Appreciating My Job as A MomHowdy!! I woke up this morning and was loving the weather outside here on Long Island!! My absolute favorite kind of day. Temps in the low 60's, light breeze and sun shining. LOVE AUTUMN!! I also thought about how wonderful it is to be a mom! What a blessing in spite of it being a 24/7 job.  With the start of another school year, I decided to add something new to my morning "mom" schedule - well. after I get through my usual "to do's." My early morning routine has remained pretty consistent for the past several years - getting kids up, dressed, making the beds, quick straightening up, a load of laundry, and still doing the "short order cook" thing: lunches for the girls - soup and grilled cheese for Gianna; preparing the dog's breakfast (yes, I cook breakfast for my sweet Liberty!), kids' breakfast and then getting them to school by 7:50. But, now, I added in a "Morning Coffee" break at Starbucks (although in my case, it's morning Tea). After dropping off the girls, my friend Denise and I get together for a little hot comfort before getting our day going. It's such a nice way to start the day having, having that mom-bonding time before each of us head off to engage in the rest of our daily "to do's". The rest of my day is pretty consistent during the week. I try to prepare dinner during the school hours several days, which can be a great time saver since from 2:30 to 5 or 6, I devote exclusively to the kids and their homework, projects, play dates, etc. Ahh, the life of a stay at home mom!! But, I love every minute of it. It goes so quickly, and before you know it, they are grown - so I savor every moment. Today, I'm having trouble believing that my baby, Kelsey, is turning 8 this Sunday! We had to leave for school a little earlier today to get two dozen donuts for her to bring into school for her celebration in class. I hope she has some leftovers to bring home!  This weekend is pretty jam packed with activities. Tonight I'm going to see Mama Mia on Broadway - this will be my second time seeing it. My sister had an extra ticket since her friend had to back out at the last minute - so, it should be a fun night! Tomorrow, Gianna is taking the first of her baking classes and two of her friends will in the class as well. I just know she is going to love it!! Kelsey's party is Sunday, and the days cannot go fast enough for her! And last but certainly, not least, today is Foodie Friday on Travelin' Cousins!! Can't wait to read about "Crossroads" the new vegan hotspot in LA! I never tire of her food stories - they always make my mouth water! Whatever you do this weekend, just remember to enjoy every moment - especially if it's with your loved ones!! Yesterday, Patriot's Day, is clearly a reminder of how quickly our lives can change without notice! -E  | Foodie Friday and So Much More!It's FRIDAY! I can't believe it's already Friday. (Read like - 'I can't believe it's not butter'!) Boy, oh boy has this week flown by! I didn't even realize it until this morning! Crazy. Time perception is just crazy! So while Elisa is thoroughly enjoying the pre-fall weather in NY, we just got a HEAT ALERT in Southern California! YUCK! This region is expecting Record Breaking temperatures over the next several days. I am definitely not looking forward to that! So far, I've had a rather pleasant and fairly mild summer. Granted there have been some HOT days, and I was away for a good portion of it (experiencing sweater and jacket wearing weather). Once these temperatures hit, I guess I'm just gonna have to stay indoors until they pass. Luckily the kids performance on Sunday is an indoor one. They will be performing at the Los Angeles County Fair, and we usually try to make a partial day of it (that's about all I can stand of being at the fair). But depending on the heat index and how the kids feel about it, we might just stay for the show and then hit the road! We shall see... If you happen to be in town and are interested in heading to the L.A. County Fair, you should come on down! I've even got the scoop on how to get discounted admission!!   Some L.A. Fair Facts:
 2013 L.A. Fair Admission online or at the gate is $19 for adults, and $12 for kids. Ralph's Supermarket is offering $13 pre-purchased tickets. And if you are a Wells Fargo Customer there are a few Fair Days that by using your Wells Fargo Debit Card it will only cost you $10 (Sunday, September 14th is one of those days). Another performance that the kids just did was yesterday for the Lakewood Patriot Day Tribute Concert. Two of my girlfriends had made it over to watch the event and to support the kids. It was great to see them & overall it was an enjoyable event!
 Candlelight Vigil  International Peace Choir As for today, I think I will probably go and pick up a new point and shoot camera. The one I have is great, but it has been everywhere around the globe, had it's share of getting banged up and has got a few scratches on the lens in the 4yrs that I've had it. So I think it's time to retire her and get snappin' with a newbie! I think it's so cool that Elisa and Danielle are going to see Mamma Mia! We went a few years ago, and it was lots of fun!! Cosette LOVES Mamma Mia the movie, and we all love to sing and dance along with the music!! Well, that's about all folks! Come check back here later for my Foodie Friday update (it's making my hungry just thinking about it!!) Catch ya on the flip side, -T |
