grilled cheese

Mom and I had our usual post-W W weigh-in dinner out and shopping trip. When I got home I made K a simple dinner. Grilled cheese (on hamburg buns...guess I shoulda bought some BREAD on that shopping trip) and yesterday's leftover tomato soup. :)
I thought it looked FAB on my yellow thrift store dinner-ware. :) Not bad for a 5 minute dinner. :) And...I LOVE my blue plastic pitcher (the one Livi had popcorn in yesterday) that cost me a DIME at Goodwill.
Goodnight, lovely blog world. <3

Tuesdays with Livi

On Tuesdays, I babysit my niece, Olivia, while her momma works. I get her at 1:30 and her mom gets back around 8:30 and leaves after we hang out for a bit. :)
Today was a full day of eating and playing. :) She likes to gather up all the mini-basketballs and put them in her "purse" (K's football Easter basket) which I haven't put away because she loves playing with the eggs too much. They may have to be in her toy box year-round.
I should have taken a picture of her with the football purse but we were too busy playing. As I was looking at the pictures I shot today, I thought to myself...It's looks like all we do is EAT!! But I think it's really that that's the only time she sits still for a second and I can snap a decent picture. :)
We had grilled cheese for lunch and she liked hers dipped in tomato soup. I made mine on W W bread with French Onion Laughing Cow cheese and it was DELISH.
K gave her some yogurt while I was making the grilled cheese and warming up the soup. I am happy to report that we all had a lovely, warm cozy kind of lunch together and that at one point Livi insisted on staying close and I successfully made a grilled cheese with a child on my hip. :) I was feeling both maternal and quite proud of myself. :) I felt like SuperAuntie for the rest of the day.



Later in the afternoon, we had a snack of hummus with wheat crackers and popcorn. I recently let Livi try hummus (one of my very favorite things) and figured I'd just let her try it and she'd hate it and we'd move on. Well, now she is my most recent convert. She loves the stuff. I spread it on her crackers and she gobbles it up and then says, "Moo-ah" and I say, "Say, more, please" and she would say, "Moo-ah peas." HAAAA She really is the cutest, sweetest thing. (Except she does say "NO!" about five thousand times a day...)

And then by 6:00 PM she was still resisting her nap and we were both starting to go a little crazy...Finally she laid down on me and we both fell asleep. :)
I eventually wiggled out for fear I may overheat and she slept until her Mommy got home. All in all it was a wonderful, fulfilling, exhausting day. :) I love this little munchkin so much!! <3 <3 <3

tales from the tub...

After a 12-hour day on my feetsies that included a total system failure of our kitchen and front of house computers (EVERYTHING) that meant we had to hand-write our orders and use calculators to give disgruntled guests their checks...I deserved a hot bath...
By the way, at first I tried to make it fun by pretending we were all in a fifties diner, but that got old seriously quickly. :)

As I was about to settle in my wonderful bath, I realized that I had to choose one of the many things I'm currently reading...feeling philosophical? I could keep reading Eat Pray Love (Part two, the praying, in India) go easy and entertaining with Tori's Spelling's Mommywood...Get some recipe ideas in my W W cookbook?? Flip through Marie Claire (and read about how a 78 dollar scarf is a "steal?" although, I did actually really like the mag, in general, and Jessica Simpson's au natural photo shoot)...A little Sports Illustrated?? Better Homes and Gardens??
I was more exhausted trying to decide!! Because, after all this, I really MUST tell you...I picked Marie Claire (fewer words, more pictures) :)
So, it's off to bed I go. I have tulips to plant tomorrow. :)
Ooooooh!! One cool thing, before I go!!
My mom, and fellow Weight Watcher, MADE me a super cool (and one of a kind) POINTS COUNTER.
It's a calendar that she made little pegs for so you can put one on your points allowed and keep daily track with the other one. SO COOL :)
And that's my (still alive and kickin) birthday plant named, Spider Monkey. I let her wear my butterflies when I'm not. :)
(must sleep...post getting more and more crazy!! :)
GOODNIGHT :)

baseball and frog blog

My Uncle got us Red Sox tickets for Christmas and at the time it seemed so far away!! Now it's come and gone but what a time we had!! He got tickets for me and my sisters and the men in our lives. ;) We have never gotten to go all together so that was especially awesome.
It was a beautiful night in the city and we had a great time. The Sox were down the whole game, but in the final innings they pulled off some of their comeback magic. They ended up winning with a walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth. We went crazy!! The whole stadium did. It was awesome!!
And THAT'S why we never leave early (although, K would if anyone else would let him). My Dad leaves early every game and we always call him and say, "We won and you woulda been on the T!!" :)

So...what's the only thing better than a walk-off win for the Sox at Fenway??? I'll tell ya. :)
It's the look on my little nephew Dayton's face when I give him his frog cookie.
He enjoyed his "fwog" and even shared with my niece, Olivia. She's his cousin and he calls her "Ya-ya, " which is just about the cutest thing anyone's ever heard. :)
We played outside on the slide and swings, played in the dirt, and rolled in the grass. It was a beautiful April day with my favorite little ones.

weekend

Back on the W W wagon after an all-too-brief stint with the "good life" that left me wanting gourmet seafood for every meal. :)
I find that packing my food for the day is like packing clothes for vacation. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO WEAR ONCE YOU GET THERE!!! So you pack OPTIONS. Well, I do. Ask my husband or my GBF/travel buddy. :)
So...when being a Weight Watcher on her best behavior, I pack a whole (reusable tote) grocery bag and decide later what good-girl route to take. :)


This weekend had it's usual laughs and gaffes...but one marquee moment was when...there was a PROPOSAL in my station!!! At my 9 dollars a plate-12.99 for a three course meal corporate restaurant...
And lovely for them. I wish them the very best. But, SERIOUSLY????
My youngest (and recently married) sister told me to stop hating and that anywhere that a person asks another person to spend the rest of their life together is romantic. I'm trying to get on board that happy ship...but the guy left me 5 on forty...

photo wall

This is a photograph of my grandparents when they were young. It was discovered while cleaning out Gram's things because she was moving to a local nursing home after Granddad's passing this October (after a brief and intense bout with cancer). It is with great sadness that I look at this picture but, yet see so much hope and so much love. :)

We live in a cute third floor apartment and the outside walls are slanted. It's actually pretty cool because the windows are set into the walls and have reverse sills. If you can picture that. :)
Anyhoo, I don't have many flat walls for hanging photos so I decided to make the most of the large, flat wall in my living room.

There are lots of photos of K and me and our families and friends. Some of my favorites are his mom's Senior Picture, and an action shot of my Dad playing High School basketball. Oh, and one can't forget the one of me with my two best friends posing as "three pees in a pod." :)

I added the pic of "G and G" in a sweet frame and also a picture of my Uncle Rob (their oldest son) who was taken by cancer in early 2006. It's one of my favorite photos of "Unc" because he is decked-out in hometown gear and it was rooting for the home team that made him the happiest. Whether it was the Red Sox or my High School Softball team. :)
And here's the wall...it continues to be (as my Mom would say) a work in progress... :)

all in a days (before) work

I embarked on some yucky day chores today and marveled that I have kept all the plants and flowers that I got for my birthday alive. I know, I know, it's been FIVE WHOLE DAYS. :) If you knew my track record with green, pretty living things, you'd be impressed. :)
As I set out to do laundry, the tulips K (how I will heretofore refer to my husband) got me stretched their lanky limbs towards all the sun they could get.
And as I did the dishes, ok, I admit it, some were still from my Birthday (!!) (I'm a BUSY GIRL!!) at least I had this to look at...
No, the irony of it being what I look at while I do dishes is not lost on me. :) I don't think there is any better place for it. :) Although, K and I definitely have an equal-opportunity idea about chores and housework. We are a modern two-person family after all...
Well, it's off to work for me. Hopefully tonight will be just like last night...a woman who is "deathly" allergic to peppers but certainly not to Beringer White Zinfandel, and another in her 70s who asked me what an artichoke was. I wanted to ask her how she'd gone so many years and never crossed paths with an artichoke, but alas, I did not.

my birthday dinner date

Tonight my husband took me out on our annual my birthday date. :) I chose a restaurant that I have been dying to try and can't be sure why I've never been there before!! We went to the Sole Proprietor in Worcester.
I DIED AND WENT TO SEAFOOD HEAVEN!!
It was exactly the cuisine that I love. We had Shrimp Rangoons and Lobster Ravioli as our appetizers (!!!) and the rangoons were exquisite. They were like baked stuffed shrimp but with cream cheese and crab "breading" and crispy wontons on top with an Asian-style sweet and spicy glaze. Mmmmm...

The decor was perfect and the cocktails divine.












For dinner we had the Maple Glazed Sea Scallops (with a maple syrup glaze over sweet potato mash) and the Surf and Turf: Sirloin and Salmon with yummy mashed potatoes and veggies.

It was the first time I had truly indulged since I began my Weight Watching journey and it was worth the hard work that it has taken me to lose my current total 22 pounds. :) I will be on my very best behavior this week and work extra hard at the gym!! I PROMISE!! :)
I enjoyed our experience in every aspect. :)

Even leaving the parking lot, I had my hubby snap a quick shot of the gorgeous trees that were alive with sparkle...
I will head to bed tonight with a satiated tummy and embark on an evening of sweet seafood dreams. :)

First Inaugural Birthday Blog

My 28th birthday began with martinis at lunch as many fabulous birthdays do. :)
Yesterday was an embarrassment of riches. I was so blessed to have many of my best friends make mini road trips to come to my little hometown for my birthday soiree.
We played Rock Band, dined on hand-delivered pizza, and were entertained by some super cute little ones. :) My niece and nephew were here and brought as much joy and wonder to my birthday as they do to my life. :)


I got many thoughtful gifts, including plants and flowers and birthday balloons.. :) And RED SOX TICKETS!! from my best friend and fellow super fan. :) And many sweet cards...especially the one from my husband.













My Mom gave me an array of sweet gifts including a new book that I have been dying to read. Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. When I'm through I will post a full review. :) I think I'll draw a post birthday bath and get started right now...(anything to postpone the post birthday CLEAN UP!!)

hairday

Sometimes the best thing about your day is your hair...today was one of those days!! Errands and taxes and work, OH MY!! but at least I did it all with rainy day curls. :)
and no...to answer your question...it's NOT A PERM!! :)

a day off with purpose

I spent the day cleaning and rearranging my bedroom, preparing for summer by organizing my summer shoes and putting all my boots away, replacing winter scarves with their lighter, brighter counterparts, and seeking organized chaos in the midst of my eccentric taste and my penchant for purses. :)

My purse collection (I just donated more than half when we moved in September...these are my FAVORITES) is the definition of the organized chaos I mentioned. But, I know where everything is!! :) You can see the "mess" as my husband calls it, to the left of the scarves.

My bedroom, which has been a work in progress since we moved into our new hometown apartment, is getting to a place I find really welcoming with just a touch of the exotic. Who doesn't want to feel like the breeze coming in isn't wafting off an ancient, far away (even if imaginary) sea??

The beautiful, light quilt was a find at a local antique shop and a gift from my mother. One of her best qualities is you-find-it-she-buys-it. You just have to be able to put in a 14 hour day as her shopping partner. :)

The pillow might be my favorite piece in the whole room. It is an Ebay find. Hand-beaded in India. LOVE LOVE LOVE. I make my hubby gently place it on the side table at night. He rolls his eyes and begrudgingly attempts to understand the underlying importance of a pillow. :)

Well, here she is...where we sleep. :)

aaahhhhh...

Went to Cardio Kickboxing class tonight with a friend and we WORKED IT!! So...what's better after that than a hot bath complete with my new candle, Shape magazine with the hilarious Chelsea Handler on the cover, and a little glass of wine?? Not much. :)

a little thrifting

I did some digging around a Goodwill today and got all this loot for $12.00!!
A Complete Weight Watcher cookbook, an antique dessert cookbook, a gold lame clutch, a big gold pendant necklace, a pretty silver tray, a cute stuffed pig, a huge candle with an old school nautical map design, a plate (I think I'll mount on my kitchen wall) that says "Once In a Blue Cheese," a black and white print wrap dress, a retro hat box (think I may actually keep all my hats in it) and a set of 4 really nice heavy yellow plates.
Oh and also, until today I had no idea...at Goodwill they have a Book a Month club. You just go in and get one free book every month. No strings attached. :) So I got the big binder of a W W cookbook as this months free book. Pretty sweet. :)

All good things must come to a start...

The other day I was making a dessert at the corporate restaurant I work for and I hear the out-of-place sound of a blender behind me. I turn to find my manager attempting to "blend" an order of fish and chips. The fish and fries are smashed into the bottom and the blender is squealing..."You have to add liquid," I tell him. "Like what?" he asks me. "I'd go with ketchup," I tell him with a grin. The wacko old lady who asked for her dinner prepared this way decided on tarter sauce and I thought to myself (and mom especially, pardon my french) someone has GOT to write this shit down.
So why not me??
I just needed a little more inspiration...

As a friend and I were trying to decide on a nail polish color, I read a few of the better names to her. Some were fairly clever. I thought back to a time several years ago when I got my nails done every couple of weeks. That idea, now, seems simply crazy. Now, I would silently judge anyone who wasted their time and money on something so frivolous. That was then and this is now I suppose. I remembered the name of a shade that I used to wear...a pinkish red called Not Just a Waitress.
I thought back to my life then and I realized how much had changed...and how much had stayed the same.
Then I was an engaged college student who worked waiting tables.
Now I am a married college graduate who works waiting tables.


I am many things...a woman, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a grandchild, an aunt, a friend, a writer, a collector of books, a Weight Watcher, an amateur interior designer, a lover of music and theater, an athlete, a Red Sox fan (a total sports nut, really), an outspoken, opinionated, creative thinker...and that's just to name a few. See?? Not Just a Waitress.

I'll leave my first post (!!!) with a couple of pictures...just to get the ball rolling. :)
In honor of Easter yesterday, I share theses photos of some of my Easter decor. I thought the eggs in the vase things was clever and the other photo is what happens when I ask my husband to put the jelly beans in the candy dish. If you knew my husband you'd know...ask him to do anything and hilarity (with a touch of frustration) ensues.