It's a Wonderful Life....

So while that seems to be tops on everyone's Christmas Movie list- that is not on mine, actually. 

My favorite?

Miracle on 34th Street. 

Magic and miracles and Santa - are all real. You just have to believe....

'Tis the season....

....to unsubscribe.... fa la la la la...la la, la, la.....

Last week I obliterated my inbox.
Erased every email I had.
Global delete.

And this was no epic fail.  Oh no, my friends - this was a calculated and precision move on my behalf.

I had not checked my email from the day before Thanksgiving Eve - to the Monday afterwards.  That's what, 5 days?
I had 1325 new emails.
Shut the front door!!!!

I'd be getting more and more frustrated over the past few months with emails anyway considering it seems I get more solicitation emails than real ones, and whats really frustrating is that I'm on lists for companies I've never even heard of!  And because I get so much junk, spam and solicitation emails, sometimes I miss a real one. I don't know how these companies even get my email account; there must be some sort of list that gets sold, like phone numbers did "back in the day" before the "do not call" rule.

Dear God, I could never have my email linked to my phone like most people do -- the damn thing would run out of charge with all the notification alerts.

So I decided that I am going to start over and with every incoming email I'm making a decision to determine whether I want to unsubscribe or keep them.  So far, I haven't kept very many.

Oh, and for the record - out of those 1325 emails, 8 of them were really relevant.
Isn't that obnoxious?

I just hope that the unsubscribe feature truly works.  Some of them have the disclaimer of "please allow 48 hours to 14 days for the change to take place...".  Really?  Do they think we're stupid?  It should be an automatic ping to the mail server and be instantaneous.  It's not a manual process anymore, so basically these companies are just hoping that people will "forget" that they unsubscribed.

We shall see how it goes...

Ummmm...

Gypsy Sisters. 

Oh my. 

Almost there....

Today was supposed to be the permanent crown day.   And it started off pretty good...

But the crown isn't quite right. And because it's a front tooth it's a rather big deal. The photo I'm about to show doesn't look too bad actually but in person you can definitely notice the shape and sizing isn't right. 

The best part though is that I get to keep this porcelain crown as my temporary. Usually they take the crown back to the lab but the lab rep who was there was nice enough to not make me have another temporary one made- and truthfully my dentist wasn't prepared to make one. So while this one isn't perfect-- it's far better than what I had. 

By Christmas I should have my smile back again! 

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!

Who knew?

So I'm a little frustrated with my brocolli.
It's grown tall with flowers but nothing really resembling the vegetable.

So I googled it - this mysterious, flowering condition..

It's called BOLTING.
Cilantro does it as well... which I always wondered why it bloomed for a short time and then became very stalky!!

So, it seems my brocolli's soil was too warm - and that caused it to bolt.  Basically, seed as opposed to flower. And my cilantro, bolts because it's what it does in warm weather.  Optimum planting/growing time is spring and fall - but when do we all rush out to plant here in MA?  In the summer.....

So you get a very short window of time for delicious yumminess.

I think I'm going to pull my brocolli and try planting something different that will yield later in the season; I saw some mature seedlings at the farmer's market this past weekend, so I'll find something there.

These are just the little lessons that I, the black thumb gardener - have to learn.
But that's the fun of a garden anyway - it's trial and error!

I am a little bummed that I won't have brocolli though...

Sometimes the best laid plans....

...just don't go the way we hope they would.

So, we bought a new hot tub because the one that was here in the yard - the original owners did not take good care of, and the pump died.  Since it's a ThermaSpa and is only serviced directly by them out of Connecticut, we decided to say ixnay to the ottubhay - and get a new one.

Today was the delivery day.

And it started off great...they were here early.
But...

It seems the deck that the hot tub was sitting on, rotted out underneath so when they were trying to remove the old tub, it completely fell apart.  So the new tub is on there, but off to the side and not connected.  And now...in addition to all the other construction we're doing in the yard, we've got this additional expense of putting in a synthetic decking for the new tub to rest upon.

I'm bummed because I feel like the yard is just a mess - and construction hasn't even started yet!
Plus, I really was hoping to go into the hot tub tomorrow.

Que serah serah....whatever will be - will be.
I guess it just means a little more time.... and a little more mess.
And a lot more money!!

"A dream is a wish your heart makes, when you're fast asleep....

...In dreams you lose your heartaches
Whatever you wish for, you keep....
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling thru...
No matter how your heart is grieving
If you keep on believing....
the dream that you wish will come true"
 - Cinderella

Thought of the day...

Opportunity is missed by people
because it's dressed in overalls....and looks like work.

Antsy, antsy, antsy....

We are having some serious renovations being done to our yard in a few weeks.
I didn't think I'd be this frustrated waiting for them to take place, and yet....here I am, actually almost irritated at having to wait until the 15th of July.

We have a beautiful yard, and I think I'm a little irked that our landscaper has sort of shrugged off maintaining what isn't being modified at the moment; because it's all going to be done when the "project" is completed.  But, we have so much that has to be maintained in the mean time...

...and it's making me... antsy.  irritated.  frustrated.

The "project" is we're clearing out about 6-8 ft deep of woods, about 50 yards wide - which really expands our yard (which is already quite big, truth be told...) and we're expanding the patio around the pool and building an outdoor fireplace.  Fun, right?  But, ugh - the wait is ridiculous.

I didn't think I'd be quite this excited, and yet I am.

Yes, I'm borderline whining, but it's only because I hate the fact that my landscaping is a bit overgrown. I don't like it messy.  I like it neat and weeded and pretty.... !!!

Ok.  I feel better now.
Sort of...

The Not So Real Peeps...of the la la world

I'm sorry but ....does anyone watch the "Real Housewives of OC" -- and notice how different Brooks is now?

It almost accentuates the fact that he was clearly so over the top fake last season.   He's probably being more real and himself this time - but it almsot makes him seem worse than before. 

Gross.

And I'm sorry - I know that the lovely Tamra Barney just married her boyfriend Eddie Judge.
But.

I don't know.
He just doesn't seem like her type.
Actually.  It's more like she doesn't seem his type.

I just wonder how long this one is going to last....

Time keeps on ticking....and how quickly it flies.

It's almost the end of the school year for the kiddies.

Yesterday, Princess Petunia had a function in school where we were invited to see their "Wax Museum".  All the 3rd graders were assigned a historical character and they've worked on speeches, presentation boards and costumes leading up to yesterday.  They were all in costume and as we approached them, they came to life as if they were figures in a wax museum - and gave us informative speeches about who "they are".  Everyone from Tituba to John Hancock, to Myles Standish - which is the person Princess Petunia was assigned to be.  It was really fun - and a great format to teach the kids history in a way they'll never forget.  We certainly didn't have that kind of thing when I was a kid...!  (Of course, if you ask my kids that was back in the "olden days"....)

Today was a function at my son's school - a Celebration of Learning.  We got to see all of the different projects they've worked on all year in each subject and they had fun little activities for us to do with them while we were there, like origami and art.  The best part of it for me, outside of just being there - was the fact that my son was still okay with being affectionate with me in front of his friends.  Actually - most of the boys were, now that I think of it!  He still was grabbing my hand to walk me to each class room and didn't hesitate to give me a big hug and a kiss and tell me he loved me as I was leaving.

It's hard to imagine that this fall I'll have a 7th grader and a 4th grader.
It seems like just yesterday I had two little kids, giggling and laughing...
I just want to keep their little hearts with me always......

Be the change you wish to see in the world....

Finally, fortunately, fabulously Friday....

Okay, so today it's 55 degrees and monsooning out.
Rewind to a week ago today and it was 99 and tropical.
What's the weather in New England?  Um, wait a minute....it's bound to change!

So, I poured myself a nice big glass of Pinot Noir and made a chili for dinner.  It's the perfect meal for a raw day like today.  Even though a "summer" 55 is still warmer than a winter one.  It's amazing how relativity works....

It's a pretty laid back weekend on tap.  Tomorrow I'm looking forward to a lazy day around the house, catching up on things - like polishing my hardwood floors.  I love, love, love to do that.   Then, my Son has a Red Sox game so we'll drop him off at school to meet the bus and then take the Princess Petunia out for a bit.

Sunday is supposed to be gorgeous once again....and I'm thinking poolside.  A little bbq...a little splashing...a little sun.

However you spend your weekend - I hope it's filled with laughter and love. 
Maybe even a little more sunshine than what we have here at the moment...

Ben, the two of us need look no more....

 I've mentioned before - we have pet rats.
We love "our boys"... they're affectionate, lovable, clean and just fun.

So, imagine my reaction when I received a text today from G saying that one of my sister in law's friends (who also is a fancy rat owner) said that she was given a rat that was abandoned - and surprise - she was pregnant.  So on Tuesday, her new girl gave birth to 6 teensy tiny babies.  Of course, the next question was -- did we want one? (or two....)

To my shock, G said "yes"....
(Insert big smiley face here....)

So, while I do have to buy a new tank and condo top - since we have to do that anyway, we might as well take two.  Two rats are no more work than one, and honestly - we'll have 6 rats at that point.  (I know, you're thinking "intervention", right?)  Well, truthfully - 6 rats go through no more food than 4 do.  And they're so clean!!  They don't smell, they keep their cages neat (except for oldest boy Snake who is a bit messy....) and sadly, they don't live for very long.  Two and a half years is the most usually.  Snake is a year with us in July, and he could've been 6 months when we got him so....we don't know how much longer he'll be with us; Pop Tart will be with us a year in September, and while we know he was younger, it may not have been by much.  Stefano & Wilfork are just babies....and then we'll have these new guys.

(Honestly, my house is big enough that these guys basically have their own floor!  They're up in "Kidtown" which is sort an au pair suite, so it's not as if we're over run with animals.  It sounds worse than it actually is. )

We've determined that these will be "Pokemon" boys.  The kids each get to name one after their favorite Pokemon creature.

We can't get them until their 21 days old, so we have about 14 more to go.
...the countdown is on!

Hiatus Haiku

Sure I have been gone
Life had just got in the way
But I am back now.

Quiet with out the blog
Miss speaking my mind out loud
Feels good to write again.

So much has happened
Will be tough to fully express
But I will try to.

Summer is here now
Life is full of excitement
Looking forward to share.

Hope that I've been missed
As much as I've missed being here
Sit back and enjoy.

Bluer than blue...or maybe a little blah...

blue

/blo͞o/

Adjective Of a color intermediate between green and violet, as of the sky or sea on a sunny day.

Noun Blue color or pigment.

Verb Make or become blue: "the light dims, bluing the retina"; "blued paper"; "the day would haze, the air bluing with afternoon".

Synonyms adjective. gloomy - azure noun. azure 

From farm...to table

It's significantly cooler right now than it's been all day.

I'm sipping wine inside my screened gazebo, listening to the rain drizzling down.  I just finished the starting of the planting of my garden.  Early this morning I went shopping and found my window boxes that fit over the deck railing, as well as the cedar whiskey barrels.  I also bought some of my vegetables....I didn't get everything until later today after Princess Petunia's softball game, because she wanted to pick some things out herself.

So it's only the starting - because I need more soil, and actually more window boxes.  But those I'll get tomorrow.  Besides we still have flowers to plant!

What did we do for veggies you're wondering? 5 lettuce mix, iceberg & radicchio; chocolate mint, sweet basil, rosemary and cilantro;  white onion, chives and garlic; blueberries, cherry tomatoes & bear tomotoes; watermelon, canteloupe and broccoli.  All in pots and boxes, if you can believe it.   I almost planted swiss chard but didn't....and I couldn't find kale.  But if I find it....we're growing it!

I was so excited driving home today to get started on it.
It's funny how something so simple and so basic, can be one of the happiest and simplest things in life.  That's the key though, right?  Keep it simple...

Things that I'm crushing on right now....

1. "Bent" aka "Just give me a reason" - Pink
2.  Anything with Cab Franc in it, most especially Merlot. (I totally crush on those two anyway, so together - it's practically the Reese's Cup of wine!)
3. Krishna incense that I bought at the Namaste Gift Shop on Macdougal St in NYC (Greenwich Village)
4.  New York City, in it's entirety. 
5.  My new Brooks Avenna 4 Running Shoes.  (Now, to run more consistently....)
6.  Tocco Bianca

...the sounds, of silence.....

Yes, I disappeared for a brief moment in time.
Just so much going on in this girl's world these days.

We lost a family member this week...and it was a whirlwind.
And a good friend of mine lost their Mom as well.
And Wednesday, when we buried our family member - it was the 3rd anniversary of my Mom's passing.

Prior to that, I can't remember the last time I blogged - or what I wrote about, truthfully,  I know that over the last week or so I've had some great rants but yet here I am, logged in - and they're all escaping me at the moment. 

Well, I've got a few thoughts I can share actually.

Regarding the dead bomber - I look at it this way:  it costs at minimum 30k a year to imprison him, had he been alive.  Why not ship his body back to Khazakstan, or where ever he is from.  I've got to think one dead person is going to cost less to ship back to the Mother Country than to keep alive in the prison system.  Just sayin'.....

Regarding Jody Arias, that sick twisted maniac.  I don't believe a word she says.  She doesn't want to die - she wants to live, which is why she's saying it.  I'm sorry, not only was the crime atrocious, but her cavalier demeanor after the fact is equally as bad.  I have zero compassion for her, and personally think she'd be a waste of taxpayer's dollars.  But that's just my opinion....

Regarding the Ohio kidnapper, Ariel Castro - I'm sorry, did I read that the judge actually set a bail for him?  Really???  And not for anything but did anyone else pick up on the disinterest and disdain in the 911 dispatcher's voice when the call came in?  Clearly, he thought our hero was "cuckoo for cocoa puffs..".  Its obviously a socio-economically depressed area where he kept these girls hostage for years, but I'm sorry - this girl thinks that the police department definitely dropped the ball somewhere along the line.  How do you get called to that location years ago regarding stories of naked women and they don't find them?!  Someone's got some 'splaining to do....

Clearly, it's been a rather dark week or so in my world.  And yet, I've managed to try to keep the sun shining..... every day is another day to have a good day, right?

Onwards - and upwards.

Inquiring minds want to know....

So, here's one for you.
Why is it, that when you buy trail mix -- it's predominantly raisins?

Even the "Magical Mystery Mix" from Whole Foods - isn't that magical nor mysterious.
It's clearly, predominantly raisins.  And not just plain raisins, but yogurt covered ones as well.

So basically, I bought a container of raisins with a few nuts and chocolate chips scattered in.

I hate raisins.
HATE them.

I don't like them cooked in food...I don't like them in bagels or bread.  And dear God, don't give me plain raisins.  I do however, tolerate yogurt raisins.

And of course - wine.
But I will qualify with that I don't particularly care for Amarones (heavy raisin flavor) or dessert wines.  Outside of the cloyingly sweet flavor, I don't love ones with a raisin like quality.

Where this disdain for the dried little grape came from, I'll never know.  I remember my mother giving me the little Sunmaid raisin boxes when I was little and I remember loving them.  I don't know if I ate a bad one or what - but man, do I not like them.

And yet here I sit, eating the very un-magical and un-mysterious mix from Whole Foods.
Trying to avoid the raisins......

“We don’t need a list of rights and wrongs, tables of dos and don’ts: we need books, time, and silence. Thou shalt not is soon forgotten, but Once upon a time lasts forever.” — Philip Pullman

(Before I begin this post - let me just say that Angie Miller from our very own Beverly - is insanely good.  She could be the next Kelly Clarkson/Carrie Underwood.  Crazy talented....nice to see "Boston" represented for a change!)

So I recently found my charger for my Nook (which, actually was G's Nook- I bought it for him for Xmas one year, but unfortunately he was not impressed...so mine it became.)  I am definitely more of a "see, touch, feel" kind of girl with the reading experience.  I love the book store.  I love the feel of the books, the smell - and the visual of it all.

At the same time - it's almost like walking into a DSW; it's sensory overload and I don't know where to begin so sometimes....I wander aimlessly, and end up leaving empty handed. 

(Imagine, a girl leaving a shoe store emptyhanded? Yes, that is a horror.  But trust me, I've done it.)

I also hesitate to buy the "trendy" books.  A while back, I did the book club thing -- and some of the books we read, or books I read on my own that were Oprah's "must reads" were really not that great.  Disappointing even.  Of course, reading books like Memoirs of a Geisha or Kite Runner can pretty much ruin you for all other books.  Brilliant writing, whether it's in books or music can make you incredibly particular for future enjoyment.

So my question out there to any of you bloggers - are any of you on the Nook?  Are you interested in sharing books?  And at a minimum - could you share titles that you found to be interesting to read?  I'm game for just about anything but Nora Roberts types of books. 

Let me know! I'd love to start reading again....

Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero. - Marc Brown

I'm 5 years older than my younger sister.  
While it doesn't seem like a lot of years - it truly is.
The age difference between 10 and 5 is tremendous.
15 and 10; 20 and 15 - equally so.
By the time you're 30 and 25 it pretty much equals out and you're both "grownups" on the same page.

But I was never mean to my sister.
I might have played a prank...but I never set out to hurt her feelings, or make her feel badly about herself.  Had I known more of the people that weren't nice to her when she was younger, I'd have "kicked their asses".  I had no one to protect me, and I would've definitely protected her. 

I've never, ever laid a hand on my sister - ever.  (Trust me, there have been times when I've wanted to, but I'd never done it....)

So I don't understand the dynamic between my son and my daughter.
He's just so mean to her.

He doesn't get that he is her everything...her best friend, actually.  And that she hangs for his approval on everything. The quote I chose for my title is almost verbatim of what I try to explain to him - about how important he is to her.  I can't tell if he doesn't understand --or maybe he does get it and just doesn't care - which makes his unkindness to her that much worse.

Don't get me wrong - there are some days when they are frick and frack.  Best buddies and life couldn't be better.  But lately, it just seems like he's all about tearing her down and making her doubt herself.  He's just being mean...and that, I don't understand at all.

Of course,  I never had a brother -so maybe that's just what they do.

Anyone...?  Anyone?

What a week...

I was absolutely riveted to the television, as probably most Bostonians were this week.
We were in NYC when the attack initally took place.  While I was happy to have fun with the kids, it was overshadowed by the want to be home.

I'm usually there on Patriots Day.  It's amazingly awe inspiring watching the runners cross the finish line, and it was rare for me not to be there.  I'm very happy that I wasn't - but I can't promise I won't be there in the future. 

I am always proud to be an American.  I am supremely proud to be a Bostonian....and I always have been - and will continue to forever be - in awe of our law enforcement.  96 hours from attack to capture....not all cities would be able to pull that off. 

Boston proud - Boston strong.

Dear COWARDS,

Um.. where to begin?
Seriously, are you that stupid?
You look like young men - typical prototype for brain washing by political activists.
Throwing your lives away for what?

What?
Nothing.  That's what.

You can run - and you can try to hide - but trust me, we will find you.

Whether you are domestic kiddies influenced by international causes - or international kiddies who are just stupid - we see who you are. 
Dumbasses.

Clearly reconnaissance was not a strong suit of yours when plotting this out.
Did you really think that there aren't cameras everywhere?
http://www.fbi.gov/news/updates-on-investigation-into-multiple-explosions-in-boston/photos

Did you really think you didn't stand out?  In your Ralph Lauren baseball cap and Bridgestone Golf cap?  So very American....tsk, tsk.

I don't care what anyone else thinks - this does not feel domestic to me.  Hiding in plain sight, impacting innocent civilians, the type of bomb...I'm sorry.  I'm sensing jihad.  Sure, they could've recruited American citizen sympathizers, but my gut says this has an international feel.

If only you were SUICIDE bombers.  Ah, now that would've been cool.  Come on, the best of terrorists are willing to die for what they believe in.  What's your excuse?? Cowards.

Let's see how this one shakes out, shall we?

'Cuz I love that dirty water...ahh, Boston you're my home.."

And it's clearly not the home of the absolute morons who bombed the Boston Marathon.

Criminals, are certainly not brilliant.
And we are beyond fortunate because of that.  As devastating as this Marathon Monday was, realistically it could have potentially been a lot worse.

Thankfully, it wasn't.

Boston, while a major metropolitan city - is a small world.  We're all connected in some way.  We all know someone who was there that day, running or watching.  Injured or Safe.  Not only are we tough and resiliant, we are tightly bound.  There is a kinship amongst us that is a tie that binds us, especially during difficult times.

The people who did this atrocious act, basically just poked the bear. 
And they best be careful, because it bites.

(We were in NYC when this awful event happened.  It was hard to not be completely glued to social media, tv and cell phones.  While I was happy to be there for our family vacation, my heart longed to be home.  Funny how life happens sometimes.  One of our stores is about 1.4 mile from the finish line; and I'm usually there on Marathon Monday, after attending the Sox game - watching the inspirational runners cross the line.  So very thankful that we were in my second favorite city.....

Speaking of which - so very hard to hate the Yankees.  Class act organization, supporting so very publicly their arch rivals.)

Spirit can be found everywhere....

....but it wasn't in the front row last night.
Or the front section. 
Except for the last reading of the night which was 2 rows behind me.

The whole night was balcony & back floor.

However, I adore her.  Loved her perfume - must find out what it is.
And I loved loved, loved her shoes!
And of course - I just enjoyed HER.

She's adorable.  And while yes - I did feel that some times she was reaching, out of probably 35 people, only two of them were that way.  There was far more things that were very specific than werent. 

Besides, it's hard to interpret symbolism they way an energy may want it presented.

I always have a healthy dose of skepticism with regards to mediumship.  Not everyone has a gift. But I do believe that some people are capable and more sensitive to energy than others.  And while it's not science, nor is it religion - it's something I choose to believe in. There are alot of people out there who are just taking advantage of those who have lost someone - but she is not one of them.

As a matter of fact - I'm on her waiting list for a private reading. 
I'll be driving down there in a Long Island minute!

Supercalifragalisticexpialidoches....

I am taking a day off from work tomorrow.
I can't wait.

So, first thing I'm meeting with the owners of the building that we're thinking of opening a 3rd store in.  We've gone 'round and 'round with them the past few months but I think this round we might actually seal the deal.

Then, it's a mani/pedi kind of morning.  Followed by some fun window shopping...and then a hair appointment.  Nothing special, just a wash & blow dry...because....

After a fabulous dinner in Boston, G & I are going to see....

 

(Not the dark haired girl....but the blonde - the fabulous Theresa Caputo, aka Long Island Medium)

 

 

Love her.  Love her!

 

I hope I have some fnn news to post about after.  We're sitting front row, so you just never know....

“I speak to everyone in the same way, whether he is the garbage man or the president of the university.” - Albert Einstein

“How would your life be different if…You stopped making negative judgmental assumptions about people you encounter? Let today be the day…You look for the good in everyone you meet and respect their journey.” 

“The truest form of love is how you behave toward someone, not how you feel about them.” 

“Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners” 

“Respect is a two-way street, if you want to get it, you've got to give it.” 

"Never take a person's dignity: it is worth everything to them, and nothing to you.”

"The secret of a happy life is respect. Respect for yourself and respect for others.” 

Flowers, and grass...and patio furniture and pillows and rugs...and.....

Spring has finally sprung here in NE.
For real.

And I can't wait to get my house all prettied up again.  I'm itching to get the patio furniture out and arranged....We need a new screen gazebo for one of our decks, because Hurricane Sandy was a little too strong for the one we had last summer.  Granted, it wasn't an overly strong frame but still.  It took my father and I over 3 hours to install so...to say I miss it isn't an understatement.

I'm thinking I'm going to do a deck garden as well this year.  We have so much wildlife in our backyard that I really can't do a traditional garden.  But one one of my decks I'm thinking I'm going to go back to planting in window boxes and some pretty planter pots.  I've done onions & peppers in window boxes succcessfully - and lettuce and herbs do well in pots - as do tomatoes.  I am really looking forward to doing that.  I wish I could plant lemons!  But those are trees and truly I don't think that they'd be well suited to New England winters.  Something to think about anyway....

I've been browsing online for fun outdoor carpets for my deck, and I've decided that I really really really want to put a pergola over our hot tub.  How pretty would that be, with curtains hanging down?

Granted, our hot tob isn't a Mediterranean pool such as this - and we wouldn't use a such majestic pergola - but you get the idea.  I still think it will look pretty.  Maybe some twinkle lights as well.... We'll see.  Baby steps...

I'm just so happy to have the sun for longer during the day, and can't wait to start living outdoors again.  Coffee in the mornings....lunches and dinners in the yard....winding down in the sun room at night...evenings by the fire pit.

Winter can be fun; snug and cozy, full of delicious comfort food and fireplaced snowy days.  But there's nothing quite as good as the fresh air, and good ol' fashioned sunshine.

“Deep down, everyone wants to believe they can be hardcore. But being hardcore isn’t just about being tough. It’s about acceptance. Sometimes you have to give yourself permission to not be hardcore for once. You don’t have to be tough every minute of every day. It’s okay to let down your guard. In fact there are moments when it’s the best thing you can possibly do… as long as you choose your moments wisely.”

Today it sort of hit me that my Mother's 3 year anniversary of her passing is quickly approaching.

Actually, I spoke about it yesterday - with a sales rep - who's Mom passed away 6 years ago today.  And as a result of thinking about her Mom, I sort of tucked mine away.

I had a dream with her in it, two nights ago.  Which in of itself is really odd, mostly because I don't see people's faces in my dreams.  Except for the ones that she is in.  Which aren't many, truthfully.  This was the 3rd one since she's died.

Rather ironic, in retrospect - since she's been gone 3 years this May.
I hadn't thought of that until this very moment, as I write this.

I didn't think much about my Mom's passing until tonight's dinner.  It was rather impromptu actually; I was supposed to be at basketball practice, and I was planning on making chicken marsala.  But, G didn't pick up the chicken while he was at the store - and my Son was still not feeling well after his stomach bug the other day - and so I turned to my freezer for leftovers.

I'd made beef stew a few months back and froze what was left.  That and some biscuits were the perfect choice for this night, which still has a chill to it - even though Spring is so close we can taste it.

This stew is my Mother's recipe.  Which is actually, my Nana's recipe.  Which was often made by my Auntie Saralee -when I would sleep over her house, when I was little.  My mom made it a bit thicker, as a typical stew would be; my Nana and Auntie Saralee made it a bit thinner, more like a soup.  But I loved it all ways that it was made.  It's quintessential comfort food for me.

And as I was eating my dinner, sitting at the table with G - gazing out into the beautiful woods that are in my backyard and so beautifully seen from my table - I imagine my Mom, Nana and Auntie Saralee sitting together, enjoying a bowl of stew.

And for a moment, I felt sad....truly sad.  I miss my family, the closeness we once had - and I remembered it, and savored it - in each and every bite I took tonight.

There is a season...turn, turn....

This generational, growing older thing we call life is pretty amazing.

Yesterday, we were at my MIL's house having Easter dinner and while everyone was laughing and talking - I took a minute to pull my attention from the conversation and peek into the kitchen and watch the kids for a few minutes. 

Suddenly, they weren't 'the babies" sitting together eating.  They weren't just kids either; they were little versions of us - sitting at their table, laughing and talking.  Joking with each other, planning on what they were going to do after eating. I looked back at our table and thought, "that used to be us".  We were the "younger generation", the "kids".  And now we're all older...the 40 something crowd, with kids planning their futures.  (My oldest nephew is going to be 17!)

And it makes you realize just how quickly time moves.
And how precious it is.
And how you should cherish every stolen moment of it.....

If you could read my mind...

"You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence.
You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves."

 Abraham Lincoln

I will follow....

I don't know about you, but I'm always on a mission to find a great product to make my floors look awesome.  I have hardwood floors throughout my house, and it's an older home - so some of the floors in the rooms that have less traffic look beautiful - others, well - they need a sprucing up from time to time. 

(Plus the fact that I'm ridiculously picky about choosing area rugs and so I don't have any down just yet.  I'm working on that though!)

I've blogged about so many different floor products, and they all are good in their own right.  But I'm totally crushing on a product that I used on my garage floor in the house before this one, and it's a product that the people who clean my store use on the floors and it works amazing.  I'm not really sure why I've waited so long to use it on my own hardwood here.

Love, love, love it.
See, in my other house I had prefinished hard wood and ceramic tile, so my Shark was amazing on those floors.  I didn't even need to use anything really because it steamed it to perfection.  But the Shark isn't as good on natural hardwood floors.  I mean it cleans it amazingly, but it doesn't leave that perfect finish like it does on the prefab or tile. 

But...

Yesterday I did an experiment.  I used the steam from my Shark to apply this product and it worked beautifully!  The floors look fantastic.  Best of all, it's not sticky and dries so quickly that there's no issue if you have to step over where you polished, which isn't always the case with the other shine products I use.  And I should've known this because seriously, my floors get done monthly in my store during work hours and we all walk on them.  After almost 4 years of heavy retail traffic, my floors still look brand new when they've been polished.

The hardest part though, is that I'm Mom - not just to my kiddies - but to a 16 year old dog and 2 cats who follow me like I'm the pied piper when I'm cleaning.  Seriously!  And the best thing is that while they're walking all over my freshly polished floors, there are no paw prints anywhere.

I'm telling you - try it.  You will love it.

Latest & greatest of what's on this girl's mind....

1.  It's about time the state of MA got something right.  Kudos to the jury for sentencing murderer Nathaniel Fijita to life without the chance of parole.  I'm really tired of these sociopathic narcissisistic types like him and Jody Arias to murder their "loved" ones in such violent and heinous ways - multiple different ways, actually - and then come up with these ridiculous excuses as to why they did it.  Just own it.  You did it, you wanted them dead - so just stand by what you did.   You got what you wanted, so now you have to suffer the consequences.  And while a monster like Casey Anthony is walking free, living off money sent to her from the cult like followers who obsess over murderers, at least the state of Massachusetts made sure that this is one killer who will never walk freely again.
1a.  The caveat to the story is....my heart absolutely breaks for the parents of the murderer.  It must be equally as gut wrenching to lose a child this way, and to think that the baby you loved and nurtured and did all that you could for, is capable of committing such a horribly violent act.  There is no happy ending, and both sides have lost their child.  Yes, one side will get to hear their child's voice and see their face, but it will no way replace all of the the potential and possibilities that a full life would've possibly have held.

2.  We have additions to our fur family!  Hard to believe but we have two teensy tiny baby dumbo rats.  I know, crazy right?  Well, we couldn't resist.  They're littermates, hand raised from a breeder (not from a chain pet store where our other 2 are from; while they're fun, you can totally see the difference in personalities with hand raised furry friends.)  They're about 4 weeks old and only about as long as my thumb (excluding their tails).  They are absolutely adorable and affectionate and we love them.  Truffle and Stephano are what the kiddies named them, and we are just in love. 

3.  Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!  So the past 24 hours has been the passing of what is probably our last storm of the season.  We got about 8 inches here where I live and funny enough - it's going to be 60 this weekend so it will probably all be gone as quickly as it came!  We all were home today, I've got a turkey in the oven and it's been one heck of a lazy day.  I'm sort of digging it, actually!


4.  I thought I kicked the pneumonia but....I think I need to go back and have my lungs checked again.  I sort of have this cough that's coming back and - I just don't feel like I've got enough oxygen sometimes.  Have you ever felt like you have to keep yawning so you can get that big burst of air?  That's how I'm feeling all the time.  It's waking me up at night, actually.  Sometimes, if I'm worried about something or upset about something and trying to suppress it, it will come out that way.  But I'm not, actually.  And it's happening so much that my back muscles are tightening up and I'm really not very comfortable.  

I can't wait to get back on my mat again and stretch it all out.  I was supposed to go this morning but...the snow put a damper on that. 

So that's all I've got for today. 
What's going on in your world?

How sweet it is....

A few months back, we gave our Breville Juicer away.
As much as we liked it - it can be messy, and we weren't using it as much as we used to.

We ended up buying a Vitamixer - which I love, love, love.
LOVE.
But.....

It's not great at making juices.
Truly.
You have to add water to make juice, which - sort of defeats the purpose of juicing, no?
So for soups, smoothies, raw vegan ice cream, it's the bomb.
But sometimes, this girl just wants to make a juice.
Greens, carrots, tomatoes....plus the kiddies like fresh apple and orange juices.

So, how excited was I when G came home with a brand new juicer last night?
Clearly, he was feeling the same way.

And - to make things even sweeter - my yoga studio added a third morning class during the week so now I can take class 3 mornings, which I'm psyched about.  That little pneumonia bout took me off my mat for two weeks now and so it's lousy to have to start over again, but I should get back into the swing of things quicker with three mornings as opposed to two.

Spring is here, you can almost smell it.
And I'm looking forward to the recharge; in the air, on my mat - and in my glass.

Dear Oscars, and other burning questions and thoughts.

Dear Jennifer Aniston:  You know I love everything about you, right?  But what did you do to your face girlfriend?  I don't know if it's Restalyne or if you modified your lip surgically but - you have this sort of puffy Heather Locklear-ish look to your pretty little self right now and I'm not digging it.  Congrats on the engagement, by the way - and your dress was gorg - but please, leave your face alone! 

Dear Pre-Show Media:  I'm not sure what all the hype was about Jessica Chastain's dress.  I thought it was okay; her hair - not the greatest.  I wasn't loving Halle Berry's dress either, maybe it's the super HD on my tv but I thought it looked heavy - and made her look portly. Well, as portly as Halle Berry can be.  Wouldn't have been my first choice - but hey, I'm not the Fashion Police - right?  I did like Jennifer Lawrence's dress, Charlize Theron's dress and to go with the non-traditional Oscar dress, I'd say that Anne Hathaway's dress was in a word - stunning.  (For the record, I could've done with alot less Kristin Chenowith (please cut her some bangs!) and Kelly Rowland was a bit disappointing as well.  Better hosts next year, please!)

Dear Seth McFarlane:  I hope they ask you back.  Sure the William Shatner thing was overdone, but otherwise you did okay.  For what its worth, I freaking LOVED the sock puppet skit.  Loved it!

Dear Ben Affleck:  Congrats on Argo.  Truth be told, it was the only nominated movie I saw.  Another truth to be told - while I thought it was a good movie, a really good movie - I didn't think it was Oscar material. But who am I, really.   I think that while it wasn't the epic time piece Lincoln was, nor the gritty and dark DJango Rules - it was a piece that everyone could relate to on some level and honestly, you don't need an Oscar nomination for Direction in order to validate your skills.  You're a far better director than you are actor, and we see that time and time again. 

Dear Oscars Producers:  Less music, more awards - less time.  While I loved seeing Barbra, and Norah and Adele - it was a bit much this year.  About 45 minutes could've been reduced and we could've just cut to the chase of what we all were looking for - the awards.

So these were just some of my thoughts, post show.  I love the Oscars - it will forever be the pinnacle that I once aspired to dream towards; and the funny thing is, sometimes deep down inside I watch and think "I can so do that...."  Give me 5 years, and I guarantee I will do it.  Ah, the words are easy to say...life has moved past me, and I've ventured in other directions.  Opportunities that are available today were not so readily available at the time when I was.   But the dream still lives inside, and will always be very much alive. 

Maybe in another lifetime....

As much as I dont love Kevin Bacon....

I DO love "The Following".
It's a pretty twisted show, for network television.

I have to keep getting past the fact that everytime they show Kevin Bacon's face I find myself saying "hmm. I really wish they'd cast someone else in this role....", but other than that it's a really unique concept.  It's going to really be interesting to see how they make it go longer than a season, because once the main plot is wrapped up - I'm not exactly sure how they can have it go on and still maintain the element of surprise.

Feeling like I'm going to cry...

Sorry blogosphere.
This girl has been flat out with pneumonia since Tuesday, and at the rate this is going--I can't imagine being better in the immediate.

Partly because the antibiotic the doctor prescribed is killing me with side effects; so I begged him to switch me to something else.

Fingers crossed that it works. I wouldn't wish this on anyone...

Lovin' every minute of it....

Did we have a fabulous time in NYC?
You betcha.
Here's the skinny on it....

We stayed at the Ritz Carlton Central Park, which was really quite nice.  The location was rocking, but I have to say if I was to compare apples to apples, from amenities to room sizes - I think I prefer the Four Seasons.  I did love the lobby lounge though, and the service was excellent.  We're going back twice in April - once with the kiddies, once without - and when we travel without, I think we may stay at the Park Plaza next.  We're thinking we're going to try all the uber fancy hotels just for funsies until we finally give in and just buy a condo.  Truth be told, my all time favorite is The Warwick.  Sure, it's not swanky with amenities, but they're huge rooms with gorgeous views at a price that is outstanding and it's perfectly located.  I think that's where we're going to stay with the kids, actually.  But it sure is fun to try them all!

So of course, the whole NE was expecting the biggest storm of the century - G and I took a 6am flight to beat the snow and were happily checked into the hotel and roaming the streets of NYC by 8:30 a.m.  Let me tell you, there is something so amazing about Manhattan.  At home, when it's sleeting and raining - you want to stay home.  In New York, you can't wait to get out there and just walk and walk and walk.  We did so much window shopping this weekend, and a little bit of real shopping as well.  I almost came home with a pair of Jimmy Choos nude peekaboo pumps; if G had his way, I'd have had those and probably a pair of boots!  But I managed to get him out of the store before the wallet came out.  Sounds silly, I know- but the practical side of this girl just couldn't let him do it.  I mean, sure - they're practical shoes - but at this time I don't go many places to wear them so...we'll save it for another time.  Thankfully, I didn't make him go into Christian Laboutin because I may have had a very difficult time saying no twice.....

My two favorite shops were probably Donna Karan and Roberto Cavalli.  I mean, we went into every place but I think as far as styles that are being shown right now, those two were my favorites.  Donna Karan has always been my preference.  Everything is timeless, classic and my God her choice of materials are just insanely perfect.  But enough gushing about shopping, let's talk food....

As always, we did not hit a bad meal.  Whether it was snacking from a little Pret a Manger, to brunch at Sarabeths, or dinner at our new favorite pizza joint in town: Don Antonio Pizza on 309 W 50th.  Incredibly fresh, creative and best of all - minimalistic in seasoning so you weren't killed with garlic all night long - it was delicious.  You must must must get the Montanara Starita - fried dough pizza.  To die for...

We also went to The Dutch in Soho on Sullivan St. for dinner which was really quite good.  Simple menu, not a lot to choose from but really creative flavor pairings.  When the portions came out I thought "hmm, I"m going to be hungry afterwards..." but really - not at all.  Just rich enough, just porportioned enough, and really well put together.  I loved the decor, sort of shabby chic pub-meets-industrial and the atmosphere was just loud enough.  Granted, we went early on Saturday night (pre-play) and we sat upstairs - so I'm sure it gets pretty amped in there as the night progresses.

Off we went to see Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.  Unbelievable seats, 2d row center.  It was a good show; Scarlett Johanssen looked beautiful, she's in fantastic shape and has quite the exhausting part in the play.  I think she did a good job all in all, as did the whole cast.  Was it as good as "Fences"?  No. There were some vocal issues I think, some blocking issues - but it was solid.  It was definitely a good show to see and I'm looking forward to our next theatre outing.  As I said, we're going back in April - one week to take the kids to the museums, etc. - and then to see the rescheduled boxing match, so....

The best part of the weekend is that we get to have quality dating time, G and I.  We're always Mom and Dad or Business Partners - so that we don't often have the time to just be G & Rebecca, hanging out and having mindless conversation about things in a store, or what kinds of things we like, or anything that isn't related to our children of businesses.  And so truly, to have nothing but a few hours of time on our side without a tight schedule to just sort of be -- was the best part of it all.