Happy New Year

I wish everyone a very Happy and Blessed New Year with health and prosperity and lots of love in 2010.

I will be spending some time at my parents tonight early for dinner and then around 8:30, I'll be heading to a friends house for a glass of wine and some games and some laughs.

I hope to be home by 12:05 - warm and toasty in my bed (with the heated mattress pad- best invention since sliced bread). And I think I'll sleep in tomorrow. At least until 7:00 when the chickens need to be fed :)

It's cold out there.

It is cold out there. It is about 15 degrees right now. I just brought in the hens to keep in the garage for the night. I'll bring them back out about 6:30 tomorrow as it starts to get light.

Went to my niece Mary's game. They lost this one and Mary wasn't feeling to0 great. But at least I got to see her play a little bit.

Studied a little bit for the CPR exam tonight and I'll study tomorrow on my lunch hour again. If I pass, I'm going to Zumba tomorrow night. This weekend, I'll start getting my Zumba music and dances ready......

Hubby is watching John Wayne and I think I am ready to hit the hay.

Mondays

Very, very busy today at work....Then to work at the church, then to a wake. RIP Mr. Gaboriault.

Tonight, I am studying for my CPR exam which I will take on Wednesday. Then, I can teach Zumba! Thanks, Sue, for letting me borrow your book!

Waiting patiently for hubby to get home from work.

NYC

Last Scene of the Spectacular
Dinner at the Irish Pub.
The Rockettes
The Tree at Rockefeller Center with my mom and daughter in front!

For Christmas, I gave my daughter and my mom tickets to the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. The three of us took the train in very early this morning and got to walk around a little before the show started at 9:00 am. I had not been to the show since Hope was about three or four years old. She is now 15, so it had been a while. It was absolutely fantastic. I enjoyed every second of it - those Rockettes are just amazing. The weather in NYC was about 50 degrees, beautiful blue skies, sunny and just perfect! The tree at Rockafeller Center was beautiful (someday, I'm going to skate there). We visited St. Patrick's Cathedral, Sak's Fifth Avenue, Times Square and just did some walking. We had lunch at a little Irish Pub called Langan's and I was so glad we found it. Three generations spending some quality time together - what could be more perfect!

Christmas Day & Christmas Eve

Amelia and Cassidy with the new bike.
Nonno and Gianna
Elizabeth with her new Bed set.
Elizabeth in her Christmas Eve outfit.
Our Christmas Eve Turkey!
We had Christmas Eve at our house this year....I love having the holiday at home. We had a great time!

I had 16 people and we ate too much as usual. We do the seafood and the meat, so everyone gets to enjoy what they like.

Then Christmas Day we went to my brother's house. What a wonderful time!

Christmas

A very Merry Christmas to everyone!!!

Pasta Party

My last Christmas Party before the real Christmas Party was tonight. It was a wonderful Polish and Italian, Pasta and Pierogi Party. Thank you, Maryanne, Catie and Andrew!

We made the pasta, ate the pasta, drank the wine, sang the carols (and a bunch of other songs), got to visit with a ton of other people and just had a beautiful time.

Cookies are all made, snow is all shoveled (we got about 1 foot).....Just waiting for the holiday to begin!!!!!!!!

Oh, and the Steelers won, who knew?

Let it Snow, let it snow, let it snow....

Woke up early this morning in preparation for the big storm. Took care of the hens, started cleaning, went to visit my parents quickly, ran to get two presents. I was home by 10:30. Finished cleaning, made truffles, made my pretzel things, made chocolate chip bars, did three loads of laundry, put the tarp on the chickens, made dinner and still no snow!!!!

Brought the chickens in, put the car in the garage for the first time, made my dough for the next bunch of cookies, and still no snow.....

Okay, it is 7:40 and the snow has begun!!!!!!!

Cold and snow??

Well, we are supposed to get some snow tomorrow, not sure how much yet. I made a few decisions, though.

I can't go shopping, because I just don't have enough time this week, so the nieces and nephews and God children are getting money. Tomorrow, I will finish my last two hand made gifts. Start wrapping and start my cookies. If there is snow on Sunday, I'll stay home and bake more and clean (something that is long overdue!).

I'll know more in the morning........

Lunch hour

I went out for my lunch hour - i took an hour and 1/2... (: BUT....I got a ton of things done. 1. grocery store for all the necessities for tomorrow's cookie bake. 2. Bank..for cash to give as presents. 3. Grocery store for gift cards for Nonni. 4. Gas for the car (1/4 tank and snow is coming tomorrow). 5. Another bank for work. 6. Walmart to return two items (I know...already?)

I feel much better about things now.

Tonight, after dinner, I'll give the kitchen a good cleaning in preparation for tomorrow's cookie bake and Sunday's present wrapping......

Cold.... and miscellaneous....

It is still very cold out there. The chickens are back in the garage again. It is way too cold to leave them out there overnight. I just brought them back out for the day. Thomas brought them in for me last night (good guy!), and he brought in the water pail, so that it wouldn't be frozen solid.

We had our Christmas party last night, and we had a great time. There were only 10 of us this year, but it worked out fine. We had our Yankee swap....Sh...don't tell my son...but I got him a whole Armour All kit for his new car. Hopefully, he will like the gift.

After the party, I went to Joann's Fabric. Can I make two more Aprons before Christmas???? I'll give it the old college try. I still have to finish one more pair of pj's too!

I just balanced two months of my checking account on line, even though I balance it every morning. The online is for the taxes, so I only have one month to go and I'll be ready by Feb. 1 to hand everything off to the accountant.

Hubby had to work a very strange shift last night, so he got in at 2:00 am this morning.

By 10:30 last night, I was shot, exhausted, and couldn't keep my eyes open. I'm overdoing it, I know....but it is only for another two weeks....then I can rest somewhat.

Oh and a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my brother, DAMIAN!!

This morning...

I took in the chickens last night, it was just too cold out there for them. I keep them in the cellar or garage when it gets under 20 degrees with a wind chill factor. I hope they appreciate the warmth. Although, I didn't think they appreciated being woken up at 6:00 am, they weren't too happy with me! :)

It was cold out there, their water was frozen and they were almost out of layer mash. Thank Goodness for my husband, buying me a new bag last night. I un-froze their water, fed them good and I think they like me again!

It was brutal walking my daughter to the bus stop at 6:45. I think we have a few more days of this, coming up and maybe some snow on Sunday? Maybe? We will see.

Christmas Parties

It is that time of year! Last night, I had my Library Board Christmas Party. I'm not sure if I ever mentioned that I am on our City's Public Library Board. I am a firm believer and staunch supporter of local libraries. I love them!

Tonight is my work (full time job) Christmas Party. Looking forward to a great meal and a fun Yankee Swap (that is what we call it).

Sunday is a Pasta and Pierogi Party at my friend Maryanne's house. Great food again (because we actually make our dinner), great friends and a glass of great wine!

Christmas shopping is not complete - I am really behind the eight ball. I'll get there!

Basketball

Basketball has begun. My daughter is cheering two or three times a week. I like basketball although I don't understand it as much as football.

My niece, Mary, (an absolutely great player), just got player of the week in our local paper! She had 30 points in an over time win of 36-35 over a neighboring high school team!

GO MARY!

Zumba Certification

I am now officially certified. Lauren and I took the train in to NYC on Saturday morning (5:57 - that was early!). We spent the whole day at a Zumba seminar and workshop with a wonderful teacher (Tanya) and not only got great workouts all day, but learned so much information and got certified to teach.

Lauren and I plan to start our first class mid-March. We need to get through the holidays, before we can come up with our routine and songs.

We are both very tired after yesterday, but very happy, it is complete!!!!

TMMO

So, I have been reading a lot of Dave Ramsey lately. He is a financial person who advocates people get out of debt, stop using credit cards, pay with cash and get to financial freedom. I have been trying very hard to do all he says. I am now officially debt free (except for the house). It is a wonderful feeling. Now I'm saving cash for a new car (well a used new car :)) Life is good with not a lot of financial stress. No, life is GREAT without a lot of financial stress........

For those of you who know what I'm talking about, I am on BS4, 5 and 6

This Week

I hate when it is already Friday and I haven't been able to post all week. This time of year is so busy....

Monday night - Zumba and then work at the church until almost ten.
Tuesday night - Started my Christmas Cards, got the boys tree done in the cellar (They have a special room with a special tree).
Wednesday night - We took the train to NYC to watch Uconn play at the Garden. Great game! Uconn lost though. The game started really late and we were hard pressed to get home because we all had school and work the next day....needless to say, I didn't get to bed until 1:30 in the morning or so.
Thursday night - Worked for one lawyer, then I did my work for the condo association and the woman that I do checks for, then finished my cards and then grocery shopped and then......I made my first batch of homemade laundry detergent. I had to let it set overnight, so I'll let you all know how it came out....Very exciting.

Needless to say, I was exhausted and headed to bed about 10:45.

My husband stayed up to watch the Steelers....lose, again....

Big weekend coming up.....I'll post more on my Zumba certification once I get it..

Happy 98th Birthday

Nonni will be 98 on Tuesday. She came over today as usual and we had a cake for her. I think she enjoyed the attention.

God Bless Nonni as she gets closer to the century milestone..........

Giants Stadium

I went to Giants Stadium today. It was freezing cold. It snowed and sleeted and rained and was miserable, but...The Ramapo Raiders won the NJ state football championships (my nephew Jesse's team). And the team my daughter cheers for, Notre Dame of West Haven, came in first in the CT state football Championship. What a wonderful day for everyone!

Jesse got hurt, though, so we are praying that all goes well with his knee.

Here are some pictures of the game in NJ.

Busy...

I haven't been able to post too much this week....Last weekend just tuckered me out.

Worked all week, ran two days, did Zumba two days, worked only one side job (Praise the Lord). Waiting for another two side jobs to e-mail me with their work.

Tomorrow, I'll be picking up my next CSA in the morning and then heading to the Meadowlands in NJ for my nephew's state high school championship. On an even more ironic note, my daughter's team is playing tomorrow for the CT state high school football championship. But she has opted to go to NJ instead. We have a coach bus taking a very large group, so I'll be sure to post pictures over the weekend.