Love the FAIR!

We had the pleasure of visiting our local fair this past weekend.  It is something that we put on our "Fall list" every year and each year it gets better and better.  We love to learn from local farmers, we indulge in their produce and crop,  and we participate in the "hands on" exhibits.  My least favorite part of the fair is the rides. UGHHH!  However, the kids love em.  I must admit that my favorite part of the fair is the FOOD!  Oh the glorious food!  It is the one time of year that we indulge or should I say over indulge?  Over indulge is more like it!  We taste, share and sample foods that never make it to our dinner tables.  We seek out the most over-the-top foods and give them a taste.  This year on the "I tried list" was the fried Milky Way and the fried "Funny Bone".  It is not healthy for you at all but when you are at the fair you have to indulge.  I must say that the fried Milky Way was our favorite.

 Fried funny bone

 Proudly strutting those feathers

 next year, I may or may not try the Reeses ;)

 love the sculpture-"It's all about the food"

local students decorate pumpkins in honor of THE MUPPETS!

Until next year, we will wait and wonder what they will think of next..........

FALL is in air

Autumn is among us these days. The air is getting crisper, the days are getting shorter and the color is just starting to change amongst the tree tops.

Pumpkins adorn the steps along with mums and cornstalks.

Cider is sipped more frequently to warm one self. 

Apples have been picked and cider donuts have been eaten. 

Oh, how I love this season.........

I'm back.........................

 I wish I could write today and tell you that I have been on a long vacation to some tropical paradise or to a remote village in some far away land but the truth is I have been here (or not here in this blog space).  Summer came and captured me and the kids up.  It didn't seem like summers past, where we would soak our toes in the beach water, hang around at play grounds, or just sit quietly and enjoy thumbing through a book in the summer sun.  It seemed busy this year, busier than our usual pace.  However, the only thing we seemed to do a lot of this summer was lick too many ice cream cones.  Oh, how those homemade ice cream stands draw you in.  I couldn't resist the temptations this summer and I think I sampled more flavors than I needed to.  Now that summer has past and autumn has arrived, I feel like the pace has slowed a bit.  I decided to start journal-ing again in my little space. Here are some random pictures from our summer adventures.

4th of July 

Beach Cake~family re-union Cape Cod Massachusetts

Sand sculptures Cape Cod

Visit to Fenway Park 

RC Airshow~loved the NY PD helicopter
these are big boys toys! Great show

With my favorite season upon us, I hope to blog more frequently adding pictures of the foliage, cider sipping and apple picking :)

Casino birthday party

One of my good friends hubby turned 50 a couple weeks ago and she had asked for me to assist her with the planning.  She came up with the theme of a "casino party" and then the creativeness started flowing.  

table center pieces with personalized poker chips, cards, pretend money, dice, $ confetti and large playing cards adorned the tables

white chocolate playing cards shipped in from NY (her idea not mine :)

dessert table 

Incredible multi-layered fondant cake

made by a local baker but we added all of the top accessories

Roulette wheel & Card tables brought in for "pretend play"

lots of details

her hubby was totally surprised!  It was such a fun night and really fun to brainstorm ideas for this party. She incorporated a photo booth with lots of vegas-like bling for dress-up.  I wish I got a photo of her backdrop.  She found this wall covering at the party store and it had slot machines all over it.  We hung it on the wall and it covered from ceiling to floor.  It made an awesome backdrop for her photo booth area.

Happy to have celebrated her hubby's 50th with them. A fun party!

Forty shmorty!

This weekend we celebrated another 40th birthday in our house but this time it was MINE!

I woke up that morning feeling like the dreaded number had arrived.  

Being 40 has made me reflect on the all of the things that I have accomplished thus far and it has also given me time the desire to create a "bucket list" to achieve the things that I haven't gotten to yet.  

I asked to not have a party but rather celebrate quietly with my family.  

 I opted to go into Boston for the day and sight see.  We got to hit all of my favorite stops.

swan boats @ Frog Pond

Boston Common Gates

Dinner @ Antico Forno North End

AMAZING!

of course, I had to get a birthday cannoli@ Mike's Pastry (it is totally worth the 45 min wait) 

Florentine cannoli-my favorite!


All is all, it was a great day with my family~the weather was nice, the food was excellent and I got to be happy on my special day!

Mother's Day

Mothers Day is more than flowers, cards and sweet treats (don't get me wrong, I don't complain when I get all of the above). For me though, it is about honor.  Honoring my mom and other moms who give so much of themselves everyday. It is a day to reflect on all of the goodness that makes us a mom. As mothers, our jobs never end.  We nurture, love (unconditionally), and are selfless.  It is a day to STOP, reflect and appreciate all that sometimes goes unnoticed.  Everyday is truly MOTHER'S DAY!  We as mothers, are given love, respect, kindness, gratitude and priceless memories each day of our lives.  It is taking the moments to stop and notice.  I cannot say that every day is an "ice cream sundae with a cherry on top" but I do believe we as mother's thrive every day from our children's love and the ever changing journey of motherhood.  I feel ever so blessed today that I am a mom!  I feel blessed to have my own mother still here with me to love and nurture me in ways that only a mother can do. My wish is that all mothers feel blessed TODAY! 

New beginnings.............................

A couple of weeks ago, I left my job (that I had for 16 years) to begin a new adventure.

Making the decision to leave was hard.

I knew it had to be done since my commute was 70 miles (each way).  

With gas prices soaring and no end in site, it was time.

It was hard to let go of the "work family" the people that I have worked side-by-side with for so many years.  In some sense, I grew up there.

They were they people who encouraged, believed in me and taught me to grow.

It was hard turning off the light to my office and leaving behind 

those memories.

It never felt like a job to me, it was what I loved. 

So despite, the long commute even longer in Winter months, I never complained.

So here I am, several weeks later, in a new job-with new people.

I am making new friendships and learning new things.

It is GROWTH!

I still miss my clients and co-workers and "my identity". 

My job, was who I was.

I am learning to find myself.

I am re-discovering who I am in this new career.

I am navigating my way through new friendships.

I am beginning this new chapter in my life.

I am growing!

Happy 40th hubby

Today my hubby turns 40!

He is taking it with such stride.

I am right behind him on the soon to be forty train and I am not handling it as well as him.

His birthday wishes were to go to his favorite Italian restaurant.

He requested no fancy parties nor did he wish to take a weekend getaway.

So, this evening we will celebrate his turning 40 with our children (along with his parents) at his favorite restaurant.

He has requested a yellow cake with a Hershey bar melted on top (my grandmothers recipe).

In the meantime, I have put together a list of the Top 40 reasons why I love him (see below)

 

40 TOP REASONS WHY I LOVE YOU

Your caring

Honest

Can fix anything

Calm

I feel safe in your arms

You laugh at my jokes (all these years laterJ)

Love Italian cooking

Wonderful dad

Still give me butterflies (wink)

Patient

You cried when are children were born

Loved me even during my post-partum days

You wore muscle pants in the 80’s and looked “hot” in them

You love dessert

You love car rides

Glad that you didn’t ask me on a date in high school (it wouldn’t have worked)

Love that we share the same breaker name “tweetie bird”

Your love for WDW

You do laundry (without me asking for help)

You didn’t run after you met my relatives

You wanted a house full of kids

Family means something special to you

I laugh that we dated siblings, at the same time, before we met

Hardworking

Your not a world traveler

Your no longer drive that blue truck from the 90’s

Gentle nature

Making memories with me listening to Van Halen in your room when dating

You once owned a moped

Watching you love your children

You chose to share this life/marriage with me

you make me happy

that sweet email you sent me on my birthday two years ago

your love for atv/dirtbikes

you brought me to a Red Sox game

you take our daughters to the mall

you leave dirty clothes on the floor which gives me something to complain about

you are faithful

you are my best friend

YOU are not phased in the least to be turning FORTY!

Happy Birthday!

Catching up

I meant to blog sooner............

Here is a wrap-up of my Easter preparations.

Lots of egg coloring

Monster egg kit

the kids really enjoyed adding the extra details

Rainbow cake for the kids

Centerpiece for table

Plenty of candy filled eggs for the "Easter Bunny" to hide for the kiddos

Hope you and your family had a blessed holiday.  

Easter preparations underway

This is such a great time of year

with the impending Spring arrival

the daisy's peering through the mulch

The beautiful pallet of soft colors

and the resurrection of my SAVIOR

************

As the weekend approaches in celebration 

I have been baking and creating fun little treats

to share with family and friends

Little "birds nests"

Marshmallow birds on a stick dipped in white chocolate

Cake bunnies on a stick

Pastel candies by the sleeve

********

the kitchen has smelled fantastic this weekend

and my kiddos have been my best taste testers

we still have lots on the menu for the week

so I will continue to add

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR DAY!