Moneyball

     I'm a sucker for a true story.  True story.  I also watched baseball for a tiny time right around the drama of this movie.  I heard it had Oscar buzz so I figured it had to be a great film.  Buzz duzz'nt come easy.  I have the urge to watch baseball so it must've been pretty good, right?  It made you cheer for the underdog and who doesn't love a good win?  Oh, and it had a little star by the name of Brad Pitt.  Need I say more?!?

Watch "Extreme Couponing"

     In between dinner and dessert I thought I would run through the guide on tv.  We don't watch much TV these days but I like to look for silly things here and there for fun.  "Extreme Couponing" caught my eye.  Think "Hoarders" but with sales flyers and organized shelves of detergent.  At first I was excited.  I mean I've been pretty proud of the return to my old shopping habits.  Supermarket circulars are perused for sale items which then inspire my week's menu.  Then I get crazy and find a few coupons to make it even juicier.  For about a month now there have been savings right around $60 per week.  I am wasting no food.  Lunches and snacks are getting packed for two children as much as possible.  Leftovers are even cleverly disguised for repeat meals if possible. 
     The two ladies that I watched were insane.  Hours were spent clipping hundreds of coupons.  Shopping trips included four and five carts.  Houses were packed with shelving units.  One mother loaded extra things in every open space in the house.  I might not be a fire marshal but putting rolls of paper products under a kid's bed just seems wrong.  One woman had an estimated $35,000 worth of food and cleaning products in her home.  She bought 70 bottles of mustard just because she had coupons.  At two bottles a year (since her husband didn't even like mustard) it would take her 35 years to use it up.  What are they thinking?  I understand saving but to spend money and hoard food just for the rush of the final number seems a bit extreme.  Maybe I'll buy a binder and start hitting the recycling bins to steal coupons...or maybe I'll just keep up the good habits I'm returning to and hope for a good sale!  I'm not sure if I was horrified or inspired by these women but I sure was entertained!

Shoot a Gun

     I have shot a dirty look.  I have shot a photograph.  I have never shot a gun.  They scare me.  Petrify me actually...I grew up in the Bronx, remember?  Now line me up with some quarters at the old timey shootin' range at the amusement park and I'm a happy girl...since I was old enough to line up my sights.  Give me a video game with some ducks and I'm not so bad.  But the real deal? Nah...scared to death on top of the fact that I don't have the need for a gun.   I am a peaceful soul who wishes hugs worked instead of any type of violence.
     Enter Suzan.  She is my buddy...a great mom...a wonderful wife...a sweet and kind person.  She suggested Ladies' Night at the range and I accepted the challenge with vigor.  I knew it would push me so far out of my comfort zone that the adrenaline would be pumping.  I was right.  I also pulled Leigh Ann along for the ride.  Ironically, the same breathing and concentration needed for her meditation was needed for this skill as well.  The instructor was correct...you can only think about one thing when you are shooting.  For three ladies whose brains never stop spinning this "violent" activity was actually quite calming. 
     The one hour of education was extremely informative.  I got to say words like "glock" and "clip" which after so many cop and action movies was kind of exciting in itself.  I learned the parts of the gun, touched bullet casings, reviewed old physics principles and heard some very interesting stories.  We were taught safety.  We were also taught that the gun isn't the danger...the person holding it is and though I knew this...it really gave me a different perspective.  Then it was off to the range.
     We loaded our bullets into the clip and popped it into the .22 before taking our stance.  Targets were loaded.  Eyes were protected.  Ears were safe.  After learning how to breathe and squeeze as well as how to compensate for my cross eye dominance...I had my first shot.  Bam...right in the middle of my target sheet!  About 17 or so shots later with a few different distances I had calmed down.  The sweating had subsided and the adrenaline returned to a somewhat normal level.  I also hit my targets quite nicely so all of those amusement parks and video games finally paid off. 
     We left with a brand new knowledge.  We left having done something out of the ordinary for so many.  We left empowered.  We didn't get to do the Charlie's Angels pose but I bet inside our heads we all had a little moment of badass! 

From Taxes to Laughter

     It's all about the balance, right?!?  So today I started and ended with a new thing.  One was not so great and the other was hysterical.
     First it was to the tax office in town to appeal the rate of taxes we have been dealing with since we moved here.  I wanted to clarify that the big, beautiful second story was only being enjoyed by countless bats and other vermin.  That I have been sleeping in an area with no door, no heat and no air.  Turns out that things were never done properly long before I moved in and we are now being penalized for various other things that were never accounted for by the previous owner.  So I took off a day of work in the hopes of saving some money only to find out that it bit me in the ass. 
     The rest of the day was spent digging through piles of mail, fixing more problems, doing homework with kids and all of the usual...but I had a little reward lined up for the end of the day.  Amy Schumer was coming to little ESU.  I watched her years ago on Last Comic Standing and loved her back then.  Now you might have heard of her since she did the Charlie Sheen roast just a bit ago.  She was free.  FREE!  She was also absolutely hysterical.  Funny.  Witty.  Dirty.  Honest.  Did I mention hysterical?!? I believe I laughed the entire hour and I don't remember the last time my cheeks hurt from laughter so it was a perfect way to end the day.  I didn't even care that we were a crew of old folks in the middle of a sea of teenagers!  Thanks CAB for booking a good one...ya still got it!

Hula at the White House

     Today we celebrated the first birthday of my little niece, Gianna.   It was a traditional luau complete with flowers,  pork and hula girls.  I was pulled into the group (thanks Theresa!) that was about to learn a traditional Hawaiian dance.  Though a little hesitant at first about the challenge it turned out to be absolutely hysterical and fun!  I threw out my nets, caught some fish and saw the sun...all with my hand gestures and hip rolls.  After the giant flip flop pinata and a sweet cake for a sweet girl we said goodbye until next time.   As usual this was no ordinary White Party and I scored a new thing as a bonus to round out a great day.  Happy 1st Birthday, Gianna!!!

Celtic Classic

     I've always been an Irish wannabe.  In high school I discovered that I could become an honorary member of the culture if I joined the Emerald Society.  I wore a green and black plaid skirt and marched proudly in the St. Patrick's Parade that year.  It was an amazing feeling.  Back then my best friend was a girl by the name of Colleen Lynch....not Irish at all.  She was from a large family and nothing made me happier than a sleep over at her house...even IF we had to make pancakes the next morning for 12 of us.  The music, culture, love of family and sense of pride made me feel at home even if I didn't have a drop of Irish in my blood. 
     Have I eaten or cooked corned beef every St. Patty's Day?  Yep.  Do I attend our local parade each year?  Sure do!  Do I have too many green shirts and sweaters?  Indeed.   All of this and I somehow managed to miss the big Celtic festival right here in Bethlehem.  Today I made up for lost time...with a Killian's Red in hand I watched some Highland Games,  listened to bagpipes play and watched girls with bouncing curls dance their way around the event.  I also watched an awesome band, Burning Bridget Cleary, not once but twice because they were just that good.  I can still hear the fiddles and can't seem to get the image of men in kilts out of my head but it was all worth it! 

New Blog for the Chaos

     I started a new blog that will inspire me to clean up my life...the physical messes, the financial burdens, the old and the new changes, saying goodbye to some big stuff and finding my new way to what is next...
     The other two blogs are working wonders so I can't wait to see what this one can do! 

Watch the Swallows in a Magical Sky

     I make it a point to stop and breathe if I am given the moment.  I take things in and let them flow over me.  It's a skill I have been developing for a few years now.  The skill needs to be developed because it is so easy to fly from one thing to the next and miss all of the little magical moments in between. 
     Tonight we headed to the track to get a walk in while the air was still warm with summer.   There was a soccer game starting in a bit so we took a detour and meandered around campus instead.  Upon our return to the track to watch a few minutes of the game we sat on a bench.  I took one of those moments to breathe and let my senses do some overtime.  I heard a noise in the sky...it was the swallows that I have noticed from time to time in that area....only this time they were doing some strange and beautiful flight patterns in the sky.  I made my five year old pause as well...from his constant chatter and goofy playfulness...to watch the birds.  The birds were simply a taste of the wonder that was about to unfold as the sun gave us a sweet goodbye.  Fluffy clouds filled up with shades of pink and orange and got more and more beautiful as the time passed.  I once again reminded my little guy to watch the sky.  This wasn't the kind of sunset you let pass you by...it was one that makes you pause...and say thank you to the universe. 

Celebrate Jenne's Birthday at Tony's

     The older we get the more we seem to need the simple pleasures of life.  Comfort.  Ease.  Little kids giggling over pasta and pizza at a place where we have eaten many a meal for many an event...though not this particular one.    Happiest of birthdays to the dearest of friends...may it be the first day of the best year she has ever had!

Icebox Cake

     I love when people find out that I haven't done or had something in my 39 years on this planet.  Today was one of those moments as JoAnn exclaimed, "You've NEVER had an icebox cake...you poor deprived girl!".  Some days my new thing just comes to me and today it was a treat made of chocolate graham crackers, peaches and chocolate pudding.  Mmmmmmm.  Layered yummy goodness. 

New Fall Shows

     There is something about the fall...gorgeous foliage, crisp air, sweet and juicy apples...oh yeah and the hope of a batch of new shows on television!  Tonight I watched all sorts of tv and made up for the summer sans mind numbing junk.  
     "Up All Night" has much promise and an awesome cast so I have big hopes for this one.  "2 Broke Girls" was better than I expected it would be and was full of witty banter so...so far so good.  I watched the first DWTS (because I give everyone one shot to embarrass themselves)  but I'm sorry to say it will still be on my "don't really need to watch this" list.  The Sing Off was checked out in between commercials and dvr goodies.  OH and I caught the first Two and A Half Men with Ashton and I have to say it was pretty darn good!  He might actually take it from a show I caught if it was on television if my Dad was around to one that I might make an effort to watch.  With this crazy schedule lately it was nice to relax with some humor!

Hike the Appalachian Trail with Leigh Ann

     When I started this little project Leigh Ann was ready for a hike...that was about nine months ago.  She has been patient.  Two months ago I got my new hiking shoes and they have been sitting there taunting me ever since.  Finally Leigh Ann, the shoes and the troops came together and hiked the loop.  We checked out Diana's Bath along with some secret little paths that led to gorgeous views and sunny rockscapes.  Now I can daydream about a book in a nook off the beaten path.  I also have a whole new terrain to explore.  We should celebrate where we are on the journey of where we are going and a great tour guide makes it even better! Thanks lady for another adventure!

Shakespeare in the (little East Stroudsburg) Park

     In yet another effort to reach all cells and dendrite connections in the brains of my children we headed to the park for a free showing of Macbeth.  (This is the same show that will be indoors with a normal ticket price in a few months...so it was a treat to see it in this fashion.)  Blankets and bundled bodies were tucked in the front "row" to watch as dedicated actors entertained us with a love for their craft.  It was a wonderful introduction to the world of Shakespeare and a nice celebration of a crisp night in a little town that made it possible. 

Five Chicks Go to the Movies

     This being the month of September means that some bestestest friends celebrate their birthdays.  This year happens to also be a challenging one for all of us for one reason or one hundred or another...so to make things simple we planned some "girls nights".  Tonight we saw the movie, "I Don't Know How She Does It".  We are talking OSCAR Winnnnneeeeerrrrrrr........lol....please sense the sarcasm.  Was it a great piece of cinematic art?  No.  Was it supposed to be?  Don't think so.  What it was for US (a group of ladies who run from thing to thing with stained shirts just like the character in the movie) was a night out.  No kids.  No pulling.  No list making.  SJP did it for us in the movie.  She was up all night making lists for the thousands of things she had to do.  The car trip to and from the theater was probably funnier than the movie but we are a fun bunch indeed.  It was much needed, much appreciated and much enjoyed!!! Can't wait for next week! Oh and ladies, I'm lucky to have all of you in my life and value your friendship more than you know!

Sour Apple Honey Stick

     It was a busy day at work...followed by a busy night of Mom stuff.  It was nice to have a new thing presented to me in such a simple way.  I was watching as MJ grew giddy from the handful of honey sticks that her daughter handed to her.  Downright giddy.  She walked toward me...and it hit us simultaneously...my new thing.  I believe there was some screeching involved.  I went with the sour apple and I'm not sure if it was the flavor or the gorgeous green that sucked me in.  I ate it rather slowly.  I took just a little at a time in between work tasks.  It was a sweet little treat on a day that truly needed some sweetness...literally and figuratively.  Thanks MJ!

Lunch Lady

     Kindergarten has been an adjustment.  Little Man is a bit uneasy about things here and there.  Bedtimes are spent consoling...mornings are spent counting down the days left in the week.  Hugs are tight and clingy between a boy and his mama.  Lunch was the biggest challenge.  So...as any good mother does...when the PTO asks for volunteers to help the K get used to the procedures... I sign up for the two days I am not working this week.  Today was the first and I have to say I kinda loved it.  I was my silly, goofy self.  I tormented five year olds about why they weren't getting the broccoli.  I asked for bites of their pizza as they put their six digit number into a keypad.  I made it seem like a huge struggle when I opened their juice.  I told a kid to eat his carrots so he would grow.  I had a blast.  I also got to throw a wink at the little cutie pie looking my way with such excitement that his Mom was the lunch lady he begged me to be a week or two ago.  He is doing much better these days.  It is all starting to come together.  He will know that whether he is in his first days of school...or struggling to find a job...or figuring out parenthood someday...that Mom is always there to support him in any way she can...and I will try to teach those lessons early.  It was a nice day for us both...and I didn't even have to wear a hairnet.  

Watch the Season 9 Premiere of Ellen

     A new season.  A new show.  The same amazing Ellen.  Always a source of inspiration and laughter. Always loved. 

Vote for Ryan

     I grew up in a house where horrible pictures were taken.  Heads were chopped.  Backgrounds were brutal.  Red eye.  Bad angles.  Every here and there you got a decent picture.  How many pictures of the dinner table did we need?  Or the tree out front? 
      It wasn't until I was older that I started to see what photographs could look like...the potential that they possessed.  I saw the art form that it was and found myself buying cool photographs because normal, real people didn't take good photos...artists did.  Well I must be pretty lucky because I know a few close people who take some damn good pics. 
     Ryan Quinn is one of those people.  He has helped me to see things with a new eye.  I follow him on tumblr where he has countless photographs that I would purchase (if only they were for sale).  Recently he entered a competition and tonight I viewed it and cast my vote.  It was the least I could do for all of the beauty and inspiration he has brought to me.

Grandpa Pete's Bagels

     On a day like today I missed my city.  I sent my thoughts to dear friends who have lost a loved one and my prayers to the families of all that were lost.  It was a day of quiet time with the family.  Cooking.  Snuggling.  Honoring.  This morning before it all began I found myself craving a bagel.  My little taste of NY.  A little comfort food on a day that leaves one feeling empty.  
    

Cat's Incredible Hot Dogs

     A sunny Saturday morning...a little high school football (Go Liam!)...and a long ride home brought us to a tiny hot dog joint big on character.  They have a million topping combinations and a decor that makes even a plain hot dog seem like fun. 

The Adjustment Bureau

     I've been thinking about the idea for a movie for years.  It would be about these people who were in charge of helping us live the life we were supposed to live.  We would be guided along and protected.  The reason there was a traffic jam or the key didn't fit in the lock right or other countless things...all to help us live out a plan.  Then, some time ago,  I sat in a theater and saw the coming attractions for a movie coming out and feared that someone else had the same idea.  Tonight I watched it.  It's safe to say that I won't get rich writing a story that has already been written....but then again the message I received tonight watching it all of these months later might just have been part of "the plan". 
 
     "Most people live life on the path we set for them too afraid to explore any other but once and a while people like you come along and knock down all of the obstacles we put in your way.  People who realize free will is a gift you'll never know how to use until you fight for it...I think that's the chairman's real plan and maybe one day we won't write the plan...you will. "

Today was a day of grand synchronicity...I said it just this morning and I'll say it again tonight. 

39

     Before you dispute the fact that I did something new today by simply being a year older...let me explain.  I had my first birthday at MudWorks.  JoAnn spoiled me with symbolic and lovely new earrings and a beautiful card...but the talk that we had just prior was a gift in itself.  I went on to have a delicious cupcake and blew out the first ever human candles...Leigh Ann and JoAnn held lighters which I then blew out.  I drove home and realized that it was the first year since sometime in my teens when I didn't have to buy a bouquet of flowers to thank my Mom for giving me a birthday.  My little ones picked out gifts on their own.  It was the first year my birthday card was just from my Dad to his Cookie.  Was it the first time I had a Carvel cake with my friends and family?  No.  BUT, it was the first year we had the larger cake (ya know, the one that is supposed to serve 20 but served 8.5) and had "crusties" instead of crunchies.  It was also new to find a wall full of beloved pictures where only empty frames used to hang thanks to John.
     It was a day that I felt the most special I have felt in a very long time if not ever...the texts, calls, messages and Facebook posts were truly amazing.  I teared up several times today reading them and realizing what a lucky girl I really am.  So it was a mix of tried and true tradition and some brand new and it was all possible because of a brand new number!

Substitute Paperwork...again

     So it isn't a completely new thing but it has been like...oh, I don't know...maybe 16 years or so since I did it the first time.  Plus now I'm an adult with two children.  I've dreamed of being a teacher since the days of my youth with a chalkboard and an imaginary class.  I made phonics flash cards and read stories...to a basement of nothing.  As soon as I could I began to tutor small children.  As I went into higher grades I was given more challenging roles and greater responsibility.  The choice of a major was a simple one.  I was never lost...I was always a teacher.  All positions and jobs and roles since have been all over the map but I slipped my teaching ways in any way that I could.  Once I had children I imagined summers off with them.  Holidays spent with traditions not guilt because of a workload that prevented my parenting.  I wanted to be with them...cooking dinner while they did their homework around the kitchen table.  I subbed for two years right after school.  I was a great sub.  Requested by teachers in the summer before school even started.  But I moved.  At the time it seemed like a thing that I needed to do.  I dabbled in preschool a few years back and learned a new side to education.  I now have to say I love the little ones as much as the primary grades.  I have volunteered for many an event for my first child and am about to start the service hours for the second one as well.  I have to say that walking the hallways, seeing the children, hearing the sounds and smelling the scents of school...is well...where I have always felt the most at home.  My dream is to have my own school some day.  I have spent many an hour planning the syllabus and decorating the rooms.  I have also taught my own babies.  They are bright and thoughtful and funny.  They are truly good kids.  An education isn't wasted a single moment when you see the outcome that I have with my very own "students".  But my education needs to be put to good use again.  With both of them finally in school it is time to shine my apple, file some paperwork and get back to the place that I love more than anything.  Today I took the first step and walked into the Human Resources Dept and picked up the pile of papers that will get the ball rolling. 

Pesto

     We pick up our farm shares every Tuesday.  I get basil.  I say, "Hey, I should really make pesto!".  I don't.  We use the basil...sometimes.  BUT tonight I made pesto.  Have I assisted in making pesto with my Mom for as long as I remember her growing basil and making us eat pesto like every week for months....YES.  But this time I did it from my own free will. 

Dining at the Movies

     I purchased my tickets for the cheap early show and found out the deal to include lunch was awesome as well.  So while we watched a rainy day kids movie we dined in our seats.  Pretty cool. 

Carsick from Centipede

     On a long car ride home I discovered my need for something new and went with a classic game on the PSP.  It lasted about three minutes before I felt ill...but it was new nonetheless. 

Hot Shot

     In a panic at this late hour in the day I thought I'd try to figure out my new thing while perusing a little Facebook.  Mr. Stratakos gave me a great one...a game that would completely free my mind of all real thought...even if only for a little while.  Thanks!

P'que Domini-Rican Cuisine

     Bowl of soup, salad, yellow rice and beans and shredded beef ...lunch special $6.  Yep, I said $6.  The family that runs it puts love into every dish.  Did I get a take-out menu?  You betcha!!!

Fried Elephant Ears with Cinnamon & Sugar

     I moved from the Bronx to a quaint little town in Pennsylvania back in 1990.  Culture shock is an understatement.  For each thing that I missed about city life there was something I was grateful for in the country.  And somewhere between the two, oddly enough, there was the derby.  While living in the city my folks and I discovered the Westchester County Fair and one of the featured events was the demolition derby.  This quiet and shy little girl was hooked instantly at the concept of screaming for people to smash cars up on purpose. 
    We attended the first West End Fair and derby the very summer that we moved here.  Looking back I wish I had a photograph of our group for each year.  It was a who's who of the people in our lives in that given year.  Friends and family joined us on those special nights.  The crowd has grown and dwindled and was always changing.  My Mom would order the tickets in advance...always getting several extra for the person that might be around to join us.  Several years back her body no longer allowed her to climb the bleachers and she stayed back at home.  I would bring her the turkey bbq we lived for in a plastic container.  Then babies came.  My children have grown up with this same annual tradition.  Through the years the need for the girl to scream at the cars smashing into one another has only grown.  Last night it was probably needed the most.  The derby did not disappoint.  I am off on a tangent aren't I?  Guess I needed to tie in the beloved derby somehow.  Ok, ok....so I had my turkey bbq.  I grabbed the 3 for $7 popcorn that I nervously dig into the whole time I watch.  I had my traditions.  I needed something new before the derby began.  21 years folks...it's not that easy...the fair is not that big. 
     Elephant Ears were my Mom's thing.  I didn't understand why she needed to eat fried dough with cinnamon...but then again I also weighed quite a bit less back then.  Yesterday as I thought about my new thing she whispered it to me.  This vendor specializes in just that one item.  They have different toppings...one was "puddin' toppin'".  I went with the tried and true cinnamon and sugar but had them throw some apple topping on one half.  It was utterly delicious.  It was a great dessert and a little shout out to my Mama all in one gulp.