Have camera... will shoot...

It's very helpful to have a camera on hand at any given moment, wouldn't you agree?

After Johnny's soccer game, after school, Bill noticed I had a big nail stuck in my one of my tires... so we went on over to Costco and took advantage of our Concierge service, and they fixed it no charge... and I did what any self respecting woman would do when in a Costco Parking lot... I shopped...

We finished shopping before the car was done... so we waited outside at a little table, facing due west.

These next three pictures were what I captured, with my zoom lens... from the Costco parking lot...

During a spectacular sunset...

that I would have missed... had I not had my camera...

Enjoy...

Things I've learned this week.

I am stealing this idea from Karen & Gerard over at My Funny Dad

so here goes...

***

Things I've learned this week.

***

1. Plungers should be used once, then discarded... enough said.
2. If you throw your teens clothes into the driveway... he will clean his room.
3. Being a newly baptized whole food nut is really annoying to other people.
4. If you hit a salad spinner too hard, it doesn't spin anymore.
5. Getting ready for the day at stupid o'clock in the morning, makes other people laugh... when you are wearing two different shoes and your shirt is inside out.

The Bachelor...Where cliche's go to die...

Oh Jakey, Jake, Jake, Jake...

You really pulled an "Aw golly gee willickers, Beav... this one is hard to decide..." moment ALL NIGHT LONG!!!

First of all... ARM PATCHES ON A FLANNEL? Really?

***

The night was just FILLED with cliche's!!!

"Make a connection"

"I get lost in your eyes"

(then he dumps her) nice.

"You are an AMAZING woman" (he said this to 3 of them) GAG!

"There's someone out there for you... and I'm not him" Uh... Duh!

***

Ella...gorgeous though she is, he didn't like her... sent her packing.

Same with Kathryn... BUT NOT BEFORE making her believe she was getting a rose...

Oh Jakey... you are a sly one!

You are so okie dokie! Thumbs up dude!! {Snort snort!}

Puleeeze.

***

I loved this guy last season...

This season... UGH!!! He can't be that boring!!! He just can't be!

***

My favorite part of the show, was their going up the coast and staying in and at all the places I've stayed before... the Madonna Inn is awesome... and I practically lived in Pismo Beach as a kid growing up, we have land there and camped there often.

Other than that...

SNORE FEST!

***

Vienna bugs the hell out of me.

I want to rip her extensions out, and she wears ENTIRELY too much makeup.

***

And what was going on with the blue and green and yellow eyeshadow on that cute brunette?

I don't remember her name... but Yowza!

***

I love how FIESTY Ali is... but alas... she is not long for the show...

She is the only one I like for Jake... because she, at least, has a pulse!

BUT... does she ONLY have evening wear in butter yellow?

The color does look great on her... but if I had a figure like those girls.. I'd either walk around naked all the time, or at least change my colors up a bit...

Maybe she's trying to stay consistent so bore snore Jake can pick her out of a crowd easily.

***

Even though I loathed Michelle, she did make for some funny drama, with her Lithium needing ways...

"Can I get a martini with a shot of L Dopa? Please?"

***

Every week, when I make myself watch this Trainwreck TV... I feel dirty, and like I need to punish myself like that monk in the Davinci Code...

It scares me that there are so many women out there like that in the world...

Ewwww....

I need a shower...

Fireplace building progress photos!!!

Okay, so above... is just before demo... before all the horrible rain we had too...

This is our "beach" area, for the past 8 years, we've put down beach sand and loads of shells to fill this area in... the cover of the cabana tore in a wind storm, so that is gone now... all that's left is the cabana shell...

We have a 16,000 sq ft lot (that's big in CA) so this is one side of our lot... the other side has our fruit trees and the center has our patio...

Our firepit, and conversation seat... our last fire in the pit...

For all my friends in cold country... yes, the date says Jan 16, 2010... So Cal... there is no place like it on earth...

Demo time! Alex + Sledge hammer... NOT a good mix... I left... I was worried... This brick is for INSIDE the fireplace, surrounding the fire brick... I chose a gorgeous smooth textured facade brick for the outside, in the same shade of grey as the house. Forming and rebar posting...

Don't they looked thrilled? 2 seconds before this, they were laughing and joking... as soon as I showed up with a camera... they gangstered up!

Those two boys mixed and poured 36 bags of cement ALL BY THEMSELVES!!!

I am so proud of them! They are getting an education that can't be taught!!!!

It's gonna be a HUGE see through the other side fireplace...

Happenings around here...

So much has been happening lately...

Besides getting grayer and grayer... {{sigh}},

and crankier and crankier

and having my own personal paradises MID WINTER...

{thank you pre MENopause}

A lot has been going on that has made me smile.

**

FINALS ARE OVER.. for my boys...

The weeks building up to, and the week of Finals... is nothing but stress, strife and copious amounts of work for my sons...

This school doesn't mess around when it comes to grades, finals, and college apps.

I try not to get involved in all the

"My son has straight A's and Harvard, Princeton and Yale, are all looking at him...where's your son applying?" drama...

The second you enter this school, college, getting into the right one, and setting up your career plan is first and foremost... don't get me wrong... I love it... it's exactly what I pay for...

loads of structure, small classes, lots of sports and programs not offered in pulic schools... however... it's really, really, really hard to dodge the "What is your son's top Five picks for college" by all the other Mom's... and... William got one "B". A "B-" at that... and THAT fact would make so many of the other Mom's incredibly happy, it makes me sick...

That B- doesn't bother me in the least...

He worked sooooo hard that for grade.

All his other grades were great...

One Mom asked me the other day while I was selling pizza after finals one day...

"So... how are Will's grades?"

I said... "Fine".

She said... All A's again?

I said... "No, I think he got a B- in Chemistry.

This information made her GASP! Gasp!!!!

It was funny to watch her mind race to all the conclusions as to why, how, when, and where I failed as a Mother.

I laughed out loud at her gasp.

She laughed an uncomfortable laugh, I suspect because she caught her reaction and how stupid it was... or she thought I was kidding.

I told her.. "I'm so proud of him... he plays sports until 7:30 every night and on Saturdays, and still gets all his work done...

She then informed me that her son got an A in Chemistry... he's a Senior...

I had to say it...

I said... 'Oh, he's a Senior and he's just now taking Chemistry? Will's a Sophomore... he'll be taking Anatomy and Physiology, and Calculus next year for college credit..."

She suddenly had to go...

LOL!

I just HAD to...

I never engage with those women... but I just HAD to this time.

***

Alex, does NOT have the grades William has... and I am just as proud of him.

He's astute, his teachers adore him, and he too, is playing sports at school until 7 p.m. everyday and adjusting to a very, very tough curriculum... and doing his best...

and that's all I can ask for.

***

Bill has started on a new project... and I CAN'T WAIT!

He is building me a HUGE, outdoor FIREPLACE!!!

We are getting rid of the firepit, and making our pool area an outdoor living room.

The "beach" is going, and making way for cement. I bought a huge GRAPEVINE cement stamp and I am itching to use it.

I'll take lots of before, during and after pics... and post them with progress...

The boys are working really hard, helping and lifting and hoisting...

Builds character, muscles and skills you just can't learn in school.

I feel sooo blessed to be married to a man that can and does build everything...himself...

Hopefully, he'll move quickly on it, so we can use it before the weather gets too hot.

We are also going to get our pool resurfaced, and we {my hubby and kids} will be doing the deck themselves, to save about $8,000. The pool part, we have to hire out...bummer.

***

Tomorrow starts a new semester.. new electives... and a fresh new start...

for 2 of my kids anyway...

Johnny still has never had a B on his report card, and never ceases to remind his brothers of that fact...

Ahhh... 5th grade...

He so has no idea what the school I'm putting him into (his brother's) has in store for him...

LOL!

Writer's Workshop Jan 20, 2010

Writer's Workshop Jan 21, 2010

The pitch ~~

I need to develop two "ELEVATOR PITCHES" about what my blog is about.

One, a sentence long, and one 150 words long...

The first on is HARD!!! I have no problem with writing 150 words... or 15,000 for that matter!

An 'Elevator pitch" is a description of something that would typically take the time span of an elevator ride.

Ahem...

***

Italian Mama Gone Crazy is a window into my mind... I'm the Mother of three active boys and I need my girl time to rant, rave and purge the stuff that swirls around in my head.

{{That's the quick one}}

***

Here's the longer version.

I am hot headed. I lack patience. I'm decisive. I'm set in my ways. I'm always right (in my own mind). I also happen to be surrounded by men, all day, every day, all the time.

Don't get me wrong... I LOVE IT! I am one of the few women on the planet that NEVER, EVER wanted daughters (daughters in law... yes, actual daughters... NO thank you...), so my prayers were definitely answered. HOWEVER!!! I do need my girl time, and my writing time, that's where my friends and writing a blog come into play.

I need a place to rant. I need a place to say my piece. I need my own bathroom too, but that's not going to happen any time soon, so I'll just keep wishing.

My boys are my entire world... most of the time. But they can drive me bonkers!

I also know that they won't be around all the time, and I'd better carve out a little time to cultivate who I want to be when I'm 50... so I'm starting now... 10 years early.

I want them to see who I am, in my writing, that they don't get to see every day.

I'm their Mama. I will never be their friend.

I want them to see who I am on this side of the fence... and maybe they'll see

why I am the way I am... and love me even more... regardless.

The Bachelor... On the wings of Looneys...

I'm just gonna say it...

MICHELLE FROM ANAHEIM... YOU ARE A LUNATIC... GET HELP NOW...RUN... DON'T WALK TO THE NEAREST THERAPIST!!!

Holy Grasshoppers Batman... that girl needs a straight jacket!

I actually FELT SORRY for Jake!

I pray... sooooo hard... that my boys don't end up with someone like her... ever!

I would have to commit some drastic measure to ensure she wouldn't be a part of our family...

Wooooo!

Where is electric shock therapy when you need it?

DID YOU SEE AND HEAR HER STAND UP ROUTINE?

I heard a man pass wind IN EGYPT!!!

Creepy!!!

And then!!! And then!!!!!! She wanted him to BEG HER TO STAY??? For real????

If I were him? I would have told the cab driver to drop her off in front of a pharmacy for her lithium refill, and THEN ask him to take her to the airport and put her on the first plane to Antarctica...

She was just that weird!!!!

***

On to Vienna... unfortunate looking Vienna.

Can't stand the hair extensions... totally look fake... I wear fake hair all the time... but it matches my curl and color... That stuff, is way, way, way to bleached... and it LOOKS FAKE!!!

She uses the word "Like" as an adverb AND an adjective...

She is another weirdo...

***

I happened to read Reality Steve's blog and I know who Jake picks...

He, too, is delusional... Jake, not Reality Steve...

***

That poor gorgeous girl, that wouldn't kiss Jake, and he accused her of being a tease...

I still liked her...she wasn't as nearly weird as the other two bimbos.

***

Ali is still my fave, but Reality Steve says she's close to leaving the show...

so sad...

Sorry for the mini spoiler... I just had to do it.

Sue me.

***

Oh... that poor Jake was so exhausted from all his torment...

Poor baby.

I feel so sorry for him...

Mansion,

motorcyle,

gourmet food,

travel first class...

The poor boy...

I'd be exhausted too...

Sigh...

Cannabis Cheese Steak Sandwich? Really?

My husband just walked into my office, here at home, and was flabbergasted to learn that on our TV... on a local LA station... some dude was doing a cooking demonstration with

WEED!

The dude COOKED a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich with WEED!

Ok... to be fair... he called it Cannabis on the TV... but Cannibis, weed... it's all the same...

*

I couldn't figure out what Bill was laughing at... then I saw the weirded out dude on TV...

He looked perpetually stoned.

Duh!

We were both a lot ticked that that particular type of show was on a local channel, at prime time...

Since "medical Marijuana" is allowed in CA, and the dude claimed he eats this way

"for medicinal purposes" I guess that's why it was okay to play.

Too funny... and sad at the same time.

***

I don't know how many of you have made the Resolution to lose weight or to eat well and right this year... but if you have, I'd love it if you'd come over to visit

my new blog on wordpress.

It called http://www.learn2eathealthy.wordpress.com and it's doing really well!

It's brand new, so there isn't a whole lot to read... well... there is... but hopefully it's really entertaining.

I've lost 67 lbs in the past 6 months, and I have a lot more to go, but I have become a real health food advocate. Just real food, not processed or in a box...

and I can't wait for the outside of me to catch up with the healthy person INSIDE of me.

Why wordpress?

I heard somewhere that Blogger owns all we write & all the pics...

and I want to own everything I do.

I don't know if it's true...but I didn't want to take any chances.

So... I hope you join me.

Happy Saturday!

Writers Workshop 1-14-2010

Writers Workshop 1-14-2010!

The prompt...

Welcome to the first Rose Ceremony on Writer's Workshop!

Award 10 people or items a rose, that you want to keep a relationship with

(or something to that effect)

Seems easy enough!

***

My first Rose goes to Bill, my husband. I like him. He can stick around for a while. He lets me rant and rave, and has finally stopped rolling his eyes at me when I do, after 17 years.

He fixes stuff, builds stuff, and loves that I'm a stay at home Mama.

He's very affectionate, and I'm not, so he gets a Rose, and I'll give him a big wet kiss...

***

My 2nd Rose goes to William, my oldest son.

That poor kid looks just like me... he needs a Rose for that.

I really need him to stop losing phones, or I'll have to start having him sleep outside with the dogs... those dang phones are expensive, and it's my lifeline to my kids!

Oh... please marry and orphan, and live on the same street as me when you marry...

thank you.

***

My 3rd Rose goes to Alex.

He needs a rose too.

He's been having a hard time with his classes at school... it's a prep school, and he's not my studious one. He's my socializer and girl magnet.

I need him to read more... and he and I have some doozies of conversations about that.

Oh... please marry an orphan and live on the same street as me when you marry...

Thank you.

***

My 4th Rose goes to Johnny, my little angel.

He needs a rose because he is so sweet... most of the time.

I think he's hitting puberty a full two years earlier than his brothers.

He's a pistol

He's my super duper smart one. Scary smart.

He wants to be a Doctor.

He will be.

Oh... please marry an orphan and live on the same street at me when you marry...

Thank you.

***

My 5th Rose goes to My Mama.

She knows why.

She puts up with a lot having me as a daughter.

"nuff said.

***

My 6th Rose goes to Mari, my closest friend.

We've been friends since Kindergarten.

She gets me.

She knows me.

I'm not easy to live with.

She so deserves a rose.

***

My 7th Rose goes to my favorite cousin in the whole wide world... Lorenzo.

He is the living end.

He's funny, smart and bold.

A lot like my hubby!

***

My 8th Rose goes to... hmmm.... well... no one.

I think I'll leave the other three open to whomever deems themselves in need of a Rose.

I like to leave a little part of my life open to new possibilities and blessings...

so yeah...

maybe some new Rose recipients will come by this year...

Ciao!

The Bachelor {Do you want cheeese with your whine?

Boy oh Boy...

Does ABC have it's work cut out for them this season.

They MUST be working overtime, searching through the archives... trying to find JUUUUUST the right song to play when Jake takes his lovely blonde date in.... wait for it... wait for it...

A PLANE!!!

What song did they search high and low for?

Why.... "ON THE WINGS OF LOVE" of course!!!

Blech! CHEESE ALERT!!! CHEESE ALERT!!!

But... I have to say... she is my fave so far... I don't remember her name... but she seems the most genuine.

***

On to the trainwreck that is Michelle from Anaheim.

Holy smokes... she was gonna LEAVE THE SHOW... because... she was gonna SHOW HIM!

He didn't ask her on a date... so she was fed up...

I have two words for her...

Buh-bye!

She is A BUNNY BOILER!

Run! Jake! Run!

No... the dummy KEEPS HER!

Now all the looney women in the world are gonna think they can act like that

and get away with it...

Thanks Jake! jerk!

***

The most seedy part... the one that had Chris Harrison all choked up and almost... unable to talk... I said almost... dang it, was model Jozlyn that SLEPT WITH A STAFFER DURING THE TAPING OF THE FREAKING SHOW!

Helloooooo!

Ever heard of not shatting where you eat?

She did the typical "I'm pretty and I can't get caught, cuz I'm pretty" stare at him...

She was had, and she had no words...

No remorse either...

She's not used to not getting her way.

I HATE people that don't apologize for things they've done.

She and that dude country singer from last season... Wes ... ought to hook up...

They are made for each other.

Another...buh bye!

***

Poor Jakey Wakey.

Now he only has 10 bimbos to choose from...

What a sad life he has...

Reading or Mom as Prom Date... do the math...

My son Alex, has a 977 page book he has to read by the End of January.

He needs to read hundreds of pages everyday to make the deadline.

Oh, have I mentioned... Alex considers ANY sort of reading akin to having metal shoved under his fingernails.

So tonight, after our dinner, it was his turn to dry the dishes and wipe the counter, and while doing so... the following whining ensued...

***

Alex: Mom... you know that book I'm supposed to be reading?

Me: Yeah...

Alex: Well, other parents think the book is too long and they are buying their kids the Cliff's Notes and other summarizing stuff... (he is now looking at me with anticipation) (like he expects me to throw down my sponge, wave my hands in the air and yell "Hallelujah! You don't have to read anymore! We'll just go cheat! Wow, I'm so glad other parents can parent for me!"

Me: Well, if that's what the other parents want to teach their kids... fine by me... YOU on the other hand, will be reading it word for word...

Alex: But MOOOOMMM! It's so loooooong! Why can't we just go buy the other books???

Me: Because that teaches you NOTHING! Half of the learning is from finishing something that is assigned to you!

Alex: My life is so hard... I go to school, I come home, I do my homework, I play sports, and I have NO DOWN TIME! No breaks, no "me" time.

Me: Staring at him. Trying not to laugh hysterically. Wishing I had a video camera trained on him at that very moment...so one day, while his kids are all sitting around me asking me how their daddy used to be...I can just whip it out and say... "Just. Like. This".

I said to him "Don't even get me started about "down time" mister. You want down time? Do all your homework without going off on some tangent, or talking incessantly to your brother, or deciding that during homework, your sock drawer needs to be organized or you need to text yet another friend... there's your downtime buddy."

Alex: We don't get to watch TV during the week, we don't get to go out to dinner during the week, we don't do anything but sports and study...

Me: Poor, Poor baby. You go to a wonderful private school, you play every sport you want to, we go on 6 vacations a year, you've been to two continents, you've seen every major city in America... yeah... your life SUCKS! I'll pull you out of school tomorrow, save us a bundle of money, and when prom time comes around... I'LL BE YOUR DATE... IN THE LIVING ROOM!

I wonder where you can still buy disco balls... hmmm....

***

He shut right up after that... and he is now in his room, tackling that book and his homework...

He even did a load of laundry...

Gosh... I wouldn't have made THAT bad of a prom date...LOL!

Writer's Workshop 1-7-2010

Writers Workshop 1-7-2010

Guess how many times I had to back space to retype 2010 up there... too many... don't ask...

***

The prompt I chose this week was...

Choose the 7th photo from January 09 and write a poem about it.

Well...

I don't write poetry anymore.

When I was young and had angst, I wrote that stuff all the time...

I am no longer any good at it...

SO...

I am just gonna write about the picture...

This is Johnathon.

He was 9 here.

That big tree behind him is our gargantuan lemon tree.

He was demonstrating how big one of the lemons was.

He is sitting on top of our storage shed, so he could reach the high ones.

Every year, we get so many lemons, oranges, tangerines and grapfruit, the boughs of the trees break off.

This particular tree is about 20 feet high.

I LOVE having my own citrus trees... it really helps with the fruit budget in the "winter".

I put "winter" in quotes because what we call winter here in So Cal is nowhere near a winter.

Today... it was 75.

Go ahead... Those of you in deep snow right now...you can hate me now...

I get it all the time.

Wordful Wednesday

Our Christmas...

You won't see a lot of tinsle or red and green.. just a lot of fun and laughs and good times!

Our motorhome in the background... and my boys being silly... again...

Dinner at Duane's at the Mission Inn... Old friends over to Pizza and games... yes, I have purple and green walls.. it matches my personality... don't hate...

I baked...and baked...and baked... tons of biscotti for gifts and for sale...

These are lemon cranberry... delish!

This was as good as I could get this time...

Silly boys...

Wait'll I show their girlfriends... that'll teach 'em...

Trainwreck TV... Jake the Pilot takes flight!!!

Oh man... ABC really let the crazies loose this time...

I just love Trainwreck TV season...

The skanks come out of the woodwork... they shine their claws... they buy colorful, boob showing dresses... they cry after meeting "the man of their dreams" just five minutes before...

Sniff... Sniff... can't you just smell the desperation in the air?

***

The premiere with Jake the Pilot.. is named... {{excuse me while I go get my barf bag}}

"On the wings of Love"... blech!!!

Really? Ya saw a plane and just came up with that name all by yourself ABC???

Wow...

there's some real talent there...

My favorite part of the opening...was the obvious homage to Top Gun... with the motorcyle {rice rocket... not even a Harley} and the sunset, and the cheesy leather jacket...

How do you spell predictable?

***

On the nice side.. there are some really great girls... like the one that wanted to throw a football... holy cow she is stunning...

and I love how the divorced one cried because she kissed him... it was fake... but I like how

sincere she seemed...

I don't know their names yet... I was too busy fast forwarding through the introductions and getting on to the cat fights in the waiting room.

How about that crazy chick... the one he called last?

I was like...

WHAT THE HECK!!!!

ABC HAD to have told him to pick her for sheer drama and "good" TV... that one was bizarre!

"I want kids... I'm here to fall in love with you... sniff... sniff..."

Where's that barf bag when I need it...

***

Don't even get me started on the Cambodian chick... "land your plane on my landing strip?"

Uh... I think "Rock of Love" is calling... puhleeeeze!

***

And his 'Old friends" came by.

Why... I ask you... why... do we have to see Jillian again?

Are they really his friends? No.

Did he really need their help? No.

Just another hopeless ploy by ABC to shove a "successful" couple in our faces...

yeah, we couldn't go another day without a squeal from Jillian, and another uncomfortable gaffe from Ed... "She's off the pill now... so ya never know..." referring to a prospective dog...

Nice one ED...

***

The fun's just getting started!!!

10 more weeks of Trainwreck TV!!!

Life is good... people...!!!