All done... (started on 12/28/07 finished on 1/7/08)

So it is. In a flash. Every year I can't believe how quickly Christmas gets here and it over. But it's always good. Great even.

But as happy as I am to see it come is how happy I am to see it go. January for me is all about laying low and order. I usually say I hate January (its February that I really hate enough with the cold already) but I really don't. I enjoy the quiet.

The quiet of my home that has been bursting at the seams with company. Which is not a bad thing mind you. I adore company and love entertaining. But once all those zillions of Christmas tubs have been packed up and put back downstairs, and I have scrubbed, dusted, vacuumed, Windex'd, mopped every inch of the house I can feel the house sigh. Like it's saying "thank you, all those snowmen, garland and decking of the halls...... enough already."

The quiet of my head...what to buy this one and that one, which cookies to bake~ Do I have butter?~ I need more wrapping paper I know I have 17 rolls but they are old I need NEW ones...and lights~ untangle the lights~ hang the lights~ where are all those extension cords?~clean the house we are having company~ clean the house the company has gone home~cook this cook that

The quiet of my debit card(lol)....I don't even want to buy food...but we can't live on almond paste and butter for the remainder of the winter...I need to get some real food in this house besides egg nog and candy canes...but no unnecessary buying...the sales beckon but I do not answer. There's 11 more months to shop and I will make up for the month of January by the end of March. I actually needed to order a new debit card mine is worn out on the back and not working properly...Debit or credit? Swipe swipe swipe..............SHUT UP!

Quiet....read a book, send everyone off to school, drink tea, wear my new slippers...focus on all the new ways I am going to do things right this year. Well try to anyway.

Wouldn't it be great if every day of the year, even number 226 (which is just a random day in August by the way..of course I went to look it up...handling my OCD better is not a change that I choose to look into at this time, thank you) was as full of promise as the 1st? I think I will try to hold that feeling the best I can throughout this year. A friend said our motto should be "Great in 2008!" and why not? I choose greatness. Maybe everyday won't be spectacular...I am optimistic not stupid. But maybe greatness doesn't have to knock you off your feet. Greatness might be small, a kind word, a sunny day after cold weather, drinking Starbucks in the car with a bunch of friends in a deserted parking lot (yes I did that last night), laughing with someone on the phone...I don't know but I can't wait to find out.

Christmas Eve, eve

Well it's all done. Well actually just a few more odds and ends to wrap. Whew. But I must say I am not crazed this year. I think having had time now during the weekdays to get things done has helped tremendously. But I did things differently. Smaller get-togethers, wrote a few cards a day, wrapped a few things a day. Decorated over the course of two weeks instead of instant Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. I don't feel overwhelmed which of course in itself gives me stress, since I am thinking that I forgot something thats why I am not stressed. I focused on whats important this year and it made all the difference in the world. Took the kids to the city to see the tree, baked cookies, lit the Advent candle with Mikey and made a paper chain for the tree everyday (almost...) where he wrote with things he did that were extra good or he was grateful for. And of course we will have the Happy Birthday Jesus cake on Christmas Day. So all in all it was a fun ride. I am still standing. So that's good.

Looking back, I can say 2007 was pretty great. I have my family safe and secure, happy and healthy. I have more friends than I know what to do with...lucky me, who make me laugh, make me happy, lift me up, hold my hand, celebrate what's wonderful in my life, make my house a home and add such joy to my life I could go on and on. I am lucky I know it. I am grateful for all the little things too. I have learned to stop and smell the roses...although it may seem I am on overdrive and I probably am most days...but I do take notice of all the big and little blessings in my life. I dont make New Years resolutions. I will try new ways of doing things to make life a little easier and less hectic. Some will work, some won't. But that's ok. God knows I keep trying.
Bye 2007.
2008? Let's see what ya got....

back again...

Hadn't had much going on in my head to put in writing the past couple of weeks. Either that or theres just not enough hours in a day...probably a little or both. Maybe 'cause the last two posts were filled with a lot of "grr". I was hoping for a cheery post today. Maybe.

Went out with the new bffs and some old bffs last Sat. night. A school fundraising function, a.k.a. "The Prom". With new outfits and a "bus" to take us there and back. All we needed was corsages...Had so much fun. Stayed out 'til 3am. One bff joked what did we do before we knew eachother. I don't remember. How can you feel so comfortable with people you've only known for about 2 years. So many different personalities yet enjoying eachother's company so much. So much so that we are already lining up sitters for next month's outing. Can't wait. Slightly afraid, but can't wait.

Had my Drama Queen's first HS play this weekend. Very exciting. She is my shining star. This child of mine who has made me want to inflict pain on her on a daily basis since she has turned "teen", really is amazing. She is so confident and smart. Really an old soul. I can't wait to see the woman she becomes. Whew, and think I am a force to be reckoned with? She may make me look timid. She was great in it. All of the kids were. The talent these kids have is amazing. She is loving the whole "theater" experience and the people involved in it. I told her that HS was going to open up a new world to her. And it is.

Junior flying under the radar as usual. This boy kills me. Stud muffin of the MS. Girls calling and coming here all the time. It is too funny.

Shorty learned to ride a two wheeler this week. Very exciting. Bittersweet for me. Watching him ride down the block literally into the sunset. I know very mellow dramatic. My little boy. Now it's two wheelers next he will have girls knocking on the door. Oh wait he does already.

So it's off today to take the whole family shopping for clothes. We will see who comes back in one piece.

R.I.P. Harold Von Pelt

Harry the Wonder Dog died today. Very sad day for our family. A pet is family. Especially one that has been around for 17+ years. Family joke is, he was my replacement when I moved out of my parents house and got married! But he had a stroke over the weekend and just couldn't do it another day.

I dread the day one of ours goes. I remember when Harry's predecessor died, when I was a teenager. Too sad. There will be quite a hole in our family when one of ours goes. You may wonder what the heck is with "Harold Von Pelt". I have to give all my pets a full name. As I said they are part of the family...for those of you who don't know the furry kids' real names...they are...Ariella Pasquatina, Lucky Pasquale and Smudge Patrick. Shut up...they are mine and I name them what I want ok? OK.

The big kids took it hard. It's the first time they lost a pet,even though it technically wasn't theirs. It was the first dog they had since he came way before Ariel. He did tricks, jumped through hula hoops, ate spaghetti, attacked mylar balloons and was the best friend Ariel ever had. They loved eachother and I am sad to think of what she will do when my parents come to visit and Harry is not there. I know she will probably run to the back door and wait for him to run in the front door out the back door to patrol the yard together.

When these guys all go I know I won't get anymore. Too much work, hair and mess, and too much pain when they go.

Of course as usual Shorty teaches us what we should know. I told him Harry died today. He asked why. I told him he was old and sick. He asked if Nana and Poppy were sad. I told him yes. He said well when I go to heaven when I am old I will bring him a bone. And off he went back to what he was doing. Matter of fact. At least he made me laugh.

Thats it for now. I am going to give Harry a bone and a mylar balloon to attack when I see him again.

PS to Spanky..leave my grammar alone and dont read my blog. You are a porcupine. :)~~~~

PTA Headache and other aches

So I have been asking myself why the hell did I take this position anyway. PTA President. Sounds good, sounds all official and important doesn't it? Yeah well that could not be any further from the truth. Not that I took the job to feel important. I am the one with the good self esteem...remember? I know I am important. lol Anyway.

I knew it was going to be work. I am not afraid of work. I need to be busy. That's who I am. This MS PTA was flat. No enthusiasm, no fun, just flat. So here I come to save the day. I have a great relationship with the principal, a definite plus for the president. I know most teachers by first name from being involved up to my eyeballs in the school for the past four years. I genuinely like this school. My kids have done great...they have had some really great teachers. So I think. I can do this. I am organized, outgoing I know 9 million people that I can get to help......hear the crickets? Yeah me too. But that's OK.

I have been kissing enough ass since the summer that I joke that I need a case of chapstick for Christmas. Again OK. I can do it. It turns my stomach yes, cause it goes against my grain to be a suck up. But for the kids of the MS I will do it.

I fend off annoying parents who call the school to complain. Of course said parent's name does not appear on one sign up sheet for a committee. I have never heard the name before. OK but I put on my best PTA smile and phone her up. She is taking issue with the way we are running the fundraiser. So after smiling from ear to ear during the conversation...and listening to her talk smack (teenager term I love it...kids hate when I use it apparently I am not allowed cause I am 40) I actually have her apologizing to me for calling and she is thanking me for doing such a wonderful job. I am finding that each situation is an adventure. And there is one pretty much every week. I actually said to her..."...and you can understand that pulling off a fundraiser is quite a cumbersome task." CUMBERSOME TASK?????????????? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? WHO THE HELL SAYS THAT???? Apparently an ass kissing PTA President. I laughed my bloody head off after I hung up with her. What am I becoming?

The most upsetting thing about this position is that all the people I blew off who said..Are you nuts doing this? You are crazy you are gonna want to kill yourself after you are done with this...blah blah blah, may have been right.

It's the PTA psychos. The one's that are in it for the power trip. The ones that I want to say to them " If I took away your PTA title, who are you" Is this how you define yourself? Did you forget that we are supposed to have the interest of the children as our focus? Not going to PTA training weekends and having meeting after meeting to say the same stuff over and over. Not telling treasurers to fix up your books to make it look like you didn't raise money. What the hell is that???????????????????????????? I am on the warpath now and I think it will get worse before it gets better. I have even contemplated quitting. And I am not a quitter. I will probably be burnt when this is all over in June. (and I kinda signed up for two years of this crap).

One good thing is that I am part of Shortys PTA, a Kindergarten class mom. Where my biggest problem is deciding if we should use black or sparkly pipe cleaners for the spiders' legs we are making for Halloween. Where parents ask me if it's ok if they come to the Thanksgiving party and make butter with the kids rather than just send butter in. Is it ok? I could have hugged her. It reminds me why I became a PTA person. For the kids. To help make their school experience the best it can be. For my own kids. They know that I know what's going on and that they better walk the straight and narrow. I could show up at school at any given time. That the principal calls me by my first name and sometimes even calls me on my cell phone on a Sunday. (freaks them out!! haha) How the Short one's face lights up when Mommy comes to his classroom. Melts my heart. And ya know...even though the big ones say they don't like when I am up at their school, they are full of it. I was sitting at table for something at MS the other day and Jr. turns the corner on the way to the bathroom during class...and that same light his little brother had was on his face. He even said hey mom...whatcha doin'? So is it worth it? Times like that tell me yes. Gotta just keep reminding myself.

As far as other aches...that would the one in my shoulder/arm area. Well, during my morning power walk yesterday and yes I am power walking....finally Hubby set up my iPod he got me for Valentines Day and I am out moving and grooving to my LOUD music...heaven. Thud. That would be me falling...yes FALLING on my face on the sidewalk on U. Boulevard...(very busy thoroughfare in the land of I.) There was no catching myself. I was going down and hard tripping over uneven sidewalk that jumped out in front of me. Talk about embarrassing. I got up as fast as I went down...palms and knee bleeding, chin scraped. Charming. So let me tell you next time your little one falls and scrapes his or her palms on cement because they were trying to break a fall...don't blow on it and tell them it's ok it's just a scrape. It FREAKIN' HURTS. I must've pulled a muscle too trying to brace myself. ugh. Staying home and eating is much safer than exercising. I have been trying to tell people that....now do you believe me?

One more thing..congratulations to the other Mrs. P. On baby number four. It's crazy, and things will be looney in the P house for quite some time. But it's all good. And besides she is keeping my daughter in business. It's not all good it's really wonderful.

16 years...

Today's my anniversary. 16 years. wow. When you really think about it...16 YEARS!!! We are not doing anything terribly romantic or exciting this year. It's homecoming weekend and I need to be available to my kids to drive them here there and everywhere. But it's really ok. I want them to experience all the fun things about HS and MS so I will be here to do what I need to for them tonight. I can still remember way back when, when I went to the homecomings it was the best.

Married life after so long is so different from where we started in our apartment 16 years ago. Although everything was so new and exciting. We were so happy to be on our own and doing our own thing. And eight months into married life we were pregnant so that was a whirlwind in itself. But honestly it's so much better now. Not that it wasnt great then, it was.
But I didn't know then what I now know for sure....
~there's nothing better than having this person in my life that knows me better than anyone, better than my best friend, better than my parents.
~ that I am a better person for knowing him. What I thought was "not getting it" is really knowing what to give energy to and what to blow off...
~how to turn my "leadership qualities"(that's what my 5th grade teacher nicely called bossy) from a force to be reckoned with (although I still secretly still like to think of myself as such) into
something positive that works for me, helps people I love and makes me become the person Iwant to be
~nothing's more important than this family we've created...these people who sixteen years ago I hadn't met yet, who now are my main focus, who I work hard for and because of every day, who I fiercely love & protect and to whom I give everything they need and most of what they want.
~that everything I have is everything I need.

The past sixteen years have been, happy, exciting, full of love, not without really bad days, tough times, hungry years, unexpected joys, three roly poly babies, firsts...apartment, house, baby, day of school, yelling (mostly from me) but much much more laughs, a dog, a cat, another cat, unexpected friends, cherished friendships, inside family jokes, dinners at the table like it or not, mutual respect, traditions, mundane days and days I will never ever forget.

Not bad for a decade and a half....

Autumn Days...

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside thoroughly used up, totally worn out and proclaiming, "WOW! What a ride!!!"~latest favorite quote

Hmmm..definitely my favorite season. While I am still very much the beach bum..I do love my beach time. Nothing's like autumn in NY.

Hauled out all the autumal decorations today. I am embarrassed to say it has grown to 10 plastic tubs. Hubby was like "are you kidding me?" today bringing them up from the basement. I can't stop buying fall stuff. I love it.

That's why I got married in October and we had the most beautiful day.

I love that quote at the top of this post. When I was a few years younger all I worried about was doing things "right". Whatever right is. I think I stopped having fun. Now at 40 I know what's important. I know how to have fun. I try and make the most of everyday. Not to say that I wake up everyday and say yippee! But I try to most days. Even if making the most of the day means cleaning out my closet, getting all my PTA crap done, making dinner and making everyone sit down and eat together or spending time with a dear friend. Which I did yesterday..isn't it amazing how with some people you can just talk and talk and not run outta things say?

So hopefully I can look back on my day and say "What a ride!" Even if the ride was nuts and running 3 kids in 3 different directions...it's all good. And lemme tell you, most days it is quite
the ride....

Seems like forever that I've written

Well school has begun. And how. Whew! This month has been a blur. I cannot believe how much a PTA President has to do. Never mind just committees and meetings...the mountains of mail, paperwork, organizing and mediating between 9000 different personalities is NUTS! Who would have thought that I would be the calming presence in a situation. Too funny.

I needed to breathe today. I bought some fall flowers and worked in my yard. This is the first time I have worked in my yard without interruption, without racing to get done while someone is napping or having to go back in and change into my good clothes to go run up to school etc. No noise, no chatting, not even a radio. Quiet. It was lovely. The only company I had was my three four legged children who followed me everywhere. Sitting quietly by watching and snoozing.

Got back this weekend from Rocking Horse Ranch. What fun! Went with the B's and the G's (and their extended family). Havent been on a horse in about 25 years! Just like riding a bike...'cept WAY bigger! It was so great. I only stayed on the walking trail for all my rides but it was heaven. Beautiful weather, beautiful grounds. I will definitely be back.

So note to self this week....breathe. Can't believe October is upon us.

First Day of School

It has finally come. The first day. Went very well. Although I always knew it would. Even though my big ones say they hate school. I know they are full of it. They are happy to go back. Maybe not so much today for Jr. since it's his birthday. That's gotta be a drag. But he is handling it well. Making a joke out of it...and getting whatever he wants for dinner. His first day other than the birthday thing was pretty uneventful and I think he prefers it that way. He was looking good with his new found interest in wearing exactly the right thing. I am still smelling the cloud of cologne wafting from his room so he is smelling good too! Hey I don't even have to remind him to brush his teeth anymore.

Uneventful is not the case for the Princess. First day of High School. Please tell me when I became old enough to have a kid in High School? I know, I know when I turned 40...but we all know 40 is the new 30 so that can't be right. Up like a pup at 5;30 a.m. to make sure the newly dyed dark red hair (now she really looks like me) and new clothes are just right. Funny, I can remember my first day of High School...seems like yesterday.

And his Shortness. First day of Kindergarten. Good grief. I remember so well they first day of school when he was an infant not even 2 months old...walking back with him in the carriage from the bus stop after the big ones got off to school. I sat on my front porch with him and said..."What the heck M...I am supposed to be foot loose and fancy free this year...where did you come from? " With that he smiled. He already knew then what was in store for me. Little did I know what a guy he would turn out to be. Yes it was hard for a lot of years after he came along...juggling the schedules of bigger kids with and infant in tow. But God is he just great. He has given me such joy. Made me double over laughing more times that I can remember. Taught me so many lessons...like what's really worth worrying about...and whats just stupid stuff. And off he went today with his two best buddies...smiling from ear to ear I thought his face would split. Finally getting to get on that school bus. I didnt even cry which is amazing. I guess he was so happy that I forgot to feel sorry for myself. Maybe I will tomorrow when it hits me.

Well off to get him from the bus. I cant want to hear all the exciting things about Kindergarten.

Whatta week....

Well back from the beach..although it wasn't the greatest weather it still was a great time. Read lots, played with the kids, walked on the beach.

Definitely where I feel at peace. Seeing what happened when I got home it may have been better to get to go away after rather than before.

Again I try to see the lesson I can learn from things that happen. Some lessons aren't fun to learn. Like all the should haves to prevent a crappy thing from happening. Those lessons just suck unless you can figure out a way to go back in time.

What can I take away from it? Well I guess one thing is to put my money where my mouth is. I asked myself do I really still believe all I have is all I need? After the inital shock of it all...I can say yes. Do I still believe what's important is not all the stuff I have but who I have in my life. Yes I do. Sure at first I was so upset. But I can move on. My kids are a shining example. They handled the whole thing better than me I think. Life went on. Life goes on. It may seem like it had just stopped short and you need to catch your breath. But it still goes on. Every day comes like the one before. So pick yourself up dust yourself off and get going. Times like this I am glad my life is a constant wheel in motion and I can find 100 things to focus on and put my energy for.I can honestly say I never thought poor me. I am still seriously pissed off and will be for awhile.
But I know for sure I am still a lucky gal.

Back to Back 40th Birthday Bashes and I lived to tell the tale...

Imagine that. lol Where do I begin?

Well my 40th (not Surprise) Birthday party was just great. Not to mention the spa day my hubby sent me on while he cleaned, cooked and organized it all. All my closest friends minus one or two were there. Sometimes when I am the hostess I get worried that I am spending too much time with one group and not talking enough to another...but I really felt like I got to talk with everyone and flit around from one person to the other. I hope everyone had fun I know I did. I have the goofy pictures to proove it!

That all being said, like I just told someone a little while ago..it is not often that I am rendered speechless. But my 40th birthday has left me that way about ten times over. I can't say how many heartfelt things people have said to me, about me...me and my husband..etc. over the last few days. I have learned in my 40 years how to take a compliment better, and not to counter-attack it with something negative about myself, most times. That's really hard for me to do.
But the things people have said to me, not things like.."oh I love your shoes...where did you get them" to which I would usually reply something like..."These? Oh they were only $10 blah blah blah..."
I am talking about friends telling me or writing in cards how they feel about me. Making me realize how important I am to them. I know how important they are to me. I guess I just never really thought about what I was to them. It's so hard for me to put into words and my emotions keep sneaking up on me. As happy as these past days have made me and how many times I have laughed til my sides split, that's how many times I have been brought to tears.
Silly I guess.
First on the actual b-day when friends decorated my house, car etc. and kids decorated the inside. (as I am thinking are you nuts..what the hell are you getting choked up about?) Then out to breakfast and floored with such thoughtful and labor intensive gifts...(again..ok you are in a public place..keep it together!!)then during dinner with my hubby....(again...uh public place..but thinking how this guy is really working this birthday week thing for me...), then laying there getting a facial or one of those treatments during my "spa day" thinking...who the heck do I think I am? And how lucky am I today...and most days come to think of it. (CANNOT cry here they will think I am a nut...), then listening to the crazy sweet things my friends wrote about me for the basket Hubby set up during my party...then trying to say something not completely stupid afterwards. It really has been too much!
And finally, the next night at my new "bff"'s surprise 40th birthday party...now my birthday week was done. It's not about me...truthfully I was getting tired of it being about me already..imagine what those around me must've thought! But after my pal got the living you know what scared out of him when we surprised him and came in to say hello to all these 80 people standing in his house hugging & kissing him I looked at his face and I thought 'well that says it all. " Tears in his eyes and a look of shock. But I knew that look. I felt that look. It wasn't just the surprise at that point (although I must say it was the best surprise I have ever seen in my life...can you say..."How YOU doin'?). It was a look of...this for me? All these people did this for me? I know I am a good person, people like me, I try like hell to be a good spouse, parent, friend...but all this for me? I am overwhelmed. Overwhelmed is a good way to describe it all. Then after a night of partying HARD...dancing for hours, singing and all the carrying on you can imagine that goes on at a 40th birthday party...it all comes full circle. Everyone went home, except for a few house guests and us, we hung around cleaned up a little...had a night cap or two (more like a morning cap seeing it was like 2 a.m.), laughed ourselves silly while we reviewed the night and all the planning and sneaking around that went down to get this party pulled off. The surprisee got a gift from a dear cousin that flew in just for the occasion, a picture of them as kids, blown up to 8x10. This would be the only picture of himself he has, since his mom died when he was very young and he never had any pictures of his childhood. So when we were all done crying (thank God now I could finally cry since everyone else was ...and at that point I almost lost it)we all knew that this is what's important. Not where you live, what you wear, what you drive or how many figures are on your paycheck. What you make your life to be is important. At the end of the day you know you've done your damdest.. you love your family, your friends...your life. And if you're truly blessed these wonderful people that you build your life around love you back.
So now that I have arrived at the decade of 40...I am so very grateful, blessed and humbled by the people I have in my life. All of them. I will let them all know whenever I get the chance, because them letting me know has been the best gift I will ever receive.
OK OK...lets not get crazy I still like pocketbooks too...!
Good grief and I have a LOT of thank you's to write!

The Big 4-0 has come and gone

Well I must say my 40th birthday has been the best birthday that I can remember. I had a perfect day. Got up bright and early...and while in the shower was informed by Shorty that there are balloons all over the floor outside my bedroom door, decorations everywhere, and some huge sign on the front lawn..which I MUST hurry up and take him outside to see!!! So much for the initial surprise....but still a pleasant one. Indeed there were balloons everywhere...40's plastered from one end of the house to the other (even in the refrigerator) compliments of DD and friend in the middle of the night....the front of the house decorated thanks to friends who I thought left at 11pm the previous night...and yes a HUGE sign right in the middle of the front lawn announcing to the whole town that yes Cara is 40..compliments of my usually "flamingo-ing" friends. (poor guy came at 5am with his suit on before he got on the train!!!) Oh did I mention the writing all over my car whereas I could announce my birthday to the world as I tooled around town? And said writer also wrote that information on her car in case E. I. wanted to know too!

Then off to Milk and Sugar with some of my favorite gal pals. Where I got the most beautiful thoughtful presents...remind me to show them to you when you come by. I love them. And the people who gave them to me.

Then home for the day and then off to Maxwells for dinner...just me, my man and a bottle of LI Wine. What more could a girl ask for? Apparently a party tomorrow night...printable non- incriminating details (what I will be able to remember anyway) after.

So far 40 is fabulous...I think I will be 40 again next year.

Party's over

Block party for 115 is done. Whew. What fun..but what hard work! Thank God we have our family to help us. We would be dead without them. I think I may have killed the heel of my foot though dancing in the street with the girls in my flip flops. I literally couldn't put weight on it when I got out of bed. Thankfully it felt better after a little while...I didnt need to give everyone fodder for chit chat like after a summer party last year. Note to self: Never dance in flip flops!
Many thank yous and rave reviews have come in since...which I am grateful for. Makes it all worth it. During crunch time of the party 'bout 2 hours or so before everyone comes..I start to think..am I nuts? Why do we kill ourselves for this stuff all the time. Then I look at the pictures I took...kids swimming on an absolutely beautiful "couldnt ask for better weather" day...my inlaws and their siblings laughing at the table, my parents sitting in the shade with good old Harry the Wonder Dog who's 17th birthday was that day, my big kids with their boy/girl teenage friends awkwardly hanging out one trying to play it cool better than the other, Mikey and pals covering themselves in glow in the dark tatoos, my great neighbors who are now my friends dancing together in the street, not to mention the Three Stooges with their matching T-Shirts. Old friends meeting new friends, food, food and did I mention food? So that's why we do it. Besides the fact the Pittas love a good party...it's the memory making that's one of the best things. Establishing history with your family, friends. Like they say...priceless.

This block party...definitely one for the history books. Now, can you say birthday party???

PTA Meeting in August...seriously

Seriously it sounded like a good idea when we planned it. But at least we opted to do wine and cheese lol.

Maybe I will finally meet my 2nd Vice President. It would be nice. Up til now I think she is not really a person. But my friend who has had a history with this person would correct me for sure. But I will see what that deal is in about 10 minutes.

I didnt sleep last night for whatever reason. Dreaming wacky dreams again. Dreamt that some kids were spray painting the houses on my block with orange spray paint so I had to wait all night for the cops to come. Hence no sleeping I guess. I need a dream analysis. I may find I am nuts after all

~Writing now after my PTA meeting which ran 'til 11:30 p.m.! Wow. But I am actually pretty pumped about this coming year. Everyone on my Executive Board had pretty strong personalities and a lot of great ideas. Maybe we will finally have an active productive MS PTA, which was my ultimate goal upon agreeing to this job. I hope after two years we have a lot of great stuff in place. I am confident now that we will.

My VP who I thought was going to be a pitbull, turns out to be more like a beagle! I was ready to lay it on with her, but I don't think I will need to. Although I need to get more insider info from my above mentioned friend.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Below I am inserting something a friend emailed me. Its an article a Newsday columnist wrote which really hit home with me. It sums up pretty much where I am at...


By Anna Quindlen, Newsweek Columnist and Author

All my babies are gone now. I say this not in sorrow but in disbelief.
I take great satisfaction in what I have today: three almost-adults, two
taller than I, one closing in fast. Three people who read the same books as
I do and have learned not to be afraid of disagreeing with me in their
opinion of them, who sometimes tell vulgar jokes that make me laugh until I
choke and cry, who need razor blades and shower gel and privacy, who want to
keep their doors closed more than I like. Who, miraculously, go to the
bathroom, zip up their jackets and move food from plate to mouth all by
themselves. Like the trick soap I bought for the bathroom with a rubber
ducky at its center, the baby is buried deep within each, barely discernible
except through the unreliable haze of the past.

Everything in all the books I once poured over is finished for me now.
Penelope Leach, T. Berry Brazelton., Dr. Spock. The ones on sibling rivalry
and sleeping through the night and early-childhood education, all grown
obsolete. Along with Goodnight Moon and Where the Wild Things Are, they are
battered, spotted, well used. But I suspect that if you flipped the pages
dust would rise like memories. What those books taught me, finally, and what
the women on the playground taught me, and the well-meaning relations --what they taught me, was that they couldn't really teach me very much at all.

Raising children is presented at first as a true-false test, then
becomes multiple choice, until finally, far along, you realize that it is an
endless essay. No one knows anything. One child responds well to positive
reinforcement, another can be managed only with a stern voice and a timeout.
One child is toilet trained at 3, his sibling at 2.

When my first child was born, parents were told to put baby to bed on
his belly so that he would not choke on his own spit-up. By the time my last
arrived, babies were put down on their backs because of research on sudden
infant death syndrome. To a new parent this ever-shifting certainty is
terrifying, and then soothing. Eventually you must learn to trust yourself.
Eventually the research will follow.

I remember 15 years ago poring over one of Dr. Brazelton's wonderful
books on child development, in which he describes three different sorts of
infants: average, quiet, and active. I was looking for a sub-quiet codicil
for an 18-month old who did not walk. Was there something wrong with his fat
little legs? Was there something wrong with his tiny little mind? Was he
developmentally delayed, physically challenged? Was I insane? Last year he
went to China . Next year he goes to college. He can talk just fine - &
walk, too.

Every part of raising children is humbling, too. Believe me, mistakes
were made. They have all been enshrined in the, "Remember-When-Mom-Did Hall of Fame." The outbursts, the temper tantrums, the bad language, mine, not
theirs. The times the baby fell off the bed. The times I arrived late for
preschool pickup. The nightmare sleepover. The horrible summer camp. The day when the youngest came barreling out of the classroom with a 98 on her
geography test, and I responded," What did you get wrong?" (She insisted I
include that.) The time I ordered food at the McDonald's drive-through
speaker and then drove away without picking it up from the window. (They all
insisted I include that.)

But the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while
doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear
now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one
picture of the three of them, sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow
of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4 and 1. And I wish I could
remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and
how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a
hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had
treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.

Even today I'm not sure what worked and what didn't, what was me and
what was simply life. When they were very small, I suppose I thought someday
they would become who they were because of what I'd done. Now I suspect they
simply grew into their true selves because they demanded in a thousand ways
that I back off and let them be. The books said to be relaxed and I was
often tense, matter-of-fact and I was sometimes over the top. And look how
it all turned out. I wound up with the three people I like best in the
world, who have done more than anyone to excavate my essential humanity.

That's what the books never told me. I was bound and determined to
learn from the experts. It just took me a while to figure out who the
experts were.

...........crying yet? I was.

---

Nine days and counting

Summers rolling along...someone said today that they can't wait for September. Yuck. I can. I have really learned to enjoy every minute of my summer.. dinner at any old time we feel like it, night swims, summer parties, wearing my bathing suit and cover up "uniform" like everyday. I am not even sick of watering my plants yet.

I may even miss the "Mom?" "Mom come here for a minute?" "Mommy look at me do...(fill in the blank) every five minutes.

But I think my much deserved me time will do me well come September. I will probably walk around in circles (preferably in the mall...haha) for the first few weeks until I get my groove on I suppose. God knows my PTA disease will keep me busy many days. I am looking forward to picking up friendships with people who didnt decide to have that "one more baby" like I did five years ago. Maybe be able to do lunch now and again in someplace other than McDonalds.

But, even though I had started out with my baby number three not planning on making anymore friends, "cause I had enough trouble keeping up with the friends I already had" I have made some remarkably wonderful friendships. I can't believe the people I would have missed out on had I not had Michael. Granted I was very happy friendship wise pre-Michael. But I have such a big "new crop" of friends it amazes me sometimes. Probably why my party lists are teetering out of control lately. My "old" friends sometimes come to a P-Party and are like who they hell are these people..to which I reply "my friends!" I am lucky though I know. I treasure all the friendships I have now and the one's I have lost. I always get melancholy around my birthday thinking of friendships that have fizzled. But they did probably for good reason.

So anyway...this week is planning for party #2 of August. We went to the neighbor summer party 2007 on Saturday night. I gotta say there's nothing like a party on your block that you can just walk to. This year was great since we know all our neighbors better. We are joined at the hip with the two next door so we had a great time. We all danced so much my legs are still killing me two days later. It's a treat for us too, to be able to be guests at a party once in awhile. But who I am I kidding...giving parties is what we do. And since we do it like every month I guess we kinda enjoy it. So block party for 100 or so of our closest friends is upon us. I should probably start cooking now...

2 weeks and holding...

I actually don't feel 40something looming...not sure why I called this that. I am looking forward to it actually. That's why I changed it to 40's here I come...

I feel like I know who I am now. What I want..what I need. I have no room for B.S. in my life anymore. No room for high maintenance people. I am exactly where I thought I would be at this time in my life. Granted back then I thought 40 was ancient...don't we all when we are 21 or so...!

Had a PTA meeting tonight believe it or not. It's July for God's sake. But being crowned PTA President of the Middle School this year...there things I gotta do. We planned the district calendar and man are there lots of meetings. But I have already decided that I will pick and choose what I go to. I have to go to my PTA meetings cause I have to run them. But all these others I will play by ear. I wonder about some of these PTA people...why they do all the things that they do. I guess everyone has some kind of an agenda. But I am determined not to do so many things "for my children" and not enough things with my children. Although this president thing is a committment I am positive its where I need to be right now. There are things that need to be changed and made right and the team I have this year will get the job done. I hope.

By the way...that wake I went to was uneventful. Felt bad for my aunt and cousins...but it wasn't a traumatic throw yourself in the coffin kind of wake..and believe me I have been to those. Actually there wasnt even a coffin...just a box of ashes. That was weird to me. Although I really hate the whole wake thing. What we put ourselves through when someone dies is mind boggling to me. I guess what good came of it is that I met cousins that I never knew..and it prompted people to make plans to get together who havent seen eachother in many years. So some good can come of it all. My good egg of a husband drove me back and forth to Connecticut for about two hours worth of waking. Bless his heart.lol

I am going to try to do this more often. (blogging that is) How cool if others do it too. It's way late...gotta go hit the hay. His Michael-ness will be up at the crack of dawn.

Forgot I started this!!!

Again thanks to my friend Mrs P., I remembered I started a blog. One of my main problems is that my life takes over and I sometimes forget to do the things that I like to do. Like write....read...breathe...!
One of the reasons why I love summer so...no schedule. Well, no schedule that I didnt make for myself anyway. I can sleep a little late...gee to 8am at least! I can read the paper that I pay to have delivered everyday. Have coffee out in the backyard with my husband in the morning and actually have a conversation with him before he leaves for work. Play in my garden. Do my projects that I make lists about but never seem to get to do during the year...like clean out my kitchen cabinets or put the mountains of photos I have in a box into a photo album. May not sound like a fun day to you, but anyone who knows my level of OCD can understand how those things call to me and how happy I am to get them done.
So today's the day we officially start decorating Sam's room. It's really the only room in the house we haven't done anything to. Unless you count the front room, which now serves as the catchall for impending and past parties, and around here there's always one or the other. Now not only does the 40th birthday loom...less than a month and counting..theres that block party that we are inviting 117 (yes 117) of our closest friends to. I told MrsP I wasn't making any more friends..what the hell is going on????????????I digress...back to Sam's room.
After much going back and forth, we finally found a comforter set and now have purchased paint. We will begin once Dad gets some spots spackled and paints the ceiling. I am not really into the actual physical painting part. I more like the design and decorating aspect. I need people for the physical part. But we may make it a mother/daughter project. We shall see.
Tomorrow, TP and I go off to CT for a wake/funeral of an uncle in law I really never knew. My dad (this is his brother-in-law) has to go alone for other reasons, so we are really are going to support him so he doesn't have to face the extended family alone. This trip should make for quite the blogging.
Which leads me to another thought. This blogging...I wonder if anyone would actually want to read it. I know I enjoy reading MrsP's. I don't know. I think I would like for more of my friends to do this. So I may share. I used to be quite the sharer during my St. Mary's Mom's group days..I have gotten away from that now. Sometimes I think I don't have that much to share anymore in a group like that. Lot's of times it's talk of problems. I am positively happy most days. Even if it's been an exceptionally stressful one. I know at then end of the day, everything I have is everything I need. And that's good enough for me.
Laundry beckons...gotta throw a load in before I hit the hay. Hopefully the lazy days of summer will remind me I like to do this. Thanks again MrsP.
Goodnight.

another Saturday

Here I am again. This is fun. Another spring Saturday. No company today believe it or not as long as you don't count the friends S&A have sleeping over. lol

Went over to the next door for "happy hour" at 4pm...didn't come home til 9:30. One of the things I worried about when we moved...was not having neighbors that were nice. We really lucked out. We have great neighbors. I feel like we have known them forever. We are so happy here. Moving was one of the best things we did.

Went to R again today for my hair. After 12 years of having a friend do my hair it was a big step to go to a shop. It felt weird the first time I went but this time was better. People there are very nice. This time since I was a more brave and went with the color I really wanted but was too chicken with a new hairdresser to try, I love my hair. Although it costs a small fortune every six weeks...I don't care. I refuse to feel guilty about it. Its all about maintenance as fourty looms...lol

I think this is a great idea

So after reading my friend MrsP's blog now and again, I have decided it is a really neat thing! So I am giving it a shot. I have friends and family that I don't get to see or talk to on a regular basis and this a great way of keeping touch. I would love if everyone had one. Leave it to the other MrsP to do it first, so I could copy! I really don't enjoy talking on the phone unless I must so this is wonderful for me.

Today was Michael's kindergarten orientation. I cannot believe this person will be in school full time in Sept. Blows my mind. Five years...sometimes I cant believe how fast it went and other times I couldn't wait for him to get bigger already so we could do more things as a family. (with a 14 year old sister and 11 year old brother we are limited to things we can do that appeal to everyone.) At least I am familiar with the school so I am not going to be worried about him. I know he will do great. He has a million friends already, some he made as an infant, some are part of the Trinity Brat Pack, and two newest pals on the block.

So I don't know who I will be worried about come September him....or me? A friend mentioned something about tequilla...anyone have a glass??? lol