Category: Home

someday (soon)…

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My baby sister got married this past weekend.  It was such a fun weekend and the wedding was perfect!  She’s 13 years younger than me and it’s hard to believe that she is now married.  Makes me feel old.  It also encouraged me to finally complete this list, a bucket list, of things that I would love to do, see, and accomplish in my life.  Time goes by so quick!  Not that writing down a list necessary makes them any more likely to happen, but it is fun to dream and start the “how’s” of accomplishing some of these.  We have also started a “Family Bucket List” which we, as a family, are writing down things that we want to do together (I’ll share it sometime as well).

I encourage you to do the same, either a personal list or as a family, because it is so much fun!  Here’s my list… Continue reading “someday (soon)…” →

lessons learned on the delaware

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There’s no better place to be on a hot July day then on the water.  It’s been a hot summer so far and we have spent many days in swimming pools and lakes, swimming the day away.  My (spoiled) kids were beginning to become bored with swimming, so we decided to try something different- a trip down the Delaware River.  We decided to go on a 6 mile float down the Delaware with some friends.   The trip taught us some valuable lessons that I figured I would share. Continue reading “lessons learned on the delaware” →

published again!

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Very cool!  I have had another one of my blog posts, Thousand Steps,  published on Bucket List Publications!  It’s a publication that writes articles about and helps people achieve the items on their bucket lists.  It’s a great site that lets you dream and motivates you to reach the items on your own personal bucket list.  You can read my post as well as many other interesting articles here.

unlikely training partners

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I realized the other day that I am just a few weeks away from my first triathlon of the year; time to really ramp up the training!  It’s been such a busy year that I am feeling extremely unprepared right now and, despite my dreams to become a professional triathlete (I talked about it here), USAT has not come calling, so no professional trainer, no nutritionist, no masseuse, no sponsorship, no cleaning service, no full time cook, no nanny…(sorry, got carried away in my daydream!).  Anyway, it’s all up to me to squeeze in training and workouts; something which is difficult with kids and a job.  You need to be creative. Continue reading “unlikely training partners” →

i shouldn’t be alive…

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Have you ever read an article about some mishap that happened to someone who was out in the wilderness and thought, “boy are they stupid!”?  It often seems like people lose all common sense when they go into the woods!  One of my favorite examples that I have read was that of a hunter who got lost in the Adirondacks and started walking looking for a way out.  He eventually came to the NYS Northway (the major 4 lane highway of the area), crossed it, and kept on going, still lost!!!  The movie The Blair Witch Project always bugged me for the same reason.  Instead of following the river out, they crossed over it and walked in circles.  Well, we had our own example of wilderness stupidity this past weekend. Continue reading “i shouldn’t be alive…” →

conch shells and taxi drivers

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I learned a lot on my recent trip to the Bahamas.  Put a bunch of people together 24/7 at an all-inclusive resort and you learn things!  You learn things such as the importance of adding a little water to eggs when making an omelet (tried it, works great!) and a super easy recipe for strawberry jam (trying that one later today!).  You learn how to make new drinks (hmm, it’s all food related!), ten ways to tie one of those sarongs that they sell on the beach (something I’ll use just all the time in NJ!), and how to tell who is on their honeymoon in the Bahamas (french manicure!).  You also learn things about others that you wish you did not learn!   But, I quickly found out that if you really want to know about the Bahamas you don’t consult a guide book, a website, or even ask the concierge, you ask a taxi driver! Continue reading “conch shells and taxi drivers” →

kickin it old school in the bahamas

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paradise!

Can you imagine life without your smart phone?  How about without email or even just a cell phone?  Worse yet, can you imagine going five whole days without checking your WordPress blog stats?!!  Neither could I until I went to the Bahamas on my business/vacation trip.

If you read my previous blog, you know that I went to Nassau in the Bahamas for a business trip with my company.  We were warned that cell service was going to be expensive and spotty at best, but when I whipped out my phone after we landed on Nassau to text that I had  arrived safely, I could not get my phone to work.  Neither could anyone else that I was with.  So, we figured that we would just wait until we arrived at the hotel to use their wireless.  Once there, though, the phones were still a no go!  After a while of playing around with our phones, the realization set in that we would be cell phone free for the next five days!  Now what?

It was time to go old school!  Continue reading “kickin it old school in the bahamas” →

bahamas bound

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Tomorrow I’m off to the Nassau in the Bahamas for a business meeting.  Yes, it really is for work and yes we really will have meetings, but we will also have free time!  Time to do whatever we want!  Very exciting!  For the first time in 11+ years I will be able to lay on the beach and just read a book and nap at will!  My kid-less friends do not understand the great appeal, but if you have kids then I’m sure you understand how exciting this is!  Yet, because of who I am, I am pretty sure I will be bored with the beach after a few hours.  I crave activity!  We are staying at a resort that offers all types of activities that are included.  I am most excited about snorkeling, the trapeze, and the opportunity to try wind surfing.  Luckily, I have a number of friends who agree with me and do not want to spend all day on the beach.  We’re ready for the resort activities!

ready for the beach

Yet, resort activities is not all I want to do.  Continue reading “bahamas bound” →

camp cleanup

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Most Memorial Day weekend’s have found my family at a campground in Lake George, NY in the Adirondacks.  It’s a great start to summer!  This year, though, we decided to do something a little different.  Continue reading “camp cleanup” →

pheasant drive bys and aggressive hiking for the non-rich

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Are there any places in your town that you pass by on a regular basis that you would love to see more of but it is private or inaccessible?  The type of place that promises beauty and fun on the inside but you are stuck on the outside because you are not one of the privileged!  You are not a member.

There’s a place like that near me, it’s called Hudson Farm.  I drive by this private hunt club every once in a while and I can tell by the property that I can see from the road that it is a beautiful spot!  But it is private.  You have to be a member to use the property and in order to become a member you have to pay and in order to pay the membership fee you have to be filthy rich.  In fact I’m pretty sure that’s a question on the application, “Are you filthy rich?  Please circle yes or no.”  So, I look at it from the outside and wonder about the inside.  As my friend who lives down the road from the club put it, the only hunting she can ever expect to do there is hit an escapee pheasant with her car!

Then, last week, my friend called me up and said that the farm was actually going to be open to the public on Saturday!  Continue reading “pheasant drive bys and aggressive hiking for the non-rich” →