The Joy of Giving

If this story doesn't restore your faith in humanity, I'm really not sure what will.
I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas.

Put A Ring on It

I used to love that song, it made me happy - made me wanna shake my ass like Beyonce, it made me think even for a second - Jay Z hmmm.....not bad. Was I crazy??
Now, I wanna kick the radio when it comes on. Can't be normal can it?? Good grief.

So today I finished my Christmas shopping finally. Thank GOD! I do have to go out tomorrow to get a few things, but it's all one stop shopping & that is pretty swell. I'm gonna attempt to bake a homemade cheesecake this year, since our favorite bakery in Trenton is gone & I can't see spending $40 on a cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory (so yum but ouch!).
Anyone have any good recipes? Please share. I'll send you some cookies :) Or maybe even a pie, yeah a pie - that sounds better.

Speaking of cookies, I had our annual cookie swap at my house yesterday. A lot of people didn't make it, we didn't have the greatest of weather rain and ice which turned out to be not that but but some of my friends are pretty flaky like that and cancelled at the last minute so there ended up being 7 of us instead of 11 which actually was a really good amount. I had a great time, we girl chatted & swapped some great cookies (DANYUN.....holy moly! your sugar free choc chip cookies were so great! your bro even liked em!!). I can't beleive Christmas is in 3 more days. I'm pretty much prepared, still need to bake and wrap but that's not too bad considering we are usually out Christmas Eve doing the bulk of our shopping. Not this year!

I read a great blog post today about Christmas giving, and cutting back this year with the state of the economy being so horrible. I was curious, did you all cut back? What were some of your money saving techniques this year? For us, honestly - we probably spent half of what we spent last year on gifts. We also, cut back to doing just family (and two very close friends) - whereas most years I buy for all my girlfriends and their kids (which at this point they are going on 3 or more kids a piece). Instead of gifts my girlfriends all decided we would get together between Christmas and New Years for a lunch date - sans kids and hubbies, and actually spend some quality time together. And you know, really isn't that what Christmas is all about? Spending time with the people you love? I'm really looking forward to that this week. Starting with tonight, I'm off to curl up in bed with the H - maybe watch some Paula Deen (because ya know, I like to keep things saucy ya'll).

Tis the Season

Our tree is up. It only took us a few weeks & five hundred arguments later - but it's up and we're not divorced.

My husband, has this system I guess when it comes to decorating. He likes certain ornaments in certain spots & well when he can't find them (because I don't know - HE LEFT THE BOX IN STORAGE) he gets a little testy. Anyhow, we didn't kill each other - and we made it through. It's funny - as soon as the tree goes up, I love it. Love the way it looks, love everything about it - then the day after Christmas - I'm over it. Want it down immediately. Is anyone else like that??

This weekend is our annual cookie swap and I am super excited. I'm hosting it this year & I'm really looking forward for everyone getting together (some people meeting for the first time!), eating & chatting. I'm a little stressed because I have a lot to do (including finishing my Christmas shopping!) but I think it will come together just fine!

I love this time of the year, the season - the sights, the smells but most of all I love the traditions. So do share, what are some of the traditions you and your families practice? Whether it's cookie swaps, secret santas, christmas books for the kids - whatever! I'd love to hear some ideas.

The post in which I sorta sound like a Mastercard commerical or a lady whose PMSing

Ladies – first rule of grocery shopping, don’t go hungry. It’s never a good idea. Second rule – never go when you are PMS’ing (or post PMS'ing but hey, whose keeping count??!!)

Case in point – my shopping trip last night consisted of the following:

Brownie sheet w/walnuts – $5.99
Chocolate layer cake - $4.99
Chocolate Syrup - $3.49
Peanut Butter cookies - $3.99
Single Serving Carrot Cake - $2.49
Book of stamps (because hey! A girls gotta mail her x-mas cards!) - $8.40
Look on the H’s face when I got home with nothing but Junk – Priceless

In all honesty the brownie’s and chocolate cake are for my bosses birthday, chocolate syrup and pb cookies are for my husband, the carrot cake is FOR ME! Love, love, love carrot cake! And my rationalization is that if I only bought “a slice” I wouldn’t feel tempted to eat half the cake. Crazy? Speak for yourself.

Weekend in review

Was this not the most amazing 4 day weekend ever (ok, maybe 5 in my case but really I didn't wanna rub it in!). I can't beleive it's over and it's back to work tomorrow.

Thanksgiving was amazing, it was pretty lowkey - we ended up having my sister in law and brother in law over & laughing the night away. Whether is was over my sad attempt at homemade apple pie or the "spicy" pumpkin pie I tried to pass off - we really had a great time. Every year, I get super stressed around the holidays and I always say "Next year, I'm not doing it again - we are eating out!" But honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way! I love Thanksgiving & being with the family, truly there is nothing better & to think next year at this time littel Ian will be with us!

Friday instead of partaking in the craziness that is black friday, me and my sister-in law went on a babies r us run and then stopped at this local japanese store for her hubby's "shin bowel" soup. We were horrified to find, amongst the packages of spicy ramen soup - cow tongue, a pig's heart & chicken feet (toenails still attached!) - I mean, do people really eat that stuff??? And seriously, who eats heart? Ehhh.....I don't think she'll be going back there. Me - I love it because they have the BEST produce in our area, but I think I'll stay away from the tongue and heart.

Next we stopped at this new book store that's up the street from our house that opened about a month ago and we have been eyeing ever since. From the sign outside they said they had "new and used books" - so we decided to check it out. Unfortunately we didn't really find too many (or any at all) new books - but I walked out with 4 paperbacks (Bling, Lipstick Jungle, Running with Scissors & Julie and Julia) and 3 hardbacks (Second Chances, White Oleander & A Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing) for $21! What a steal! I can't wait to dig into them.

Last night the H and I watched Hancock (loved it, love Will Smith and Charlize Theron - if gay marriage was legal in PA I would have married her a long time ago, andwell we can't forget Jason Bateman?? Such a cutie!) and then The Strangers with Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman (who will always be Ben to me). The movie sucked. Don't waste your $3.99 (luckily we rented for $1 so it wasn't a huge loss!). It actually started off ok, scary as hell but then, it just went nowhere. Very disaapointing. This morning the SIL and I headed up to Babies R Us again (we love that freaking store!!) and then I headed over to one of my BF's to babysit her 4 (!!) kids this afternoon. They are adorable, but my GOD are they a handful. She has 3 girls (13, 8, 3) and 1 boy (5). They are bonkers, but they make it for it in cuteness. Here's a shot of her two little ones:

After I made them dinner tonight, I gave them a snack of grapes - washed them off and put em in a bowel. Her little guy starts picking them off the branches & I said "Oh I forgot to take them off for you huh?" He goes "Yeah, my mom always does that - she knows a lot of stuff!" Haha! Perfect. Later on in the night he was being unruly, not really listening & her little girl says to him "You better be nice, K - B is MY BESTEST FRIEND!!!!!" Screaming in her cute little voice. When my friend and her husband came home the kids went running to them & said "can't you and dad go to dinner so B can stay and watch us some more???" If that's what it's like having kids I think I'm gonna be such a pushover!! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving & enjoyed a little time off this weekend. Here's to 3 more weeks until Christmas break - let the countdown begin!!!

Thankful - Survey Edition

Unfortunately, there's not too much going on right now - so I'll leave you with this fun survey - hope everyone has a happy thanksgiving!!!!


*Where will you be eating this Thanksgiving? At my house with my sister and brother in-law and two kids..... the h and I are cooking, or radther he's cooking and I'll be watching.

*Will you be watching a game this Thanksgiving? I won't but I'm sure the boys will - after all dinner is pretty much being planned around the game

*How long will you spend eating your thanksgiving meal? Definitely not as long as it'll take to prepare it - maybe a half an hour to fourty five minutes - dessert not included

*Are you worried about putting on weight this Thanksgiving? Ummm, not really. Isn't that what the holidays are all about?

*What do you normally eat at Thanksgiving? Turkey, stuffing, potatoes - you know the usual

*What is your favorite Thanksgiving food? Stuffing or Pumpkin Pie

*What will you be thankful for this Thanksgiving? My family

*Do you give cards or presents at Thanksgiving? Not usually

*Are you planning on going shopping the day after Thanksgiving? Not for Christmas gifts, if anything I might hit a few stores just to see what's out there, but I will not be one of those crazy people in line @ 4 am waiting to get into the mall. No, thanks!

*Will you be waking up early to hit the sales? Definitely not!

Seriously???

I mean, are you kidding me People? Hugh Jackman - sexiest man alive? Oye. I'm not saying he's not handsome, because he is but sexy? I just don't know. Two years in a row you have gotten wrong, all wrong! Last year Mario Lopez - was a stretch - I just don't get the attraction to him - maybe it's because of the whole cheating on his wife bit while they were on their honeymoon that makes him so skeevy in my eyes, but really he does nothing for me.

I think this year we had much better guys to choose from - I mean really the choices were endless - for example:

David Beckham, for starters - holy armani ad. I mean, ladies - you gotta give it to the guy, he's ridiculously hot. Plus he seems like a doting dad and a great husband & really - what's not attractive about that?

Ed Westwick - unbeleivable hot. Smoldering as Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl - which is my little guilty pleasure. He's like 23, which (I can't believe I'm saying it but it's pretty young!) but he's british - that has to make up for it a little bit.

Gerard Butler. Because if you're a girl you saw PS I love you & fell in love with his witty sense of humor and Irish charm.Last but not least - the only reason I'm still watching Grey's Anatomy is because of this guy, Eric Dane aka "McSteamy". I mean, you all remember the towel scene right? Hotness personified. The voice, the body - geez even the grey hair - so sexy!

So tell me were you ladies as disapointed as I was? Who's your pick for sexiest man alive? One of these guys? Someone different? Do share!!!

Nerves

Yep - they're getting the best of me. All this unemployment talk, and economy crap has me feeling a little overwhelmed. Am I the only one?? I mean, really - I didn't think much of it a few weeks ago - call me naive and young and stupid, whatever you will but I assumed things would get better. Instead, I hear this weekend DHL is laying off 9500 workers and GM & Ford are in bigger trouble than ever - this after Macy's reports they are down $44m last quarter.
These are scary times. I worry what if something happens to my job, what we will do? How will we make it? I don't know, but I wish I had all the answers.

You know what I do when I get stressed? I bake & I shop. Not neccessarily together in that order, but you know what I mean. Tonight - I made these beauties.



They are from a Paula (Hi YA'LL) Deen recipe that I doctored up a little. Chocolate Cake cookies. Mix together a box of chocolate cake mix (dry)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 oz cream cheese
1 stick of butter

Roll cookies in a ball and dip in powdered sugar. I added a bag of reese's peanut chips, because seriously everything is better w/PB. Bake @ 325 for around 10 minutes. They are ridiculously good. I think I'm gonna make em for my cookie swap!

Five

It’s so true what they say ya know. “As soon as your realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” I waited for my now husband, for too many years to ask me to marry him. When he finally did, I couldn’t make plans fast enough for us to get married. He proposed on Tuesday November 4th 2003. We were married exactly ten days later on Friday November 14th, 2003. My dress was a long white prom dress w/spaghetti straps picked up from (wait for this, are you ready……) Fashion Bug. It fit me perfectly, and the moment I saw it I knew it was my dress. I borrowed my jewelry, shoes and hair pins from three of my very best friends.
We got married at our local courthouse & I remember crying all the way there – blasting Bon Jovi’s “Bed of Roses” - because you know if there's any man I love as much or close to my husband it's Jon. Looking back now, I realize I was such an emotional mess not so much because I was scared, but because I was happy - so incredibly happy to be spending the rest of my life with him.
Marriage hasn't been easy, we've had tough times & dealt with things that no one should ever have to deal with but we've done it together & I couldn't imagine my life without him. It's an amazing feeling to have love and be loved & to know that no matter what happens, you always have someone in your corner cheering you on. So here's to the last five years, with hopes of many, many more to come. Happy Anniversary, Captain. I love you!!

Should've said no

I have a friend, a really, great friend - who is having an affair with a married man.
My friend found out after they ya know, did the deed. He didn't tell her willingly but instead waited for her to ask. Of course he says all the right things including the fact that him and his wife "are leading separate lives" and that he's never felt this way about another woman.
He's pretty smooth actually - which makes him even more of a creep.

What I don't understand is if they're leading separate lives why does he have to sneak around? Why can he only call my friend on the weekends or late at night - when he wants a booty call?
And seriously, what happened to the sanctity of marriage? I have a lot of friends, who I know have cheated or are currently cheating on their husbands or wives.....it just makes me feel like isn't anything sacred anymore? Did the vows that they took not mean anything? I'm married. I cannot imagine my husband sleeping with another woman. I can't even think about it to be honest.

She has so many excuses on why she keeps seeing this guy. She says the sex is fantastic & she wants to use him just like he's using her. I can't help but to feel like my friend is selling herself really, really short - playing second fiddle to a wife and a family just isn't a good idea. She's such a beautiful girl, with a great career & a great sense of humor.
Sadly, someones going to get hurt & I'd put money on it that it's not going to be him - it's going to be her. What to do? Do I tell her I think she's making a mistake? Do I wait for it to backfire in her face & comfort her when she needs it? I just don't know.

Truly Amazing

"The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.
But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand." President Elect Barack Obama.

Finally!!!

The shower for my sister in law was yesterday. Thank GOD everything went off without a hitch, because I was a nervous wreck all weekend. I just wanted everything to be perfect for her & it was.

We went with this whole choo choo theme w/the stars - blue & white. Simple, but cute.

Her cake - what a beauty!!!! Thanks Michelle!

Mom and Dad!!!

I think she might have been ready to kill us :)

The best idea - EVER!!!

Go PHILS! Ian's gonna love baseball whether he likes it or not :)

I know I promised D - but I couldn't help it!! Love the overalls!

Mama w/the Aunts - our first nephew, we are so excited????!!!

My favoritist girls!!! Dannielle & Michelle. Baby making machines :)

One of my favorite pictures, Gram. She is 90 - can you beleive it??? She makes me nuts but I love her so much!!

The day was perfect, we had a lot of people which I was really happy for - mom & dad got SO much stuff & they are pretty much set for the little guy to arrive. Two more months, I don't know if I can contain myself that long - I feel like a kid at Christmastime waiting for him to get here.

D - I love you & tommy more than I can put into words, you inspire me everyday with your strength & courage and the love that the two of you have for each other. You've given me something that I never thought I would have - a real family. I am so proud to call you my sister, but importantly my friend. I love you.

And now I'm crying, k - thanks. Goodnight.

Saturday Musings

I had all intentions of getting up early today, to get a head start on the weekend and get some things done that I've been putting off (like cleaning my bathroom and doing laundry!). But when the alarm went off at 5:30 and it was still dark outside (which really, really sucks) I decided ehh....bathroom and laundry can wait - I need sleep. You know how sometimes when you do that it's worse - it makes you feel worse? Yeah, well that was my morning. So I got a late start, and guess what didn't get done? Yep - all my house stuff. But I did manage to do some last minute shopping for my SIL'S shower, which is tomorrow (Dear God, Help ME!).

Got my nails and hair done & think I am in love w/my new hairdresser. Girls, you know how hard it is to find a good hairdresser - well I think I found her. She did an amazing job on my hair & I think I will going back to her in the future.

Tonight, the hubby and I are having a date night - he's cooking his most famous Tyler Florence burgers (seriously they are to die for) and potato wedges - then I think we are going to settle in and watch a movie. Hmmmm Iron Man or 88 minutes??

Sweet Peas

I smell like a cross between pureed carrots and sweet pears. Yum right?

Unfortunately, it's not the latest bath&body spray - it's baby throw up.

Which I'm covered in from my chest down to my knees.

Good thing she's cute.

I babysat my best friends little peanuts tonight, and they were amazingly sweet - but the youngest who is almost 6 mos., had some stomach issues going on & every time I fed her whether it was the above mentioned beautiful combo or a bottle of formula she got sick. Like projectile sick. Like I had to call my husband and ask him "Is this normal?" "Are babies supposed to throw up this much??"To which he replied "Yes, babies throw up & they pee, and they shit too - get used to it". Ummm hmm. Thanks.

Before I went over, I made pumpkins muffins! I made the mistake of stopping by Dunkin Donuts last Tuesday for some OJ and decided "hey, let me try these new pumpkin muffins" and my word were they amazing! So I tried to make them this weekend and you know, they were super easy! Thanks to a simple recipe from Michelle, which consisted of 1 box of Spice cake mix and one 15 oz. can of pumpkin. Seriously that's it, super easy and super yummy!

Here's the finished product:

Sprinkled a little brown sugar and regular sugar on top, and wal-a.......done. The perfect breakfast for this time of the year without breaking the bank. Your ass on the other hand....well I don't know.

Go PHILS!

Can I just say - woot for the phils last night?? Such a great game. 2-1 peeps, I think we just may take this home.



Anyhow, last night was my BFF's halloween party, and I bet your dying to know what I dressed up as aren't you? Well......dress up I didn't. I know, all this fuss over what to be, what to be....but after a horrible week which included one of the worse colds I think I've ever had I decided to go casual - no costume, no fuss. Which I'm actually pretty glad I decided against the whole dress up thing, turns out there were a million and one little ones there in a house that is seriously the size of my apartment (which is not a bad thing, at all - but when you have 25 kids running around, it can get a little tight!). So it was a fun night, saw some friends that I hadn't seen in awhile & got caught up on life and all that is happening, had a blast with the kids we played some fun games & had some great food. At one point, my BFF's MIL said to me "You always have a baby in your arms" and you know what - I do and I love it. I love the little beans, and it makes me so excited to think that one day? I'm gonna be a mom. Thought it would have been by now, but hey that's alright. It will happen, one of these days & when it does - good GOD - I am going to shout it from the rooftops, or ya know the blogesphere.

Simply the best

I'm not Oprah, although come to think of it, I wouldn't mind walking in her beautiful Louboutin's for a day. But in the tradition of her favorite things show and this post; here are a few of my favorite things (why, but that sentence there made me want to burst out in song a la Mary Poppins)!

C.O. Bigelow Orange Mentha Lip Shine (via bath and body works) - love the way this makes my lips shine! Plus I love the way the menthol feels & seriously girls - this stuff makes your breath smell minty fresh all day!

Chanel Precision Rectifiance Intense Serum - First let me just tell you - with the SIL being a counter manager a cosmetic company, I get to try out some pretty cool things. This little guy, being one of them. Can I just say - oh.my.word. I love this stuff. Love maybe isn't a strong enough word but seriously - this stuff is amazing. But at $82 a bottle, it's a little steap but my oh I do love it.

Do you see a Chanel theme here? This is my go to fragrance, especially now that it's a little cooler - so pretty and feminine without being too girly and too strong.

Maybe it's Gossip Girl (thanks Blair Waldorf and your pretty little headbands) but I just picked up this beauty from Forever 21 - a store which can I tell you I can't squeeze my ankle in but they have adorable accessories - supa dupa cheap! This beauty $4 - I'm thinking of wearing this around the holidays with a simple black dress for a little zing.

Mac Zoom Lash - Now I have to say, I'm usually not a huge fan of mac makeup. Is it me or does it sometimes make you look a little porn starish?? Maybe that's not a good comparison - but ladies do you know what I mean? But this mascara, it gives you that fake eyelash look without looking overly obnoxious. For a night out - this is my go to pick.

OPI's "You Don't Know Jacques" nailcolor. I love OPI and their clever little nailpolish names. This isn't a color I would normally go for but it looks really pretty on, and in case you were wondering - these are not my real nails. Just so we're clear.

And to prove I'm not just a product whore - my most favoritist book of the year...Twilight. I just got done reading this, in 4 days. Yep four days!! My BF just picked this book for our book club & at first I was a little hesistant to read this. I'm not a fan of fantasy writing, I like a good chick read but I never really caught on to the whole Harry Potter phenomenon and thought this would be just like it. Well - it's not. It's unbelivably amazing. It's a love story at the core between a human and a vampire. Seriously if you haven't read it yet - go get it. I promise you will not be disapointed!!!

Last but not least.....a look at my bed. I think I could start my own newstand - because honestly there is nothing I love more than a magazine. Any kind, I'm not picky really: trashy, gossip, fashion, home, Oprah - really I love em all. So much so that I may need a support group.

So tell me what are some of your favorite things that you can't live without?

Trick or Treat

So my BFF has decided to host her first ever Halloween Party. Costumes MANDATORY.

Here’s the problem – I’m not so much of a Halloween kinda girl. I mean don’t get me wrong…..I decorate, I go out and buy copious amounts of chocolate that I end up eating….I mean giving out to the three kids that live our building. But I’m not much of a dressing up kinda girl – maybe I never was.

As a kid – Halloween was definitely my LEAST favorite holiday. Anyway, I need help. Because this is the first year, in many, many a years that I will be forced to dress up. After scouring the internet for days – here are some cute options I found:

Option 1 - Red Riding Hood

Kinda cute, but not trying so hard to be sexy. This is definitely on the top of my list.

Option 2 Tavern Wench

This is different, I think I could go the swiss route and do the whole French braid thing on each side of my head and it has the potential to be cuter.

Option 3 - Sexy Pirate

I’m not sure how I feel about this one – I think it’s definitely my last choice, I have a feeling I would feel super self conscious all night.

Option 4 - Gypsy Rose

What exactly is a Gypsy Rose really? It’s cute – probably my second favorite if I had to pick.

So here’s where you come in, I am desperate need of your help. Which one is your favorite: Option 1 – Red Riding Hood Option 2 – Tavern Wench Option 3 – PirateOr Option 4 – Gypsy Rose? Please help a girl out.

Steady as we go

“When the storm comes,You shelter me.And I don't say a word,And you know exactly what I mean.In the darkest times,You shine on me.You set me free.And keep me steady as we go”


Calling from the train late tonight I asked my husband "whatcha doing?"
He replied with "nothing just waiting for my wife to come home".

After a long day, or hell even a long week (I know its only Tuesday) that's all I needed to hear.

He may not put his socks in the hamper or listen to me when I'm rambling about what a travesty it is that Misty May got hurt and now I won't get to watch Maks every Monday.
He may snore really loud and sometimes want to be extra snuggly when really all I want is my side of the bed all to myself.

But really at the end of the day he's pretty great and he thinks I'm pretty great - which in itself is pretty spectacular.

Belief is a beautiful armor

One of my best girl friends sent this to me today......I love it so I thought I'd share:

*I believe - just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

*I believe - we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

*I believe - no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

*I believe - true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

*I believe - you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

*I believe - you should always leave loved ones with loving words... It may be the last time you see them.

*I believe - you can keep going long after you think you can't.

*I believe - we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

*I believe - either you control your attitude or it controls you.

*I believe - heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

*I believe - money is a lousy way of keeping score.

*I believe - sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.

*I believe - sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

*I believe - maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them, and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

*I believe - it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

*I believe - no matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn't stop for your grief.

*I believe - our background/circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are certainly responsible for what we become.

*I believe - your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

*I believe - even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you - you will find the strength to help.

*I believe - credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

*I believe - some of the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon. The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything…they just make the best of everything they have.

Reblogging Rosie

Or better titled, things I thought I'd never do.

While most people may not agree with her antics, I came across this today while checking in on my daily entertainment fix of the day. A blog posted by Rosie O’Donnel on Sarah Palin.

I think what she says is brilliant and right on – even while it may be a little extreme.

It’s very scary to think what could happen to us as people, and as women if McCain/Palin are elected. Read below and see for yourself. And if that’s not enough, tune in tonight to listen to the debates and decide for yourself.

(And btw, how brilliant are these Declare Yourself ads? If you haven't already registered - PLEASE GO REGISTER NOW).

“I believe that the McCain/Palin ticket is one of the most dangerous choices of my lifetime, and should this country chose those candidates the fall-out may be so great, the destruction so vast in so many areas that America may never recover. But what is equally disturbing is the impact that duo would have on the rest of the world. Unfortunately, this is not a joke. In my lifetime I have seen the clownish, the inept, the bizarre be elected to the presidency with regularity.
Sarah Palin does not believe in evolution. I take this as a metaphor. In her world and the world of Fundamentalists nothing changes or gets better or evolves. She does not believe in global warming. The melting of the arctic, the storms that are destroying our cities, the pollution and rise of cancers, are all part of God's plan. She is fighting to take the polar bears off the endangered species list. The earth, in Palin's view, is here to be taken and plundered. The wolves and the bears are here to be shot and plundered. The oil is here to be taken and plundered. Iraq is here to be taken and plundered. As she said herself of the Iraqi war, "It was a task from God."??
Sarah Palin does not believe in abortion. She does not believe women who are raped and incested and ripped open against their will should have a right to determine whether they have their rapist's baby or not??
She obviously does not believe in sex education or birth control. I imagine her daughter was practicing abstinence and we know how many babies that makes??
Sarah Palin does not much believe in thinking. From what I gather she has tried to ban books from the library, has a tendency to dispense with people who think independently. She cannot tolerate an environment of ambiguity and difference. This is a woman who could and might very well be the next president of the United States. She would govern one of the most diverse populations on the earth??
Sarah believes in guns. She has her own custom Austrian hunting rifle. She has been known to kill 40 caribou at a clip. She has shot hundreds of wolves from the air??
Sarah believes in God. That is of course her right, her private right. But when God and Guns come together in the public sector, when war is declared in God's name, when the rights of women are denied in his name, that is the end of separation of church and state and the undoing of everything America has ever tried to be??
I write to my sisters. I write because I believe we hold this election in our hands. This vote is a vote that will determine the future not just of the U.S., but of the planet. It will determine whether we create policies to save the earth or make it forever uninhabitable for humans. It will determine whether we move towards dialogue and diplomacy in the world or whether we escalate violence through invasion, undermining and attack. It will determine whether we go for oil, strip mining, coal burning or invest our money in alternatives that will free us from dependency and destruction. It will determine if money gets spent on education and healthcare or whether we build more and more methods of killing. It will determine whether America is a free open tolerant society or a closed place of fear, fundamentalism and aggression.
If the Polar Bears don't move you to go and do everything in your power to get Obama elected then consider the chant that filled the hall after Palin spoke at the RNC, "Drill Drill Drill." I think of teeth when I think of drills. I think of rape. I think of destruction. I think of domination. I think of military exercises that force mindless repetition, emptying the brain of analysis, doubt, ambiguity or dissent. I think of pain??
Do we want a future of drilling? More holes in the ozone, in the floor of the sea, more holes in our thinking, in the trust between nations and peoples, more holes in the fabric of this precious thing we call life?”

Original link can be found here: http://www.rosie.com/blog/page/3/

The reason why I love Monday nights.....

Maksim. Umm hmmm.......he's the reason why I can't wait for Monday nights to be here.

I LOVE Dancing with the Stars, which the H and SIL have forced me to watch the last two weeks & you know what I'm glad they did! This guy is smoking - I mean beyond smoking really. I may want to have his babies and you know even clean his kitchen or his bathroom for good measure. Gorgeous.

Oh and my other reason why I love Monday nights:

Gossip Girl. And Blair Waldorf. Although I feel like I may be borderline getting a little too old for this show (hello new 90210, WHAT is the deal??? I don't love you!).

So what do you love about Monday? Maks? Blair? Do tell.

Confessions of an un-modern woman

I have a secret......I really, really could get used to being a housewife.
Today I took a mental health day & called in sick - I've been having this nagging headache all week & this morning when the alarm went off at 5:30, the last thing I wanted to do was haul ass to New York.
No thank you.

So I emailed my boss to let her know I would be working from home. I have the vacation time & I mine as well start using it! So today I spent the day sleeping, baking, cooking and cleaning - and you know what? I really, really had a great day. I cooked dinner for the fam which is something I NEVER do a) because I suck and b) the h does it - every single night. I'm pretty lucky right?

Today I thought I'd give him a break and do all the cooking and cleaning since he SO spoils me. It wasn't anything fancy (baked chicken breasts, with whole grain rice & yummy veggies) but I felt such a sense of accomplishment & even got a few compliments that I think I might start doing it more often. I also managed to squeeze in some food shopping tonight and a two hour phone call with my sister-in-law, who really I think I could never run out of things to say.

I'm watching the debates now, playing Brandy's drinking game and ummm I have a feeling that tomorrow morning is going to be pretty rough.

The mother daughter dynamic

"I'm not crazy, but it occurs to me that it wouldn't bother me if she were dead. That can't be healthy right? To feel like if your mother was dead you wouldn't miss her. That you might be better for it? I just don't know how we got to that point."

"Well, maybe you should ask your mom that question."

Seriously, all it takes is an episode of One Tree Hill to bring on the tears.

See I could totally relate to this conversation Brooke had with her therapist, about her bat-shit crazy mom - who in fact she thought was responsible for a recent assault that Brooke was the receipiant of. While my mom isn't (or wasn't) quite as crazy, her and I definitely had our moments. Is it sad that I have no happy memories of her? That I can't remember a single time where she told me she loved me or she was proud of me? That even though she hasn't been apart of my life for the last 15 years, I don't miss her for a second? Honestly, I can relate so much to that quote above, maybe that makes me a horrible, wretched human being but I get it. I totally get it. And it breaks my heart. For my kids that I'll someday have, because they were robbed a grandmom to spoil them rotten & for me, that I never really had that mother / daughter relationship that I've so craved over the years. It makes me sad and it scares the hell outta me that I could repeat that same cycle with my kids someday. But I won't, that much I know for sure, and if I ever get that chance to be blessed to be a mom I'm going to everything she didn't so that my kids always know how much they are loved.

The way to a girls heart

This picture may or may not have made me cry this morning, over breakfast. Some of you may know, I was rooting for Hilary all the way - but since she conceded I have made a point to learn everything I can about this man. I hope and pray that he becomes our next president and leads us in a direction we have so desperately craved over these last eight years. This right here, is why he just may have a small piece of my heart.

Showers and Such

I’m all consumed with baby shower planning these days. It’s pretty nuts right? I mean, how do you ladies planning big fat weddings do it? I can’t imagine, and really I think I’ve said it before Thank GOD I had a small wedding & eloped. But you know, my sister in law is one of my best friends & I just want to make this day so special for her. So baby shower. Do I need a theme? I mean, I’ve read all these mentions in magazines (F-U Martha Stewart) and they all talk of the importance to have a theme or a focal to the shower. Sorry but I thought the MOM TO BE should be the focal point or is that wrong? I just don’t know. Also – I am stuck w/invitations. I’ve narrowed it down to three:

As you could see I’ve got a brown/blue thing going on. I love those colors and so does my sister in law, so I figured that would be a good choice color wise. But really I need some help kind readers, which one would you like? #1, #2 or #3?

Oh and just for good measure and because really nothing makes me feel better than Johnny, how cute is my favoritist guy strolling for office space right in my neck of the woods (even if they are work woods, ya know – they still count!).

Now I know what it feels like to be man

Well.....sort of. Tonight I slammed my nipple in the screen door. Yep. I am not kidding. It brought me to my knees and tears to my eyes. I was standing too close to the screen I suppose talking to the H who was standing outside lighting up the grill & I went to shut the screen door and bam, nipple closed in the DOOR! Who does that? Me I guess! Good God - if that's what it feels like to be kicked in the balls, then maybe just maybe I can sympathize w/the boys just a little.

How time flies

Today, while I was out doing some very important shopping for some new fall/winter clothes I ran into my very first boss. My first job when I graduated high school was in retail at Fashion Bug (so not cool I know!). I was hired on the spot, the manager and I hit it off immediately & her and I became fast friends. I had zero experience in the retail word, but quickly caught on. I loved the atmosphere, the girls I worked with were all around my age, right out of high school or getting ready to graduate. The only that I couldn't stand, which would ultimately lead to my quitting were the hours. As I'm sure you can imagine - retail hours suck, big time. Your on your feet all day, dealing with the rudest people. I lasted a little over two years there, being young and immature I quit one weekend mad over a scheduling conflict - not the smartest thing to do but seriously I was 19. So today, I had a coupon to trusty Fashion Bug - so I decided to check out what they had - I've seen these new jeans advertised, they're supposed to be fit to your shape (yada, yada, yada) so I wanted to go check them out. Anway - I walk in the door and who do I see? My old boss!!! We both could hardly contain ourselves. We caught up and talked about old times, she is now apparently the district manager for a dozen or so stores in our area & really loving it. She asked me if I had any interest to come back to retail, and I said HELL NO! Not in a million years, I would sell my ass before I would go back to that. But she told me if I ever needed anything I could go to her. She asked me if I was still with "that guy". I told her that guy, is my now husband - 12 years later and still going strong. She couldn't beleive it. She said "We all warned you about him, to stay away - he was too old for you and had a family already", which they did - but what can I say I loved "that guy" and we made it work. We made plans to meet up for lunch to properly catch up and as we hugged goodbye & she told me how proud she was of me for all that I became, I told her - I have a lot of it to thank to her. She really showed me the ropes & taught me alot of the fundamentals that you use in a day to day working environment. It's always nice seeing old friends, but seriously I felt so old! So much time has gone by, and I feel like lately its catching up to me. I guess the whole "gonna be 30 soon" is making me freak out.

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend, I'm off to make Pizza Lasagna & Grape Long Island Iced Teas (ummmm.......yumm!!!).

A change will do you good

Yep, I think it will actually. So I made the leap from Wordpress to Blogger. I've actually been thinking about it for quite some time now & have been well lazy I guess.
So I did it, the only problem is I can't figure out how to transfer my wordpress posts to blogger - any suggestions??