bloggy summer camp. . .family

Day 28 – What size family do you come from, what size family do you want, and why?

i come from a family of 4: 

during my childhood, my family consisted of 2 dogs, several cats, a few parakeets, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, a rabbit, and the occasional turtle my dad would find at work and bring home for a day before letting it go.

we have a large extended family though - my grandparents on my Mother's side had 12 brothers and sisters between them.  one of my fondest childhood memories is Christmas Eve at my great-grandmom's house with all the cousins and aunts and uncles - it was complete chaos and a dream come true for the kids.

truth be told - i alwasy wanted a big family. . .if money were no object, i like to think we would have had a larger family.  as it is - i'd say it's just perfect.  we are very lucky, and i try to count my blessings everyday.

want to check out the other campers? Go to Creating Motherhood.

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bloggy summer camp. . .advice

Day 26 – What is/are the best piece(s) of advice you’ve gotten or can give others? Do you consider yourself a blogger that people would take advice from? Why or why not?

the best advice i've given or received. . .

"you get more flies with honey than with vinegar"  - mom was right!

i like to consider myself a blogger that people can take advice from.  I work hard to be honest and authentic.  I would never write anything I knew to be untrue.  I strive to be helpful and provide content that is relevant and useful to women, moms and crafters out there just like me.  I like glimpses into other people's lives. . .and i provide a big old looky-look into mine right here.  if something is working for me - or there's a place or item that my family enjoyed - I want to share it with you and i want to tell you WHY we enjoyed it or it's working for us.

for a complete list of summer blog topics, see Creating Motherhood.

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bloggy summer camp. . .my life on tv

Day 27 – Which movies or tv shows do you think are the most accurate portrayals of your life? If you could write the next scene of your day what would it be?

i can remember watching Thirtysomething religiously - believing when i was in my 30s with a husband and kids, my life would be JUST LIKE Hope's.  and i think that is the draw of shows like that - it's "almost" like your life - or more accurately, what you wish you're life was like.

i don't know what show most resembles my life right now. . .i don't watch a lot of TV - so there's much out there I'm missing.  the funny part, is that when i write my blog posts . . .many many times, I picture in my head my life being a television show and getting it across to an audience.  wanting to engage them - make them feel emotions and relate to me on some level.  getting "discovered" - oh wait - that's another blog post. . .

but what i wish the next scene of my day would be? that's easy:

      Hillary was sitting at her desk, furiously working, when all of a sudden. . .the phone rang.  She looked up, considered not answering it, but pushed the "talk" button anyway. 

     "Hello?" she said.

     "Hello, is this Hillary?"

     "Yes it is, who's calling please?"

      "This is X (insert name of your favorite Brand here), we were wondering if you'd be interested in working with us?"

cue heavenly choir of angels. . .

to catch up on all the antics at summer blog camp, go to Creating Motherhood.

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bloggy summer camp. . .when i grow up

Day 25 – What did you want to be when you grew up? Why and/or how did that change over time?

i think i wanted to be a teacher for most of my childhood and young adulthood.  briefly, i toyed with being a gymnast like Nadia Comanechi . . .but that didn't really work out. . . in high school I thought about being a lawyer. . .

I ended up studying accounting and becoming an auditor for 20 years - it was a wise decision and a career path that was at times difficult but for the most part, very good to me.

I think it so difficult to think about what you want to do for the REST of your life - when you are 18. . .30 is a great time to make that decision - but sadly, its a bit late at that point.

I am currently in a career renaissance . . .finding myself again - picking a new path.  sometimes it's terrifying and yet so exciting.

have you always known what you wanted to do/be?

for more information and to follow the other bloggers participating in the summer blog camp, go to Creating Motherhood.

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bloggy summer camp. . .dating

Day 24 – What is your dream date? Have you ever dated anyone you met from the internet?

my dream date. . .as much as i'd love to do regular date nights with John - for whatever reasons, they don't happen very regularly.

these days, I'd love an overnight get-away. . .an afternoon of sightseeing, cocktail hour,  a great dinner, nice hotel - yummy breakfast the next morning and home to the kiddos.  heaven on a stick!

any hotels looking for a review? =)

i have never dated anyone from the internet. . .i've been with my hubby since the internet got widely popular and became a household product! LOL

for more on the summer blog camp, check out Creating Motherhood.

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bloggy summer camp. . .online activities

Day 23 – What are your favorite activities to do on-line? Is there more to do beyond blogging?

this one is so super easy for me - blog and tweet.  I love working on my own blog and reading as many blogs as I can.  I am also a self-admitted twitter addict.  I think Twitter is the best social media tool out there.  Once you figure it out and learn how to engage. . .the possibilities are endless.

i occassionally shop online - though I really like to see it and touch it in person before I buy it.

i take workshops and scrapbooking classes online as well.

to find out more about summer blog camp - check out Creating Motherhood

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bloggy summer camp. . .childhood memories

Day 22 – What is your most beloved childhood memory? I’d love it if you shared a photo of yourself as a child with this post!

i can't pick one. . .i am lucky enough to have had a childhood filled with cherished memories.  it wasn't perfect, but there were plenty of wonderful memories. . .our family vacation to Disney World (I think I was 12),  getting my mustard yellow kitchen set for Christmas (I was 4), playing Barbies with my cousin, making a clubhouse for  my stuffed animals with another cousin, holiday get-togethers at my my grandparents' house.

if i had to pick one - it would be spending time with my grandmom Josie.  in my memory she was a special kind of grandmom - always right next door, always happy to see me, always happy to do stuff with me. i miss her every day!

To get in on the summer blog camp fun, go to Creating Motherhood!

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bloggy summer camp. . .what's in a name?

Day 21- What names would you NEVER name a child or pet? What name do you wish you had been named? Do you like the name of your blog?

i can recall being pregnant with our first child. . .sitting down with baby naming books. . .making a list. . .sharing it with John as we sat in bed in the evenings, reading and relaxing (BEFORE KIDS). . .

. . . and him finding fault with EVERY name I came up with! LOL  Though I have to credit him with coming up with and suggesting Ryan's name (LOVE it!).  I think Owen's was a collaboration =)

having a "different" name myself (maybe not now - but in the 70s and 80s it was considered weird) - i wanted my kids to have a name that stood out.  John did not want to name the boys afer himself - I offered.  while we ended up with names that are not all that different - they are also not the most popular boy names.

each of the boys also has a significant middle name - Ryan's is in honor of my dad and Owen's is in honor of my brother.

names i would never use. . .probably "things" - like Apple, Grapefruit, Button, Shirt, Pants. . .whatever - I don't where people come up with these things.

the name of my blog. . .i do like it. . .i always worry that i could do better . . .but it represents what it stands for. . .perhaps it needs a little design tweaking. . .what do you think?

To join in the summer blog camp - go to Creating Motherhood!

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bloggy summer camp. . .random acts of kindness

Day 20 – What is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you? Did you repay the kindness? Did you blog about it?

i believe people do kind things for me everyday.  just this morning a woman held the door at the dry cleaners for me.  my husband made coffee. my kids brought their dirty dishes into the kitchen when they finished their breakfast.

yes - these are good manners - or what's really expected of you. . .but it is still a kindness.

when we display the good manners that our mother's worked so tirelessly to instill in us - it's being kind.  doing what is expected of us, or simply being polite - says to others "you matter".  and who among us doesn't want to feel like me matter?

nothing can get me in a funk in my house like feeling unappreciated.  when my husband and kids do the little things I expect - it makes a wold of difference in how i feel about myself and the job i am doing as mother and domestic goddess.

kindness matters.  asking me if I'd like a glass of milk too. . .kindness.  Taking your dishes or trash to the kitchen so I don't have to nag you or do it myself - kindness.  Saying please, thank you, and you're welcome to strangers - kindness.

if everyone was just a little kinder - think of what a wonderful world it would be.  show other people that they matter - be kind.

to join the fun, check out Creating Motherhood.

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bloggy summer camp. . .PDAs

Day 19 – How do you (and your partner if applicable) feel about PDA? Does your husband/wife/partner know that you blog and if so are they involved?

anyone who knows John could completely think we are talking Personal Digital Assistants here. . .however, I'm pretty sure Creating Motherhood means Public Displays of Affection. . .

a kid-captured moment

I am all for them - kisses, hugs, hand-holding, a special look, even a pat on the bee-hind or hand in the back pocket - I'd love John to leave a comment with his thoughts (a little he says/she says).

I think seeing a couple that looks like they are in love is wonderful-it gives everyone hope. Now, that doesn't mean it's okay to act like an adult film star - some stuff should be left for private.

john definitely knows i blog - hard to live with me and not know it - the kids know i blog. . .commonly heard around our house, "mom, are you gonna blog about this?"  how often he reads it - i'm not really sure - hopefully everyday from different computers - I could use the hits =) (KIDDING - well. . .)

to find out more and join the summer blog camp fun - check out Creating Motherhood.

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bloggy summer camp. . .what's your sign baby?

Day 18 – How do you feel about astrology? What’s your sign, baby, and do you think it matches your personality?

with a birthday of February 15th - I am  an Aquarius. . .the 11th sign of the zodiac symbolized by the Water Bearer.

according to www.zodiac-signs-astrology.com it means:

Aquarius Strength Keywords:

- Witty
- Clever
- Humanitarian
- Inventive
- Original

Aquarius Weakness Keywords:

- Stubborn
- Unemotional
- Sarcastic
- Rebellious
- Aloof

i doubt anyone who knows me would call me unemotional or aloof - I'll plead the 5th on the others. . .

according to www.astrology-online.com:
Aquarians basically possess strong and attractive personalities. They fall into two principle types: one shy, sensitive, gentle and patient; the other exuberant, lively and exhibitionist, sometimes hiding the considerable depths of their character under a cloak of frivolity. Both types are strong willed and forceful in their different ways and have strong convictions, though as they seek truth above all things, they are usually honest enough to change their opinions, however firmly held, if evidence comes to light which persuades them that they have been mistaken. They have a breadth of vision that brings diverse factors into a whole, and can see both sides of an argument without shilly-shallying as to which side to take. Consequently they are unprejudiced and tolerant of other points of view. This is because they can see the validity of the argument, even if they do not accept it themselves. They obey the Quaker exhortation to "Be open to truth, from whatever source it comes," and are prepared to learn from everyone.

i have to say - it sounds a bit like me - dontcha think?

For more on the summer blog camp activities - check out Creating Motherhood.

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bloggy summer camp. . .weekends

Day 17 – What is your favorite thing about the weekend? Do you take a break from blogs or is this when you catch up?

my favorite thing about weekends is the relaxed feeling - less that HAS to get done - more time to enjoy being together with my family.  Typically I do not post blog posts on the weekends - but sometimes something is just too good to share.

if we are having some down time, or the boys are off on an adventure, i may use some weekend time to catch up on blog reading. . .there is never enough time to read all the blogs i'd love to read!


For more information on the Summer Blog Camp check out Creating Motherhood.

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bloggy summer camp. . .online friends

Day 16 – How many friends of yours blog/tweet/actively facebook? Has social media helped or hurt your friendships?

when i started tweeting - not many of my real-life (RL) friends were there. . .so i did what any girl would do at a cocktail party where she didn't know anyone - work the room. 

soon i had a group of "regulars" that i chatted with.  time went on and as my online friendships grew - I got to meet some of those people in real life (IRL) and become for-real RL friends. that is on-going.  as i make more friends online and establish relationships with them - i hope to meet them in person.

similar scenario with bloggers and friends on facebook. . .i was a reluctant facebooker. . .and i am still not a fan. . .but to be involved in social media and communication - i need to be involved in all areas in order to best serve my clients, associates and community.

i think social media and online communication have helped friendships in many ways. . .however, nothing beats a good girls night out!

Want to find out more about the summer blog camp? Check out Creating Motherhood.

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bloggy summer camp. . .the college years

Day 15 – What was your college experience like? Were you involved in any clubs, groups, etc? If you did not go to college what was your experience like after high school?

college was a-mazing.  it's probably in my best interest not to share too much here. . .Cabrini was like Vegas - what happened there - stays there.

here are the facts:  I went to Cabrini College in Radnor, PA.  I majored in Accounting and graduated with the class of 1990.

Thanks to the internet (and Al Gore) i keep in touch with a pretty impressive number of people I knew in college - my year and the years around us. 

The absolute BEST thing about college, was that Cabrini was like a community - like family.  It was small - everyone  knew everyone else (and their business).  You got to know your professors and the rest of the college staff.  You knew where everything was - you could walk from one side of the 100 rolling acres (they have since found a few more acres) to the other in a matter of minutes. 

A car was nice - but not necessary.  You could walk to the Wayne Tavern - even in a snowstorm.  There was pool - but it wasn't for students.  Nuns lived on campus.

I played God one year in an Irish Minstrel show . . .there is ALL kinds of irony to that story - almost as much as the next year, when I was assigned the part of a nun.  The lovely Doc Feighen who headed up the project went to the trouble of securing ACTUAL Nun vestments. . .I told him it was probably best if we kept them off my body - we didn't want any spontaneous combustion or lightning strikes.

i didn't play sports - i was in the accounting club (hard to believe no?) I belonged to kappa sigma omega (a service club NOT sorority) and gave campus tours to prospective students.  I was voted class flirt, most hook ups and best dressed by my fellow classmates (thank you for 2 of the 3!)  Six out of 7 days, I wouldn't trade my experiences there (good and bad) for anything in the world.

my college yearbook picture

college is where i learned about how to get along in the world. . .how to be separate from my parents. . .how to fall down, and get back up again.  it helped me get my first job and launch a 20 year career.  It introduced me to a variety of women and men that have touched my life in a million different ways.

i truly could go on - it could be a a blog all of it's own - My Cabrini Life. 

i still keep in touch - returning for reunions and events.  i served as President of the Alumni Board for 2 years and served as a board member for 2 years prior to that.  I was our Class Agent for more than 10 years.

a Cabrini event I brought Ryan to

so that was college - in a nutshell.

there's plenty of time to join in the summer blog camp fun at Creating Motherhood!

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bloggy summer camp. . .what do "real" bloggers wear

Day 14 – How do you typically dress to run errands? Do you think bloggers dress better or worse than “regular people”?
 
as i admitted in my 8-minute face post, i am not a leave the house as-is girl. . .i need hair and make-up - even if I am going out in yoga pants and a t.  not Golden Globes hair and make-up . . . just errand hair and make-up. . .there's a difference (or at least there SHOULD be)

i am a pretty "traditional" dresser. . .jeans, shorts, t-shirts, sweaters, turtlenecks are pretty much my wardrobe staples.  today i'm wearing this:

WIW July 14, 2011

 i never really thought about how "bloggers" fit into the how people dress scenario.  i think there are bad dressers and there are stylish people.  i like to be stylish (or at least feel as though I am). . .i noticed I need to stand a little taller when being photographed =)

if money were no option, i'd have a closet to rival Carrie Bradshaw's . . .i love fashion, shopping, style and all that goes with it.

for information on summer blog camp or to join the fun - check out Creating Motherhood!

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bloggy summer camp. . .the best job ever

Day 13 – Tell us about the best job you ever had, and the worst. Do you ever blog or read blogs while at work? Do you ever quote or reference blogs while at work?

the best job i've ever had is that of CMO - Chief Mom Ofiicer . . .it is the one job that makes me feel as if I am making a positive difference in  the world around me.  being a mom to my 2 boys fills me with a sense of accomplishment and pride that no paying job ever has or will.

me and my boys

i enjoy working (for pay) and volunteering (not for pay).  being laid off for the last year and half has been a struggle both financially and personally. . .it's been a tough adjustment.  i have recently been given some opportunities to get this new career off the ground - Online Content Creator and Social Media Strategist.  it's slow (financially speaking) - but i'm truly enjoying it and it is keeping me super busy.

i don't really have a worst job - i was fortunate enough not to have a list of bad and awkward summer jobs and part-time jobs while finishing high school and attending college.  i worked as an assistant for a kids camp, in the checking department of a local bank, and in retail - then i moved into my "career" - accounting and auditing.

when i worked in an office, yes i worked on my blog and read blogs at work.  never to the detriment of my paying work. . .but in a slow period or down-time.  i'd much rather do that than read the newspaper or play games as many other office workers do. =)

If you want to learn more about the Summer Blog Camp - check out Creating Motherhood.

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bloggy summer camp. . .blame it on the alcohol

Day 12 – Tell us about the first time you got drunk or tipsy (as far as you can remember…) Do you ever stop yourself from telling too much when you write on-line or do you think you tell too much? 

hmmmm. . .remember that my mom reads my blog. . .lol. . .and potential employers and clients. . .but having said that - this is me =)

i think the first time was in high school. . .probably at a party. . .drinking sloe gin fizzes and playing drinking games like Thumper and Mexican.  It all seemed so grown-up - trying to play Thumper gently on a friend's parents' glass table. . .

i would call myself a cautious online writer.  what you read here is true and genuine.  i am exactly what you see in these words and pictures - i will never intentionally lie to you.  however, just like with so many of the ways we present ourselves - our online or blog personality becomes a part of who we are. . .would-be employers will Google you. . .smart clients will Google you. . .potential employees will Google you. . .i believe it's important to think about what you are presenting, while maintaining your sense of self. 

so - i curse. . .i share embarrassing stories. . .i rant. . .it's part of who i am.  if we worked in an office building together - these are stories i would probably tell you once we got to know each other.

how about you? are you a free sharer or do you hold back? a little of both?

you can get more information on the summer blog camp from Creating Motherhood.

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bloggy summer camp. . .one of these things is not like the other

Day 11 – How are you different from your parents? How are you the same? Do your parents and/or family know that you write on-line?

my family

if you ask my husband - I am almost exactly like my mother. . .the good, the bad and the ugly.  and if i'm honest with myself - the older i get, the more similarities I see. 

sometimes i think it would be cool to be able to travel back in time and see her when she was my age - going through some of the things that I'm going through - firsthand, rather than with years of experience to color her perspective.  she's typically the first or second person I turn to when something happens - good or bad.  I may not always like her advice, or agree with her - but I know she's there and she cares.

my dad has had a lot of influence on my life.  i credit him with my attention to safety - we always use the correct carseat.  we all wear helmets and seatbelts.  no riding in the front seat under 13 years old (even with the airbag disabled).  he taught me to change a car tire, ride a bike, paddle a canoe, hit a ball and a countless other life skills.  he's a real outdoorsman (not quite my thing) and my kids and John have a great time with him camping, fishing, kayaking, etc.

i've always believed that it is a school and teachers' responsibility to make you smart - it's your parents' responsibility to make a good person able to get along in the world.  I like to think my parents excelled at it. =)  now if only i can do the same for my boys.

i think most of my family knows about my blog and follows along occasionally.

To find out more and join in on the Summer Blog Camp fun - check out Creating Motherhood.

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bloggy summer camp. . .sharing a recipe

Day 10 – Share your favorite recipe (or two) (see! You CAN be a food blogger!)

i made a yummy new recipe last week, and after posting a picture on Twitter, several people asked for the recipe - so here it is:

Crispy Black Bean Cakes (from The Family Dinner)

ingredients
2-3 Tbls olive oil
1 med onion
4 cloves of garlic minced (I used the frozen from Trader Joe's)
2 Tbls of cumin (I didn't have any so I used chili powder - we like things mild)
2 15-ounce cans of refried black beans (if you can't fine refried black beans, use regular refried beans) (i used 1 can of refried black beans with jalepenos & 1 can of regular refried beans)

1 cup of cornmeal

1 egg

2 Tbls vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cayenne (optional)

1 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal

Guacamole

Cabbage or Broccoli Slaw

Salsa

Fresh Cilantro

To-Do (makes 16 cakes)

Heat up a medium-size skillet and drizzle enough olive oil to cover the bottom.  Saute the onion until golden brown and soft.  Add the garlic, 1 Tblsp of cumin and the green chilies, stir until fragrant and most of the moisture has evaporated.  Dump the mixture into a large bowl.

Add the black beans, cornmeal, egg, vinegar, salt, and cayenne.  Stir well.  If the mixture seems a little loose, add some more cornmeal.  Let it rest in the fridge for about 15 minutes of up to a day.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the crispy rice cereal with 1 Tblsp olive oil and the remaining cumin and pour into a large shallow bowl.  Scoop up a heaping Tablespoon of the bean mixture and plop it into the bowl of rice coating.  Gently pat the cake down so the bottom gets covered in the coating, then flip, making sure the edges are covered as well, shaping it GENTLY into a small, round, flat patty.  Put them on an oiled sheet pan and repeat the process witht he remaining mixture.

Spray or drizzle the cakes with a little olive oil then stick the sheet pan in the oven for 30 minutes.  (You can also saute them in oil on the stovetop for a crispier cake).

I took the book's suggestion, and grilled some corn on the grill, removed it from the cob and sprinkled a layer on each plate.  Then I placed a bean cake, topped it with a dollop of guacamole and arranged a spoonful of Brocoli Slaw (from Trader Joe's) on the top.

My kids actually tried them (although they did NOT eat them) and I thought they were delicious! In hind-sight, I wish I had taken more pictures of making the cakes - they were easy, but I'm a nervous chef so I get easily overwhelmed in the kitchen! 

catch you soon -

bloggy summer camp. . .lessons learned

Day 9 – What is the most important lesson you learned from your own mother (or other primary caretaker)? What do you imagine the name of your Grandmother’s blog would be and what would she write about? 

whew these are toughies. . .

the most important lesson I learned from my mom? she taught me so many valuable things - truly the biggest influence on who and what I am today.  Almost everything I know about being a mom - I learned from her. 

me and my mom 2005

And that's probably the most valuable lesson - that good or bad - a mom is ALWAYS there for her kids.

what would my grandmother's blog be. . .hmmm. . .from Josie's kitchen. . .my grandmom passed away when I was in HS - but I can remember spending countless mornings, afternoons and evenings in her kitchen - cooking, watching her cook, talking, just hanging out - it was truly the hub of her house and the hub of our family.

Grandmom Josie

you can find our more about the summer blog camp at Creating Motherhood.

catch you soon -