Random Ramblings

break time done...

2009-11-06T23:23:00.002-05:00

Feeling like I have been away from my blog for way too long......see you soon!!

shiny happy people

2009-01-19T21:19:00.005-05:00

So far 2009 has been so wonderful,
well except for the ridiculously cold and snowy New England weather.

I feel like there were these certain quirks in my personality that were left behind in 2008, allowing me to strip off the cumbersome layers of stress and insecurities....to breathe easier.

A long, sustained, full, deep breath of fresh air into my lungs.

Its not like anything specific happened to make me feel so good.
Perhaps, its the whole idea of a fresh start with a new year or that I turned 36 a few days ago or that I just feel this an amazing sense of balance with my life as a whole, which I have struggled along without for a while now.
Whatever it is,
I feel really good about myself, my family and my friends....its hard to have such delicate alignment when self imposed pressures and guilt are entered into the scenario.
So I have let go of the negative energy and I feel weightless......sparkly......beautiful.....happy......simply, balanced.

And in return, I am a better mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend and human being!!

......OK, time to get off the soapbox now.

Amazingly Juicy Roasted Chicken

2009-01-18T22:05:00.009-05:00

Easy....simple....wonderful....delicious!

Ingredients:
1 (3 pound) whole chicken, giblets removed
salt and black pepper to taste
3/4 tablespoon garlic salt
1/2 cup butter, divided
1 onion, quartered
1 stalk celery, leaves removed

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

2.Place chicken in a roasting pan, and season generously inside and out with salt and pepper.

3.Sprinkle inside and out with garlic salt.

4.Place 3 tablespoons butter in the chicken cavity.

5.Arrange dollops of the remaining butter around the chicken's exterior.

6.Cut the celery into 3 or 4 pieces and with 1/2 onion, place in the chicken cavity, spread remaining onion pieces on chicken.

7.Bake uncovered 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees F.

8.Remove from heat, and baste with melted butter and drippings.
Cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest about 30 minutes before serving.

*After meal, pick off left over chicken to be used in a chicken, pasta and broccoli casserole. Then boil carcass and simmer on stove for 4 hours to make chicken stock for future use.

Wow, what a week!

2009-01-18T18:50:00.008-05:00

My birthday was on January 13, but there were celebrations all week....I am so spoiled!
There was an Italian dinner with my parents and us, clothes shopping with my best friend, homemade brownies courtesy of Chris and Avery, lots of cooking with the girls and my new kitchen toys, quiet time with my husband and a crazy-fun, dance filled night out with my girls!!
Chris booked us a night at the Providence Biltmore for a combo birthday and Valentine's day date, he is so sweet!
I feel so blessed to have an incredible family and the most amazing friends who all love and support me as a human being.....I love you guys!

My fabulous new kitchen gadgets....

I am in love!

Fresh french bread from the breadmaker.....

Everyone's favorite chocolate chip cookies, they are so easy with the mixer!

tidy up....

2009-01-08T13:48:00.007-05:00

quick tips:

Do a Daily 5-Minute Cleanup. Check hot spots throughout the house where stuff tends to pile up, and make a quick sweep.

Open mail over the recycling bin, and conduct all of your bill-paying online.

Eliminate unused items in the kitchen. Go through cabinets and drawers, and collect never-used small appliances and utensils for donation.

Keep clutter off counter tops.

Go through newspapers and magazines once a week. If you haven't looked at something in two weeks, recycle it.

Arrange wardrobe by type. Sort clothes into categories (tops, pants, etc.) and then colors.

Clear closets yearly. Donate clothes you don't wear.

Fold sheet sets inside one of the pillowcases, and store in the linen closet as a unit.

Don't over stuff drawers. Never let a drawer get more than 3/4 full or it will become a jammed mess.

Make a list before you shop. Take stock of what you need in order to get things under control--more skirt hangers? another under-bed storage box?--and figure out where everything will go.

quick bits...

2009-01-08T13:18:00.004-05:00

High tech kids...

Playing at Avery's best friend Dory's house...

Making gingerbread houses at school...

this I know....

2009-01-01T14:32:00.004-05:00

So, here we are at the beginning of a brand new year, 2009.
I always start off with my promises to make the coming year better and to do better things for myself, family and work.....don't we all??
Yes we do.
Personally, I am so guilty of starting off strong and letting the resolutions fall by the wayside, which makes me feel like a failure, like shit actually.

A few examples:

lose the 10 pounds
save more money
watch less TV
eat all organic
potty train Emmy
less time on the computer
volunteer my time
be better organized
exercise more
much more patience

Although, I can keep some of these ideals mixed into my world, its never with a natural flow that keeps it consistent.

I don't want to make empty promises to myself, and I truly love the cliches that accompany a new year.
The idea of a fresh start, a clean slate and a new beginning.
So, what is a new years resolution flawed girl to do when she can't keep the promises that she so desperately longs to keep??

I am going to live each day and do my best to keep my values in place,

be happy
nurture my family
love others
accept my imperfections
live life

allow myself to make mistakes, give out positive energy and things usually have a way of falling into place naturally.

Happy New Year!!

Christmas 2008 style...

2009-01-01T11:21:00.012-05:00

Annabelle loves snuggling under the tree...
Making cookies for Santa on Christmas eve...
yummy!

Emmy was a little bit skeptical....
Avery and DJ making progress....
Uncle Al and Grandma opening gifts....
The Princess Nursery...
Fun toys....
Emmy getting the hang of it...Santa and his elves gave these scooters a fancy Christmas makeover....

Uncle Al came through with the favorite toys....

when it snows and its really cold outside...

2008-12-22T09:23:00.003-05:00

I get all of my laundry done and put away.

I can cuddle on the couch with the kids and watch Christmas specials.

I indulge in cooking a lot of food.

I even bake.

I am able to organize the bedrooms with the kids.

I don't have to rush around.

I listen to Christmas music.

I dress in warm, comfy clothes.

I tie up all the loose ends for Christmas.

I hang out with my family.

snow!

2008-12-20T22:08:00.004-05:00

Dear Santa,

2008-12-15T23:58:00.005-05:00

I have been really good this year.

Rotary Phones

2008-12-14T21:24:00.007-05:00

Heavy, clunky, colorful, nostalgic rotary phones.

This particular phone hung on a kitchen wall in my childhood home.
When it rang, you knew it.
It had a loud, bell like, jingling ring that could be heard throughout the whole house and out into the yard.

When you wanted to call and catch up with a friend, you were committed to making that phone call. There was an amount of concentration as your fingers quickly poked each number, pulled the dial to where it stopped and waited patiently as it made its way, slowly back to its original place. You may have found yourself singing the numbers with the rhythm of the rotary dial, as to not lose track of the phone number. If you messed up, there was no redial, you would have to start fresh from the beginning.

Conversations on a phone like this were what they should be, uninterrupted, actual conversations with the person on the other end of the line. There were none of the features that are available today, no call waiting to interrupt, no caller id to screen calls, no hold buttons, no mute buttons and no 3 way calling. I don't want to get into the slew of "techy", "gadgety", things that my husband has on his phone, so I will keep this part of the post streamlined.

There was no multitasking on a phone that kept you within a 3 foot radius of itself.

You were given permission to sit down, relax and enjoy a conversation.

Its weird how having so much and being so accessible to everything makes you wish for the simple things of your childhood.
Things, that just by being, forced you to slow down and catch your breath.....
I just wish my husband would agree.

virtual weight gain

2008-12-12T21:40:00.003-05:00

chocolate~peanut butter~chex mix....

9 cups rice chex
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Measure cereal into large bowl, set aside.
Put chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in microwave (uncovered) for 1 min on high; stir; another 30 seconds until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until coated.
Pour into 2 gallon plastic bag
Add powdered sugar into bag, seal, shake until well coated.
Spread on waxed paper to cool
Store in sealed container in refrigerator.

cake balls...

1 package chocolate cake mix
1 container prepared chocolate frosting
1 pkg almond bark- white chocolate flavor

Bake cake according to package
When cake is done, crumble while warm into a large bowl, and stir in the frosting until well blended.
Use a spoon to form balls of the chocolate cake mixture, put on waxed paper and chill in refrigerator.
Melt white chocolate in the microwave, stirring occasionally until smooth.
Dip the balls in chocolate using a toothpick or fork to hold them.
Place on waxed paper and back to refrigerator to set.

not budging

2008-12-04T07:41:00.012-05:00

We believe in Santa Clause at our house.

He will be making a visit to our house on December 24th to grab a few cookies, hang the stockings and leave each of the 3 kids, one special gift.

For weeks, Avery has been telling everyone that she would like a Disney Talking Nursery for Christmas.

If you are not familiar with this, its a rather large, overpriced item that has mixed reviews from parents who have purchased it.

I have been putting off purchasing this, hoping that she would lose interest and pointing out other alternatives, my efforts have not been effective.

Avery is in love with this toy.

She told me that she wants to write Santa a letter to make sure that he knows that it is at Toys R Us, gotta love those marketing geniuses that fit that into the ad, and to not let the elves make one.....ugh!
I have resigned to the fact that she is not budging, this is THE toy....the toy that will make her Christmas complete in her little 5 year old eyes. Now, I am trying to find the damn thing, because apparently, its a hot gift and not be found anywhere online!

It is out of stock.

I did a google search and found 2 sites that had them for 3 times the retail price.....no way!!!

I am on a wait list to be notified when it is in stock and I am going to check out the actual stores tonight after work.....hoping for the best and pissed that I waited so long.

I have great appreciation for those who paved the way for us....and they didn't even have Internet access in the 80's!

I can only imagine the exhaustion and shear determination it took for my parents to score me my beloved cabbage patch kid, Aldus Barlow. Always an offbeat kid, I begged for a bald, boy Cabbage Patch Kid....get harder to find.....but he was there waiting for me on Christmas morning in 1983.

Santa got all of the glory, but I know now that my parents stalked Kids Town and Child World until they made my Christmas magical.

How can I not give Avery the same magic and memories.....?

merry, merry

2008-12-02T07:35:00.004-05:00

It is time to get the holiday cards out to my family and friends.
I like to get them mailed out the first week of December, which means that I am staging photo shoots in October. I need to ensure the proper amount of time needed to get the shots, edit the pictures, create templates, order in bulk and await shipment of cards and envelopes before they make their way to their recipients.

Its a labor of love.

Each year, I have these cute ideas of getting the 3 kids in some sort of festive moment.
I plan out in my head how to pull it off for the camera, only to have my difficult models protest all of my direction and refuse any and all attempts of a creative Christmas photo.

Fortunately, collages make a suitable format for 3 separate subjects that need to be brought together aesthetically....but, not my original concept.

2006 card........

2007 card......

my parents card last year.....

This year, I was really unmotivated and quite frankly, lost track of time and wasn't able to take the steps that I have in the past. So, I used a favorite photo image that I had on file, chose a pre-made template on a photo site and came up with the wording for the card.....done! Just waiting for my shipment to arrive so I can mail them out....'tis the season!

oh happy day!

2008-11-25T07:17:00.007-05:00

Happy Birthday Avery!

5 years old

You are my sugary~sweet, funny~faced, smarty~pants, princess~diva~big~girl.

I love you so much!

lightbulb moment

2008-11-23T11:49:00.020-05:00

I have figured out why I am not totally in love with the baking process.

Baking is a very precise and accurate skill, measurements and time are most important to ending the procedure with a successful final product.....and I am definitely a season and taste kind of girl.

When I cook, I like to throw in a little of this and little of that, taste, determine what may or may not be needed, and go from there.....I always tweak my recipes to suit my style and taste.....always.

Come to think of it, this is the way I approach all of my creative mediums, even hair.....I have a foundation that I start with and build as I go.

It is quite fulfilling to me.

Unfortunately, this style is not really conducive to baking, so I have never felt completely confident, and I really appreciate those who excel with baking skills.

I stress out trying to sift and pack the dry ingredients while keeping my liquids precise in my measuring cups. Double checking at eye level is painful when I have to remove a little excess because I poured at the wrong angle. I have to be so careful not to confuse the the baking powder with the baking soda or the different types of sugars.....it gets rough for me.

Yesterday, I conquered some more baking territory and made these really yummy king sized cupcakes for Avery's, post-early Thanksgiving dinner-family-birthday-mini-celebration (long story).

OK, so I used boxed mixes, but I still had to count eggs and measure liquids, my demise.....but I prevailed.

The cupcakes are so big and I made 4 different flavors....pink vanilla, rich chocolate fudge, lemon and apple cake with sautéed apples, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon on top.

Something for everyone, as we have specific requirements in our family!

My favorite part was decorating and adding my thing with the apple topping.....so there was a little bit of me in them!

chicken lasagna

2008-11-23T11:31:00.004-05:00

hot, cheesy, bubbly, gooey, yummy goodness......mmmmm

8 ounces lasagna noodles
1 pound chicken, cubed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 jar (about 16 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil, crumbled
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.
In a large skillet, cook chicken, garlic powder, salt, oregano, basil and onion.
Stir in spaghetti sauce to let simmer.
In a deep casserole dish, layer the lasagna noodles, ricotta cheese, sauce, mozzarella cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and Parmesan cheeses.

Repeat layers twice.
Bake lasagna for 20 minutes covered at 375, and for 10 minutes uncovered.....until thoroughly heated and bubbly.

brilliant!

2008-11-22T23:04:00.003-05:00

An easy way to get the kids organised and ready for the day.....

Free downloads of the days of the week tags are here.....enjoy!

a formal rant

2008-11-19T13:49:00.017-05:00

Dear sweet littlest bean,

Please know that I am not at all fond of the antics this week.
I can say, without a doubt that I do not enjoy the 3 am parties that you have been throwing with your sister for the past few nights. I am all for a good party, but girl, I have to break it to you.....its not the time or place. A full night of sleep is a requirement for this mommy, besides that, your daddy and I invested in the most perfect, king sized, pillow top bed and I intend to get my monies worth, thank you very much.
So lets try to save the parties for daylight hours, OK?
I would also like to point out the tantrums, they are driving me absolutely crazy. I realize that there are things in life that are frustrating, especially for a 2 and half year old, but you jump head first into the fit without any attempt to figure out the situation.....or to give me a second to try to help you. Hypothetically speaking, a screaming, limbs flailing, snot running, red faced, high intensity, toddler melt down coupled with a sleep deprived, non-showered, dismal, less than patient mommy, makes for a not so fun day.
Am I right?!
Then, there is the mess factor.
You are the equivalent of a tornado hitting my house, the damage is done within moments and all of my efforts in keeping a clean home are blown away. I simply cannot keep pace with you.
Yet, I try......I try, oh so hard.
Yogurt painted all over the TV console, toothpaste smashed into your bedroom rug, eating peanut butter out of the jar with your hands, drawing with chap stick on the windows and back slider and sketching with my favorite eyeliner on the bathroom cabinet, all of these activities you conjured up yourself while I was off doing a quick load of laundry or making some sort of nutritional substance for you and your sister. Its not like I am plugged into a good TV show, gossiping on the phone or even taking the all elusive long, hot shower.
Do you remember when I set you and your sister up with the coloring books and crayons at the kitchen table, thinking that I could grab a few minutes upstairs to make beds and straighten up....only to come downstairs to find that you colored the whole side of my refrigerator with a thick, waxy layer of green crayon?!!

Yeah, not so fun for me.

a few additional bullet points:

stripping oneself of all clothing before we have to leave the house

refusing to eat what is prepared

battling with siblings

freaking out when I leave

objecting to naps

rejecting the potty

But with all of these inconvenient facets of our relationship, you know that you are my brightest ray of sunshine. You are always making me laugh with your craziness, even when I am at my crankiest. You are my most snugly snuggle bug and you love to cuddle on the couch with me and a book or your favorite show. You are so creative and artistic and you feel so proud when you finish your projects, you glow in our praise.....singing your songs and dancing your silly dances.

I adore that big cheesy smile that brings out the twinkle in your blue eyes, love to kiss those chunky, squishy cheeks and it melts my heart to hear that belly laugh permeate through the room.

So, littlest one, despite my rant, I wouldn't change you for anything.

Well it really wouldn't be so bad if you wanted to sleep all night again and not use my house as your personal artistic outlet.

With lots of love,

Mommy

Happy Birthday Cara!

2008-11-16T21:52:00.009-05:00

Check out the pictures form Cara's surprise 30th birthday party.....we rocked it old school style at Mon Kou!!

the past few days in pictures

2008-11-11T21:20:00.008-05:00

Tate's birthday bash.....

make your own party hat....princess-diva-girly style.....

her hair is getting so long......

scarrrryyyyy.....

muckling Daddy.....

girlies playing at the park.....

Avery and Tate checking out the animals at the zoo.....

cutest meerkats ever......

such a good sport......

bundled up and hanging out at the zoo....

Emmy at the playground....

love that smile......

lunch at Friendly's.....first official date???......

latest piece

2008-11-11T16:38:00.004-05:00

Why I love my tattoos....

They allow me to express myself.
They are beautiful.
My tattoos tell a story.
Each is unique to a time, place and part of my life.
It is a process that has an uncertain ending.
My tattoos surprise people.
They are always a topic of conversation.
Tattoos are art.
I get excited each time I decide to get work done.
They are mine.

This rose was custom designed by my tattoo artist, Jay....who drew it freehand onto my arm and then tattooed me.

I love it!

dinner

2008-11-05T14:03:00.004-05:00

Not too inspired to write a deep, thought provoking, interesting post, but I am in a cooking mood today....so this is what you get!

Chicken Parmesan with chicken thigh fillets

breaded, baked chicken thigh fillets with marinara sauce, parmesan and mozzarella

spaghetti squash

spaghetti

garlic bread

quiet time

2008-11-04T21:59:00.008-05:00

This is my child who has given up naps months ago.

It seems that the combination of the car ride and Avery spending her afternoon at preschool, leaves Emmy no choice but to succumb to the lure of a much needed siesta.

I do not dare wake sleeping beauty, I can selfishly squander away a few precious minutes for me. Plus this is not a regular occurrence, so I will gleefully, take advantage of any opportunity that presents itself!

tomorrow....

2008-11-03T19:36:00.002-05:00

I will be casting my ballot.....with the girlies in tow!!

Please vote.

making amends

2008-11-03T16:19:00.014-05:00

The dilemma today was the sad looking, spotty, mushy bananas sitting on my counter, asking.....no begging me to make them into banana bread.
As they were left uneaten by my family, the soft, dark, mush overtook the firmness of the once beautiful yellow bananas.....sadly, leaving them unappetizing for us.
Insecurities and inadequacies got the best of the bananas.
Pleading for me to mash them up and bake them into a moist, delicious treat for my mouth and belly........mmmm, so tasty.
Yes, tasty, when someone other than myself, makes it!

My dilemma is that I lack a lot in the baking department......actually, I kind of suck, if I am to be honest with you.

But, looking at those poor bananas, thrusted forward the realization that it was either banana bread or the grim reality of the compost bin. I had to make the effort to bake from scratch and do it well......for the uneaten bananas.

So, coming to terms with my lack of baking verve, I gave in and went for it.
To my surprise, it didn't hurt a bit.....luckily, for the bananas and my family!

Banana Bread recipe:

1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 large, ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

preheat 350
grease and flour 2 8x4 loaf pans
whisk flour, baking soda, salt and sugar
mix in the eggs and bananas (do not over mix)
stir in butter
pour in pans
bake 350 for 45-55 minutes

I surprised myself....
So with this being a food post, I wanted to share what I made for dinner....lemon, garlic and pepper pork roast with cut up garlic roasted potatoes (drizzled with olive oil) and steamed broccoli.....mmmmmmmm.

Halloween

2008-11-02T13:28:00.005-05:00

day....
night.....

I think that I was more excited to get dressed up than they were.

FYI.....don't let the smug faces fool you, they had a blast!!!

coming along

2008-11-02T13:01:00.004-05:00

Christmas gifts.... fun pj bottoms.....for a really cool kid.....

skull oven mitt and pot holders for a bad ass chef that I know...

a one of a kind bag designed for a one of a kind chick....

fluffy fleece hats for my girlies....

a skinny scarf in progress...

a bulky scarf for a guy that is taking a holiday in England....

flannel pj pants for 1 of the 2 girlies...

a daddy scarf in progress.....

key chains...

blocks....

framed scrapbook page for the diva's much loved, fairytale teacher....

close up of framed page....

I still have much more that I have not yet started, but I am making progress!

I'm going to let you in on something...

2008-10-31T22:36:00.002-04:00

I have purchased my tickets to see Twilight on Friday, November 21.....7:30 show at the Showcase Cinema de Lux.

I am so excited to see this movie!!!

questions....

2008-10-31T21:31:00.006-04:00

Instead of battling the last 10 pounds, why can't I have the ability to grow a couple of inches and stretch it out?

What exactly is tapioca?

Why, when clowns are so disturbing and creepy, are they linked to children's fun?

How much faith can one put into an answer from the magic 8 ball?

Why do I continue to scour the Internet for answers when it only makes the situation a million times worse with every worst case scenario possible??

Who was the genius behind reality TV?

How can I thank the inventor of the DVR?

When will I get a full night of uninterrupted, quiet sleep?

How do you get "farv" out of "Favre"??

Is it possible to have a crush on a fictional vampire?

Where were the fashion police during the 80's and 90's....on strike perhaps??

My latest obsession

2008-10-28T07:33:00.008-04:00

The Twilight saga....

For the past few days, I have been enthralled in these books. They are amazing and I can't seem to put the books away. I will steal a chapter here and there and as soon as everything is settled and the kids are in bed, I immerse myself into the story.

Twilight, tells the story of a girl named Bella, who moves from Phoenix, Arizona to live with her dad in a small, sleepy, rainy town in Seattle. It is there that she meets a boy named Edward Cullen who is so beautiful and mysterious....he feels that it is wrong for them to be together because he is different from her.....they give in to their feelings and fall in love.

Its a forbidden love because he is vampire.

As soon as I finished Twilight, I started on New Moon, which is so heartbreaking and captivating at the same time. I devoured this book in a day....it kept calling me and I would need to read more and more.

So, now I am eager to start on eclipse, the third book in the saga....

followed by the final book, Breaking Dawn.

I can't wait to see the movie on November 21....check out the trailer here!!

luscious

2008-10-22T08:12:00.006-04:00

The most gorgeous hair accessories ever!

They are giving me some inspiration.

my baby

2008-10-21T21:31:00.007-04:00

Poor little Emmy has been sick with a cold for the past week.
She has been stuffy, gooey and drippy which leaves her face raw and chapped, despite all efforts of applying balms and ointments....her skin looks so sore.
She is cranky and tells me that she is sick, so I know she feels yucky.
Its been hard on me, but way worse for her, not much makes her feel good, but she seems to feel better cuddled up together.
So we have been doing lots of cuddling on the couch (and not much more unless its absolutely necessary) and I can't imagine a better way to pass the day.
But I do hope she feels better soon!

Project "food stretch" meal plan: rest of the week

2008-10-20T22:13:00.005-04:00

Warning: This is not interesting AT ALL, it is simply my little documentation of my food budget challenge....feel free to skip past this post, I won't be mad at you!

Tuesday

Breakfast: oatmeal & peaches
Girls morning snack: hard boiled eggs & cold beets
Packed lunches: turkey/cheese on wheat, plum, pretzels, cereal bar, water
Girls lunch: oven pizza, celery sticks, water
Girls afternoon snack: muffin
Dinner: turkey dogs, rolls, baked fries, steamed broccoli

Wednesday

Breakfast:cereal & milk
Girls morning snack: muffin & pears
Packed lunches: tuna on wheat, carrots & dip,popcorn, cereal bar, water
Girls lunch:chicken noodle soup and baked biscuit
Girls afternoon snack: pretzels & cheese
Dinner: turkey breast, mashed potatoes, corn and stuffing

Thursday

Breakfast: pancakes and pears
Girls morning snack: cheese & crackers
Packed lunches: turkey on wheat, celery & dip, pretzels, cereal bar and water
Girls lunch: PB&J on wheat and mandarin oranges
Girls afternoon snack: animal crackers
Dinner: pasta, ground chicken, sauce, baked rolls and garlic seasoned green beans

Friday

Breakfast: cereal and milk
Girls morning snack: pretzels & mandarin oranges
Packed lunches: PB&J on wheat, pears, popcorn, cereal bar and water
Girls lunch: mac & cheese and steamed broccoli
Girls afternoon snack: goldfish and baby carrots
Dinner: order a couple of PIZZAS!!!

And I was thinking that I had nothing in the house.....not too bad!

Project "food stretch" meal plan: day 1

2008-10-20T08:13:00.004-04:00

Monday:
breakfast-
-English muffins, butter or peanut butter
-juice

girl's morning snack:
-baked pre-mixed muffin mix (just add water, can't mess up!)
-celery sticks
-ice water

Chris & DJ packed lunch:
-Tuna sandwiches
-chips
-cereal bar
-plum
-water

girl's lunch:
-pb&j on baked biscuits
-mandarin oranges
-ice water

Avery's pre-school snack/ Emmy's afternoon snack:
-celery sticks
-crackers
-ice water

DJ after school snack:
-muffins
-milk

Dinner:
-chicken casserole....most items from pantry
(bow ties, cream of celery soup, canned chicken breast (prefer fresh, but this works and I had it!), chopped celery, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs)
-steamed baby carrots
-water/ crystal light

new hair

2008-10-20T08:02:00.004-04:00

My favorite form of creative self expression!

I added some more hair.......

Then:

Now:

stretching it.....

2008-10-19T21:01:00.004-04:00

As the financial manager of the family (sounds important, right?), I budget a set amount of money for grocery shopping that is done every 2 weeks. Occasionally, there is the breakthrough mini-shopping trip that may need to be done between the big trips, but I have been working on eliminating that in order to really keep on a budget. I find that the little in between stops here and there are the demise of all of my hard work and planning, I end up picking up all sorts of fun things that just aren't needed.
The last few months, I have been doing well with the bi-monthly food stock ups. I will buy both fresh and frozen produce, using the fresh for the 1st week and frozen during the 2nd week. I stock up on sales and have an extra freezer for poultry, pork, fish and various other freezable foods. I know how to gauge the food and ration out what is needed to keep our family satisfied for 2 weeks....it took some effort, but it is pretty natural now.

Today, was my day to shop. I took some time to get the coupons together and planned to go after Chris was done doing some work in the basement.
The work went longer than expected, so I figured that I would go after dinner....by then, I just didn't want to go out because:

it was so cold out
it was so dark out
I was so tired!

So, I started taking inventory of what I have in the pantry, fridge and freezers and made meal plans for the week. I was able to figure out all meals and packed lunches for the week!

I am challenging myself to put off the shopping for one more week and use up the food we have.....although, most of the goodies are gone, so I may have to do some baking......not my strong point!

thrifted finds

2008-10-15T20:21:00.004-04:00

Avery has a princess scooter that she got for Christmas last year, which has been the source of huge meltdowns and screaming in our home because both the girls seem to gravitate to it every time we go out to play. I have wanted to pick up a second one, but either, I forget about it when I am at the store or when I do remember, the ones that I find are nothing like the one we have....which is necessary with my children. I have looked online and they are ridiculously overpriced and pair that with shipping costs, I simply can't justify the purchase.....hence, I deal with the annoying sibling arguments.
So, you can imagine my excitement when I found 2 identical, pink, 3 wheeled scooters that were the exact-perfect-size for the girls....at the local salvation army thrift store! I was dropping off some donations and spied these little beauties in the outside area, DJ went in to inquire about the price and I got the pair for a whopping $8.40....bargain!!!

This is what they look like now, kind of bare and loved by some other little girls, pretty much what Avery's princess scooter looks like anyway! I am dying to do a makeover on them (think ribbons, decals, baskets and bells) and I will most likely post it later....but the girlies wanted to play with them first, so the makeover has to wait!

my (to do) Christmas gift list...

2008-10-13T10:57:00.005-04:00

knitted scarves
hoop handle handbag (big)
2 pleated handbags (big)
pajamas
key chains
framed photos
framed scrapbook pages
chocolate covered pretzels
beaded eyeglass chain
crayon rolls
felt crowns
princess wands
princess t shirts
skirts
fleece pants
hair clips
photo calendars
pot holders & oven mitts

cute pants and dance class....

2008-10-13T09:13:00.002-04:00

another pair of pants that I made...

Avery loves dance class, she is taking tap, jazz and ballet...

farm fresh

2008-10-12T16:04:00.011-04:00

On Saturday, we visited Jane and Paul's farm in Norfolk, MA to pick some apples, pet the animals and buy some fall veggies. My parents joined us for the fun and we all had a great afternoon outside in the warm sunshine....what a perfect day!

We brought home lots of apples, fresh broccoli, butternut squash, potatoes, the most amazing M&M chocolate chip cookies and everyone got a pumpkin!

Today I made a big family dinner for my parents and us. I put chicken and BBQ sauce in the crock pot to cook all day, made mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, roasted butternut squash and warm rolls.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Spices
-preheat oven to 450
-peel and cube squash
-put on cookie sheet
-season with: (I just sprinkle over the squash)

ground black pepper
ground cumin
garlic powder
chill powder
paprika
ground cinnamon
ground allspice
ground ginger

-drizzle olive oil
-toss squash with tongs to evenly cover oil and spices
-cut 1/2 red onion into chunks and throw the pieces into squash (for flavor)
-roast about 40-50 minutes, turning every 15 minutes or so.

-squash is done when it is soft and slightly browned

-season with sea salt

SO YUMMY!!!

got lists?

2008-10-10T21:36:00.003-04:00

I am a list girl.

I need to see everything that is planned for us, what I need to conquer throughout the day, the bills that need to be paid, meal plans, pretty much everything gets put into list form. Then, as things get done, I delight in taking my pen and scratching through each completed task....such satisfaction.

So, to stay with the theme of all things "list", I have started making my Christmas gift list.
Its October, I am pretty sure that I am not alone in thinking about Christmas, at least with my fellow "list makers".
This year, I am going to have a hand made holiday.....I have challenged myself to create special gifts for my favorite people. I really enjoy the process of creating unique things and I am excited to see what I am inspired to make for each person.
I have also decided that we are cutting back on the gifts to the kids, they get way too much and it just isn't necessary. Its total overload at our house.

I came across this little saying (list) and I am going to implement it as my new Christmas motto....

Something They Want,
Something They Need,
Some Kind of Toy,
And Something to Read.

I love the simplicity.

Despite my streamlining, Santa will still make an appearance to drop off 1 gift and an obscenely large, overstuffed stocking (which I will make a list for) for each of my crazy kids.....so don't feel too sorry for them!

falling for fall...

2008-10-08T14:23:00.006-04:00

What isn't there to like about fall?
There is such richness in the color scheme of autumn, the heavy scents that fill the air and the warmth of the day that is sandwiched between a crisp morning and a frigid evening. I find myself cooking more (and actually enjoying it), keeping up with chores around the house more effectively and taking time to craft whatever medium that I am favoring at the moment. There is also so much satisfaction getting outside and playing with the kids, the coolness is so invigorating and its nice to not have to obsess over bug spray and sunscreen.

Fall is a comfortable and stable time of year for me.

I love packing away the summer clothes and bringing out the jeans, boots and sweaters that look good on everyone and are comfy! I love curling up on the couch with a blanket and Chris, to watch TV. I love the smell outside, of fall at night. I love putting sweatshirts on the kids. I love that the kids are already excited for Halloween. I love apples and pumpkins. I love cinnamon flavored foods. I even love raking up leaves.
What I don't love is that winter is lurking.....

quickie

2008-10-05T20:51:00.003-04:00

Some Sunday sewing projects....

more comfy pants for the girlies...

Halloween skirts, flower clips and headband......

Isn't the fabric too cute?!

My girlies sporting some new skirts....

latest work.....

2008-10-01T21:39:00.007-04:00

pants, skirts and hair clips.....so fun!

used this tutorial for pants (modified version)

I love the poppy print......and the fabric is a soft, thick cotton knit that is so comfy, and totally a bargain, as I got 2 pairs of pants and 2 fabric flower clips for $4.00!

easiest skirt tutorial here

These skirts are so quick and easy to make, I made all 4 tonight....and the hair clips too!

C'mon, dig out the sewing machines and try these easy projects : )

what I did today....

2008-09-29T20:57:00.005-04:00

while Avery was at preschool and Emmy was napping, which is a treat in this house!

Wood scraps....sanded, painted, decorated and decoupaged.

rainy days...

2008-09-28T18:31:00.008-04:00

The last few days have been rainy and yucky, and because it was the weekend, Chris was happy to play with the kids so I could catch up on some of my neglected craft projects.

Fabric key chains (teacher's gifts).....

used this tutorial

Hair bow holder for Avery......

its made of things that we had around the house, it keeps all of her clips together!

Fabric hair flower clips for me and Avery......

to make these:

cut fabric into (any size) circles

fold circles in half

layer folded pieces to be shaped like a flower

stitch through middle to secure

fluff fabric petals

sew button in center

hot glue clip onto back

Now to get prepared for Monday!

because I have nothing better to do.....

2008-09-25T13:08:00.003-04:00

not true, I am in laundry hell.
Seriously, what is worse.... slaving through too many loads of laundry or the daunting task of putting it all away???

During the downtime from the laundry hell, I came across this cute crown tutorial.....I am thinking that would be really cute for Avery's birthday......

checking in....

2008-09-25T11:59:00.005-04:00

We are finally finding our groove now that school and activities are in full swing and I am feeling pretty good....things are good.
DJ thrives on a very structured schedule, he really needs to know what is happening and feel in control of things. I noticed that the summer months are much more flexible and that tends to be challenging for DJ. Don't get me wrong, he had a great summer, I just see the slight differences in his behavior when he has a tight schedule to follow. He is doing great in school and being positive all around.

Avery is so in love with preschool, she really enjoys her friends and her teacher. I am thrilled that the transition went so well for her and that she is getting so much out of it. She was upset that there was no school on Wednesday....where did this kid from from?!

And the best thing for me is that I have 3 afternoons to hang out with Emmy, who is such a funny little thing! We have so much fun together and I am lucky to have this time because she is growing up so fast!

Next year at this time, DJ will be in HIGH SCHOOL, Avery will be in Kindergarten and Emmy will be in preschool 3 days a week.....so I will actually have time for me......what will I do??!!
I think I can figure out something......: )

loss

2008-09-23T15:09:00.012-04:00

I am feeling tired, sluggish and just plain bad today. I am emotionally exhausted and left thinking about why things happen the way that they do. I do believe that everything happens for a reason, so I am having a great deal of difficulty trying to come to terms with Cara and Rob losing their much loved baby, Jayden.
Why, at 26 weeks along and perfectly healthy, did his heart stop? How does this happen? How is it, that a mother and a father with hopes, dreams and love for their child, have to be told that there is no heartbeat and the baby has passed? Why do they have to deliver their tiny lifeless baby who was full of life and movement the day before? How do they stay in a hospital surrounded by joyful families bringing their babies into this world as they grieve the loss of their beautiful baby Jayden?
I do not understand and will not be able to fully understand what they are truly going through, but I do know that my heart aches deeply for them.
They are a strong and loving couple that will take this journey together and will support each other through the long process of grieving as well as honoring their baby Jayden.

If tears could build a stairway
And memories a lane
I'd walk right up to Heaven
And bring you home today
No farewell words were spoken
No time to say good bye
You were gone before we knew it
And only God knows why
My heart still aches of sadness
And secret tears still flow
What it meant to lose you
No one will ever know

~Author Unknown

I just can't wrap my head around any of this....I am so completely devestated for them.

my pint sized artist

2008-09-15T19:11:00.003-04:00

This is some of Avery's latest work....she is getting pretty good!

The girl is very creative and imaginative.
She will disappear for a while and reemerge proudly with some sort of creation to show me. Be it a drawing, colored pages in her coloring book, her (and her sister's) latest fashion ensemble, an intricate Lego structure, her beautifully (sticker) embellished bookshelf or the ever changing, abstract arrangements of small toys all over the living room surfaces.
We do a lot of arts and crafts around here, but she does initiate her creations on her own. She is extremely passionate about her vision, leaving little room for her sister to be part of the "creative process".....but she will allow Emmy to bring her the materials needed for the project.....sort of like a miniature personal assistant. It is a known fact that the girl is a diva....and a creative one at that!

I will let you know when her fist showing is.....: )

self portrait....

I am going to mount all of her drawings on card stock and make a book for her.

festive

2008-09-14T22:41:00.007-04:00

The last few rainy days have inspired me to do some cleaning, organizing and purging around the house in order to put out the fall decorations. I love to decorate for fall, which incorporates Halloween followed by Thanksgiving elements in the mix.
As soon as Thanksgiving passes (usually that night), I clean it all up and get out my Christmas decor. I love Christmas and winter decorations, the tree twinkling with lights, beautiful wreaths hanging on windows and doors, cinnamon potpourri scented rooms, quaint little, lighted villages that the kids love to play with and the deep jewel tones that I am so attracted to....I love the warmth I feel when my house is filled with Christmas! But as soon as Christmas passes, I have to pack it all up and give the house a deep clean....and it feels like a new house again.
I don't do any seasonal decorating indoors for spring and summer because I am too busy outdoors with my yard and gardens...I do lots of outdoor decorating during the warm seasons.
Anyway, as I was saying, I have started to decorate the house for fall and Halloween and it makes me feel happy! It is still a work in progress and I have to get outside and clean up the yard (when things dry up) so I can get the yard and porch decked out!

counter....

table centerpiece....

a little corner....

computer center....

bathroom....

under the TV......

top of shelves....

Emmy's new style

2008-09-13T17:51:00.006-04:00

Before:

After:

blissful

2008-09-13T00:06:00.005-04:00

My aunt, Linda and her partner Linda are getting married next weekend. They have been planning their wedding for the past year and they are excited that the day is almost here!
It will be an outdoor, morning ceremony in the gazebo at Lake Pearl where they will recite their written vows and incorporate crystal singing bowls, which I haven't heard before.
The ceremony will follow with a formal reception at the Tree Top Room which looks out, over Lake Pearl and I chose stuffed chicken as my entree.
My date for the event will be the very handsome, DJ Young, as Chris will be home with the girls....it is an adult only event, per the couple's request. DJ is 14, but he is taller and bigger than me, so I am hoping that the couple will not be upset.....I needed a date!
My brother will be in town for the wedding and I just found out that we will be celebrating my Grandmother's 80th birthday following the reception....Chris and the girls will be there.....hopefully, my Grandmother is up for a long day of partying!

I am looking forward to sharing this special day with my aunt, her fiance and my family.....and I am honored to witness such a devoted and deserving couple finally, be able to do what many of us take for granted.

gender neutral

2008-09-08T22:28:00.004-04:00

Finished onsies.....

I found some great templates online, sized them, used up some of my fabric scraps and sewed them onto the plain onsies....I love how they turned out!

first day

2008-09-08T21:43:00.005-04:00

Today was Avery's first day of preschool. She is part of an afternoon session, so all morning she waited anxiously, asking me when we could leave for school and requesting a super early lunch because she knew that we would leave after lunch....smart kid.
So, after lunch, Avery, dressed in her school clothes, name tag pinned into her shirt, pulled her backpack over her shoulders and headed out the door super excited for school......when did my baby grow into this independent little girl??

I took pictures at home, in the yard, in the car and at school.....I wasn't alone, as all of the parents at school had cameras in hand to capture the moment.
As we were waiting for the OK to bring the kids to their classrooms, there was a lot of excitement, I could see that Avery was taking it all in and I know that she was a little nervous but she was ready. A little boy was crying and I wondered if it would make her apprehensive, but she just looked at me and told me that he missed his mom, but that she would be back to pick him up, so he will be happy soon. I agreed with her, I think that she was reassuring herself.

When it was time, she headed straight for her locker and we put her things away, then we met her teacher at the door, said goodbye with a kiss, her teacher took her hand and off she went into the classroom without even a glance back at me!
I guess it surprised me how well she made the transition, she is not my baby anymore. It took me a second, then it was OK......
Emmy, on the hand was very sad to leave her sister and cried all the way out to the car....she got over it when she realized that she had Mommy all to herself!

And, although it is a little late, I have pictures from DJ's first day of 8th grade....he wasn't quite thrilled to partake in a photo session at 7 am....but he was a good sport! There is a picture of his lunchbox that he chose, which is full with his lunch and drinks....he is a big, growing guy!!

bunnies beware!

2008-09-08T07:55:00.002-04:00

We have a rather large hawk who hangs out in the backyard. We also have lots of bunnies, squirrels and chipmunks who need to watch their back....as well as a tiny 6 pound Shih Tzu named Annabelle!

oh baby!

2008-09-07T20:29:00.010-04:00

I am so excited that so many people around me are pregnant!

My cousin Jennifer is pregnant with her first baby, due this February.

I like to be ahead of the game, so I have started working on her baby gifts.....and because I am totally finished with Cara's gifts, which I had so much fun creating (I will post about Cara's gifts and fabulous shower, after it takes place).....onto the next new baby to sew things for!

I want to share some of the things that I have put together for Jen and Pete's baby.....which, they are not finding out the gender of until the birth day......so I had to stay neutral.

I am in love with the fabrics!!

a banner for the baby's room
monkey towel (flannel and terrycloth) and flannel washcloths
burp cloths
fleece blanket
baby bath product bag

burp cloths....
fleece blanket....

I have a plain white onesies that I will add appliques to and some other fun things up my sleeve!

finished projects....

2008-08-31T09:23:00.003-04:00

pretty apron for me...

flannel wash cloths for the girls...

This is some of Cara's baby shower gift (I am working on more baby items as I type this), we are excited to meet her baby boy Jayden Robert in January!

A banner to put in Jayden's room....

A soft, warm flannel and fleece monkey blanket....

bestest friends

2008-08-30T23:37:00.003-04:00

Yes, they argue and fight.
Yes, they can drive me crazy.
Yes they are complete opposites.

But at the end of the day, they are each other's best friend.

God, I love these girlies!

I am pretty sure that immediately following this photo op, they were back to the fun game of "take each other's favorite toy and run".....leaving the other crying and screaming.

for Noah...

2008-08-30T23:14:00.007-04:00

I had so much fun putting this book together for Noah's 3rd birthday!

September

2008-08-30T13:11:00.003-04:00

Here we are,
at the end of summer and getting ready for
the changes that will come with September 2008.

DJ, will be starting grade 8. He and I will be getting up at 6:15 in order to reinstate the "school day" morning routine and get the bus at 7:15. Its going to be tough for me at first, I am not the cheerful mom who wakes up refreshed, happily ready to start the day....I am a tad bit resentful and bitchy until I can get some caffeine and wash my face, and even then I am slow to move. DJ is also a little grump in the morning.....we have an unspoken understanding to not antagonise each other as we "wake up".
I am hopeful that he will have a great year, he has some amazing teachers that we have met with over the summer and although he doesn't say it, I know he is ready to go back to school.

Avery will be starting pre-school as a peer model at our school system's early learning center. She is getting excited for school....initially, she wasn't thrilled with the idea of going to school, but after we went "school shopping", she suddenly saw it differently.....such a girl! She will be at school on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12:45- 3:15, a nice balanced schedule. I am looking into a morning dance class for her too.

Emmy and I will have our own special time when Avery is at school, I am really looking forward to this change. She has always had to share me with someone, so it will be so nice to have our one on one time together. It will be the perfect time to enroll her in a swim class and plan fun things with just Emmy in mind.....although, I know that she will miss her sister!

So, with new clothes, backpacks, sneakers, school supplies and lunch boxes waiting in the wings, I mentally prepare for the adjustments and changes that come with the month of September.
I am not ready for the unavoidable weeks of chaos that we will endure until we find our rhythm, the cold weather that is lurking around the corner, or the strict bedtimes and wake up times. But, I am ready to let go a little bit and watch my kids spread their wings.....I think.

Fancy Nancy

2008-08-25T21:28:00.005-04:00

Avery has a new literary friend named Nancy, Fancy Nancy.....and she is just that!

Fancy Nancy loves to dress up with lots of frilly, sparkly accessories and feels that everyone should be fancy too!

I am having so much fun reading these books with Avery and Emmy, the illustrations and the stories are gorgeously presented. Love, love, love these books!

I may be guilty of enjoying the books more than the girls.....although, Avery was quite excited about her books and told me, pretty frankly, that she wants lots of "fancy things" to wear with her new school clothes....

I think I can help her out with that!

handmade treasures

2008-08-19T09:57:00.003-04:00

My mother-in-law makes the most amazing gifts for the girls. She makes them dolls, clothes, bags, aprons and all sewn to perfection with beautiful fabric. She made DJ a really nice flannel bathrobe with a fish designed material, which he adores!
I put the beautiful dolls and special gifts on shelves in their rooms to be seen and loved. The girls have quite a collection that I know will be treasured as they grow and have their own children to share them with.
So, I wanted to share some of her recent gifts.....these are just a few of the many hand made items that the girls have from Grandma Elaine.....

Teddy Bear

School bag
Jumpers for school
Sundress & hat
Tank and light pants (hat....not shown)

I will have to photograph all of Grandma Elaine's work and post it all......

stuck

2008-08-17T22:16:00.003-04:00

The "mister" has his own blog that I frequent on a regular basis.....he is pretty comical in his own odd way. My blog is about my family, friends and things that are going on with me....the mister's blog is about his personal views on obscure, current events and things floating around the Internet.

The latest post on "the C-Mac Blog" is a little piece about this random guy's video montage dedicated to his girlfriend, complete with my husband's commentary about it.
Ever since I read this post, I have not been able to get the stupid song out of my head!
It has overtaken my quiet moments to the point that I find myself singing or humming this ridiculous song.....its killing me. Seriously.

Attention better half:
Please update your blog with a new post asap. Every time I check in on your blog and see the title alone, the song infiltrates my brain to where I cannot escape it.
Please, please, please update, for the sake of my sanity.

random blurbs from me

2008-08-13T23:02:00.003-04:00

Two glasses of chilled prosecco after an awesome date with my husband.....which was preceded by a full day with the kids, is absolute perfection.

Spending time out of the house with my husband (while leaving the kids with Grandma and Gramps) is really fun......and we need to do it more often.

Summer goes by so much faster than the other 3 seasons.

My 14 year old son is taller than me and weighs more than I do.

I am working hard on my 4 year plan, yet I can justify the cost of a new tattoo.......

I am grateful that my children are healthy and happy, my marriage is strong and my parents are close to us.

Friends fill the gaps.

I am in a happy place this week......not because of the 2 glasses of prosecco!

The Dark Knight date night....

2008-08-13T12:51:00.003-04:00

Chris and I are going on a date tonight.....so what if its Wednesday!

Our plan is to check out the new Showcase Cinema De Lux at Patriot Place and finally see The Dark Knight.
We figure that we can actually accomplish going out to dinner (we can even enjoy an adult beverage) and catching a movie.....we usually have to choose between the 2 due to time restrictions that we put upon ourselves.

Naturally, I have about a million things to get done before Chris gets home.....spontaneity has not shown itself in years at my house.
I guess that's what happens when smallish people come into the picture and take over.....but I don't care because I am going on a real date tonight!!!

a little quiet time for me

2008-08-12T10:28:00.003-04:00

Emmy, who is usually up between 6-6:30 am every morning, slept in until 8:30 am today!!
We didn't do anything different last night, bedtime routine was standard, normal bedtime and she was feeling good.....we'll see what tomorrow brings.....hoping that she has a repeat performance!

It was such a treat to have a little bit of quiet time before the 3 kids were up for the day and back to creating chaos : )

fun on wheels

2008-08-11T21:20:00.006-04:00

This weekend, Chris and I dug out the skates, got me a new pair and took the girls in the double jogger for some fun "stroller-blading".
We had the best of intentions, we could get some exercise, have fun, fresh air and all with the kids.
Poor DJ was having a little bit of a hard time on the skates, so he rode his bike along with us.
Chris had no problem jumping back into the inline skates, getting all "tricky" with them and skating laps around me (show off!)....pretty impressive for an old guy!
I however, did not enjoy my new inline skates (I really wanted to) and they are going back to the store.
They hurt like hell and although I had no problem with balance, I just couldn't get a groove with them. It was so disappointing because as a kid, I loved to roller skate and did it all the time, indoors and outdoors. I know I can skate.
So, I came to the conclusion that me and inline skates don't mesh, but me and roller skates.....now that is a completely different story.

Those many practice laps around the driveway perfecting my skills, all those Sunday afternoons at Bobby's Rollaway skating to every song they played, and the makeshift roller rink I set up in my basement, have not passed in vain.
Even, breaking my arm when I was skating (at age 6) didn't deter me from rollerskating!

I can reclaim my love of skating despite my aversion to inline skates, I found these fun skates and I am eagerly awaiting their arrival by the weeks end to get out with the family for some "stroller skating".....old school style!

I didn't sign up for this

2008-08-06T21:44:00.003-04:00

Do you ever feel like packing up and just running away from home?

I do.

I am so done with the never-ending mess that piles up around me, the incessant whining, the constant fighting between siblings, and the perpetual tantrums of a very strong willed two and a half year old......this is my world as I know it.
I am pretty sure that each one of my 3 children, is going through a growth stage, which is a bitch to Mom, who is wholeheartedly trying to give everybody a little extra attention and lots of hugs and kisses to get through this.
Its so challenging to dig out the last of my strength and patience when they are all losing it at the same time over something so petty (for the 6th time in 3 hours).....I keep telling myself that it will be OK, but will it?? And when??!!

Maybe I can head to a really comfy, quiet, tucked away little spa somewhere.....catch up on a good book, a pedicure, a few cocktails and savor a long, uninterrupted sleep in a bed all to myself.
Or some retail therapy.
Or check the calendar and realize that I should know by now, that when things get this crazy, expect that Aunt Flo is due to swing by!

PMS sucks.

Its time...

2008-08-01T09:18:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday DJ

2008-07-30T22:57:00.009-04:00

July 31, 1994

14 years ago, I welcomed my first child, my only son, Darien Jaimes Young to this world.

A healthy, beautiful baby boy weighing 7 pounds and 11 ounces, with huge brown eyes and dark hair.

Simply perfect in every way.

Dear DJ,

You have been such a whole hearted pleasure to me and others around us, you are such an important piece to our family puzzle.
Simply stated, you are so smart, sensitive, hysterically funny without effort, brilliantly creative, and so much more.

Things have been challenging for you at times, but you have been and are working so hard to help yourself through the rough patches and to learn coping strategies.....I am so proud of you for all that you have accomplished this year.

Its awesome to experience life with you and to watch you grow into an amazing young man.

You are so very special and I am so lucky to have the privilege of being your mom.....despite all of the nagging that I do!

Happy Birthday.....I love you!

Love,

Mom

Happy 1st Birthday Bella!

2008-07-29T21:24:00.005-04:00

Dacia and Rick's beautiful baby girl, Bella is
now a full year old.....enjoy her, as it does go by fast!

more weird dreams...

2008-07-28T10:29:00.005-04:00

We all dream.
Sometimes, we can recall the dream when we wake from the sleep state. I tend to have pretty vivid dreams and most of the time, when I have a nice solid sleep, I can remember what I dreamt about.....or at least key parts.
Last night I had a dream that I was with my parents in our yard (Chris and the kids were not there) and we noticed a very large, beautiful blimp flying over us. We were admiring it when it suddenly started to descend toward us. I ran, with my eyes closed, preparing myself to die.....I clearly remember how I felt and that I was praying to God to make sure that my kids knew that I loved them.
So, as I was bracing myself, the blimp crashed down, demolished our house but we were fine.
I remember bits and pieces of the rest of of the dream, basically it was me feeling lost and devastated, but thankful to be alive....there were other people in the dream, but its not clear who they were.
Anyway, this has been stuck in my head today, basically the part that I felt so scared that I was going to die yet I had made peace with it.
I am a little uncomfortable and disturbed with this.

I wish that I knew what this meant.....any dream analysts out there willing to share some insight?

lets just get it all out there

2008-07-27T20:59:00.007-04:00

Its definitely not a secret that I have a bit of an ocd issue....nothing major, but one nonetheless.
I feel the need to keep things in order and uber-clean around here 24/7, which can be challenging with a toddler, preschooler and teenager....the husband is pretty much ~~trained~~ on board with my order of operations around the house, so he does not pose a problem (normally).
I cringe when the messes start, I just have to keep up with them, or I will slowly go mad looking at and having to step over the destruction piling up within the walls of my house.
I have tried to let things go until the end of the day, but those toys scattered across the living room floor, the cheerios that are formed into fun shapes in the corner of the hallway and the knocked over sippy cups dripping a puddle of ice water onto my kitchen floor keep taunting me to clean them up.....calling for me despite keeping busy with the kids.

There are times when we leave to avoid the pressures that I put on myself....I am fine if I am not looking at it. I also need to state that I realize that these are my issues and I don't carry this outside of my home, I am not looking in corners for dust bunnies when I am visiting your house.....I promise!

I have resigned to the fact that I fully enjoy order, organization and structure, it works for me and keeps me happy.
My family also makes me happy and I have been able to balance my "issues" with their natural instincts to use their imaginations and play happily in the same disarray that makes me sweat to think about. I have learned to let some things go and just do what I can do while they are playing, clean up dishes and the kitchen while they are eating and wipe down the bathroom while they are in the bath......multitasking, us moms are good at this.

Today, I was able to get my kitchen organized and straightened up nicely, quite an achievement now that everyone has access to all of the drawers, cabinets and pantry. I am a happy girl right now!
Go ahead, take a peek.....

But, we all have something that we hide in shame, a dirty little secret that we keep tucked away. I have mine and I am going to get it out there and free myself of it.....

this is ugly......

My computer desk.

My personal space.

This is in its clean state, I have no desire to have it organized at all and that is odd to me.

Although, I do keep it closed up when I am not using it, so there is a little bit of denial.

funny little creature comfort things...

2008-07-25T22:47:00.008-04:00

I adore these dolls found on Etsy.

Chloe Ballerina doll found at vivikas.

This is a crochet pattern found at DeliciousCrochet.

Completely hand sewn, find on milkrun's shop at Etsy.

a quick visit

2008-07-25T21:08:00.002-04:00

We had a friend stop by the house the other day.....

She hung out for about 20 minutes and went to find her mama.....she was just a baby!

summer project

2008-07-25T20:21:00.003-04:00

I seem to be feeling crafty this week....I did a little makeover on our backyard shed.
It is not fully completed, as I want to put a stone patio coming from the door and curve around the side to where I have a flower cart as well as a table and chair set.

I envision a quaint little cottage along with a cobblestone patio surrounded by wildflowers and birdhouses, leading into a blooming garden complete with butterflies, dragonflies, rabbits and birds.

I guess this is still a rough draft.....

Do you see my vision?

pics

2008-07-24T00:04:00.007-04:00

best friends.....

looking good....

jump around, jump around....jump up, jump up and get down....

DJ, Grandma and Uncle Al chillin on a Sunday afternoon....
lazy afternoon in the grass....
looks can be deceiving.....

taking shelter from the storm

2008-07-23T22:41:00.006-04:00

What to do when there are random tornado warnings in Massachusetts....

decopauge!!

An old, worn out shelf that has seen better days...

A yard of fabric.....a most lovely fabric, I might add.

cut fabric into frayed pieces

brush on Mod Podge

lay fabric pieces on shelf

apply more Mod Podge on top of fabric

let dry

Find the perfect spot to hang it.....

bring out those vintage pieces that are packed away......

so charming!

celebrate life

2008-07-21T16:44:00.004-04:00

Tonight, we will celebrate the life of my best friend, Remily's mother,
Sharon Estrella,
who passed away unexpectedly.

Its very sad to have a dear friend lose a parent.
It is also sad that it takes a funeral to justify a dressed up, evening out for myself and Chris....

Remily, Cara and Andy,
I am so sorry for the loss of your mother.

Sharon, you are missed.

Q & A

2008-07-20T22:11:00.017-04:00

question:
What is brown, streaked, highlighted, lowlighted, blonde, red and presently black and comes in a variety of shapes, lengths and textures?

answer:
This chick's schizophrenic hair over the last year.

I'm getting the itch for yet another change, but I have exhausted most resources (I recently cut it short and colored it black, not pictured).....I guess I could perm it.....probably not a good idea.

cupcakes anyone?

2008-07-20T21:34:00.006-04:00

Wandering through the wonderful world of Etsy, I came across these delicious, little sweeties at Boojivoo.

I totally want one!
But, I have to ask myself......is it a need or is it a want?......keep in mind that my "3 year-get out of debt plan" is in full effect....

I may just break out the sewing machine and attempt to make my own, using these as inspiration......the issue with that is I have so many projects that I want to tackle and we know that there is never enough time for it all.......and I quite enjoy the rush of instant gratification.

Such the dilemma.

Etsy love

2008-07-17T22:52:00.003-04:00

A girl like me can get lost here for days, searching through the creativeness in the most blissful, Internet induced trance.

inspiration

2008-07-17T22:04:00.005-04:00

This is a great furniture makeover idea for those of us that love to take old pieces and breathe new, stylish life back into them. I found this lovely tutorial of two Mod Podge nightstands, which has inspired me to dig through my fabric stash and see what I can make of a lonely shelf that sits naked, holding shoes in my closet.....then there is a bare shelf in Avery's room as well as one in Emmy's room.......I'll let you know how they turn out.

What's the deal...

2008-07-17T11:19:00.005-04:00

with freaking out over a little pee in your diaper?
I totally realize that it must be extremely uncomfortable, but its nothing new and quite frankly, you have sat in much worse during your 2 years and 4 months of life.
I can remember some heavy loads after a 12 hour sleep stretch.....now you wake up dry, ask for a new dipe, release and proceed to the melt down stage.
So what's the deal?
It's not like I haven't introduced you to the big girl potty as well as the two toilets that inhabit the bathrooms in our home.....they are yours for the taking girlfriend....all yours.
But no, you would rather freak out with a tantrum of epic proportions and rip off the diaper, than to use the potty.

Praise.....stories....fun games.....an audience of Mommy, Daddy, Sissy, brother, and Grandma.....big girl undies.....candy (bribes) rewards......begging.......nothing helps the cause.

Feel free to let me know when you are ready, because I am so ready to be past this.

busted!

2008-07-16T22:24:00.005-04:00

Let me state that I do not condone violence in my house, however with that statement out of the way, I have learned that siblings find ways to incorporate pain into their daily routine, despite my aversion to brutality in the home.

Usually, it is Emmy with a fist full of Avery's hair, squealing with delight as her sister wails in pain. There is a huge drama factor with Avery, so I am positive she is playing it off to be much worse than it actually is, but that is the scene I have to deal with (pretty much daily).

I have to console Avery as I explain to Emmy that it hurts to pull her sister's hair......blah...blah...blah.

Sooooo, we stumbled across something very interesting as we were innocently taking pictures during a break at the water park.......we caught the master manipulator working her magic on her sister.

And she doesn't look too happy that we caught her either.

Now I'm second guessing all the episodes that I have been beckoned to as Avery tearfully recounts how Emmy pulled her hair for no apparent reason, that she was just playing quietly by herself when Emmy attacked her.......no apparent reason my ass.

Lesson learned.

Anyway, I don't think that Avery is getting the response from Emmy that she was hoping for......

Avery will tell you that.....

2008-07-15T10:56:00.006-04:00

"we* don't say butt, we* say bum"

"little girls don't say fart, they say toot"

"when I grow up, I will be a mommy and when Emmy grows up, she will be a daddy"

"we* don't say kill, we* say squish"

"when I am 13 like DJ, I will have Asperger's"

"I am the clean kid and Emmy is the gross kid......right Mommy?"

"we* don't say Jesus Christ like grandma did once...."

None of this is negotiable.

*Avery lumps us all in together and makes the rules to include us....but when she is not around, I do say butt...sometimes, if the situation calls for it, I say ass too.....just don't let the "bad word police" know.

dream

2008-07-15T09:32:00.002-04:00

Last night I had a weird dream that I ran away from my parent's house (at age 35), met up with some sort of dance troupe made up of a motley bunch of characters and joined them for a dance recital.
My parents were in the bare audience, proudly applauding my horribly performed tap routine, complete with music failure, dreadful costumes and an ungraceful fall on my face.

Odd.

bad mommy moment number...um, I lost count!

2008-07-14T22:02:00.008-04:00

Today was gorgeously, deliciously beautiful, so the kids spent much of the day outside playing as I did damage control on my vacation-neglected plants and grass.
I am in a very happy place when I am weeding, watering and deadheading, sounds diffuse into the air and I am able to tune out the relentless bickering between siblings and only chime in every now and then with things like, "leave your sister's foot alone", "no, we don't pull each other's hair" or the ever popular "please don't pull her down the slide by her head.....I don't care if she likes it!"

So when my precious Avery skips up to me and excitedly announces that she has to go to the bathroom, I simply tell her to go into the house and remember to wash her hands.
Standing there with her hands on her hips, head cocked to the right, eyes rolled and obviously irritated, her response is:

"Nooooo Mommeeeee, I did already pee outside.
I peed like a doggie.....but don't worry Mom,
I didn't pee on the grass,
I peed on the mulch".

To that I can only say, "oh....ok....good job" and off she prances back to play with Emmy, who has stripped all of her clothes off by now.

OK, so she didn't wash her hands.......at least she didn't turn my grass yellow.

Rocky Point

2008-07-13T21:42:00.009-04:00

We had so much fun at Lake Compounce, I have to say that I really love the old fashioned feel that the park has. Don't get me wrong, it has all of the modern rides, attractions and amenities of a huge theme park, but on a smaller scale.
It reminds me of the amusement parks that were around when I was a kid.

I have been reflecting on my childhood memories of family outings and naturally, Rocky Point Park was the first thing to pop into my head.
I spent multiple times each summer as a child and teenager, traveling with friends, with family and on summer camp trips to Warwick, RI.
We would arrive before the park opened and would leave when the park closed and loved every minute of it.
Getting to the park seemed to take forever as a child, but we knew we were close when we saw the little lobster signs that would point us in the direction of the park.
Driving under the huge Rocky Point sign with the crocked red and blue letters was when we knew that we were almost there, anticipation would grow as we saw the skyliner to the left, above the trees, and soon, the salt water pool (that I never got to swim in) was over to the right of the park as we got closer to the parking area.
I remember that you could look out over rocks to the ocean and have a little picnic at the car
before going into the park. I also remember that there were rats in the rocks, probably because it was such an inviting area to eat and the rats had a lot of leftovers to choose from, but as a kid I found it pretty cool to see them ducking into the rocks near the ocean water below us.

Once we hastily forced down our sandwiches, we would finally make our way to the ticket booth and get our bracelets and run for whatever ride called to us first, usually the Rok-n-Rol and Yo-Yo because they were right there when we came in through Gate 2. After we got warmed up with some easy rides, we were ready for the thrill rides, my favorites were the Musik Express,
Cyclone, Corkscrew Loop Roller coaster and the Free Fall.
We would make our way around the park and check in with the adults at set times during the day, it was just a little bit of independence, but we reveled in it.
We would play games to win a stuffed animal or a goldfish, even though it was a hindrance to tote around, we wanted the biggest prize to bring home.

For dinner, we would meet up with the adults and make a stop for clam cakes and chowdah at the Shore Dinner hall. This place was massive with its never ending tables that seemed to fit 200 people at one, and there were hundreds of them there.....at least it seemed like there was. There was food and pitchers of soda and watermelon to end the meal, then back out to the park.

We would ride the Skyline, House of Horror, Ferris Wheel and Bumper cars after dinner because no one wants to be the one to hurl on a fast ride. By the time we went through the slower rides, we were well digested to get one last ride on the Cyclone and end the day getting soaked on the Flume.

When I was older, the Sunday visits turned into Saturday afternoon and evening jaunts with friends. The park had a different energy at night, most of the families with little kids were gone and there was loud music, flirting with boys and a concert series all summer....all fun things for a group of teenage girls!

There is an awesome documentary that I have seen a couple of times on PBS about Rocky Point called "You Must Be This Tall the story of Rocky Point Park", I found it so interesting, nostalgic and quite heartbreaking at the end when you see footage of the abandoned Rocky Point . If you have ever been or you are like me and it was an imprint on your childhood and adolescence, please check it out.

Lake Compounce trip

2008-07-12T22:48:00.004-04:00

We spent a few days in Connecticut and visited Lake Compounce Theme Park with the kids and my parents.
The park is quite large, so we spent the first day riding the rides and went back on the 2nd day to play at the water park, it was a blast!

We were at the park on Friday and Saturday and there was such a difference in the amount of people there from a weekday to a weekend.....we will not return for a weekend visit in the future.

Fortunately, we rode the rides on Friday and didn't have to wait in any lines......then we got to the park early on Saturday, which gave us time to enjoy the water park until it got very congested around 2pm.

Cool things about Lake Compounce:

rides and attractions for all ages
Unlimitted, free drinks at stations located all over the park
Really good pizza at Harborside Pizza (in the water park)
Clean park
Cute shows
Lifeguarded beach
Lots of lounge chairs at water park and beach (not that I could sit and relax)
Huge water slide that goes into Lake Compounce
Wooden roller coaster built onto the side of a mountain (didn't get to ride it this time, but I will next time!)

It took us about 2 hours to drive there and we stayed for a couple of nights, which worked out good so we could go back for a 2nd visit.

Plan a trip (on a weekday), you will love it!

taking a stroll

2008-07-09T23:15:00.001-04:00

vintage pics

2008-07-09T22:47:00.006-04:00

A young Gramps at Jolly Cholly's...

handsome Marine and his brothers.....

Albie and Reanna

mémère

cruisin' in style...

2008-07-09T10:23:00.008-04:00

I'm smitten with this....

cool enough for daddy....

the boy.....

not to forget the small ones....

living outside the box

2008-07-07T20:59:00.015-04:00

Welcome to my outdoor haven.....
where I spend much time....

enjoying the summer months.

There is homemade potato salad for the turkey burgers & dogs.....

and plenty of room to eat and hang out together.

Kids are always welcome to play....

to cool off ....

and to take it easy....... on the porch......
with family.....

ice cold pops....
funny faces.....
silly dogs.....

and much love!!!

own it baby...

2008-07-04T21:12:00.006-04:00

I made my last car payment on the minivan today.......early, I will add, so I saved on interest as well.

I had some unexpected money come my way and decided to do something responsible with it. I toyed with the idea of throwing it in the bank, but I know that I would dip into it, as it was money that I had not planned on.

So, as soon as it was deposited into my checking account, I sent out a rather large payment and felt pretty giddy about it, even though it would have been divine to take a much needed, decadent vacation in a luxury hotel somewhere beautiful.

Instead, I am the official owner of the mama-pimp-van aka grocery getter....in all its minivan glory!

Now I am tackling the official "get out of debt plan" that I have attempted to do for the past 10 years!
I have a 3 year plan mapped out where I will double up on Chris's car payment now that I do not have one and the 4 years that he has left on his loan, will be paid off in 2 (or less) and when that loan is gone I will totally wipe out our obnoxious credit card debt.
We were a little bit irresponsible with credit cards and I am ready to be totally done with them! I really, truly want to be debt free, live simply and save money to pay cash for things......I have been doing this (as I am digging out of debt) and it does make you think about whether the purchase is impulsively unnecessary or completely legit.
I do have my moments of weakness (I am a girl that loves to shop) when I come across something cute, but I am not using our credit cards.

I find it to be fun and almost like a game to cut corners and save money on our utilities and monthly expenses.

I recently realized that I was using a quarter of the amount of minutes that we pay for on my cell phone service. I decided to switch to prepaid and paid $100.00 for 1000 minutes where before I was paying $50.00 a month and using less than 80 minutes a month....I will be saving $500.00 over the next year and not have to worry about a bill!

We switched from cable to satellite, have tons more channels and options (still have dvr and HD) and we are saving about $100 a month.

I also cancelled my land line, it was comcast digital voice and it was horrible. Calls would drop and we wouldn't have service but when comcast came to service the problem, they kept telling us that there was no problem, yet we had no phone service......so that saves us another $45.oo each month.

I paid the car insurance in full for this year and received a discount because of it.

So, if I come across as being cheap, I am simply living frugal as I am implementing my 3 year plan.....I just imagine how lovely it must be to be debt free.....

the village people

2008-07-03T13:15:00.004-04:00

A very wise friend mentioned recently that "it takes a village to run a household".....I hadn't thought of it like that before, but I couldn't agree more with this statement.

There is something to be said for communal living, family support and everyone chipping in....in my family, we share a duplex with my parents and we all benefit greatly.

I see my parents daily, the kids spend ample time with their grandparents and when my brother visits, we are all together.

We share outside responsibilities, so for me and my mom, its a joy and not a chore to take care of the yard, where my husband has allergies and does not enjoy it at all.
My dad takes care of the cars and he and Chris do all of the "handy man" projects around the house.
I am in charge of hair maintenance!
When we take a vacation, we have someone to look after our dog and house, of course the same goes for when my parents are away.
We eat together often because I am home during the day, so I will cook large meals with everyone in mind.
The summer is easy because there is a lot of time spent outside grilling and eating and relaxing.
When the house needs a major project, we all chip in with the expense or labor for the project and we all seem to enjoy and take pride in our home.
This situation is wonderful for DJ because he has such a strong bonded relationship with my parents, he is able to do things with them that the girls are not old enough to do.

This week, my mother was sick and spent time in the hospital due to Diverticulitis. This is where the statement about taking a village to run a household really stood out to me. We are all coming together to keep things going, with her flower shop, the other rental properties, and our household. It puts things in perspective about how much we all do to keep our "little village"
running smoothly.

its doable...

2008-07-03T12:30:00.012-04:00

A little wish list for those hot, hazy, relaxed and lazy summer afternoons!

A beautiful porch swing....

Some fruity ice pops.....

Thirst quenching refreshments...
3 cups cold water
divided 1 cup fresh raspberries
1 (6-ounce) can thawed lemonade concentrate, undiluted
Mint sprigs (optional)

Combine 3/4 cup water and raspberries in a blender; process until smooth.
Strain mixture through a sieve into a medium bowl; discard seeds.
Combine raspberry liquid, 2 1/4 cups water, and lemonade concentrate in a pitcher; chill.
Serve garnished with mint, if desired.

or tea, perhaps....