'm an emotional eater; but in the sense of sharing food. 

Cooking makes me happy. I look forward to football Sundays and thinking about what I want to make. Or holiday dinners and a room full of people. 

Food shopping makes me happy or rather the look of the cabinets full afterwards. 

Food is a gift that we can share- it binds us and bonds us closer together. 

And- it's delicious! 

Mary Catherine Elizabeth Cheyenne Louisa Theresa Anne Marie!

I am cracking up right now. 

I'm watching the show that's on CMT about the Dallas cowboy cheerleader auditions. 

Let me tell you- the names are a riot!  Everyone either must want to be a model, an actress or they just don't believe in last names! 

Ashley Lynne. Tessa Christine. Paula Marie. Jennifer Kathryn. Jenna Denise. 

You get the picture. 

It's really, really funny. 

Yawn...

It's funny how busy my life is now and yet so boring. I don't mean boring in the sense of dissatisfied- I mean in the sense that I don't have anything fun to blog about anymore. 

My job is awesome- so I don't have any gripes there; my kids are older so we don't go on fun "mommy and me" adventures any more so much as they are scheduled events:  basketball games, singing lessons, tennis lessons, after school activities and such. 

It's not that I don't enjoy blogging because I do- I just feel that I don't have any interesting insights or even randomness to share at the moment. 

But like life itself, I'm sure in time this too shall pass....

Life is....

Always moving. 

Busy. 

Calm. (Then suddenly chaotic)

Draining. 

Energizing. 

Frustrating. 

Genuinely enjoyable at times.

Happy.

Ideallic, occasionally. 

Joyful.

Kooky. 

Lazy. 

Manic. 

Nice. 

Optimum. 

Peaceful. 

Quiet. 

Restless. 

Sleepless at times! 

Terrific. 

Unexpected.

Very, very...

Wonderful. 

Xtra-ordinary. 

YES. 

Zag nab it good. :)

Summer hiatus...

Yes, it's been quite some time since I've posted. This summer has been incredibly brief- and incredibly busy!  From yard renovations to family reunions- complete with family from out if state staying with us, never mind school getting out late and starting early- it's just been go, go, go! 

So rather than my jotting thoughts to sum it up, here's a quick pictoral review- with the caveat being that we're still not done yet!! Schoolyard be starting, but we still have some summer fun left to have. 

By the way- I'm posting this via my iPhone so I have no clue how the pictures are going to come out or in what order... But you get the idea. 

Aaaaagggh

Yup. That about sums it up. 

'Nuff said. 

Ok. So that's vague.  Sorry. 

The yard is down to the wire. It looks AMAZING but it's not done and while I try hard to be the eternal optimist - I'm worried. 

I'M worried. I never worry. 

Throwing a party, doesn't worry me. Having my yard not ready- worries me. 

It is what it is--right??

It'll be ready.... It WILL be ready. 

Hi, My name is Rebecca and I'm addicted to.....

Pinterest.

Listen, I know it's not mascara or lip gloss -and it's certainly not a good pair of boots; but it IS a really rocking source of inspiration these days.

It's funny because I avoided it for a long time; I'd hear people talk about recipes they found on Pinterest and I browsed it casually.  I thought "eh, so it's a corkboard of things I like....big deal".
Well.

The big deal is that once I started pinning things I liked - I was amazed at how many things were out there that I didn't even know that I liked - or even knew existed!  And that is the exciting part of it all.

I've used new recipes, come up with new ideas for decorating and gift giving - and the great thing is - the things you find such as recipes or craft ideas - really do work!  Sometimes it's just fun to type things in for inspiration, and then voila - I'm excited to see how it easy it is to go out and do it myself.

Best of all, I love that it's not another Facebook.... I don't have to talk to people; I don't care if someone "likes" my things.  While it's nice to see people I know and sometimes share their pins - there's no obligation to chit chat, or even acknowledge one another.  It's not meant to be social hour, it's meant to be browsing and exploring time.

And I love it!

Summer winds....

This school break is going by in a blur of sunshine and chlorine.

I can't believe the kids are going back in a month!  Where does the time go?  We've had lots of fun in the yard, and even squeaked in a beach day; the kiddies have half day camps this week and in another week and a half - but other than that, we haven't done a whole heck of a lot.

It's funny, when I was a kid - we did nothing.  Literally.  I'd wake up in the morning, throw clothes on and run outside to play with any one of the kids in my neighborhood who may have gotten up early like I did.  All day games of 7 Up, bike riding, exploring, walking, kickball - you name it.  The summers seemed endless and were filled with sunshowers, playing with the hose or sprinkler - walking to the MDC pool - or hanging out in the park at the end of my street. 

So I wonder why I feel like my kids aren't having the time of their lives if I am not taking them places or doing things?  It's funny how we try to over compensate as parents.  It's not as if at the time I felt like I didn't have a great summer each year; at the same time - as an adult, I realize how much I missed out on, even simple things like going to the beach.

Life is good.  They're having a blast just laying low and enjoying their yard and down time.
I wish it didn't have to end so soon!

Black + White still equals Black & White.

I'm beyond disappointed with the verdict in the Zimmerman trial.

To me, this was not a case about racism. (Though I do believe that Mr. Zimmerman was criminally profiling based upon race.)

When does a fist fight equate to gunpower?
When does a person standing up for themselves because they feel threatened equate to being murdered?

Why is it that Mr. Zimmerman "felt threatened" and so it was okay to murder someone?  So Trayvon Martin's death doesn't matter because Mr. Zimmerman was "scared"?  Because basically, to have not given any semblence of discipline for the taking of another man's life in a deliberate manner just screams "unimportant".   Didn't this physical altercation that Mr Zimmerman claims happened - take place as a result of Trayvon Martin -- feeling threatened and defending himself?  So why is Mr. Zimmerman's fear more important than that of  Trayvon?  What if Trayvon was the one that had the gun?  Somehow, I feel that might have played out differently.... "Thou shalt not kill" is a phrase that I do believe the Bible Belt state needs to revisit.

This is a stupid law, plain and simple.  Mr. Zimmerman was told to stay away and leave the victim alone, and he didn't.  Don't fault the victim for standing up to his assailant; that's like blaming a woman for being raped because she wore perfume.

It's disturbing, disgusting and disappointing.  To me, it's irrelevant if the prosecution didn't play fair, if there was evidence withheld or if it all was presented as is.  The bottom line is that people should not have the right to kill another person just because they feel threatened.  Define threatened.  Define "in fear for your life".  It's all subjective and up to interpretation, isn't it?

If a person puts a knife or gun or baseball bat to your head - then yes, you may feel your life is in jeopardy.  But an unarmed person, who may have just handed you an ass whipping because you aren't capable of defending yourself otherwise - does not give you the right to take that person's life.

And there's absolutely nothing else that anyone can say, that can justify it in this girl's mind.

Summer, summer, summertime.....

Six days and counting to the yard renovation......that we keep adding on to!

Princess Petunia's birthday is next week and I'd been planning on taking her to NYC for a night.  But we may have to postpone it because a cousin is coming in that week who has the same birthday and all the girls in the family want to get together to do a little Girl's Birthday Celebration.  So I might take her in August instead, before school starts.

The poor thing had surgery on Monday in her mouth to remove an extra tooth embedded in her gum.  It took over 60 shots of Novacaine/Lidocaine & Marcane and almost an hour and a half to numb her.  But she was a trooper - and her recovery was fantastic as well.  I'm so proud of her.  Sure she's sassy, but she's such a good kid in general.

Tomorrow is going to be a fun day - all my kids' 1st cousins will be over at once!  I'm hoping to get a few good group pictures because I don't know if that will ever happen again... and it's the last get together before the yard as we know it changes forever.

I can't wait!