Back by Popular Demand-

It makes me feel good, to know that people actually enjoy reading what I have to say (thankx for the nudge to get my ass in gear lola). I take some sort of comfort knowing that what I write isn't some awful and trivial dribble!

It has been crazy to say the least these last 9 months that I haven't written. In fact if you do the math, I could have birthed a child while I have vacationed from this blog! Oh, the thought of that!

My pregnancy was fantastic, don't get me wrong, but the thought of gaining 80, yes 80 lbs is frightening. It took 6 month's to gain that weight and i have YET to get it all off. I am happy how I look, not Ecstatic, I could afford to loose another 10 pounds and have a tummy tuck, but that's a whole other post (to come at a later date).

My summer was great, even thought most of it was worry about the health of my dad and the well being of my mom. Despite all that, we managed to make it to Captiva Island, Orlando, Boston and NH (twice) and to have some great days just relaxing at the beach or pool. Now, like most of us parents the house is quiet, too quiet and wish that the summer was here again.

I am planning on a trip to Boston again, this winter. Nicolette was some what saddened at the thought that when we arrived in NH over the summer that there was no snow. I guess, from hearing me talk of NH she assumed the snow was always on the ground. So, trying to comfort her as she sat and looked disappointed at the green grass I assured her that this winter, when Mother Nature did her magic we would be there to witness it!

Now, I have to hope that this winter will yield some of that white shit that I am sure will interfere with our travel plans to come up there. THE IRONY OF IT ALL!

Until my next post.....

- Zila

A New Day

I felt like I should take a minute to post some brief thoughts about the other night's election. I'm feeling a bit patriotic at the moment, so pardon me for that. I think that we definitely live in some tumultuous times, and this country is in serious need of a change. Could Barack Obama be the answer we've been looking for? I'm really excited to find out. We've known for a few weeks that our dear republican party was going to get squashed in this election. I have been reading articles and researching debate topics in an effort to educate myself about Obama's stance on many important issues. He doesn't plan on doing things the way they've been done in the past, and the thought of change has made me nervous. But last night I found Obama's acceptance speech to be really inspiring. And how amazing is it that our country could finally put aside all the hatred we've felt in the past and elect our first African American president? This day is destined to go down in the history books!

Happy Halloween???

I have to say that I saw this cartoon and I first thought that it was SO funny. Then the reality set in, that its not funny, its sad and true. In fact I have been looking for a house here for my mother in law (who knows if she will actually come BUT at least I know that I have done my part) and most of the houses that I have seen are all short sales or foreclosures. Its not a random house its several on the same street. Not "that" neighborhood that you wouldn't drive down at night. Its the gated communities too! It's an epidemic here in Florida. I am sure elsewhere as well, but its not right!

At any point in time that could be anyone of us, so lets pray that in 2009, with a new president will bring us new hope, new economy and new opportunities!

-Peace!

Mean MOM

So it seams at this present moment that I am a Mean mom. Words that I thought I would never hear, hoped that I would never hear. I know parenting is hard, but the hardest part is not knowing if your doing a good job raising your child. You want to teach them right from wrong, good from bad and yet the irony is that you will NOT find out if you have done a good job until they are much older.

I promised that I would not hit my child, teaching her that I will not be a hypocrite. If I teach her not to hit anyone, how can I hit her. I teach that Karma is something to think about. For every wrong choice, comes a consequence. For every good choice comes something positive. Is this the right way to go? I honestly don't know. As I am writing this, my daughter is in timeout and cried herself to sleep!

I just have to believe in what I was taught as a child and hope that there is no timeline where those values become extinct.

Slick Willie

There are many things on my BUCKET list that I have yet to do, but yesterday I got to cross one thing off. "yeah me".

I picked Nicolette up at school, and off we went to Ft.Pierce, (for those who are not from Florida, Ft.Pierce is the next town up from me). It's not the nicest, or safest town for that matter, but this area is great. Many little shops and the Saturday's farmers market is always nice. But yesterday what calls us to go was none other than former President "William Jefferson Clinton". Did i say "yeah me"

He was speaking at a rally for the Florida Democrat's, and we gladly stood in 90 degree weather waiting to get a chance to see him. Nicolette and I got there at noon. Packed a picnic lunch and bathing suits and planted ourselves in line and had a blast. Bill, as I like to call him, wasn't to speak until 2:45 so we had a lot of time to relax and eat.

The crowds started building and at one point I looked behind me at the line and there had to be several hundred people behind us. When they opened the gates, we headed in and we were in the second row!!!! How fantastic this was. Truly something so insignificant to some, but so memorable for me.

One last time " Yeah Me "

Tea for Two

What a beautiful way to spend the day. My daughter Nicolette invited her friend Megan over for a tea party. It makes me wonder... Did I have tea parties at 4? I know that I love tea, but at 4 did I?

Anyways, while going to visit CC and Arthur in Vero the other day, Nana and I HAD to check out the new boutique in Vero, and low and behold I found the cutest tea cups and saucers for the "tea party". My only wish was that there were more, as they only had a set for 2.

As Nicolette and her friend giggled and chatted, tears swelled in my eyes as Nicolette proclaimed to me that " this was the best tea party ever". Hearing this makes you think that you did something right in a world that everything seems to be going wrong.

It wasnt about the newest WII game, or going to the movies. It wasnt about spending that day watching TV, it was just two girls having fun drinking tea, being silly little girls and this Mom couldnt be happier!

Vero Saloon

I see spurs a jingle jangle jingle. Here at the ole Vero Saloon, you have Deputy Arthur and his sidekick Nicolette, trying to keep one good eye on the folk of Vero beach. I hear that they have a reward for two wanted women "Annie O" and her sister "CC Keating", two of the most feared criminal masterminds this side of Okeechobee!

Don't try to be hero's. If you see these two, remember "keep your cards in your hands. Don't put down, so they can't build off of you". (private private joke).

Oh, Arthur let me ask you this............ and this, and this... wink, wink

The Lawn Crew

My daughter is much like her dad and so little like me, but I wouldn't change a thing. She has the cutest things that she likes to do. She can be such a girly girl at times and then equally a tomboy too. This I admit is like me. I love perfume, champagne mimosa's and all things pink, but give me a pair of gap jeans, baseball hat and wife beater t-shirt and I am just as happy.

So, when Nick is doing his "handy man" things like installing a new screen for the sun room she is there ready with her "tools". When Nick is cleaning out his truck or going to the shop she is ready and waiting for him before he can ask her to go. And when he cuts our lawn, she loves, I mean loves to go on the machine with him and help out.

Since I think this is so cute, and will no doubt be used as blackmail when she is 16, I decided to share with all of you!

Peace-

Claudette

A wonderful end to a difficult day

I came home tonight from taking Nicolette to karate, for her belt testing. To see if she learned her "dragon form" cata. She passed and she know will be a gold belt. So excited about her accomplishment! Anyways, I come home after this difficult day and walk into my kitchen and found these flowers. I, having no clue why they were there asked Nick "who's flowers are these" and he said so warmly "these flowers are for you, to remember your friends the right way".

I can't tell you how much that this meant to me. It's not that I haven't had flowers given to me from Nick before, because I have. But for some reason today, these flowers meant the world to me!

So, thank you Nick for your act of kindness and thoughtfulness.

Patriot Day

I woke up this morning knowing what day it was. Hoping this year would be a little easier, but it's not. You can not turn on the radio with out hearing people describe what they saw or heard on this day. You can't turn on the TV without seeing the towers on fire, or collapsing. It's not fair.

I am all about remembering today, and the people that were victims, but can we do that with out being morbid. I know what I saw, I know what I heard and I know what my friends who were in the building said to me before they died. To think about that is hard enough never mind seeing the towers on every television channel. That does not help us remember, it just makes us sad knowing what they were going threw for their last minutes on earth.

I guess everyone grieves in there own way. Today, and every year on this day I think about my friends and I tell myself a funny story about each of them and it brings a smile to my face, even if it only last for a moment, but I know that they would want me to be smiling for them!

Rest in Peace my friends, rest in peace.

Just being "Corny"

We have this on going joke regarding Corn Dogs with our Friend Ms. Mary or as she would call them KERN DAWGS.

While we (Nana, me, Nicolette) were driving the other day what do we see but the Giant Corn dog. So me being me, I turn around and start yelling to the dog and ask if we can snap a picture. All the while I have almost peed my pants laughing.

I guess if we can't take time out to be silly, why bother living! Laughing is the best feeling ever!

- Peace

Claudette

The Wonderful life of Dieting

A Beautiful Friday night, the first day in 2 weeks that it had not rained. We (Nicolette & I ) decided to go to the much anticipated car show. Because of Karate and bad weather its been so long since we have been.

At the car show I got a lot of complements on my recent weight loss, so that made me feel great. On the other hand, Nana, myself and Nicolette went to Lorenzo's Pizzeria for dinner. I, thinking that I could handle myself (still wasn't eating solid food) with the ever so enticing aroma of one of my favorite things PIZZA! Did you hear me, I said Pizza. With this being said, I have attached a photo of myself at Lorenzo's.


I must say, that although I would have sold my soul to the man with the horns and pitch fork (aka the Devil himself) if given the chance but luckily chance was on my side.
Common Excuses for Breaking your diet

But the doughnut was calling my name.

But it was my birthday, so I had to eat the whole cake.

I had to get the bitter taste out of my mouth from eating the so-called dish, so I had an ice cream.

If you eat something and no one sees you eat it, it has no calories.

If you drink a diet soda with a candy bar, the calories in the candy bar are canceled out by the diet soda.

If you fatten up everyone else around you, then you look thinner.

Cookie pieces contain no fat -- the process of breaking causes fat leakage.

Things licked off knives and spoons have no calories if you are in the process of preparing something. Examples are peanut butter on a knife making a sandwich and ice cream on a spoon making a sundae.

Only eat things that have been broken into pieces; that way, all the calories fall out.

Chocolate is a vegetable. How, you ask? Chocolate is derived from cacao beans. Bean = vegetable. Sugar is derived from either sugar CANE or sugar BEETS. Both are plants, which places them in the vegetable category. Thus, chocolate is a vegetable.

Bearly survived Alaska

My folks are back from Alaska, and had a great time. Now they are planning the new trip/adventure to the Panama Canal. They don't leave until April, and I fear that it will take the Nana that long to get ready for it.

School is back in session today, after only attending one day last week. Hopefully all goes well, thus far it has so we are keeping our fingers crossed.

Nothing else all that exciting to write about. Its been kinda quiet, ohhh I haven't had coffee in something like 25 days, I also have lost about 22 lbs. (No, not from the coffee). As you know I have (again) stopped eating meat. I think its been like a year and a half., but not sure. I have been eating mostly organic and just trying real hard to fix my ridiculous stomach, so that maybe, just maybe one day I can go back to eating some of my favorite foods.

Short list of things that I would love to eat:

POP CORN
Pistachios
Tomatoes with the seeds
Cucumbers with the seeds
Cashews
strawberries
Kiwi's

I think that's enough, it's making me hungry. At the present time, I am not eating much of anything to do my "master cleanse" to get my stomach in shape. I will let you know the final outcome, when it happens!!

Ciao

Fay Fay go away

This tropical storm was a pain in the butt. The winds weren't that bad, but the flooding was! We had a river in the front of our house. There were people canoeing by. All is well, we survived, but no school again today. Thus far the kids have already missed two days of school and this is our first week!

Let's hope that this is the last of it.

MODERN TECHNOLOGY!

I am back..... Computer was down and out again. It seems like a month, but its only been a week. Lots to talk about. The Nana and pop pop are back. They had a great time, and now are planning a new trip to the Panama Canal (shameful plug coming) SO if anyone is interested in tagging along let me know. They will be sailing from Ft.Lauderdale thru the Canal and into San fran on April 26th.

ok, back to me. Nicolette starts school on Monday, so excited for her, and so sad for me. It's only Pre-k so its only from 8:30 till 11:30 that's not too bad.

We went to open house today and she had a great time. They have an indoor jungle-train and waterfall, tree house and all kinds of great things for the lil peanuts to play with. How come they didn't have this stuff when we were kids?

Well, another storm is rolling in so before my computer dies again, or I get struck by some electric shock, I am shutting down.

Peace

-Zila

Forgive me Nana for I have sinned.

It has been approximately 22 years since my last confession.

OK, so here i am driving to your house to collect the mail and check on the house (we had another bad storm come through town) etc. I am en route when the next thing I know, I am at the window of our beloved Dunkin Donuts. Without even thinking I blurt out "medium carmel iced coffee, cream , 2 sugar". I wondered how I even got there. It was all a blur. The car was on autopilot I surmised.

Then, as I hold the chilled container that holds what I can only describe as liquid gold, I take a long sip (much like a smoker that takes that beloved drag of a cigarette) that seems to last forever. Then it hits me, the familiar friend that I have been missing. I am ecstatic. But as quickly as that feeling hits me it is gone equally as fast.

Good bye feeling good, HELLO guilt. How could I have gone without you? How could I knowing that you were feeling the same emptiness. Each day on board the cruise ship, having to settle for something less than perfection? I am ashamed.

Well, I was ashamed until I took another sip!! Then all over again, that warm and fuzzy feeling of content that only dunkin's coffee could give.

The cycle continues, the guilt with pleasure after every sip. Now for the first time I truly understand that saying "Guilty Pleasure".

So Nana, what do you say a few Hail Mary's and we're good?

PS. Is there a local chapter of D.A. (dunkin's anonymous) in Port Saint Lucie?
oxoxoxox

A long week

It's been one week since I have had the pleasure of going to Dunkin Donuts. Although my wallet thanks me, my mouth does not. I have been dying to get my hands on a Medium Regular cup of Coffee...If and when I start getting the shakes (much like a junkie needed his/her fix) then I might consider going, but knowing that Nana has no Dunkin's in Alaska I will feel rather guilty going.

Out with the old!

There are 16 more days left until the first day of school. I guess Florida starts a little earlier than most states. I guess it's because of the heat, but I am not 100% sure. So, today we spent the whole day going through Nicolette's clothes and taking inventory of what is needed.

Conclusion- She needs SOCKS.

Yup, I have been slowly accumulating clothes here and there, somewhat like a squirrel gathering nuts for the winter. And to my pleasant surprise we only need some socks. :)

I did manage to take away 2 large garbage bags of clothes to send to the goodwill, and her closet actually looks organized. For how long will it stay that way, Who knows. But for now, I can't help but smile at the progress we made today.

PS. the Nana countdown is 7 days and counting

"ALL" Aboard, except the parents

A conversation that I have had a few times with different people from time to time, is the subject of children flying without parents. The other day when I was at the airport with my folks, there were 12 children traveling to Seattle alone. Some might have had siblings, but no adult and certainly no parent.

I am not sure why this bothers me so much, but it does. I just can't imagine placing my child on a plane alone to visit a grandparent or whomever, knowing the history of the airline industry. Cancelled flights, delays, emergency landings, etc.

I have a hard time with all of these scenarios, let alone a child. I think of all of the "what if's" and I get that sick feeling in my belly.

So, that leads me to another point, or apology.

My sister got invited to a party in Maine for her best friend. I said that she should go, and that I would watch the kids, she could just go overnight and come home. She politly passed on the offer, and OF COURSE what did I do... Continued with MY reasons why she should go, not paying attention to the underlying reason why she didnt want to.

She didnt want to travel without them incase something happened. I know only to well this feeling as I last year was to travel for my job to St.Paul, and had a panic attack while boarding the plane, and couldnt get on. Needless to say, I never made it to St.Paul and lost my job. BUT I did make it home safe, and that was the most important thing to me. So, I get that 100%, and as i said before I am trying to "talk less and listen more".

So, knowing two parents who dont want to travel without their kids, how is it that many can and do?

I would love to hear the otherside of this conversation to get a better perspecitve, maybe I am missing something.

The Silent Treatment

I find it amusing that at this age, I am still subject to the ever so deadly "silent treatment". Do i deserve the treatment? Perhaps. But I actually don't see the point. As if I really mind the peace and quiet! Ha. It's been several days and my husband has decided that I am not worthly of his words! Double HA HA.

However, last night he needed someone to pick him up... So who did he call... YUP, he actually had to put his tail between his legs and call ME.. HA HA HA.

So, I did what any good wife would do... GLOAT.

Hardy Har Har Har.