I started this blog with one daughter, kept it up with the other, to spend time together doing something we enjoyed.
However, things change and people evolve. My daughters are older, busier, and not as interested in writing.
From now on this blog will be mostly mom with occasional contributions from my daughters and maybe even my husband.
Nothing else will change. We'll still focus on sharing fun places to go, fun things to do, and more, and we would  still love to hear your views too

Friday, May 31, 2013

Funny Friday - What to Wear

Me -

When my sister was little and she and my mom came to pick me up at school, she would wear swim goggles in case it rained. At the time, I thought it was kind of embarassing, but now it is kind of funny.

Mom -

When Melia was little, one day we were at the pool and she lifted up her shirt and said "I need a training bra for my little ones."


We welcome you to share your funny stories with us. Tune in Monday for another Talking Topic.


Thursday, May 30, 2013

Playgrounds

Me -I like to go to the playground. I like to go on the swings.I don't like to pump my legs I like it better when people push me. I am not good at pumping my legs. I am very good at waiting for people to push me. I like to go on the slide. I like when playgrounds have things to climb on. I like sandboxes but playgrounds hardly ever have them anymore. My sister used to have a sand and water table, but we were hardly ever allowed to play with it. They have a nice playground at my school. My sister is bored with it because she has already been in the school for a long time. I am happy to have a big playground at my school. Last year, when I was in kindergarten, I went to a different school.  We had a little playground. There were no swings. There was only one thing to climb on. It did have three slides attached to it though. We hardly ever went to the playground anyway. This year we will have recess almost every day when it is not raining or really cold or the playground is wet or snowy. I can't wait!*

*The above is a guest post by little sister, Aurella, as dictated to Mom.

Mom - When I was young playgrounds were so different than are now. The swings and slide were metal. When it was really hot you couldn't go on them or you would burn your legs especially on the slide. They also had metal monkey bars which usually just went straight across. They didn't have climbers like they do now. They had a merry-go-round which spun around in a circle. They had sandboxes. I know of a couple playground we go to or used to go to that still have a sandbox, but most of the ones I know of do not. On the whole, I am not in favor of sandboxes. First of all, I don't like sand in general it is too messy. Also, I don't think sandboxes are very sanitary especially not public ones. When Melia was little we got her a sand and water table because she had a lot of sand toys, and we didn't go to the beach that much. We hardly ever let her play with it because it was too messy and the rain kept getting in even after my husband built her a cover for it. Nowadays, playground equipment is made out of plastic so it doesn't get so hot. Swing seats are also made out of plastic. They usually always have climbers and sometimes even more than one for different age levels. The ground is covered with wood chips, pieces of rubber, or a completely rubber surface instead of just dirt or sand like when we were kids. However, the wood chips and rubber pieces are messy and get all over your clothes and in your shoes and all over your house. The rubber floor gets really hot in the sun. There must be a better way. The fact that there is not so far only shows that while there has been a lot of improvement in playgrounds over the years, there is still room for more.

And that's our view. What is your favorite playground memory?

Tune in tomorrow for Funny Friday.


Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Tips for Tuesday - Movies: Secretariat and 42

Me - Today I am recommending the movie Secretariat. It was a really good movie about a horse named Secretariat that won the triple crown. It was a really good movie. It is a good movie for May because the first part of the triple crown, the Kentucky Derby is in May. I really enjoyed this movie, and I would positively recommend it.

Mom - Today I am recommending 42. It is more than a baseball movie. It is a movie about  a pivotal moment in American history when two men had the courage to change the way the world of baseball had always been which in turn affected all of sports and beyond. However, despite the weight of having to tell this important story, the movie still manages to be enjoyable. I would definitely recommend it.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Cute TV Kids Then and Now

Me - Some cute TV kids from the past were Mary Kate and Ashley Olson when they were on Full House.Also, there were Denise and Teddy , Michelle's friends on Full House. I don't know their real names. Now, Mary Kate and Ashley are strange and ugly. Teddy is kind of nerdy looking. Denise is beautiful. Some cute TV kids now are Mia Talerico from Good Luck Charlie and the baby who plays Toby on Good Luck Charlie. Also, the girls playing Hope on Raising Hope are cute too. Zuri from Jesse played by Skai Jackson is also really cute. She is not as young as the little kids and babies from the other shows, but she is still cute. Some times shows have a cute baby on one or two episode. There was a cute baby on an episode of Sabrina the Teenage Witch and more recently, there was a cute baby on an episode of Ant Farm. I love cute babies and little kids, and I love watching them on TV even if they are actually grown up now.

Mom - I love watching cute little kids on TV shows. There has been a long history of cute kids on TV. In the 50s,  there was Little Ricky on I Love Lucy. In the 60's, there was Adam and Tabitha on Bewitched. In the 70's there was Carrie and later Grace on Little House on the Prairie. In the 80s, there was Chrissy on Growing Pains and Andrew on Family Ties. In the 80s, there was Michelle on Full House. In the 2000's, there were Alison's daughters on Medium; Ariel, Bridget, and Marie. In the 2010s, there has been Hope on Raising Hope and Charlie on Good Luck Charlie. Those are just a few of the cute kids that have been on TV series through the decades. There have also been cute kids who have been in TV series that have not lasted that long like Kaleena Kiff who played Patti on Love Sidney. There have been cute kids in TV movies and cute kids in commercials. In fact, most kids on TV are cute. In life kids, can be cute too just not all the time and that is the difference between real life and screen life.

And that's our view. Who do you think is the cutest kid on TV from the past or now?

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Friday, May 24, 2013

Funny Friday - Touch-A-Touch

Me -

We went to this baseball game. Afterwards, we got to run around the bases. My sister bent down and touched the dirt on the baseball field because she wanted to know what it felt like. Then, she started touching the grass, and street, and the car and everything even me.

Mom -

When Melia and Aurella were little one day they were taking a bath and every time Melia turned around Aurella woud pinch her behind.


We welcome you to share your funny stories with us. Tune in Monday for another Talking Topic.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Sleepover at the Riversharks

Me -Sleepover at the Riversharks, wow! I slept over at the Rivershark's baseball stadium, Campbell Field. It was better than I imagined it would be. My Mom and Dad and sister came too. I didn't really like sleeping in a tent because it is too low to the ground, and I get a headache. We got free dinner, free snack, and free breakfast. All of us thought there would only be our family and a couple of Scout troops there, but there were so many people there. It was like a tent city and from the stands it looked like a dome village. We got to watch a free movie, The Lorax. Luckily, it wasn't anything scary or Aurella would have been up all night, and that's hard to deal with when you're all in a small tent together. It was also lucky we had already seen it because there was so much going on, it was hard to pay attention. In the morning, they had a baseball clinic, but we didn't go to it. Instead we went to the Battleship New Jersey. I had a lot of fun, and I hope to go back next year and/or sleepover at another stadium.

Mom - Last summer our family got to do many things we have never done before. One of those things was sleeping over at a baseball stadium. We got to spent a night at Campbell's Field, home of the Atlantic League Camden Riversharks. Before, we went, I assumed there would just be our family and a few Boy Scout troops. However, I was wrong. There were a few Boy Scout troops. However, there were also a lot of families. There was quite a lot of people there, way more than I expected. Every group brought their own tents except a few groups just slept out on the ground. Some of the tents were really huge; some were so tiny I don't know how anybody could fit in them except maybe a little kid. All the tents were set up on the outfield grass. We could go into the stands to go to the bathroom, but we were not allowed on the infield. Included with our overnight was a ticket to that night's baseball game, postgame fireworks, a snack and a movie on the field, breakfast, and a baseball clinic. The movie was The Lorax. I am glad we had already seen it because when it went on we were still putting up our tent, and there were so many things going on that it was too distracting to pay attention to it. They played the movie on the scoreboard video screen. The baseball clinic was the next morning after breakfast. We did not stay for that. My husband and kids go camping every year, but for me it was my first time. I still don't plan to go camping with them all the time now because I enjoy my occasional weekends alone. However, if camping means that we can go on more vacations because it will cost us less than I am all for it. I would definitely sleepover at another stadium too because it was a lot of fun.

And that's our view. Where do you think would be an interesting place for a sleepover?

Tune in tomorrow for Funny Friday.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Where-to-Go Wednesday - Sleepover at a Baseball Stadium

What:  Sleepover at a Baseball Stadium

Where: Various Locations

Who: Everyone

Our view: If you think it wouldn't be fun to stay overnight at a baseball stadium, then you have probably never experienced sleeping over at a baseball stadium. Even if you are not into camping, but you like baseball, it is still fun. Believe us, at least one member of our family is not by any stretch of the imagination into roughing it. However, we all had a great time at our first baseball sleepover. Besides, stadium sleepovers are not completely roughing it anyway since bathrooms are available and food may be provided as well. The sleepover experience may vary from stadium to stadium. Some only provide sleepovers for scouting groups. Others allow families as well. Some stadiums may not provide overnights at all. If you are interested contact your local minor or independent league stadium and find out what they offer. Cost and what is provided also may vary from location to location. We were able to a get a game ticket, post game fireworks, a snack, a movie, breakfast, and a baseball clinic all for about $30.00 per person at  Campbell's Field in Camden, NJ. Please note, If you wish to sleep in a tent, you will be required to provide your own.

And that's our view. For more about stadium sleepovers see tomorrow's Talking Topics.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Tips for Tuesday - Books: My Sister the Vampire and A Girl Named Williow Krimble

Me - Today I am recommending My Sister the Vampire. This is a series of books about two girls, Ivy and Olivia. Ivy is a vampire and Olivia is not. They are sisters who were separated at a year old because there father wanted to protect them. They meet up again on the first day of middle school and find out they are sisters. No human can know about vampires but Ivy makes an exception and tells Olivia. This is one of my favorite book series. It is not just your average vampire book. They are just like average middle school girls even though one of the them is a vampire. So if you have a kid who is interested in this kind of thing, get them this series, I guarantee they'll love it.

Mom - Today I am recommending A Girl Named Willow Krimble by Giuseppe Bianco. This is a book about a girl who discovers she has the power to heal. I did not think I was going to like this book so I had it for a long time before I read it. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The book is very enjoyable and Willow is  a very likeable character. I admire the way she always perseveres. Willow is definitely a good role model for the tween readers for whom the book is intended. Adults may find the book enjoyable as well.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Beverly Cleary

Me - Beverly Cleary, wow! Beverly Cleary is one of my favorite authors. I love her Ramona books. Ramona reminds me of my sister when she was little and she was more trouble.  I love the Ramona movie too. I wanted to see it because aside from loving the Ramona books, I love Selena Gomez. The movie was a combination of all the books. Also we once went to a Ramona event at Barnes and Noble. They gave out Ramona bags. There, I found out Ramona got a baby sister named Roberta in one of the later books that I hadn't read yet. I felt mixed about that.  I liked knowing that Ramona would have a baby sister, but on the other hand, it spoiled it for me knowing before reading the book. It ruined the surprise. I never would have guessed if I hadn't been told. I also read some of the Henry Huggins books and one about Ribsy his dog. I did not like the Henry Huggins books nearly as much as I liked Ramona. I did like the Ribsy book though. I also read Ellen Tibbets. I liked that too. So if you have kids, tell them that I highly recommend the Ramona books.

Mom - I really enjoyed reading Beverly Cleary's Ramona books when I was young. When Melia read them, there were a lot more books than I remembered. Apparently, some of them had been written when I was already too old for them. I think I only read about the first three or four. I enjoyed the Ramona movie too. I was surprised that for the movie they combined all the books. I would think that they would have dragged it out by making each  book a separate movie. That is what they usually do like with the Harry Potter books and the Twilight books. With those books, they dragged it out even more by making the last books in each series two separate movies.  I still wouldn't be surprised  if they tried to make another Ramona movie anyway even though they pretty much already covered everything important that happens in the books. Maybe, they will make a movie of another one of Beverly Cleary's book instead. She had other series, such as, Henry Huggins as well as stand alone books like Ellen Tebbits. I read Ellen Tebbits although I don't remember that much about it. I don't think I ever read any of the Henry Huggins books. I am not sure if I ever read any of Beverly Cleary's other books. Her best loved books are the Ramona books anyway.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Friday, May 17, 2013

Funny Friday - What's in Your Pocketbook?

Me - We recently went to a baseball game. My Mom and sister and I all brought pocketbooks. In my sister's pocketbook, she had a whole case of makeup and a change of shoes among other things and she is only 7.

Mom - When Melia was first toliet trained, her Grandma bought her Dora underwear. She was so proud of it that when we went to the mall, she borrowed a pocketbook from Grandma and put her new underwear in it and carried it around.



We welcome you to share your funny stories with us. Tune in Monday for another Talking Topic.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Callie and Pippi

Me -Callie and Pippi, wow! Last Thursday, we got new kittens named Callie Marie and Princess Pippi. Everybody calls them Callie and Pippi.  Everybody agrees with me that they are precious. They are so adorably cute. Everybody who sees them falls in love with them. I mean how could they help it. I love them so much. They are so funny. The way they play together. One time, they were staring at each other from across the room and then they ran after each other. It is also really fun the way they look at things they have never seen before like fans. They are tabby cats like our other cat Gigi was. They look a little like her but they have more coloring. My Grandfather says they have beautiful coloring and I agree. We really love our little kittens.

Mom -Last week we have had two new additions to our family - our 9 week old kittens - Callie Marie and Princess Pippi. We adopted them from the SPCA. I still really miss our cat, Gigi who died a few weeks ago, but it so good to have little furry creatures in the house again. Somethings about the kittens make me miss Gigi a little less. It had been a long time since Gigi was really playful like a kitten. Other things about them actually make me miss her more. Since, Gigi was already older we didn't have to worry about her getting into everything like the kittens do. Also, since Gigi was older she didn't need to run around the house all the time. She was happy just to sit with us and be petted. Callie and Pippi are still so overwhelmed by being in such a big house that they like to spend their time running all over it. Callie is a little bit more shy than Pippi. She also is a little bit more colorful. We tell them a part by the larger orange spot on Callie's head and the orange tip of her tail. Pippi's tail is all gray. In the dark, she really reminds us a lot of Gigi. Gigi loved us in her way. From the time she was baby she always liked to lick my arms, but that is all she licked. She also liked to sit right next to us and be petted. Once in a while, she would plant herself in my lap, but she didn't like to be picked up or held. She wasn't much of a cuddler. Callie and Pippi like to sit on our laps and be cuddled although lately they are so busy exploring the house they haven't been wanting to be cuddled that much. They also like to lick our fingers.  It is so cute the way they sleep all curled up together in our downstairs bathroom sink. Of course, I still miss Gigi, and I always will, but it is so nice to have little furry babies in the house again.

And that's our view. What is your favorite kind of pet?

Tune in tomorrow for Funny Friday.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Tips for Tuesday - Apps. and Web-Sites: Spelltower

Me - Today I am recommending spelltower. It is so much fun. You make words and get points. Me and my Mom got the best word score on a display tablet at the AT & T store at a mall we went to. The word was crafted. Me and my Mom love doing stuff with words.That's one reason we like to blog. Spelltower is not that much money, and I would definitely recommend it.

Mom - Today I am also recommending spelltower. I am generally not that much in to games. When I do like games, they are games that make you think. Spelltower is definitely a game that makes you think. Spelltower is good for any age. Adults can challenge themselves to find as many high scoring words as they can. Children can  challenge themselves to find as many words as they can while practicing their spelling in a fun way. Even a child just learning to spell can have fun finding as many words as they are able to. Spelltower is hours of fun for everyone.

And that's our view.


Monday, May 13, 2013

Mother's Day

Me - Mother's Day, wow! I love Mother's Day because I like to celebrate my Mom. She is the best Mom in the world. Her name is Jeryl Marcus. My sister says, Mommy Jeryl Marcus. I love my Mom so much. I have a really very special relationship with her. We always have these special talks. For her present this year, I wrote her a song. It is called Mom. This year for Mother's Day we went out to brunch with my grandparents. We went to one of my favorite restaurants. It is called Moms. I think it was appropriate for the occasion since it was Mother's Day. The food was really good. I couldn't finish all of mine. I took it home and had it later. Just our immediate family had dinner at home. This is my first Mother's Day when I am a mother too. My Mom, my sister and I are all mother's to our two new baby kittens. Mother's Day is a very special day.

Mom -Another Mother's Day has come and gone. We went to lunch with my parents. It was one of our favorite restaurants, and the food was really good. We had dinner at home. It was something we had never before either, and it was good too.  Melia wrote me a song. Aurella made me a note cards and magnets and gave me sunflower seeds and a little pot to plant them in.  Those were projects she had made in school or Daisies.She also wrote me a story and a song and drew me lots of pictures. She also ordered me something special with a design she drew on it, but that hasn't come in yet. I am really looking forward to seeing that when it comes in.  I don't know exactly what is is. It is going to be a surprise. My husband got me three pairs of shoes as a Mother's Day present, red wedges, white wedges, and blue wedges. I  was very happy because I just love shoes. I also got a lot of nice cards from my husband, my kids, my best friend and my Mom. Even the weather was really nice. All in all, it was a really nice Mother's Day.

And that's our view. How was your Mother's Day?

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Funny Friday - Spelling

Me -

When my sister was about two or three, my Mom was holding one of her hands and my brother was holding the other. "Don't you want to S-W-I-N-G?" my brother said to my sister.

"She doesn't know how to S-P-E-L-L." replied my mother.

Mom -

Instead of singing so and so and so and so sitting in a tree "K * I * S * S * I *N *G", Aurella would sing so and so and so and so sitting in a tree "K * A * S * S* A * S * E".


We welcome you to share your funny stories with us. Tune in Monday for another Talking Topic.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Wicked

Me -Wicked, wow! I love the show Wicked. I saw it with my grandparents.  I wish I could have seen it when the original wicked witch, Idina Menzel was in the show. She won a Tony for her role. My aunt was actually friends with her when they were younger. I wish I could have seen Kristin Chenowith as Glinda. In Wicked the wicked witch is called Elphaba. They really do a good job of making Elphaba green. The person who I saw play Glinda was really good. I don't know her name. I didn't like the character of Fiero. I didn't like the song Elphaba sang where she mentioned his name. It was kind of scary. Some other parts were scary too. That's why my little sister, Aurella hasn't seen the show. She scares easily. I liked the sets of the show. The costumes were okay. I don't really remember much about them. I liked the music. My favorite song is Defying Gravity. They sang it on Glee too, but I like the version from Wicked better. I also really like the song What is This Feeling. The acting was good although I don't remember that much about it because I saw it when I was a lot younger. Everyone should see Wicked if they have the chance, but don't bring little kids they might get scared. I would never want to see a little child get scared.

Mom - I love the show Wicked. I saw it on Broadway a long time ago when it was still in previews. I was lucky enough to see the original cast which included Idina Menzel in her Tony winning role as Elphaba, Kristin Chenowith as Glinda, and Joel Grey as the Wizard. My sister actually knew Idina Menzel and was friends with her when they were younger. They knew each other from school and later from camp. They kept passing through each other's lives. When Idina was in Rent, we were lucky enough to go backstage after the show and see her and get her to sign my Dad's Rent poster. I enjoyed seeing her again in Wicked, but my husband and I were there without my sister and we didn't really know Idina so we didn't go backstage that time. I especially love the music in Wicked. After we saw the show, we got the CD. I still have a lot of the songs on my MP3. I even got the original book Wicked: The Life and Times of The Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. Although the show was actually a different spin on The Wizard of Oz, it was based on Gregory Maquire's book. I often like to go back and read the original source when I see a movie or a Broadway show. I was really excited to read the book. However, I did not like the book at all. It was much darker than the show. I read the whole thing, but it took me a long time to get through. I did not read any of the sequels. I prefer to stick with the show. I liked it much better and would recommend it much more.

And that's our view. What is your favorite version of The Wizard of Oz story?









Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Where-To-Go Wednesday - High Line

What: High Line

Where: 529 West 20th Street
            New York, New York

Who: Everyone

Our view: If you are looking for a nice place for a picnic or a walk in New York City try the High Line. The High Line is a park built on the tracks of the old West Side Line portion of the New York Central Railroad. It operated as a rail line from 1934 through 1980. In 2009, the first section of it opened as a park. Currently the park extends from Gansevoort Street to 30th St. If you are looking for a park filled with swings, and slides and jungle gyms, this is not the place for you. If you are looking for a nice relatively quiet place with pretty views, this is the place for you. The park is open daily from 7:00 to 10:00 and there are no entrance fees.There are nine different entrance to the park. Four of the nine are handicapped accessible. The park is one of the safest parks in New York and has a very low crime rate. In fact, there has never been a major crime reported at the park since it opened. We would definitely recommend visiting this really unique park.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for another Talking Topic.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Tips for Tuesday - Misc.: Wicked

Me - Today I am recommending the show Wicked. It is a really good show. It has a great storyline. It is a different take on the Wizard of Oz. The wicked witch is the hero of the story instead of being the villain. It has really great songs too. I would highly recommend it.

Mom - Today I am  also recommending the show Wicked. It is a unique telling of the story of the Wizard of Oz in which the wicked witch is actually the hero of the story. The plot is interesting. It is filled with equal parts drama and comedy. The songs are great. There are actually songs, you can leave the theater humming which is a rarity in theater today. All in all, it is a really entertaining show.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday. For more about Wicked see Thursday's Talking Topic

Monday, May 6, 2013

Flowers, Plants & Gardening

Me - Flowers, plants, and gardening, wow! Once, I tried to grow an herb garden. All the plants died. Flowers are pretty. I wish I could have a garden, but it is not allowed in my neighborhood. We do have a couple of bushes with flowers on them in our front yard though. My sister and I are always picking flowers and bringing them home. My Dad doesn't really like us to bring flowers home because he is allergic. They always have a plant sale at school every year for Mother's Day. My mother, however,  is not really into plants. My grandma is a different story. She has plants in every room in her house except for two. When I go there, I help water the plants. When she goes away, I water them myself. Usually, if I bring a plant home from someplace, it dies a day or two later. I wish I could grow a garden.When I am playing, sometimes I like to give the kids flower names. Some of my favorites are Rose, Lily, Daffodil. Tulip, and Petunia. Even though I like plants I don't think I will ever like them as much or be as good with them as my Grandma.

Mom - I am not much of a plant person.Neither is my husband. In fact, whenever, we have had a plant it died except once when we had this Aloe Vera plant that my stepson brought home from the last day of second grade. My husband actually managed to keep that plant alive for a few years. Now, my husband has another Aloe Vera plant.When I was young, there were plants all over our house. My Mom was great with them and loved them. I couldn't even remember to water the plant in my own room so Mom took care of that too. I once had briefly had a flower garden. I got all the plants from a plant sale at school. I loved my flower garden because it was beautiful and colorful. My flower garden was so small that people didn't notice it and were always stepping in it. We got a little white fence to put around it, but even that didn't help much. My girls love flowers and when they wereyoung they were always bringing home wildflowers. My husband hated it because he is allergic to flowers. Needless to say, I never get any flowers for Mother's Day or Valentine's Day or anything. I don't mind though because my husband is very generous to me, and I get so many better things. Before, I was with my husband, I dated this guy who worked with my best friend's husband. We went to this party from their work. All the wives were sitting around complaining that their husband's didn't bring them flowers enough. My friend said her husband didn't even bring her flowers when she had her son. I didn't really say anything about getting flowers or not getting flowers. However, the next two times, the guy I was dating came to pick me up to go out he brought me a bouquet of roses each time. My friend still hasn't gotten any flowers from her husband and that was a good twenty years ago.

And that's our view. Do you have a garden?

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.


Saturday, May 4, 2013

The Saturday Special- Classic Harbor Line Cruises




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Dedicated to helping locals and visitors alike enjoy the unique wonders of New York City, Classic Harbor Line hopes for the privilege of escorting you on a relaxing, inspiring and breathtaking sightseeing cruise through the waters we proudly call home. Our classic yachts - the Schooner Adirondack & Adirondack III and the Schooner America 2.0 (our sailboats), and the Luxury Yacht Manhattan (our motorized yacht) are reminiscent of the classic boats that cruised New York Harbor a hundred years ago. My Readers Receive $10 off each ticket purchased at www.sail-nyc.com using ONLINE promo code FAMILY10

Friday, May 3, 2013

Funny Friday - You Got That Backwards

Me -

When I was little, instead of saying I was saving up for something I would say I was spending up for it.

Mom -

 When Melia was 2, her grandfather was holding her, and she said "I'm holding PopPop."


We welcome you to share your funny stories with us. Tune in Monday for another Talking Topic.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Pocketbooks

Me - Pocketbooks, wow! I have thousands of pocketbooks. I barely ever use them. I use the same one or two over and over again. My Mom and My Grandma are always giving me their old pocketbooks. Aurella and I have to split them. Every time my Mom is done using a pocketbook, Aurella and I take turns getting it. Next, it will be Aurella's turn. My favorite pocketbook, my Grandma gave me for the holidays. It has an M on it for my initial. I have pocketbooks of all different sizes. I have from little tiny to small to medium to big. My favorite size is big but not too big. I like to be able to fit books in my pocketbook. My favorite pocketbook can only fit a small book. My second favorite pocketbook which I use most often is pretty big and has one strap. My third favorite is a black one that is medium sized and also only has one strap. I like pocketbooks that only have one strap because the two strap ones always fall off your shoulder. The one strap ones you can put around your neck so they stay on. I am not that picky about pocketbooks. I'll pretty much use all kinds, but my Mom is super picky about them. She needs just the perfect one. It has to be big with lots of pockets and compartments. What she puts in there, she keeps in there either unless it's like a book. She keeps her calender and her wallet and her phone in there and a bunch of other stuff, and then when we go out she's always got a hardcover book, her Kindle and magazines in there. She barely ever empties it out, and when she does, it's still heavy. At the present time, she has two pocketbooks; a small one and a big one. She got the small one from K-Mart. It had a lot of compartments but wasn't big enough to hold her books so she had to get another one. When I get older, I am going to keep stuff in my pocketbook, but not as much as my Mom does.

Mom - I am a big pocketbook person who would like to be a small pocketbook person. When I carry around a small pocketbook, I never have enough room for all my stuff. I like a very specific kind of pocketbook with pockets in the front and back and sections in the middle but that is still big. Also, the pockets in the front have to be really high and/or zip so I can put things like my cell phone and/or my glasses in it without worrying about them falling out and losing them. A lot of pocket books that have lots of sections, the sections are kind of small.  I used to change pocketbooks twice a year, but now I don't change that often. It is too hard to find exactly the kind of pocket book I am looking for. If I had a lot of money, I think that one thing I would splurge on is a custom designed pocketbook because I so know exactly what I am looking for. Another reason, I don't change pocketbooks so often is because whenever I get a new pocketbook it is never exactly the same as the one before. Therefore, there is always a period of adjustment while I get used to the new pocketbook. I hate that period of adjustment. I once had a pocketbook that the front and the back pockets were exactly the same. I had to get rid of because I kept forgetting what I put where and having to go through the whole thing every time I needed something. I once had this pocketbook that was almost perfect. It had lots of pockets, pockets all around and the pockets were high enough that things didn't fall out. Also, even when you put a lot of stuff in it, it didn't feel that heavy. The only problem is  it didn't last that long. The insides started ripping out. I wouldn't have even minded that because it wasn't that expensive, and I would have just bought another one of the same. However, I could never find that same pocketbook again. If I would have known then what I know now, I would have bought a bunch of them. Well, you know what they say about hindsight and all because a good man may be hard to find but a great pocketbook is even harder.

And that's our view. What is the best pocketbook you ever owned?

Tune in Monday for another Talking Topics.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Where-To-Go Wednesday - Pick Your Own Fruits

What: Pick Your Own Orchards

Where: Various Locations

Who: Everyone

Our view: If you like fresh fruit and your are interested in picking your own, there are  pick your own fruit orchards in every state of the country including Alaska. They vary as to when they are open and what is available to pick there depending on the time of year and the location. Some allow you to pick your own vegetables and/or flowers as well. Some provide other activities, such as, hayrides and corn mazes. Others only provide additional activities seasonally, such as, haunted hayrides (or unhaunted hayrides) and pumpkin picking at Halloween or Christmas tree picking at Christmas. Do come dressed for mess. Only come hungry if you want to spend as much time eating as picking. Pick Your Own Orchards in NJ include the following:

Lee's Turkey Farm: 201 Hickory Corner Road, East Windsor, NJ:

Here you can pick your own fruits and vegetables. There are also flowers available. There are hayrides, a corn maze, walking tours and you can even get a fresh oven ready turkey.

Terhune Orchard : 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, NJ
Here you can pick your own fruits. There are flowers available. Apple Cider is available freshly made in their own cider mill. There are farm animals to see. Birthday parties and school tours are welcome.

Battleview Orchard: 91 Wemrock Road, Freehold, NJ

Here you can pick your fruit. Fresh apple cider and apple cider donuts are made right on the premises. Seasonal events are offered including a spring customer appreciation day which this year will be this weekend Saturday May 4 from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Customer appreciation day includes wagon rides, food sampling, fun and games, and a discount in the orchard store. If you do not like big crowds, it is best to avoid this event. If you are not attending this event and do not like sitting in big traffic jams, it is best to avoid driving in the vicinity of the orchard on this day.

For more about Lee's Turkey Farm go to leesturkeyfarm.com
For more about Terhune Orchard go to terhuneorchards.com
For more about Battleview Orchard go to battlevieworchards.com

For more information about orchards in other parts of New Jersey, other states, or even other countries go to pickyourown.org.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for another Talking Topic.