Mmmmm

I love Oreo Cakesters!

Second Star to the Right

I love Peter Pan. I have always loved the animated Disney version (did you have any doubt?) and I thought Hook was pretty good. Then of course, Finding Neverland was both wonderful and heartbreaking. But I just discovered the 2003 version of Peter Pan and it's so magical, they should slap the name Walt Disney on it! I'm still trying to figure out what I was doing that year, that I didn't realize this movie existed until recently. After reading up on it, I found out this is the closest version to J.M. Barrie's plays and novel (which I have a vintage version of...SO FUN!). The narration sounds eerily like Lord of the Rings narrator, and the actress who plays Wendy is phenomenal. As both the real world and Neverland decide, "I DO believe in fairies," there is nothing short of chills!

As a kid, I remember being torn between wanting to grow up and wanting to stay a kid (hmmm, sounds a lot like a certain tale...) I loved my childhood. There was no shortage of heartache, but there was so much happiness too, as it was full of friends, family, books, movies, music, delicious food, big imagination--all the things that still make me happiest. Now that my own kids are at an age where they can use their imaginations, creating worlds to play in, enjoying the timelessness of childhood, I'm determined to hold onto that for them as long as possible. But knowing that someday they have to grow up, I hope they take some magic with them, as I have tried to do...

Erin Go Bragh!

IRELAND FOREVER!

Now that I've been to Ireland, I feel more connected than ever to all things Irish and my heritage. This St. Patrick's Day season has been so fun.

I love Celtic knots and all things gaelic looking.

These images stir something in me.


As usual, the kids and I like to do it up big.
Happy St. Patrick's Day 2008!

Spring is Here

I just finished one of many Cadbury Eggs that I will be consuming this spring. There is nothing like them. They are pure chocolately, sugary goodness and I love them more than any other candy in life. It's probably more a dessert than candy because you can't just pop it in your mouth. It must be experienced. I have encountered a lot of people in life who hate them. I think Cadbury Eggs are like Peeps...you either love them or hate them. There's no halfway. I do have a couple of friends though who I have enjoyed many an egg with. We'd sit there, nibbling on them, licking out the smooth sugary middle, not saying a word since the chocolate is so velvety it makes speech pretty much impossible. Maybe the fact that they're seasonal makes them even more desirable.

Pure decadence.

Kids...

Kids little brains amaze me sometimes. Jake brought his latest creation out of bristle blocks up from the basement a few minutes ago and told me it was a building from Ratatouille. I said, is it the Eiffel Tower? Of course, he doesn't know what the Eiffel Tower is so I went and got the DVD case out and showed him and he said that's what it was and seemed excited that I knew what he was building. It's so fascinating seeing how they develop into their own people. Jake is 5 and has to memorize Bible verses for Cubbies every week, and he struggles with that. And there's Rory (who is 3) in the background basically memorizing them no problem because she's always listening in. And she helps him. Freaks me out a little bit and makes me feel a little bad for Jake, not that he really cares about that stuff yet. Then yesterday I was trying to teach them about clocks and telling time from these cute Disney flashcards I picked up at the dollar store. Rory caught on right away while Jake just kind of listened and watched. But look at what his mind does...creates a famous structure out of toys! We've always had lots of building stuff around the house--bristle blocks, magna logs, lincoln logs, small, medium, and large legos, and magnetix (which, by the way, if you don't have magnetix and you have a boy 5 or older, GET SOME cuz they are so cool and fun and seem to make kids be really creative!!!). Anyway, it seems like Jake has become quite a builder in the past few months. It's become his favorite thing to do and I love seeing what he comes up with. Kids are amazing!

To Love a Couch...

Sometimes my couch wraps its arms around me. I am cozy, I am warm, I am taken care of by my red cushy couch and my very faded and soft blue quilt with the flannel back. I love moments like this when I feel overwhelming contentment with my simple life...just me and family at home, the kids playing upstairs, me reading whatever novel I currently have my nose buried in, knowing Mark will make his way home to hang out with us before the day ends. This is why I love winter. To be able to burrow into my home for days on end is not a bad thing. So here I sit, book in hand, my latest cookbook next to me on the coffee table in case I need a change of pace, and a fire going to take the bite off the air. The wind is howling, more snow is expected, and I say bring it on. My cozy couch (and piles of quilts) will keep me warm.

Family Sing Along

Does anyone else love those freecreditreport.com commercials? There are three that I know of and I'm almost ashamed to say this out loud, but all four of us know them word for word. Why the obsession? I have no idea. I just know that I giggle uncontrollably when my kids sing the the pirate restaurant version to absolute perfection. I tried to upload them here but I'm getting errors, so just go to YouTube and search for freecreditreport.com

First Timer

I just finished my first sewing project! This winter I've been really antsy to do something with my hands. I don't have a hobby, other than cooking, and I've wanted to find something else to help keep me busy. As many people know, my mom is a quiltaholic, so when she was here in January, we went shopping and got all the makings of a quilt. It was so fun choosing fabrics that I really love. And I just happened to have a sewing machine on hand because Mark bought me one right after I had Jake. I have gone back and forth for years on weather or not I want to try sewing, but now that I have, I realize using a machine is really addicting. I started my quilt while my mom was here and I'll be working on that for a long time. I'm really excited about it, but I also wanted to try something that I could finish quickly and see an end result. So I found a simple pattern for a tote bag online and just went for it. Even though it's sloppy I love it! Sewers of America, count me in!

Elizabethtown

A couple of posts ago I mentioned I'm passionate about movies that move me. I love Cameron Crowe movies--he has such a poetic way of telling stories. His most popular film is probably Jerry McGuire, but my two favorites are Almost Famous and Elizabethtown. I absolutely can't resist Almost Famous--I am always mesmerized as I fall into that world of classic rock. The goosebumps never fail when everyone on the bus ends up singing along with "Tiny Dancer."

But tonight is about Elizabethtown. I saw this movie two years ago, sitting in Abby's cozy little apartment on a frigidly cold snowy night in Minnesota. I remember freaking out after seeing it, as I have a tendancy to do when I fall in love with a movie. I just sat there, rehashing everything with Abs, and wanting to get into my car and drive across the country. I also remember being really tired that night and not catching all the details.

I have an ideal movie situation. I get to indulge myself a lot during the winter, with Mark being gone for basketball so many nights. I have a routine...phone ringer turned off, limited lighting, waiting for the kids to fall asleep, a lone candle on my coffee table, beverage, snacks, and chapstick ready and waiting so I don't have to get up for anything. Tonight was a night with zero interruption so I was able to fall completely into the story.

I don't think I remembered how amazing the soundtrack is...peppered with sprinklings of Elton John, Patty Griffin, Tom Petty...really wonderful stuff. I checked out Amazon and saw they had to jam the soundtrack onto 3 separate CD's! For me, this movie isn't about the romance of the characters, it's all the underlying symbolism and stuff that's hard to write about this late at night...and the highlight is by far the road trip, followed closely by me simultaneously laughing and crying during the Moon River tapdance routine.

I feel like this post isn't flowing so I'll just end by saying that Elizabethtown is a movie that moves me.

Half Empty or Half Full?

In the last two weeks...

Our red car needed new brakes.
Our water heater kicked the bucket.
Our basement storage room was completely flooded from the stupid water heater.
Rory flushed her Cinderella phone down the potty, making it unusable.
Our van is now smoking and smells like foul burnt rubber.
My kids drove me crazy.
The Patriots lost the Superbowl after a perfect season.
We felt alone and vulnerable.

On the other hand…

God provided a job for me that will not take me away from my kids.
Some men came down from another church to help install a new water heater.
The only stuff ruined in the basement flood were the yard sale boxes--hazzah for plastic bins.
Mark’s dad dismantled the toilet, fished out the phone, and put it all back together.
A friend here may be able to fix the van.
My kids are a gift and make me laugh out loud every day.
At least we had the Red Sox this year.
New friends seem to be at every turn.

Invaluable lessons are being learned about God’s faithfulness.

8 Things

A blog tag, huh? Well, this is the answer I’ve been looking for because apparently, my creative self has taken a leave of absence as there has been nothing to write about in the last month or so. Here goes…

8 Things I’m Passionate About:
My little family
People using their gifts within their church family and in life in general
Holidays
Movies that move me
Food
Hosting a memorable party
My kids becoming readers
Coffee

8 Things I Want to Do Before I Die:
Influence someone toward God
Know my grandchildren
Take culinary classes
Run a business of my own
Eat in the Mediterranean countries
Go back to Ireland because I need to spend more time in that magical land
Live in a picturesque place that inspires me daily
Visit Daylin

8 Things I Say Often:
What time is practice tomorrow?
I need a smooch.
What are you guys fighting about?!!
I don’t know what to tell ya.
Are you gonna be home tonight so I can go to Barnes & Noble?
What cartoon do you want to watch today?
Nice to meet you.
Is that me or what?

8 TV Shows I’ve Recently Watched:
Gilmore Girls
The Office
The Today Show
Everyday Italian
Barefoot Contessa
Lilo & Stitch, the Series
How I Met Your Mother
October Road

8 Artists I Never Tire of Listening To:
James Taylor
Sara Evans
Dixie Chicks
Michael Buble
Wicked soundtrack (not an artist, but the CD case is always on my kitchen counter for easy access)
Some old Passion conference CD’s
Lillith Fair type girl power chicks (Indigo Girls, Jewel, Sarah McLachlan---yaay for the 90’s!)
Ellis Paul

8 Things That Attract Me To My Friends:
Down to earth
Fun
Things in common
Loyal
Openness
Sincere
Quick to laugh
(Basically, I stole Gretchen’s list cuz she nailed it!)

8 Things I Learned in 2007:
Transformers and Magnetix are a mother’s best friend because little hands stay very occupied.
God is my Father.
Lonliness really stinks.
God grows us together.
The 2008 election will take more of a toll on me than the 2004.
Homemade vinaigrettes win out every time over bottled dressings.
Being 30 rocks.
How to truly love my neighbors.

Who Am I Gonna Tag?
My blog circle has already been tagged so just keep em coming.

Children of the 80's, Unite!

I admit, I'm a total sucker for nostalgia. Being born in 1977, I got to enjoy my childhood in the 80's. I was always so glad I wasn't a teenager during that decade because as silly as some of those early 90's trends were, nothing is worse that the 80's. I can live with seeing pics of myself as a teenager with the flannel shirts (loved the grunge era!) and the huge oversized sweaters.

But I will admit that as hideous as those 1980's were, being a kid rocked...the toys were great, the Saturday morning cartoons were great, little trends like snap bracelets, leg warmers, and banana clips were so fun for kids, and Punky Brewster was the coolest. In the last few years, toys from my childhood have made a huge comeback...Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, and Transformers, to name just a few. Whoever decided to do this is a marketing genius because those of us who played with this stuff as kids now have our own kids. I am such a sucker for all of it. My kids have their fair share of this stuff and we love it. We just rented DuckTales Season 1 from the library and I think the kids get such a kick out of the fact that I know all the words to the opening song. I would kill for Boomerang, the network that plays all those old Saturday morning cartoons like Smurfs and Snorks and Pound Puppies, but alas, DirecTV has to dangle them in front of my face without putting it into the basic package.

So, all this to say, did anyone else watch the comeback of American Gladiators last night? Twenty years later, and there Mark and I were, watching those goofball gladiators as if we're still 10 years old...

Thumpity, Thump, Thump!

These are my two favorite children's books EVER! They are so fun and imaginative, not to mention beautifully illustrated. Today in the spirit of magic, we made our first snowman of the season. I have to say it is the rockingest snowman I've ever seen in real life! Thanks to my mom, who gave us a special little treasure box that is a Snowman In a Box kit. All you have to add is snow. In our case today, we added a real carrot instead of the wooden one it came with because we happened to have some in the fridge and Jake was begging to put one in. And Jake also found the arms. He was adamant that he have stick arms. =)

Yes, that is a pipe in his mouth. My favorite part of the morning was when Rory proclaimed with as much heartfelt feeling as Tiny Tim, "Mom, this is the best Christmas day EVER!" Did my heart melt? Oh, you have no idea. It's amazing when you see or hear yourself in your kids. That was absolutely something I would have said outloud.

The kids felt the need to sing Frosty the Snowman during the picture taking, that's why their mouths are open here. Hee hee!!!

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

Sometimes I just really wish Santa was real. I love the thought of a magical dream world that is the North Pole. I love the thought of a fat jolly grandpa-type guy who is quick to laugh sliding down chimneys. I love the thought of flying reindeer. I love the thought of elves making toys.

I watched Miracle on 34'th Street yesterday--the remake, not the original (I am a huge fan of both versions)--so I guess that's where this thought comes from...

"Let's Go to the Movies...Let's Go See the Stars..." (song from Annie)

"No form of art goes beyond ordinary consciousness as film does, straight to our emotions, deep into the twilight of the soul." --Ingrid Bergman

If you're wondering who Ingrid Bergman is, she's one of the mos celebrated actresses of all time...Casablanca, Gaslight, The Bells of St. Mary's, to name just a few. Anyway, I love this quote so much because it perfectly describes how movies affect me.

It's no secret to those who know me that I'm a movie freak. There are lots of things that make me happy...books, cooking, precious times with friends, my kids laughing, seasons...but today I'm just thinking about movies and how they make me feel. I would probably see most movies that come out if I had the time and the finances to back it. There was actually a time of life when I did that--a year with Gretchen and another year with Tishka when we saw whatever we wanted whenever the mood hit--many Friday and Saturday nights were spent sitting in a dark theatre. Oh what a time that was. =) As life moves on, things become different, family grows, and there are a lot more important things to pay for than the latest flick, which is completely understandable. =) I went quite a while there without seeing anything ever, even renting went out of the picture. But lately, it seems like I've been able to get to the movies that I REALLY want to see. I manage to scrape some extra dollars together here and there, and my loving husband who could not possibly care less about movies but knows how much happiness they bring me, gave me a gift card for my birthday last year that got me 3 precious friday nights out with a friend for a show.

I guess these thoughts stem from the fact that I've seen two great ones recently. One that left me laughing and floating, and one that did what movies SHOULD do...made my heart burst. At the end of both these movies, the crowd clapped! I had never seen that happen before, and then it happened twice in a row. You know a movie has done its job when you're left shaking, crying, smiling, and cheering. I'm also thankful for Mark who, when I come home soaring, floating, spinning around ranting and raving like a lunatic, listens to me and smiles even though it's not one of his loves. What great movies have you seen lately? I'm curious!

That's Amore!

Pizza has been a Saturday night staple for as long as I can remember. My mom always made homemade pizza on Saturdays and I decided to carry on the tradition in my own family, starting right from the first week we were married. It didn't come very easy though. It took a while for my stones to get seasoned, so the crust was iffy for a long time. And I didn't get my sauce recipe right or my cheese combination figured out for a long time. Basically, it took a year of trying to come out with a pizza we love. My pal, Gretchen, is known for being a pizza lover and she's always done experimenting with different crust flavors and a variety of toppings. I didn't get experimental until recently (I'm a pepperoni and onion girl), but now I'm hooked. I think I tried making barbecue chicken pizza a little over a year ago and I like it nice and thin and crispy. Then a few weeks ago, I tried buffalo chicken pizza. I used Rachael Ray's recipe, well, her sauce recipe anyway but I tweaked the cheeses and toppings. Let me just say I have never been more in love with a food in my life. I simply cannot get enough. If you're interested, the recipe is probably online (http://foodnetwork.com) I've started doing pizza buffets for Ohio State football games. I have 3 pizza stones and now I realize it's still not enough. I asked for a fourth for Christmas because if I'm truly going to offer a buffet, I need more options. Until then I'll borrow an extra...this Saturday the fourth pizza will be pesto, tomato, and chicken...my mouth is watering. Gotta love Saturday night!!!

Gotta Love October 31!

As the kids get older, Halloween just gets more and more fun. We did a lot of great seasonal stuff this year...I love having kids who get just as excited as I do. I hope they keep that trait as they get older.

This was our Family Fun Pumpkin Night leading up to the big day. We carved this big ol' pumpkin, had pizza and chocolate milk in special mugs, and finished the night off by watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown."

Goofing off, trying to hold off until sunset.

Getting down to business with the costumes...it's time to head out!

Where Are My Beloved Maples?

Fall means so many things...OSU football, gorgeous colors, pumpkins, apples, scarecrows, trick-or-treating, turkey, cider...I can't even begin to list it all. This year I will even go so far as to say the World Series. We all know I'm not the world's biggest baseball fan (I'll take football and basketball first), but when you're born and raised in Boston, the pride is always there. Well, the heartbreak until a few years ago, but now, definitely the pride. That's not what this post is about, I just had to throw it in there. I was noticing the other day that the trees in our little Ohio hamlet are different than what I'm used to. Growing up in New England and then spending another 10 years in northeast Pennsylvania, I guess I was spoiled by the foliage. There were maples and poplars and dogwoods at every turn, the hills are covered in reds, yellows, oranges, rusts, and tans, the streets are lined with fallen leaves. Maybe last year I was too preoccupied by our recent move to notice the details around me, but this fall I've noticed that yes, there is some color, but there are also tons of evergreens. It's weird. I'm used to blatant color with no interruption, but here it's more a sprinkling. Hmmm...

Pushing Daisies

I was intrigued by the commercials all summer. As the new TV season got closer, I realized I wouldn't be able to watch it because on Wednesday nights Rory and I take Jake to Cubbies and stay up in that area until it's time to pick him up since it's a 25 minute drive, not to mention, it's around the corner from Easton, our amazing shopping area so there's plenty to keep us busy as we waste time waiting. Well, as it happens, I've seen the first 3 episodes because one person or another has been under the weather for the past 3 Wednesdays. I love this show! It's the most original series I've seen out there in a while. It's quirky and weird, sure, but it's whimsical, colorful, and interesting. Plus I love things that are narrated. If you liked the movie Big Fish, watch Pushing Daisies. Maybe I can catch the rest of the season in repeats next summer...

The Halloween Countdown

It's so funny to me that I've been blogging for over a year because it's interesting to look back and see what I was writing about this time last year. I wrote about their halloween costumes and how I would always try to find something homemade for them to wear (mostly for budget reasons). This year started out that way. I have the makings of a ladybug costume for Rory, thanks to my mom finding some fabulous ladybug wings for $3 after Halloween last year. Just a few additions and I have her all set. As far as Jake goes, I thought for sure he'd be a pirate, not only because there's a general pirate obsession with boys under a certain age in our country right now, but also because we have tons of pirate accessories from the dollar store floating around our house. But for some reason, Walmart had a major sale on costumes last week and I saw a Spiderman full body costume for wicked cheap! I HAD to get it. I simply could not resist it because of how much Jake points out spiderman toys, spiderman commercials, spiderman books, etc. The kid is obsessed (and this is without ever seeing a cartoon or anything...I think it's just inbred in boys or something.) So I caved and bought it. Because of the busy week we've had (lots of relatives popping in and out of town and lots of fun fall activities) I had forgotten about it until last night. I ran to get it to show Jake and Mark...I have NEVER seen my little boy happier EVER! The joy that came across his face was priceless. He put the mask on right away and ran to look in the mirror and just stared at himself---I could tell by his eyes that he was grinning. When he got his fill, he ran to show Mark and Mark got so excited and freaked out, for Jake's sake. When he went to bed last night, his prayer was simply thanking Jesus that he gets to wear spiderman for halloween. =) Since he woke up today, he hasn't talked about anything else. Am I glad I spent that 8 bucks?? Oh yeah. Every smile has made it more and more worth it.