Happy Birthday Ally Bean!

I can't believe she is already 18...a young adult..what happened to the sweet little blond-haired girl who used to get so excited when I would come and visit? She became a lovely young lady who is ready to conquer the world. She is a responsible student...a hard worker...a driver...and she successfully completed all of her college applications!

We celebrated with a trip to Wasabi for some sushi (her fave AND mine) and Monk surprised us by loving the miso soup! (too cute). Zack and Diana enjoyed the stir fry while Ally and I indulged in a sushi boat for two

Happy Birthday Beautiful Girl!

Tech Week!

Ahhhh...it is upon us. This is the first time I will be on stage in 16 years and I can't believe I am going through with this. Though I have spoken in public over the last few years as President for the PTA and for the WHS Booster Board and for the Football Parents of WHS..this is different! This is singing and dancing and acting again...as a wife and mother...so surreal...so stressful...yet the butterflies have already begun.

We (The Windham Actors Guild) are doing Windham on Broadway- a broadway musical review which will feature songs from different broadway shows like Beauty and the Beast, Pippin, Fiddler on the Roof, The Little Mermaid and Anything Goes to name a few.

I wish I could say it has been more fun...it happened at a very stressful time for us and there were several times I came very close to bowing out gracefully, however, someone ;) kept pushing me and someone upstairs kept sending the signs to continue.

I have met some fantastic people from town...just when I thought I knew everyone here too!


Here are a few rehearsal pix...stay tuned for the rest!

Don't You Just Love This?

"Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried,
with fewer tensions and more tolerance."

Benjamin Franklin

New Year's Day in Boston

It was so beautiful yesterday...67 degrees in Boston to be precise (and that is on the water!) We headed into the big city and hit the aquarium- Diana just loved to see the fish and turtle and especially the penguins and seals! It was crowded but it was still a good plan. After the aquarium, we walked out the dock to see the boats then enjoyed a nice lunch at Legal's and a walk over to the North End.

We surprised Mimi and Papa with some pastries from Bova's. They were so excited we dropped by that they didn't go to mass (they will go today no worries) :) and got Chinese for supper.

We had a ball- great start to 2011!

Shuffle

Put your iPod on shuffle and list the top 100 songs to come up! Ohhh I love this...as you will see, I have diverse taste in music...I like almost everything!!

1. Beautiful- Lifehouse
2. Jock Jams Mix- Various Artists
3. Crazy- Gnarles Barkley
4. Mighty Wings- Cheap Trick
5. Moondance- Michael Buble
6. Everything- Michael Buble
7. I Need You Tonight- Backstreet Boys
8. I'd Die For You- Bon Jovi
9. Found Out About You- Gin Blossoms
10.Back to Black- Amy Winehouse
11.Walk Away- Kelly Clarkson
12.Hips Don't Lie- Shakira
13.Shape of My Heart- Backstreet Boys
14.Home- Michael Buble
15.Dancing in Heaven- Orbital (From Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Soundtrack)
16.Don't Want You Back- Backstreet Boys
17.Rain King- Counting Crows
18.I Will Love You- Fisher
19.Spanish Eyes- Backstreet Boys
20.Ronnie- Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
21.Turn Me On- Kevin Lyttle
22.Kryptonite- Three Doors Down
23.Haven't Met You Yet- Michael Buble
24.The Boys of Summer- Don Henley
25.The Truth- David Cook
26.Rock & Roll- Heart
27.I'm Yours- Jason Mraz
28.Suite from My Best Friends' Wedding- James Newton Howard
29.I Still Do- The Cranberries
30.I'm Alive- David Cook
31.Four-Thirty- Sara Evans
32.Everybody Dance Now- C&C Music Factory
33.Everlong- Foo Fighters
34.Jaded- Aerosmith
35.Not Sorry- The Cranberries
36.Since You Been Gone- Kelly Clarkson
37.Don't Stop Believin- Glee Cast
38.Just Dance- Lady Gaga
39.Stay- Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs
40.Walk Like A Man- Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
41.Poker Face- Lady Gaga
42.Whataya Want From me- Adam Lambert
43.Come To My Window- Melissa Etheredge
44.Silver- David Cook
45.For Once In My Life- David Buble
46.Single Ladies- Beyonce
47.What I Have- Carla Ryder
48.I Wanna Grow Old With You- Adam Sandler (from The Wedding Singer Soundtrack)
49.You're A God- Vertical Horizon
50.Gimme One Reason- Tracy Chapman
51.Forget You- Glee Cast featuring Gwyneth Paltrow
52.Rag Doll- Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
53.Enough is Enough- Barbara Streisand & Donna Summer
54.Too Much- Dave Matthews Band
55.So Much To Say- Dave Matthews Band
56.If It Don't Take Two- Shania Twain
57.At Last- Etta James
58.Innocent- David Cook
59.Paparazzi- Lady Gaga
60.When I Come Around- Green Day
61.Only One- Lifehouse
62.I'm The Only One- Melissa Etheridge
63.Behind These Hazel Eyes- Kelly Clarkson
64.Cotton Eyed Joe- Rednex
65.The Best is Yet To Come- Michael Buble
66.Hands Clean- Alanis Morrisette
67.Do You Believe in Love- Huey Lewis & The News
68.Crazy Little Thing Called Love- Michael Buble
69.Come Fly With Me- Michael Buble
70.U&Ur Hand- Pink
71.Forever- Chris Brown
72. Day Tripper- David Cook
73.Livin' On A Prayer- Bon Jovi
74.Jeremy- Pearl Jam
75.Jump- Glee Cast
76.How Sweet It Is- Michael Buble
77.Tripping Billies- Dave Matthews Band
78.I've Got You Under My Skin- Michael Buble
79.Crash Into Me- Dave Matthews Band
80.Even Flow- Pearl Jam
81.Dawn (Go Away)- Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
82.Fever- Michael Buble
83.Black Balloon- Goo Goo Dolls
84.With You- Chris Brown
85.Over It- Katherine McPhee
86.Denise- Randy & The Rainbows
87.Pretty- The Cranberries
88.Wanted- The Cranberries
89.Round Here- The Counting Crows
90.Sh-Boom- The Chords
91.Working My Way Back To You- Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
92.Come By Me- Harry Conick Jr
93.Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under- Shania Twain
94.A Real Fine Place To Start- Sara Evans
95.Back To Your Heart- Backstreet Boys
96.Something's Always Wrong- Toad The Wet Sprocket
97.Crazy- Patsy Cline
98.Waltzing Back- The Cranberries
99.Don't Leave Me This Way- Thelma Houston
100.You Know I'm No Good- Amy Winehouse

Happy New Year My Loves!

2010 was a good year all and all! Some highlights?

The weather! We did not have such a wonderful stretch of beautiful weather before 2010, since I was a child! We took advantage by spending as much time outside as possible...the park...the beach...

Our trip to Florida with my parents...Diana's first time on a plane...60 degrees felt like 80 in the sun and we got scorched (yes!)...had the best dining experience we ever had at Mario's..Marriott Harbor Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale was pure paradise

Our 4th of July weekend attempt at clam digging then enjoying the beach and later the city of Boston

The beginning of the recovery and starting to get business again at work...so encouraging...provided us the hope we needed to continue to fight through this economy

Ally got her license and then the night we gave her the car...just magical...never saw a kid so happy and appreciative

Zack's football season...his first year of varsity...watching him grow...had so much fun

Mari and Anthony's wedding

Halloween time.... we enjoyed everything about fall this year and made sure we kept up with the crafts and the baking so that Diana would understand the fun of this time as well

Putting Diana on skates at the age of 2...and her reaction of pure joy!

New Year's Eve...last night Rob and I went back to the place where we met for a drink-The Dubliner in Lowell- it was recently sold to a new couple and they have done a great job redesigning it. Then we headed over to the place where we got engaged- Cobblestone's and were seated at the table where we got engaged (almost 7 years ago!) We had the best meal...it was a NYE special and just wonderful (and not to mention very affordable!)

May 2011 be your best year yet!