DMMLANDCRUISER

Falling Over

2011-11-14T13:04:00.005-05:00

I cannot believe it is the middle of November already. Time is flying by too quickly. We had a nice, hot summer here in Boston with lots of swimming and bbq'ing. On the homefront, things are fine. Working, school, homework, the usual. We are off to Aruba next week for Thanksgiving. I need to let Madigan's teacher know that she will be "sick" next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (yes, I am clairvoyant). Hopefully, this will not be a problem. I don't hesitate to take her out of school to travel because she never misses school for being sick. We have been blessed with a very healthy child and she has never missed a day due to illness.

Madigan turned 9 at the end of October. I cannot believe how mature she has gotten. She is still a Diva who loves to sing, dance and shop. In fact, her birthday party was a Shop Till You Drop Party. We rented a limo to take the girls shopping at the Mall. They were each given some $$$ to buy what they wanted. This worked out great as whatever they bought = their party favor. I always hate

wasting money on party favors that likely hit the garbage within days. Candy is a terrible option at this time of year

since the Halloween candy is everywhere. They all had a great time......"Best Party Ever"

(picture #1 with Siamese cat on graphic tee, picture #2 with real Siamese cat)

Mother's Day

2011-05-09T10:33:00.004-05:00

I had a lovely and relaxing Mother's Day yesterday. Madigan and I went to Cape Cod with her BFF to watch her dance her Irish Step at a feis. My Mother and Sister were in the same area, so we all went to dinner together on Saturday night at a place named Acapulco's. It was great and we had a lot of laughs.

Sunday morning, we came home and Madigan made me the nicest card. The best part is that she made it as a money card complete with a folder for the $5 bill she enclosed. It was such a sweet gesture for her to make and I got a good laugh out of it too.

Then it was time to go to dinner and we had reservations for Morton's. Madigan did not want to go there. Instead, she went over to Molly's house and had pizza with their family while we had delicious steaks and no one to whine at the table. Now it is back to the daily grind of fighting to get her out of bed and up and ready for school. Maybe it was all a dream!

I hope all you moms out there had a great day.

Please Please Tell Me Now......

2011-04-27T09:48:00.003-05:00

They are back!!!!! My all time favorite band is performing tonight in Boston and I will absolutely be there!! I haven't missed a show since the 1980's. The band has gone through many changes since their heyday, but their music can still get you up and out of your seat.

The venue is The Royale Boston. I used to frequent the building back in my swinging 20's when it was The JukeBox. I am interested to see how intimate the room is. The last time I saw The Boys was at the Agganis Arena at Boston University and that was a great show because every seat was a good one. They have a new album out called All You Need Is Now It has some really great songs on it. So far, I love The Man Who Stole a Leopard (love the title of that one too) and Leave a Light On. That last one is remniscent of Save a Prayer. My all time favorite song of Duran Duran's is actually The Reflex. I have it as my ringtone right now too!!

I had actually always planned on marrying Simon Le Bon but thought he was too old for me as the 12 year age difference was quite considerable when I was 14. The irony is that I married The Doc and he is 17 years older than me. I guess I have always had a thing for older men!

The concert will also be exciting because we are bringing Madigan. She has no idea and I don't plan to tell her what we are doing until we get there. When I last went to see them, she was very curious about where I was going and wanted to hear the songs I would be hearing live. Since then, she has become a fan.

I'll post my review. For now, I'll leave you with some pics from the last time I was in Simon's presence......

I Scream, You Scream.....

2011-04-12T10:42:00.002-05:00

Run, don't walk to your nearest Ben & Jerry's icecream shop today to get your free scoop of icecream!!! No coupon needed and you get to choose your flavor. Now the hard part, will it be Triple Caramel Chunk, Dubliner Mudslide, Cookiedough, .......

Spring Tidings

2011-04-07T09:14:00.007-05:00

Now that it has finally (?) stopped snowing here in Boston, the next wave of weather will be crazy Spring Showers. We've already had a few good rain storms and some thunder! You might think that living in New England my whole life would make me a prepared person, but no. I don't own a raincoat and my rain boots have sitting outside my office door for the last year and only worn twice. I bought some great Hunter wellies for Madigan back in January. We got the zebra sock inserts so she could wear them during the cold. Unfortunately, we now only have one boot. She somehow lost the other one although she claims she didn't. I have been trying to find her another pair of boots but refuse to pay for the Hunters again. Today, I got an email from LL Bean for $10 off my order. Look what I found:

How cute are these???? They are the LL Bean Puddle Stompers and the price is good too $29.50. Madigan has loved sea turtles since pre-K when the class mascot was Sally the Sea Turtle. I will have to get final approval from the Diva herself but these could be a keeper!

Shake and Bake

2011-01-05T10:50:00.005-05:00

Happy New Year everyone!!! The Holidays came in went in a complete blur. The house is still a mess with pine needles, ribbons, and toys that come with way too many pieces.

Madigan and I both had a Merry Christmas and got what we wanted from Santa:

Now we just need to get cooking! I wish everyone a healthy and happy 2011!

Surprise!!!!

2010-12-13T12:46:00.003-05:00

Hello Everyone or should I say Anyone? It's been a while since I've chimed in on the exciting happenings in my world. Why? I am not even going to try and come up with any pathetic excuses. The reason is just pure laziness. Sometimes, I am just not motivated to post anything. It is just like going to the gym or staying on a diet; you miss a day then you miss the next day and the next thing you know, it is December!!!

We had a great Summer, one of the all time nicest weather wise that I'll ever see in my lifetime. We went to Aruba in June and came home to a demolished kitchen. We decided to renovate our 10 year old space to accomodate two cooks. Well, that project is still ongoing........yes you read that right. We have not had a kitchen for six months!!! I'll be sure to do a post on the new space.

I also turned 40 since I last wrote. I had these great visions of being 50 pounds lighter and being much healthier by the time I celebrated but that never happened. (see above notes on laziness and kitchen renovation) I still would like to work on that and maybe 2011 will be the year to do it!!!

I also destroyed my back in November. I have always had a lower back issue but never had it checked out. This time, I couldn't take the pain anymore and went to the MD office. My blood pressure was 155/100 when I got there. Can you say PAIN???? I had an MRI that showed herniated discs at L4, L5, S1 Started physical therapy 2 weeks ago and I can finally say I feel better. No more sitting at my desk though. I have to stand and get my work done. Not so easy but I ordered an adjustable key board and monitor system that should help.

Now, the Christmas rush is on and tis the season to be merry. I promise I will be checking back in to keep the entertainment rolling over here!!! For now, Happy Holidays!

Pregnancy Public Service Announcement

2010-05-05T07:53:00.003-05:00

There is quite the baby boom going on out there in the blog world right now. I just wanted to pass on some advice.

As the wife of a very busy obstetrician (over 400 babies per year!!), I have seen some incredible things while working in the office. The last 2 months have been crazy. Why? 5 patients have delivered before they could make it to the hospital. Yes, 5!!! 4 went to community hospitals and delivered almost immediately after arrival. The most recent patient delivered in her driveway!!!! When your doctor tells you to call him if you have labor symptoms, call him!!! Don't worry that it could be a false alarm, don't fret that you are waking him up at 2:30 in the morning, just call. Better to give yourself plenty of time (and an epidural). Trust me, your husbands DO NOT want to become instant obstetricians!!!

Shop Till You Drop

2010-03-04T09:17:00.007-05:00

Yes, my friends, it is that time of year again. The time when the mailman brings boatloads of pretty books with pretty models and pretty clothes. They are all brightly colored and lightweight. Even though snow is still flurrying out in the sky, you know a day will come when short sleeves and bare legs will prevail.

My Boden catalogue arrived yesterday and I just couldn't help myself. Although I got nothing for me, Madigan once again is the lucky recipient of a shopping spree. I am hoping these beautiful offerings will make her forget about that helltrap at the mall called Justice for Girls!

Saying A Prayer

2010-02-23T11:26:00.003-05:00

I recently starting following the tweets of a Mom desperate for a miracle to save her little girl, Layla Grace from the cancer that is ravaging her body. It looks like Layla Grace is close to the end of her courageous fight. Say a prayer for her today if you can and hug your children a bit tighter.

Self Improvements

2010-02-22T12:02:00.002-05:00

I am in the waning days of my 30's. It is inexplicable that I am not still 28 years old. Where the hell has the time gone?? I have decided that I want my 40's to be much better than my 30's. My first step toward that goal was to join a gym. What's that I hear? A huge gasp from anyone reading this who actually knows me? Yes, it is true. For the first time in 15 years, I am committing to some form of fitness.

I am taking it slowly. I usually do the treadmill for 35 minutes followed by another cardio machine. Most of them, I can't even figure out how to turn on, so my selections have been limited so far. Then, I try to do a few laps in the pool. Apparently, all these years I have been going into the pool to cool off during the summers have done nothing to improve either my breast stroke or my endurance. Walking around the little end for 5 minutes really wasn't so helpful.

And finally, for the first time ever, I walked into the studio with 4,000 mirrors and did a class!! It was Zumba or Zoomba. Not quite sure how to spell it since I was in the back row and could barely read what was on the 20 year old instructor's embroidered yoga top while I was jumping around like an idiot with the redest face in the world. She was throwing out all these crazy moves mostly to latin music. I was expecting Tom Bergeron and Samantha Harris to come over and interview me post merengue. The most important part was that I made it through 1 whole hour of cardio. I loved it. It was much more fun than watching the tv on the treadmill. Stay Tuned, hopefully, I will keep going!

Be My Valentine (and Personal Chef)

2010-02-11T13:52:00.003-05:00

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I've been thinking about what to get The Doc. We never really exchange gifts, but last week, he decided to try a recipe for Pot Roast from The Barefoot Contessa. The recipe mentions using a Dutch Oven and he had no idea what it was. The roast was made in a regular pot and it turned out really well. But, had he made it in this Le Creuset French Oven, well I'm sure it would have been divine! How appropriate that it comes in red?

Super Sunday

2010-02-08T12:00:00.002-05:00

Did you all watch the Superbowl last night? Even though our hometown team was not playing, I did. I love watching football. I thought last night's match up was a good one. The Colts and Saints were both on track for undefeated seasons this year. The Saints lost in battle, the Colts lied down. Karma can be a biotch sometimes, huh Peyton??? Needless to say, I was THRILLED with the outcome. I am very happy for the Saints and the city of New Orleans. Almost makes me wish I was headed down for Mardis Gras. That is going to be one sick party this year!

We hosted some family and friends. We had the usual suspects for appetizers: Buffalo Chicken Dip, Shrimp, Crudite. For dinner, The Doc made both tenderloin and lamb with herbed potatoes. My Mom made an incredible chopped salad. For the kiddies, dinosaur chicken nuggets, cheese stick and Gogurts. Saving the best for last was the dessert table. We had chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting, Mississippi Mud Pie (my all time favorite!!) and frozen yogurt with fruit. The kids wiped out the Fro Yo before anyone with diet constraints could get near it!

I do feel bad for all those Colts fans today who feel like jumping off a bridge. Now they know how we felt 2 years ago when the Giants won. Spring training is only a few days away!!

Report to the Principal's Office

2010-01-26T08:51:00.002-05:00

Those words strike fear in every student who hears them. Today, I am going to Madigan's school for my first ever teacher conference. She goes to the type of school that has a "hands off" policy. No reading to the class, no PTA, no parental involvement. Just pay your $$, and they take care of the rest. I like that about her school. I did not specialize in elementary education. I would have no business trying to help someone else's child learn how to read or print their letters. Anyhow, I felt like I should go and check in to see how first grade is going. Most of the parents have been going up for these types of meetings since Pre K. I did not see the necessity in that since she seemed to be coloring just fine. But now that they are actually spelling, reading, writing, etc, I want to make sure she is on the right track.

There are lots of competitive parents at Madigan's school. Sometimes, I think they are planning to apply their daughters to Harvard Business School in 3rd grade. I'm not like that and I worry that maybe Madigan will suffer for it. I'll find out today!

Coming Soon to a Kitchen Near Me!

2010-01-20T08:52:00.000-05:00

Veterinary Hell

2010-01-12T09:17:00.003-05:00

Veterinary Hell, that's where I have been for the last 5 weeks. We went away to Aruba for Thanksgiving. Nothing new there, we travel every 3 months. While we were away, My cat Tigger decided to just stop eating. No rhyme, no reason. Just stopped eating. I noticed 2 days after we came home that he just seemed quieter. His fur felt dryer and he was shedding more than usual. I brought him to the vet and he was diagnosed with Hepatic Lipidosis. Because he stopped eating, his liver starting to secrete fat cells. Essentially, Tigger is in liver failure. He turned 10 in October and has always been in perfect health. He is an indoor cat, so he cannot get into much trouble. For a week, we tried to manage him at home by force feeding baby food into his mouth. When that didn't kick start his appetite, he had a nasal feeding tube placed. That was total Hell. It was a tiny tube that I had to syringe feed through. He had to wear one of those lamp shades around his neck so that he wouldn't pull out the tube. Tigger threw 2 tubes up in 3 days. At that point, I had to hospitalize him. The emergency vets agreed with the diagnosis but felt he was not a textbook case since Hepatic Lipidosis usually affects overweight cats. Tigger is only 8.5 pounds. They did some additional testing to look for a primary diagnosis, something like a cancer but found nothing. They put an esophogeal feeding tube in and kept him for 6 days. I got to go in and visit him every night. It was torture because he was so nauseous and he was jaundiced so he was literally yellow. Each time I came though, he would climb up onto my shoulder and purr.

2 days before Christmas, we got to bring him home. He needed to be fed every 4 hours. He eats a high calorie cat food that is blended with water to resemble infant formula. It is injected slowly through the feeding tube. Feedings take about an hour because you don't want to go so fast that he will vomit everything back up. His initial dosage was to be 20cc every four hours. Day 2, 30cc's, then 40 cc's and so forth until we got to 60 cc's each feeding. That never happened.

The first day of feeding went great. Then he started vomiting every feeding up. We had to pull back on his dosages and just go slowly. He gets Zofran (all you pregnant ladies probably know what this is!!) twice daily to control the nausea. It has been a long, stressful process but we are finally seeing the light! He is down to 6.3 pounds but has been maintaining all his feedings. He is up to 45cc's now and he no longer looks jaundiced. His labs stabilized and he is meowing up a storm. He is slowly starting to eat by mouth although just a tiny bit each day. I think Tigger is on his way back and I couldn't be happier.

You don't even want to know what the vet bill is. Let's just say Hermes and I could have had a nice shopping visit! Tigger is now my new Berkin Bag!!!!

Holiday Tidings

2009-12-08T14:34:00.004-05:00

On Sunday, Madigan and I were invited to an ornament swap at the home of one of her classmates. I knew we were in for a great time. This Mom really knows how to entertain! From the minute I saw the table, I was impressed!!!! Everything was all ready to go for a fun afternoon!

Each girl brought a fully wrapped ornament to be exchanged "Yankee Swap" style. I was terrified of how this would go in a room full of 6 and 7 year olds. Having things taken away from them (well, specifically from my spoiled child) was not going to be a pretty sight. Once the swap was underway, only 2 girls decided to change ornaments. There was no crying. A Christmas Miracle!

The girls also did lots of crafts. They made wreaths and candy canes out of pipe cleaners and beads, bookmarks from felt cut outs and paperclips, and the best of all was the snow globes!

I forgot to take a picture of the completed project, but they were adorable.! You would have thought that Martha Stewart herself was there to supervise!

I was very impressed with how well all the girls behaved. I think their favorite part was after most had gone home, and the select few played outside in the fresh snow until dark. There is nothing like being a kid and making snow angels, having snowball fights, and sledding to make your day perfect.

Madigan's favorite part of the party was meeting her new friend:

Happy Holidays!

2009-11-29T07:24:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone is having a fantastic Holiday Weekend and that your Thanksgiving was abundant in food, family, and friends.

We are in Aruba having a great time. Madigan is thrilled because her cousins on her Daddy's side are down here having a blast with her. They've been snorkeling, tubing, and jet skiing. They play hours of water volleyball together and have gotten quite good at ordering from the bar and putting it on Uncle Sam's tab. We've been on the island since Thursday and Madigan hasn't slept here once! She is living the dream. The cousins return home to reality today, so I am expecting some tears and a very unhappy day. I am sure we'll come up with something to keep us all busy and enjoying our last two days in Paradise!

Fun Times

2009-11-24T14:43:00.002-05:00

Madigan turned seven in October, but with all the other birthday parties and craziness going on, we just could not fit in her party. We had it instead this past weekend and where was it??? Plaster Fun Time!!! I have to admit, despite the chaos going on in the room, it was a fun time. I am one of those moms who feels bad and has to invite every first grade girl (along with a few 2nd grade girls). That meant 28 girls!! The staff was great. They have a party leader who does everything with the girls from learning all of their names to helping them paint their creations. I was responsible for the paper products and the cake. They even supplied the pizza! Madigan had a great day and was thrilled with how it all turned out. Right now, my family room looks like a toy store with all the gifts all over the room. I am trying to convince her to donate a few toys (may as well just talk to the wall). So far, I have grabbed a few craft gifts and hidden them away far from her view to be given to so worthy causes. I can now check the party off my list of things to do!!

Busy Bees

2009-11-17T08:54:00.003-05:00

November is more than half over?? You've got to be kidding me. Where on earth does the time go? It still feels like September around here. We've been enjoying 60 degree temps. I think we are all going to have a hard time when the real weather decides to roll in.

We had a very nice but busy weekend. Madigan had a birthday party to attend on Saturday at a club in Boston. It was a great way to spend a rainy day. On Sunday, she called (strange times now that she can read more. She goes into my iPhone, finds her friends' phone numbers and calls them unbeknownst to me!!) her friends to come over to our house for a playdate. We also had my nieces over to join in on the chaos. They all played well together both inside and out. Then Stepson #2 came over to spend dinner with us. He was home for the first time since entering his freshman year at Georgetown. We didn't tell Madigan he was coming in case his plans changed. She was shocked and over the moon. They played several rounds of The Disney Channel Monopoly. It was great to catch up with him!

This week is filled with fun appointments; the cats to the vets, Madigan to the Pediatrician for her 7 year well visit with double flu shots coming her way, a haircut for me, and a massage. I was invited to a work dinner with my sister in law tonight at Fleming's (yummmy) and I have a mom's pot luck on Friday night for Madigan's class.

Next week, we are off to Aruba for Thanksgiving. I think I am going to need that lounge chair after such a busy week!!!

Hope you are all well :)

This Is It

2009-11-02T12:23:00.002-05:00

On Friday night, we had a Girls Night Out to go and see this movie/documentary of the video footage of the rehearsals for Michael Jackson's come back tour. I was always a Michael Jackson fan. I don't think you could be a child of the 80's and not be. I was saddened by his death in June but thought the coverage of it was way too much.

The two hours we sat in the theatre watching this however, really brought home what a HUGE loss his death was. Despite what he did or didn't do in his personal life, this man was a musical genius. My one thought when it finished was that the world missed out on what was to be one of the best concerts of all time.

If you are a fan, I say go and see this. You see Michael where he was most comfortable; with his music.

A Chill in the Air

2009-10-01T09:36:00.003-05:00

It was 46 degrees this morning at the bus stop. I, for one, am totally not ready for the cold weather. I am in complete denial that we need to cover up our arms, legs, and toes! Heck, my pool is still open!

To make matters worse, I no longer have on site parking at work. For 17 years, I have gone from my home garage straight to my office garage. The most I ever wear is a lightweight fleece. Our building was bought out by the hospital and now they are converting our garage to patient parking only. I did manage to find off site garaged parking and it is a good 15 minute walk away. Now I need to buy a coat! I have my eye on this little gem from LL Bean. It cost $225 which is a bit more than I'd care to spend. I do love the heather gray color though. You could punch this up with several different colored scarves and mittens (guess I'd better consider picking some of those up too!) What do you think?

Surprise!!!

2009-09-28T08:14:00.004-05:00

Madigan will turn 7 next month. She really wanted a surprise party so we had it for her yesterday. Unfortunately, the surprise part got ruined on Saturday when she was acted up at BJ's Wholesale Club and I had to threaten to cancel said party to get her to stop embarressing me. Madigan being Madigan, she decided to still act suprised and ACT she did!

The weather was not so cooperative. It was the first rainy day in weeks. That did not stop the fun. The kids still swam in the pool (heated) and stomped in the puddles. Then we had

some good old fashioned fun with bobbing for apples! It took some of the kids forever to grab one and others went right in and landed a macintosh. I think the kids who had no luck were the ones without front teeth!

I decided to skip making all the food this year and instead had the main meal delivered. Great decision. No slaving by the stove and missing out on the party. I highly recommend ordering out!

The party was capped off by the beating to death of a treasure chest pinata. No party would be complete without sending off the little ones with a bag full of sugar!

Great Cause

2009-08-27T10:31:00.002-05:00

Over the next few days, a huge fundraiser for The Jimmy Fund and Dana Farber Cancer Institute will be hitting our airways here in Boston. It is a collaboration between our sports radio station WEEI, NESN, our local sports network and the Red Sox. Their goal is to raise 5 million dollars to put towards reasearch and patient care. I can't imagine anyone who has not been touched by cancer in someway. Please consider donating either online, by phone or even by text. Any dollar amount makes a huge difference. Click here to find out how!

Model Pics are Up!!

2009-08-26T08:30:00.000-05:00

Go HERE to see the shoot!

A Model Child

2009-08-25T12:20:00.000-05:00

Last week, on an balmy Summer evening, Madigan became a model! One of my neighbors that I grew up with is now a professional photographer. She shoots mostly children and weddings. I love her style, so I booked her to shoot Madigan. I have not had any professional pics of her done since she was 2 so I think this was long overdue!

We met Rachel (check out her site!!!) at Nantasket Beach. Since it was since 96 degrees out at 6:00pm, the place was mobbed! She had Madigan in front of some bright colored backgrounds. Then they moved onto the carosel and took a few on the beach. This pic stinks since I took it with my iPhone while trying not to be Teresa from The Real House Wives of New Jersey! I will let you all know when the real shots are up for viewing!

They're Back!

2009-08-20T08:49:00.002-05:00

After what seems like an eternity, Project Runway hits the airways again tonight!!!!!! Don't forget that it is on a new network, Lifetime. I don't care what station carries it as long as it is on! There is a special All Stars Challenge on first. That is going to be great. Tune in!!

Book Em, Dano

2009-08-11T10:32:00.002-05:00

Last week, our local police department hosted a night out for families. It was tons of fun! They had all sorts of police vehicles from cruisers to motorcycles to crime scene vans and even a tank! The kids got to climb on them, go in them, and even go for a ride on some of them. There were burgers, hot dogs, and sausages. You could get your face painted, you could go for a slide on the huge inflatable slide or go for a jump in the moonwalk! The worst part about it was we could only stay for 45 minutes. Madigan and her cousin had to go to piano! Our friend Kate won the Grand Prize. She gets to ride in a cruiser to her first day of school with a police escort!!! Pretty Cool Stuff for a hot Summer night!

Cape Cod Chaos

2009-07-28T11:28:00.005-05:00

Last week was our Annual Girls Week on Cape Cod. Each July, my Mom, Sister, and I head off to Mashpee with Madigan, my nieces and a few of Madigan's friends. My Mom's friend Linda also tagged along for the week. We had two great beach days, then the weather went to Hell in a hand basket. There is nothing like strolling down Main street in Chatham dodging umbrellas and eating wet fudge from the Candy Manor. We hustled over to Brewster to have a late lunch/early dinner at Ocean Edge. We ate down in Bayzo's pub and it was fab! Great martinis, and the kids were clear on the other side of the place playing (ruining) billiards!

We had a few special guests drop in on us during the week. That adds to the fun. Bingo is the best when you have 9 screaming kids yelling BINGO and then fighting over the prizes! I did not take as many pictures as I wish I had. Not sure why. Too lazy I guess!

Auction, Anyone?

2009-07-13T10:20:00.005-05:00

Do you love a good auction? Do you love luxury real estate? If so, check out this site. You could get an incredible deal on one of Nantucket's finest estates. You just need to provide your credentials, a $75,000 certified check and an immediate 10% downpayment should you be the lucky winner!!! The property is gorgeous. I especially like the view of the backyard. The only problem is that Nantucket is just not so easy to get to!!

Can't you just picture yourself reading in one of those adirondeck chairs?? How about a game of croquet on the lawn?

Let the bidding begin.......

Another Big Day

2009-07-06T13:03:00.005-05:00

Madigan got her ears pierced!!!! She has been asking on and off for the last few months. I thought graduating from Kindergarten would be a good milestone to celebrate. We had to wait for my mom to get back from Aruba before we could go, then we kind of forget again. She asked me again this week, we made a call to Nana, she was available, so off we went to Claire's.

Madigan was very excited and could not wait to jump up into the chair to hug the Piercing Bear. It took a bit to choose the right earrings. We thought her birthstone would be great, but it is pink. For those of you who don't know, Pink Stinks and is only for babies. We settled on a very cute flower that looks like it is made of diamonds!

She was such a trooper. Did not yell, did not cry, all she did was say "Ouch" with a big smile on her face! It was quite the exciting day!

Oh Sh/t!!!

2009-05-08T07:36:00.005-05:00

My washing machine stopped working a week ago. I put a normal size load it, it filled, agitated, and then would not rinse, drain and spin. The "OL" overload sign came up. I tried rearranging everything inside but still nothing worked. I mentioned it to my D.A.D. (that is my Dad. He spells out my name and I spell out D.A.D. for him!) and he said he would come up and look at it over the weekend. He and The Doc diagnosed that a button to activate the last cycle was broken and that is why it would not work. D.A.D. said it was an easy fix and all it needed was a new switch (think of that switch in your fridge that makes the light go on and off as you open the door). He came on Tuesday to install the new switch. When I got home at 4:30pm, he had already been here for 3 hours. I guess it wasn't so easy to fix! The machine was completely apart and I heard lots of swearing. D.A.D. said he would have to finish up the next day because he needed more tools (never a good sign). I came home on Wednesday and he had just arrived. The two of us took 2 more hours to get everything back together! Finally, I could do a week's worth of laundry!!! He stuck around to make sure it was working and that there was no flooding, etc, etc.

I put two loads of laundry in yesterday and then Madigan and I headed out to watch a friend's baseball game. I got a call from the Doc around 7pm. He was screaming that the basement was flooded and our drop ceiling was now a drop floor. It had broken apart from all the water all over the place. The Doc is calm in a medical crisis but not a home fix it project. I just finished cleaning up the mess. I have fans running to try and dry out the rug. Hopefully, it will do the trick.

Now, the important question: "Can anyone recommend a great washer/dryer?" We are thinking of getting these: The LG Steam washer and dryer. Should I get Riviera Blue or Wild Cherry Red? PS: These so don't count as Mother's Day gifts!

Hey, Where Have I Been?

2009-04-27T12:18:00.002-05:00

I am just an awful blogger. I honestly don't know how some of you (and you know who you are) blog every single day! We had a busy week since I was soliciting design advice! I will post the results of my Land's End shopping spree once I remember to take my memory card home from my office computer and put it back in my camera where it belongs!

Thursday night, we had a work dinner at Abe & Louie's in Boston. You have not enjoyed one of their filet mignons until you've eaten it while watching a power point presentation on genital herpes! On our way out of the restaurant, there was some excitement on the sidewalk. Mike Lowell, resident third baseman extraordinaire, was trying to make his way into Abe & Louie's. He looks like such a great guy, very unassuming and taller than he looks on tv. Then some of the drunk after work business men were remarking about how cool it was that they got to see Lowell and Varitek on the same night. Jason was inside having dinner. So we turned around and went in to say hello to him. Now, before you all think I am a crazy stalker, we know quite a few of the players as The Doc is the unofficial team OB/GYN. We found him, I got a nice big hug, and wished him a great season. Now, I am not saying it was my good luck hug that helped him out with his Grand Slam on Saturday, but you never know!

Friday was nice a quiet. Madigan had a playdate after school with a bunch of her friends. I went into Boston to pick her up and had dinner at her friend's house. She was sound asleep when we got home. Saturday we had a fun birthday party for my college roommate's daughter. We could not stay long because I had to bring Madigan right back into Boston for a sleepover at her friend's house. The Doc and I had a dinner to go to at the house of one of the muckety mucks from the hospital. Sunday was hot as hell. Yes, I am officially the first person in Massachusetts to say that the weather is too damned hot. Especially when I have a pool in my backyard that is still CLOSED for business! I am so looking forward to opening it and doing some bbq'ing!

Design Help!

2009-04-16T07:56:00.002-05:00

I want to order one of these great Land's End totes in this color. What color thread would all you fashionistas suggest for the monogram? The tote is for Miss Madigan. She has denounced everything pink and is moving on to purple and the LE totes are a staple in anyone's closet. Bring on the colors!

Gotta See This!

2009-04-15T12:40:00.001-05:00

I am too technically challenged to figure out how to embed this video on my blog from youtube (anyone know how to do this?). Instead, I need you to clik HERE to see it. Post a comment and tell me what you think!

I Quit!

2009-04-08T08:45:00.002-05:00

No, not writing on this blog. I would not want to disappoint the two of you who read this! I am all done watching General Hospital. The story lines are just too boring. I started watching way back in 1981 when Luke, Laura and Robert saved the world from Mikkos Cassadine and his climate machine. Those were the days. Lately, I have been fast forwarding (I DVR the show every day) through almost every scene. It is hard to let go of an old friend but I think it is time. There are some great actors on the show but even they must be frustrated by their current storylines. With the way this economy is going, I would not be surprised to see the end of daytime television!

Patron of the Arts

2009-04-07T11:46:00.002-05:00

While I fully support artistic creativity in my daugher, I am not a fan of the clean up.

Happy April Chicks Day

2009-04-01T07:34:00.000-05:00

I went into Madigan's room this morning to wake her up for school. She asked me if I could just let her sleep for 10 more minutes. I told her that was fine and figured I would close my eyes too. She told me she needed quiet and could I please leave the room. I went downstairs, and I heard her footsteps across her floor, the door close and the lock pop. Five minutes later, this came into my kitchen. I thought it was a crazy Leprechan. She yelled "Happy April Chicks Day Mommy" and took off her disguise. "Wow, is that you Madigan??? and what do you mean April Chicks Day?" "Mom, she said, today is April Chicks Day, the day you play tricks on people. Silly Mommy!!" Consider yourself informed!

12 Degrees North of the Equator

2009-03-24T08:39:00.002-05:00

We are back in our home away from home: Aruba

We left last Wednesday and have had a wonderful vacation. Today is our last full day and it is a bit cloudy out there right now. The Doc is out for his daily run, Madigan is playing games on the Disney website and Stepson #2 Ben is still sleeping (quite acceptable behavior for an 18 year old). We keep it pretty lazy on these trips. Lots of sea and sun. Since we come so often, there is no pressure to have to go sightseeing or exploring. It is just a full on relaxation trip. I have read three books so far. I borrowed my father's Kindle. I love it!! I just went on Amazon.com and ordered one for myself. If you do not know what Kindle is, go check it out! It is like an ipod for books. Kindle is great for avid readers because all those pages are contained on one device. No more stacks of books sitting all around the house. The drawback is that you cannot lend out your favorite titles to people.

We have also hit out favorite restaurants during the trip as well as done some home cooking on the grill. Tonight, as we always do on our last night, we will go to Madame Janette's. This is my absolute favorite restaurant in the world. If any of you ever go to Aruba, please be sure to add this to your itinery. The food is beyond compare!

Hope Spring has sprung wherever you are!

Two Days Late and 5 Dollars Short

2009-03-11T18:25:00.001-05:00

It finally happened! Madigan "lost" her first baby tooth! Big Brother Sam was visiting us on his college Spring Break (poor kid has his break a week before Big Brother Ben and Madigan so he gets screwed on the trip to Aruba) and spent some quality time with his sister. She was showing him her wiggler. Sam told her he could probably pull it out for her if she wanted. She did. He did. Out came the tooth and out came the blood! I was on the phone with my D.A.D. so Papa got in on the live action! She was so excited she had to call her dentist (who happens to be the Doc's cousin). Sam the Dentist (no relation to Sam the Butcher from the Brady Bunch) told Madigan that it is standard protocol to split the Tooth Fairy's monetary gift with him! Smart girl knows that is a bunch of crazy talk and told him "NO WAY!!!!"

In the midst of the tooth excitement, Madigan was also dealing with a real honest to goodnesss case of the flu. She came home from a great playdate on Saturday with a temp of 102. It came and went all day Sunday but would rear its ugly head once the motrin wore off. She missed school on Monday and Tuesday. She almost stayed home today but told me she was ready to go back. The congestion and cough started last night along with complaints of ear pain although the NP at the pediatrician's office said her ears were clear. Dr. Daddy stalked the on call pediatrician today on the postpartum floor and explained that in his medical opinion, she needed an antibiotic. Amoxicillin meet Madigan! The kid is a royal pain in the keester when it comes to taking medicine. We forced it down and is all set for the next 12 hours.

Meanwhile, the Tooth Fairy was very generous on Monday night. When she woke up, there was a crisp 5 dollar bill and a lovely note from the Winged One. It was very hard for Madigan to wait two whole days to show her class her exciting news. And now, all is well in the Landcruiser Kingdom.

The End

"IT's WIGGLING!!!!!!!"

2009-03-06T08:47:00.000-05:00

When: Friday, February 13, 2009 approximately 07:00 hours

What: Madigan discovered her first loose tooth

I am not exaggerating when I tell you that my darling daughter has been anxiously awaiting this moment in her young life. She is constantly asking me why none of her teeth have fallen out yet. She cries because everyone else in her class has lost at least two teeth and have awoken to a magical monetary surprise under their pillows. She is upset when the second grade boy on her bus tells her that because she has baby teeth, she is a baby. Well, things are about to change.

Every night, we check to see if that one little tooth is more wiggly than it was the day before. We are making progress but I think we still have at least another week to go. Madigan is wishing for it to fall out before we go on vacation. She is very concerned that the Tooth Fairy may never find her way down in Aruba. I remember getting silver dollars from the tooth fairy when I was young. I am guessing with the rate of inflation over the last 30 years, Madigan may be a richer girl than I!

Yes Way Hosea

2009-02-26T08:01:00.002-05:00

Hoorah!!! Hosea won Top Chef last night! The competition was tight between Stephan and Hosea. Each has some serious culinary chops and came up with some amazing dishes. Stephan's ego is bigger than Europe! He is an incredible chef though. I loved when Hosea assigned him to work with alligator! I would not have tried that soup. Poor Carla did not go with her own recipes and that proved to be her downfall. She will be regretting that decision for the rest of her life.

Next we will find out if anything is happening between our winner and Leah. They had a huge flirtation going on all through the season and even gave in one night and had a quick daliance! Although they had said it was a one time screw up (did I really just saw screw???), I did take notice of the congratulatory kiss and hug last night and it was very different than the ones he got from all the other ladies in the room! Can't deny the attraction!

My reality shows are all coming to a close in the next few days. It must be time for America's Next Top Model to start and we always have Survivor!!!

Reunions and Give Aways

2009-02-25T08:46:00.002-05:00

Did any of you watch The Real Housewives of Orange County Reunion Show last night? Then we gotta talk!! But first, great news for those of you who are looking for some free stuff! You MUST go visit Ladybug's Picnic to find out about her gorgeous headband give away. It is very simple to enter and her blog always makes me laugh.

On to silicone, I mean Orange County. I readily admit that I watch a lot of trash tv. I love it. These gals out on the West coast are completely crazy with their fake hair, their fake boobs and their fake friendships. I watched every episode this season thanks to my trusty DVR. Tamra and Vicki went way beyond being b!tchy. They were down right evil in the way they treated Gretchen and Lynne. Neither one of them could see anything wrong with plying Gretchen with enough tequila to practically kill her and then sticking that digusting Ryan on her was just plain sick. They claimed in one sentence that they weren't forcing her to drink when in the next sentence, Tamra admitted to being ashamed of her behavior. Well, which is it? Jeana is textbook case enabler both with her husband and her children. She lets everyone walk all over her. She needs to step up and gain some self respect. I actually liked Gretchen and think she really did have some kind of real relationship with Jeff. He seemed like a very smart man and I don't think he was conned by her in the least. I am sure she made his last days better. As for Lynne, I am actually hoping to not see her on Season 5. She is way too boring and her kids suck. Raquel needs to wake up and do something with her life. I wonder if Lauri will be back riding on her horses and getting her lips plumped up next season. I for one cannot wait to use some of Ashley's skin care line!!!

Checking In!

2009-02-19T09:11:00.002-05:00

HI Everyone, how have you been? Things have been pretty quiet around here lately! Just been going to work then home, then back to work, then home again. I think we are all feeling stuck in the winter quagmire and that damned groundhog didn't do us any favors! I am very much looking forward to Spring. The snow has finally started melting away so that you can actually see some grass again. The sun is setting later and later each day too. I feel so ready for bright colors, fragrant flowers and sunshine! Here's to the coming of Spring!

6 1/4 Celebration

2009-01-26T12:21:00.006-05:00

Madigan turned 6 in October. We had her family/friends party then and it was great. However, we were not able to get our acts together to have her school party until this past weekend. She wanted to celebrate at her gymnastics place which was great news for me because it is very easy and we've gone to about 1,000 parties there already so most of the girls already know the drill!

These were the party favors:

I got T-shirts and fabric paint to decorate any way the girls liked. I also threw in a ring pop!

These are my helpers:

They really did not help. They played with the bag ties and sat on everything!

Madigan is obsessed with polar bears so her cake reflected that:

The best part of her party was the Bungie. Only the birthday

girl gets to go on and Madigan's face said it all!

I am so glad The Birthday is finally over!

Minivan + Snowy Road = AAA

2009-01-13T10:47:00.003-05:00

So last night, my sister in law and I decided to take the girls ice skating at our town park. There is an area behind the town pool that they flood for the winter months for outdoor skating. My sister in law decided to take the road less traveled to reach said skating area. We slowly drove down the darkened, tree lined path and arrived at the part that was not plowed off. Sister in law decided to back up to turn around. She almost took out a couple trees before getting stuck in the snow. We then took turns trying to push the car out. I am a big girl but not a strong girl. Our efforts were futile until I started rocking the minivan back and forth and Presto: minivan freed! She then decided to pull forward again to "turn around" Bad idea I said and Yes my friends, the Sienna got stuck again. This time for good. The college aged boys who finished playing Heineken Hockey came off the ice to try and help us but nothing could be done. They took off before our fine police force could arrive to assess the situation. Once the two "girl cops" as our girls referred to them arrived and had a peek, we were permanently stuck. It took a flat bed tow truck to get the Sienna back on 4 wheels and flat footing.

We passed the time waiting for AAA to show up by attempting to skate. It was dark, cold and there are no "warming houses" on site. Things were great until 2 people who were walking their dogs came by. The dogs were thrilled to see our bag of hats and mittens. They don't call them Labrador Retrievers for nothing! Boots the Black Lab made off with two hats, a Croc and ear muffs! Seamus the mut grabbed a scarf and they were off and galloping throught the snow! Madigan loves dogs so she thought it was hysterical until she went to put her drooly frozen hat on. Avery my 3 year old niece was freaking out about the dogs even being there. And poor Lara, my 9 year old niece was just bummed out that she left her hockey stick in the minivan on the back of the tow truck!

Lesson learned: Next time we decide to go ice skating, we will either take my SUV or go to our friend's house who just built a high class skating rink in their yard!

Bad, Bad Blogger

2009-01-12T12:37:00.002-05:00

Wow, I am coming to realize that I am a much better reader than I am a blogger! I thought I would be better at posting this year, but that does not seem to be happening! I will make a conscious effort to come up with more for you (singular?) to read!

We had a nice weekend. Friday night was LNO (ladies night out) with the preschool moms. A bunch of us still get together quite frequently even though the kids have been out of preschool for almost two years and have gone their separate ways into different schools. It is held at someone's house and we eat, drink and gab. We did a White Elephant Swap that was very funny. I got stuck with a book on the benefits of cocoa oil! I brought a frog soap on a rope!

Saturday, our family went to visit a new cousin, Sebastian August, who was born on December 18th. He is a little handsome peanut with lots and lots of dark hair. Madigan is not impressed by babies. She was more interested in wearing everyone's high heeled shoes. Lots of great Egyptian food and good company.

Sunday was spent enjoying the snow. Madigan and her cousins frolicked outside for the whole afternoon tunneling through all the snow in the back yard. I have been watching 30 Rock on Netflix so I spent the afternoon wiping the tears of laughter off my face! We then watched the red carpet for the Golden Globes but not the ceremony. Our primetime was for Jack Bauer and he did not disappoint! Two hours last night and another two hours tonight. It is like Christmas all over again!

Welcome 2009

2009-01-02T11:49:00.003-05:00

I remember the New Years Eves of old. We would go to a party, get all dressed up and get all messed up. Now we are old, tired and too comfortable in our pj's to go anywhere. This year, we had a few friends come by. We ate, had a cocktail or two and made s'mores! the kids had a great time making their own. In fact, I am a little worried about how jubilant Madigan looks with the fire in front of her!

After s'mores, we played a great round of BINGO with prizes courtesy of the Christmas Tree Shop! There were some tears from the non winners but all were assured that they would eventually win even if the last ball left in the cage was the B-7 they were waiting on.

Hopefully, 2009 will restore some sense of order that 2008 shook up. May your New Year be healthy and happy!

Skating Party

2008-12-21T10:04:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, we were invited to a skating party at one of the families that Madigan goes to school with. They recently built a skating rink and a warming house and wanted to share in the fun. We had a great time! Madigan and I both went to the store to buy ourselves some skates and a helmet. I have not put a pair of skates on since 1984! I did pretty well, did not fall but was not exactly steady on my feet. Madigan hit the ice around 3:15pm and was the last one to get off at 6:30pm. I was very proud of her. She took some skating lessons when she was three but all she was interested in then was the candy machine at the facility. She fell quite a few times but always pulled herself right back up. The property is gorgeous. It is a huge rink with flood lights so the fun can go all night. The warming house has bathroom, changing area with cubbies and a kitchen and living room area to warm back up! The children all had a great time and it was great to meet new people. The snow never stopped! It felt like a Norman Rockwell moment!

LOL

2008-12-16T22:29:00.000-05:00

I went to shut down our computer tonight and Madigan was looking at old pictures. This computer is running on its last leg so I do not download anything on to it anymore. I decided to take a stroll down memory lane and found this hysterical cartoon! Enjoy it!

Egg Nog and Friends

2008-12-16T11:39:00.003-05:00

On Sunday, we attended our annual get together with my friends. Each year, a different gal hosts except me since I do all the Summer out by the pool stuff. We each bring something delish to eat and we get something little for each of the children to open. This year, the kids were all obsessed with playing Wii. The spiced up Egg Nog was flowing especially for our hostess and her partner in crime! We had a great day and it was great to catch up with everyone. Our kids are all getting older so it is fun to watch them interact as well! We had a Yankee Swap for the adults which is always hysterical. I wanted to do a White Elephant swap where you would wrap up something awful that you already had at home but the gang wanted a traditional $10 swap. I decided to combine the two! I had a lovely plastic blue purse that I got last year from bookclub that I used to hold a sparkly tank top that read "Party Girl" with a margarita glass on it! The real gift was a pair of sterling silver earrings. Another hit was the three foot long pepperoni stick. No one even noticed that it had a scratch ticket taped to it! I opened and went home with this:

That's right, it is Rick Springfield's Christmas Wish to me!! I held on tight to my cd and have been listening ever since!

In Search of 2 Trees

2008-12-11T11:42:00.004-05:00

We went out in search of our trees on Tuesday night. We get one for the family room and Madigan picks out a little one for her room. Normally, we get a 9-10 foot tree because we have 12 foot ceilings. This year, we decided to downsize and got an 8 footer. Next year, I am thinking of getting a prelit tree but we will still let Madigan choose her own.

It was 60 degrees out and starting to sprinkle so we did not waste any time. We grabbed our trees, some wreaths, some firewood and got home without incident. We only live .2 miles from the farm stand so we had an easy ride back! The hardest part is waiting a day to decorate!

Tuesday Tidings

2008-12-09T08:07:00.003-05:00

I cannot believe it is December 9th. The days are flying by. We spent Thanksgiving in Aruba and had a great time. The weather was a bit rainy to start but improved by day 2. This was our third consecutive year of going to Aruba for turkey day and I have to say, I do not miss out on the turkey dinner at all. It is is great time to go since we don't miss too much school or too much here at the office. Only one of our patients delivered while we were away so that was great! (It could be because the Doc delivered 14 babies in the five days before we left!)

On Friday I was trying to move some things around to make room for the Christmas tree. We have a friend who is American that lives in Aruba. She and her family have decided to return to chilly Boston permanently. She asked us to take home some of their things because shipping is extremely expensive from the island. I brought 6 full suitcases home for her, some containing their wedding china. I bent down to move one of the heaviest suitcases and felt a ripple go up my back. Yes friends, I threw my back out. I do this about once a year and it is brutal! So I spent the weekend on the couch with my friends Toradol and Ice Pack. I am feeling better now, about 70%. Needless to say, there is still an empty spot where the tree was to go much to Madigan's dismay!

Have not done much Christmas shopping either. I think with the economy the way it is it will be a lean Holiday this year. The only thing that Madigan asked for is sold out. She asked for the American Girl doll of the year, Mia. I looked on Ebay but the prices are double what you'd pay at the store and the dolls are expensive enough at regular price. Plus, she barely plays with them so I cannot justify that. Santa sent her a letter yesterday explaining that he is all out of those at his workshop and perhaps she could make some new requests!!

That's all for now, I have been such a horrible Blogger. I will do my best to come up with more to post!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-25T12:58:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone! We are heading to Aruba tomorrow for some much needed relaxation and sunshine! I hope you all enjoy the holiday!

When The Going Gets Tough, Get Cupcakes!

2008-11-21T14:46:00.003-05:00

This has been a crazy week for cupcakes. Everyone must have sugar on the brain to try and keep themselves warm and forget about what the stock market has been up to (more like down to!)

This first batch is from a store called Babycakes. It is located in Quincy, Mass the next city over from where I live. Her special cupcake is the Babycake. It resembles the classic Hostess Cupcake and it is delish! She writes babycake across the top instead of the squiggly line that Hostess perfected. My personal favorite is the Oreo cookie cupcake. As you can see, they are the most represented in my dozen. Completely yummy! The frosting is just like the middle of the Oreo cookies! I also chose a new addition to her line. Those are in the middle. They are chocolate ganache caramel!!! Melt in your mouth is what they do!! I also got a traditional chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting!

Yesterday, one of our pharmaceutical reps brought these babies by for me! They are from a store called Sugar in West Roxbury. I cannot even tell you what they were other than delish! Another Oreo offering, caramel offering, not even sure what the vanilla one is! Very fancy and very fun. Not the kind of cupcakes you want to waste on the young if you know what I mean?

After eating one of these, I had to walk around my backyard and haul inside all of our seasonal furniture! I think I still have some exercise to do to exorcise those calories!

Have a Great Week End Everyone!

Give Me the Give A Way!

2008-11-19T11:30:00.002-05:00

Head on over to Mom X 2 and find out about her great give a way! All you have to do is tell her about your favorite holiday tradition! Easy and fun to hear what people love to do!

Save My Lipstick!

2008-11-19T10:04:00.003-05:00

Is anyone out there watching this show and LOVING it besides me? Reports came out last week that Lipstick Jungle had been cancelled by NBC. I am so pissed off! This is a great show based on Candace Bushnell's book. It is very Sex in the City like. The fashions alone are worth watching. Then I read today that it may not be cancelled and it could have a bit of life left in it. Why can't NBC cancel all the Law and Order crap that is still on. I am glad they realized that ER has met its end. For the love of my tv schedule, just leave it alone!

Pathetic

2008-11-17T08:43:00.002-05:00

My back kills. My legs are sore. My body aches. Did I go on a three mile hike through the Blue Hills? Did I run a marathon? Did I train all weekend with a personal trainer? Nope. I went bowling with four girls ages 8, 7, 6, and 3. The worst part is; I didn't win.

Not Much

2008-11-06T11:43:00.003-05:00

Hey All,

Not much going on around here. It is rainy, the leaves are blowing all over the place and I am just tired. Tired of politics, tired of watching the stock market plummet along with my 401K, tired at 5pm when it is now pitch black out thanks to daylight savings, and tired of all the doom and gloom out there. We have the holiday season to look forward to except it totally stresses me out. I would like to think that I should be getting a jump start on my shopping but I never do. Anything I buy now, I will either forget about or forget where I put it between now and Christmas. For Thanksgiving, we are going to Aruba for 6 days. That is something to look forward to. It better not be raining there this year!

Hope you all are better than me!

2008-10-29T10:03:00.003-05:00

We just got back from four days in Orlando, home to Disney, Sea World and lots of strip malls. This was Madigan's 5th time at Disney and the magic has not worn off yet! She still enjoys stalking the characters for autographs, loves It's A Small World, The Carousel, and The Dumbo ride and will not under any circumstances go into the Haunted House. The weather was not so cooperative the first few days and it did literally rain on our parade! I surprised Madigan and the Doc by having one of my best friends meet us for two days. She recently moved to Clearwater and is a nurse at Tampa General Hospital. She became Madigan's new best friend. She had to hold Stephanie's hand, had to sit next to Stephanie on the Mickey Bus, had to ride with Stephanie on each of the rides. It was great to have extra help!

We also decided to try something new this year and went to Sea World since Stephanie had her car with her. I had not been to Sea World since 1988. We loved it! They were celebrating Halloween and had lots of Trick or Treat stations set up along the park. Madigan is in love with polar bears so she had her face painted with one. We got Shamu'd at the Shamu show by sitting in the "Soak Zone" The Doc could not understand why we would want to sit there. I have such fond memories of sitting in the front row with my brother, sister and Dad. It rained a lot there too but it did not damper our fun!

It was a very successful trip and I am looking forward to our next Disney adventure which will likely be the cruise sometime next year!

M.I.A.

2008-10-21T14:25:00.000-05:00

Sorry that I have not been blogging lately. I came into work last week and this was all I saw on my computer screen. Don't get me wrong, I love to look at pics of my cutie pie, but where the hell are all the desk top icons? Where the hell is the start button? My poor computer was very sick. Some kind of evil virus destroyed my lifeline! Our IT guy came to the rescue and installed a new harddrive, transferred over my files, and brought us all back to life!

It has been a hectic few days, had Madigan's family/friend's birthday party last Saturday, went to the Boston Ballet's production of Cinderella, celebrated the Red Sox come back and then lamented their Game 7 loss. Lots of stuff that I will fill you all in on in the next few days.

Tomorrow is Madigan's 6th Birthday. I cannot believe how quickly the time goes by. All of you bloggers with little babies and toddlers, hold on to it all. In no time they will be hitting you up for money and rides!

Girl Meets Italian Greyhounds

2008-10-13T18:51:00.000-05:00

Madigan and I were roaming the mean streets of Boston the other day when we came across this gang (two) of Italian Greyhounds. Now you all know another one of our favorite bloggers has a Superstar Italian Greyhound named Monty After reading all about his exploits over the last couple of years, I knew these guys would be a load of fun to play with and watch. Their owner was amazing and let Madigan hang with the guys for a while. They were quite gregarious and loved all the attention and don't get me started on how much they loved mugging for the camera!! It is times like these that I almost give in to Madigan's daily "When can I get a dog?" question. They we go to New Hampshire for an entire day and I remember why we don't. We did not come home to a house with dog poop or a mess to clean up!

My creation

2008-10-07T10:52:00.001-05:00

My creation, originally uploaded by dmmlandcruiser.

I just started trying to figure out all the cool things I can do with my pictures on Flickr.com Here is something I found today: you can create a puzzle out of a photo. You can just create it or if you wish, you can even order the real puzzle! This might be a great thing to tell Santa about. Never too early to start that Holiday Wish List!

Flickr

2008-10-07T10:51:00.001-05:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

The Gall of Some People (Actually One Person!)

2008-10-02T08:42:00.003-05:00

Look at this adorable face. Do you recognize Him? How could one person destroy this amazing guy's life and the joys that several people have found in his company? Nevermind the ones who are still waiting to meet him in person. It is shameful that a blogger begged to be named one of his hostesses and has been so careless with him. Monkey must be freed!

Make Way For Madigan!!

2008-09-29T10:13:00.001-05:00

I had a wonderful birthday last week. We had a delish lunch at the Four Seasons Hotel then did some high end shopping (mostly for Madigan because things fit her!) Then we strolled around the Public Gardens. It was a beautiful day and there were lots of people to watch! Madigan had a wonderful time checking out the Make Way For Ducklings sculpture that is in the park. She just had to sit on each and every duck and have me take a picture of each one. Before we left Boston, we went to my favorite restaurant, Excelsior for one last Cosmo and some of their unbelievable french fries. At home, we enjoyed birthday cake and headed off to bed early exhausted after a long day!

Happy Birthday To Me!

2008-09-25T10:07:00.004-05:00

What do Barbara Walters, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta Jones, Cheryl Tiegs,Heather Locklear, and I all have in common? Today is our birthday!! Some of us definitely look better than others as we age!!!

Unlike most people, I happen to love my birthday and don't mind turning another year old. To celebrate, I am going out to lunch with my Mom, Dad, Sister and Madigan to The Bristol Lounge at the Four Season's Hotel in Boston. Best Cheeseburger you'll ever have! Tomorrow night, the Doc and I are going to dinner at Rocca, a new trendy spot in Boston's Southend. Here's wishing me a Happy Birthday!

Enough Already

2008-09-23T07:15:00.003-05:00

Daredevil DAVID BLAINE will hang upside down above New York’s Central Park for three days and two nights.

Is anyone else secretly hoping this does not turn out well for him? This guy is as A$$ and I for one, am sick of all his publicity stunts and "illusions" that he keeps coming up with. Apparently, he could go blind from this stunt because of the pressure of hanging upside down for such a long period of time. I feel bad for all of you New Yorkers who have to walk by him!

NO NO to LiLo

2008-09-18T07:02:00.002-05:00

Breaking News: Obama tells Lindsay Lohan thanks but no thanks for your help. There actually is something about Barack Obama that I can agree with; we both think she is a complete train wreck!!! "A top source in the Barack Obama team tells me the actress ''is not exactly the kind of high-profile star who would be a positive for us.'' I hope she doesn't turn to a vodka bottle for solice.

Good Things

2008-09-17T08:16:00.003-05:00

I love coming to work. We have a nice staff and great patients. Sometimes, the patients even bring us treats to show their appreciation for all we do for them. This week, one of our pregnant gals brought us a nice afternoon snack from The Gingerbread Construction Company. She brought a variety of cookies and a half dozen of their incredible muffins. My pick was the Chocolate Dreme Doesn't it make your mouth water?

She was also thoughtful enough to remember Madigan by bringing her in a very special cookie. I was not sure if she'd eat it, but I knew she'd like the looks of it! Madigan go her own gingerbread girl!

I did not think she would like the gingerbread but she loved it. Now, I have to arrange for anyone who lives near this company to bring us regular deliveries!

2 Hours of My Life I Will Never Get Back

2008-09-15T13:11:00.003-05:00

Last night, there were no sports to be watched during primetime hour as both the Red Sox and Patriots had already chalked up their wins for the day. So, we relied on our premium cable package to entertain us. It was 8pm and this movie was just starting. I knew nothing about it other than it starred Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig. "Must be good", I thought. I was totally wrong. I should have known to turn the channel when one of the first scenes involved a shuttle explosion with the pieces of debris containing some type of indestructible organism on it. This movie went from bad to worse straight through to the ending. Two thumbs down. How about you all? Any movies to NOT RECOMMEND out there?

The New Man in My Life

2008-09-10T07:53:00.003-05:00

Meet Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter expert by day, a serial killer by night. Also known as the Bay Harbor Butcher. Do any of you watch this show? I don't have Showtime so I order the complete seasons from Netflix. I highly, highly recommend it. He is my secret obsession right now. I sneak off in the dead of night to watch it. Be careful, he will captivate you and reel you in!

One for You, Two for Me!

2008-09-09T16:08:00.002-05:00

I had to go to the Derby Shops in Hingham on Sunday to pick up my new tax free shopping day Bar Stools for the outside kitchen. I popped into our local Lilly Pulitzer store, In the Pink, and found that almost everything from the Spring and Summer lines was 50% off. Seeing is how L.P. is not "plus sized friendly", nothing much fits me in there! However, I did manage to find these great cable knit sweaters for half off. For Madigan, I loved this classic shift dress with the cabana print. It will be put away for next summer since it is a size 7. I always buy a size or two up for her so we can try to get two seasons out of her clothes. She was in a very cranky mood when she got off the bus today so I have not shown it to her. Wise decision on my part because she probably would have black balled it from her wardrobe and trust me readers, she would remember this next May!!

The Tear Heard Around New England

2008-09-08T09:36:00.002-05:00

The unthinkable has happened. Tom Brady is out for the entire season. To Patriot Fans, the end of the world is here. All Summer, the sports peeps talked about what would happen to the team if he went down. Well, now we'll find out. Our back up quarterback, Matt Cassel finally gets to leave the sidelines for a real game. The ACL tear requires surgery and will require serious meds for the fans in this rabid football nation.

Big Day

2008-09-04T08:04:00.005-05:00

Where the heck has the time gone? I sent My Baby off to Kindergarten this morning!!!! She was very excited. She even woke up at 5am and no, I was not excited about that! It was not as emotional as I thought it would be because she is at the same school that she went to last year for pre-K. Madigan is very much looking forward to seeing her friends and all of her bus buddies! Little does she know that it is not just about playing and using glue this year. She has some work to do!

You Know You Want To

2008-09-01T19:41:00.001-05:00

Go Ahead, Admit it, you are going to watch it.........

Calling All Bonanno Fanatics!!!!!

2008-08-22T09:20:00.003-05:00

Have you all heard? The Best Sale Ever is happening over at our favorite sandal shop! Click over to pick your personalized sandals for their best pricing even seen. I already own three pairs of the Emma Monogrammed Sandals, but I will be ordering again! Now I will just need to get completely overwhelmed by their interactive color chart and decide between thousands of different color combos! The great thing about shoes girls is that they always fit (unlike everything else I own!) So Go Shop!!!

Not Much To Report

2008-08-13T11:51:00.003-05:00

Things have been pretty quiet around here lately. The weather has been awful, we've had more rain this Summer than I can remember. The Thunderstorms have been crazy: First we are in the pool, then everyone out, then everyone back in, now everyone out again. It is hard to believe that August is here and half gone already. Work is a bit crazy because Madigan's camp schedule is 9-2pm so I am only in the office for 5 hours a day. In a strange way, I can't wait for school to start so we can be on our routine again.

Socially, we hosted a cookout for some of the families at Madigan's school. We lucked out weather wise and had a great Summer day. We grilled up a storm serving filet mignon, chicken breast, shrimp and hot dogs and burgers for the kids. I made some great martinis and then we stoked up our new fire pit. The kids made s'mores and did not even make a mess!

This weekend brings a birthday party on Saturday and another on Sunday for three kids. Also, it is tax free weekend here in Massachusetts and I have a few things on my shopping list! I'll have to report how many things I get done next week!

Open House

2008-08-05T11:31:00.009-05:00

Today is House Tour Day on one of my favorite blogs, Hooked on Houses. I have always loved looking at fabulous houses and can remember as a little girl asking my Dad to drive me around the nice neighborhoods where we would see spectacular houses. I always loved to wonder what the people were like behind the curtains.....I digress. Head over there to check out some fab real estate!

The house I want to share is a beautiful ocean front home in Hull, Massachusetts. The house once belonged to JFK's grandfather. Here are a few shots!

You can find the actual listing here All things considered, I think this house is a steal at $2,375,000. Please head over and check it out! And if you buy it, let me know which guest room is mine!

My Lucky Day???

2008-07-30T09:25:00.003-05:00

It was a beautiful morning here in Boston. I was driving Madigan to camp and myself to work. I had my window down about 6 inches to enjoy the fresh air at 8:11am. Then, "SPLAT", birdshit landed right on me!!!! It came in through the open window, landed half on my seatbelt strap and half on my left boob (yes more boob talk for you bloggers) where the strap crosses over. Thankfully, I was at a red light and I had babywipes in the car. It was so digusting. Madigan was quite intrigued and like all kids her age wanted to see the poop. I was only about 1 mile from home, so we pulled a U-ee (u-turn) and headed back to the house to grab a clean shirt and throw away the desecrated one. Luckily it was just an Old Navy t-shirt that had seen better days. All this being said, isn't there an old wives tail about being hit by bird crap and it bringing you luck? Look out Mass State Lottery, here I come!

Off To The Cape

2008-07-19T12:51:00.003-05:00

Headed for a Girls Week on Cape Cod. We'll be based in Mashpee but visiting Chatham, Brewster, Falmouth and maybe Martha's Vineyard. Have a great week!

Almost Makes Me Want to Have Another Baby....

2008-07-16T09:36:00.003-05:00

Have any of you seen the gorgeous offerings from Restoration Hardware for Baby & Child? I love everything!!! Where was all this cool stuff 6 years ago when I was planning a nursery? Even Potterybarn Kids was limited at that time. I was creatively thinking about how I could use this gorgeous chocolate brown and pink duvet in my home. Madigan's room is HOT PINK so that room is out. We have a guest room (also called Stepson #2's room) that I could possibly re do. Is it way too girly though? I would consider painting the horrible green walls in there a nice chocolate brown because I could always switch out this duvet and use chocolate brown and turquoise bedding as well?? Let me know what all you design divas think! And if you already have a great paint color, then give it up!

Introducing.........

2008-07-10T07:27:00.003-05:00

Lucy and Molly!! These are my friend's new twin girls who were born yesterday morning at 9:45 and 9:46am. We are thrilled to welcome them to the world! They were born via cesarean section. I was the official photographer and calming force in the room. Their mommy was very nervous so I tried to keep her calm. Everything went smoothly (for me anyways!) They join their big Sister Kate who will be 2 at the end of July. Welcome Girls!

WTF??????

2008-07-08T07:10:00.002-05:00

I think I am going to have to stop watching these Bachelor/Bachelorette shows. They are emotionally draining and I've been devastated by the ending almost every single time. Really DeAnna, Jesse??? What in the name of all that is good and holy are you thinking? The two of you looked like complete idiots on the couch. You were acting very fake and not at all like the DeAnna that viewers have now watched on two seasons of the Bachelor shows. Your father looked stunned, Jason and Jeremy are going to need intense therapy. I am very disappointed in how she strung Jason along. Their last date looked perfect. She was giving him every signal that she was in love with him too. B-I-T-C-H And as for May 9, 2009? I seriously doubt that you will be walking down any aisle that day with the exception perhaps of a supermarket aisle!

Happy Birthday America

2008-07-06T12:06:00.003-05:00

The Fourth of July Holiday kicks off here on the 3rd. We always go to my friend Stephanie's beach cottage in Humarock. This year was no exception. I got the gang together and off we went at 6:30pm. Normally, it only takes about 40 minutes to get there. This year, they are replacing one of only two bridges that can get you over to Humarock from the town of Marshfield. That meant an hour of traffic when we were only minutes away from the cottage. We weathered the delay by singing in the car with Madigan and my two nieces. We had a great time once we landed. The fireworks on the beach are informal (bootleg and illegal) but what a show! There are bonfires up and down the beach. It is truly a fun atmosphere. Miss Madigan hates the noise from the fireworks so things get a bit dicey once it gets really loud. She sat on the fence with all the kids and a really nice grandmother who I did not even know, but it put her at ease. One of the houses that faces the ocean had a live band and they were rocking it out playing great tunes so that entertained everyone. At 10pm, we decided to head home. Remember that bridge trouble we had on the way in???? Way worse on the way out. We hit gridlocked traffic only about 7 houses up from Stephanie's cottage. We literally did not move for 35 minutes. It took an hour and a half to get out of Humarock. I had to drop off our carpoolers and I got home a mere two hours later. Very long drive!

The actual 4th of July was pretty quiet. The weather stunk, it was overcast and humid/clammy outside. We visited the Doc's family for the afternoon and then went to my aunt's house for her town fireworks. Madigan and her cousins watched from inside the house. The show was spectacular. We got home late and called it a night. I can hear Boston's Esplanade show from my house and it sounded like it was amazing. I've never gone in to see them though. Way too many people for my taste!

How was your holiday??

Back Away From The Grill

2008-07-03T12:50:00.002-05:00

Should any of you readers every make it over to my house for a cookout one day, just make sure that I am not the one doing the cooking on the grill. We had some company last night and the The Doc was stuck delivering a baby girl (Maddison Ryan for those who want to know her name). That left me to my own devices when it came to feeding everyone. My pasta salad and chocolate chip cookies were a hit. It was the chicken and sausage that were a big miss! I could not figure out how to light any of the burners save the "searer". So, I cooked on that part. The result was pink chicken and sausage. Some of the chicken looked alright so we ate that. I also ate the sausage and now regret doing so. I am not feeling too great today. I think next time I will order pizza!

What Time Is It?

2008-06-26T10:18:00.004-05:00

It was time for me to do a little shopping with my Mom and my Sister while we were in Aruba. I haven't bought anything for myself in a while so we decided to leave the men and kids behind and get some retail therapy. I knew I wanted a watch but never thought I'd get a black one! This is a Technomarine Ceramique, I love it. It is a bit heavy but according to all the salespeople, big watches are all the rage now. It has a stop watch feature that I haven't an inkling as to how to use.

After hitting the jewelry store, we mosied on over to the Gucci store. I had my mind set on a large hobo bag. They had it but not in the color combo that I wanted. They lovely salesman named "Diony" (pronounced DI-on-NAY) directed us over to the sale wall. Sale wall, in Gucci? Yes my friends, it was true!!!! Half priced Gucci bags and not the ones you'd find on Canal Street in Chinatown. My Sister got a great steal on a white tote bag, perfect for Summer. I tried just about every bag on for size and decided on the "Scarf Bag" Now, I am not one to wear a scarf so I was not so sure the bag was "ME" but I have gotten so many compliments on it. I made the right choice. It is very roomy so I can throw all my crap in it. It also has great hardware on the handles. If only I could lose all this post babyweight (and by post, I mean 5 1/2 years worth), I would look so stylish!

Another beautiful ending to a perfect day in Aruba!

So Confused

2008-06-24T07:19:00.004-05:00

Ok, I watched the home town dates last night on The Bachelorette. I wasn't sure who I liked for the Final Rose. I did not think I liked any of them with her. Now, after watching, I think I like them all!! Each of the dates just got better and better. She really fit in with each of the guys on their own turf and hit it off with their families. There were lots of tears especially when Jeremy read to DeAnna from a journal he kept as his mother was dying. It gave me a bit of insight into his character. I thought her date with Jesse was very sweet, but I do not see a marriage there. Then, when Jason saw Ty, the waterworks began again. No one thinks they are going to grow up to be a stepmother, sometimes that is what love brings you. I loved how DeAnna explained that she would never be a replacement mother, she would just be one more person for Ty to look up to and be loved by. Then Graham. Graham was a lesson in true frustration. You can clearly see how crazy she is for him. It was painful to watch them sitting on the bench with him not saying anything to her. It must have been awful for her to send him home since she admitted he was the only one she was falling in love with. Not sure where this story will end!

M.I.A.

2008-06-23T11:10:00.002-05:00

Sorry guys, I've been missing in action over here in Landcruiser Blog World. We went away to Aruba for a week, had a great time there. Then had to figure out the new Summer Schedule at our house, and after that, we've just been Monkeying Around

I'll be back though, don't you worry. How about you all? Anything new?

How I Spent My 8th Wedding Anniversary

2008-05-29T09:34:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was my 8th wedding anniversary. I did not spend the day celebrating with my hubby though. Instead, I spent it with my lifetime crush, Simon LeBon. Duran Duran played last night at Boston University in a half-filled hockey stadium. I went with three friends and we all had a blast. We had good seats to start. Then I noticed there was a section to the left of the stage that maybe 10 people were in and it did not look like security was on duty. We hightailed it over to that spot and had a great view of the guys. Accoustically, not so great, but we had a choice to make: either we get to stare at Simon and John Taylor, or we can hear better!

I took the video with my new camera and it came out pretty great! Enjoy "The Reflex" (Sorry, I don't know how to get the video to post! I am open to advice here.....)

It's That Time of Year

2008-05-21T08:37:00.005-05:00

Where in the world has the month on May gone? I cannot believe today is the 21st. That means there are only two more weeks left of school for the PreK student at my house. My job today was to think about teacher gifts. I think I found some winners. For her teacher and the other K1 teacher, I chose these adorable note cards:

You can find them on Etsy here She has tons of cute invitations, birth announcements, etc and the quality of her work looks to be amazing. I need to thank Life with Lulu for bringing this spot to my attention!

Not to be outdone by this vendor, I also chose something from Life with Lulu's Etsy store. Madigan has a class pet at school. It is a sea turtle stuffed animal named Sally. Heather has a beautiful seersucker belt with a turtle buckle that I thought would be just perfect!

Any ideas for the Bus Driver????

Bombs Away

2008-05-15T10:42:00.002-05:00

I came into work this morning expecting another routine Thursday. At about 9am, one of my coworkers was joking with a patient who arrived. She is a Boston Police Officer. My coworker was teasing her that she needed a police escort for her routine appointment. Outside our window, there were several BPD cruiser with lights a flashing and police tape cordoning off a park bench with a lone cooler style lunch bag on top. Next thing we knew, the Bombsquad rig showed up and a very brave man dressed all in black approached said cooler bag most carefully. He had a toolbox with him that no doubt housed all sorts of high tech bomb detection thingies. 1, 2, 3.........He opened the bag while we all held our breath. Out came a tuna fish sandwich and a Heineken. Just another day in the life of a Boston Bomb Squad Guy.

Prom Season

2008-05-14T09:42:00.003-05:00

Ah, Springtime is here and that can only mean Prom Season for all of those high school juniors and seniors. I remember the days fondly. Scouring the mall for the perfect Jessica McClintock dress that looked like your grandmother's living room drapes. The baby's breath in our hair and the Bartles and James Wine Coolers. My how times have changed:

This is a girl from Texas who was refused admission to the Big Night because her "dress" violated school dress code. Nevermind their dress code, this dress invites several other violations that I can think of include physical ones. I cannot believe her mother found this to be an appropriate choice for a young girl. Maybe they were filming a music video that night too?

Five

2008-05-08T07:55:00.002-05:00

5 Things I can't Live Without Under $10.00

1.)Visine
2)Oreo Overload with coffee ice cream from Stone Cold Creamery
3)Old Navy Flip Flops
4)People Magazine
5)My inhaler

5 Favorite Movies

1)Gladiator
2)The Outsiders
3)Meet the Parents
4)Vacation
5)The Princess Bride

5 Favorite Girls Names I Will Not Use

1)Catherine
2)Addison
3)Elizabeth
4)Meghan
5)Madelyn

5 Favorite Boys Names I Will Not Use

1)Connor
2)Luke
3)James
4)Patrick
5)Christian

5 Songs I could Listen To Over and Over

1)The Reflex-Duran Duran
2)1999-Prince
3)Under Pressure-Queen
4)Fool in the Rain-Led Zep
5)She Sells Sanctuary-The Cult

5 Things That Stay In My Handbag At All Times

1)hard candy from restaurant hostess stands
2)babywipes for quick clean ups
3)chapstick
4)quarters for the parking meters in Boston
5)a pen

5 Obsessions I Have Right Now

1)Reading about Tudor England
2)American Idol--Go David Cooke!
3)All of Your Blogs!
4)Aveda's Curly Hair Product Line
5)Lemondrop Martinis

5 Places I Would Love to Travel to

1)Paris
2)The Greek Islands
3)St. Bart's
4)Egypt
5)Tuscany

Cinco de NoNo

2008-05-06T08:32:00.000-05:00

So yesterday was Cinco de Mayo. We decided to go to a great local Mexican restaurant named La Paloma. Well, we weren't the only geniuses who decided to celebrate with a margarita and a fajita. When we arrived at 6:30, the nice gentleman in the suspenders told us it was a 35 minute wait. Not too bad, just enough time for me to take Madigan over to Wendy's (another fine Mexican establishment) which is right next door for her dinner. We came back and marveled at the crowds gathering for a fiesta. Poor souls, I thought, you'll be waiting until midnight for a table, now please excuse me while I get seated. What's that? We are next? Great because I am really getting hungry and I can see that The Doc is looking pretty irritable right now. Oh, another few minutes? Well, now your starting to push it because we've been waiting for an HOUR and my five year old has a bedtime to get home to. Now The Doc is done waiting and we are leaving. Don't keep calling our names as we walk down the sidewalk. Too little, too late. I'll just go home and make a spinach and gruyere cheese omelette.

The worst part of the "wasted night" as my husband called it was that he realized that he lost his wallet. Thankfully, my Mom and Sister decided to wait for the table so they brought the wallet home safe and sound!

Suckers Wanted

2008-05-01T12:57:00.003-05:00

This beautiful swimsuit from Garnet Hill can be yours for only $64. That's right, I said sixty four dollars american. That is downright crazy for a child's bathing suit. This model must also act as a life saver in case of drowning. I bought a similar suit from Old Navy for only $16.99. There is a sucker born everyday but today it is not me!

Weekend Update

2008-04-28T08:28:00.005-05:00

We had quite the busy weekend. On Friday, Madigan and I joined a bunch of her school chums and their parents for the Big Apple Circus. Have you ever been? It was our first time and I was very impressed. I am not a fan of the regular circus where all I smell is elephant poop. This circus is very intimate, every seat is a great seat (particularly ours as we were 5 rows back in the center) and the show is amazing! They had some great acts with Poodles, Horses, and feats that stretch the imagination. For Madigan, I think her favorite part of the day was taking the T to get there! You can always tell the girl from the suburbs in this crowd! Then we took the train back to the Back Bay and played at her friend's house for the rest of the day.

On Saturday, we had swimming in the morning and then we went to my niece's baseball game in the late afternoon. While Lara played baseball, Madigan and my other niece Avery (3) played who can get the dirtiest in this 6 foot high pile of dirt. They looked like the subjects of a Tide commercial!

Big Brother Fans?

2008-04-24T07:22:00.003-05:00

Are any of you out there watching Big Brother 9? We are just days away from the finale and I am actually pleased with the Final Two. The show itself has kind of sucked this season. I did not like the premise of "Till Death Do You Part" at the beginning. I also thought the houseguests were all a bunch of filthy pigs. There have been some serious fights, medical emergencies, sex acts, and lots of two timing going on. I was glad to see that Ryan chose Adam last night and not the easy win by picking Sheila. She played the single mother card one too many times for my liking and enough with the water works! I am very glad that Sharon is out too because she screams when she talks. I am thinking she must be related to Dora the Explorer somehow.

It all ends on Sunday. I think Ryan will end up taking home the big $$ and Adam will be alright with his $50,000. We'll just have to tune in to see!

Major Milestones

2008-04-15T07:27:00.007-05:00

It's only Tuesday, and we've already had a busy, eventful week at the Landcruiser Household. Madigan learned how to ride a two wheeler. She went to a birthday party for our friend Molly who turned 4. Molly has been riding a two wheeler for weeks. "That means she knows how to ride a 2 wheeler and she is 3!!" exclaimed Madigan. Molly was nice enough to give Madigan her learning bike without training wheels since she got a new, big girl bike for said birthday. As soon as we got home from the party, we had to practice, practice, practice. Madigan did really well except I think she is going to wear a hole in the bottom of her shoes from trying to stop the bike with her feet. Everytime she puts her feet back on the ground, she tells me that she meant to do that!

The other exciting news is that Madigan apparently went to Cosmotology School without my knowing about it and graduated because she CUT HER HAIR!!!!!! We were eating dinner last night and she was playing 20 feet away from us. I gave her the 5 minutes to bedtime warning and looked over to see her brushing her hair with a brush she had been dipping into a cup of Pellegrino (nothing but the best water for her!) When I went to gather her up, she looked funny......funny because she took a machete to her head! I was furious, she started hysterically crying and I told her to get upstairs. Of course, she starts crying for Daddy. She would not tell me where her hair was but she showed him. She had hidden it under the rug and there was plenty of it! I really hope that Shag Haircuts make a quick comeback because I don't think a headband hiding the damage will do the trick!

Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun

2008-04-07T10:09:00.005-05:00

Every year, my Mom, Sister and I make appoinments to have our make up done and refresh our colour palettes. We go to a private studio of the make up artist who did the make up for my wedding. She is very talented and her skill with make up is an art. We went on Friday, the weather was awful here in the Northeast, constant rain and very chilly. Once we were done with our new looks, the weather was a non issue. We looked fabulous and we all left with a bag full of goodies. Not to be outdone, Madigan insisted on having her turn.

Her look was quite subtle, but she was all smiles! Then we four hit the town for a great dinner!