The Mayonnaise Jar

When things in your life seem Almost too much to handle, When 24 Hours in a day is not enough, Remember the mayonnaise jar And 2 cups of coffee. A professor stood before his philosophy class And had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, He picked up a very large And empty mayonnaise jar And proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open Areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again If the jar was full.. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand And poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded With an unanimous 'yes.' The professor then produced Two cups of coffee from under the table And poured the entire contents Into the jar, effectively Filling the Empty space between the sand. The students laughed. 'Now,' said the professor, As the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that This jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - God, family, children, health, Friends, and Favorite passions -- Things that if everything else was lost And only they remained, Your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter Like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else -- The small stuff. 'If you put the sand into the jar first,' He continued, 'there is no room for The pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time And energy on the small stuff, You will never have room for The things that are Important to you. So... Pay attention to the things That are critical to your happiness. Play With your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18 . There will always be time To clean the house And fix the disposal. 'Take care of the golf balls first ' -- The things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.' One of the students raised her hand And inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. 'I'm glad you asked'. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for A couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

George Carlin's Views on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

'How old are you?' 'I'm four and a half!' You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.
'How old are you?' 'I'm gonna be 16!' You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16!

And then the greatest day of your life ... . You become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony . YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30 ; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there.

Into the 90s, you start going backwards; 'I Was JUST 92.'

Then a strange ! thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. 'I'm 100 and a half!'
May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay 'them.'

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.' And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them , at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER :
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

a clean bill of health

Yesterday I had to go for my yearly physical to make sure all my parts are working properly.  I say yearly, but it has been about 3 since the last one so I figured it was time to get my ass in to see the doc, and the diagnosis.....I am A Ok!  She even joked that she wasn't going to find anything wrong with me, so I guess I must be doing something right after all.  There is just something about going to the doctors and having to put on the "blue gown, with no bra and open in the front"  It still makes me feel alittle bit squeamish to think this lady is going to be looking me up and down, head to toe.   You think I would be used to people looking at all my parts seeing as I gave BIRTH!  I was in the gyn's office once a month and then when it came down to the last month of pregnancy, I was in there close to every week. I was poked and prodded and spread eagle in front of lots of doctors and by the end I could care less.  All I wanted was to have the kid OUT OF ME!  I even when in the tub in labor and delivery with no clothes on in front of my Douala who I hadn't even meet till that night.....boobies flopping and everything and....I didn't care.  But I cared yesterday.  And for some reason I noticed I hadn't shaved my legs either....great!   I am sure the doc isn't going to be inspecting my nubby knees but still!  Thankfully my doc is awesome and made me very comfortable.  We even joked about letting the hubbies dress the kids and the horrible outcomes.  She lectured me about quitting smoking (even though I only smoke about 3 a day, which is kind of a waste in itself.  However it is more of a social thing when I am at work so that justifies why it is ok with me.)  And she wants me to go for routine bloodwork, X-ray and a sonogram for my thyroid.  I also had to get weighed on a DIGITAL scale, which is always fun.  There is no fudging the numbers when they are clear as day in front of you.  Much to my surprise I was back down to my pre=pregnancy weight which is good to know I am not more.  If I lost about 15lbs I would be super happy, but that will happen one of these days.

Seeing as Mike was working, my parents took Noah for the night and I was a free woman from 7pm on!!  I decided to get together with a friend of mine who, because of distance, I  haven't seen in a while.  I took a drive up to Poughkeepsie to have dinner with her.  I go up there frequently and have gotten so used to the drive, it seems like nothing to me.  Plus it was nice to take a drive on the highway (seeing as I very rarely leave CT.....yes sad I know), roll the windows down and crank the music....ahhhhhh!  I felt like I was a teenager again.  We spent about 2 hours there eating and chatting and I didn't want the night to end.  But when I looked at my watch and it was 9:30 and I started yawning, I knew it was time to go home.  That quick 30 mins ride felt more like a hour on the way home, but I made it.  I got home crawled into bed and passed out.  

I love my life now but I miss my friends.  I miss being able to call them with no notice and go out to dinner.  Now I have to have a baby-sitter or make plans weeks in advance.  As I get older it seems like you have to work so much harder to stay in touch with people, but it is so worth it for the good people in your life.

Weekend update

While this weekend was great, there were so many instances where I said to myself "I wish I had my camera so I can preserve the moment in time"  My friend and fellow mom, along with Mike and I  took our little ones to a local farm for some barnyard fun.  Our sons are about 3 weeks apart and have had quite a few playdates with each other in these almost 2 years  ( I still cant believe they are going to be 2.  It seems like just yesterday we were going out for pizza and then to Lamaze class, eating our brownie sundaes with no idea what the future would hold for us once we became mommies.....And now they are walking and talking and becoming their own little persons)  So we went to the farm and Noah was a bit of a whiner to begin with, constantly wanting to be carried. We refused for the most part and eventually he sucked it up and walked.  Any other time when I take him out, he wants to run and play and not hold my hand, now that he has the whole farm to explore where he can run, he wants to be carreid......go figure!  He has a fascination with cows lately so we took him over to see them, but these cows were not like the babies at Stews....they were huge and loud and Noah did NOT like them.  He held on to Mikes leg like a scared puppy dog...so that was the end of the cows.  We ended our day with a picnic and a nap on the way home.

The following day we headed over to the same friends house for a playdate that also included 2 other moms I have not seen in a while.  It is always great getting together with women I feel like I have more in common with then just giving birth  and changing poopy diapers.  We all seem to have similar personalities and our kids are similar as well.  2 are wild child's and 2 are calm and a little stand-offish....Noah being in the second group.  He kind of does his own thing and can play by himself for what seems like hours.  He used to be a cling monster, but now he goes in his room, pulls out his cars and play quietly.....Its a nice break sometimes so I have a chance to get some cleaning done.  We are going to try and make the weekend playdates a more regular thing.

No Bobby, No!!

Who is Bobby you ask? Thats me silly...or at least thats what my son lieks to call me now.  I was tickling him yesterday and he was half laughing, half whinnng for me to stop and he goes..."no Bobby no"  Im like "Im mommy not Bobby.  He of course thought it was hysterical and now thats my new nickname....I guess it could be worse right? I mean he calls his daddy "Mike"......thanks to my big moyuth not realzing I live with a parrot who repeats EVERYHTING I say.  I had asked Mike to see if the hotdogs were done cooking on the BBQ and yelled it out the window.  Then being the polit wifey that I am, I said thank you.  Well, thanks to me, Noah likes to go around and scream "Mike, hotdogs, thank you"  Its hilarious becayuse this happened about a month ago but he says it at least twice a week.  Or if I call for Mike, NOah is right there next to me screaming his name too.  I dont want my kid to call his dad by his first name (even though it is kind of funny)  but how else am I suppsoed to get Mikes attention when we are in yeling distance from eachother.  Screaming out "daddy" seems alitle weird to me, like I should be wearing a school girl outfitt with pigtails in some racey porno.

Maybe I will just spell his name out when I call him...."M-I-K-E, Hotdogs, thank you"

Snapple "Real Fact" #266

Manhattan is the only Borough in New York City that doesn't have a Main Street.

Pesto Shrimp with Pine Nuts

My step-mom makes this amazing dish that I wanted to share with all of you.  Its very easy and very good!

Hope you enjoy!


Ingredients:

1-1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined (medium size is best)
1 small jar (1-3/4 oz) pignolia nuts (also known as pine nuts )
1 lb pasta (rotelli, rotini, gemelli - or your own personal favorite!  I also like to use the tricolor pasta for an attractive presentation)
Approximately 4 oz pesto sauce - (add it to suite your own taste)
Approximately 4 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
2 cloves garlic - crushed
fresh basil (if available)
Extra virgin olive oil
1.        Toast pignolia nuts on a tray in the toaster oven or on stove top in a pan (no oil required). ( They burn easily so watch carefully.)  Put aside.
2.        Boil water for pasta and cook according to taste.  5 minutes before the pasta is done, begin next step.
3.        Saute garlic in olive oil (about 3 tablespoons) (optional:  put 1 tablespoon salt - coarse salt is best but not necessary - in the pan with garlic and oil) and add shrimp, sautéing until done (pink).  Remove from heat.
4.        Drain pasta, and add pesto to taste.
5.        Add pignolia nuts, shrimp and half the cheese to the pasta and mix.  If you have fresh basil leaves, slice them into slivers and garnish pasta and sprinkle more cheese on top.
6.        Enjoy!

Some Pics from the weekend

I had to blindfold Mike so he didnt know we were home:

Can you tell he was excited?

My Lovely Aunts

My parents:

Best Friends

Aren't we a cute couple?

Wings anyone?

This stuff is the bomb!

My son likes beer...starting off early!

Here daddy, try some

Happy Birthday!

Music class or boot camp?

So we had Music class on Saturday and instead of leaving happy and sad it was over, I left aggravated and annoyed.   Ok so a quick recap: My friend Pam informed of this class sometime last year  and we signed up seeing as it was a great price and a chance for me to get Noah involved in some activities.  We had a blast and Noah really enjoyed it.  So when the next semester started and she informed me that the price would stay the same, we decided to enroll Noah in again expecting the same great time......WRONG!  

The first class was cancelled, then we had another class followed by the next class with no teacher and no idea where she was.  She called us later that weekend and said she had car problems and no phone....ok, things happen....no biggie. So then we had the 3rd class which was fine, followed by another no call no show from the teacher.  At this point I was pissed because the class is at 10am on Saturday during spring/summer season.  We could have been out doing things instead of planning our day around this.  I was ready to stop going all together but the owner called and personally apologized, said she fired the other teacher and said she would be teaching class from now on.  I thought "great" because she is super bubbly and fun.  We get to class and I guess plans have changed because someone else is teaching it, but I figured we would stay anyway.  The new teacher seemed nice, different from our previous one, but still fun.  However I don't think she should be teaching a music class designed for 2 year olds.  Our old teacher Stacey said it is ok if the kids run around because even if we don't think they are absorbing things, they are.....and they were.  Noah would come home and sing the songs even though he looked like he didn't care in class.  This teacher expects the kids to stay seated and pay attention....... I mean are you serious?  What toddler can pay attention for more the 10 mins let alone 45?  She doesn't want them to run on the tile with socks on, they cant walk around with sticks in their hands, they cant play with shoes, they cant eat in class.  This supposedly fun class has turned into a battle of wills and meltdowns because of all these rules....what happened to just having fun?  And not only does she have rules for kids, but for the adults as well.  I threw the music eggs in the bin when it was time to clean up and she goes "no throwing Mommy"  And I thought to myself, I am not paying $185 to have someone tell me and my kid what to do, play the music and sing the damn songs and leave the parenting and rules to the parents.  If I don't mind my kid running with socks on, then it isn't your place to say otherwise.

Oh, and did I mention our 10am class has yet to start at 10, but conveniently still ends at 10:45?  It takes her forever to get set up, we have to help put the mats down but its still over on time?  Definitely not getting our monies worth.

She is older and has children that are older and I really feel that she thinks "I didn't let my children do this, so you should let your children do it"  As opposed to our other teacher who has a 3 year old.....2 very different schools of thought.

Note to self:  Next time take the cheaper class at the Y.

What a surprise!

This past weekend was Fathers Day and Mike's 30th (both on the same day) and it was great.  I had planned a surprise party for him that has been top secret, so I dint get to express my stresses and anxiety over something going wrong on here....in case he was reading.  But everything went off without a problem...well except for the fact that Mike and my dad had to run out and get propane for the BBQ.  We started off the day at 6am with Noah ready to go....mommy and daddy had other ideas but that didn't seem to work.  We cranked up the fan and turned off the monitor so we could get another 30 mins of sleep, but when the power went out at 6:30 we had no choice to get up because we could hear Noah's pitiful whines loud and clear.  MOmmmmmmy.....daddddddddy!  I called the electric company and after waiting on hold for 20 mins they told us the power would be definitely be back on by 12.  So we all got showered and dressed and head out to the dinner for breakfast.  Apparently when the power goes out there is no hot water either....I had no idea.  So we all had nice refreshing COLD showers.  After breakfast we headed to Stews to see all the animals but Noah was specifically excited about the cow. He LOVES cows and when we sing "Old McDonald", there are 10 cows on his farm.  We got to see the cows, who were laying down, some ducks, a goat that was on the roof of the barn and an escape artist rooster that Noah was trying to coral with the grounds keeper.  We figured we had some time to kill before 12 and decided to head to New Milford for Starbucks (because Mike wanted to go to the drive-thru) and then we took a nice drive through Bridgewater and headed home.  Luckily the power was back on and it wasn't even 12 yet..woohoo!

My parents came over to watch Noah and I took Mike to get a massage.  This worked out perfectly too because they were able to set up for his party.  So after the massage I told him we were going somewhere special. I had him blindfolded while I drove around Danbury in hopes to confuse him so he wouldn't realize we were going back to the house.  It semi-worked because as we were driving he blurted out " I bet we are going back home"  So we got back home and everyone yelled surprise as he took off his blindfold.

It was a wonderful day with wonderful people.  We feasted on a great fruit spread, chips and dip, wings, burgers, hot-dogs, mac and tuna salad, corn and of course some well deserved cake....one for the Dads (Mike and my dad) and one for the birthday boy.  Along with a summer punch and some cold beers.  Noah seemed to enjoy the beers too...getting them for people and spilling them on the floor that is..... (Don't worry, we didn't let him consume any.....he has to wait till he is at least 5 for that!)  He also enjoyed throwing the ice from cooler on to the ground or putting them in his mouth and spitting them in the grass...he is such a gross little boy!  I don't want to even think about how many dirty ice cubes made it from the floor to his mouth while I wasn't watching...the less I know the better.  The he ended his night with his fingers in daddies cake, but made sure everyone got a taste.

Seeing as my camera is broken I had to relay on my paparazzi friend (kimmy) and parents for pictures so hopefully they will be up shortly.

11 Worst Things a Parent Goes Through

I came across these 2 articles on MSN today and I had to share because they are so very very true.

Perhaps you can identify with many of the following. It's considered bad form to dwell on the negative aspects of parenting for (at least) two reasons. First off, you got yourself into this mess. Second, parenting is supposed to be about happiness, love, laughter, the passing on of traditions, sleeping in hammocks—you know, all that stuff you see on TV commercials for insurance and investment companies. As every parent will tell you, raising children really is about all of those good things, and more. The fierce loyalty and admiration we feel toward our kids is undeniable. Still, parenting is one of life's hardest jobs, harder than anyone can know unless they're going through it themselves, and it definitely takes its toll. Perhaps you can identify with many of the following. Philosophical Acquiescence Having kids won't change my life, you tell yourself. But somewhere between finding out you're expecting, picking out items for the baby registry ("Why is everything plaid?"), and testing the sometimes turbulent-looking waters of the parenting universe, an inevitability to your new life creeps in: You are a parent, and while life is still great and that little bundle of joy really will make you a drooling, sentimental mess, nothing—not your living space, your free time, nor your personal decisions—will ever be the same. At times you'll honestly wonder: What have I gotten myself into? Sleep Deprivation Nothing can prepare you for those first few months (or in some cases years) of waking up every couple hours to change a diaper, prepare a bottle, or walk around the living room in a daze hoping the kid you're cradling will finally call it a night. (They probably will around dawn.) Nursing mothers obviously bear the brunt of this, but dads who want to do their part (and to those who don't: Why are you sitting on the sidelines?) feel the effects too. When you're both this tired it affects everything—your social life, your productivity at home and at work, and your ability to communicate amicably. Watch out for that last one. The Blowout Diaper Poop. Better get used to it being everywhere—on the furniture, on your clothes, under your nails. And it's staggering how much poop that little human can store up in its body and, without warning, evacuate all at once. Think Mount Vesuvius. The prudent will stock up on extra baby wipes and take them everywhere the baby goes, just for this moment. My wife and I still refer to our seminal diaper-changing moment as "The Costco Parking Lot." We had the car cleaned afterward. Public Embarrassment You're there to support your child through good times and bad. But somewhere along the way your kid will trip and fall in full view of hundreds of people at a basketball game, knocking over a vending machine with a loud crash and bring the event to a halt, and you'll want to hide. Guess what? You can't. (And you won't.) Suddenly your parenting skills are on full display, for better or for worse. Good luck. Mortality Whether the deceased is a goldfish or a grandparent, managing your child through the death of someone close is one of the toughest and saddest parts of your job. There's not much you can do to stop the tears, so be prepared to ride it out and fumble your way through big questions like, "Why does anything have to die?" If there's a silver lining, it's that kids seem to bounce back faster than adults do, eventually giving you time to grieve—but only after you've helped them get over the loss. Marriage Issues Few things can bring out the differences in people like parenting. You may find that your spouse has other ideas when it comes to praise, discipline, routines, homework, housework … just about everything. And those differences usually arise when times get tough. Plus, the constant "hands-on" nature of parenting means a lot less time alone with your partner. Constant communication and mutual understanding are essential; otherwise, get ready for an uncomfortable and unpredictable ride. Health Issues Kids are cute—so cute that germs love them. You can disinfect all you want but you're still going to be wiping noses or cleaning up vomit on a regular basis. This malady comes with a side "benefit": because your immune system is feeling the pressure of getting little sleep and being generally more anxious about life, you get sick, too—far more often than you ever remember before having kids. Welcome to the Petri dish. Routine Try as you may to avoid it, parenting has a way of sapping the spontaneity from life. Sure, you can still go shopping or hiking on a whim, but that whim may now include packing snacks, making sure each kid has his favorite toy for the car ride, folding the stroller and putting it and the diaper bag in the back of the minivan, checking twice for full water bottles, telling the car's occupants not once but four times to "go to the bathroom before we leave," enduring World War III in the back-seat, someone having to go to the bathroom right away, and turning around after two blocks to return home for whatever it is you forgot. Maybe it's best to just stay home and play in the backyard. Breakdown There are times you'll feel at your wits' end, and not in some funny way portrayed in a movie or on a sitcom. When something snaps inside, you feel it and the resulting emotions may be confusing or alarming. Worse, you may have no outlet to deal with them because you're the parent and the show must go on. It feels warm and fuzzy to say these trying moments help you grow as a person, but the reality is that sometimes they don't. Sometimes they take the life right out of you. Trouble child You get the call at work to come to school for a meeting with the principal. Turns out little Johnny is the school bully and he just punched three kids and a teacher. You saw the tendencies at home, but now your worst fears are true, and in addition to dealing with school administration you have several other parents to answer to. What did you do wrong, and is fixing the problem coming years too late? Worry Despite your best efforts to project a calm façade, inside you're wondering if your kids are failing at school, having trouble making friends, hanging out with the wrong crowd, or experimenting in ways that make your skin crawl. As they get older, they spend more time away from you and your protective eyes and arms, and though you try to grant them independence, you dread getting bad news. Suddenly it hits you: You're just like your mom. Somehow that doesn't make you feel any better.

11 Best Things Parents Go Through

When you become a parent, the weeks and months fly by, but the days—and nights—can last forever. Yet it's in those endless hours when we experience the best parts of parenthood. Small successes feel as exhilarating as climbing Mt. Everest, and major accomplishments make us burst with joy. Yes, parenting comes with its own unique struggles, but few things in life compare to the following pleasures. Childbirth Okay, maybe "pleasure" is the wrong word to describe childbirth; labor and delivery are scary, even if mom opts for the epidural and dad stays in the waiting room. But going through what seems a geometric improbability—fit large oblong object through very, very, very narrow space—endows you with a newfound respect for human life. It is, indeed, a miracle. After all, the female body accomplishes what even the best business minds rarely can: conceive of and launch a new product in just nine months. No R&D budget, PowerPoint presentation or marketing plan required. First Time Out of the House Having swaddled your baby like a sausage, covered her soft spot with two pink-and-blue hospital caps, strapped her into the portable "bucket," belted the bucket onto a stroller, looked both ways five times before crossing the street, and walking 1 mph around the neighborhood in 72-degree weather, you return home knowing that you and your child survived the great outdoors without breaking or catching pneumonia. This may seem like a minor achievement, but after this journey your confidence soars. From this point on, anything is possible! Potty Training Yes! It's amazing how excited you can get over poop and pee. Fear that your child will graduate from size 6 Cruisers to Depends, instead of underpants, no longer keeps you up at night. In addition to the sense of newfound independence you both feel, there's nothing quite like watching your 3-year-old sit on the toilet as you secretly calculate the money you'll save not buying diapers. Compounded over 15 years, it could pay for his freshman year at college. Family Meals As a parent, you rediscover the four main food groups and learn to cook instead of dial for dinner. Better yet, you actually sit down to eat and talk with your family. You'll find out what your kids learned at school. You'll hear their views on current events. Maybe you'll just laugh together. Not every meal will be so satisfying, but sharing mealtime with your family has a way of putting life into perspective, one day at a time. Playtime Parenthood is like a time machine. From Candyland to hide-and-seek, patty-cake to reading The Cat in the Hat, playing with your kids awakens memories and senses long forgotten. Every time you build with Legos, dress-up like a princess, re-read Ping, or watch The Wizard of Oz, you'll rediscover a kind of creative, imaginary fun that adulthood rarely accommodates. It can be difficult to exit work time and enter playtime—and trying to forget about office deadlines and pressures—but once you free your mind, you'll live in and enjoy the moment. Hugs and Kisses A peck on the cheek at bedtime. A full-body squeeze before you head out to work. Hugs and kisses from your kids are shots of adrenaline, caffeine, and sugar all at once. Shows of affection may get fewer and farther between as children grow older, but each one of them is a natural high. Seeing Yourself in Your Child Your daughter inherits your sense of humor and your spouse's corkscrew curls. Even better, she does not inherit your inability to add fractions or your husband's dance moves. Observing the physical and personality traits that manifest themselves in your children—and those that, thankfully, do not—is one of the most gratifying parts of watching your children evolve. Discovering New Hobbies Kids introduce us to things we never thought we'd be remotely interested in. Before having my son, I was completely unfamiliar with construction equipment. Now, I can spot a Caterpillar backhoe loader from 500 feet away while driving 60 mph—and I get excited about it! If you hate sports, expect your son to be on the basketball team. If you're tone deaf, don't be surprised if your daughter plays the lead in the school musical. Inevitably they expand our world, making it a more interesting place. Reliving First Love … and First Heartbreak When your children fall in love for the first time, you'll briefly long for the giddy, adolescent feeling of the head-to-toe crush, followed by the fireworks of a first kiss—and all those other firsts. But then, you'll watch as they wait for a phone call, a second date, an invite to the prom that never comes. Your heart breaks for your son or daughter, but you're grateful that you never have to feel that particular brand of teenage pain again. First loves are best relived vicariously. Graduation Days Whether it's kindergarten, elementary school, high school, college, or beyond, the day your children formally pass from one educational level to another is thrilling, and almost as relieving as potty training. Your deepest fears that they "won't make it" are replaced by overwhelming excitement for their future and pride at the hard work you both put into past education, from their ABCs to their Ph.D.s. Rediscovering Your Spouse You think you know your significant other, but having a child casts your partner in a whole new light—not just as a spouse, a lover, or a friend, but as a mother or a father. You'll smile as your partner wrestles with your son, teaches your daughter to drive, or explains why we don't poke the cat. Watching my husband be a dad—patient and silly, gentle and engaged—makes me love him even more.

I will take a side of nuts and berries please

After 4 1/2 years of living in CT, I think I am slowing turning into a native nutmeger. What does that mean you ask?  Well take for example chicken salad...I like it straight up....chicken, mayo and celery.  I am not a big fan of nuts and berries like most native yuppies in these parts.  However I discovered the best creation the other day while on our taste testing trip to Costco.  Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad.  Now it either sounds delicious or disgusting when you hear it and I have to admit, when I heard what was in it, I wasn't too thrilled, but hey...it was free!  So I gave it a try and it was DELICIOUS!  The $9.95 price tag wasn't as appealing to me so I said I would get it on my next trip.  Well all week Mike and I were craving it, so I decided to give it a try and make it myself.   When I found out after I bought all the ingredients, I could have bought the Costoc version and saved myself the time I was pissed, but now I know how to make it and I think it came out BETTER then Costcos version.  I used a can of chicken and while it wasn't bad, it was like tuna (meaning it wasn't chunky like chicken normally is but rather stringy...but it tasted like chicken so that is the important part right?)

Here is the recipe:
2 cans chicken (or 4 boneless breasts, cooked and cubed)
1/4 cups craisins
1/4 cup crushed pecans
1/4 cups chopped celery
Mayo to taste

Enjoy!

A little R&R without the terrible 2's

SO we pretty much had a whole weekend just Mike and I.  My parents took Noah Saturday morning at 10 and brought him back Sunday at 3:30.  Although I love my son to death, it was so nice to have some alone time.  I forgot what it was like to be able to do whatever I want, and go where ever I want without being controlled by nap times and a cranky kid.  Mike and I ended up running around Saturday and didn't get to do too much of sitting in our asses and relaxing, but just shopping without the extra appendage was nice, and seeing as it was a million and one degrees Saturday, Noah would have been super cranky.  So, we went to TMobile to upgrade our plans and get new phones, then I went to get a haircut and Mike went home to put in our new air conditioner.  The last place we lived in had them in the walls so we had gotten rid of our old one, so this year it was time for a nice new 10,000 BTU...and we got a great deal too!  Then it was off to Costco for some groceries and free samples.  They have the best stuff there and by the time we left we were stuffed...I mean so what if we walked around 5 times!  After that we went home.  I decided to pull out some old pics from back in the day.  It was nice to take a trip down memory lane and I was shocked to see that I actually looked anorexic in some of my pictures..Funny because I never felt that way back then.  Now I would kill to be a size 6 again.

After finally relaxing, we got ready for dinner and went to my favorite place, The Sesame Seed.  The food was outrageous!  I got spinach ravioli stuffed with peas, carrots and something else, in a sweet potato sauce, and Mike got salmon with carrots, green beans and brown rice in a lemon butter sauce.  We left feeling very stuffed and very satisfied.

Sunday we got to sleep in for a change, well till about 8:30 for me.  And aside from the horrible sinus infection that i think I have, it was pretty enjoyable. We got up, showered and were out of the house by 10 to get breakfast.  Then we had some more errands to do and went home. It was a blazing 1million degrees out so we didn't want to run around too much.  Its so funny, because I have longed for summer and nicer weather so we could get out of the house, but now its too hot outside and we need to stay inside in the AC! ......go figure!

Like I said, it was sooooo nice to have some alone adult time, but I wouldn't trade seeing my smiling little boy for anyhitgn in the world.  Nosh came home around 3:30 and we ended our weekend with some music and dancing, building towers with legos and then knocking them over, dinner in front of the boob tube because it was too hot to eat in the dinning room, Noah hand feeding me grapes, and some snugly time on Mommy and daddy's bed.....it just doest get better then that!

Dear Better Business Bureau,

I have been to a few dentists, and I have to say that this one is by far the worst.  The office had called me and told me it was time for me to come in for a check up and I had explained to them that I had cavities as well, so we set up an appointment. I was contacted 3 times after that to change the time, as well as ask me why I was coming in...one call being from the doctor himself.  When I finally did get there for my 1pm appointment, the office was closed...it seems they were still not back from lunch yet.  Why would you schedule a 1pm appointment when no one is there in the first place?  The receptionist pulled in at 1:15 and the Dentist didn’t get there till 1:45!  I had taken lunch at 1 and only get an hour so needless to say I was not happy.

I hadn’t been there in over 2 1/2 years and informed the receptionist of that. I asked if she wanted my updated information...she never took it.  Then as I am getting Novocain and having my mouth drilled, she wants my insurance card.  After they try and figure out what the copay is, she comes back and they start discussing payment methods with me...still while being drilled.  They scribble some numbers on paper and tell me I owe $562 but can not give me a breakdown of how they came up with that figure. The dentist asks me if I can put it on a credit card and I tell him I don’t have any and wasn’t expecting to pay this much.  He offers no payment plan or arrangement.  A few weeks later I go back for a cavity and the SAME receptionist tells me I only owe $138...what happened to the $562? She has no answer for me and says " this is better for you isn’t it?"   Well of course it is, but again I ask for it in writing so that it doesn’t come back to bite me in the ass, and she cannot provide me with that. So I leave thinking my balance is lower then it was.  I get a call a week later from the Dentist telling me I owe $562!  I have no idea what these people do there all day long but they do NOT communicate with each other.

A week ago I get a call from the Dentist saying he is sending me to collections for non-payment.  How am I supposed to make a payment when I have yet to receive a detailed bill?  I called him and tell him I can make small payments but I do not have that kind of money right now.  He then proceeds to cut me off and tell me that is unacceptable since service have been preformed and to put it on a credit card (even though I have told him over and over again I do not have one) or to put it on someone eles card!  I mean, can you imagine a doctor saying that?  I asked him if he could work out a payment plan for me and told me we can go through a financial service like capital one.  So he wants me to take a loan out to pay him back?

At this point I am very upset and annoyed so I decided to call the insurance company myself and find out what they actually did pay.  I am so glad I did.  It turns out that even though I went in March of this year, he did not submit the claim till May.  They paid a portion of the bill and have not paid the remainder because they are waiting for HIM to get back to them with my x-rays and other information.  So, the reason he has not gotten paid from the insurance company is his own fault.  Where he is getting this figure of $562 I have no idea.  And to top it off, my Insurance company said I am only responsible for a $50 deductible…I have already paid $75, so home-boy owes me $25! (I did not include this part in my real letter)

Needless to say, this man should not be a practicing dentist, or at last learn some valuable work ethics because you do not treat people this way.



Sincerely,
Loni Aquilia

(And for the record, for those of you who live in Fairfiled County, the doctor I am referring to is Gary  Boyajan who has offices in Bethel and Ridgefield)