GOLDEN

I admit that I get totally wrapped up in the Hollywood awards season.  First the Golden Globes, then the SAG awards and last but not least the Oscars!  I love the red carpet and all the interviews.  I think next year I might try to see all the nominated films before these awards are handed out.  Sounds like an important goal.   

So here are a few of my thoughts about last night's Oscars:
________

I think Amy Adams looked amazing in the sapphire blue dress adorned with the emerald green drop necklace.  The dress could have used a slightly different cut but it was still great.

I think Natalie Portman, who won the Oscar for Best Actress, was wearing a dress designed by Rodarte.  I think all of her costumes in Black Swan were also designed by Rodarte. {Note: you previously mentioned Rodarte in one of your posts}

I think Gwyneth Paltrow looked amazing ~ very modern in her sleek golden dress and her stick straight hair.  She also looked really skinny.

I think Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are a great couple.  She always looks so beautiful and they are always holding hands.  They seem sincere.

I think Reese Witherspoon looked like a cheerleader.  Very plain black dress with a white band around the top (not very fashion forward) and she had a big, big pony tail that was swinging around.  Hmm.

I think Anne Hathaway did a really good job hosting.  She is just so cute and bubbly.  I love her.  I had no idea she had such a big singing voice.  A trifecta (hate her!).  Also, I think she grew up in a town in New Jersey next to where you live sister.  Crazy!

I think James Franco did a bad job hosting.  He seemed totally bored and diconnected.  Boo!

I think I fell asleep at around 10:15 pm and missed all the good parts of the dang show!  Including Gynnie's performance. 

I think I can't wait to watch some of these movies when they come out on Redbox.  I did see "The Social Network" and "The Kids are Alright" and I would highly recommend them both.   
________

There you have it sister.  My abridged version of a review.  We have to chat some more to exchange notes.  Until then.

Tracy

P.S. Happy Birthday to Henry!  Great day Buddy!

  Oscar?  Not!

But he is part of a fishing trophy.

News from the Frontlines

1. Did you ever experience a moment of serendipity, coincidence, or fortune? I just had one with me&t. Check out your photo Friday subject --> the vintage, wooden letters. I was just in a shop digging through letters to do the SAME THING for my photo Friday!!! (no, I am not shouting, just making emphasis) I couldn't find the "&" symbol. (drat) Anyway, I loved it. Well done. We both seem to collect these old letters once used in printing. Remember when you gave each of my children their first initial as a gift? Great gift.

2. At dinner last night, Henry announced there is a "curse word" for every letter of the alphabet. We started with A, B, C, and D..pretty easy to imagine. (although his C was crap and D was dang ~ which I do say on occasion) Well, of course, when we got to F, Henry said he would just spell it. Good idea. Upon inquiry where he heard that particular word, Grace chimed in, "(duh) we heard Dad say it today when he realized his phone was broken." (oooops!)

3. This is very difficult for me to write -- Emma, dear five year old Emma, with her bright eyes and sweet smile asked, "Mommy, are you having another baby? It looks like there is a baby in your belly." #%€£¥%!!! (avoiding words from above alphabet game) I respond, "Well, you know honey, I had four babies and sometimes a mommy's tummy stays like that." Husband throws in his two cents, "You need to do some sit-ups." Thanks. Deep breath. To be honest, I have been running my arse off, but the tummy is just going along for the ride. I have been considering some options truth be told. Options have gone to the top of my "to do" list. Summer is around the corner..

4. Speaking of running. Guess who joined the "club"? My husband finally decided to start running!!!! Hip, hip hooray for Ed! With the entire family in tow, we went to the local running store to get Ed some gear. He went on his first run (in almost 15 years!) with Henry in tow. Maybe the running sisters and Mikey Mike will have another participant in some of our spring races. Stay tuned.

5. Have you watched the movie The Romantics? I know you like Katie Holmes, who stars in it. It was a good, little film. Friends, from college, meeting over a weekend as two of them get married. Subtle, serious, and thoughtful..ended the way I thought it should. The soundtrack is really great too!

tb

PS HAPPY BIRTHDAY HENRY!!! You are eight & I love you to the moon & back.

NOLA

Because of a work conference, I had the opportunity to go to New Orleans, a city I've never visited.  Obviously this region received much attention after Hurricane Katrina but I have always been curious about this city even before then.

The trip was quick ... arrived Thursday and headed home on Saturday late afternoon.  Here are some highlights. 

You know I am not a foodie but I ate at two John Besh restaurants.  I really didn't know who John Besh was but apparently he is on the radar as a top Chef.  I ate at Domenica which serves more of an italian fare and the restaurant was actually located in our hotel, The Waldorf Astoria (sounds fancy, doesn't it).  Then just by chance, the next evening we ate at his restaurant called Luke, which has a German / French menu (kind of an odd combination if you ask me, but seriously, what do I know).  I'm not going to give a food critic review because I'm so not qualified but I will say the food, atmosphere and service in both restaurants did not dissapoint.

Check him out here:
Chef John Besh

Next, you cannot go to New Orleans without stepping foot in the French Quarter.  After dinner on Friday night, our local host gracioully took us to Bourbon Street.  Crazy is all I can say.  The street was packed with people and it was such a mixed crowd.  The younger crowd gathered on the balconies above with beads in hand.  Ready to toss them below.  I think what surprised me the most was the music resonating from the bars.  More hip-hop and not so much jazz.  After walking for a bit, we did settle down into a small bar, ordered up some hurricanes (a must have drink I was told) and we listened to a local jazz band.  It was great.

The next morning a bunch of us met up and headed back to the French Quarter to check it out during the day.  As I wrote about before, we started at Cafe Du Monde.  Then spent quite a bit of time walking the streets of the FQ.  It was fantastic!  The sun was out and the temps were rising.  The architecture is just beautiful ~ French Creole.  There were alot of random performers and musicians just hanging out in the streets doing their thing.  Shops, art galleries and even local artists set up around Jackson Square.  I didn't want to take a break for lunch, camera was in hand and I just kept clicking away.

We did eventually take a lunch break and definitely needed to each the local fare.  We all ordered a Bloody Mary and I split a Po-Boy sandwich and a Muffeleta sandwich.  I favored the Muffeleta (I believe it is ham, salami, etc. with olive tapenade spread on the bread).  Yum! 

I was told there are many great neighborhoods to visit.  But there was just not enough time.  And I also picked up a brochure for a "swamp tour".  Too funny.  Maybe next time.

I think sister we need to put New Orleans on the list of girls' weekend destinations.  I have a couple of other cities in mind as well.  And I did get you a souvenir.  So look for it in the mail.

Enjoy the photos below.

Tracy

P.S. NOLA is a nickname for New Orleans (in case you didn't know, because I didn't)

French Quarter {night}

French Quarter {day}

French Quarter {signs}

Photo Friday No. 15

pretty books in

New Jersey

wood letters in

Pennsylvania

On My Radar

1. For starters, I hope you stole the "Cowgirls are Forever" sign in Colorado!! Did I say steal? I meant purchase. ;) You have a "thing" for signs and that one is super cute. Maybe next year you can tuck some tools in with your ski gear.

2. I know -- another book. Must be all of these cozy, snowy, winter days. I just picked up "I Love Your Style - How to Define and Refine Your Personal Style" by Amanda Brooks. Even if you simply cruise through the amazing photos and captions, it is a great read! Ms. Brooks takes the reader through styles (classic, bohemian, minimal, etc.) and shares her style icons (think Jackie, Carolina, Tory.) Finally, she outlines the basics of building a wardrobe from t-shirts to handbags to evening dresses. A few of my favorites...Ms. Brooks advises one can get by with one, maybe two (!) handbags, she adores her "chicken cutlets" (no explanation needed), and she adores vintage. I hope you read it soon...you'll love it too.

3. Check out the blog "My Parents Were Awesome". Readers submit vintage photos of their awesome parents and, if selected, they are posted on the blog. It is a trip down memory lane..the hairstyles, clothing, vintage vw bugs, and so on. I think I have a photo of our awesome parents in front of a Corvair sporting a beehive and penny loafers. Hmmmmm.

4. How about a great gift idea? I know both you and I are "gifters". Jane Mount is an artist who illustrates a row of books on a bookshelf. She has themes like children's favorites or classics or cookbooks. For the ultimate gift, she will create a personal version of your recipient's all-time favorite books!!! What an amazing gift. I would have a hard time selecting my favs, to be honest. I first heard about Jane Mount on 20x200, but you can find her on etsy and I believe she is transitioning to her own site, Idealbookshelf. Happy shopping!!

5. Now dig through your piles of photos and get ready to create a unique piece of artwork! Check out "Kiki and Polly"..also on esty, but you want to visit their own site for a one-of-a-kind creation. You submit photos of your kiddies, choose the "style" of your piece of art, and submit it to Kiki and Polly to work their magic! I must admit, I haven't done any of the aforementioned because I am having difficulty deciding. I like them all! I do think I will opt of a "group" shot of all four of my children ~ although the single portraits with the fun backgrounds are tempting. Hmmmm (again) What do you think??

Hope you are having a wonderful week ~ spring is around the corner! (fingers crossed)

Tricia

STUCK

I am just about ready with my New Orleans post but something happened today and I can't resist.  Here is goes.

This ski season I decided to buy a new jacket. Something hip but mature. I honestly shopped around but nothing grabbed my eye.  But while we were picking up our ski passes, the ski shop on the mountain had a great selection of coats, pants, etc.  I made a purchase.  White Burton coat with thin plaid and a super cool army green lined hood.

Here's the kicker ... on several occassions my husband so lovingly pointed out other skiiers wearing the same jacket!  Really?  And those skiiers looked about 20 years old (which I am not).  Ready for this, in Colorado in the lift line, some other chick was wearing the same jacket.  I almost cried.

So today I stopped by Sports Authority because rumor had it they were having a sale.  Kate needs new ski pants.  The pair I bought her this year are the bib style (thought that was a good idea so they wouldn't fall down).  Turns out they are tight around her belly so she refuses to zip them.  You can only image how she looks.  While checking out the sales, I stumbled upon the adult jackets.  A grape purple coat with some fur around the hood caught my eye.  So I try it on.  The little tab on the zipper was missing.  No biggy, I get the zipper up.  Problem ... the zipper would not come down!  I literally was stuck in this jacket.  I couldn't even pull it up over my head.  Totally stuck.

This has never happened to me before.  Ok, I lie.  Do you remember sister the bridesmaid dress I wore in your wedding.  A gorgeous two piece ensemble.  The top had really shear cap sleeves and slipped over top.  Our seemstress felt that dresses should fit and show ones curves.  So after she altered my top, I tried it on and it was stuck.  She had to cut it off me and add a zipper.  Yikes.

Back to today ... so I am stuck in the grape purple coat with fur around the hood.  WTF.  I slink up to the counter and patiently wait while others finish checking out.  Still wearing the grape purple coat with fur around the hood.  I proceed to tell the salesperson that I am stuck.  She very calmly takes a little plastic zip tie, puts it around the zipper pull and bingo.  That zipper went down smooth as butter.  Amazing!

Here is the lesson learned.  If your kid's jackets ever lose the tab on the zipper, just add the little plastic thing.  Other lesson learned, try not to get stuck while trying on clothing in the store.  Super embarassing!

Tracy

P.S. New Orleans post will be up on Saturday!

note very popular ski coat and an example of the

little zip pull that might just come in handy

The Blessing of a Skinned Knee

How is this for a coincidence? Remember the book you and I read, "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee" by Wendy Mogel? I think you recommended it to me and we read it at the same time, sharing little bits of wisdom about parenting as we went along. Somehow, I passed it along to a friend and then, the book went missing. Fast forward a few years, and I was thinking about this special book again. Specifically, I could use a refresher course on raising self-reliant children. Miraculously, my friend returned my book and the rest is history!

Here are just a few gems from the book that resonate with me..

"Strive to be a "good enough" parent, not a great one. It can make everyone in the family relax and paradoxically make life richer."

"Every child cannot be good in everything, and no amount of encouragement or teacher talent can make it so."

"Consider that "good enough" can often be best for your child, because when life is mostly ordinary and just occasionally extraordinary, your child won't end up with expectations of herself and those around her that can't be met on this worldly plane."

"But as our children mature, we need to withdraw from smoothing their path and satisfying all their wishes. By giving them a chance to survive some danger and letting them make some reckless or thoughtless choices, we teach them how to withstand the bumps and knocks of life."

Are you ready for more coincidence? My book group chose "The Blessing of a B-" this month. Yes, Wendy Mogel wrote another book with even more parenting wisdom!!! Hallelujah!!! I can't wait to get her second book. And, I hope you are sitting down...Wendy Mogel is speaking about her new book in my town this April!!! Signing books too. I just love a coincidence. Don't you?

Tricia

PS don't worry ~ you know I will get a signed copy of the new book for you. :-)

CO

Still not ready with my New Orleans post ... just returning from a family vacation in the Rocky Mountains!  Ski conditions were great, weather was great and the company we kept was most certainly great.  We heard on the news that the First Lady and the girls were spending some time in Vail for the holiday.  Crazy, wish we would have seen them.

More to follow on this trip as well (I promise).  Haven't talked to you in awhile sister, we need to catch up.

Tracy

Introducing: Vee Speers

As you know, I am addicted to art. True. No joke. I came upon Australian photographer, Vee Speers, on Gwyenth's GOOP. (thanks Gwynnie!) That was quite some time ago and I still can't get Vee Speers out of my mind. Art tends to grab ahold of you like that, hence the addiction.

Vee Speers is an Australian artist who lives in Paris. Her work has been exhibited around the world. Her current series "The Birthday Party" has been haunting me. Ms. Speers created a series of photographs using her own daughter and her friends as subjects. The children range from eight to ten years old. The portraits are of the children in costumes, sometimes with props...a boxer, a bride, a nurse, a swimmer, a soldier. The children stare directly at the viewer, almost causing one to look away in discomfort. Some of the young subjects appear scared, while others seem to provide the fright.

I read that Ms. Speers took the life-size, Polaroid images in black and white, but realized they should have been color. It was too late..the children had taken off their costumes and gone home. Alas, she decided to painstakingly color the photographs by hand.

Please google Vee Speers and "The Birthday Party" so you can see the entire series. If you are haunted, like me, there is a beautiful coffee table book for purchase on Amazon. And, for the addict..Jackson Fine Art carries what is left of the series. Enjoy!

tb

Photo Friday No. 14

Bill's Shot in

New Jersey

Books in

Pennsylvania

CAFE

I am still working on writing a full post on New Orleans.  This here is just a sneak peak.

Cafe Du Monde

{locals & tourists alike flock to this Original French Market Coffee Stand}

As you can kinda see, the menu is simple.  Beignets ~ yum!  Similar to a donut but very dense and covered with powdered sugar.  And of course a nice cafe au lait.  You leave with powdered sugar on your face, on your pants and probably on your shoes.   So worth it.

ty

Sum~Sum~Summertime

Amid the deep freeze of winter (did I detect warmth today?!), my thoughts wander to a safe haven..summertime. Regardless of the daily boots, hats, and mittens, I know she is a-coming. Blue skies, sunshine, sandy beaches, and cool pools. I can hardly wait.

Then it HITS me - what will we DO this summer? As a child, summer was an endless stream of simple, lazy days. Riding bikes to the pool, a trip to the shore, catching lightning bugs, reading piles of books, slathering on Coppertone, and so on. You remember, don't you??

As an adult, I recognize "summer" requires some thoughtful planning. Eight weeks - not so endless. Truly finite. It will go by much too quickly. I seek balance. I want our time to be our own..not watching the clock and driving from A to B. I want opportunities for us to daydream, make our own fun, and be spontaneous! (you do realize, after a few hours of this, we will go bonkers!!) Then, there is vacation, a tiny bit of camp, and swim team.

Pull out the calendar, slice it all up, start filling in the days and weeks, don't forget the birthdays, and ta-da ~ it is done!! Now, I can pray for good weather (is there a saint for good weather?) and begin looking forward to it all. Ahhhh.

What are you doing this summer sister?? I hope we can do something together.

Tricia

OOPS

I feel like I've had alot of OOPS moments lately.  Usually followed by an apology.  This one is classic.  Apology goes to myself.

Most people are quick to focus on their flaws ~ usually external, beauty related.  We all do it, including me.  On the opposite side, I am ok with recognizing a positive quality.  My hair.  I know, sounds strange.  My hair is naturally stick straight, chestnut brown, no greys (until recently) and a spritz or two of cheap hairspray is all it gets.  All natural, healthy hair.  Whether or not it is nice is subjective but I will think of it as a positive.

So a couple of things happened probably since the beginning of summer.  My shoulder length "Gwyneth" bob started to grow alittle longer.  And I started to use the flat iron to get rid of the little bump in the middle that develops from blow drying it.  I also decided not to get a haircut in order to let it grow (I was always diligent about getting a haircut every 7 weeks).  Then I decided one day to replace my cheap flat iron because I didn't want it to ruin my hair.  Makes sense, right?  So I upgraded.  Next, I noticed that giving a slight curl at the bottom of the hair was in style.  So I bought the fat curling iron. After several attempts, I think I got it.  Excellent.  My hair is stylin' even though the rest of me may not be.

Enter the winter months and I felt like my hair was full of static.  Upon further examination, I noticed some split and broken ends.  I became obsessed with picking at them and realized this was going nowhere good.  I thought I had healthy hair.  I decided to go in for a much needed haircut.  After examing the problem spots, my hairstylist very nicely broke the news: I managed to singe the bottom part of  my hair.  Split, broken, dry.  Nice!

I am officially self-grounded from all hot hairstyling products.  Unless I have a special function of course.  Good-bye to my flat iron(s) and curling iron.  Hello to super straight hair with a bump!

ty

highly recommended - going forward

Blog Love

Unbeknownst to me, there was a whole, wide world of blogs out there! For a long time, you and I read " Nie Dialogues" and, of course, "This is GOOP". After deciding to start our own blog project, I became addicted to reading everyone else's blogs. In short, there are blogs about pretty much everything..sailing, food, moms, movies, music, handbags, horses, and so on. At times, I can get lost jumping from blog to blog. What amazes me is that there are so many talented folks out their with many interesting things to say. Here are some of my favs...

1. This is GOOP -- Gwyneth Paltrow's weekly newsletter offers a glimpse into many aspects of her life as a celebrity. She offers up insider information on restaurants, hotels, fashion, books, music, and exercise, to name a few. Her famous friends, like Stella McCartney, are often "guests" sharing their own stuff. The best part..one can subscribe to GOOP and it pops right into your inbox each week!!

2. Habitually Chic -- Heather Clawson is an interior designer who lives in NYC. In her own words, "I hope you enjoy my musings on art, architecture, design, fashion, photography, books, events, and everything else habitually chic!" I enjoy reading HC to get the "inside scoop" on so many things. Her combination of research, writing, and photography makes each post a pleasure to read and to look forward to. In addition, I appreciate glimpses of how Ms. Clawson has evolved as a blogger. Check it out..

3. Nie Nie Dialogues -- Stephanie Nielson (see the Nie Nie??) is a mom of four children who lives in Utah. (She and her husband happened to survive a near-fatal airplane crash, with burns on most of her body.) Her writing and personal photographs speak from the heart. She devotes herself to her children, whether it involves making Valentines or creating family photos/video in Sundance. Also, in "Nie and You", Nie Nie has a daily photo exchange with
Nicola, who lives in South Africa.

3. Satorialist -- Scott Shuman is the Satorialist..he takes amazing street photographs (sometimes with text) of fashion in New York, Milan, and Paris. After working in the fashion industry for many years he comments, "I always felt there was a disconnect between what I was selling in the showroom and what I was seeing real people (really cool people) wearing in real life." Pretty much sums it up. All of the people in his photos have super cool style.

4. Garance Dore -- Garance Dore has been dubbed "possibly fashion world's most closely followed blogger" (unknown) She is French and does write her blog in French..not to worry, look for the English version. She has a section of her photographs and one of her illustrations. (double talent!!) Make that a triple talent, she is also a very funny writer, which is surprising. Her one post was entitled, "This Post Doesn't Count" because she was "getting drunk" with a friend during it's completion. :) **note: there is a rumor that The Satorialist and Ms. Dore are dating. Cute.

Last, but not least -- > Purse Blog, The Selby, Strange Closet, India Hicks, Daily Imprint. Happy reading!!

What are you reading?
tb

OVERDUE

To all, sorry for being delinquent on Photo Friday.  Details not needed but here is my picture (this ones for you sister!):

So I was in the great city of New Orleans for a conference.  Had some time afterwards to explore.  I am working on a post with lots of details and most certainly lots of photos!  Stay tuned.

But this here photo was taken on Friday night at 2:00 am after experiencing Bourbon Street in the French Quarter.  All I can say is crazy!  Once we were done and just about saw it all, our gracious local host took us to her office (which is located in the FQ) and we hopped in her car for a ride back to our hotel.  This here sign was hanging on a computer in their lobby.  The lobby was beautiful: 3 stories high with very architectural airplanes hanging from the ceiling.  This little sign was totally out of place but totally New Orleans.  And or course sister, I thought of you, because every text from you to me included their saying.

ty

Photo Friday No. 13

Cello in

New Jersey

{technical error = no photo. This T off exploring New Orleans! Who dat??}

The B

The spelling bee. Our first. Grace signed up for her school's annual fourth grade spelling bee. To be honest, she is a pretty good speller - so, why not? I was a pretty good speller too (not sure if it is hereditary) and I just finished reading Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother (her daughters did the bees too). Honestly, we crash studied the most difficult words the night before -- Grace and I both started to panic, there were tears, and a few hints at not doing the bee.

The night of the bee...Grace and I signed in together. She placed her number around her neck and joined the other contestants on one side of the cafeteria and I joined the parents on the other side. Simply put, it was a circus. Crazy, loud kids waiting for their crack at the bee. Parents, siblings, grandparents with cameras and video cameras angling for good seats.  My first thought was, "Let's make a run for it Grace!". My second thought was even worse, "Look at the almost 100 competitors, Grace is never going to win" (true).

In spite of all of the above, Grace was smiling. She was actually beaming. She gave me a thumbs up and even winked at me! She was unshakable. The pressure was only increasing her confidence. At that moment, I realized it. We, I mean she, may stand a chance.

Grace breezed through the first two rounds. The words were easy (the difficult ones we studied must have been for the final round of nationals). She was all smiles, thumbs up, and winks. Then, the third round arrived. Grace spelled f-u-i-r-n-i-t-u-r-e and it was over. She handed in her number, grabbed her certificate, and sat down next to me. I gave her a hug and a "good job!".. she started tearing the certificate ever so slightly. Under her breath, she claimed the judge and I misheard her and she did spell furniture correctly (I should have challenged the judge it seemed. Really?!).

Funny thing about losing...it can make one walk taller. The following day, after receiving lots of praise for just participating, Grace was all smiles and winks once more. Her classmate, who made it to the next level, told Grace she lost because she spelled too quickly. Grace told me she was going to start working on her written submission for the upcoming Child's Play contest this spring. I have a feeling Grace and I will be back at The Bee next year. Bzzzzzzz.

Tricia

No bees ... just pillow pets!

ROUND 1

First wave of Valentines Day cards out the door ~ well tomorrow actually.  This is for Matthew's first grade class.  Party on Monday.  Decorated boxes due today.  Cards to be delivered tomorrow.

Slacker mom (i.e. me) did not read the teacher note which clearly articulated the above listed schedule.  So this morning, I read that the decorated box is due on February 8th.  Yikes ~ that is today.  Matthew is black & white.  When he heard the news ... total meltdown.  Being a pack-rat can come in handy.  I reached under my bed and pulled out a perfectly appointed Valentines Day box.  Carefully crafted by Buddy, so you know it is great, and used by Jack several years ago.  And yes, there was still stuff inside of it.  So I cleaned it out, stuffed it in a brown shopping bag and off to school it went.

Tonight the table was covered in cards ... both Matthew and Kate writing away.  Young kids writing ALL those names = hours.  

For some reasons sister, I can picture your crew sitting at the table carefully decorating their boxes with love.  Not using a last minute hammy down box.  My apologizies to Matthew ~ I will try to do better.  Deja Vu, I think I said that before.  Sorry again.

Tracy

This & That [Kids]

1. Emma emphatically said, "William you are NOT my best friend.  Just for today though, not forever".

2. While we are on Emma ..one snowy morning, before school, I wondered aloud to the kids ~ "I wonder if the pizza shops will get their deliveries to the schools for lunch today".  Looking surprised, Emma replied, "I thought the MOMS made all of the pizzas!"

3. Just in case you were wondering -- Henry told me that if we ate human meat it would taste like beef. {I guess I'm glad he is becoming a bookworm}

4. The other day, the security alarm in our house went off.  I raced home to find out what was going on.  The police were in my yard and driveway.  Upon entering the house, I realized William's ENORMOUS Lightning McQueen balloon set it off.  I can't begin to describe my embarrassment as I told the officer who the culprit was.  Ka-chaw!!

5. Speaking of William..the bugger didn't want to go to school on Friday.  As I dragged him out of my minivan in front of teachers and the entire drop off line, he whacked me in the head (actually three times).  After getting back into the van, I commented to Henry how much my head hurt.  Henry says, "No wonder mom, he had his Thomas the Train in his hand".  {duh to me}

Over and out for now.

Tricia

MISC

Nothing specific to chat about tonight sister, but here are some thoughts:

1.  Thought it was cool how the NFL presented a reading of the Declaration of Independence before the big game.  With SO many people watching ~ not only in this country but around the world ~ very clever.  Think about it, how many people have never heard those words or have completely forgotten them.  Those words are pretty powerful stuff.

2.  At what point is it appropriate for a parent to stop disciplining their kids? Note sarcasm.  Especially when a kid is consistently beating on a younger, smaller kid (let's just say 7 & 8 years old).  Is it ok for this age group to "duke it out" themselves?  Or is the older kid considered a bully?  And did I mention both parents are usually in the vicinity when this happens.  Someone help me out here.  I'm not buying into a parents response of "just hit him back".  And I have heard those words a hundred times before from the same parents.  Really?  I wonder if they would have the same attitude if my 11 year old clobbered their 8 year old?  Hmm.  Note that my 11 year old would never do that because he is NOT a bully.

3.  Had a really fun day skiing ~ just me and Jack (11 year old).  From 10:00 am to 5:30 pm.  Eventually joined up with some friends and became a posse of three kids, one mom and one dad.  I think it is great that the kids are not too cool for us.  We try like heck to hang with them.  I got knocked over by a snowboarder once (well twice actually ~ same dude ~ same time).  And then somehow did a sidewards face plant while stopping (ski caught an edge).  It was funny but I have a sore ars!

It is late, I am tired.  Here is a random picture from a quick shopping trip yesterday.  And no, the hats did not come home with us.

Tracy

   

Woman vs. Winter

I have hit the wall - not the brick wall, but the snowy one in my town and the perceived one in my mind.  Running in the winter has become a challenge to me.  I see runners in sleet, snow, and rain, just like the postman.  Nothing stops these diehards (and I applaud you!!).  I once thought I had what it takes to join these ranks, but lately, I feel uncertain.

Here's the thing .. wearing two coats, two pairs of pants, hats, gloves, and neck warmers make it hard to move, let along run.  Next, once one starts running, the icey/slushy roads/sidewalks present danger at every turn (I pray if I fall, nothing important breaks).  Last, my face is frozen, no matter how I attempt to cover it.  Misery.

Now, here's the funny thing .. after I do all of the aforementioned, I feel GREAT!!  Truly.  It is a tug-o-war between the mind and body.  The body wants/needs/misses all of the good that exercise provides.  The mind dreads the numerous unsavory aspects which may occur.  With the temps in the single digits and low doubles, my tug-o-war will continue.  I need to remember the Nike slogan and make it my new mantra this winter -- just do it!

tb

PS check out the site "Road I.D." : get a personalized I.D. tag or bracelet to wear for running, cycling, skiing, etc.  It includes your name and emergency contact info.  Great for the kiddies too ~ school, camp, field trips, etc.  At 19.99 - priceless.  Check it out.

Photo Friday No. 12

Snowman in

New Jersey

Snowman in

Pennsylvania

Behind the Scenes..

As with life ~ things don't always go the way we plan.  Sometimes there are hiccups and other times roadblocks.  Well, me&t t&me is no different.  After reaching the magical number of 100 posts (!), I enjoyed reflecting on our blogging collaboration.  Here are a few "behind the scenes" tidbits and bloopers...

1. On day 1, I discovered I couldn't post photos from my computer. (too much security on my computer it seemed?)  How could I write and not include the photo part of the story?? Well, you know how we solved this problem.  I email you ALL of my photos, which you add to my text, and then post. Kudos to you super sister for the extra work!!

2. Around Christmas, the festivities, stress, and eggnog made a few posts a little dicey.  I teased you about your new piano, you teased me back about my new handbag, and maybe, some red thongs.  Yikes!!

3. It was bound to happen..our mother found our blog!!  Now, I get frequent feedback, especially about things like #2 above.  "Don't you think you teased your sister a little too much about her piano?" and more recently, "Wow! The posts the husbands wrote were really long."  I guess everyone needs a critic!

4. ALL of my photos are taken with my iPhone camera.  True.  This has become a challenge and an accomplishment at times.  Best of all, I am never without a camera when a photo opportunity arises.

5. Technology is NOT my middle name.  While I initially got the blog ball rolling on the computer, I still rely on you to be the techie.  Being more savvy when it comes to all things electronic is a personal goal of mine, but good things do take time. (or maybe I'm just an old dog?)

Happy 100!!!  And many more..

Tricia   {continue below for some photos ~ as posted by t}

№ 100

LBS

How is it that out of nowhere the scale can just jump up 5 lbs? Especially if you weigh yourself every day (except for Saturday & Sunday of course).  I can see an increase of a pound or two but five!  So I analyzed what I've been eating lately and I guess the writing is on the wall.  A little bowl of ice cream with caramel and sprinkles more often than not, popcorn with some freshly melted butter (yum) and floundering to find a satisfying healthy lunch at work.  My fave deli closed so I have been frequenting Saladworks.  I definitely like their selection and the salads are good.  At a glance the salad looks to be low in calories.  But then you add on dressing, maybe an extra topping and yikes!

Other obvious issue ~ lack of significant exercise.  Yoga once a week for an hour.  Skiing once or twice a week (but that is all downhill).  What is a girl to do?

So my plan is to drop 5 pounds.  I think it is best to start with small goals.  It is much easier to see success (i.e. If you need to lose 20 lbs. attack it in 5 lbs. increments.  If you set out to lose 20 and lose 2 there are 18 more to go ~ much more inclined to quit.  If your goal is 5 and you lose 2 you are almost there ~ genius).

In the past, I have had success counting calories and found a great program to assist.  This was several years ago inbetween baby 1 & 2.  I lost 25 pounds.  This "method" of weight loss really highlighted portion sizes and calorie content in certain foods that I was blind to.

So technology has changed over the years and I have been looking for a new calorie counting assistant.  There are many out there.  I searched and stumbled upon an iPad app that is free and it is great.  It is called Lose It!  I like it based on its simplicity and ease of use.  It cuts to the chase ~ tracks weight (and hopefully weight loss), logs your food (has a great database and you can add your own food) and it tells you how many fewer calories to eat to reach your goal.

Wish me luck sister ~ 5 pounds in 30 days.  Easy, right?

Tracy

who needs ice cream when you have bananas

(banana split???)