WILDWOOD, NJ



Is there anything more fun than a day at the beach? This is my idea of heaven. I have been itching to get to the beach since we moved here and we finally made it. I haven't been to the beach since Okinawa (OK, we went to Galveston for Mardi Gras and visited the beach but I was wearing a winter coat so that doesn't count) and have really missed the sound of the waves, the gulls cries, and the sand squishing under my feet.

The boys headed straight for the water and were fearless. They loved being pushed by the waves and splashing in the surf. It's times like this that I really miss living on an island. If we were in Okinawa now the boys would have been at the beach several times a week over the summer. They would have loved it. They are both such water babies and delight in swimming and playing in the sand. We can't wait to return to the shore!

While we were there we checked out the boardwalk. Wow! I've never seen anything like that before. The crowds, the lights, the music and noise...it was overwhelming but exciting at the same time. We plan to return soon when we have more time (we only went for the day, and spent most of it on the beach) and more cash in our pockets (the boys wanted to ride the ferris wheel and play several of the arcade games). I'm sure it will become one of those things that we will miss after we have moved from this area in three years.

Blogger now has a new feature where I can add video clips to my entries, so I'm trying it out. I'm posting a clip of when we first got to the beach. If it works I'll add another clip of the boys after they've splased around a bit. Enjoy! :)

Wiggles & Cowboys...

We attended our third Wiggles concert last weekend. As always, we had a great time. Missed Greg, but Sam was great, too. We didn't get to meet any of the Wiggles this time, but Dominic held up the sign he decorated which got Sam to wave at him and prompted Anthony to say hi to him from the stage. That was exciting!

I'm also including some cowboy pics I took yesterday. My mother made these adorable little chaps which the boys had fun posing in.

This & that....

I have been so excited to read replies to my posts. I was starting to think I was all alone here. LOL! Susie, LOVE your responses. You crack me up! And yes, you are a leader. I overthink things, too. Like the fact that someone deleted their own reply. What did they write and why did they have to delete it? Who was it? Now I will be wondering about that all day. Reply deleter, whoever you are, you've really messed with my head!! LOL!

I keep forgetting to share some news here. First, for those who don't know it yet, my sister & Marc are engaged. Woo hoo! I'm thrilled for them!!! I can't wait for the pirate wedding! What will I wear?

Second piece of exciting news: there is an article about my brother's car in the CURRENT issue of High Performance Pontiac. I'm going to B&N tonight to pick up a copy for myself. Be sure to check it out when you're in the book store!!

Third bit of news: I got a job! I'll be teaching a class called "Peace Program for Preschoolers" four afternoons a week at the local YMCA. They boys will be in my class, and I'm very excited about it. The program sounds wonderful. It's all about teaching young children about respect, responsibilty, and problem solving. We'll be learning about many international cultures and hopefully fostering a sense of open mindedness in the children. In our crazy world today we can use more PEACE and UNDERSTANDING, and I'm happy that I can possibly play a small part in that process.

Now to sad news....please keep a friend of mine, Karen, in your prayers. She lost her husband and best friend yesterday to a heart attack. They have a 4 year old son, and my heart breaks that he has lost his father. Please pray for her to have strength in the difficult days ahead. And hold your loved ones close, as life is fragile. Carpe diem.

Here's what I have been "tagged" to do:1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they have been tagged, and to read your blog.

1. I really like big band music, like Louie Prima and Brian Setzer, and enjoy swing dancing when I get the chance. We used to dance every week in Houston, but now that we have kids we're limited to the rare night out. It's still fun.

2. I hate cheese. Really. Not sure why but the smell makes me sick. This is the worst thing that could ever happen to an Italian. Really.

3. I love to travel. I've been to Italy, France, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Mexico, Japan, China, Australia, Russia, and the Reublic of Georgia. My passport is so cool...it has stamps from all these places, plus two visas with typos (one from China and one from ROG that says I'm "Andrew") along with the corrected visas.

4. I believe that if you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem. Which is probably why I wind up leading almost every group I join. LOL.

5. I really like the color pink. It may be because I live with three males and I'm overcompensating for the lack of femininity in my house, but I really think it's just that I like the color. It's pretty.

6. I was born in Italy and am trilingual (English, Italian, and Spanish). I'd like to learn more languages if I get the chance.

7. I enjoy doing crafts, even though I'm not great at them. I just purchased a craft table for myself in the hopes that I'll finally have the time to sit down and tackle the many projects that have been piling up.

8. I believe in "carpe diem". I try to make the most of every opportunity that is presented to me and to enjoy every moment as if it might be my last. I also dream of helping to make the world a better place, in whatever small way I can.

I don't know 8 people who blog, so I'm only "tagging" Susan, Sarah & Emily! :)