Sunday, January 30, 2011

Project 64-Robin's Egg Blue


This week's Project 64 color was Robin's Egg Blue. I immediately headed for the local consignment shop because I though of old glassware!

A sectioned dish, a set of china and a canister were my finds! (sorry about the shadow on the china set, I tried a couple of different angles and this was the best I could do!) The canister was actually attached to two others, like a lazy-susan type thing-it was pretty neat!




Click on the Project 64 box to see more and/or participate!

Friday, January 28, 2011

We Are The Champions, My Friend


Tucker's soccer team had their playoffs tonight. They were tied for first so they played in the semi-final game and won 6-0. The other semi-final game was between the one team who beat us and the team we beat (I can't think how else to explain it; we were their only loss).

We ended up playing the team we beat before and it was like a completely different team. After 26 minutes of regulation time, we were tied 0-0. Then we went to a 5 minute overtime; whoever gets the first goal wins. With 52 seconds left, Tucker's team scored the goal!!!!!!!!!

On a lighter note....



while I was on History.com, I discovered that the final recording session for We Are the World was 26 years ago today. It still gives me chills to hear this song.... (Don't forget to pause my music...)

From History.com

The special instruction Quincy Jones sent out to the several dozen pop stars invited to participate in the recording of "We Are the World" was this: "Check your egos at the door." Jones was the producer of a record that would eventually go on to sell more than 7 million copies and raise more than $60 million for African famine relief. But before "We Are the World" could achieve those feats, it had to be captured on tape—no simple feat considering the number of major recording artists slated to participate. With only one chance to get the recording the way he and songwriters Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie wanted it, Jones convened the marathon recording session of "We Are the World" at around 10 p.m. on the evening of January 28, 1985, immediately following the conclusion of the American Music Awards ceremony held just a few miles away.

Singer/actor/activist Harry Belafonte was the initiator of the events that led to the recording of "We Are the World." Inspired by the recent success of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"—the multimillion-selling charity record by the British-Irish collective Band Aid—Belafonte talked Lionel Ritchie, Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones into helping him organize an American response under the name "USA for Africa." Ritchie and Jackson wrote the song over the course of several days in January, and Belafonte's manager, Ken Kragen, who would go on to serve as President of the USA for Africa Foundation, the nonprofit organization that managed the profits from "We Are the World," came up with the plan to hold the session on the night of the AMA's in order to guarantee that the greatest number of big names would be able to participate.

Among the 45 stars who sang on "We Are the World" that night were huge-in-the-80s figures like Cyndi Lauper and Huey Lewis; Country stars like Kenny Rogers and Willie Nelson; pop icons like Smokey Robinson, Tina Turner and Paul Simon; and musical giants like Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and Bob Dylan. Also in the studio that night were half of the Jackson family, one Irishman (Bob Geldof, co-organizer of Band Aid) and one party-crashing Canadian, comedian Dan Aykroyd. Egos fully in check, the group laid down the chorus and solos before sunrise on the 29th, and "We Are the World" was in the stores and on the airwaves just five weeks later.


We will never forget....




25 years ago today, the Challenger exploded....
From History.com...
At 11:38 a.m. EST, on January 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and Christa McAuliffe is on her way to becoming the first ordinary U.S. civilian to travel into space. McAuliffe, a 37-year-old high school social studies teacher from New Hampshire, won a competition that earned her a place among the seven-member crew of the Challenger. She underwent months of shuttle training but then, beginning January 23, was forced to wait six long days as the Challenger's launch countdown was repeatedly delayed because of weather and technical problems. Finally, on January 28, the shuttle lifted off.

Seventy-three seconds later, hundreds on the ground, including Christa's family, stared in disbelief as the shuttle exploded in a forking plume of smoke and fire. Millions more watched the wrenching tragedy unfold on live television. There were no survivors.


I remember being in Spanish class when they announced it (with Julie from Winchester Academy, as matter of fact).....

Thursday, January 27, 2011

More snow!

One thing we in New England definitely don't need is more snow!!!!! This is what has happened here in the last 24 hours!



12 more inches of snow to add to the 35 we already had!!!! The one on the right is what our deck looks like (I opened the door to take it and thankfully, didn't start an avalanche!)

And guess waht, snow showers tomorrow and Saturday, and ....you guessed more snow on Tuesday! We apparently broken all kinds of records for snow fall in January!

You Capture-Happy






Beth at I Should Be Folding Laundry sponsors this weekly-themed event to encourage us to get out and take pictures. This week's theme is Happy.

Here in southeastern CT, we have been overwhelmed with snow, snow, and more snow! One of the things my son and husband have done is build a fort with the roughly 35 inches we have gottne. Yesterday my son Tucker had an early dismissal due to the 5 inches of snow that no one seemed to know was coming! After it stopped snowing, tucker went to check out the inside of the fort and was happy to see it was surviving!Then he was even happier sledding down the hill!!!


Monday, January 24, 2011

Daybook



For today... Monday, January 24, 2011

On My Mind...feeling a lot better than I expected to...the doctor had told me it would be an easier recovery than the laproscopic exploratory I had in 2006 and I have to say he was right!

Outside My Window...30 inches of snow with more on the way!!! Very cold, like close to zero!!!

What We're Reading...I have been very busy reading because I couldn't do much last week and finished three books! I finsihed Small Island by Andrea Levy, The Pit and the Pendulum and Other Tales by Edgar Allan Poe, and The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton...I'm now reading The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Steig Larsson. I had enjoyed the second book so much and put this final one on hold and didn't expect it to available so soon!...with Tucker, we finished Alien Expedition for the Science Fiction Choice for his Reading Challenge and will starting From the Mixed-up files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler for his Newberry Award Winning book. this is one of my very favorite books so I'm really excited toread it with him! We're also planning on returning to NYC this summer and I'd like to bring him to the Met and this could get him interested!

What We're Listening to...no audio books until I go back to work next month...Tucker is usually singing "Summer of '69" which he has learned from Lego Rock Band.

What We're Watching...trying to give American Idol a chance...we're enjoying American Pickers, Pawn Shop, pretty much anything on History channel lately...can't forget Nick, also!...with me home during the day, I've been watching Dr.Phil, Rachael Ray, the View, a local talk show called Better Connecticut, and Ellen. Still strangely fascinated by Teen Mom 2...also tyring to understand how an 8 yo boy can chose to watch the history of mustard and ketchup for an hour on History (it was actually pretty interesting) could then watch SpongeBob with the same enthusiasm!

I am hoping...Spring comes soon!

In the kitchen...Chicken Pot Pie last night, tacos, pork chops, roast.

Around the house...dishwasher just finished...laundry to be folded (as long as Michael brings the clothes upstairs and dumps them on the bed, I can fold them)...another load to go in dryer.

Coming Up This Week...getting together for lunch with my friend Joan if we can find a day that won't be snowing, Tucker's soccer team came in first place in the standings so they play in the single-elimination championship game Friday night.

A Picture Thought...Our kittens are getting so big; I really need to take some updated pictures! Every morning they sit together to watch the birds next door--I just had to take a picture!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Project 64-Chestnut


Inspired by a box of crayons, 6 ladies have decided to take a 64 week journey--through that box. Each Sunday, they will post a link to share that current week's color and on Monday they will announce the next week's color (chosen by one of their husband's). I missed the first two weeks so I'll start with Week Three..

This week's color was Chestnut Brown....

My son's towel hanging on the back of the bathroom door.


Our headboard

Thursday, January 20, 2011

You Capture---Circles



Beth from I Should Be Folding Laundry sponsors this weekly event to encourage us to take pictures. This week's theme was circles. To partiicpate or see others' pictures, click here.

So here are my circles:

Looking up at the light above our table at Applebees...

A church window in town...
Balls at Walmart...
and Gumballs!!!! (this one might be my favorite, I think!)

Recuperating...

I had my surgery on Monday and all went well. I did stay overnight, as expected, and came home Tuesday afternoon. The funny thing is I ended up in the same room I was in after I had Tucker (my mom, Michael and I are almost certain of it; Tucker doesn't remember! lol)

So now I'm home and catching up on some reading and some napping and just generally taking it easy.

I'll be checking in from time to time....

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Please stand by...

I will be having my hysterectomy tomorrow. I will be staying overnight and don't anticipate getting back to the computer until mid-late week.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Snow Day Daybook

For today, Wednesday, January 12, 2011

On My Mind
...I had my colonoscopy/endoscopy last week and other than stage 2 erosive esophagitis in the lower third of my esophagus, I'm good. It's basically diet-controlled; he put me on stronger meds and I follow-up with him next month...I am scheduled for my hysterectomy on Monday and I will be out of work for 4 weeks (I'm having it done laproscopically (sp?) )...please continue to keep our niece in your thoughts and prayers.

Outside my window...two feet of snow!!!!!

What We're Reading
...I finished The Girl who Played with Fire and liked it so much better than the first one...I also finished Bud, Not Buddy tonight and started Small Island by Andrea Levy...with Tucker, we read Make Way for Ducklings, Season of the Sandstorms (Magic Treehouse), and Blizzards. It's time for the Reading Hall of Fame at his school and we will be reading an assortment of award-winning and different types of books for the next few months. One of the types we need to read is poetry and I got out Where the Sidewalk ends and we had a good time giggling over all the silly poems; it was fun to share that with him!

What we're Listening to...I finished I'd Know You anywhere, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and The Girl Who Chased the Moon. I had always wanted to read Alice but truthfully found her to be somewhat bratty and it put me off somewhat. I think overall it was good but I just couldn't get beyond that. The other two books were really good and I would definitely recommend them!

I am Hoping...to recuperate quickly from my upcoming surgery.

In the Kitchen...chicken pot pie tonight, chicken in the crockpot tomorrow, out to dinner Sat for my birthday.

Around the house...the Christmas decorations are finally all down...Tucker and I took the ornaments off the tree today and Michael will get rid of it tomorrow...laundry to be folded and more to be washed.

Coming Up This Week
...lunch with my mom Friday for my birthday...turning 41 on Saturday...Tucker has a birthday/sleepover to go to on Fri night...out to dinner Sat night with Tucker and Michael...surgery on Monday.

A Picture Thought...Tucker likes to dig tunnels in the snow banks!

Snow Day!!!!

Connecticut was hit today by a winter storm that left well over 2 feet of snow!!!! Of course, school was cancelled for Tucker and due to my being "non-essential", i.e, not a direct caregiver, I wasn't expected to go to work and so I called out.

Michael had to shovel the driveway out because it was too much snow for our snow blower. It did make for some pretty pictures though! (Now that I've discovered how easy it is to make these collages, it'll save you all the time scrolling through all the pictures! Sorry about the ads but I didn't purchase the membership so these ads come with the collages!)

Click to play this Smilebox collage
Create your own collage - Powered by Smilebox
Personalize your own picture collage


These were the shots before he got his foot stuck down at the bottom of the 4 foot snow bank! He got his leg out but then I had to use the shovel to get his boot out!
Click to play this Smilebox collage
Create your own collage - Powered by Smilebox
Customize your own free collage


I ended up putting Michael's snowpants on, which was pretty funny because he's a foot taller than me and when I pulled them all the way on, they came up to my chest! But it was worth it because we had a good time playing in the snow and even had a snowball fight!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

You Capture---2010 Favorite Pictures

Beth sponsors this weekly event with a theme so we can show off the pictures we take each week. This week she asked us to choose our 10 favorites from 2010. (I actually chose 12, I just couldn't decide!)













Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Finally!! Christmas Pictures!








I am finally getting to the Christmas pictures! Starting with Chritsmas Eve, Tucker made his annual HUGE sugar cookie for Santa

Tucker made these Christmas cards for me and Michael! they were folded many times into this triangle and taped really well!! (He made them while at my mom's one weekend!)
On christmas eve, we open presents from Tucker-he got me oven mitts and a matching apron
Michael got a new hooded sweatshirt!

And Tucker got the Lego plane he wanted from us!


Posing with Santa's cookies and milk...


Opening presents

Tucker made this ornament at school....

This box has every baseball player from 2010
You can't see it too well but Michael made me this picture frame...on the left are pictures of Shrek and Fiona and it says enjoy. on the right are pictures of Felix and Roscoe and it says Remember. I teared up when I opened it!


My camera didn't cooperate long for the next set of pictures....my mom and Eileen and their traditional toast...

My mom got Tucker some Obama itmes


Eileen got him a Derek Jeter figure

A new nutcracker from my mom!