Things I can't live without

We all have those things we love and can't live without. When I sat down and thought about it I was really surprised the lame things I have to have to survive...Here it goes!

Morning coffee

I know I'm not alone in this. I pretty much have to have my coffee as soon as I get up or I am just downright not functionable. It's to the point where when they asked me to get a fasting blood  I put it off and put it off because it's just to hard for me to do.

My curling iron. 

I have been curling my hair since I was  11 or 12 years old. I have never gone out of the house, and I mean never, without having my hair curled. In fact savanna was talking to my friend once and my friend was in shock that she said she had never seen me without my hair done. That may be an exaggeration but it's pretty close to the truth! Lol

Four pillows to sleep

I know that seems a bit extreme but I have to have four pillows or I absolutely cannot sleep. I usually have three behind my head and one that I snuggle with. Once in a while I take one out from behind my head and put it along my back.

My iPhone 

I never thought I would say this but it's true. My phone is my lifeline to my own life. I communicate with the world through it. Until I started my blog I literally never used the computer because I use my iPhone instead. 

Socks on to sleep
Even when its 100 degrees, I just need to cover my feet or I feel naked. Its a sense of security I think.



Candles 
As all of my friends and family know, I love having the smell of candles burning in the house. Maybe it has something to do with the three dogs and one cat that live in our house, but I think it gives  the house warm and cozy feeling.



There are plenty more things I love but if pushed came to shove I could do without. I hope I never have to spend any time in jail or I think I would probably die of lack of sleep, flat hair, stinky cell and caffeine withdraw.

What are your MUST HAVES?

Guest Post by my hubby Jim!

January 10th but still no winter. The cold weather has stayed away much to my liking, but my wife was hoping for a white Christmas. Oh well, different year, different weather.  I remember when I asked her not long ago where she would like to move some day and she said Vermont, which contrasted significantly with my choice of Arizona and the big Saguero cactus.

In the 8 years we have lived here I think we have had four very snowy winters and four not so snowy winters. I remember six years ago we had a lot of snow, rain and cold after so that the back yard slope was ice crusted and very slippery fast for sleigh riding. Mitch, six at the time, remembers being in the front of the toboggan  (the old 1974 vintage wooden model) with his siblings in between and me in the back grabbing onto and dragging our ex-Christmas tree, to slow us down. Mitch had goggles to keep the snow from getting in his eyes and I remember trying to walk up the icy hill dragging the tree and toboggan behind with the kids jumping on it to slow me down even further.  I tired fast, but not Mitch who still remembers it with a smile. The kids loved going super fast down the hill, while I made sure we didn't collide with any trees, often by flipping us off the sled before hitting a big pine.

I know soon there will be snow here in the near future but for now I am enjoying the green, well brown grass of Pa.
Have a great Monday

My Favorite Movies

I don't like the movie theater to much. I think it's to expensive, and dirty, plus I would much rather watch a movie in the comfort in my own home. The last movies I've seen in the theater were The Help and the original Titanic and i'm not kidding!

I am not going to include Christmas movies in this list. 

When Harry Met Sally 
 I think this movie is the absolute funniest ever! Its a romantic comedy  about two college graduates Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan that ride from Chicago to New York City in 1977 and argue whether men and woman can ever really be strictly platonic friends. Then ten years later they meet again and attempt to stay friends without sex becoming an issue with them. They have adorable and funny interludes throughout the movie of old married couples and their real love stories.

 

You've Got Mail
Another romantic comedy with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. Meg Ryan is a struggling boutique bookseller that hates the owner of Foxbooks, Tom Hanks, who just opened across the street. When they meet online, they begin a anonymous internet romance not knowing eachothers  true identity. Eventually Joe learns that the woman he's been involved with is actually his business rival. He struggles to reconcile his dislike for her and comes to love the cyber woman he feel in love with.
 This is a must see. I love the music and the New York feel of this film!



Sleepless in Seattle
Yet another romantic comedy with Meg Ryan. An architect, Tom Hank, loses his wife to cancer leaving behind him and his eight year old son Jonah. A year later Jonah, who wants his dad to be happy and find a new wife, calls a radio talk show and explains what is going on. Hundreds of woman from around the country here him and are touched and send letters to him convincing them that they are the woman for him. I won't tell the end but it is such a chick flick that you must see!



A beautiful Mind

This time not a romantic comedy! This is a drama that is inspired by events in the life of John Forbes Nash Jr. He is a Princeton graduate student who is a mathematical genius who made an amazing discovery early in his career and got international acclaim. He soon found himself on a painful journey of self-discovery. I really can't explain it any better without giving a lot of information away. This movie keeps you awake and on the edge of your seat. This is also a movie that you can watch over and over again and pick up something new!

Bridges of Madison County
This is a romance about a photographer, Clint Eastwood, is on an assignment to shoot the historic bridges of Madison County. He meets an Iowa housewife, Meryl Streep, whose husband and kids are away. She is a lonely Italian immigrant who has given everything to her husband and kids .They  have a four day affair and realize they are soul mates that have met too late in life.  This is definitely a chick flick!



So there you have it, my top five favorite movies. I have to say The Father Of the Bride was almost a tie with them.

What are your favorite movies?

Vacation Planning

Now that January is in full swing and Christmas is behind us I am starting to plan summer vacations. Last year we didn't do any as Jim's dad was very sick so this year we are trying for two or three.

When the kids were young we would always do a trip to Myrtle Beach. Then one to Wildwood for a three to four day mini family reunion with his family. It was nice and we still plan to do that one sometime this summer.

We haven't done the Myrtle Beach trip for 10 years now as things got so expensive with kids in college and all. This year Jim's cousin is trying to coordinate a big reunion with as many family members as possible there. We said we are in and now searching for a fun place to stay. One thing that is a problem is that I am a hotel snob. I was weaned that way and am petrified of BUGS and dirtiness! Needless to say not everyone is that way so finding a hotel where everyone is happy may be tough. The prices have gone through the roof at the places we use to stay so this should be interesting! I'm open to ideas!

Myrtle beach when 1996

We also will be going to  Wildwood, NJ for a week or maybe a little less. That will be with his side also but a much smaller group. That needs less planning as we already know where we would stay.

Next will hopefully be lake George. Jessica's husbands family has a large beautiful cabin there which we are always invited to go to every year. I hope that pans out because that's a different kind of vacation than the beach and sooooo relaxing and fun!


I love winter and snow, but its nice to dream about summer and start planning so we all have something to look forward to in the mist of a big freeze! Has anyone else started to plan summer vacations?

Goodbye decorations and my mom

Happy Hump day! We are now home from the hospital with my daughter and shes feeling much better!
 I am looking around at all the Christmas things still up and feeling very overwhelmed! My plan, before Taylor got sick, was to take things down this past weekend and well that didn't happen. I love all of the Christmas decorations I either inherited from my mom or collected over the 29 years of marriage, but WOW It takes forever to put them up and even longer to take them down. Also, its so fun to put them all up and for me kind of depressing to take them down.


Its 8 degrees this morning here in Pa. Winter has FINALLY arrived after a 65 degree Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! Mitchell, despite the temperatures, hates to wear a coat. You would think I am trying to get him to wear a straight jacket or something. Also, he is super particular about what coat he will wear. It can't be bulky at all. Well, when its 8 degrees the coat needs to be a bit bulky or you will freeze your but off Mitchell. He can down yesterday morning with a short sleeved shirt on with a sweatshirt over that and was heading out the door. I stopped him and handed him his new Abercrombie, a tiny bit puffy coat. You should have seen the seen that happened trying to get him in that. I struggle because they say to pick your battles, but come on this should be a no brainer!

January 4th marked 7 years ago that I lost my mom. It is always a very hard day for me with some very vivid memories of that day. This year I was so preoccupied with Taylor in the hospital I didn't really have time to focus on it as much which is honesty a good thing.

My mom was was my best friend. I talked with her every day several times a day. She was present for the birth of all of my kids. She was an expert baby holder and loved her grand kids. She loved her sweets, even though she was a diabetic, she didn't let that stop her. She loved to eat out and if we went out somewhere the first question would be where we were going to eat that day. She loved Taco Bell! She loved to shop and was a QVCaholic, especially at Christmastime. She wore her favorite perfume every single day, and believe me, everyone east of the Mississippi could smell it! Everyone loved my mom, she was funny and honest but most of all she was just a good soul. I look at Taylor who remembers her a little and Mitchell who was only 4 when she died, and feel bad they won't have this goodhearted soul in their little lives. There's nothing like a grandparents love, someone who you know will love you no matter what and will always be on your side. That was my mom and she will be missed every day!



My goal in my life is to be the best mom and grand mom I can be. I was fortunate enough to have a awesome role model so I am way ahead of the curve! 

New Years Eve

Happy New Years Eve

We have a tradition on New Years Eve that we have been doing for some time now. We get a bunch of family and or friends together and go glow bowling. The local alley has specials that come with lanes and new years decorations and food and drinks. Its a lot of fun for any age. This year we have as young as an 11 year old up to a 85 year old! We always go in the afternoon time slot that way we are still home to have snacks here and celebrate the New Year's here that is if I stay up that late. This year I know I will because we have lots of family in town to make a grand total of 17 people staying under our one roof! I'm trying not to be my "have to have everything perfect" OCD self and I think I am doing a fairly good job!

After bowling today we will come back here and pig out again on snacks and such and play lots of family games. We usually will have a serious ping pong tournament,  Our family is quite competitive so it will be a big crazy.

 Our house this weekend, if you can imagine, is literally like the Home Alone movie with LOTS of people scurrying around having their own agendas. To get 17 people out the door not to be late for a single event is NOT an easy task and usually doesn't happen without some type of argument or fight.

 

Tomorrow we will i'm sure sleep in a little then we will have a New Years dinner with ham and the fixings. Its our Christmas so to speak with Jim's side of the family. We decided years ago not to exchange with everyone in the family it just gets to be way to much money with so many people. Its makes the time more focused on family and not the gifts which is nice for a change.

I hope everyone has a great New Years Eve, be safe!!!

Christmas Eve and Christmas Adventures

So it's three days past Christmas already, WOW! All the preparation, anticipation, and work put into it and just like that it's over! Usually I have the Post Christmas Blues, but for some reason this year I'm not feeling that way. It could be because this year has been unusually challenging for my family and I have learned to take things as they come and not expect too much and appreciate every day and every thing. I always heard that with age comes wisdom and it's true, you have to live life to appreciate life!

Our Christmas was a bit unusual for us this year but still wonderful! On the 22nd my oldest daughter Jessica had a very invasive ankle surgery. Unfortunately, the pain proved to be too much and she ended up in the hospital until Christmas Eve evening when she was sent home. So instead of everyone coming here, after church we went to her house and did our annual Christmas Eve thing opening Secret Santa gifts and ordering Chinese food!

Christmas Eve cheese tree snack

more snacks

Jessica and Brian's beautiful tree with Mitchell looking through the gifts!

Mitchell was very nervous that Santa might pass by our house if we weren't home by 9 so we made sure we were. He was in bed right away and by 12:30 Santa had come with presents and all!

Christmas morning was finally here and now to wait for the older kids to arrive to have breakfast and open gifts. Mitchell opened a couple before then as he had a hard time waiting so long, after all he was up most of the night! By 9 everyone was here and the opening of gifts began. It takes us a while because we open them one at a time so everyone can see what others got and it's a chance to savor things a bit!

 Savanna opening her stocking

 Jaxson getting ready to open gift although all he cares about is a box!

Mitchell happy with his Star Wars Lego set

 Happy Taylor

 Jim playing Santa

My big gift, A new Keurig 

After opening gifts it was time to prepare for dinner. Savanna made the cute name place holders and set the table. 

 Taylor and Connor

Savanna and Anthony

After dinner we played family games and had dessert. Every year we get at least one family game we play that evening. This year it was the Five Second Rule which was a great game for a large group and lots of fun! We also got The Awkward Family Photo game which was fun but more for a smaller group then we had.

Bright and early the day after Christmas Jim took Taylor and her boyfriend to New York City. Neither have ever been there and wanted to go at Christmastime. They have been enjoying sight seeing and just enjoying the feel of the big city! Jim is a good sport as he HATES crowds and it is super crazy there now!

They will be back from their trip tonight. I can't wait to hear about all the adventures they had! Believe me with Taylor there will be many stories! lol

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I would love to hear about it!