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Baking it Happen for Breast Cancer Research

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on October 9, 2013| 2 Comments »

It is Wednesday and normally I post my Wordless Wednesday or sort of Wordless Wednesday group of pics but not today. Today I am taking a break and blogging about two things that cannot be ignored. One is Breast Cancer and two is Shari Brooks. Sadly, there are very few of us that can say that our lives have not been touched in some way by breast cancer. It is a battle that too many friends, sisters, wives, mothers, women are fighting against or have lost. So, when Shari Brooks an amazing force in her own right and a woman that I adore asked me to help out with her latest fundraising campaign to raise money and awareness for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation of America, I could not say no. Shari’s own mother passed away from breast cancer five years ago and for her the cause is incredibly personal. On her fantastic blog called My Judy the Foodie, Shari has learned to become an amazing cook by lovingly sharing her mother’s recipes in her own endearing and hilarious way. If you haven’t already checked it out and are looking for some delicious, easy to follow (I can do it!) recipe ideas you should head on over to her site.

Shari’s latest amazing idea comes in the form of Bananas For Boobies and it is a super easy, yummy and happiness inducing way to raise money for such invaluable research. I have been having a blast baking up a storm in my kitchen for such a good cause!

The premise is this:

1. Go to the Bananas For Boobies website and download the recipe.

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2. Bake the loaves -your house/apartment will smell wonderful and the neighbors will wander over to “borrow” something just to try a taste.

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3. Package up your loaves and share it with someone who deserves a little banana chocolately goodness in their lives.

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4. One last thing: take a picture of your beautiful Judy’s Chocolate Banana Loaf and share it on the Bake it Happen page on Facebook or email your pic to bananasforboobies@gmail.com. For every photo posted to @BakeitHappen on Facebook, $1 will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

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It is just that easy my friends and you will be helping out an amazing cause! I am sending out a challenge to all my friends out there, if I can do it and we all know what a clutz I am in the kitchen, you can too! Hey great white north, I’m looking at you, eh! 😉

Thanks in advance for your participation and happy, happy Wednesday =)

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Wordless Wednesday: Apples And Cinnamon In My Kitchen

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on October 2, 2013| 4 Comments »

I have spent two days making delicious dishes in my kitchen. For those of you who know me, you know that this is highly unusual. Yesterday I tried out the amazing recipe for my Bananas for Boobies post that I will be working on next week. If you don’t know what Bananas for Boobies is, you need to visit the site to get on board for this amazing cause. Click on the logo on my page or just hop on over here.

So, today I decided that I would make some slow cooker applesauce. We have a ton of apples hanging out in the kitchen from our weekend apple picking adventure and I did not want them to go to waste. I went online and found a super easy recipe to make the applesauce. We all know that I NEED super easy 😉

I simply used 8 apples, peeled, cored and cut up in chunks, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 1/2 cups of water and 2 tsp of cinnamon. And voila, I threw all the ingredients in the slow cooker on high for four hours. And then I waited. The amazing smells permeated through the apartment. Both the dog and I started to salivate… At the end delicious applesauce for the whole family. Woot!

I think tomorrow I will have to get out of the kitchen though, I have a reputation to keep!! Happy Wednesday =)

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P.S. The kids LOVED it =)

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‘Tis the Season- Apple Picking Fun

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on October 1, 2013| 5 Comments »

Last week my oldest daughter asked if we could go apple picking. She reminded me that the last time the family had gone apple picking was when we lived in Ottawa. I couldn’t believe that it had been that long. I guess it does take a bit more planning to go apple picking when you live in Manhattan. For one thing we don’t have a car and two, it is not always that easy to escape the many weekend activities. The girls really wanted to go and I decided that given how intensely crazy our September had been that an escape from the city and a day trip to the “country” was exactly what we needed. My incredibly generous friend Jessica offered to lend us her jeep and we were off on our day trip adventure. I had been given many suggestions for different orchards within a couple of hours of NYC. After a bit of research on the web, I decided that we would visit Weed Orchard located in Marlboro, NY, close to Newburgh in the Hudson Valley. It was about an hour and half from Manhattan. Based on traffic and the parking lot at the orchard we were not the only New Yorkers taking advantage of the spectacular fall day.

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The orchard was packed but did not feel overwhelming. There was tons of parking and friendly attendants to direct you where to go. Once in the orchard there were plenty of signs to point you in the direction of the various activities and facilities. We put down a $5 refundable deposit on a wagon and made our way over to the apples. Each row of trees was clearly labelled with the type of apple and markers to indicate if they were ready to be picked. Even with the number of people at the orchard, often times we found ourselves alone. The kids had a blast running through the trees, picking carefully and climbing up to get to the “perfect” find. I enjoyed the sunshine and the laughter.

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The scenery was beautiful and the weather was truly spectacular. We picked apples, had fun chasing each other and getting lost in the corn maze and basically just being able to take a deep breath and relax outside of the city. We decided to not stand on line for 45 minutes to sample the apple donuts but we did manage to score some fresh chocolate cookies right out of the oven. We left with a bag overflowing with apples, a huge jug of cider, apple butter and two chocolate candy covered apples. The kids considered this a most excellent success and made us promise that we would go back next year. Truthfully, I can’t imagine why we wouldn’t.

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These little day trips outside of the city remind me how important even a little change of scenery and pace can be. We all returned to the city a little less stressed, a little sun and wind burnt and definitely happy and content. We also have a bounty of apples. We have been eating them like crazy, there is something about picking out your food that just makes it taste that much better! But, I do have feeling that apple pies, muffins and sauce may soon be filling up our kitchen too 😉

P.S. We did stop at Woodbury Commons Premium Outlets on the way back to the city… all I can say is WOW! I think I will have to save this as a totally different post. It is like DisneyWorld for shopping. I am still a little in awe of the whole experience. Not sure I can go back without a serious game plan and an intravenous caffeine drip. Not for the faint of heart. Serious shopping, people!

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Wordless Wednesday: A New Attitude :)

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , on September 25, 2013| Leave a Comment »

For those of you who read my post yesterday, here is a little something that I am trying to live by. HAPPY Wednesday 🙂

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New School, Curriculum Meetings, Back To School Nights, PA Meetings, Homework… OH MY!!

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 24, 2013| 2 Comments »

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I am not sure what happened this year, maybe it was the extra week of vacation or the anxiety and excitement with the transition into middle school and third grade but the beginning of this school year has been hard.  And it is not just me, everyone I have talked to seems to be a little overwhelmed, a little stressed, a little shell shocked, a little off their game and a lot tired. Phew, at least it is not just me 😉

The one thing that I have always said that was the toughest thing about moving to NYC was navigating the school system. There is no such thing as just registering at the local public school and going. When we moved there was the stress of moving into an apartment in the exact neighborhood to make sure the girls were zoned for a good public school (private school at $40, 000 per child was not an option) and even then there was no guarantee as we were still a part of the lottery into kindergarten for R. Just recently we went through the crazy middle school process with A- touring, auditioning, testing and applying to schools and then anxiously waiting to see if she got into her first choice. I am trying not to even think about the high school process…

So, here we are with a brand new school year ahead of us and I feel like we have barely had time to catch our breath. There has been the endless stream of information coming home from both schools, meetings, back to school events, emails, newsletters, requests for supplies, navigation of new routines, planning creative lunches and easy to prepare dinners and of course the dreaded homework. There have been a few days when I have found myself dreaming of flip flops and sandy beaches. Or at least cocktail time. And just right at this very moment an email has popped into my inbox about cheap air fair to Hawaii- no fair!!

I guess I am just finding it a bit hard to find my groove right now, I am struggling with the whole balance thing, instead of organizing, I am ignoring, trying to dive back under the covers and bury my head. Not helpful to anyone especially when I find my patience snapping right around dinner and homework time. Can I get a woooosaaaa??!!!

I have decided that I need a reset and a few reminders. For one, I need to remind myself that I have to take a step back from the insanity of NYC schooling and remember sometimes that it is just school and dammit, it will all work out one way or another. Holy crap, we all survived school and ended up okay. Homework is just homework and is not worth crying or yelling about. It gets done or it doesn’t and the world will not end. Secondly, let’s have some fun, why so serious mom? Can we go apple picking this weekend? Yes, yes we can. And thirdly, I am re-visiting my mantra to choose kindness. We are all going through a crazy time and we should be a little bit nicer, it will go a long way. Most importantly, I am reminding myself to just breathe. All is good, life is good and I am pretty damn lucky. Breathe.

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Wordless Wednesday: Thinking Of Ottawa Today

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , on September 18, 2013| Leave a Comment »

I am home today with a sick little girl. (Yes, already, welcome to back to school!) So, while I was having my tea and scrolling through twitter and Facebook news of a tragic bus/train accident in Ottawa started filling my timeline. I immediately felt a tightening in my stomach. Ottawa was my home for 11 years, many of my good friends and family still live there. When I heard of the tragedy and the loss of life, I picked up the phone needing to hear the voices of my mom and dad even though I knew they would not have been on the bus. My heart aches today, I can’t stop thinking of the beautiful city I hold so dear to me. I am sending prayers, thoughts and strength to the Nation’s Capital and all the people affected by this horrific accident. Ottawa, love is being sent your way from near and far. xox

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Wordless Wednesday: 12 Years, Never Forget

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on September 11, 2013| Leave a Comment »

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Wordless Wednesday: Last Little Bit of Play

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on September 4, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Well it is definitely September and the pace of life is speeding up. Although the girls do not go back to school until Monday, my mind is full of school related anxiety and “stuff”. Classes are set, I am figuring out pick up and drop off (I have a middle schooler now!!), after-school activities/schedules, new shoes, new clothes and of course what to pack for the dreaded daily lunch 😉 And then of course all the goals that we have set for the coming year… It really does seem like September is the real New Year’s!!
So… When my youngest insisted on going to the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) today I was hesitant. We have not been there for over a year or so. It really is the perfect spot for little kids, my oldest has definitely outgrown it. But ‘R’ wanted to go and see the Healthy Eating and Body Exhibit and well, I couldn’t really argue with that.
We had a blast while ‘A’ stayed home and put the finishing touches on her summer assignments. I was reminded to slow down and enjoy… there are a few precious days of summer left. And most importantly, that play is indeed learning.
Happy Wednesday my friends!

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Wordless Wednesday: Bill de Blasio for Mayor!!

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , on August 28, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Today the girls and I had the honor to attend a press conference for Bill de Blasio. We eagerly stood beside him and supported him as he outlined and defended his incredible education plan for NYC. If you have not yet heard about Bill, you should go to his website http://www.billdeblasio.com/ and read about his plans to improve NYC when he is mayor. Bill de Blasio is clearly the leader that stands out beyond the rest of the candidates. He definitely has my vote- and the kids were pretty impressed too! Happy Wednesday 🙂

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Hawaii: Mahalo, A Hui Hou

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 26, 2013| 2 Comments »

Well, I am definitely back to reality- the test scores are out, my laundry bin is overflowing, the skies are cloudy and not a single person that rushed by me at “Manhattan pace” today wished me “Aloha!”. Sigh. Although, it was wonderful to sleep in my own bed last night, there really is nothing better than crawling into your own bed after a long day of travel. We are safely home after an incredible Hawaiian vacation. The memories of this trip will definitely carry me through as the weather gets colder and life becomes a little bit more stressful as summer ends…

Here are some of my favorite highlights from our trip. I hope you enjoy them.

Snorkeling

We had a blast going on our snorkeling adventure at Fair Wind Cruises. This was a fabulous trip for the whole family. The girls loved the snorkeling but I think they also spent an equal amount of time careening off the waterslides into the ocean. It was a great day for everyone and I especially enjoyed relaxing and swimming through the beautiful blue water being amazed and awed by the variety of ocean life.

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Visiting the Volcano

Visting the Volcanoes National Park was truly a once in a lifetime experience. I mean it is not very often that you get to drive along Saddle Road between two volcanoes (Kilauea and Mauna Lao) into a national park that leads to lookouts, lava tubes, tropical rainforest conditions and steam vents. Our one regret was that we were not able to add a long hike to our visit, we will have to add that to our list for next time. It really was breathtakingly beautiful. Standing looking at and learning about these powerful earth monuments is mind blowing.

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Beaches

I think it is safe to say that the girls have found my love of the ocean. Every time we stopped to explore a new beach or waterfront the girls wanted to dip their feet into the water. I could look at the waves crashing on to the shore all day. My dream is to have a little shack on the ocean where I could be lulled into sleep by the sound of the surf every night. What do you think Ron? We did seem some beautiful properties in Pauko Bay 😉

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Traveling the Whole Island

One of the books we relied on when researching where to go, what to do, sights to see etc. was “Hawaii The Big Island Revealed- The Ultimate Guidebook”. I highly recommend this book if you are planning on visiting the Big Island. We used this book extensively while we were exploring. We accidentally flew into Hilo airport instead of Kona Airport which would have been much closer to our resort BUT instead of letting this bother us we decided to use it as a positive. If we hadn’t flown into Hilo we probably would not have had the chance to see the sights on that side of the island. The Hilo side is incredibly lush and beautiful with lots of stops that include beautiful waterfalls, black sand beaches, crashing surf, farming communities, the botanical gardens, winding roads through little towns, surfing spots and many other interesting things to see. During our stay we circled the Big Island and found many awesome things along the way. Here are a few pics…

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Sunsets

I can’t imagine that you would ever get tired of watching the sunset over the ocean. There are “scenic points” all along the highways where you can pull your car over so that you will not miss these spectacular moments in time. I like to think that the locals cherish this time just as much as the tourists.

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I really cannot say enough about our Hawaiian adventure. I am hoping that I can bask in the relaxing glow for as long as possible. Normally I am ready to come home by the time our vacation is ending, I can honestly say that this time I would have happily stayed for a few more days… It was so very easy to get lost in the magic of the Island. A hui hou, until we meet again. I know that we will be back.

P.S. As an aside, it is very hard to play the license plate game in Hawaii but that doesn’t mean we didn’t try 😉 Ron is the reigning champ at a whopping 7 out of state plates!

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