Falling Over

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

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......

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.....

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

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

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!!!!

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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!

Veterinary Hell

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

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!

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

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

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 :)