It's been awhile...

I've been tagged by Kathy at My Inside Voice and this is a fun one.

You have to list 5 songs you're ashamed to admit that you like. The timing was perfect on this because I was just on iTunes downloading some songs for a summer playlist...so here goes.

1. The Jonas Brothers "When You Look Into My Eyes"

My daughter loves these guys...I don't, but I really like this song, it reminds me of being an infactuated teenager!

2. Anything by Barry Manilow (or "Barely Man Enough" as we used to call him.)

There's something about this guy that I love. Tonight I downloaded "Weekend in New England," "Ready to Take a Chance Again," and "Even Now." If my husband plays them, he just might get laid tomorrow night!

3. Flo Rida "Low"

I'm actually not ashamed to admit I like this one, although I'm sure his target audience isn't 40 plus housewives from Jersey. I just LOVE singing this one.."Apple Bottom jeans...boots with the fur...she turn around and give her big booty a slam..she hit the floor, she hit the floor next thing you know she got LOW, LOW, LOW, LOW!"

I'm crankin' it in the minivan tomorrow!

4. "Cha-Cha Slide" by DJ Casper...you should have seen me at class parties when I was class mom...I rocked the elementary school when we turned on the Slide!

5. "Man! I Feel Like a Woman" Shania Twain This song makes me want to throw on a pair of Daisy Dukes and do some line dancin...maybe even ride a mechanical bull-YEE HA!

Bonus confession song: "My Humps" by The Blackeyed Peas...that song absolutely kills me.

Okay, Mrs. K...Life is Better with a Cute Outfit and Lunanik...you have a little assignment...because I tag YOU!

A Caffeine Court Public Service Announcement

Do not, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, let your children wear Crocs on escalators.

Don't believe me? Google it.

'Nuff said.

Tennis Tuesday - The Art of Doubles

This post isn't just about tennis...it's about life AND tennis.

It seems in the world of tennis, there are people who prefer singles and those who prefer doubles. I've always loved both, but lately I seem to be leaning towards singles.

Why? Well, it seems that finding the right partner is like finding the right husband or friend. In order for it to work, there are so many variables.

Personally, I like to talk to my doubles partner. I like to work strategy and I'm open to suggestions. (As long as they are constructive.)

Some people hate this style. They don't want to talk, or they see talking strategy as criticism. Some people like to blame their partner when they lose. Nothing turns me off more than hearing one doubles player publicly bash their partner when they lose. I think it's really bad form. Even if your partner DID royally screw up, you're a team, you win as a team and lose as a team. Which makes singles so much simpler. It's all on you. If you play well you can pat yourself on the back, if you screw up, you didn't let a partner down.

There are a few people who I absolutely love playing doubles with. We have complimentary styles, and we like each other, so we feel comfortable talking, or communicating to each other during and between points. (Which occasionally means shouting out "Let it bounce!" or "MINE!!") We can laugh together if we screw up and we don't blame each other if someone is having an off day.

In tennis, as in life, chemistry means so much.

My favorite book on the subject of doubles is "The Art of Doubles" by Pat Blaskower. This is my doubles bible, it covers everything you need to improve your game, including, choosing the right partner, proper court position and achieving mental toughness.

Here's a line from the book that applies not just to tennis, but to any close relationship..."Picking the right person to share your tennis life is no small matter....Your own version of 'the dream team' should take into consideration not only your strengths and weaknesses as a player, but your ability to compliment a potential partner's expertise."

Who knew tennis could be so deep!???

Gimme a P-A-P-E-R-W-O-R-K! What's that spell? A big pain in the ass!

My oldest daughter has decided that she wants to be a cheerleader this year. Quite frankly, I would much rather she double up on tennis lessons (duh), take swimming, or play soccer...but she chose cheerleading, so I'm going with it.

Anyway, I broke out the Pop Warner registration packet the other day, and I almost sh-t! I think a college application to Harvard would require less work than this!

In order for my daughter to start cheerleading they require 2 copies of her birth certificate, a photograph of her, her social security number, 2 copies of her latest report card, a physical form, and I need to sell at least $100 worth of ads for the Pop Warner ad journal. We also need to get measured for sneakers and uniforms, pay a $100 fee plus give a $150 deposit for the uniform.

I'm glad they aren't asking for DNA samples and copies of my tax records for the past 10 years! No wonder my friends with 4 kids are stressed out! Those of you with older children are used to this, but this is all new to me.

Anyway, I put the pedal to the medal and I'm halfway there with the paperwork. Tomorrow she gets her physical, and then I'm ready to turn in the 275 pages of documentation which will allow my child to attend cheerleading practice Monday night.

Yay mom!!!

Princeton, Pancakes and Poker

As I mentioned, Brad and I had a little 10th anniversary getaway Friday night. Originally we planned on going to New Hope, Pennsylvania. Our plans changed when Brad had to work late so we decided to go to Princeton, NJ.

If you are ever in Jersey, you HAVE to visit Princeton. What a great town! We ended up walking into an amazing restaurant called The Ferry House without reservations. I thought for sure we wouldn't get in, but we got really lucky and someone had just cancelled a reservation, so we were seated immediately and enjoyed a FABULOUS meal. (I started with the Roast Portobello Mushroom Bisque with Goat Cheese and Fried Leeks, Brad had the most adorable little crab taco appetizer with mandarin oranges and avocado. Our entrees consisted of, for me, Seared Tuna, rare with goat cheese mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus and for Brad, a Cajun blackened grouper with crab mashed potatoes and steamed mussels.) So yummy I didn't have room for dessert OR coffee. (And you KNOW I never turn down a cup of java!)

We stayed at a hotel about a mile out of town and in the morning we had pancakes at PJ's Pancake House...quite the institution in Princeton.

The town Princeton is chock full of great things to do, coffee houses, restaurants, bars, awesome shopping, and the university which made Brad and I wish we had studied harder in high school. We checked out Albert Einstein's house and did lots of walking. I can't wait to go back.

On Sunday we were stuck inside, so while the girls worked on their scrapbooks and played the Wii, we pulled out the Poker set had a really fun (and long) game of 5 card draw with my parents. Other than the tense moment, when my Dad told me I could get my fingers broken for trying to look at his hand after a bluff-a good time was had by all!

If you've never played Poker, you should learn! My nieces and nephews taught me last year at the beach, and now I'm hooked. Trust me...it's a great game. (As long as you follow the rules, I promise no one will break your fingers!)

I want to have a Poker night at our house sometime..no money involved, just chips. Whoever has the most chips at the end of the night will bring home a prize...like a nice bottle of wine. I like to do something a little different than a typical cocktail party every once in awhile.

So that was our weekend here in beautiful Central Jersey. Princeton, P.J.'s Pancakes and Poker. How about you?

Like Mother-Like Daughter....

Today was a rainy, stormy day in the great Garden State. The lightening and hail were brutal, so we opted to stay in. I was not in the mood to clean out closets, fold laundry, or reorganize the pantry (much to my husband's chagrin) so I decided we should do some "fun family activities."

I'll start with the kid's activity...

When my oldest daughter was a baby I was really into scrapbooking. A friend of mine had a business in her home and about twice a month I'd go over to her "scrapbooking studio" and work on my books. The result was four gorgeous scrapbooks documenting Meg's infancy and toddler years. When Catherine came along I was pretty much done with my scrapbooking phase...but the supplies remain.

Today I allowed my older daughter to break into my supply stash and start her own scrapbook. It was so cute watching her...she was really into it. At first I was having a hard time letting her dig into all my cherished paper, stickers, scissors and embellishments, but I forced myself to get over it, and I'm so glad I did...she put together the most adorable pages and she was so damn proud!!

How about you gals? Were any of you into the whole scrapbooking thing when it wast the hot hobby for mommys? Does anyone still do it? It seems all the scrapbook stores in my area went out of business...I guess when A.C. Moore and Michael's jumped on the bandwagon the little guys got blown out of the water.

Some day I'll write more about some of my other crafty phases including knitting (which I miss), needlepoint, jewelry making (so expensive) and rubber stamping cards. Since I started blogging my creative hobbies have been replaced by writing and home hair styling. Since I'm a failure at home hair styling, I'll stick with the writing.

Next post...my romantic getaway with Brad and the adults play poker!!!

I just thought of something kind of funny...

In addition to my nephew, my parents are staying with us for 2 weeks. 

Yesterday my mom grounded me.

I'm sure I've mentioned that I'm a little challenged when it comes to laundry and organization. My husband has been freaking out because there are laundry baskets full of clothes in the corner of our room, and when he tries to get clothes for our girls their drawers are a mess.

So, Mom decided to take matters in her own hands and she FORCED me to help her sort through clothes, figure out what goes to Goodwill, what goes to the cousins and what gets tossed. It was brutal.  Since I have two young children, who both had friends over, there were lots of distractions, but the minute my mother caught me trying to do something else, WHAM, she'd call me on it, and back to the laundry piles I would go, dragging my feet the entire time.

We almost completed the task, but I outsmarted her and suggested we make a trip to Costco, which I know she can't resist.

I give that woman alot of credit. It's not easy to get me to budge, but since she gave birth to me, she figures she can boss me around a little.  

She's staying for a few more days, so if she tries to get me to clean out closets again I'm going to entice her with a trip to Tuesday Morning, or the Dollar Tree.  It's going to take alot to outwit the "master of distraction."  I hope she's up to the task.