What you do on a snowy Sunday afternoon if you are bored...

Back to reality...

We're home... back from Jamaica.
I can say in all honesty it was BETTER than I had even hoped- an absolutely perfect vacation.
The pictures tell the story...it's better in Jamaica!

the swim up bar... yummy strawberry daquiries & rum punch

Jeff giving the vacation a thumbs up

me relaxing by the pool

Jeff's foot & the hotel

kissing my sweetie poolside

5 Star hotel...$$$$
Rum you bring home ... $22.00
Tips ... $20
Vacations alone with your sweetie.... PRICELESS!

leaving on a jet plane

Tomorrow hubby and I leave for Jamaica for 5 days/4 nights. I am beyond excited...

It's been about a year and a half since the last time we had any *real* time alone. We went to a very nice bed & breakfast in Hershey,PA, stayed 2 nights and went to see Billy Joel in concert *awesome concert by the way*

So this time we decided to go longer *sans kids* and somewhere warm & "all inclusive".  Now for me it's great because I can drink as much & whatever I want and not have to worry about the tab, Jeff how ever will not really take advantage of it because he doesn't drink. If they have coke then he's "good".

We went to Jamaica about four years ago and really enjoyed it- I think the fact that everyone spoke English factored into our enjoyment of our trip but I know high on Jeff's lists of favorite things was the high tea every afternoon around 3:30-4:00 PM. No matter what we were doing we had to drop everything and go to tea. They served these little fruit tarts and pastries that he simply went nuts over. I can only hope that this hotel we are going to does the same or else I am in *deep* doo doo...

The first 15 years we were married we never went anywhere alone like this- our kids were young and we lived about 5-6 hrs. away from the closest family. We took the kids on a couple of trips to the Dominican Republic but this year we decided we wanted/needed alone time. Plus we both turned 50 this year and celebrated our 25th anniversary.

Twenty five years... wow... when you add on the number of years we dated then it is 33... that's a lifetime...unfortunately I don't look the same as I did all those years ago, but I like to think that Jeff loves me more than for just my bod...

So ta ta for now...see ya next week... I'll think of you... ok no I won't- I'll be soaking up sunshine with a drink in hand....

yeah mon.. no problem ;)

baby boy

Today my "baby" (all 6'1 of him) turns 16... a momentus age- a learners permit is in his near future...
I looked at the clock a few minutes ago and saw that exactly 16 yrs ago I was in the hospital -sedated due to my c-section and very happy that he had finally arrived.

JJ was by far, my easiest pregnancy- I was sicker than a dog the first 3-4 months with my girls and I looked like shit most of the time... but with JJ I felt great- wasn't sick, my skin, hair & nails looked awesome and I glowed... Another factor that made him easier.. with the girls I put on 36 & 35 lbs respectively.. with JJ only 12.5 lbs. From the back you couldn't tell I was pregnant- it looked like I had a basketball under my shirt I was all rounded belly.

I had gestational diabetes with all three of my kids and my doctors scared the shit out of me told me that unless I wanted to have to do injections every day that I had to follow a very strict food plan to control my glycemic index... I guess by baby #3 they must've really layed it on thick because I did not deviate from my ok'd foods... it was to the point that raisin bran tasted sweet to me by 9 months...

I remember being about 8 mos. pregnant and having to take the girls in for a check up and my pediatrian (who was origionally from Romania and had an accent that sounded like a nazi) asked me how much weight I had gained... I thought she was going to have a coronary when I told her at that point about 9 lbs.... she started getting really agitated and the more agitated she got the heavier her accent got to the point where I have to say she got down right scarey.... she kept saying how I was starving the baby and she liked fat babies etc..... Finally I was like Dr. C- I am taking in 2000-2500 calories a day... just not "bad" foods...

She still was not happy about it, but I guess I redeemed myself when he came out all 9 lbs. 5 oz. of chubby baby...

JJ learned to adapt to a household that up until that point had been dominated by females.. 2 sisters, a mom, and both a female cat & dog. Jeff was so happy to be able to buy something other than barbies or something a shade of  pepto bismal pink. I think the fact that he did grow up surrounded by women is one of the reasons why JJ gets along with girls so well... that and the fact that he is a cutie!

                                                                     with his big sis Stefanie

J was a good baby, easy actually, but that also could've been due to the fact that I had already done this twice and did not worry every time something happened...he was my buddy when the girls went off to school and we would bake cookies, go to the park and watch movies (I think we both knew the entire dialog of Jurassic Park). It just about broke my heart when he finally began 1st grade- I remember driving him to school and him *trying to not cry* say "but Mommy, who will make cookies with you?"

with his sister Stefanie

Jeff & I have watched our son grow up to be a handsome, intelligent, caring young man. He has a strong faith,  excels at academics/athletics and is an awesome football player. And while I get frustrated that he doesn't share as much with me as the girls did, I can only hope that he understands that I nag him out of love.
So Happy 16th Birthday my baby boy... Mommy loves you XOXO

             

*thank God for good Samaritans!*

Yesterday I stopped @ our local A.C. Moore to pick up something to make a Christmas gift. (can't say what 'cuz I have family who read my blog) So I am getting a kind of warm fuzzy feeling inside thinking about how much this gift is going to be appreciated as I headed out to my car *in the rain I might add* The skies were gray, but I was feeling kinda sunshine & roses :)
That is until I got into my car.... and it wouldn't start....

Now I generally LOVE my car, it's a Jeep Laredo and it has NEVER given me a moment of trouble. That is until yesterday.

Now I looked @ the time and it was 3:30- I knew my daughter had to be @ work by 4:00 so I called her quick... and asked her to come help me jump start the car. She was like "but I have to be @ work in a half hour" to which I said... call work & tell them I am sitting in this parking lot with a dead car- I guarantee you they will not get mad....*which they weren't* So there we were... me & Jenny (who is 21) in the rain... trying to jump start my car.... which I have only ever done alone once before my whole life...

I guess I should paint the scene for you... a steady drizzle... the hood of my car would NOT stay up- it does not have one of those bar things it just stays up on it's own, but since I was on a slight grade it kept dropping shut... so I am standing there trying to hold up the hood while at the same time hold the live ends of the jumper cables apart...meanwhile Jenny is standing there watching...*looking cute but just watching*
Did I mention that I accidentally let the black and red touch for a millisecond before dropping them to the ground? They aren't kidding... DO NOT let them touch.....sparks & everything...

Jen: *after seeing the sparks and watching me drop the cables* "Mom be careful"
Me: "Will you just hold up the damned hood for me before I kill myself"?
Jen: "But I thought you wanted me to open up my hood?"
Me: "oh yeah.. do that"
So she tries... & she can't get her hood up... *are ya kidding me?.. God must have a wicked sense of humor*
It was at this point that an older gentleman and his wife stopped and asked if we needed help- I told them I didn't know yet... with that his wife nudged him and he got out of the car and kind of took over... *thank God for good Samaritans!*
Well he couldn't get Jenny's hood up either... so he had Jenny move her car and he pulled his in to try and jump it.
Good Samaritan: "are you sure it's the battery?"
Me: "uh no...I have no idea what's wrong with it"
Good Samaritan: *to Jenny* "you might want to move back"
Jenny- eyes HUGE now...moving away...
Good Samaritan:"Just try it again before I try to jump it."
Me- " ok"... *nothing happens*
Good Samaritan: "it must be your starter"

So with that I thanked  them and they left... Jenny drove me home and I had to call for a tow.
Now I haven't had to have a car towed in over 20 years, holy shit... $65 just to show up and then a dollar a mile after that. I had them tow it to the car place across the street, *too badd I didn't have JJ with me- we could've pushed it and saved the $68*
So I get hold of the towing company and they tell me they can be there in a half hour. So I have to drive back there to give them keys... I had to do something that I am sure drove my hubby crazy. I had to drive his porsche back to the scene of the crime parking lot. So I call hubby...
Me:" Uh hon, I have to drive the porsche over to the Giant because my car is dead."
Him: *silence*     "why can't Jenny drive you?"
Me:" because she had to go to work"
Him: *sigh* "well ok -but BE CAREFUL" *side note, this car is kept in the garage, covered and used only on *nice* days*
So with that I go out to the garage take off the cover etc from the car and try to start *Roxy* (his name for the car)...
It won't start....
are you f*cking kidding me?
I look up and say "is this some kind of test?"
Then try again and Roxy starts *Thanks God*
So I get to the parking lot and the tow guy starts trying to get my car out of the parking space...I was standing there watching & asking do you need help? And with that out of no where two gentlemen come over to help.
They were very nice and really were a help. So the one man says "I guess you get to ride in this fancy tow truck", to which I explain about having to drive Roxy and how she's kept under a cover etc. and since it was an emergency I was allowed to drive it.
Both men look at each other and say "does your husband know it's raining?"

*Pause* Is this a guy thing? I mean... who the hell cares if it was raining? My damned car was dead.
So end result- it WAS my battery and it is being fixed today and should be ready by the time I am done with work.
By the time I got home I was beat...so I made a drink.. took a hot tub and vegged out in front of the t.v. till I fell asleep.

So when it's all said and done I will probably be about $200 poorer but I guess the real reason I began this blog is that the thing that stuck with me and that even now puts a smile on my face is this...

Now a days in our society people are so busy, and it often seems like it is every man for themselves- ... I had 3 people stop and ask me if I needed help... not just one.. but 3... kinda restores your faith  that people are inherently nice. :)

Hey... I'm getting that sunshine & roses fuzzy feeling again... *smile*

being thankful

As Thanksgiving is upon us (like tomorrow) I decided to reflect on what I am thankful for...

Top of my list of course my family & friends. I am very thankful that I have everyone home this Thanksgiving.

I am thankful for God - I am also thankful that he does not always answer my prayers in the way I think they should be answered.

I am thankful for my husband Jeff, he is my rock, my partner, my everything. I cannot imagine my life without him in it.

I am thankful for each of my children. Jenny, Stefanie & J.J. bring me such joy even while they sometimes drive me crazy. They are all growing up to be unique interesting individuals who I am very proud of.

I am thankful for my health and the health of my family- We all take our health for granted because there are many people who are living with debilitating diseases for whom seeing another Thanksgiving is truly a miracle.

I am thankful for my home, because there are many who do not have homes or who are losing their homes due to the economy.

I am thankful to have a job- not that I love my job, but I am happy I have a paycheck coming in...

I am thankful for my pets- my two dogs give me such joy- I take them for granted too- Buffy is a gentle soul and even though Cali can be a handful and is still in her "puppy stage" chewing things up & having the occasional "accident".

I am thankful that our family is economically "ok" we're not rich, but we have enough.

Some other stuff which are favorites and I am thankful for:

• flowers- there is something nice about having fresh flowers in your home
  
• chocolate -  needs no explanation.
• summer = NO SCHOOL!
  
• my swimming pool- my favorite place to hang out during the summer
  
• when my kids just hug me for no reason
  
• my orthopedic pillow
• massages
  
• Christmas morning
• facebook and the games I play there
  
• microwaves
  
• for parents who told me “NO” sometimes
• blogging 
• sunglasses
• coming home right after my cleaning lady cleaned and my house looks and smells good
• wine
• a good book
• Starbucks white chocolate lattes
• ice cream
• pedicures
• my cell phone and the ability to text with it - my life is so much easier with it
• when I can sleep all night without waking up - not a frequent phenomenon
• remote controls
• hearing my husband and kids tell me they love me
• snow days
• going to the movies
• that sound you hear when you open a Snapple bottle
• my laptop- even though my employer actually owns it-
  

Christmas on crack

 

This house  is not the guy up the street from me but it might as well be...

The guy three doors up from me has begun putting out his Christmas display. Now really "display" in reference to his yard is somewhat of an understatement I guess I should say extravaganza.

This guy has so many Christmas decorations in his yard and on his house that it looks like the North Pole on crack. His decorations can no longer be contained to just his front yard, but also his side and back yard as well. (Thank God I don't live next door to him)

The light his decorations put off is bright enough to look like a small town, really... It's like when he flips the switch to turn everything on- the rest of the neighborhoods lights probably flicker in and out....due to the power surge.

So honestly, what is with these people who go so over the top? I don't get it... I decorate every year, but my house looks sad modest by comparison... does this guy believe in the whole bigger is better mentality?

This house  is also not  up the street from me but it might as well be...

My daughter said she one overheard one of his kids say that their dads display extravaganza mortified embarrassed them. Duhhhhhhhh......

Don't get me wrong... I LOVE Christmas... love decorating my home both inside & out, but I guess just not to this extreme. So how much money does one of these extravaganza's (I just love that word don't you?) cost??? Enough to probably feed a third world country for a week at least.... When you figure out the cost of each decoration (and those things aren't cheap) then the wiring necessary, the electricity... holy cow your racking up big bucks!

I was driving by their house a couple of weeks ago and he happened to have his garage doors up and his Christmas stuff took up half of a two car garage.... he was walking around with a clip board- (maybe he was itemizing his stuff)... I'll give the guy credit, he does spend an inordinate a lot of time and effort on his display extravaganza. Each night I know I will see him outside...adding to...checking his decorations. He usually has it finished by the beginning of December.

So what is it that drives someone to go so over the top to such lengths? What was is lacking in their lives that they have to make this kind of statement?

This house  is not the guy up the street from me but it might as well be... 

 

Do these people really love Christmas that much or is it a challenge to see just how god awful  nice they can make their home look each year? Do they want to spread the joy of the holiday season or just show everyone else up? Are these guys (and it is usually a guy) like those guys who buy a corvette cuz they have small dicks are lacking and feel the need to compensate? I just don't get it...

This house  is not the guy up the street from me but it might as well be...

I am feeling the pressure...*sigh*

 

I am afraid my home extravaganza display is going to be inadequate yet again this year...

*Foot note* These pics were found when I googled "tacky Christmas lights" ( I feel somewhat vindicated by the term "tacky" :)