Has it really been a year since I’ve posted here?  The evidence points to “yes”.  Yikes.   It has been a very eventful year.  I started back to school, so all my free time (and some not-so-free time) has been focused on achieving a lifelong goal of completing my college education.  I have another year to go, so don’t get all excited and expect that I will start blogging again on a regular basis, but i will do my best not to disappear again.

Since I evidently don’t have anything that can resemble a personal life, I need to get all my excitement from…you guessed it…technology!  I recently bit the bullet, removed every semblance of an excuse, and got myself an iPad.

If the truth be told, I think I’m in love.  This little gadget does so much more then I expected it would.  Here are the top features that I am excited about:

• My Nook is now being retired.  The online chapters of my school books would not convert properly to the Nook (one of the main reasons that I purchased it).  The  iPad will take these in beautiful pdf format and I can read my school chapters to my hearts content.
• I have access to Dropbox from the iPad.  Yay!!
• I have the ability to view and deliver presentations from either Powerpoint or Prezi directly from the iPad.  wOOt!
• ios5.  If you are familiar with ios5…nuff said!
• I found a cool RED iPad cover.

Even the puppy can’t resist being a part of the action!

Until next time!

After 15 years, 5 homes, two teenagers, and one puppy it was finally time to retire the living room furniture.   My kids will soon be moving out and will provide a happy home for….

BEFORE

I have recently adopted and given a good home to…..

AFTER

Hmmm….notice the red?  Not sure how THAT happened!

Okay everyone.  Today I am thinking of moods.  Happy.  Sad.  Sillly.  Excited.  Bubbly.  Whiny.  How many moods do you have? Which is your favorite?  What mood are you in now?

Drop a comment with just one word that describes your mood.

Mine right now:  Content

I love watching the Olympic games.  Summer Games.  Winter Games.  It makes no difference.  I love to watch.    I am always in awe of these athletes who have committed so much of their life to a sport that they are passionate about.

We hear all the stories about the drama and the tales of how these athletes got to where they are today.  But don’t you think that being a mother could also be considered an olympic sport?   Why is that, you ask?  Just consider:

• Nine months of progressively increased weight lifting
• Complete absorption and education into a new focus area
• Sleep deprivation endurance testing
• Accelerated training for intuitive interpretation of a foreign language (babies cry)
• Repetitive training techniques to enhance speed and reaction time (diaper changing)
• Special equipment for enhanced visual skills (eyes in the back of your head)
• Stretching endurance exercises (financial budget)
• Crash course medical training
• Training to become instantly alert at the sound of a telephone at 2:00 a.m.
• Ability to remain awake and alert during overnight teen festivities

I don’t know…Just Sayin.

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“Arrange whatever pieces come your way.”

-Virginia Woolf

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They always say that the secret is in the sauce.   I, for one, believe that.  My grandfather had the best spaghetti sauce EVAR!  I remember the magical smell that greeted us at the door on Christmas Eve at his house, or clearly see myself as I jumped up and down in delight as he carried in the crockpot full of red sauce when the holidays were celebrated at our house on the farm.  Ahhh….these are some of the treasured memories of childhood holidays with family.

One year, when I was in my early 20’s, I was brave enough to say, “Grandpa, would you write down your recipe for me?”.   His response was the typical Italian chef response…”Well, just a little of this and a little of that.”  After pestering him for a little bit, he finally wrote down the recipe for me on a scratch piece of paper.  I still have that paper.

Over the next couple of years I attempted to recreate that recipe.  You already know how this turned out because I used the word “attempted” in my sentence.  It was always a failure.  I could never get the sauce right.  Not only did I not get it right, it was always downright AWFUL!   I guess I don’t have the Italian gene that is capable of pulling off the “little of this and little of that” with flare.  Needless to say, I stopped trying to recreate his recipe and turned to another that I was able to complete with culinary acceptance.

This year, in the spirit of trying to turn my holiday doldrums around, I decided to give it another try.  I gave my son the list of ingredients to buy at the store (yes, there are benefits to having a teenage son who is currently unemployed!).  When I got home this evening, I strapped on my apron (hypothetically speaking of course…Grandpa always had his on) and I went to work.

Chop some celery, slice italian sausage, brown sausage and ground beef, chop the green pepper, throw it all into the crock pot with the tomato sauce, add tomato paste, add a pinch of oregano, a bay leaf and garlic bud!   Hmmm…this is going well.   Starting to look like spaghetti sauce.

Stir it all together and let simmer for 24 hours!  MMMM.  The best part!

Early indications are positive.  My daughter and her friend are at the house tonight for their annual Gingerbread house build.  They taste tested and gave me the big thumbs up.  I’m hopeful!

Keep your fingers crossed for a traditional Jacobucci spaghetti feast in the house on Christmas Eve!  It’s beginning to smell a lot like Christmas!

I love this version of the song.  Reminds me of days past where my Dad would whistle and sing along!   Lovely!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Oh no!!!  It’s true! She IS the better sister!!

St Patricks Cathedral was truly a stunning structure!

Dolled up for the big wedding!

The City and my Daddy.  What more does a girl need?

My beautiful sister and gorgeous mother!

You might be wondering why this is a big deal.    You catch the holiday spirit about this time every year.    That hasn’ t been the case for me.

I have found over the last few years, that it is harder and harder to get into the spirit of the season.  I typically sequestered myself over the holidays and just waited for it to pass.  I could whine about the multiple reasons that this is, but it would be just that….whining.   I will spare you.

This year is different.  I decided early on that I would absorb myself into the spirit of the season.  This year, I will celebrate my family, my friends, my life.

So far, so good.   I spent the weekend helping a good friend decorate her home for the holidays.  After we were finished, we decided to take in a movie.  To my delight we ran across the Snowflake Lane celebration at Bellevue Square.  I felt like I was ten years old again as I watched the drummers tap their drums, the holiday music embrace the night, and the colorful lights shining off the downtown buildings.  And then I watched in delight as it started to “snow”.

Next on my holiday agenda:  I am attending a company Christmas celebration this week,  I have been invited to attend a friends company celebration (ohh! A chance to get all girlie again!), I have plans to spend Christmas dinner with good friends, and now I can’t wait until my daughter returns home so that we can decorate my home.

I would also like to fit in:  A holiday afternoon of shopping in downtown Seattle, catch the beautiful Parade of Christmas Ships on Lake Washington, take in the play Late Nite Catechism.

Forgive me if this all sounds very superficial.   While I do also participate in charitable giving over the holidays, this year I wanted to include myself as someone I gave to.

The holiday buying season kicked into full gear on Black Friday.   Discounts!   Savings!  Cyber Monday!  Buy one get the second at 50% off!  Open at 4 a.m.!   The buying frenzy has begun.

It appears that the savings even applies to Love!  You all know that I have tried my hand at online dating.  Unsuccessfully, I might add.  I found it artificial, annoying, not always honest, off the mark…..  When I realized that I was uninterested and bored, I knew it was time to hit the  “Cancel” button.

The cancellation happened months ago, however, I keep getting the marketing emails.  The online dating sites really want my business.  No, really!   I must be some hot property for them to be so insistent that I rejoin.  I keep getting the marketing emails, the “he winked at you” emails, the “you’ve been chosen” emails, the “you must rejoin to see who is looking at you” emails.   Sorry, not buying it.

Todays email really cracked me up!   The subject line:

Love Is On Sale!  Save 25% off!

Wow!  I can’t believe this!   I can find the love of my life for 25% off!   How can I possibly turn this down?  Where do I sign??   Wait…hold on….I need to rethink this.  I can see it now…

Honey, I really don’t expect as much from you because I didn’t pay full price!