Sesame Street

A few that I adored from Sesame Street.
This one I loved because D is the first letter of my name!


I loved the folky song that went with this one and of course it had cows and a dog so really what wasn't to like?


As a child I remember being SUPER skeptical of this video. Who had room in NYC for a Llama?! What dentist would see a Llama as a patent?

Vicious and Virtuous

So Lion has PDD-NOS. We've established that. If you read this blog at all, you know that fund raising for Autism Speaks is one of the things I absolutely love to do.
I have super generous pals and last year they helped me raise almost $1,500 for Autism Speaks and our walk team Team Brian The Lion.

In October I was a part of a really groovy fundraising bake off for NY Cares called Fierce and Sweet.
I loved it so much that before the day was out, I'd decided I was going to do something just like it for Autism Speaks.

Last week I got down to it and started begging for favors and sending out mass emails to friends and strangers, Hoboken business owners, restaurants, bars, clothing stores as well as NYC food trucks and food-centric blogs.

My letter asked for donations of space, sponsors and judges (different letters) and the response has been amazing.

Willie McBride's here in Hoboken, NJ is donating the space to us at no charge, one of my good pals is creating the website at no charge and another super talented friend has designed our logo.

I've got two judges on board. The owner of The Cupcake Stop cupcake truck and the writer and owner of Dessert Buzz blog.

I've cast a super wide net asking for support and donations and I'm confident that people will step up.

It's going to be here in Hoboken on April 17th and we will have 20 bakers go head to head with their best baked goods (the contest is open to all). Tickets to the event will be $20 and 100% of the proceeds will go to Autism Speaks.

Ticket holders will get a plate and a fork and will be able to wander the room tasting all of our bakers goodies.

I'll share more details as they come and as soon as the website is finished I'll put it up here...

The Electric Company

As a kid I LOVED the show "The Electric Company" I loved the cast and the songs and the whole kit and caboodle.
I went hunting for videos on youtube to share with the kids and ran across this one which I remember watching and loving.
I sat here and watched it with the boys and was slightly creeped out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUHETDR4N7A

My daddy

My dad just left here after his second visit to our apartment to help us hang a blind that fell down.

I love my husband by he's not handy. I'm handy when it comes to some things. A lot of things actually and if you give me something with instructions and the proper tools look out because I'll have it fixed or put together in no time flat.

This blind though...it was beyond my scope and PT wasn't even going to attempt it.

My go to guy is my father. Always has been. He's the most handy man I know. Our house in the Berkshires was a total fixer upper and my dad gutted the whole thing himself and redid the whole house on his own with no help. Ran the gas, the electric, added a whole new room the whole kit and kaboodle.

As a little girl I remember being at the house in the Berkshires and having him wake me up super early to go to Carr Hardware or to the Sears to get supplies. I LOVED those trips and loved being my dad's helper. Handing him tools, watching as he created something out of nothing or how he fixed things that were broken.

My dad and I have always been pals. He's always there for me and never fails me.
He's an amazing guy and I love him to pieces.

That was 30 years ago though and my dad isn't a spring chicken anymore. He's in his 70's and has a bad knee and his heart isn't so good and he just had lapband surgery.

Today watching him climb onto the ladder to fix the blind I was overcome by sadness. There was a time when my dad was invincible. Nothing he couldn't do, nothing he didn't know. He's slowing down some but still is the same amazing can do guy he always has been.

I know he won't read this but thanks Daddy. Thanks for all that you have done, all that you have put up with and all that you continue to do for me and my family. We wouldn't be where we are today without you.

I love you.

Swimming Lessons

Today my little guys had their first swimming lesson.
It was...interesting.
I assumed that we the parents needed to be in the pool with the kids so my mother and I had our suits on.
Not so.
Parents stay clothed. I almost ran back to the locker room to change back into clothing.
PJ almost drowned twice, Lion once. (Nope. I'm not exaggerating. Not even a tiny bit.) and I had to sit on my hands and chew on my tongue to keep from getting into it with one of the other parents who bellowed at Lion. I didn't see what happened but all of a sudden she's hollering "HEY HEY! DON'T PUSH HIM IN THE POOL" Loud. Really loud. Lion appeared deaf and ignored the crazy lady.
As I said, I chewed on my tongue. If she does it again it's on.
Other than that I think the day went rather well...

I want to ride my bicycle...

For a while now I've wanted a bicycle. Truth be told I really really wanted this bike:



That's right. I'm a 36 (almost 37) year old mother of two little boys who had her heart set on a Hello Kitty bicycle. Shaddup!
I couldn't justify the almost $400 price tag though. I tried. Believe me.

I made a comment on Facebook about wanting a bike but the price blah blah blah...
one of my friends pointed me towards a place called Beach Bikes.

I went and ordered my bike the same day! She's arrived in a ton of boxes and I have to get her to the bike shop to be put together.

I also have to wait for the warmer weather. It's too cold right now to ride.

I'm going to store her at my mom's place because they have a bike room in the basement.

So now PJ has a bike and I have a bike. For Lion's birthday we are going to get him a bike and then we can all ride together!

I really wanted a bike to help supplement my exercise routine and to get me out of the house so I'm not eating and snacking all the time.

This is what my gal will look like when she's put together!

So

So here's the deal. You won't even attempt to help me or even try to help me I'll do the same for you with your dream project.