Fabulous Find For A Friday-----My Minnie

My youngest daughter Maryn, or Minnie, as I used to call her when she was a baby, has been the topic of my blog quite a few times. She is my wandering spirit, so I worry about her a lot and yearn to have her near. Today she turned 22, and of course, par for the course, I called her and sang her Happy Birthday----right when she was born, of course, but I had to sing to her cell phone answering service. Then I left several messages on her Facebook page, but I haven't heard from her..... Sigh.....

It is hard to have a child like this sometimes. When they are small and we have so much control over their lives----we tend to complain about how difficult it is to do everything for them, but when they are gone, and we sometimes don't even know where they are----it is hard----and sometimes it hurts a bit that you can't have them near. It sometimes makes you feel that they don't care anymore.

Maryn was a darling baby, a beautiful little girl, and my little sweetheart. She is my artist, singer, super creative, alternative, rebellious, and was always pushing my envelope----but I love her just the same! That's what we do as mothers----we love our children with no strings attached.

There are so many things that I love about Maryn:

I love how she is unique----has always been---definitely does her own thing!

I love how she gets along with people of all ages. She has such a great spirit about her----and people respond to that.

I love her artistic talents. She is BRILLIANT in her artwork, and even supercedes my talent....

I love how she loves to sing. She writes music, sings constantly and performs by herself or with different bands. She also taught herself to play guitar.

I love that she loves animals. She has adopted two cats, and she takes care of them so well----even feeding them when she doesn't have any money for her own food.

I love her intelligence. She is really smart and reads a lot, and definitely forms her own opinion about things----and is NOT afraid to voice them!

I love her hugs----she has the BEST hugs in the world!!! Big, long, squeezy ones.....my favorite!

I love her sense of humor----she is crazy and so fun when we get together----acting out and well....just being one of us!

I love her laugh....she always laughs at the antics I pull----I tend to get crazy sometime, and Maryn is always the first one to get everyone going with her infectious laugh!

I love her free spirit, but sometimes I detest it, as she can't stay in one place for long, and hasn't really decided what she wants to do.....well, she kind of gets that from me, as I STILL haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up! But I worry about her and just want her to be happy----no matter what she decides to do.

Here's that beautiful face....(Maryn, a few years ago)

....and her fun side!

She's very photogenic....

....and loves to goof around while we are shooting.

Performing at one of her "shows".

Love this smile....

....and there she goes.....again!

Brinna, Maryn and I---this past Christmas in our....er.....well.....Christmas
jammies, of course!

Happy Birthday, Minnie!

The Beauty of New England In Celebration Of The New England Bloggers Birthday!

If you scroll down the right side of my blog, you will see a button for New England Bloggers. These stupendous bunch of gals are all bloggers, and, of course, from New England! There's a super blogger that started it all about a year ago----Elizabeth over at Evil Overlord----and she thought it might be nice to celebrate by having some bloggers write about living in New England----just to celebrate our year of blogging together.

It is hard for me to decide what I love most about living here. When I first visited New England with my sister, almost 20 years ago, I fell in love with it here. I absolutely ADORED the history, and the historical houses, as well as the greenery and the beauty.

I am a visual artist, as well as the other many things that I do, so I am inspired by nature----especially the change in nature----and New England is the place to be for change! From the greenery of the summers, with the humidity and the rain, the AMAZING amount of trees, and just a short drive to the coast.....

Beach view in Duxbury.

....to the myriad of colors that come with each Fall, as the leaves change and share their vibrant glory with the world.....

New Hampshire foilage.

....to the cold and icy winter, with its dry climate and breathtaking snow views......

Winter in Vermont.

...and finally end up back to spring, as the earth re-awakens and rears its head from under the cold to reveal the stunning beauty of a new change, a new world, one of flowers and color and fresh clean air!

Downtown Boston---cherry blossoms.

"There is nothing more constant than change".

"Change is not merely necessary to life—it is life.’ Alvin Toffler


So, come and visit and fall in love with this intriguing, beautiful place.....I guarantee that you will not leave unaffected.



***Be sure and check out other New England Bloggers HERE!***

A Fabulous Find For A Friday-----Little Boo

A big birthday happened today. A big 10th birthday!

Its almost impossible to believe that ten years have gone by....and that my little boy is growing up so fast. He is my baby, and yes, I called him "Little Boo" when he was little----as his little lips were always pursed as if he was saying "boo". He is a special little boy----one that deals with so much for his young life, and hardly ever complains.

There are so many reasons that I adore him:

I love that he always gives me the best snuggles ever----and I am going to be devastated when those end.

I love that he always cares about others----how he worried that some boys were treating a girl badly in his class and he asked them to stop.

I love that he is so into exploring and looking up everything----from the human body and how it functions, to how space and the planets are formed and why, why, why..... He is so inquisitive.

I love that he wants to help out, whether it is learning how to clean a toilet (and yes, he knows how to do it now) or putting the silverware away after the dishes are cleaned.

I love how he knows so many different recording artists by hearing them on the radio----from Elton John, to Styx, to Queen, to Coldplay and U2.....he always knows them, and is right on!

I love how he goes to my theatre hour after hour as I teach voice, have rehearsals, organize costumes and do a myriad of things and he just reads or does homework, or plays quietly with his toys, and sometimes entertains himself with doing little tricks to make the students smile.

I love how he loves to read, and finished all the Harry Potter books---the first three before school started, in about 3 1/2 weeks! And the cutest part was that he REALLY wanted it to be real.....he wanted to really go to a wizard school himself.

I love that he believes in dragons. And all things mythological. He is devout.

I love how he looks up to his siblings. He knows that they are older, and don't always have time for him, but he cherishes and looks forward to each time that they come home to hang with us, or when he can go to their houses and spend the night. He loves his brother and sisters.

I love when he giggles and laughs when I talk baby talk to him or act crazy in the mornings. (as I am wont to do when I am tired in the mornings...)

I love that he says the cutest things sometimes----in all seriousness, and doesn't even realize how adorable he is.

I love how he is so funny at other times, and how he tries to make other kids laugh, and be happy in his presence.

I love how he loves to play games with his Dad, and can spend hours building things with him, then learns how to take pictures on his Dad's camera.

There are so many other things that make me love this little guy, but it would take almost a day to write them all down.

He is my gem, my little guy, my little Boo.

His first day of school, Sept. 2009

Photos his Dad took----BBSNAPS.NET

Happy Birthday, Aydan. I love you.

Winter Wonderland

Yesterday, we got a lot of snow.....again. Yes, I know that I am in a very small minority, but I love snow and the look of it. I even like to shovel it----such a great workout for the arms!

And along with the snow was a day off from school----and a fun day for Aydan to play in that said snow! So, we put the parka's on the puppies, and they joined him for some fun in the snow.

The view outside our front door....

.....and turning toward the conservation area.

There's Aydan, in the midst of the snow kingdom.

Musette, with her little snow parka on.

Musette, going for a visit to Aydan----whoa---this snow is COLD!

Now is Mignon's turn to experience the snow.....

....but she bolts for the warmth!

Aydan----running from the camera.....

....but he can't hide from me!

Musette and our cat, Shadow, relaxing after the snow romp.....

.....and Mignon finally joins them after she gets toweled off....oh....so nice to be WARM!

As the snow keeps falling today, and I do another sweep with the snow shovel, I stop and enjoy the beauty once again. That's why I love the change of the seasons----it gives you a chance to appreciate all the beauty of the world---whatever the season.

Fabulous Find For A Friday------Black Adder Series

One of my favorite things to do is watch the BBC. I am a BBC junkie. A BBC American, if you will. I have watched their shows for many years.

I love British humor. I know, most folks would say that I am crazy, and they just don't get it....but I will always pick a British flick over American any day. Lets face it, history never quite feels the same when Hollywood gets a hold of it.

But I digress.

I really want to talk about their comedy. My love started with Monty Python. First, the weekly shows, then "The Holy Grail". The first time I saw their comedy, I felt that I had finally found something that I could relate to-----it was great!

Fast forward to several years later.....I saw one of my first Rowan Atkinson films.....I forget if it was the first Mr. Bean series, or what, but one of my favorite series was "The Black Adder".
I watched each week and fell more and more in love with the humor of Rowan and his pals. That was the first time I saw Hugh Laurie, who is magnificent as one of Rowan's side kicks. (He is also so funny in "Jeeves and Wooster"----with Stephen Fry----if you haven't seen it---check it out!)


Well, I got the entire set of Black Adder series for Christmas, and have re-lived each episode with my family, and had quite a few laughs. My little guy, Aydan, is now a big fan, and has watched his favorite ones several times now. (Just a note: There are some innuendos that may not be good for some kids---but my son doesn't get them-----yet...)


So----check them out on Netflix or get them at the video store, and be prepared to have some chuckles....or maybe full-out laughter!

Here are a few examples.....

The Black Adder Part 1 - Watch the best video clips here

Prince Blackadder - Blackadder - BBC - For more funny videos, click here

And if you don't like British humor?


Well, I have nothing to say to you........

Whin-ey Wednesday

I've decided to start using Wed.'s to vent when I need to-----therefore the title of this post. No, it won't be every week. I really don't have time to do that-----sigh.


Today, I am going to whine about the fact that my hubby is out of work.......again. Last Friday, he broke the news to me that he had been laid off, and I sort of......well.......FREAKED!


Perhaps it had to do with the fact that just six months ago, he had a really bad accident at work, where he almost lost the third finger on his right hand. They had to re-build it. You might want to refresh your memory and read about it here.

Well, he was on disability, but of course, that doesn't pay all the bills-----and he was getting a small compensation from his workplace also, but that didn't cover the overtime that is required for us to....well......basically.....pay those darn bills. So, we have been trying to juggle things to get everything covered, and are still, basically, behind.

NOT a good time to be laid off, for sure.....

I work really hard---doing voice lessons, and trying to get the theatre off the ground and making something from that----someday----but it doesn't bring in a lot now, therefore I don't feel that I am prepared to take on any more debt problems.

I guess I am just P---O'd! I am getting so tired of being stressed out about money, and where its going to come from. I am getting older and sometimes wish that I could be like most of the women my age, with great houses, having vacations, re-decorating their houses, going shopping and just worrying about who to go to lunch with----occasionally babysitting the G-babies.

And another down-side to this extreme stress----I don't sleep well. I get panic attacks sometimes waking up at about 4:00 in the morning----not being able to breath, and panic-ing about how to get through all this. I have been working on getting caught up with everything, and I am FREAKING out how this will affect all that I have worked on.


Ok----just writing about this has made me feel like a total whiner. I apologize for going off, but if its only once in awhile-----can't a girl just GET THINGS OFF HER CHEST ONCE IN A WHILE!!


Now----end of the pity party.


I need to go out and do something for someone else. It always manages to take my mind off of my problems....

Fabulous Find For A Friday-----On A Saturday-----An Over The Shoulder Boulder Holder

This phrase is very commonly used to describe one of a womens least favorite article of under clothing----the bra. I have particularly always had troubles with anything in this region of my body. And like me,-----for some reason, most women are not happy with their boobies---they are either too small or too large----too flat, or too droopy.

Then, of course it doesn't help that society and MEN seem obsessed with these annoying appendages. I mean, what the heck? Can't they all just get over them? Ugh.

When I was in eighth grade, I basically, had not reached......ahem......maturity yet, and didn't have much up there to speak of. Well, my mother was ADAMENT that I could not have a bra until I had SOMETHING to fill it with!

Oh, the trauma of trying to dress in the girls locker room before gym class and do it without a bra to cover oneself with! I eventually found a slip that I had that was a bit padded on the top and tried to pretend that it was the new rage----the built-in bra in my slip.

I have always been built a bit smallish on top----even after finally getting to wear a bra. I was at my largest right before I got married-----as I grew up to a small "C" cup. This was the most that I had weighed in my life, and I felt very robust indeed!

Fast forward to several years later, after my first child, (you know how it is----you get huge, blow up like balloons------so its painful when your milk comes in, then you start nursing, and are still quite large-----until you decide to stop nursing....) and I no longer had much there to speak of. I seem to remember size "A" as being my size then.

Then, along came another child a few years later-------same thing--------but this time, I kept losing weight and most of it came out of the upper half of my body. At this time, I numbered at a "AA". It was at this time that I was modeling the most, so it kind of went with my new body and I started to really enjoy being smallish up there.

Fast forward again to many years later-----after having five children----my upper region had----shall we say----rounded out----to a small "B" size. I was happy, this finally felt "just right!" I had gotten down to my original weight and life seemed grand-----I could have even modeled still if I wanted, but just didn't seem to have the time.


Body image was good.

I'm sure that you are on the edge of your seat---wondering how this story ends up, right? Well, if you fast forward just a few years more, you will find me starting to go through that most dreadful of times for a women----the pre-menopausal years----and all of a sudden, your body starts to have a mind of its own.


I remember one day as I was walking past a bank window on a street and caught a reflection of myself----and I had to stop, and stood there with my mouth agape!


Where had my "real" body gone? And what were these things that kept growing?
I guess most women would rejoice to wake up one day and------TA, DAH-----two large boobies!


Well, that's not how I felt. I felt matronly, and stocky, and well, like someone had taken over my body.....


How have I dealt with it? Well, it has been a trial. Trying to find bras that are comfortable that don't make me feel like I am Dolly Parton, and that are supportive, etc.

It has been annoying, to say the least.


I eventually found that if I wore sports bras, I had more support and I was a bit smaller that way. AND they were comfortable!

But they don't last very long, and I do like to have a bit of underwiring, also. So, I have kept searching......and searching......and searching for the right one.

And yes----I think that I may have found it! I kept getting catalogs from the on-line store,
One Hanes Place, as I had gotten several sports bras from there, so I flipped through one a few months ago.

VOILA! There it was. A minimizer bra. Just the ticket to what I needed!


Long story short-----I ordered two----as they had a sale----and I figured if they didn't work out, I could send the one back that was not used.

But I love it! It guarantees that it will minimize your rack from an inch to an inch and a half.
And you feel supported and not totally squished like with a sports bra.....and score!----the back supports you also----don't worry about that back fat anymore....

Here it is---Bali Passion For Comfort Minimizer Underwire
With Comfortable Back
(Yep, a mouthfull-----did I really just say that? Oh, no---I di-ent!)

So, if you feel like I do----and don't want to necessarily be larger-----yes, there are a few of us out there----then try this brassiere-----it is divine!

Re-evaluations, NOT Resolutions

I don't particularly like the idea of resolutions. I don't disagree with them, but I like to make them ongoing.

All through the year.

Monthly.

Weekly.

Daily.

Ok......hourly.


That is pretty much how I roll. I am constantly re-evaluating my life and what I want to do with it. I am still deciding what I want to be when I grow up, you might say. And I envision that I will still be doing it the day that I drop dead.


So, basically, I have thought about some of the most recent things that I have been mulling over in my mind. These are the things that I will share with you.
(And did I mention that I am a woman of lists? One by my bed, one by the bathroom sink---not even kidding, one in my daytimer, on my calendar, and one in my head at ALL times. Is it any wonder that I have insomnia?)


The latest list of re-evaluations:

*Keep my business---i.e. the theatre going---and try to not freak out so much about it.
*Get my next season of plays and musicals picked THIS season-----trust me, its harder than you think!
*Try to get to bed by midnight----and yes, this is hard for me----I am a night owl.
*Keep exercising at least 4 times a week. I already do this, but am expanding to include yoga now once a week.
*Try to get that other 10 lbs. off----seriously----I don't take this lightly---I lost 14 lbs. from Aug. to Nov.----and have gained back about 2 lbs. during the holidays.....aarrgghhh.
*Try to train my pups to not bark when someone comes to the door----we started this about two months ago---but it is hard to find the time to keep working on it!
*Be better about volunteering for helping those in need in my church. I am terrible about doing this, if I know that it is early in the morning, or takes too many hours in the day----I have so much to do, and I wimp out.
*Try to keep my house cleaner----ummm----maybe I should check into a cleaning service once a month? Oh, so tempting.
*Continue reading more. I love to read as much as I love movies (which is my addiction, by the by) and I have stepped it up this year, by TAKING the time to read each day----even if its only 1/2 hour in the morning and a 1/2 hour at night.
*Be a better and more attentive mother.......er......ah.......I asked my young son about this one-----if I needed improvement----and he answered that I could do that by only making him do ONE chore every day instead of two before he can have computer time..... Minx.
Seriously, I should hang out more with him----more quality time----as he is always with me, but I am doing my theatre thing and don't always pay attention to him----did I mention that he is a great kid? I know....you've heard it before.
*Be a better wife. What? Where did that come from? Was that my alter-ego trying to get a word in edgewise? Whateveh.... Although, I guess it wouldn't hurt to send him notes and do mushy things once in a while-----yeah----I can do that. And maybe not nag about money anymore...................(tweet, tweet, tweet)...........NAH-----thats NOT going to happen.
*Write two posts a week in my blog----and get those blasted Memory Mondays back! Geeze! Why can't I seem to get it together?!!
*Get back to reading blogs at least two times a week.....ok....well, shoot for three and see how it goes.....


There you have it.

My re-evaluations.

That's all she wrote.

Been there, done that.


How about you check in with me daily and see how I'm doing?


I'll write you down on one of my lists.