My winter thrill

To me, skiing is thrilling. The above pics were taken last February when we were out in Utah. Because my family has lived in the beehive state for 27 years, I have spent a lot of time there. I have many terrific memories of group skiing, lots of chairlift buddies and great apres de ski.

I am an intermediate skier. I ski black diamonds on good days, unlike some of my relatives who tackle chutes, cliffs, and double blacks. In the east I would be considered a good skier, out west I feel mediocre. 

No matter, I LOVE skiing there. As you can see from the pic above, many times we are the only people on a trail. The sound of my skis gliding on the snow and the wind in the pines is so soothing to me. I find it to be a zen type of experience. I do enjoy the physicality's of skiing, of pushing myself to ski better and longer, to try scary trails. Most of all I love the aesthetic aspect of skiing, it fulfills me.

Travel plans for 2009-real and imagined

Yes, I have plans. Big plans. Real and imagined. 

For real, 

I plan on going to the Mediterranean on a cruise in May. ( work trip with husband)

We are going to Arizona in April for my folk's 50th anniversary.

This summer I plan on going to Paris and then onto Germany to visit my sister.

Imagined, as in if I won the lottery. 

February- visit and ski with family in Utah.

March- I would head down to New Orleans for Saint Patrick's day weekend.

April- Palm Beach

May- Cabo

June- Grand Canyon, finally.

July- Jersey shore, of course. ( usually we go in August)

August- Seattle, I love the weather then.

September- San francisco/ Napa, love the weather then.

October- Vermont- best time!

November- Paris- not too many tourists, weather is still OK.

December- HOME!

What are your travel plans real or imagined?

A warm welcome...

Just want to say welcome to new readers and friends.

 I have enjoyed this blog for so many reasons, utmost- the lovely people I've met and feel as though I know so well. I've been able to stay in better touch with my sister in Germany, learn about other places, (such as Alaska), connect with like-minded individuals, and learn the views of people that I may not agree with but definitely respect.

 I am a Mom with young and older children, so it has been interesting to read about and hear from those with very young children- it brings back those wonderful and frustrating days so quickly! 

I love the photography and designs of many of your blogs and they inspire me.

 Those of you that have your own business as I do-love hearing how you do it and it helps me with my own.

 Those of you that read and don't comment- please don't be shy. 

Those of you that comment and don't have your own blogs, I wish you did so I could get to know you better, you seem so nice ( Elizabeth, Suburban Prep, and Ronda)

Anyway, I wanted to end the year with an acknowledgement of my new friends,

Thank you.

Black and whites

This New York area, classic cookie is a favorite of mine. I wanted to tell you about them and in my research found a great amount of info on one blog/site. Rather than plagiarizing, Go to:

http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/black-and-white-cookies/

I literally crave these cookies if I haven't had one in awhile. Now, if you are a fan of these cookies- I have a question.

Which side do you eat first?

Me? Vanilla.

Best men's pea coat

Apparently many, many, many people on the world wide web are very interested in googling :

best men's pea coat,

preppy pea coat, 

trendy pea coat,

or

best pea coat

And, when they do... I come up. 

I guess it's due to my name, preppyplayer and the fact that I did a truly innocent post on pea coats.  I posted on this very amazing subject a month ago and each day there are more and more hits on my blog.

 It. Will Not. Stop.

So if you would like to increase traffic on your blog, post anything with pea coats  in the subject line or....

The Jonas Brothers!!!!

Monsieur Saboteur...

As you can see from the top pic, he can be normal (whatever that is.) 

But, when you least expect it? 

Monsieur Saboteur is there... and it can be very annoying!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

When you were a child...

What was your Christmas favorite gift? Mine was a pink kitchen set! I loved it. I spent many hours making pretend meals, playing house or restaurant. I was six years old but remember it like it was yesterday.

How about you?

Please tell Santa...

That peppermint Bark belongs in my stocking, I promise I've been a good girl!

Romantic Ruffles

So, I don't get dressed up a lot... it's true. I am in paddle or tennis clothes or my uniform of a t-neck, vest, jeans and boots most of the time. But lately, due to the holiday season I have been getting "fancy." And, I'm thinking that I am really liking the Ruffle Blouse.  It's romantic, sexy, not too revealing, but yet... sexy. Right?  I guess the book/movie Twilight has me thinking that necks are sexy! What do you think?

New beginnings...

So, I am finally done with shopping, almost, and business has really slowed down, mostly, and I am beginning to have some time to think. I am starting to think about 2009 and my goals for the New Year. I don't call them resolutions, I call them goals.

So far,  this is my intent for 2009:

1. Spend more time with kids, less time on computer. I can't blame blogging for this one, I work a lot on my computer and do NOT like TV. But my kids would like me to be there physically...
2. Get more exercise, platform tennis is NOT enough.
3. Give my husband more attention, he deserves it.
4. Get better organized, maybe if I am off the computer I will have more time to do that!
5. Do more volunteering.

This is only the beginning. I will have a longer list as we get closer. I always need a deadline!

Do you have goals for next year?

Ski House?

Ok, it's not a ski house, but doesn't it look like one? No? Well it feels like one with all the snow we've had we have been stuck at home. Not so bad being "stuck at home." We've had the Christmas music on, candles burning, cookies baking, and we've been wrapping gifts. I feel as though I am on vacation from my life... at my ski house. Hey, it's my fantasy!

Christmas collections, sigh.

Ah Yes, Christmas collections...

1. Carolers
2. nutcrackers
3. snowmen
4. Santa's on skis

Not pictured:

1. Christmas villages
2. Stars
3. angel ornaments
4. snow globes
5. inspirational Christmas books
6. cookie cutters
7. Limoges style Christmas boxes

HELP ME!!!!

The madness must stop. Too much. Too much to put out, too much to put away. I love how it looks when half is out, but when it is all out- my home is starting to resemble a store. Here is some advice if you do not want this to happen to you, if you do not want to be a slave to stuff.

1. Do not EVER tell anyone you have a collection or what you would like to collect. (especially snowmen or women)
2. Do not get caught up in the habit of buying something for your collection whenever you travel.
3. Do not start any of your children on a collection, at least while they live under the same roof.
4. Do not raise sentimental traditionalists that insist that every single, solitary Christmas item owned must be put out every Christmas or "it wouldn't feel like Christmas!"

Now, if you love your collections and adore Christmas clutter, disregard my rant and do follow all my don'ts... because I PROMISE you will get more STUFF!

A Christmas tour...

First, the tree. We think it is the perfect shape. We are traditionalists and very sentimental, so every ornament each child has ever made or been given is on this tree. Some day we may have one of those cool theme trees or stylish ones... although I doubt it.

So,it snowed...

We received A LOT of snow here in the Northeast and from how dark it looks this morning... I think more is on the way. 

Another photo saboteur in our midst...

As I was going through pictures I remembered that Kevin is not the only holiday photo terrorist in our family. Oh no. Connor is a true master. As you can guess it is not easy rounding up a group of teens and younger for a group shot. So, we finally had them all together and Connor began his assault. His mother tried, we all tried to get him to stop. As you can see from the bottom photo everyone was losing patience. Finally he tired of his vicious game and we were able to get a nice shot. He is a little devil, but very cute:)

The Best Boat Shoe

Two questions. 

What do you call them?

Boat shoes,

Dock siders,

Deck shoes,

Top siders

Which would you/do you wear?

Sperry,

Sebago

headbands

I have sold a lot of headbands this holiday season...a lot. I attribute that to the show Gossip Girl. The preppy girls have always bought my headbands. I can count on that. Especially grosgrain, tweed or suede headbands. 

But lately the trendy girls are buying too. 

And, more than once I have heard reference  made of  Gossip Girl. As in " Oh my gosh, this is sooo Blair!" or " Serena wore this in the Hamptons episode!"  The show is good for me and selling headbands... but I don't think it is good for young teens or girls. Too sexy and very materialistic, kind of gross actually. I have watched it a few times and have gotten sucked in as it is fun to see places or areas in NYC that I love. And I do buy headbands that I have seen on the show as I know they will sell. Can't say I'm proud of that.

Christmas eve tradition

I think I should have started with Christmas eve! 

Every Christmas eve My two sisters and I and our families come together after church. Every other year my parents are here. There are usually eighteen of us in all. We take turns on whose house we will celebrate at. Last year we were at my house. We don't eat a meal, instead we eat a lot of appetizers, drink champagne, and eat cookies.

Oh yes, cookies are a big part of our tradition. All the kids make candy cane cookies to leave for Santa. They are Santa's (our) favorite cookie! So when the baking is done and the coffee is made, we open gifts. It has always been a frenzy.

 This year we decided to tone it down. At first I was disappointed as I love buying for my nieces and nephew, then it became a relief. We are all contributing to stockings for each child and they will open that and the kids did draw names for secret Santa and that will be fun.

Around ten o'clock everyone goes home to prepare for the next day. Christmas eve is one of my favorites because we are all together without distractions. Everyone stays put and I love it!

Christmas morning tradition

So, Christmas morning. way too early, according to the older kids (except for when they were twelve) we begin our Christmas festivities. 

First,  my husband makes the coffee, then he lights a fire. we put on Christmas music, and I light the oven to warm our breakfast casserole. I cut up fruit and lay out a buffet. and then, because we have heard stirring upstairs, we let the kids know that they can come to the stairs and then, like my father before me, I take the annual, bleary eyed, bad hair Christmas picture. We count to three and then the kids rush to the den to open their stockings while we have our coffee. That takes about twenty minutes. We don't rush.

Then we do another countdown and the kids go to the tree. There we begin the opening of gifts.

Our dining room is off of that room and people go between both room eating, drinking, and taking turns opening gifts, we really drag it out!

But, it is our tradition and if I dare suggest a change... huge resistance. What is your tradition?

To text or not to text...

Do you think texting, constant texting is annoying?

 I do when I see kids texting in church, or if my checker at the grocery store is texting away as I bag the groceries. 

I do if I am trying to have a conversation with my children and I see their thumbs moving in the pocket of their hoodie.

I do if I am trying to teach a CCD class and I see my students texting each other.

I do when we are out to dinner as a family and half of that said family is texting at the/under the table.

But... 

If I need to get ahold of my children I do like texting them when they are at school- I KNOW they will read it, whereas they can ignore a phone call.

It is a good way to get information to or from someone without getting caught up in a lot of conversation.

It is a real timesaver.

What do you think?

Best men's pea coat redux

First of all, I would like you to know that I or any of my loved ones do NOT work for J.Crew.

Because I have about ten hits a day for my last men's pea coat post, (crazy right?) I thought I would expand on this VERY important issue. ( no lie, hits from all around the world!)

So, on the premise that J. Crew makes the best pea coat, ( let's just say) which is the best J. Crew Men's pea coat? 

Yes, there are two.

The top is cashmere. The bottom is wool.

They are both good looking.

The top is $895.00

The bottom is $255.00

Which do you choose?

The best hostess gift

I am selling a ton of these. They are wine coasters. Instead of putting your sweating bottle of Chardonnay or champagne on your good table, put it in a wine coaster. It is functional, practical, stylish- ( a bit MacKenzie-Childs -don't you think?) I like to put a nice bottle of wine in the coaster, cellophane it up, tie it with a beautiful bow and give it to our hostess. It comes in about 18 designs and retails for $25. It is very cheap to ship as it weighs very little. I don't have it on my web site, but if you are interested I can email you the available designs. I take Master card and visa. Let me know what you think :)