Friday Five: Fourth of July Edition

My favorite memories associated with the Fourth of July.

1. Fireworks, especially last year. I thought Moira would be terrified of the sounds but at only 3 months she was entranced by the bright colors. This is one of my most favorite pictures.


2. Bomb Pops

I know technically you can eat these all year, but their red, white, and blue flavors just scream patriotism. I mean, really what isn't great about a Popsicle that's cherry, lemon, and blueberry and will dye your tongue purple. YUM!

3. My Aunt Diane's annual picnics
I wish I had pictures from these picnics. Growing up, my dad's sister Diane had a picnic for the fourth of July every year. It was basically the same thing year in and year out. My mom would bring broccoli salad or peanut butter kandy kakes, while everyone else would bring their jello mold or deviled eggs. We would spend most of the afternoon in the pool, trying to stay away from my Uncle Stevie (my dad's youngest brother) who after a few beers would strip down to his biker shorts and think he was a professional wrestler (Think WWE not Olympics). His mullet splashing in the water as he would body slam my 6 year old brother into the shallow end.
AHHHHH, the memories!

4. Working at the Local YMCA
I actually enjoyed those few summers when I was a lifeguard at the local YMCA pool and we had to plan the Fourth of July fest ivies. Since I was the teacher to be, I of course, took the initiative to plan and implement most of the games throughout the day. It was twofold, actually, I liked face painting and didn't mind throwing $20 worth of change into the shallow end for the kiddies to pick up during the money scramble. It also meant, I didn't have to work the fifteen minute rotations in each of the five lifeguard chairs on the busiest day of the year. I could say it was because I was lazy, it was actually more because I was terrified that I would really have to do a save. Fourth of July and Labor day, allowed me to get into teacher mode.

5. Sparklers For one day a year, we are actually encouraged to play with fire.
Do I need to explain any further???

Happy Fourth of July to all!

Friday Five

Technically it's Saturday, but I have thought about this topic and so I will write it's all be it 7 hours late.
Things that are making me feel old:
1. The laugh line/ wrinkle I'm getting between my eyes.
I get the whole idea to grow old gracefully, but I feel a little too young to have age lines. Botox scares me though so I guess it's either accept aging or start buying all those fancy creams and junk.
2. High School Graduation
My cousin Brynna graduated college last night. She is number 4 out of 7 kids from one of my favorite uncles, and what's scary is I remember when she was born! Now she is an adult and graduated high school. More scary though, is that fact I have been out of high school since 6-6-96, yup THIRTEEN years! What makes me even gulp harder is the fact next year, I'll be out of college for TEN years! It feels like yesterday.
God, I'm old!
3. Some new fashion trends
I was out with my friend Ash yesterday and we happened to check out a shoe store and what do I see, JELLY shoes! Not for little girls, but for adults.
My philosophy on this trend, as well as any other trend related to the '80's like leggings- if you took part in the trend the first time around, there's no need to do it again.
You would have to pay me to wear jellies again and I don't think there's enough cash out there to wear a jacket with shoulder pads. I looked like I could be the starting linebacker in those!
4. Recent Movies and/or pre-production of movies.
I feel like Hollywood is a lost cause now. There appears to be no one left writing good screenplays, so big wigs feel the need to do one of two things. Either turn much loved television shows from the 80's or before into movies. Right now, I'm thinking of Land of the Lost which my dad will tell me repeatedly I loved when I was two and three. Nope, don't remember it! The front of Entertainment Weekly has the beautiful Megan Fox from the newest Transformers movie. Yes, another movie based off a cartoon from the my childhood.
Not to be outdone, G.I. Joe is coming out soon. I wonder if they'll make a live action Jem and the Holograms? OOH, or maybe a live action
Pound Puppies
The thing that makes me the most sad though is the talk that they are in the pre-production of remakes of three of my most favorite teen films from the '80's. The seminal work of Kevin Bacon which started his career, Footloose is being remade with some dude from Gossip Girl. I doubt we'll be playing six degrees of Chace Crawford.
Also, I've heard there's talk of redoing Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt's great little girl power flick, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. I'm assuming it will be with some Disney princess- Demi or Salena or Hilary! UGH.

Finally they movie that put Elisabeth Shue on the map. (Not Leaving Los Vegas) But one of the greatest girl flicks around- Adventures in Babysitting is in the works being redone!
I love that movie! So many great scenes and it was so funny!
Why oh why Hollywood?
Maybe I should write a screenplay since it appears the folks out there have been tapped dry!
5. I'm old because I am now a parent and own a house.
That sentence alone needs no explanation.

So that's it, my Friday (err Saturday) five. I think there's more to number four then I've written. This whole redoing things that were popular in my childhood probably has some deep rooted meaning since the people in control in Hollywood are around my age now. (Shudder.) Maybe those guys are looking to bring back their own youth?? We shall see.
I can tell you though, those studios will not get my money for tickets to any of those remakes!!!

Friday Five

This list was inspired by the woman we purchased our home. From this point forward she will be referred to as D.A.S. as in Dumb Ass Seller!

Today's list: What NOT to do when you are selling your home and don't want to piss off the new owners, especially if your new property and old touch.

1. Don't schedule your movers to arrive at 9:30 am on the the day you are scheduled to close at 10. Remember, your buyers need to do one last walk through of the house, EMPTY! That means if big burly men are taking you dressing bureau and king size bed down the stairway at 9:45 when the buyers are trying to walk through, they (meaning US) will be pissed. And, if one of the buyers is an attorney (uhm, Bry) he or she may start using legal jargon such as "Breach" to scare the crap out of you.

2. Don't decide to get a new puppy three weeks before closing and be confused when the potential buyers ask where you are keeping the puppy. When the put the inital bid on the property they preferred the hardwoods in the condition they were in and did not expect any change to to them or the carpet. It is not okay that one can see the dog hair on the few areas where they is carpet, and the owners are still skeptical of the smell in the potential room for the nursery.

3. Don't hide a hole on the front porch with something that looks like a children's picnic table and never mention it to anyone. Most likely the new buyers will eventually lift the picnic table, find the hole, and then have to decide how to handle this issue. Again, you moved around the corner.

4. Get a broom, dust pan, and brush, and sweep the rooms before you leave. It's filthy inside and really, is it so hard to clean up after yourself?? Especially if you are making a pretty penny off the deal.

5. Remove all window decals before leaving, especially gel displays.

I have to write a little more about item number 5. If you aren't sure what I'm talking about, it's these
For some ungodly reason DAS decided to have these decals in varying styles throughout the home. In the family room I removed blue and white decals that said "let it snow" while in the expansive third floor, I had the pleasure of removing dots of different sizes. In the one bedroom, it was flowers while the other had some sort of dots too. Again, I assume to bring the magic back into the master bedroom, one would think Halloween gel decals would stimulate the mood?? Apparently to DAS it made perfect sense?!?
I should comment about these gel decals and why I believe Satan himself may have developed them. Two windows: one bedroom and the master bedroom have direct sunlight. I assume from extended sun exposure the decals were warmed to quite a high temperature. How high, you ask? High enough to melt portions of the decals so they turned into blob-like messes. In attempting to remove said blob-like messes I developed a coating of sorts on my hands.
Yummy! Of course, as soon as I finished removing them and realized my hands were matted with this melted goo, Mo decide to start crying. After attempting to carry her in to the bathroom with me by my forearms, I used Windex, Lysol tub cleaner, and baby wipes to try and get rid of the film.
Thank you DAS! Thank you!

Friday Five

Easy topic this week:
Things that are annoying me.

1. My hair
I recently went in for a trim and for some ungodly reason the hair dresser mistook my comment about taking an inch or so off to mean CHOP it ALL off!! I've never had hair this short and it's growing on me! (Ha! I'm so puny!) The worst part of the hair thought goes back to November. I went to my usual salon, got trim by my usual stylist and when I went home and attempted to style my own hair the next day, the right hairs near my hairline would not stay down. I'm talking sticking straight up like Alfalfa. I spent the next two months wearing headbands, and using gel/hairspray/whatever to keep the hairs in place. I have since been back and have prohibited both the typical stylist and then chopperella to touch this section of my hair- but alas, it still sticks up!
2. My husband and his snoring
I can't handle it anymore!!! He snores like there's no tomorrow. That is when he is wearing the breathe right. If I make to sleep before he comes up and don't wake up when he comes to bed, I'm fine. Lately, though, I've been waking up when he comes up and he's out by the time his head hits the pillow, leaving me to toss and turn and plug my ears.
3. The whole Jon & Kate debacle
Unless you live under a rock, all the Jon & Kate crap has been all over the tabloids, talk shows, and even on my local evening news. (I kid you not!) My two cents: cancel the show, let the kids live their lives camera free, and invite the other two the summer hit: Big Brother so they can iron out their issues without the children but with the option of the public viewing it all two to three times per week.
4. The weather
We had a beautiful weekend. Warm, summer like, and it was perfect to play outside. Since Monday, it's been BLAH! My aforementioned hair looks even more craptastic as the humidity is now causing it too be a frizzy mess and the ground is so wet today that I can't even let Mo run in the small piece of grassy land that separates our townhouse from the other unit.
5. The Real Housewives of New Jersey
I hate those women with a passion. It's bad enough The Sopranos gave the illusion that most NJ housewives were like Carmella- driving around in her Cayenne Porsche SUV with her big hair, gold jewelry and fake nails. I feel like they basically just picked a family that best resembles the Sopranos and tossed the idea of a show to them. I know no one like them and I'm a NJ housewife!!! Fake boobs, hair, nails, tans, and class - I think they may push NJ back to the '80's. At least the RHoCalifornia and the RHoNY the ladies had careers beside mooching of their husbands. It's so freaking fake it kills me.
Plus, they're called BOOBS or BOOBIES- LONG O. Bubbies are more then one Polish grandmothers.

Ahh, I feel relived mow that I got that out. Enjoy your weekend!

Friday Five

There are numerous bloggers out there that have day related themes. Tracey, of Cheese and Whine has been known to do Thankful Thursdays, while I remember others doing the Way back Wednesday where they add pics from the past (be it their child or self) and my personal favorite from Jaci on Ravings of a Mad Housewife and her Blog Fart Fridays!
I took my inspiration from facebook's social application. I figured also, that I couldn't be the first person to think of this so I googled "Friday five" and the responses I got were weak. (Basically five questions like name your favorite boy's name? Or what quality do want to share with a friend?) Seriously, that's the best they could do?
So instead of five questions, I'm going to pose one question and give my FIVE answers (a la Facebook).


Today's first question:
What do you look forward to this summer?
1. The Beach
Not the bathing suit that needs to be worn on the beach, but the ocean, the sand, that relaxing sea breeze! I love it. I'm also excited to see how Mo does in the ocean w/Bry. Last year she was too little to really get it, but I think come the end of August, we may have a little fish on our hands.
2. Pedicures
Summer is the ultimate excuse for bi-monthly pedicures. I don't understand how people who never had one say they don't like them. It's heaven and your feet look a whole helluva lot better then when you came into the salon.
3. Flip Flops
It kind of goes with Pedicures, but I love summer (and spring and fall) because I get to wear my flip flops. I love that my toes breather and I even kind of like the flip flop sound.
4. Getting a tan
I know this is bad for me. I know I can get skin cancer. I know the sun causes wrinkles, BUT I look a lot better (and thinner) when I'm tan. Also I get the most compliments about "how healthy I look" when I'm tan. Go figure?
5. Weddings
My cousin Taryn is getting married on June 6 and my good friend Aly is tying the know on July 17. I have heard other people complain about summer weddings- it's hot, it's sticky, you get sweaty! I look forward to weddings anytime of year. Taryn's wedding will be special because she is having a more laid back wedding and reception and actually invited Mo! We already have her dress and sandals picked out and thankfully Taryn told me her actual ceremony will be 10-15 minutes. NICE! Aly is having a more formal affair and since her wedding to Rob will be in Northern NJ, it will be the first sleepover Mo will have with Grandpops and Gram. Besides the wedding,and reception, I'm stoked that I will actually be able to sleep in for a morning!

If you read this, feel free to respond with your own five. I'd love to see what everyone else thinks. If this turns out okay, maybe I'll do it every week.
Have a happy Memorial day and enjoy the unofficial start of summertime!