Summer is here, right?

I mean, it's here for me. 

Unfortunately for some of my kids... school doesn't end until June 25th!

Ouch!

Shoe semantics

Becky was trying to figure out what sandals she should wear with her confirmation dress.

After going back and forth with different suggestions, she jumped up out of her seat and said,

" I know! I'll wear my Jack Russells!"

Kevin said, " What? Your dog shoes?"

She then said, "no, you know... My Jack Daniels!"

I think we knew what she meant.

Recital Requiem

My post title is a bit harsh.

But, because I was just a vendor all week at a dance school's rehearsals and recital... I can honestly say that I am dead tired AND I had completely forgotten how time consuming and intense recitals are for all involved.

I am not saying this is a bad thing. My daughter was in a dance company for a few years and loved it. 

But, it was all dance all of the time. 

Recital is the culmination of all that.

You have dancers and moms that love it and are obsessed. 

You just hope that those type moms and those type dancers are in the same family! 

 I have witnessed a happy dancer in five numbers happily at rehearsal for hours on end and her mother looking like a detainee at a prison camp.

  I have also seen the typical stage mom coaxing and bribing her daughter to just stay a little long as the daughter threatens to leave "if it doesn't end soon!"

So, recital is over now and on to Lacrosse tournaments.  

And trust me, you see the same thing there :)

Ramblings on Swine Flu

Are you thinking about swine flu? 

Will it influence your travel plans this summer?

It seems to be a huge topic of discussion lately and I know folks who are avoiding plane flights and certain countries (Mexico) this summer.

There have been school closings in our area. But, I haven't thought of avoiding school functions or certain towns that have had a case reported.

Am I stupid? Do people have information that I don't?

My children's orthodontist said she is avoiding vacations that involve plane flight because she fears that if the flu progresses that travel will be restricted.

Interesting.

A college student I worked with last week told me that she is avoiding the crowded Jersey shore until the swine flu outbreak is over.

Are they alarmists, ultra smart, or scaredy cats?

I don't know. 

I do know that my great-grandmother died in the last flu epidemic leaving an infant (my grandmother) and two toddlers. Flu can kill.

Should I be scared? 

I don't think so. What do you think?

New kicks...

We're talking shoes!

I need some new, comfortable shoes for my selling season. I am on my feet all day at hot, dirty tournaments. 

I usually bring two pairs of shoes so that mid-day I can change and give my feet some relief. I also should mention that the right shoes not only give my feet relief, but my back as well.

My favorites are Merrells, Tretorns,  and any good cross-trainer. 

Any suggestions? They would have to go with sport skirts or shorts.

I am THAT idiot.

You know, the one talking on her cell phone while driving. Yup.

And now it has cost me $120.

That was one expensive trip to NYC today.

I can safely say I have learned my lesson and will NOT forget my earpiece again.

Baseball coach gifts, baseball gifts!

Baseball coach gifts or baseball gifts are a big topic of of conversation in the bleachers at this time of year.

What to get the coach or team?

I have some suggestions,
First off, need a baseball coach gift card big enough for the team to sign? HERE it is.
Baseball coach gift wrap that is unique, bold, and graphic? HERE
Cell phone charms for the team moms...
Sterling charm to add to any proud fan's collection...

Baseball desk clock for the coach that has everything!

All can be found at www.preppyplayer.com

Au Naturel

I am really getting tired of the flat iron look. Even girls with straight hair flat iron to smooth it out.

I think it is refreshing, appealing, and modern to see some texture. I illustrated this with two pics of Becky.

Although I think she looks pretty and cute in the first, flat ironed pic...

I think she looks better with her hair Au Naturel.

She disagrees.

Of course, when her braces come off-  her smile may show teeth again :)

AMERICANA

Some people compare the little town I live in to the fictional town of Mayberry.

 I prefer to compare it to any Norman Rockwell illustration. There isn't anytime where this is more evident than on Memorial Day.

The Vets are front and center to listen to the speeches. They are the guests of honor.
The man in the yellow shirt is someone that I have known since I was a child.
The saboteur was too busy marching and playing the trumpet to mug for the camera! 
The parade was small, but the bands were mighty!


Everyone wears their colors.

I think the first bike looks a lot easier to ride than this old fashioned one...

After the parade, speeches, and essays -the entire town gathers for hot dogs,beer, and...

fellowship.

Scout bag of the week!

Petallica-Green four boys bag!

This is a new design for Scout and I love it. It is evocative of the new Lily designs.

Fresh and fun!

Price- $40, $5 to ship     Total- $45

And so it has begun...

Our transition from college dorm life to back in the family fold. 

The reason I say, our, is that this transition period is toughest on those of us that live here, year round.

Here are the reasons:

1. When people come stumbling in at 2 or 3 in the morning, speaking loudly as if it is the middle of the day...I wake up and have found it hard to get back to sleep.  My husband suggested ear plugs. I suggest changing locks.

2. The never ending meal. We make breakfast, then clean up. Certain people then get up,make breakfast, barely cleanup...as we are now making lunch. We then clean up and an hour later, people are making lunch and so on. ( see past post on the myth of Sisyphus.)

3. Laundry- Do I have to paint THAT picture?

4. Wet towels on carpet. Some ( certain people) may say I am irrational about it, but I do not want mildew or mold in my house! Do NOT leave your wet towels on my floors for days on end!!!!! ( end of rant)

5. Back to food, I think I have all the accoutrement  for a glorious weekend lunch, go to make it and come to find out... that... it was used for A DELICIOUS MIDNIGHT (2 am) SNACK!!!!

6. Here is the final coup de grace- Last night, I came home from driving Becky to a sweet sixteen, My husband and Kevin were at the movies, people  were out... 

I have the entire, quiet house to myself.  

I picture an evening with my computer, wine, and slippers, ahhhh.

So, I get in my jammies, go into the kitchen to pour a glass of my favorite Merlot and?

SOMEONE, certain people had left a quarter inch of wine in the bottle! 

 Why bother? Who does that? 

Certain people.

Padel tennis , who knew?

Who knew that Padel or padel tennis is the fastest growing sport in Spain?

Not I!

It is similar to my favorite sport, platform tennis, in that we use the same paddles and we play off the walls. Other than that it is different. You serve under handed, use tennis balls, and can play doubles or singles.

The reason I now know this?

I was just approached by a company interested in the paddle covers I sell HERE

At first I thought it was a joke. The customer was so persistent that I did some research and found out that over 4 million people play Padel in Spain!

I think it was arrogant of me to think that only people in the Northeast of the United States play paddle.

Click on header for updates Nicosia :)

I've been thinking...

Living in the New York area, our community felt personal loss after 9/11.

 I could go on and on... 

But, I won't.

With Memorial day upon us, I have been thinking about the sacrifice of all whom have served and I have also given thought to those who have died innocently. The victims of 9/11 and their families suffered so much. 

Let us not forget them.

Interestingly, the famous photo above was taken by a friend and past photography professor of mine, Tom Franklin. Most people do not know this, but he has never made a penny off of that photo as the photo rights are owned by the newspaper he works for, The Bergen Record.

Holiday exodus

In the wise words of Amy Winehouse,

 " I said No, No, NO!

We're staying put.

( By the way, these are TRUE pics of the Garden State Parkway any summer weekend!)

Have a seat,

Which one?

I love the "old school" feel of the first, white Adirondack chair. I picture two of them out on our front lawn with a little table between so that we have a place for our pitcher of iced tea.

On the other hand, I can see my husband and I sitting on the bench watching the fire flies while we sip our wine.

Now the red chair with the ottoman? Two of those, the Sunday NY Times, and hot coffee...

Nap time would soon follow :)

Do you have a dream chair?

Ready for summer?

It seems weird that this weekend is Memorial Day weekend. Hasn't it always been the last weekend in May? 

Either way, I am happy that the official beginning of summer, Memorial Day, is upon us.

Here are some reasons:

1. I can wear white without feeling like a rule breaker!

2. I love Memorial Day parades,  I cry every time I watch one.

3. Only day it is patriotically acceptable to go to our firehouse at 11 am to eat hot dogs and drink beer. ( town tradition at parade's end.)

4. Wear that flag belt, shirt, flip flops, and hat without feeling silly.

5. See all the old folks in town and catch up.

6. Most importantly, to remember and appreciate those that have fought and died for our    freedom.  And, to pray for the return of those who now serve.

This bothers me...

and I see so much of it! Remember when you would do anything to make sure your bra straps didn't show?

Now girls don't even bother to match the color, let alone hide the straps!

I happen to be related to some girls that are guilty of this...

Makes me crazy.

Spring Concerts

Is there anything sweeter and more enjoyable than a  6th grade choral spring concert?

Normally, that would be a sarcastic statement coming from me.

Seriously, I have sat through some real doozies.  The year that we didn't really have a"music program" or the years when the old choir director really wasn't "there."

For the last five years we have had an amazing music program. The children are taught to read music, harmonize, and perform.

So- it was with total enjoyment that I was able to listen to the sweet sopranos, the clear altos and almost baritones ( two boys, it is 6th grade!)

Groceries and other myths

When there were seven of us living under one roof, I was always grocery shopping.

The more I bought, the more they ate.

When my sons hit their growth spurt, my grocery bill doubled. I would buy lunch meat meant to last the week and they would come home and eat it as a snack. I was buying two to three gallons of milk a week. 

So, after awhile I would shop four times a week so that the groceries would last longer.

Huh?

Makes no sense, 

right?

Intellectually I know this, emotionally I find myself plotting my grocery buying strategies as I get ready for two of the "food eaters" to move back home.

I know that spending my time and $$ on gas to shop four times a week so that it appears that the cupboards are full makes no sense. I should just do a big shop and that's the end of it...

It is truly... the myth of sisyphus.

I roll the boulder up and it rolls back down. 

A grocery shopping exercise of futility.

Woman's Lacrosse recruiting 101

Woman's College Lacrosse.  

As a mother, I have been down this road before AND am about to go down it again-

I thought I would share some tips along the way.

1. E- mail all coaches of college you are interested in or MIGHT be interested in.

   a. introduce yourself.

   b. give your lacrosse history- years played, awards, clubs, tournaments played.

   c. give academic history- grades, clubs,  psat scores ( if you have)

   d. tournaments you are playing in this summer- important- give name of club, your jersey 

       number, and position. Make it as easy as possible for coaches to find you.

   e. camps- let them know what camps you are attending or ask which camps they will be at.

This is the way to begin the process. Each week I will add more as we actually go through it too!    

Pesty situation, literally!

So, as discussed in my last post,

Ryan is coming home, from New Orleans... the south. They grow bugs big down there and couple that with the way college kids/guys keep house...

I am a bit nervous about any "extra" stowaways hidden in his luggage/stuff. 

Especially since the last time I was speaking on the phone with him I heard him say, "Wow! that was a big One!" 

( substitute an expletive for Wow and you will understand my concern.)

My only strategy, as of now, is to make him leave everything in the garage and then wash and air it all out. Any other suggestions?

Two down...

I have been inspired by MOTR whose blog celebrated the graduation AND job of her oldest daughter. 

My Ryan, (pictured with his long time, lovely girlfriend Jill,) is leaving and coming home for the last time- a graduate of Loyola University!  

We are so proud and relieved that he is FINALLY done. Hurricane Katrina didn't help and changing a major makes it an instant five year plan. But, he is done and because for now he is involved in film production- He has a project for the entire month of June. ( not sure if it is a commercial, video, or movie.)  I think he will end up being a gun for hire for awhile.

That's OK... as long as he is working!

It has begun!

This weekend starts my selling season. The set-up shown above was from the Garden State Horse Show. 

Not my normal set-up. 

Usually I have a hot pink tent and more organization. At the show they put us in one large tent and due to rain we had to be  ready to move items in deeper to the tent. I felt like everything looked mish mosh.

I will take photos tomorrow of my tent so you can see how I work...

Beach Bike

Let's just say that I had a beach house, a cool one, and that I needed a beach bike...

Which one?

The blue is pretty and that seat looks comfy.
The pink is so me.

But, I would have to say that the first one with the basket is the wheels I would choose.

It even has a bell! 

Can't you just see me coming over to YOUR beach house, ringing the bell and off we go for a bike ride? We can pickup the paper, coffee and some bagels and put them in my bike basket.

What time should I come by?

Scout bag road trip!

I am about to drive an hour each way to pick up my delivery of scout bags.

This, to save $70 in shipping. 

Hmmm, is is worth it? 

I think so, although my time is money these days. However I can rationalize that I will be able to do some phone work in the car.

What would you do, 

suck it up and pay the shipping or give up an afternoon to save a few bucks?

Favorite Flowers

This time of year is so beautiful. The lilacs are blooming, the azaleas are too... and the rhododendrons are near.

 My favorite yard flowers are wisteria, lilacs, clematis and Hydrangea. As of now I have a scraggly lilac bush. My plan is to introduce some wisteria and clematis, once we have a fence and to plant some hydrangea once we have our new front porch.

My favorite cut flowers, besides cut from my yard, see above, would be tulip...

Love them. Remember, always put a penny in the vase  and you will prevent tulip droop.
Gardenias have special meaning for me. Not only do I love the smell, but the color of the white flower with deep green leaves is so bold and beautiful to me. I used this flower for my senior prom and in my wedding flowers. Not easy as it turns brown quickly.
As for carnations, although they are not my favorite in regard to look, they are meaningful to me as they were the first flower I ever received.  My Dad use to tell me it was my Mom's favorite flower.  

They seem so 1950's to me, a bit vintage.

What are your favorites and why?