Notes From Beckett's Crate....

Hi guys! Miss me?!?! It's been a while since Momma let me do a blog post of my own, but she's having a rough day, so I jumped on her lap and took over.

Poor Momma... She bit into a spare rib that should have been boneless, but wasn't...and cracked her tooth. After fighting with insurance, she has been to the Endodontist and gotten a root canal.

She says she's going to have to get a crown. I don't get it. Momma's already a Princess, so a crown seems OK to me; but Momma doesn't agree - she just wants it over with.

You should all be proud that I have reigned in "the girls" and no more birdies have died in our yard!

We are, however, having some yard work done and love playing on the mountains of pebbles. Too bad we do our best playing at night; it makes getting pictures of us in action a bit difficult.

That's all I got for now gang; it's nap time. I'll try to con Momma into letting me do blog posts more often. :-)

Woof,

Beckett

Tuesdays At The Table - Country Bacon Potato Salad

It's Tuesday, ladies! Time for another round of yummy-ness! I know I say this every week... but, THANK YOU for sharing all your fabulous recipes and tips.

Have any of you heard from Andrea? I haven't heard from her in weeks, and I'm hoping that all is going well in her pregnancy.

This week I'm sharing a potato salad. I know, I know...what's the big deal about potato salad? This one is WARM and it has bacon. YUM!

Country Bacon Potato Salad

2 pounds red potatoes - cooked whole
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper (your choice of color)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
6-8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 chopped garlic
2 tablespoons of chopped chives

Cook potatoes in lightly salted water until tender, then once cooled a bit, slice into 3/4 to 1 inch rounds. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, bell pepper, onion and bacon. Set aside.

In a small bowl, blend remaining ingredients. Stir/toss dressing into potato mixture until well covered. Serve warm to room temperature.




What's cooking in your kitchen?

Defining Family....

This isn't my usual "happy-go-lucky" post, so please, feel free to ignore me. Back to our regularly scheduled programing tomorrow...I promise.

I love my family.period.amen.

It's come to my attention that I might have a broader interpretation of "family" than some others, and that's OK.

It really makes me think. What defines "family"?
Is it just the people you are related to?
Is it the people you've know for years and years?

I was blessed to be born into a large family of aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents. Each and every one of them has defined who I am in some way. That said.... it's been years since I've spoken to some of them. Those are "relatives" - the folks that I am blood related to, but currently don't have any common ground. I love them; perhaps purely out of obligation, but I love them. On the other hand, there are some relatives that I can't imagine my life without. They continually have a hand in defining me. Sure, I'm grown and my own woman... but every day you and I evolve. These people help me grow, and I hope I do the same for them.

How do I define family? The people that I can tell my deepest, darkest secrets; the ones that see me at my very best and very worst; the ones I can call in celebration or sadness; the ones that make fun of me and tease me; the ones that I would trust with my life.

I think that the people you surround yourself with; the people you see; speak to; connect with -are your true family. They may be those that are technically related to you or friends, co-workers, neighbors. Heck, it could be another blogger whose face you've never seen... but has made a difference in your life.

I consider myself very lucky. I have a large family! These people vary between knowing me all my life (my parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles), knowing me all of their lives (brother and cousins) or having just come into my life within the last few years - among them are my best friend, my Army peeps, and a few of you! I don't want to imagine my life without a single one of them, and hope my family continues to grow. :-)

I love my family.period.amen.

How do you define family?

Musical Monday - 1234

Ah, another relaxing weekend! Really...no plans, no running around and it was GREAT! I finished Dead To The World, the 3rd Sookie Stackhouse book and hung out with the puppers. :-)

I have the feeling it's going to be a doozy of a week, so the down time is sooo needed. Tomorrow I have to go to the dentist; one of my LEAST favorite tasks. Think good thoughts for me, OK?

This week's song is 1234 by the Plain White T's. I first heard this song during the promo for "My Sister's Keeper", and really like it. So, I'm sharing with you!

I leave you with my mandatory picture of cuteness....Beckett! (P.S. He's itching to do a post of his own; expect it later this week.)

Little Bits of Randomness...

It's only Wednesday, but my brain is FRIED. I apologize for the lack of coherent posting. :-) In the meantime, I'm just going to talk about a few random things...mmkay?

Two fabulous people on my "must read" list are having giveaways! How exciting!

Drop on by Mrs. Realife's blog and enter to win a $30 gift card/item up to $30 from Living Rooms Direct. They have some really cool stuff. Just do me a favor and if you do head over there - tell her I sent you. :-) MUCHAS GRACIAS

The other awesome giveaway is from Kaitlin at Life of a Busy Wife. She's offering up a copy of the book Julie and Julia. It's coming out in the movies soon and this would be a great chance to read the book to have a point of comparison.

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My next random thought is on perfume. I know we all like to smell good... but I'm curious how many "spritzes" is the norm. I tend to spray the air twice and walk through. Am I the only one? The thing is - I have asthma. Because I do such a good job controlling it, I don't have to tell many people. However.... it's really humid this week which aggravates it a smidge. It was all good until a woman in my office decided to BATH in perfume then walk back and forth in front of me all day. She LITERALLY took my breathe away.

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On another work related note - there was a little office celebration for a co-worker that is getting married. The coordinator decided that because the groom likes Elvis so much, that there should be an Elvis impersonator at the party. I now introduce you to our Elvis.... He went a little heavy on the self tanner, huh?!?!

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And lastly.... I LOVE make-up; I'm a self proclaimed junkie! When Lis posted about joining Beautyfix, I just had to jump on the bandwagon. Mind you I only joined this morning, but I'm so excited! Only $19.99 for all this stuff because of a special offer! They hook you up with hundreds of dollars of stuff cheap - no sample size stuff either; you get the good stuff - FULL SIZE. Quarterly they send you packages and invoice you $49.99. I know it seems like a lot - but for each person you refer, they take $10.00 off your next package. Plus you can always cancel after you get your first highly discounted shipment. :-)

If you're interested, let me know and I'll wrangle you an invite!

Tuesdays At The Table - Berry Trifle

HAPPY TUESDAY! You all come back week after week, and I just love you all for it. :-) I bet Andrea misses us and would be impressed that so many people are participating!

I'll be honest; I haven't tried to make this recipe myself. I first tasted it (and got the recipe) last week. From what I hear, it comes from Better Homes and Gardens. It is very delicious...and EASY! :-)

Berry Trifle

6 cups strawberries, quartered
2 cups blueberries (though I think it was mentioned that raspberries work too)
1 container (6 oz) vanilla yogurt
1 package of vanilla pudding (4 serving size)
1 container (8 oz) of cream cheese, softened
1 loaf (10-12 oz) of pound cake, cubed
2 cups of milk

Prepare pudding using box directions (use the milk above) and set aside. Beat cream cheese and yogurt together until smooth; add in pudding.

To assemble the trifle, layer one-third of the cake cubes, one-third of the pudding mixture, and one-third of the strawberries and blueberries. Repeat layers twice. Cover and chill 4 to 24 hours.

This comes with a very yummy berry sauce too: In a blender combine 2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) strawberries, 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 tablespoon raspberry liqueur/rum/orange juice. Cover and blend until smooth. If desired, press sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds. Cover and chill until serving time or up to 24 hours. Makes 1 cup

Please link up or comment with your recipe(s) of the week!

Musical Monday - Do Re Mi & The Lighthouse Tour

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend!

Saturday, I did a lighthouse tour with my parents. As I've mentioned before - I love being on the water. It was so much fun, especially after the fog lifted.






After being on the boat for a little over four hours, I took my parents out the Legal Seafoods for a late lunch. A good time was had by all.

The only downside to being on the water this much was that I am lobster red. Yep, I'm a super pale Scottish girl...and despite putting on SPF 70 twice (which should have protected me from everything short of actually walking on the sun!), I'm paying for the fun now. Ah, the joy of a fever and impending blisters.

Today I was supposed to go to the beach, but seeing as that would be BAD idea, had to settle with laying low and hanging with the dogs instead. I love 'em, and they haven't killed any more birds THANK GOODNESS!

You all might have seen this one...but I'm just amazed by the ability to organize over 200 dancers (in only two rehearsals, no less!) to take over the Antwerp Central Station for their rendition of "Do Re Mi" from the Sound of Music.

Happy Monday!

My Birthday Giveaway Winner & What A Day!

Thank you all for entering my birthday giveaway! With the last two giveaways.... I have a lot of new followers to go and visit!! I promise I'll come visit you all - SOON. :-) Expect lots of comments.

The winner of my birthday giveaway is: Kirstren @ Lady Kirstren. I'd tell you to email me your mailing address...but I already know where you live!!

Don't fret, there will be another giveaway when my new blog layout/design is done. I can't give you a solid date on when it will be, so keep coming back to check. :-)

Today has been an interesting day! Both of my girls killed birds today. :-( I've given Beckett a firm talking to; if he completed the avian trifecta of death...no new toys. Honestly, during both incidents - I screamed all of their names and he's the one that came running. His hunting instincts are just as strong as Meadow & Carmella's; but he's a Momma's boy and comes as soon as I call. The girls...well, I'm threatening to wash their mouths out with soap; mostly because they are both still prancing about the house all proud of themselves. Sigh.

Don't they both look so sweet and innocent?!?! Yeah, I thought so too....

Today was fun too! I went to the Children's Museum in Boston with Kirstren & her kiddo. What a blast. :-) I'm pretty sure that his favorite part was the three story jungle gym thingie. Don't worry moms...it's virtually impossible to hurt yourself in this thing!

Tomorrow is a lighthouse tour. Ah, I LOVE being on the water!

What are you all up to?

An Award Winning Day....

Seriously! The fabulous Kathie @ My Net Finds gave me an award! She's a sweetheart, and one of my favorite newly discovered blogs. :-)

I have been graced with "The Blog de Ouro" or Golden Blog award. YAY!!

No real rules with this one...I just have to pass it along to 8 bloggers, and to claim it, the recipients also have to pass it onto 8 bloggers. Easy enough, right?!

I tag:

Jane @ Moonflowers, Mojitos and Me

Sara @ This Beautiful Thing

April @ April Showers

JLC @ French Kiss

Kirstren @ Lady Kirstren

Kaitlin @ Life of A Busy Wife

Jill @ Jill's Believe It or Not

Justine @ Tiney's Froggy Bloggy

Go forth and share the love, ladies!!

Is it weird that I'm sooo excited to go out tomorrow night with the girls for dinner and then Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince?!?! What can I say? Dinner movies and a short day at work tomorrow will make me happy. :-)

Remember to enter my giveaway! It's ending soon.

Tuesdays At The Table - Sangria (Red & White)

Happy Tuesday, ladies! I tested out a few of your recipes over the weekend - sheer yumminess! I can't thank you enough for continuing to participate in Andrea's weekly meme. :-)

You all ROCK!!

This week I'm sharing both of my sangria recipes with you. They are a hit at BBQs and will make you look like a super star with very little effort. :-)

Peach & Raspberry White Sangria

1 bottle of white wine (Riesling, hablis, Rioja, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc)
1/2 cup Peach Schnapps
1 pint raspberries
3-4 sliced peaches
1 sliced orange
1/2 mango peeled and sliced
1/4 cup sugar
2-3 cups of ginger ale

Pour wine, Schnapps and sugar into a pitcher and stir until sugar dissolves. Add in remaining ingredients (except for ginger ale) and give it a good stir. Refrigerate 1-4 hours (I actually prefer overnight), add ginger ale and serve over ice. The longer it sits, the sweeter it will be. :-)








Red (Traditional) Sangria

1 bottle of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja, Zinfandel, Shiraz)
2-3 shots of Triple Sec or Vodka
1 sliced lime
1 sliced lemon
1 sliced orange
2 cups of orange juice
1 small can of diced pineapple (with juice)
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 cup of sliced strawberries
4 cups of ginger ale

Pour wine and sugar into a large pitcher and stir until sugar dissolves. Add in all other ingredients (except for ginger ale) and stir well. Let this meld for 2-4 hours (or longer), then add in ginger ale and serve over ice.





What's cooking in your kitchen?

Musical Monday - Bad Things & How I Spent My Birthday

Thank you all for the birthday wishes!! Darn, you all know how to make a girl feel special. :-)

My birthday was great!! Friday, the girls at work did cake for me. I'm kinda surprised that they remembered because I didn't mention my upcoming b-day. My dad's birthday was Friday, so we did dinner for him and then a super yummy tiramisu cake.

Saturday, I went and got my hair trimmed. I would have liked to get a mani/pedi too... but it was a busy day, so I'll have to do that some night this week. Then, I played on the computer for a while, and did a little window shopping. Next up was lunch with my parents - and my dad's first time in Cheesecake Factory. I LOVE that place, but I don't think he was too impressed. Ah, at least he can say that he's been there now.... Following lunch were a few more errands, then cake with my parents and off to my cousin Kirstren's house.

Yep, I spend a fun-filled evening with Kirstren (aka my other sibling) and her little highly energetic little boy. I'm pretty sure that everyone in Massachusetts knew it was my birthday; he's GOOD at getting the word out to passersby! :-) A few errands, out to dinner and then back to her house for a fire pit! YAY!! There's nothing like a good fire pit and glass (or two) of wine with someone you enjoy hanging out with. Her man-friend graced us with his presence and we capped off our night watching the Food Channel, listening to a thunderstorm and playing on CrackBerry.com. It may sound tame to you...but I had a blast!

My new obsession is True Blood. I'm reading the second Charlaine Harris "Sookie Stackhouse" book and have made it through the entire first season of the show. For some reason, I really like the theme song. :-)

OK, off to watch tonight's episode of True Blood!

It's My Birthday and I'll GIVEAWAY If I Want To!

Yep, you heard it right....July 11th is my birthday. Feel free to insert 7/11 convenience store jokes *HERE*. :-)

I'm a giver. So, instead of getting presents for my birthday, I'm giving them! Think of it as a win-win situation; I feel good because I'm giving you all the chance to win something and you get to try and avenge the loss of my Coach giveaway from last week!

This giveaway includes:

A green and cream shawl...cuz it's cute and I like green! (Please ignore my blue bed spread)

A quirky wine cork. What's better than sarcasm and alcohol?!?! NOTHING!

A cute magnet! Thank you all for being my bloggy friends. :-)

Burt's Bees lip stash pack. What?!?! It's cute and it wears well.

A "Best of Ulta" Mineral Kit. Contents: 2 mini eye shadows,

sample size finishing powder, eye liner pencil, eye shadow brush, retractable kabuki brush.

"How to Behave" by Caroline Tiger. In light of Bridezilla.... I thought I'd be nice and share with you all the modernized version of an Emily Post-esque etiquette book. Not that I don't think you are all PERFECT just the way you are!!

Here are the rules:

You get ONE entry for commenting.
You get ONE entry for following me.
You get ONE entry for blogging about my giveaway or putting it on your sidebar.
You get a super special bonus entry if a commenter tells me that YOU sent them to me!

Unless you are one of my frequent commenters, I'm going to need a little reminder that you follow me...mmmkay? I want you all to get the right amount of entries.

Entries/comments need to be in by midnight EST on Thursday, July 16th and the winner will be announced on Friday the 17th. Good luck!!

My 100th Post & Giveaway Winners!

Holy moley; I can't believe that I've been here in bloggy land for 100 posts. It all went by so fast!!

Hugs to those of you that have read my rambling over the past months...with any luck, you've gotten a few giggles from my posts. :-) You are all awesome and have made me feel welcome in our little corner of the blog community. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

For my 100th post, I decided to share 100 things about me. Some are serious, some are funny, a few are just plain WEIRD! If you just want to see who won the giveaway, you have my permission to just scroll to the bottom.

100 Things About Me

1. I can play the clarinet and piano.
2. I’d work full time even if I won the lottery.
3. To me – my dogs aren’t animals. They are short, hairy people who don’t speak clearly.
4. I’m an insomniac.
5. I can’t sleep at all without some kind of white noise.
6. I have a “never say die” attitude about shopping.
7. The prospect of going “unplugged” (i.e. without my computers, BlackBerry and work cell phone) for a weekend or longer is frightening to me.
8. I usually do more than one thing at a time – read & watch TV; knit & watch a movie; go for a walk & talk on the phone.
9. I’m really, really, really shy.
10. The people that know me best can’t get me to shut up!
11. I hate being the center of attention…unless it’s a business meeting; then it doesn’t phase me.
12. Driving clears my mind.
13. One of the best smells in the world is the beach.
14. The only way I can imagine living in a land-locked state is if I marry a military man who gets stationed there.
15. There are friends/family who have NEVER heard me swear.
16. There are friends/family who think I have the mouth of a trucker...
17. I carry my passport with me at all times. Like American Express – I never leave home without it.
18. I made it to 48 of the 50 states before I turned 5 years old.
19. My parents put me on a plane alone at 4 years old to go from Boston to San Diego. Ah, the good old days when you could do that!
20. I still haven’t made it to the other two (Alaska and Hawaii) states.
21. I’m afraid of heights.
22. I love planes and roller coasters.
23. I read really quickly.
24. My very first memory was sitting on a tortoise in the San Diego Zoo at two years old.
25. I’m great at BBQing! But I blew up a gas grill my senior year in high school.
26. Next time I buy a vehicle, it will be a hybrid… but it’ll still be an SUV.
27. I never did drugs and I’ve only been drunk once.
28. That said – A glass of wine or a margarita (or two) are high on my list of ways to unwind after a long day.
29. I trust people very quickly.
30. I hate being lied to. I rather hear something I don’t like than have someone lie and say something nice.
31. My favorite cartoon character is Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.
32. When I do sleep – I have very vivid dreams.
33. I’d love to be a work from home or stay at home mom if I’m ever blessed with kids.
34. My biggest fear is never falling in love and getting married.
35. Unlike most women – I’ve never wanted a big wedding.
36. I’m very sarcastic.
37. Because I’m so shy – I have acquired the skill of being able to say something, walk away, and have someone realize that I said something shocking a few minutes later.
38. I love shoes… but I’d rather be barefoot.
39. When I’m sad, I like to buy presents for people. It cheers me up!
40. I’d rather listen than talk.
41. I LOVE jewelry! But only the good stuff; no costume jewelry.
42. I don’t tell my hairdresser what I want done…he has complete creative license.
43. One of my grandfathers taught me to recite the alphabet backwards at 4 years old.
44. I believe in psychics and ghosts.
45. I’m really stubborn.
46. My camera is always with me.
47. I’d rather be cold than hot.
48. One of my grandfathers used to call me “Dumb Dora”. It sounds mean, but from him, it was a term of endearment.
49. When it comes to board games – I’m very competitive!
50. I find ironing soothing.
51. I have a hard time saying “no” to people.
52. If/when I have kids – I REFUSE to give them traditional names (i.e. Matthew, Elizabeth, Michael, Katherine). God help my future hubby.
53. I do my best thinking and cleaning in the middle of the night.
54. I’m a big theater buff.
55. When I’m nervous, I crack my knuckles…ICK!
56. I love my freckles.
57. I give great massages.
58. I drink iced coffee all year round.
59. I am a pillow snob! I only use king sized down pillows.
60. If you stole my iPod, you would find the most random music.
61. I’m petrified of needles… but have two tattoos.
62. I make sure I volunteer at least every other month on a service project.
63. There is NO way that you’ll get me to watch a horror flick.
64. My favorite colors are pink, green and black.
65. I think that everything happens for a reason.
66. I find something to laugh about EVERY single day.
67. No one is allowed to smoke in my car…EVER.
68. I’m extremely ticklish!
69. I’m very organized… but don’t mind a little clutter now and then.
70. Going to Wal-Mart makes me feel better about my life. It’s not meant to be mean (honestly), but I always leave feeling smarter, prettier and saner.
71. I’m a little OCD about making sure the dogs get brushed every day.
72. There is always money floating around my purse.
73. I’m a hugger… but I’m pretty good a gauging who doesn’t share in that sentiment.
74. I’ve already started knitting Christmas presents for people.
75. I took dance classes for 12 years.
76. I’ve been told I have a good voice…but I don’t sing in front of many people.
77. I only tease the people I love.
78. For a long time, I thought I was going to be a lawyer when I “grew up”.
79. I’d love to write a book some day.
80. I am a hopeless romantic. Some day my Prince will come, right?
81. I love thunderstorms.
82. One of my favorite sounds is the sigh Beckett lets out when I pick him up every night when I get home from work.
83. My other favorite sound is laughter from my friends/family.
84. I’m thankful to wear contact lenses; I think I look icky in glasses.
85. I can have entire conversations in movie and song quotes.
86. I watched the entire first season of True Blood in a day this past weekend.
87. Christmas will always be a little bit of a bittersweet holiday for me.
88. I believe that it’s never too late to say you’re sorry or to forgive someone.
89. If you judge my by my dog’s names (Peach Blossom, Carmella Bay, Meadow Breeze & Beckett Scout), it would seem that I’m a closet hippie.
90. It’s rare that I let the gas in my car get below half a tank.
91. I’m pretty sure that I have a cardigan in every imaginable color.
92. My two favorite flavors of ice cream are coffee and mint chocolate chip.
93. I love chocolate… but hate both chocolate cake and chocolate ice cream.
94. I have fantastic hearing, which means I hear things I shouldn’t sometimes.
95. I think life is too short to be a drama queen.
96. Other than Dancing With The Stars, I’m not really a fan of reality TV.
97. I can tell you what was playing on the radio/CD player/iPod during all of my happiest and saddest moments; I associate songs with each event in my life.
98. I love living in a city where all our sports teams elicit such fanatical responses from people.
99. During college all my friends used to make me cut their hair for them…even though I never went through any type of hair dressing training.
100. I think I’m boring.

I cannot believe how many entries I got for my little giveaway! Tiney, I think half of them came from people that found me through you. YOU ROCK!! Stay tuned, I'll be doing another giveaway this weekend.

Without further ado....

1st Prize goes to Sara at Unwrap Life! You get your green Coach wristlet. :-)

2nd Prize goes to Tiney!! See, it paid off missy - you get your pink Coach wristlet!

3rd Prize goes to Kathie at My Net Finds! A beautiful blue Coach wristlet is ready to come your way.

Congrats, ladies!! Email me your mailing address, OK?

Tuesdays At The Table - Crab & Spinach Quiche

Happy Tuesday! I hope you all enjoyed the fabulous holiday weekend (and you were among the lucky ones that got Monday off).

You all had great recipes last week; thank you ALL for sharing! I can't wait to see what kind of yumminess you have in store this week. :-) Andrea hasn't posted for a while... but if you get a chance, drop her a line and let her know that she's missed.

Now, let's get this recipe party started! This week is Crab & Spinach Quiche. It was served at a brunch I went to last month and is so delicious.

Crab & Spinach Quiche

2 unbaked pastry shells (9 inches)
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
A few good pinches of pepper (about 1/8 teaspoon)
A few good pinches of nutmeg (about 1/8 teaspoon)
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (approx. 4 ounces)
3 tablespoons flour
6 to 8 oz. canned or frozen crab meat, thawed/drained and flaked
1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

Bake pastry shells at 400 degrees for 5 minutes after lining with aluminum foil. Remove foil and bake 5 more minutes.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, salt, pepper, milk, and nutmeg. Stir in cheeses and flour until well combined, then gently stir in spinach and crab.

Pour half of quiche mixture into each pastry shell and bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes (until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean). Let set for 10 minutes and serve.

Musical Monday- Use Somebody & A Weekend Recap

It's another lovely Monday ladies. What makes this Monday particularly awesome is that I don't have to work! Woohoo! :-)

I hope you all had a fabulous 4th of July - filled with friends, family, BBQ, fireworks and fun! I had an awesome weekend.

Friday I ran around in the morning to gather stuff for JC's latest care packages, (you read that right - multiple packages. What can I say?! There's only one of him and if he wants it - I'll find a way to send it.) then went over Kirstren's house. I gathered her, her darling son, and a batch of cupcakes up for a fun filled Friday. We went shopping (it's one of our favorite activities...heeheehee) and then dropped said adorable son off to spend the night with his Nana. That left Kirstren and I to meet up with one of her besties (who I think is awesome too) and head off to a cook out. A great time was had by all...despite a wee little asthma attack I had!

Saturday I went to see "My Sister's Keeper" with my mom. Great movie; just don't go in there expecting it to be like the book, cuz it's not going to happen. Then since I live in the Boston area, met up with a few friends to watch the fireworks "in town" (yes, we really do refer to Boston as "in town").

Sunday has been a lazy day. Just hanging with the dogs; so relaxing! The highlight of the day was talking to JC! Unfortunately, I had to give him bad news - one of his good friends passed away. There is nothing worse than making him cry and not being able to hug him.

OK, on to the music. These guys came on the scene about a year ago, and are finally starting to make some big waves. They rock!!

Tell me about your weekend...and remember to enter my contest, mmkay?

Happy Independence Day!

This definitely a "better late than never" post. It was queued up to post at 6:30 this morning, but it obviously didn't post as scheduled.

Happy Independence Day! Like Memorial Day and Veteran's Day, the 4th of July brings about a wave of appreciation for our Armed Forces from most people. I too am one of those people. I thank our founding fathers for leaving the rule of England to come here for "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"; and I thank our Armed Forces now for protection those ideals. They fight so we can live the wonderful (usually) lives that we lead. They are true heroes.

I'm so proud of JC, G, Al, Trebor and the rest of their crew; and I'm happy to be one of the many stateside that support them. (Guys, if you see this... I miss you!)

Despite not being a typical "patriotic" song, this is one of my favorites. OK, go off and enjoy the fireworks and BBQs! I want to hear all about the fun you had this weekend. :-)

Oh.... did you enter my giveaway? It's ending at midnight EST on Tuesday!

It Not Easy Being Green

Ever wonder what organic really is? Why this stuff matters? How and where to find organic products?

I bet ya did! Guess what?!?! April is starting a new blog - (The) Organic Girls. This is something she's been considering for a while and is now ready to put into play. How exciting!

And... I'm one of her chosen editors. YAY, me!

No firm details, but stay tuned; it'll all be happening soon. :-) If you have any products we should review, websites we should visit or feature, news we should report - SHARE - we'd love to hear about it!

P.S. I know that Kermit the Frog is now running through your mind (at least after choosing the post title - he's running through mine) so I'll share the video too.