BUONO FIESTA!

St. Peter's Fiesta has rolled into town, and we had a spectacular nite last nite!!! Yesterday after work ended up being gorgeous; the rain stayed away, so we had a quick bite to eat and then took Jolie to the Fiesta! Let me tell you she was ecstatic!!! Her jaw dropped at the sight of the lights, she danced to the sound of the carnival music, and squealed when she saw the rides! She had the biggest perma grin all nite long! She went on every single ride that she could possibly fit on, and even went on her very first ride on her own – a little dragon rollercoaster… my big girl was so happy and LOVING life at the fiesta! After round one of the rides, we played a water game which I beat Jim, and 3 other people and won Jolie a crazy fluffy orange/yellow hippo, and she proudly hugged him as she asked to ride the rides all over again! As the clock struck 8:00pm (her bed time), no sign of tiredness from our jolie… nope, she heard the music and wanted to dance. Jim needed to order the infamous carnival hand cut fresh fries, as Jolie & I danced to the Macarena, YMCA, and other fun tunes. She just gleamed and smiled as we danced, and then she helped her dad devour the delicious fries… agh… life was good last nite at the Fiesta!

BUONO FIESTA!

Just Jolie...

I just had to post this fun collage (created in Picasa), of pics I took of Jolie this past weekend. We went to a park that had this pond full of tadpoles and jumping frogs. Jolie wasn't dressed to play, but she did anyway!

Happy Day everyone! Another weekend is almost here!!!

It's Raining Again!

So... the other day I was so excited about the summer and the sun... and what goes and happens?!?! RAIN. Rain. rain. r.a.i.n... I am so done with this weather... and what do they say for the weekend? You got it... more of the wet stuff... Right now it seems more like tears falling from the sky... it is depressing, it is gray, it is getting to me....

BUT... every once in awhile you see something that makes you think the rain will go away, and the sun will return! Why not just enjoy other things until the sun is ready to shine...

Case in point: This morning Jolie squealed from the back seat of the car pointing at the sky screaming "The SUN mommy, I can see the sun!!!". I glanced up not believing it to be true, and what I saw, made me smile... I could see the slight shine of the sun rays trying to break through the thick gray clouds... Trying its hardest, not totally succeeding, but enough to give us hope... BUT... the best part of the whole "The SUN - the sun mommy" experience, was me glancing in the rear view mirror at the sparkle in my daughter's eyes... the dreary days don't get to her... She lives and loves every single day - sun or no sun. Rain or shine she delights in all that the world has to offer her. She is the SUN of my life... she is the spark in my life that jump starts me every single day. She is the reason I want to LOVE life like I've never ever imagined I would. When she smiles... I feel the warmth of the SUN.

HAPPY WEEKEND EVERYONE, and may you also enjoy the warmth of the SUN, rain or shine!

Welcome to June!

Bring it on! Summer is here - let the sun shine, and warm us all up! WoO HoO!!! Happy Days to come!

I love this time of year when everyone just seems to enjoy life a little more! Everyone just seems a little friendlier, a little happier... Everything just seems better in the sunny warm sun!

ENJOY YOUR SUMMER!!!

Happy Anniversary & Happy Long Weekend!

Happy Friday Friends!!! And more importantly... happy Friday of a long and wonderful Memorial Day weekend!!!

This weekend Jim & I are celebrating our 6 year Anniversary! Crazy... isn't it?! Who would have imagined me… living in America? When I came to visit Tina in the North End of Boston that fateful week back in June of 1996.... Who would have thought that the cute boy with the curly hair, almond eyes, and sweet smile would now be my husband? Wow! Well, lucky for me he is my husband, and 6 wonderful years have flown by!

Since then, we bought our first home, won $40K, went Shopping, had our first daughter, Jim’s sons moved back home to Gloucester, Jim started his own company, I finally found a job closer to home, our best friends moved back home, and the best is only yet to come… right?! Anyway, Happy Anniversary to the love of my life… The reason I am who I am today is because of you. Every day life is hard, but having you by my side…. Well I know we’ll make it through. I’m proud of you, in love with you, and can’t wait to grow old with you… Hmmm…. Okay… maybe we’ll take our time growing old! LET’s just LOVE every day like we did back when we first met…. LET’s appreciate the amazingness of life every single day together! LET’s remind ourselves that we aren’t perfect… but together… we’re pretty close… LET’s be the best parents we can possibly be. LET’s be the best partner we can be… LET’s just be the BEST! Happy Anniversary to you, my best friend, my love… I LOVE LIFE WITH YOU.

A Clear Blue Day!

A week of rain can sure put a damper on your spirit! We had some crazy New England record breaking rainfall for a week straight. No sun just rain. And then out comes the SUN... beautiful brilliant SUN! You almost forget that we were lost in the rain and gloominess for so long, looking at the gorgeous day outside today! I forget about the rain, the gloom, and can only smile...

Of course, I'd love it more if I wasn't stuck at work. Walking in to work this morning, I saw a plane way up in the sky, leaving it's trail behind it, almost cloudlike in the perfect clear blue sky.

I began to wonder... where was that plane going... who was up there... was it headed somewhere tropical? Somewhere far far away from here... oooh I so wanted to be up there, getting away from it all!

Alas, no vacation for me! Reality set in as I dropped Jolie off at daycare, and walked into my office. Another day at work... but another day closer to Friday and the weekend! Hmmmm... I think I'll take my own mini vacation this weekend... no plane... just me, my family and my car... our goal: to have lots of fun! Weekends are meant to have fun fun fun!!!

So, here is to a fun weekend for you too! And to my family and friends back home - PLEASE have a nice cold Canadian beer for me this oh so happy May 2-4 weekend!!!! HAPPY WEEKEND WISHES to you all!

CHEERS!

Happy oh so Happy Friday!

Stop and smell the flowers... yeah right - as if I have time for that! The days sure fly by when you are and are not having fun! I can't seem to slow down and stop long enough to enjoy one thing... before BAM the next thing happens. Life is crazy right now. Crazy good. And Crazy bad at times.

Work is buzy and stressful, but that makes my days fly by. Jim's work is going fantastically well! I am soooooooo proud of him. He just called me as he walked out of a meeting with a brand new and exciting client! He landed their ad campaigns (totally new market that Jim has tapped into wonderfully well), their trade show booths, their promotional products, and all of their design!!! Holy COW & WOW! I am so incredibly proud of Jim. ...So proud, I just called our friends and we are now having a PARTY tonite!

So... wherever you are tonite - Please fill a glass up with something bubbly and TOAST to happiness, to new and exciting things to come, to life, to family, to friends, to everything good... Just toast and smile and love life a little more tonite - because life is good! (well... not always good... but it's Friday, and the weekend is here... so it's good right now!)

Just for today...

Today I want to stop a little more often, and not stress about the little things. I have been running non stop with a huge list of things to do, but never seem to get to finding that list. Crazy isn't it? How did life get so crazy buzy? When do we get to slow down?!

Well I'm throwing that list out the window today. I'm stressing too much about things that need to get done, when today I just want to kick off my shoes and enjoy LIFE! No stress. No worries. Just for today.

For now... I offer you a moment’s peace... Visualize yourself here, on Long Beach in Gloucester... waves crashing in front of you... warm salty breezes blowing thru your hair... soft warm sand sifting between your toes... children laughing... a smile on your face and in your heart…

So who am I to make you visualize this?!

I am me, a simple soul who likes to try and make others happy, as I so desperately want to be too! I have been taking this online RELAX program – and it reminds me that it is so important to take care of yourself. To appreciate the life you have. It may not always be perfect, but it’s yours. You need to nurture it every single day. We only get this one chance to make a difference. Why not make it happen today? Believe in yourself. Believe in your life. Smile Everyday. And life will smile back at you...

CHEERS to you all – May you also kick off your shoes and enjoy the day too!

A flower for you!

Jolie was so excited when she found me this flower! She ran up to me with the biggest cutest smile, and proudly gave me my simple bouquet.

Have a spectacular weekend, and may all the flowers you see make you smile too!

The Easter Bunny Delivered!

We had a wonderfully Happy Easter this year. The weather was wonderful and Jolie & Jude got to experience their very first Easter Egg hunt in Rockport! They were a little dazed and confused by all of the kids, but when the whistle blew they ending up figuring it out, got some great treats and had a fun time!

I had to take a picture of this blooming tree (made me smile)... and I wanted to share it's blossoming bud's with you too!

Easter Sunday we spent over at the Gentile's, it was just wonderful! We feasted on fantastic foods, had several breakfast and brunch stations... I overdid it, but how could I not, so many wonderful treats to choose from. Jolie had a blast with Jordan & Jadyn... they were so cute together...
And then there was Jolie... Just sitting on Frank & Kellie's new gorgeous couches... the sunlight coming in sooo nice... My Sweet Sweet jolie!!! :o)

Tres Jolie!

Tres Jolie... She is silly. She is serious. She is fun. She is happy. She is nutty. She is my little angel, my little miracle... the reason I smile everyday even so much brighter... is because of my Jolie.

Jolie is a happy soul, her smile makes you smile, her ways make you laugh, her dancing well ... she needs to work on her dancing still! But she loves to have fun! And I love being her mom.

It's a Splashy Kinda Silly Happy Day!

It’s raining. It’s pouring. The puddles are forming. Ooooh puddles. They are quite the tempting thing when you are 3, and you’ve got your rain boots on.

This morning as Jolie and I ran down the hill we saw some puddles forming. Puddles that will probably be ready by end of day for that one big splash. I think I need to get me some rain boots!

So family and friends… what is new and exciting you ask?! Nothing.
Actually, everything.

Every day something new and wonderful happens. I have a hard time taking it all in. Life just flies by so fast… one blink and you miss something. So I try not to blink too much, as I am loving these days a little too much! Jolie is growing up to be such an amazing little soul. This morning I snuck into her room… the dreary day had no chance of coming thru her blinds. Her room was still dark, cozy warm, and she looked so snuggly. I quietly tiptoed to her bedside, and saw her sprawled under the covers. Both arms raised high over her head, she sleeps in the silliest ways… Her blonde loose messy curlz amiss… and her little perfect sleeping face. I stared at her for minutes I think… wondering what her little mind was dreaming of? I then snuggled up close to her, and took a deep breath of her… my little Jolie…. She’s got morning breath now… but it’s not the stinky kind… not stinky bad… a kind of stinky good! I snuggled in a little closer, and then I saw her eyes peek open, she knew I was there… her eyes twinkled and smiled (she has wonderful smiling eyes)…and she giggled and then I giggled! It was great! I got my big bear hug happy morning greeting from her, and my morning was complete! I did want to get back into my own pj’s and stay in and have a pajama day… but today is a work and school day… no play for us…. Well maybe after work and school…. Maybe those puddles will still be there… and maybe just maybe… we’ll make some big splashes of our own!

Wishing you all a splashy kinda silly happy day!

Spring has Sprung…

I am smiling today… because of a simple dandelion, and a few purple crocuses. They were peeking thru the brown dried up grass… Little signs are popping up all around… that spring has finally sprung!

Winter’s just drains the color from the wonderful world outdoors… Mind you, I love the white fresh fallen snow… but we didn’t get much of that this past winter… it was just long dreary and cold…. Too long in my opinion.

And so I rejoice… as I know that Spring has Sprung… and Jolie knew it too! We stepped outside this morning and both stopped, smelled the Springy fresh air, and realized our winter coats needed to be hung back in the closet. Today we wore our lighter jackets… no hats, no gloves… just big sunny smiles!!!

It is so amazing what a fresh spring day can do for the soul... To me it brought the excitement of the wonderful days to come… to re explore the parks, the beaches… Jolie will rediscover these places again and love it all even so much more now that she is older. I can’t wait to see her excitement when she no longer has to wear tights, and can let the hot beach sand fall in between her toes, and splash in the ocean waves. I can’t wait for her to put on her dresses with no layers underneath, for the warm breezes to blow thru her hair, for the sunlight to tan her skin, and her smile to beam almost as bright as the summer sun. I can’t wait for deck parties, and barbeques, and afternoon drinks and dinners outdoors! I am so ready for this wonderful weather… bring it on!!!

"To Risk"

"To Risk" by William Arthur Ward

"To laugh is to risk appearing a fool,
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach out to another is to risk involvement,
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.

To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.

To love is to risk not being loved in return,
To live is to risk dying,
To hope is to risk despair,
To try is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, But he cannot learn, feel, change, grow or live.

Chained by his servitude he is a slave who has forfeited all freedom.

Only a person who risks is free.

The pessimist complains about the wind;

The optimist expects it to change;

And the realist adjusts the sails."

Last weekend we went to a wonderful B&B with our dear friends, and I captured this picture of my daughter and her best friend... Enjoying a simple kiss! Purely innocent, purely wonderful. Kids have their sails set to fly with the wind, to love, to discover, to believe, to dance and sing and just not care!

I forever want to be that kinda kid. In my heart, in my life... I strive to find that happiness, that pure joy...

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Friday just has to be the best day of the working week. 2 wonderful days off just over an hour away! Jolie also recognizes Friday's and says "No school tomorrow???" and then smiles wickedly! Jolie's new daycare is now up above my head, so I can literally hear her and the other kids running around right now... and that also puts a smile on my face. Having her in the daycare here is a bonus! Once we are buckled in my car, it's a short 15 minute drive home... and then bring on the weekend!!! (can you tell I just LOVE weekends!)

The past couple of days we have had unseasonably mild weather. It has been in the mid 50's - crazy for January in New England! But I'll take it. I power walked twice this week outdoors, without a coat - how crazy is that! Today I passed the flower garden by my office, no flowers blooming. Sad empty garden. And I realized just how dreary it gets here in the winters, when the flowers aren't out and about...
I miss the flowers. I miss their color. I miss the smiles they bring me. I miss Jolie wanting to run over and smell them because they just look so pretty. I can't wait till the warm weather is here for good, and not just tease us for a day and let us go out and play in its glorious splendor. Not that I mind the frigid cold snowy icy days... it's just the sunny mild days, well, they somehow make me happier!

Have a wonderful & happy weekend all!!!

The Biggest Loser - Gloucester Edition

With that trend... new year... new start... Several of my friends decided we will begin our very own version of "The Biggest Loser" - Gloucester Edition. We gathered round the table last Monday nite and discussed the hows and whats and such... and we all weighed in. A scary thing revealing those precious 3-digits that you never want to share with your husband, let alone a room filled with your friends eagerly watching the numbers click on to see just how fat you really are?! Well, I proved to be the biggest woman in our group (no surprise there)... but guess what that means? I hope to be the Biggest Loser in the end!

Week One weigh in was last nite... and guess who got to claim the fame for the week as the BIGGEST LOSER? You betcha... ME!!! WoO HoO - I can do it & did... losing 6 pounds, and 3.59% total loss. My closest competition was Frank who lost an incredible 8 pounds, but only 3.10% loss - and the percentage is what we are going for!

This upcoming week will prove to be even harder, but I can do it! YES I CAN!!!

New Year... New Start...

So this is it. 2006. WOW. Life doesn't slow down much does it? So what do you do?

Jump on and enjoy the ride! Care to join me?

This is my year. To make changes in me. Changes I want to make, yet fear. WHY? Because I'm that kinda gal who is insecure in ways you can't see. WHY? Just Cause. So why change now? Top reasons would be: Jolie. Jim. Me. My family. My future. My life... that's why.

How to achieve this? I'm still working on that plan...

So this Blog kinda world will be my place to set and achieve my dreams, and overcome my fears... and keep up with my family and friends!

You are welcomed into my crazy world if you dare!