Nico getting ready to ride the train, a stop in the city and the tree!
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Christmas 2008
So This Christmas we spent in New Jersey. My parents live in Atlanta and most Christmases we spend there but this year I decided to host Christmas. We spend every Thanksgiving at the farm in Kentucky and to help cut costs we had it here. I was sooo excited to have my parents and brother here. Unfortunately the day they were to arrive, I woke up with the stomach virus Nico had had two days before. I proceeded to have a very intimate relationship with the toilet bowl. Luckily for me, my parents were super delayed getting here and by the time they had arrived around 5:30, I was over the horrific part and was just weak from dehydration and fever. The next day proved MUCH better and I was able to eat and go to church and a Christmas Eve party. I was left with a bad head cold but THAT didn't stop Christmas! Christmas day I made Osso Buco and Butternut Squash Risotto for my family and my neighbors, Lesley and Ken and their two boys. It was YUMMY. I cooked all day but it was worth it. My mom made cornish game hens with her home made stuffing for my brother who won't eat anything. It was a great Christmas and we had a fabulous time. We even got to take a trip into the city to see the tree. I sincerely hope that all my friends and family had a blessed Christmas and that 2009 is healthy and happy for everyone.
Enjoy the pictures
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Women in the work place
I know I haven't posted in a while - and I have a ton to post about Thanksgiving and pictures and such but this video caught my attention. It's interesting and some might say - Oh here the media goes again making a moutain out of a molehill. I work in coorporate America and it has been very good to me....but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't male dominated and IN that can lean a certain way. It's certianly milder than it used to be I'm sure - but it still exists. It's comments like the govenor's that perpetuate stereotypes and I applaud Campbell Brown for saying so.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Inspiration
So yesterday I had the honor of going to visit my friend Christine while she was getting her Chemo. Christine and I met in 2001 shortly before Daniele and I got married. Chris and I became good friends pretty quickly. We both were working for an internet company and I left and shortly after she left. I was working in a restaurant and Christine got a job as facilities coordinator for Liberty International. Christine was working downtown during 9/11. After 9/11 I lost my job in the restaurant and had been out of work for several weeks when she called and offered me a temp job at Liberty. She then encouraged me to apply for the assistant job in Environmental and that's how I got in at Liberty where I've managed to move up to underwriting. So thank you Chris for pushing me to interview. My job has been a true blessing! Christine hasn't had an easy time of it at least in the 7 years I have known her. She lost two people extremely close to her, she had a very scary child birth experience and in May 2008, she was diagnosed with HERS2 breast cancer. It's one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer from what I've been told. So far she's endured 5 months of Chemo. She's down to two more treatments before they start prepping her for major surgery. I didn't find out all of this until August or September. I hadn't seen her in a long time but promised I'd come visit her one day while she was getting her Chemo. I got to do that yesterday. I have to say her attitude is simply amazing. She has a great outlook, a constant smile on her face and seems at peace with what she is going through. She manages to still take care of her 3 year old while go through what appears to me to be torture, but to her is just what she has to do.
She gave me her Christmas card yesterday. I made a comment about how early she had them done and she said - "Well I had to get my picture taken before I lost all my eyelashes" I giggled because that's just Christine. She is THAT prepared. I think I would have been too caught up in it all. But not her. Looking at her Christmas card with Tom and her son George...you would never know she is in the fight of her life. She's an inspiration. So Chris, I am keeping your Christmas card above my computer in my cube at work....to look at when I think I'm having a bad day. To inspire me to know...I'm so blessed and whatever I might be going through really isn't that bad and also how blessed I am to have you as a friend.
I know she's going to be OK....Christine is a fighter - the kind that only knows how to fight because she's done it her whole life. In spite of that, what I know to be true about her character, I'm asking all who read this to please just say a prayer for her and her recovery, that God not give her anymore than she can handle in a day and that with HIS help, she beats this and heals quickly so she can go do what she does best....and that's be a mom her her 3 year old.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
My Blessing
When I saw this picture it simply made my day and my not so great news didn't seem so bad anymore. Because I have the greatest gift I could ever have in this little fireman here.My Son
So today was a little bit of a rough day as I had anticipated it to be....but my husband took these photos and texted them to me this morning and they simply made my day. Nico got this fireman rain coat from his best friend Darius (see below) for his 3rd birthday. It rained today and as you can see this get up was put together in order to brave the rain and go to school. Pretty stinkin cute.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Diego and Spiderman BEST FRIENDS
This is Darius, our neighbor and Nico's best friend....I LOVE this picture because it really captures the fondness these two have for each other. It's such a sweet picture! We had a great time trick or treating. Halloween brings out the kid in all of us!!
Engarde!
My favorite thing about this picture is Nico's face as he's looking at his silly Papa....priceless!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Stop the Madness.....
As Election day approaches, I've been getting more and more emails from friends/acquaintances and/or family members about the election. Let me just put it out there...I'm a registered Democrat and I will be voting for....UUUGHGHGH OBAMA. There I said it. Now the emails I get frequently are usually forwards of some kind written by someone from the right who has distorted the facts about Obama and paints a rosey picture of McCain. I hate to say it, but since campaigning began I RARELY get propaganda from the left. I say that in all honesty. Once in a blue moon I will receive something but usually from a FRIEND who knows where I lean. My question is...why? Why do conservatives/Republicans, etc feel like they have a right to send a mass email out with extremely skewed points of view and call it fact, say Obama has LIED...meanwhile they are doing the EXACT same thing they are accusing the left candidate of. It's hypocrisy at its best. It's also extremely arrogant if you ask me. First of all, voting for a candidate and forming your points of view are extremely personal descisions. I take offense and have for a while, to those emails that are based mostly in bold face lies while some are based on half truths. I've been thinking about why it is that I get so mad. I think it's because some people assume that by me reading one of these half truth tidbits that I will read it and subsequently change my mind...my choices...that I have thought about, read about, prayed about and discussed. Like my descision was made by reading one of these bits of nonsense in the first place.
Maybe that's how they formed their opinions, by following what someone else has told them...I doubt it...but you never know. That's not how I've formed my own. I don't like that my opinion isn't respected when I do my best to respect other people's opinions and RIGHT to have a different opinion. I do not forward these emails because I do not presume to think that my email will change your mind. I do not assume that I even have a right to impose my beliefs on you in the first place. So why do people think they have a right to impose their beliefs on me?
And how Christ gets thrown around in these petty emails infuriates me even more. Insinuating that I can't be a Democrat and still whole heartedly be a CHRISTIAN. Last I checked this was a free country. This country was founded by those escaping religious persecution. Our Founding Fathers demanded a Separation of Church and State so that no one could impose their religious views on another. This melding of religion and law....threatens the very freedoms men have died fighting for. I believe in Christ and that he is my Savior. I don't believe that John McCain or George Bush for that matter, are the chosen few. And as a Christian, I resent that insinuation. That Barack Hussein Obama can't be one because of his middle name. And even if he WAS Muslim....how great a country is this that a mixed race man, of whatever religion has been able to do what he has done.
I know many of you have different opinions and I respect them. I silently respect them by NOT forcing my views on you. I think it's an awesome thing that we can all believe different things in this great country and NOT be persecuted for it. So please, stop the email propaganda...just vote your conscience. I certainly will vote mine.
Maybe that's how they formed their opinions, by following what someone else has told them...I doubt it...but you never know. That's not how I've formed my own. I don't like that my opinion isn't respected when I do my best to respect other people's opinions and RIGHT to have a different opinion. I do not forward these emails because I do not presume to think that my email will change your mind. I do not assume that I even have a right to impose my beliefs on you in the first place. So why do people think they have a right to impose their beliefs on me?
And how Christ gets thrown around in these petty emails infuriates me even more. Insinuating that I can't be a Democrat and still whole heartedly be a CHRISTIAN. Last I checked this was a free country. This country was founded by those escaping religious persecution. Our Founding Fathers demanded a Separation of Church and State so that no one could impose their religious views on another. This melding of religion and law....threatens the very freedoms men have died fighting for. I believe in Christ and that he is my Savior. I don't believe that John McCain or George Bush for that matter, are the chosen few. And as a Christian, I resent that insinuation. That Barack Hussein Obama can't be one because of his middle name. And even if he WAS Muslim....how great a country is this that a mixed race man, of whatever religion has been able to do what he has done.
I know many of you have different opinions and I respect them. I silently respect them by NOT forcing my views on you. I think it's an awesome thing that we can all believe different things in this great country and NOT be persecuted for it. So please, stop the email propaganda...just vote your conscience. I certainly will vote mine.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Copyright and Copy of
So I've been thinking all day since I started my blog (YAY!) about posting some of my writing. I have a few essays I'd like to post and also some poems I've written over the years but I'm sort of weary about this whole blog online thing. I am guessing I probably shouldn't post my original works unless I get a copyright for them...am I right? Not that anyone would even want to use them, but you know...somewhere in the fantasy of my mind I will be a published, famous writer one day and if I don't copyright my material....how will anyone know I was the original author? So here I sit wanting to share some creative stuff but not able to at this point I suppose. I googled it and basically it, like everything, costs $$$. Oh well. If anyone reads this and has any experience with this I'd appreciate some advice.
On another note, we went to visit Danny's brother, Christian and his wife Evelyn and their nearly 2 year old son, Alessandro today in Queens. Nico was sooo excited to see his cousin. I've attached some pictures. What's cool is that Nico and Ale are almost carbon copies of their dads, Daniele and Christian....what do you think? See pics above!
On another note, we went to visit Danny's brother, Christian and his wife Evelyn and their nearly 2 year old son, Alessandro today in Queens. Nico was sooo excited to see his cousin. I've attached some pictures. What's cool is that Nico and Ale are almost carbon copies of their dads, Daniele and Christian....what do you think? See pics above!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
So here we go....
Ciao everyone!
So after reading and subscribing to several of my friends' blogs, I decided....why not start my own. I love to write and heaven knows I have opinions on everything. I also thought instead of sending out volumes and volumes of digital albums of my son, I can simply post current photos and events in one centralized location so friends and family can see Nico's adventures. For those of you who have never experienced a blog before, this is an online public diary of sorts. I'm hoping this will be a creative outlet for me as I am seemingly starved for creative outlets these days working in an office. If I post an opinion on something that offends you please know it's not my intention - it's just my opinion. If you want to comment feel free.
A note about the title....if you know me you know my background is Musical Theatre. One of my favorite shows is of course My Fair Lady, hence my email address....so I thought it appropriate to name my blog, My Fair Life. My Fair Life encompasses my son, my very Italian husband, my job as an Environmental Underwriter and everything else Jessica (kind of egocentric but if you can't be egocentric in your own blog...where can you be?). I hope you enjoy it!
So after reading and subscribing to several of my friends' blogs, I decided....why not start my own. I love to write and heaven knows I have opinions on everything. I also thought instead of sending out volumes and volumes of digital albums of my son, I can simply post current photos and events in one centralized location so friends and family can see Nico's adventures. For those of you who have never experienced a blog before, this is an online public diary of sorts. I'm hoping this will be a creative outlet for me as I am seemingly starved for creative outlets these days working in an office. If I post an opinion on something that offends you please know it's not my intention - it's just my opinion. If you want to comment feel free.
A note about the title....if you know me you know my background is Musical Theatre. One of my favorite shows is of course My Fair Lady, hence my email address....so I thought it appropriate to name my blog, My Fair Life. My Fair Life encompasses my son, my very Italian husband, my job as an Environmental Underwriter and everything else Jessica (kind of egocentric but if you can't be egocentric in your own blog...where can you be?). I hope you enjoy it!
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