Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Now THIS is Christmas!

The "Tree" arrives - thank you, Bobby



The "Tree" is up - thank you, Bobby


The "Tree" is nearly decorated - until Mr. Wonderful eyes something interesting on TV


The "Tree" is complete - thank you, Mr. Wonderful


All we needed was a "Christmas Miracle"

Christmas Eve:
Allison brought my sister to me for Christmas!


Christmas Day:



Congratulations to my Allison - she is now the proud owner of Outback Restaurant in Lindenhurst (9 miles from our house!) She knows how to pull off a surprise!! She told me that she is AMAZING - she said, "I think I am 'Amazing Grace' - How sweet my sound!" - She obviously does not have self-esteem issues!!

As Allison said all day long..... "It's a Christmas Miracle - God Bless us each and everyone!"

Friday, December 10, 2010

To Tree, or Not To Tree?

So last weekend I tell Mr. Wonderful that I do not want to put up a tree this year. He went all "postal" on me giving me 100 reasons why we had to put one up. Seriously, I was not even listening to him, I was just nodding... thinking about the whole shopping experience. Having to go after work one evening... freezing temps... him searching through all the trees to find the BEST tree on the lot... blah, blah blah... I resigned myself to the fact that this was going to happen no matter what.


Despite the rocky beginning, I was bound and determined to enjoy my day. The kids were coming for dinner and we were going to relax and watch some football.

Bobby and Suse came waltzing through the front door and Bobby opens the blinds on the front window. "Come here, Ma. Look, I decorated my car for Christmas!"



Yes, he bought us a tree. He said that he figured we had not shopped for one yet and he thought he would make it a little easier for us.

So, it seems we are moving in slow motion this year.....but at least we are headed in the right direction.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Christmas on the Horizon

So we made it through Thanksgiving. The usual crowd - with one exception. Our nephew from Colorado came out to spend the week with us and bond with his cousins. It was very special to have Jon at our table this year. This is the first time he has ever spent a holiday with us. I think we certainly paved the way for him to come out more often.

As we finish up the last of the leftovers, I am trying to make a mental list of what is next on the agenda:

1. TREE - I'm not gonna lie - I am SO dreading putting up a 7 foot live Christmas Tree with "Brandy" (read that: 75 pound mini-stallion) running through the house.

2. Shopping - SERIOUSLY? hmmmm, Bonds, gift cards, checks - DONE!

3. Baking - This MIGHT happen

4. Decorating Outdoors - I'm thinking a Menorah in the window - really now, who would know the difference?

5. Holly Jolly Attitude - I believe I left it in Key West.

6. Plan the Christmas Dinner - now THIS, I am good at! (Homemade manicotti is on the top of the list!)

7. Clean it all up in anticipation of our Annual January Vacation to a tropical island with cousins and friends.

I think I'll start at the bottom and work my way UP the list!

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

The Cousins



There were 13 First Cousins. Cousin Paulie died in Viet Nam. That left 12.
2 in Florida
1 in California
1 in Illinois
6 in New Jersey
2 on Long Island

Happy to say we came together for a glorious occasion. It is always fun when a "second generation" cousin gets married! There were 6 of us present. Should have taken the picture earlier in the evening when the guys were still "dressed".

Looking forward to the day when the 12 of us can be together.... Hope it is not for a funeral...

Monday, November 01, 2010

OUCH!!!

What a beautiful Fall weekend!! I had a long list of errands/chores to accomplish and I started very early Saturday morning (while Mr. W. slept).

Breakfast with old friend - DONE

Manicure - DONE

Food Shopping - DONE

Time to wake up Sleeping Beauty (aka Mr. W).

Laundry - Started

Wake up Sleeping Beauty again (not so much Mr. W by this time)

Laundry - Finished

And we (Mr. W and I) are off to do some shopping. Having a wonderful time shopping when all of a sudden - my right ankle gives out!! OH NO!! Of course he wants to call an ambulance - of course I am yelling I AM FINE - GET ME THE HELL OUT OF HERE!!

So Saturday night and all day Sunday I sat in my recliner, foot elevated and ice pack firmly in place. No, I did not go for an X-Ray. No, I do not think I broke anything. I am SO prone to spraining my ankles that I have an air cast on hand "just in case"!!

So here I am today, in my office, at my desk, foot in an air cast, elevated on the garbage pail. I have taken my share of Advil for the day. It is better today....

I am just wondering how I am going to put on my high heels Friday night.... My little cousin is getting married and I am NOT sitting in a chair for 6 hours... I will be on the dance floor AND icing my ankle from the "inside out".... starting with the cocktail hour!!

Monday, October 25, 2010

The Fake Wake

I have a great Italian Family. We LOVE to laugh. When my grandmother was alive, we all gathered at her Brooklyn house on Sundays to be together. There was no dishwasher or matching plates - there was just plenty of food, drinks and laughter. Us cousins were more like brothers and sisters.

When Grandma died, so did a part of our Sunday tradition. Yes, we saw each other, just not as often. As years went on, it seemed that every year one of us got married - and we all got to see each other again. A couple of us even hosted the family for different occasions. After a while, we started to only see each other at funerals.

Well, we had the opportunity to gather once again a week ago to pay tribute to our dear uncle, Zi Vidooch. He was a favorite uncle to many of us. We all had notice of his impending demise and made a date to meet at a fabulous restaurant in Brooklyn and share some great memories of him. We also learned of some secrets (he had been carrying on an affair with a married woman for years!!!) There were 12 of us who traveled from New Jersey and Eastern Long Island, just to share a meal and loving thoughts. It was so nice to see how everyone did something nice in honor of Zi:

Thank you, Kathy: You brought prayer cards for all of us and helped to eternal-ize his memory.

Thank you, Lou: You brought a treasured photo of all of Zi's sisters in Italy. It was good to see them all.

Thank you, Justina: You took all the photos that night and posted them on facebook as a lasting tribute to Zi.

Thank you, Joan: for "blowing Zi" a final kiss good-by for all of us to witness. (Seriously, Joan? I am not sure how you had the nerve to show up after cheating on Frank all these years with Zi!)

and most of all - THANK YOU, PAUL!! You were so conscientious to send out emails detailing the final days of Zi's life. You made reservations at the perfect restaurant. You brought proof positive of Joan's affair with Zi - as they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words". And most importantly, you brought Zi's ashes so we could all witness Joan's final good-bye to her beloved!

I am so happy to be part of a family who will go to so much trouble as to host a "fake wake" just so we could all be together. I am also thrilled that all of our children are reaching the "marriage" age and we will once again have the opportunity to see eachother for happy occasions.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

A tip for mothers

Profound quote from a friend on "mothering":

"You know we give these kids life with the help from God and we want them to be safe. We want to love them and take care of them. When they seem almost impossible, we know that we have to let go again and let God do his work.

Thanks, Joan, for putting it back in perspective.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

My Gift from Key West

Allison:
I am not going to tell you what a wonderful time we all had - that's a given!

I am not going to report that this was the best year EVER - we say that every year.

I am not going to say that there is no vacation like a "girls' vacation - if you have never done it, you would not understand; and if you have, you know it is the truth!

I AM going to tell you what I learned on this trip. I learned that my daughter, Allison, is a very special person. She was always wonderful in my eyes, but this trip afforded me the opportunity to see her and get to know her through other people's eyes.

I was coming down to see Allison with friends and family in tow. Yes, she knew all these people - but I know, in my heart, everything she did - she did for me. She worked as many hours as she had to, in order to be able to spend my entire vacation with us. She and her wonderful roommates (Crafty and Chad) went from store to store shopping and preparing before we got there. She and Crafty picked us all up at the airport in grand style and brought us to the house we rented. The house was fully stocked with: prepared food and snacks, assorted cocktail fixings and the A/C running full blast!

During the course of the next few days, we met and socialized with MANY of Allison's friends. These people ran the gamut: men/women, single/married, gay/straight, Americans/Foreigners, and even little children comprised this group. It was the most interesting 5 days of my life! The laughter and camaraderie was overwhelming. They made dinner for us... They baked cookies for us.... They arranged a kayak tour for us... The list goes on and on. My personal favorite was when we went out to breakfast and the cook came out of the kitchen to "Kiss Allison's Momma!"

Every one of these people took me aside to tell me what a wonderful person Allison was and how fortunate they were to have her in their lives. WHAT A GIFT..... TO ME!

It is hard to be a parent. It is VERY hard to be a good parent. Allison is my reward for working so hard...


Crafty and Chad

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Checking on Allison

We leave in 2 days for our annual "girls' trip". When Allison first relocated to the Florida Keys, my sister-in-law and I made a vow to go 'check on her' at least one a year. Each year we make the ultimate sacrifice, leave our spouses behind and go do some serious bonding with Allison.

I am happy to say that we have some wonderful friends and family who have offered to accompany us on this tiresome trek. They have been incredibly supportive throughout the years and we are entirely grateful.

This year, I have asked Michelle to join us. This will be her first trip without her husband, but Michelle would do anything for her sister. She and Allison really need to spend some quality time together.

Allison and I have a little ritual that we do whenever we see eachother. We share a bracelet. Each time we see eachother, we put it on the other's wrist. This visit, the bracelet will go to her. I will miss seeing it on my arm, but when I look down at the empty wrist, I will always know that it is safely with Allison. It is a simple little bracelet, but it holds so much meaning to the two of us.

There will be 7 of us this year and we have rented a little house, with a pool for (cough) water aerobics. We will drink filtered water and green tea, we will eat healthy, organic foods. I am hoping for some quiet chats, some time to read, and the opportunity to reflect on the meaning of life - - - but I am afraid you, my faithful readers, will never know if that happens.... afterall, what happens in Key West, STAYS in Key West!!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Life's Not Fair

I guess this blog post is a LONG time coming. If you are a faithful reader (and I think there are 2 of you out there) you know that my son, Michael, has been battling cancer for the past year and a half. To say that the family has been on an emotional roller coaster would be a gross trivialization of the effects his disease has had on this family.

Michael is extremely intelligent, self-motivated, stubborn, independent, arrogant, kind, generous to a fault, and strong willed. When he was first diagnosed, he kept it to himself - thinking he could make it go away without 'burdening' his family. Once he did tell us, I could tell it was like opening a relief valve for him. FINALLY, he could talk about it.

It was interesting to watch him with his siblings. He was always so guarded around them and warned me "not to tell them everything" as he did not want them to fret about him. He constantly said, "They all have enough on their plate without worrying about me". I remember their first reactions very well: Bobby was somber, Allison did not believe him, and Michelle cried (what a surprise!).

This has been a long year and a half. Michael did chemo and tried radiation. He was WELL READ on the subject and had a clear picture of possible outcomes. Unfortunatley, his stubborness, arrogance and strong will worked against him this time. It was not until this week that he finally came to the realization that HE cannot control this disease. He finally understands that if he does not act quickly now, this DISEASE will control him.

As he readied himself for the inevitable surgery, I watched several things happen within my family:
-----I saw Michael's siblings gather around him like a safety net - and they did it on HIS terms. They did it with texts and phone calls, never invading his privacy. They were relentless when he did not respond. They listened to him. They talked to him. They comforted him. They reassured him. They badgered him. They loved him.
-----I watched as Mr. Wonderful picked up the reins and held up both of us during this trying time. I thanked God for the strength in my marriage. I love how Mr. W. and I always seem stronger and closer as we face adversity.
-----I noticed how extended family and friends walked on egg shells around us - protecting us from daily nonsense and offering support should we need it.

Michael said to me last night, "this is just not fair". I told him it was about time he realized that! Life is not fair... but it is worth it.... so you gotta keep fighting...

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Extended Family

Had a very interesting weekend.

Saturday, we celebrated Rosh Hashanah with our neighbors. They had a lot of family over and they included Mr. Wonderful and I in the celebration. It was wonderful to be a part of the day. Their great-nephew and 3 great-neices were at the house - is there anything better than spending the day with little children (And then kissing them good-bye and going home to a little serenity)? I spent a good portion of the visit snuggling with a beautiful one year old, Annabella. She just warmed my heart as she held on to me while I rocked her. Watching the antics of the 2 yr. olds was so much fun, too. I always say, "you can never love too many children." I think there were some adults in the room also.... but I am not sure.

On Sunday, we spent the day with my son-in-law's family. It was another beautiful day filled with laughter and love. I remember when it was time to leave - you know us Italians, "WE GOTTA KISS EVERYBODY!!!" - and so we went from room to room, kissing and hugging. I made some new friends that day - we are all buddies on "Facebook" now!

Although I missed my Sunday Dinner at home with my kids, I realized something wonderful this weekend. We are truly blessed to have such an extended family that simply enjoys being together.

Thursday, September 09, 2010

Some precious moments

Life goes by so fast. When I lay in bed at night, sometimes I watch the video of recent events (always in fast-forward). It is easy to harp on the rotten things that happen in your life - but, seriously, I have found it much more pleasant to reflect on the best things that happen to me.

Just this past weekend:

Bobby and Michael sitting next to each other with their new phones in their hands. One of them is saying, "Yea, but can your phone do this?" And the other one answering, "Oh yea? WATCH THIS!" Seeing them giggle and tease each other like they did when they were 5 and 7 yrs old. - Then watching the two of them run out to do some quick shopping together as I prepared dinner. Hearing them come back into the house, still laughing, conspiring.... HOW WONDERFUL WAS THAT?!?!?!

Brandy (the new puppy) jumping out of the car window on the way to the park. She was so excited to play with her friends that she just could not wait for the car to stop! Yes, it cost an arm and a leg at the vet - but she did not break anything - HOW WONDERFUL WAS THAT!!!

Holding my friend's new baby granddaughter - just 2 weeks old. Cuddling that baby, rocking her in my arms, putting her to sleep. Kissing her head. Feeling my heart swell with love (afterall, can you really ever love too many children?). Then having her mom ask me, "Can Olivia call you Guga, too?".... HOW WONDERFUL WAS THAT?

Looking into another friend's eyes and trying with all my might to give her the right words and strength to deal with her husband's terrible illness. Having her hug me and thank me for helping her.... HOW WONDERFUL WAS THAT??

Making a dinner and birthday cake to celebrate Suse's birthday. Having friends and family all around the table together. Everyone pitching in to make it a stress-fee day. Hearing the noise level just below a roar, but just loud enough to be slighlty annoying to anyone who does not know us. Laughing until our sides hurt. Watching the evening come to a close as Bobby carries out his last load of laundry. Knowing that it takes this family just as long to say good-bye to each other as it does to find a parking spot at Macy's during a one-day sale - (even though we will all see each other next week!) .... HOW WONDDERFUL WAS THAT?

I feel blessed that I can find wonderful moments all the time, in all that we do. I hope my children will always remember to savor the little joys in everyday life.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Summer Wrap-Up

I am considering this Summer one of the best in my life so far.

We started the season with a visit from Allison in May. This, of course, meant we had to have a party!! YAY!!

Shortly thereafter, we heard of the birth of a dozen St. Bernard pups out in Michigan. This was followed by Mr. Wonderful dancing around the house chanting, "I WANT ONE! I WANT ONE! I WANT ONE!" There were several negotiations, but finally a decision was made and plans were set in place to get a puppy.

An impromptu 4th of July get-away to Florida led to us meeting my new friend, face to face (see previous post).

Then it was off to Michigan. Little Michael and I had a wonderful adventure and made an awesome memory. Bringing Brandy home to Mr. Wonderful was almost as exciting as giving birth to my last child... (in many ways, it was MORE exciting... sorry, Bobby)

Who could forget the 80th Surprise Birthday party for my mom?? (still putting away stuff from that party....)

I entertained classmates from high school - we had not seen eachother in 36 years!!

OFF TO BOSTON!!! Allison and I had the BEST TIME EVER!! We partied hardy and slept little!! When I got off the plane in NY, with my sunglasses and baseball cap and Mr. Wonderful greeted me with the biggest kiss and hug and said, "You look beautiful", I fell in love with him all over again.

KUDOS to Michelle, "Fred", and Allison as they journey through the withdrawal of cigarettes. I am so proud of you all.

We will officially wrap up the Summer with a BBQ at a friend's house this weekend.

All that is left of the Summer is to pick the rest of the tomatoes off the plants, and dry the herbs from my herb garden.... OH YEAH - AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE KEY WEST TRIP AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER!!!!!

As always, there are many tribulations in life... it is the wise person who chooses to focus on the joys and blessings... They say wisdom comes with age. I am looking forward to growing old....

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Hey Ma, wanna come?

Each year Outback Restaurant runs a contest, sponsored by Sam Adams. The restaurants compete against each other to see who can sell the most Sam Adams beer in a specified period of time. Happy to say, Allison has won AGAIN. The winner gets an all expense paid trip (for 2) to Boston. Allison told me that she has won the contest so many years in a row that they are thinking of renaming the contest to, "Let's send Allison to Boston again".

When she called to tell me she won, I was as proud as I was when she was 10 and her softball team won first place. Mothers revel in their children's victories. When she continued with her conversation and asked if I would be her guest I was THRILLED beyond belief!!

It is always wonderful when Allison comes home to visit.

I always plan an annual trip with a group of women to go visit Allison and we look forward to the planning and executing of that trip each year, too.

But THIS trip is different. This will just be Allison and me.... no other family, no other friends. We will have some quality time together - and the best thing of all.... it was HER idea....

Monday, August 09, 2010

Catholic School Education

Things I have learned in Catholic School:

God is everywhere and He loves everyone.

You should go to Church every Sunday and every Holy Day of Obligation.

There are 2 kinds of sins: Venial Sin and Mortal Sin

Sex is for the sole purpose of creating life. The church does not sanction birth control.

There are 7 Sacraments: Baptism, Penance, First Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and Last Rites

GOD is made up of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

There are 10 Commandments and they should be the guideline for how you live your life.

There are Angels and Saints who will help us if we ask.

It is better to give than to receive.

Always bless yourself with Holy Water upon entering and exiting the Church.

No matter how thin you are, you can never look good in a pleated skirt –

I learned that when it seems like you are all alone in the world, God reaches out and holds your heart for you.

I think the most important lesson I learned in Catholic School is to smile and be nice to people. Having hooked up with old classmates through facebook, I have been told over and over that the one thing they remember is me smiling all the time. What a wonderful way to be remembered!!

I guess it WAS worth all that tuition!

Wednesday, August 04, 2010

You are HOW OLD??

I recently hosted a surprise 80th birthday party for my mom. We gave her a surprise 50th and a surprise 75th - I figured we didn't have to do it again until she was 100, but I was out-voted. My mom always thought is best to keep her age a secret (yeah, I know... I don't get it either...)

I have been struggling about how to write about this party. I can choose to recall all the ridiculous effort that went into pulling off the surprise. I can tell about the hard work and $$$ that goes into such an affair. I can even let you all know how we worked at coming up with the guest list.... But I think it is better to remember the sweeter moments...

I loved how the out-of-state guests (Allison and my sister) came a day early so we could start the party the day before the actual event.

I loved how we had a betting pool to see how long it would take my mother to say something stupid about our new puppy. Mr. Wonderful won, he guessed 10 seconds.

I loved how Allison told my mom how nice it was that we finally got a dog (St. Bernard) who can carry her ashes.

I loved how Bobby supplied the Ice Luge so we could all have ice cold Black Cherry Bacardi shots.

I loved how my cousins did not bat an eye when I asked them to travel from Jersey to Long Island on a Saturday in the Summer (God Bless you all for not mentioning the Hampton's Beach Traffic).

I loved how a "second generation cousin" actually WANTED to be there and she came bearing gifts - ASSORTED JELLO SHOTS!!

I loved how my 83 yr. old aunt (mom's sister) smacked me several times for making irreverent statements (WHO, ME? Irreverent??)

I loved how Mr. Wonderful volunteered to drive home some kids so they could continue to party until wee hours of the night.

I loved how "extended family" (read that: "Angela and Linda's friends") were happy to be a part of it all and helped in making the day a success.

I loved when I woke up the next morning, knowing that the house was still overflowing with love from the day before.

Happy Birthday, Mom. Thanks for giving me the excuse to have a party and make so many wonderful memories with my family.


Brother, Sister, Mother, ME!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Taking a Chance

I admit it - I am a Facebook junkie.

I feel like I am a part of my kids' daily lives just by reading and commenting on their daily adventures.

It has been a wonderful forum for me to stay in touch with my cousins - even second generation cousins. Instead of waiting for funerals and weddings, I can always say "Hi" and catch up on the little things that are happening with them. It keeps us close at heart.

I have been fortunate to be able to hook up with old classmates from High School - WOW, what a blast!!

I have even become quite proficient at Facebook Stalking... you would be amazed at what some people post about themselves.... but that is a topic for another blog entry.

Included in this "social network" is a very addicting 'game' called Farmville. I accepted an invitation to join about a year ago from one of my "second-generation" cousins. I entered the Farmville Community very slowly and cautiously, still unsure of what I was doing. In a short period of time, I became an addicted player: timing my crops so I could harvest in time, taking care of my animals and trees all the while progressing level by level. Soon, I found myself begging for neighbors so I could expand. I was quite proud of myself. I had over 100 neighbors and only personally knew about half of those people. The rest were suggestions from friends and 'neighbors'.

One evening, while tending to my farm, I see that one of my neighbors (who had a huge, exquisite farm) was asking for trees. I saw her online and simply asked, "What are you going to do with all those trees?". This started a conversation that has lasted for months on end!

At first our conversations were all about our farms. Soon we progressed to talking about ourselves and our families. I was amazed at how our friendship grew. Finally, after several months of talking, I asked where she lived (she was one of the smart ones who did not post her personal information). WOW - she lives about 15 minutes away from my sister!!

Mr. Wonderful and I planned an impromptu trip to see my sister in Florida. We were going for an extended 4th of July visit. My sister suggested we have a dinner party while I was there - JUST SO WE COULD COOK TOGETHER AND NOT HAVE TO EAT IT ALL OURSELVES (maybe I am kidding, maybe I am not!) My sister invited 4 of her closest friends and I invited my "friend from facebook" because I had to meet this person, that I have been talking to forever, face-to-face. We had an incredible evening, full of laughter and sharing. We made an unforgetable memory.

God sends us Guardian Angels all the time. It is up to us to realize that they are here and welcome them into our lives. I am grateful that my "friend from facebook" took the chance to come and meet me face to face. I am grateful that my kids no longer refer to her as "mom's imaginary friend". I am blessed to have a new real friend who is a part of my everyday life.

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

No ID?

So Mr. Wonderful and I end up our wonderful impromptu get-away by returning our rental car and getting to the airport in plenty of time. HOORAY for us!

I consider myself a GOOD traveler, always prepared and extremely organized. I even took my license out of my wallet and put it in my pocket prior to leaving for the airport so I would not have to search for it as we entered the "security" passage. How was I to know that there was a possibility of said license falling out of my pocket somewhere between my sister's house and those evil looking security people?

Thankfully, we were greeted by a supervisor who was willing to take all my excess credit cards, insurance cards, Barnes and Noble club member card, expired Dress Barn Coupons AND Mr. Wonderful's word that I was indeed who I claimed to be.

What did I learn from this?
#1. Never take my licesne out of the safety of my wallet.
#2. Security in West Palm Airport leaves much to be desired.
#3. I guess Mr. Wonderful does love me - we had a helluva disafreement today and he could have easily left my ass outside of security disavowing any knowledge of me!

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Motivation

As you all know (read) - we thoroughly enjoyed Allison's visit. Equally as enjoyable was looking at the pictures afterward and reliving some of the funnier moments.

THEN REALITY SET IN - Looking at those picture made me realize how much weight I had put on in the past couple years. I was blown away!! SO - I started my diet - a REAL diet. Cereal with low fat milk for breakfast, salad with non-fat dressing for lunch, protein and salad for dinner. Lots of water and lots of fresh strawberries.

I asked Mr. Wonderful for his help and he was willing to do anything I asked. I told him that I had to stop worrying about feeding him and Michael - he was going to have to take over that responsibility. I needed to be just a little selfish right now and take care of me. He was totally supportive and said he would do anything I asked.

I am happy to report that in the 5 weeks since Allison has left, I lost 10 pounds!! Mr.Wonderful has also dropped 10 pounds and he is still eating ice cream and sugar wafers!! He is just not eating my cooking!! Michael eats a lot of take out food and he never complains.

So, I guess it is plain to see, the culprit is my cooking! I am going to continue with this plan for as long as I can, with one little change. I will ALWAYS cook on Sundays when my little chickadees come home to roost.... but the leftovers will go home with Bobby (it's good to be the youngest kid!)

Saturday, June 05, 2010

A New Grandma-To-Be

When you have really good friends, you celebrate life with them. That means you take the bad with the good -

Thankfully, today, we celebrate the "good". I will wait with great anticipation as my good friend becomes a Grandmother for the first time later this Summer.

I usually crochet a blanket for all new babies, but I taught my friend how to make these blankets a while ago. That being said, I needed to come up with another idea for a homemade gift (I think every baby needs something homemade).

Can hardly wait to see Irene's Granddaughter covered up in this:

Friday, June 04, 2010

The "Baby's" Milestone

My "Baby" turned 25 today. I met Bobby for our weekly Friday morning breakfast and just seeing him sit across from me made me realize what a man he has become. He is thoughtful, responsible, caring, sensitive and a wonderful son.

When there is so much to do each day, we often take for granted the little things that make all the hard work worthwhile. I always describe myself as a wife and a mother, in that order. I work hard at my marriage everyday, and I am so grateful to have a good marriage. I also work very hard at being a good mother.

Staring at my youngest this morning was like getting a special present. It was validation of all the hard work that goes into being a good mother. I am so thankful that Mr. Wonderful and I were blessed with all our children....

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

God Bless Alexandra Michelle

To My First Granddaughter, Alexandra Michelle (Ally),
May God Bless you as you make your First Communion.

"I carry your heart with me....I carry it in my heart."




Allison's Visit Part 2

We welcome the newest member to our family. No offense, Sloane, we didn't need another dog, but we are happy you are here.

A Family Gathering in the Bathroom

This is us AFTER we think the camera is off.

My Beautiful Children (are you allowed to say that when they are adults?)-
Michael Jr., Michelle, Allison, Bobby

Monday, May 24, 2010

The Fam


The whole family smiles when Allison comes to town. Her visits are too seldom for me!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

I AM!

I am tired.
I am grumpy.
I am on emotional overload.

There, I've said it.

I still don't feel any better... but thanks for listening.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Be Prepared!

1. go to the supermarket
2. go to the liquor store
3. go to the specialty market
4. go to the liquor store
5. go to the bakery
6. go to the liquor store
7. go to the beer distributor
8. go to the liquor store

Allison is coming to town. We will be having a party Sunday. This is an open invitation to anyone who reads it.

we will be prepared

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

"Extended Family"

This past weekend we were guests at a Bat Mitzvah. We have watched the twin girls across the street blossom into beautiful young ladies. It was an honor to be guests at this huge celebration.

One of the nicest gestures of all, was to be greeted by all the parents of our granddaughter's friends. It was then that we realized that we do indeed have an impact on other people's lives.....

Monday, April 12, 2010

Greetings from Beyond

It has been a while since I posted - but with good reason. My Mah-Jongg group went on a field trip of sorts. We went to our favorite restaurant where a famous psychic (Robert Hansen)was going to do some 'readings'. Let me preface this by saying I am a true skeptic of such nonsense, but I am a team player and I was going along with the gang.

After a lovely dinner, Robert Hansen came into the restaurant and introduced himself. He told us a little about his life and tried to explain what was going to happen that evening. He said that the "spirits" would talk to him and they would guide him to people in the room - that we could not approach him.

He stopped for a moment. Closed his eyes. Opened his eyes and made a bee line for ME. He asked me, "Does the Coast Guard mean anything to you?" As you all know, my dad died 2 years ago and he belonged to the Coast Guard in his younger years.

Mr. Hansen closed his eyes once again, then he began to talk to me again. He said, "Your Dad wants you to know that he understands that you could not be with him when he died. He understands that if you could have been there, you would have been there." Again, those of you who know me, know that I did not get down to Florida until after he died.

Mr. Hansen said, "Your Dad tells me there was someone there telling him it was ok to let go. He is grateful that this person did that for him. He says he is happy to be out of that body and he is happy now". - My sister sat with him and talked to him and told him what a good father he was and that it was ok for him to go now.

Mr. Hansen asked me if I go to the cemetery. I told him I did not. He was quiet for a moment, then said, "Are you sure you haven't been to the cemetery?" - I reassured him that I had not. Then he said, "In the Jewish religion, when people visit the cemetery, it is customary for them to put rocks on the headstones. Your father is telling me that you TOOK stones from his cemetery, is that true?"

The tears just ran down my face. No one knew this, but I wanted to take something back to NY with me. On the day my father was laid to rest, I reached down and picked up several small stones close to my father's grave site and put them in my pocket.

This is just a glimpse of what happened that night. He spoke to me for over a half hour. Someone at our table had the foresight to bring a tape recorder and my son made me a CD of the transaction.

Towards the end of the evening, Mr. Hansen passed my table and said, "Your father said he got the pack of cigarettes you guys put in his coffin and he thanks you for that!" Yes, my kids put a pack of cigarettes in there, AND a lighter, and lots of other things that I am glad he did not mention in front of that crowd!

There is no possible way Mr. Hansen could have known the things he mentioned to me. NO ONE knew about the stones in my pocket. Am I believer? Let's just say I am a lot less skeptical now.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Top o' the mornin' to ye!

We celebrated St. Patty's Day early this year. Had the whole crew over for the traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner.

My favorite part of the day is sitting at the table AFTER we've eaten and catching up with everyone (as if we didn't all talk on a regular basis anyway). There is something special about sitting together, digesting, having someone crack the nuts for us all to share (I think this is an Italian thing).

Funny, I don't remember any of the specifics about what we all talked about yesterday. The only thing I can recall is everyone had a full belly and a nice warm feeling all day long.

THIS, my friends, is what it is all about.....

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Hello...Spring... are you there??

Ok, I am officially ready for Spring to begin. I am so done with snow, winter coats, boots, etc. I am ready for Spring and all the things that come with it - the promise of new life, hope, and warm weather!

I am stressing the "Hope" this year. I always thought I had strong faith, but not until now did I realize the real meaning of faith. When I was little, I had a charm bracelet. There was a particular charm that I will always remember (and for those of you who had religious education, you will understand the significance). It was a trio that contained a cross, a heart and an anchor. This Spring, I need them all...

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Be is ever so humble...

We had a wonderful time in Atlantic City. This weekend I learned that there is a difference between, "doing nothing" and "having nothing to do". I am NOT good at doing nothing - I am VERY good at "having nothing to do"!!

On the ride down, I learned that one of my favorite authors had released the second book in her newest trilogy. I was thrilled!! I told Mr. W. that we would go to the mall on the Boardwalk and pick up the new book!! We checked into our room, made our deposit in the casino and freshened up for dinner. After dinner, we proceeded to the mall to shop for my book - THERE IS NO BOOKSTORE IN THE MALL!!! No worries, I checked my Barnes and Noble app on my iphone to see where the nearest store was - IT WAS 45 MILES AWAY!$#^&*! Needless to say, I had to wait to come home to get my book.

Day 2 - I was the dutiful wife and stood by my man as we toured the entire classic car show. No complaints from me!! Afterwards, we had to do some shopping. Mr. W. forgot to pack underwear for himself! Thank goodness this man is the CLEANEST man I have ever met and he was more obsessed with shopping for new underwear than he was at ogling at those cars for another 3 hours!

We did enjoy the rest of our little get-away. It was so nice just being together without the interruption of daily life.

Thank you to Little Michael who had dinner ready for us when we came home (or should I say - had dinner delivered just as we came home!)

I know I say it everytime, but, it is good to go away, it is better to come home!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

not so much news

After being chided for not posting often enough, here I am attempting to have an interesting, yet not pointless, post.

I am taking Mr. Wonderful away for the weekend. We are going to the Annual Car Show in Atlantic City. I am a good wife. I will walk beside him and "ooo" and "ahhh" at all the appropriate times. I will pretend to understand (read that "care about") what he is talking about. Cars are his passion. I don't get it. This, I will do for him.

Little Michael's construction will begin this week. Hopefully, the mess will be gone by the time we get home. I am happy he is finally moving forward on this project.

That's all I've got.... kinda boring... I guess the boring stuff sure beats having to report all kinds of bad news......

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

more renovations!

Bobby moved out.

Michael moved in.

Michael NEEDS to re-do Bobby's old room.

!!!Glory Be!!!! - Michael is paying for his own renovations.


Note to self: take a "before" picture, because you just know the "after" picture is going to be incredible

Look for updates!

Thursday, February 04, 2010

My Angels




Ally - 8 Yrs.
Ava - 3 1/2 Yrs.
"Always on my mind. Always in my heart"

Saturday, January 30, 2010

HB, LM

"Little Michael" has just turned 27. I wonder if we will EVER stop referring to him as "Little Michael"?

Our usual Sunday dinner will have a few more mouths to feed this week as we actually have a reason to celebrate something. Menu planning was very difficult, as I feel like I have made all possible foods within the last month and a half!! We are doing a casual family gathering - I am making a big pot of minestrone. Michelle is making a BIG salad. AND I will have all the makings for homemade pizzas available for all of us. This will be a "hands-on" fun day. Kind of like a "kiddie party" for adults. I plan on opening more than a couple bottles of wine tomorrow, too.

"Happy Birthday, Little Michael, and best wishes for many, many more...."

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Nice Memories

We are back from vacation. We vacation well. We know how to relax. Who wouldn't be able to relax while looking at this beautiful scene for a week?



We did have one funny moment. We all met up for dinner each night. My cousin (aka The Matriarch) and I showed up dressed like this!

Keep in mind, not only did we BRING the same shirt, we both chose to wear it on the same night!! I guess great minds DO think alike!!

So, cuz, where we going next year??

Friday, January 08, 2010

Thank You, Mr. Wonderful

On Christmas Eve, I noticed that I lost a bracelet. It was white gold with diamonds and it was a gift from my husband on our 25th wedding anniversary. I was terribly distraught at first, but then I remembered that I had worn that bracelet everyday for the last 7 years. I enjoyed that bracelet.

When Mr. Wonderful returned from some errands, I proceeded to tell him the following, "I have some news".

"That does not sound good" he said.

"It's not 'end of the world news', it's just news. I lost my bracelet, and I don't know where or when."

He replied, "That's not bad news! Now we can go get you a new one for your birthday!!"

I not only love my new bracelet, I love all the events that led up to me getting it. He really is a special man.

I love you, Mr. Wonderful.

Monday, January 04, 2010

A New Year, A New Checklist

Christmas tree down - check

Youngest child packed and ready to go - check

Take out the bathingsuits for our vacation - check

Envision sitting on the beach with a book in one hand and a cocktail in the other - check

9 days and counting....