The Way I See Things

Thoughts on Thursday: 13 Things I Miss about Being A Kid in the Summer

13 THINGS I MISS ABOUT BEING A KID IN THE SUMMER

 

1.  Running through the sprinklers on a hot day.

2.  Knowing that when that last school bell rang in June I had TWO MONTHS of vacation

3.  Hanging out with my friends every single day for hours and hours.

4.  Spending my pocket money on candy.
 

5.  Getting a nice tan just by being outside all the time (no effort required!)

6.  Eating ice cream without thinking about my waistline!

7.  Going to the beach with the girls to "NOT LOOK" at the guys!

8.  Eating my dad's home-made salads. He'd grill burgers and then make the most amazing potato salad and cole slaw from scratch!

9.  Spending weeks at a time in the "country" (aka Syracuse, NY) with my Aunt and cousins. It was the perfect getaway for a city girl like me =)

10.  Playing hopscotch and swinging on swings.

11.  Not wearing shoes. I loved being barefoot and didn't care about the blisters I always seemed to get on the bottoms of my feet.

12.  Going to camp (I went a couple of times to a week-long day camp with my cousin and one month to sleep-away camp with my friend Randi). It was a great experience!

13.  Having all the time in the world to do whatever I wanted. Sometimes that meant sleeping late and doing nothing at all. Ah, to be a kid again!

What are your favorite childhood memories from summertime?

 

Is there a SPORT out there for ME?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Is there a sport out there for me?

 

 

To be honest, I have always been a little jealous of my more athletic friends.  Ever since I was a little kid I was never very good at sports.  I couldn’t do a single push up or chin up in gym class .  By Junior High School (aka middle school these days), I realized that gym class was going to be the death of me so I signed up for the Science Lab instead (which got me out of gym 90% of the time!)

 

 

 

My first attempt at skiing was also my last.  I couldn’t stop and once I was down I was like that sad commercial – I’d fallen and I couldn’t get up.  What made matters worse (in regards to skiing) is that my parents were both skiers, they met on the ski slopes, and my dad was a former instructor.

 

My parents tried to encourage me to join a team sport.  I had no strength whatsoever so baseball/softball wasn’t going to be my sport.  Also, it didn’t help that I was afraid of catching the ball . . . with my face. 

 

 

I didn’t have a “killer instinct” to protect the ball so basketball wasn’t going to be my sport either.  Plus there are just too many rules.  (Personally I LOVE to travel and don’t see why it’s a foul!)  Ironically it is THE FAVORITE sport played by both of my kids and husband and whenever Mom plays there is a whole set of "special rules" just for me.

 

 

As for speed, let’s just say that I wasn’t going to join a track team or any other team sport that required me to move very quickly.  In high school I remember taking a volleyball class and injuring my wrist on the first day.  So I kept looking.   Handball was about the only sport that I managed to play before I graduated high school.  I wasn't very good at it but I played once in a while when I was "hangin' out" with my friends and someone desperately needed a doubles partner! 

 

In college I signed up for tennis which I really enjoyed at first.  In fact, I thought TENNIS was going to become “my sport.”  I learned how to hold the racquet, had a decent swing, and a pretty good serve too.  I passed Beginning tennis with ease and immediately signed up for Intermediate Tennis.  This was the mistake!  Turns out they (the instructors) wanted me to actually move around the court with a sense of urgency (as in “Dawn, you need to go after the ball – don’t wait for it to come to you!).  Unlike beginning tennis where everyone was just learning the mechanics of the game, intermediate tennis was actually, well, tennis!  I’d like to blame my bad knees for killing my tennis dreams but the truth is I just didn’t like to “hustle” for anything, except perhaps a one-hour sample sale in NYC. 

 

 

Still, I had hoped that someday I’d find a sport that worked for me.  One day last spring it came to me.   GOLF!  It seemed like a perfect fit.  No running required.  No uniforms to look fat or uncomfortable in.  Everyone described it as “relaxing” and “laid back.”  A sport that would let me play at my own pace?  Hmm.  When I saw the ad for Women’s Golf Lessons being offered at a local driving range I thought it was a sign.  It was a sign alright – I just think I might have misinterpreted it.

 

 

I registered for a 4 week group lesson and was pretty excited about it.  I bought a couple of new clubs and headed to the driving range for my group lessons. All the other women seemed equally excited.  They were all married (like me) and had husbands that played the game (NOT like me).  I approached the class with confidence. I mean it’s just a little ball that I take a swing at, right?  I’m the “Queen” of mini golf. Why hadn’t I thought of this sooner! 

 

 

 

After the first lesson I walked away totally dejected.  I sucked at GOLF!  I’d like to blame it on the fact that I’m left handed but my brother is a lefty too and he’s a pretty good golfer – Damn him! 

 

 

By week two I had shaken off the bad vibes from the first lesson and had a fresh attitude.  It was too sunny the first week.  This day was over-cast so I would probably “see” the ball better.  I did actually hit the ball well  . . . TWICE.  Of course hitting it well only two times out of sixty isn’t great but they were my last two shots.  Perhaps I was finally getting this sport.  I even returned to the driving range for a second time that week – alone – just to practice.  I bought a bucket of ball and thought I’d practice what I’d learned.  Let’s just say that things didn’t go too well and I was glad that I was the only one there at the time.  It was a little breezy that day and my hair kept blowing in my eyes so I figured THAT was the reason I didn’t hit the ball too well.

 

 

Week three arrived and I was pumped up!  I bought myself a cute little golf visor (to correct the hair issue) and a glove (I have no clue what the heck the glove was for but it matched the hat so I bought it!)  Sadly my success rate did not drastically increase during this lesson.  I made decent contact with the ball more often than not but with absolutely no consistency.  There were 8 women in my group and it seemed to me that 7 of them had a bright future in golf.  Sadly I was not going to be one of them.

 

 

On the day of our final lesson, the instructors started telling the group about the intermediate lessons that were now available to them – off the driving range and onto the golf course itself.  If I had any doubt of my golf abilities, things became crystal clear when one of my instructors, Tom, gently pulled me aside and suggested that I might be better off with “private lessons” (instead of the group ones) and should consider starting over.  So I failed Golf 101!  I was not graduating onto the next level.  Nope!  Not me!  I apparently need a golf tutor!

 

 

So the next time you see me with a golf club in my hand it will probably be a putter at the mini-golf course nearby.  When it comes to putting, I’m still a superstar!  As for me and my future in golf, I’d never say NEVER, but it is pretty clear to me that I lack the natural talent for golf, and I’m not sure I’ll ever have the patience to take lessons (of any kind) again! 

 

 

Oh well, at least I know how to fish!  Is that a sport?

 

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This post was inspired by the Writer's Worshop over at Mama's Losin' It!  The prompt asked “How long until you realized you had no talent or patience for this? Tell the story of trying to learn a new talent or hobby that you only pursued briefly.” Thanks for the idea!  To check out more prompts, visit her site.

 

 

The TV Graveyard: Weeknight Programming After Midnight

I'm a girl who loves to sleep.  If I don't get at least 7-9 hours a night I'm pretty crabby the next day.  That being said, it should come as no surprise that I'm asleep well before midnight during the work/school week.  Last night I was helping some friends out and volunteered to watch their two young kids (so they could go to a concert in NYC) KNOWING it would be a late night. 

Not thinking about caffeine,  I drank plenty of Diet Coke throughout the night so catching a nap before they returned at 2AM was no longer an option.  I'm not a huge television watcher and spent most of my night  texting friends, reading and surfing the net.  However by midnight my eyes were feeling a little strained from staring at small screens (iphone and laptop) and I decided to turn my attention to the nice 60" screen at my disposal. 

Of course being someone who is NEVER up at this hour I had no idea what was even on.  I knew there were some "late shows" on at that hour but they are all repeats in June and I wanted to watch something that felt a little more current.   Let me tell you (if you don't watch TV in the wee hours) that there are some OLD shows on after midnight.  For example, the first show I landed on when I turned on the TV was the Oprah Winfrey Show.  I figured that perhaps it was a repeat of the show that was broadcast earlier that day.  After all it was on the same network. SURPRISE!  This episode was from 2006!  Why?  Honestly, were there no other (more recent)shows they could've aired?

I changed the channel to view the "directory" figuring there must be a recent show I could catch.  From midnight - 2AM there were plenty of shows on including  Oprah, Malcolm in the Middle, King of The Hill, Seinfeld and Family Guy, and a few random dramas. I knew that the Seinfeld episodes were old but had hoped to find some other show from at least 2009 I could watch.  As I read the descriptions I realized that some shows were first aired in 2000 -- TEN YEARS AGO!   C'mon people ("people" meaning tv execs who put on REALLY old shows at this hour)!  Can you really not do ANY better than this?  If I didn't know better (and being pretty tired after midnight, the thought did cross my mind) I swear I could have been having a Twilight Zone experience.  You are traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land of imagination. Next stop, the Twilight Zone!  Seriously, what year . . . what decade is this again?

That's when it hit me:  THIS IS WHERE OLD TV SHOWS FIND THEIR FINAL RESTING PLACE:  MIDNIGHT - 2AM IS THE TV GRAVEYARD!  To make things worse -- this time slot is TOO EARLY for my beloved infomercials!  Oh well!  Tonight I will go back to my usual bedtime but with a new found appreciation for the lame 2009-2010 re-runs I'll watch from during the Prime Time hours all summer long!

 

Happy Thursday Everyone! -- Dawn

 

Thoughts on Thursday: When will this Journey end?

Is it just me (and my friend Jen) or does it seem that everyone is on a “journey” these days?  We were having this discussion last night while watching the American Idol finale.  When the singers were asked how they were feeling, they talked about what an incredible JOURNEY they had been on.  Really?  Where did you go?  Sure they left their hometowns for Hollywood but that’s not what they were talking about.  They were talking about the EXPERIENCE. They weren’t the only ones.  Each time someone was voted off all season, the audience got to see video clips of their incredible journey.   I remember watching the show Big Brother a while back and listening to a contestant ponder whether someone should leave the house or not.  They wondered aloud whether or not it was part of their journey.  Their journey -- Seriously?  Going from the fridge to the couch to the hot tub and back again isn’t really a journey.  These days it seems that everyone is on a journey.  Sign up for a class that will take you on a journey of self-discovery.  Attend a friend’s wedding and you are now joining the happy couple on their life’s journey.  It seems to me that the overuse of the j-word is just killing its meaning.

 

I’ll admit that if you look the word “journey” up in the dictionary, it will be defined as a period of travel and a secondary meaning is a passage of one stage to another.  However if you use a thesaurus you will find that “journey” is synonymous with adventure, exploration, expedition, safari or even a quest.  If you were on the Amazing Race, I’d love to hear about your journey.  Sorry but your trip to DISNEY is just that – a TRIP not a journey!

 

Hearing about a journey used to really mean something to me.  Sadly the overuse of the word has gotten out of control.  Journalist Kath Kenny once wrote “We will continue to overuse and misuse the word journey until we regain a better sense of proportion and the relative weight of things.  A journey is not what happens when a major bank changes its interest rate, despite what the ad claims:  it’s better used to describe, say, an escape from a dictatorial regime and a life-threatening trip on a leaky boat.

To sum this all up I will quote a bumper sticker I saw when I lived in Texas:  THERE IS NO JOURNEY.  SHIT JUST HAPPENS. 

Happy Thursday Everyone --Dawn

Who Buys All That Crap? Oh Wait, That Would Be ME!

Is it just me or does anyone else find INFOMERCIALS hard to resist?  Perhaps it’s genetic.  My mother was known as the useless gadget queen – if they sold it on TV, it was in our house.  Growing up I remember seeing the UPS man on a fairly regular basis and I remember some odd things around our house.  “Food dehydrators”, “Aqua Bells” (you fill weights with water before you work out), Richard Simmons’ products through out. 

 

 

When QVC and HSN came along it was incredible – not one but TWO infomercial channels.  My mom was in all her glory.  I also remember thinking that THIS would NEVER be me.  Well you know what they say?  NEVER say NEVER.

I just can’t help myself.  Infomercials are like a drug.  I can be channel surfing on a random morning and then it HITS me:  PAID PROGRAMMING.  I must confess that I’ve been an addict since my early 20s.  I started off with the small stuff – the Ginsu knives (because doesn’t everyone need a knife that can cut through a metal can and still be sharp enough to slice through a tomato with ease!) 

 

 

 Of course if the knife was so incredible, why did I need an entire set of them?  Didn’t matter – they were going to me mine! 

 

Over the years my addiction grew.  George Foreman had a grill.  He really sounded like he knew what he was talking about.  I had to have it.  The Magic Bullet (a blender and food processer all in one), P90X, Turbo Jam, the Ab Lounger (who doesn’t need a little help with exercising), ProActiv & BareEssentials (for flawless skin), the Snuggie (to stay warm and cozy), The Food Saver & Debbie Meyer Green Bags (so I can buy more food than I need and keep it fresh longer!) Topsy Turvy (for growing tomatoes I think) etc.  The list goes on and on.  (Sad isn’t it?)

Over the course of many years, there were plenty of duds.  Most just wound up in tag/garage sales although I have actually returned a thing of two.  I remember buying Bottle Tops (they were supposed to cover a canned drink and turn it into a bottle top to prevent spilling.  Of course they NEVER stayed on the cans!); and the GT Express 101 (claimed you could make anything quickly on your countertop but everything came out gross!).  There were plenty of others but I’m almost too embarrassed to mention them.

 

  

   

Now I’m not saying that everything I’ve bought on infomercials was crap.  Some of the products have been surprisingly well made and I’ve actually used them often.  My favorite goodies have been:  The Food Saver (yes, I really do use it!), The Space Bags (definitely saved space when storing big blankets – now they are only half their size); The George Foreman Grill (yes, I really did use it often and it was easy to use) and most recently the Big City Slider Station (it really DID make sliders easily.)

   

   

  

  

 

If you think that avoiding the television would help my addiction, think again.  Did you know that there are now “Made for TV” stores in the mall?  Oh yes!  Just when I thought I could stay “clean” they went ahead and opened one of these stores in my area.  Are you kidding me???  Dozens and dozens of infomercial treasures right there for the taking.  No shipping charges either.  Just what I needed!

Earlier in this post I suggested that it might be genetic.  Afterall my mother was an addict and I’m an addict and it appears my oldest son is developing an addiction as well.  The signs first appeared when we were on vacation in Palm Springs California several years ago.  We were at an outdoor fair/flea market and someone was selling a vegetable peeler / carving knife thing-a-ma-bob!  They were creating pretty carrots and radishes and Brett was enthralled.  He said “Mom, we NEED to get this!”  Mind you he was only 10 years old and he REALLY wanted this grater as his souvenir from the trip. My husband just gave me “the look” as I plunked down the $10 for the gadget that we both knew would be in next year’s tag sale.  Still, I tried to ignore this as a warning sign and chalked it up to his growing interest in the culinary arts. 

We had almost gotten out of the flea market (there were just a few booths) when it happened.  I was checking out some earrings at one booth while Mark and the kids walked ahead.  “Mom, come quick!  You have to see this!”  Uh oh.  What now?  The kid already had a peeler. “Mom, they can make their own snow!”  Sure enough the vendor was selling something called instant snow.  The powdery flakes looked a little like instant mashed potato.  When you add water . . . ta-da!  Snow magically appears.  Brett was not happy that I wasn’t as impressed and was even more disappointed when I said no.  “But why?  I want my own snow, please!”  He begged.  The saleswoman tried to give me the pitch but I stopped her in her tracks.  I explained that we were from Connecticut and that I had more snow than I knew what to do with.  There was no way I was going to spend $8 on a bag of snow powder when several feet would be waiting for me when I returned home.

I walked away from the fair that day feeling slightly victorious but also nervous.  Had I really passed my addiction onto my first born?  Only time will tell.

Happy Thursday everyone! --- Dawn

Thoughts on Thursday: What's your QUEUE say about you?

What’s on your queue?

 

 

I’m sure you’re all familiar with the expression “you can’t judge a book by its cover?”  True?  Perhaps.  Obviously you can’t tell whether or not a person is kind or honest or rich or poor by what they wear but you can surely get a sense of their personal style, can’t you?  What we choose to put on each day almost certainly reflects our personality and that is something the world can see. 

This got me thinking about what others things we “wear” (figuratively)  that are telling of who we are.  Perhaps it’s the car we drive (sedan, SUV, minivan or convertible) or maybe just the COLOR of the car we drive.  Some things are more “private.”  If the world could see more private things of ours, they might have a truer sense of who we are. 

 

For example, take a look at your grocery list.  First it shows the kinds of foods you like. Steak or seafood lover?  Do you prefer fresh or frozen foods?    It also might show whether or not you’re health conscious or weight conscious.  Did you use coupons?  Perhaps you are frugal or simply smart about money.  Where do you buy your food?  Major grocery chains or local markets?  The people around you don't ever see this list, but if they did, they'd surely get a better sense of who you are.

Another BIG indicator of WHO you are might be in your living room or bedroom – it’s your TIVO / DVR Queue!  That’s right.  You can learn a lot about what someone enjoys and what truly interests them just by looking at their DVR List. 

We have DVRs in several rooms in our house.  In the playroom, the kids have total control over it.  If you click on the LIST and view their queue, some shows you will find include Monday Night Raw, various ESPN shows (Pardon The Interruption, 30 for 30) and . . .The Best Thing I Ever Ate (10+ episodes).  That’s right – my kids LOVE the Food Network!  They really enjoy watching shows about great meals.    If you just met them for the first time, they probably be wearing sports jerseys and shorts and you might be able to guess some of their interests.  But I’m betting that you would never know about their deep interest in food.  A quick peek inside their queue is quite telling.

My husband’s taste in programs is a little different.  If you know Mark, you might guess that he fills the queue with sports programming . . . and you’d be WRONG.  He rarely tapes sports shows.  My guy is hooked on comedies like Modern Family, Cougar Town, Two-and-a-Half Men, as well as dramas like Grey’s Anatomy, Lie To Me, Brothers & Sisters, Desperate Housewives, The Good Wife, and the Mentalist.  AND is tapes every episode of THE WEST WING!  I mean EVERY episode (and he’s seen them all before!).  He actually tapes so many programs (the previous shows are just a tiny sampling of all the shows he records) that he’d need to take an entire week off from work just to catch up.

My selections on the queue are the most diverse.  I have my guilty pleasures  like  The Bold and the Beautiful  (soap opera), plus Dr. Oz, The View, Ace of Cakes, Big Daddy’s House, Dancing With The Stars, That’s Clever (a crafting show), The Biggest Loser, American Idol, Glee, LOST, V, Who Do You Think You Are? (a show about ancestry), the Big Bang Theory, etc.  What does my queue say about me?  I obviously have an interest in cook and crafting shows.  I also seem to enjoy programs about singing and dancing.  I have an interest in tracing family history, I like quirky humor, and science fiction.  That’s a lot of information from one list, isn’t it?

So this Thursday I leave you with this:  What’s on YOUR queue and what do you think it says about you?

Happy Thursday everyone!  -- Dawn

THOUGHTS ON THURSDAY: Thirteen Things

Have you ever stopped and thought about the things you are really glad you know how to do?  What about things you don’t have a clue about and could care less?  Anything you wish you could do?  Today I’m writing about THIRTEEN THINGS that fall into these categories!

(Things I can do)

 

1.  Swim.  I love swimming and try to get to the pool at least twice a week. Yesterday I overheard two women talking in the gym locker room.  One asked her friend if she was swimming today and she replied “no, I don’t swim. I don’t know how.  Some people never learn to swim and some are just afraid of the water but I find swimming very relaxing and I’m so glad it’s something I can do well.

 

2.  Basic math.  Yes, addition and subtraction. It may seem like a strange thing to brag about but hey, I can balance my check book!  Is it a huge accomplishment?  Well I may not be able to help my kids with their geometry homework but I know for a fact that some people can not tackle this task at all, so I’m proud.

 

3.  Ride a bike.  I love to ride my bike when the weather is warm.  Sometimes I’ll ever take it down to the beach.  I know a few people who can’t ride a bike without falling down so I’m really glad I can ride.

 

4.  Be super crafty.  I am always looking at things and thinking “I bet I could make that myself” and then I go home and do just that!  I love scrapbooking and crafting so much that I have a “craft room” in my house.  Some people have good ideas but no ability to execute them.  I feel lucky for inheriting the crafty gene.

 

5.  Cook a nice meal.  I really enjoy cooking (although this wasn’t always the case) and I’m thankful I paid attention when I was a kid.  Once my kids discovered that their mom not only knew how to cook but was good at it (I tried to hide it for years!), they refused to eat those (extremely convenient) frozen dinners anymore.  My family really brought out my hidden passion for cooking.  Who knew?

 

 

6.  Write stories.  I love to write stories.  I’ve been creating them since I was in elementary school.  My problem is that I’m not a “closer”.  I have a ridiculous collection of unfinished novels. I just have so many ideas that I distract myself! Someday I will finish one of them.  For now I’ll stick to writing on my blog!

 

(Things I cannot do, and it’s OK)

 

7.  Do a cartwheel.  I’ve tried, it’s scary, and I don’t care anymore.

 

8.  Ski.  I tried in twice when I was a kid.  I was too uncoordinated, fell too much, and hated the idea that I couldn’t stop easily.  Plus it was just way too cold!  No interest in trying again . . . ever.

 

9.  Jog/Run.  I have “bad” knees.  I’ve had problems with them since college.  They just get achy when I work out.  I’ve managed to find some exercises that my knees will tolerate (walking being one of them) but jogging/running are not one of them.  I decided that this would just have to be something I live without and I’m okay with it.  Really.  

 

10.  Draw.  Yes I’m crafty but that doesn’t make me an artist.  I took drawing once in high school and I still have nightmares.  My people looked like animal and my animals looked like creatures from other planets.  Can I doodle?  Sure.  Can I draw?  NO WAY.  Good thing I know my limitations!

 

(Things I would like to be able to do, but don’t know if I lack the skill or the patience to learn)

 

11.  Play piano.  I took a handful of lessons a few years ago but then stopped.  I had hoped it would be an instant skill (would be nice to just sit down at the piano and PLAY something) but it didn’t happen that way.  I know that I need to take lessons again on a regular basis if I’m ever going to play piano – I’m just not sure I have the patience to commit.

 

12.  Knit.  I joined a knitting group and the ladies could not have been any nicer about showing me how to begin knitting.  I apparently have two left hands – I just couldn’t get it.  I really did try and that made it even more frustrating.  Oh well.  I have a nice bag of yarn and some shiny needles if anyone is interested!

 

13.  Learn a foreign language.  I’ve always thought it would be amazing to learn another lanuage but lets be honest – it’s HARD and takes a lot of time and a lot of patience.  Not sure this one will ever be crossed off my life list.  (which if you haven’t noticed before is listed on the left hand side of my blog!)

 

What about you?  Any things you’re happy to can do?  Anything you can’t do and don’t care?  Anything you still would like to do?  Let me know!

 

Happy Thursday everyone!

Thoughts for Thursday: If I Had My Life To Live Over

I recently had a conversation with my oldest son, Brett, about his future and life in general.  He is finishing middle school next month and will then begin his final four years before going away to college.  We talked about what he might want to do with his life, what kind of person he'd like to marry, etc.  At some point the conversation topic turned toward me and he asked me if I had any "regrets" with choices I had made and what I would change if I could do my life over.  Wow!  That is a tough question to answer -- especially when its your own child asking you!

I told him that, for the most part, I wouldn't change any of the "big decisions" in my life -- afterall those are the ones that led me to marry his Dad. (although I could've managed without a few boyfriends before him!)   Certainly there were other choices I made that I wish I could "do over" but mostly the small stuff.  I tend to stress a lot about the little things in my life and I always have.  I wish I could've let more things "slide".  I know I'm not alone in sweating the small stuff - I just wish I knew why we did.

Later that night I thought a lot more about Brett's question to me.  A long time ago I had a read a wonderful piece by the late Erma Bombeck about this very topic.  She had written it after she found out she had a life threatening kidney disease.  I thought I'd share it with all of you:

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER
by Erma Bombeck

If I had my life to live over, I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television - and more while watching life.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would have never have said, "Later.  Now go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more "I love you's" . . . More "I'm sorry's" . . .

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute . . . look at it and really see it . . . live it . . . and never give it back.

Her words never cease to inspire me.  She reminds me that LIFE IS GOOD and we should make the most of every moment.  Hmmm . . . now where are my matches.  I've had that beautiful candle from Niagara Falls sitting on a shelf for the last 7 years.  I think it's time to see it glow!

Happy Thursday Everyone!  -- Dawn

Thoughts on Thursday: Guilty Pleasures?

We all have our guilty pleasures -- those things we really enjoy and considerable pleasurable despite feeling guilty for enjoying it.  I definitely have some guilty pleasures of my own.  Today I'll be spending the day shopping.  Is it a guilty pleasure?  Maybe.  Afterall my husband has been up since early this morning and will work until late tonight.  The toughest thing I'll be doing today is navigating the aisles at Ikea (with my friend Heidi!). 

Life is good today for this stay-at-home mom! 

Here are a few of my other guilty pleasures:

Lindt chocolate truffles -- I can never stop at one.  I have been known to hide a bag in my car to satisfy my chocolate cravings.

 

 

Starbucks’ lattes -- I need my daily dose and, even though I have a latte machine in my house, I like that someone else makes it for me!

 

 

 

 

Sushi-- I eat it at least twice a week - really!

 

 

 

 

 

Massages -- Card-carrying member of Massage Envy since they opened in my town.  I go every other week.

 

 

The Bold & The Beautiful -- I can easily spend an entire morning watching a week’s worth of taped episodes

 

 

Twilight  -- YES I am one of THOSE Twilight Moms

 

 

So, What are YOUR Guilty Pleasures? Inquiring minds want to know?  Happy Thursday Everyone! -- Dawn

Thoughts on Thursday: Do TOURISTS have more fun?

As a Queens native, I had all the wonders of Manhattan (aka "the city") a short ride away.  Growing up I had certainly BEEN to Manhattan many times but it was never a "big deal."  It was just considered another part of the city that I lived in and sometimes we'd drive in to see a show or go to a restaurant.  I had visited quite a few museums and broadway shows but I never really EXPERIENCED New York the way my children are now.  I think it's because they are TOURISTS.  

They look at a day trip to Manhattan as a vacation and, as such, I try to squeeze in as much "fun" as possible.  I have taken the kids to NYC several times a year for quite a few years now. Each time I try to let them experience new things.  Yesterday when I brought them into the city again it just "hit me."  They have seen more of New York -- experienced more things here -- at the ages of 12 and 14 than I did my first 25 years!  When I had a "free day' I wanted to leave NYC, not spend an entire day around home.  For me it seems that my kids, the "tourists", have definitely enjoyed New York more than I ever did!

 Yesterday, my kids and I hopped on an early morning train and arrived in Grand Central Terminal.  We grabbed a cab and headed south to Chinatown.  We immediately felt immersed in the chinese culture as soon as we stepped out of the taxi.  The boys were mesmerized by the sights, sounds, and smells, and I loved watching them take it all in!  I took them to my favorite lunch-time spot, The Golden Unicorn, for dim sum.  Immediately they noticed that we were the only non-asians in the restaurant (clearly not a typical tourist place) but we managed "just fine" in ordering what we wanted!

 

After lunch we headed north n Mulberry Street toward Little Italy.  We shopped along the way , picking up some great soup spoons and chop sticks and ridiculously low prices, and even a few figurines to remind us of our trip.  Dylan even tried little Hong Kong Cakes (a twist on bite sized fried dough) sold from a street vendor.   

 

 Once we arrived in Little Italy, we were once again immersed in a different culture!  The kids loved all the "Italian Pride" items and the street decor and we again did quite a bit of shopping!  I took the boys to Ferrara's for dessert!  This Italian bakery has been around since 1892 and with good reason.  The pastries are "to die for" and the kids had a really hard time choosing just one.  (and since we were on vacation, I insanely let them each order two!). The kids also said that the hot chocolates were the best they ever had!

At this point you'd think we couldn't eat anymore BUT you'd be mistaken!  We walked around Little Italy for a short while and then headed north again to Nolita (North of Little Italy).  We just "had to" stop and Rice To Riches -- an incredible rice pudding restaurant.  Yes!  That is ALL they sell there and it is the best rice pudding you will ever have!!  The boys and I had seen this restaurant featured on Food Network's THE BEST THING I EVER ATE: DESSERTS so Dylan and I had to try to the French Toast flavor and Brett tried out a chocolate flavor.  Amazing!!!!

 

At this point we were "stuffed."  We walked a little more and then hailed a cab to take us to Rock Center.  We stopped by Mark's office (and even saw Jeffrey Tambor in the lobby) for a quick hello and then continued on our city adventure.  

The weather was perfect for a visit to the Top of the Rock and the views of the city were breathtaking!   

 
 

After reaching the Top we headed to the bottom of the Rock Center -- the ice rink.  The kids decided to rent some skates and they hit the world famous ice rink for a Spring skating session!

  

After skating we headed uptown once again but it was only a short walk to the NBA Store.  These boys can SHOP!  I found a comfy place to see while they enjoyed this basketball emporium!  An hour later they were done and the clock read 5:45pm.  Where had the day gone?  

  

 

We enjoyed a leisurely walk back to Grand Central Terminal (enjoying knishes and honey roasted cashews from the street vendors as we strolled).  We made our last stop at the Grand Central Market where we picked up fresh sour dough bread, crackers,  gourmet cheeses and fancy salami and proceeded to enjoy "dinner" on the train ride home!

 

Maybe it's me but I don't remember ever having a "day like this" in New York when I was growing up here.  I think these tourists DEFINITELY HAVE MORE FUN!

Happy Thursday everyone! -- Dawn