Well Hello Everyone...

Happy New Year! Yes, yes, yes…I know. July to January wasn’t such a good run…but what can I say? Life was busy, living the dream and all that good stuff. So here we are another new year, another chance to hopefully make it memorable and not screw up too much along the way. I can honestly say 2010 was a great year and if I could replicate it or make it even slightly better…well then 2011 will be a banner year indeed.

So much to talk about since the last 6 months, but this is a blog and not a novel so let’s just review the Cliffs Notes version shall we?

-Summer…it was all it should have been, warm, sunny, sailing, the lake, boating, beaching, camping, PERFECT! AND…the man & I celebrated our 10th Anniversary…hard to believe that 10 years went by so fast and I am lucky enough to say I am even more in love with the guy now than I was back then and trust me I was head over heels for him then! We got away for a little vacation to Cape Cod just the two of us and had a BLAST…if you’re a parent & reading this I implore you to get away with your spouse at least 1x a year…you need it…no really you do, just ask me. Also I have decided to add to my list of things I will do when I win the lottery, it now includes buying a home on Nantucket (might by a plane for the island too just in case I miss the ferry…).

-Fall…kids start school, major life change with daycare and it was a difficult lead up but they are both doing great…seriously Ross & Jack love school and this makes us incredibly happy! AND…with their change in schedule our work schedules changed and bonus I get home a lot sooner…this too makes for a very happy Mommy! They both played soccer and Ross also played football…was a busy time but they both had a blast, not so sure on the football front but with age & growth I think Ross will enjoy it more. He was very much the little guy on the team (seriously the smallest by FAR) & I can’t blame the kid for not wanting to be pummeled by a kid 2x his size…other than that they both are growing and thriving and seriously getting smarter by the minute…the transformation is incredible, but too fast as always. Oh yes and the boys got bunk beds and they love it…and so does Mom…so now we have a real guest room for anyone who feels like drinking too much wine with me & spending the night…

-Work…was tough, business was slower than we had both would have liked…I took a “sabbatical” from traveling in Sept & Oct due to the changes the kids were going through with school & daycare and frankly just didn’t want to miss out on the happenings of life during that time…it sort of came back to bite me in the ass in that I ended up traveling more than I wanted to in Nov & Dec, but you do what you have to do. I think as a parent it is tough to be away when your kids are really little because it seems like they change everyday & you don’t want to miss any milestones…unfortunately as they get older it has become apparent that it is much harder on the kids, as both boys have struggled with my travel schedule. Luckily Brian is a great Dad and more than attentive during my travel times and of course I am so guilt ridden that I smother them with love & attention when I return…this parenting is NOT for the weak!

-Health…we’ve all been pretty healthy up until the recent crap that went through our house causing Ross to end up in the ER one night for IV fluids…I tell ya that kid does NOT mess around when it comes to getting sick…he really only gets sick maybe 1x a year, but when he does the shit will hit the fan! We’ve also been dealing with some crazy unexplained allergic reactions with Ross…we have finally conceded that it is more than his pediatrician can figure out and off to the allergist we go in 2 weeks! Send us some good juju that we might possibly get some kind of an answer…

What else, what else…last years resolutions actually held pretty true, as my last post alluded to I started to try and get my weight down and become a healthier me…as of today I am down 26 lbs and still working diligently at losing weight…slipped from my yoga routine, but anxious to get back on that train and add some cardio to the mix. I feel like I am more organized than before…not that I am truly organized yet, but at least it is still a work in progress…I am doing better at managing my time despite what my Mother says and again I haven’t achieved perfection, but it feels like it is getting better. As for the “should we have another baby” it is a resounding No (just don’t ask the boys). Our family of four is everything we wanted in life and this is how it will stay...now if only someone would do something about that *cough...Brian...cough*. I’d have to look back and see what else I put down, but like I said 2010 was a great year...so I have plans to make this year even better!

That’s it for today…but tomorrow I have a special post in store for our big boy who is…gah…turning 7!?!??!!

Before I log off...here's my newest favorite family pic of the Vino Familia...

Feels good to be back in the blogosphere...

"...you're a hard habit to break."

Don’t panic…I know you think someone has probably confiscated my blog account, but never fear it really is Vinomommy. So much to talk about as always, but today my post is going to be somewhat of an awakening, somewhat heavy hearted and more than anything a new beginning for me. My suggestion is to grab a glass of water, coffee, diet coke, vino, or beer and settle in for a nice long post…

I use my blog to document life and what transpires in this head of mine…the posts are sporadic at best, but I try…probably why I never succeeded at keeping a diary. When I did have a diary it went something like this….“Dear Diary today is my 11th Birthday” and then the next entry would be “Dear Diary today I graduated from High School” so as you can see consistency was never my strong suit.

At any rate a few weeks ago my Grandma (my savior…seriously) came to clean. Yes I hire my Grandma to clean my house, why? Because she is a fierce cleaner, who leaves no spot untouched and she offered, so there. Anyways I used to have her clean 1x month and then the recession hit and so did everything else in life. So I stopped having her clean about 6 months ago, fast forward to a few weeks ago…our house was in need of a SERIOUS scrub. Mind you we have always kept a “clean” house, sure toys were around, maybe I still had a bag of Easter eggs & candy sitting out, mail piled, laundry to do, dust bunnies on the shelves…but nothing that was worth signing me up for an episode of Hoarders. But something happened…

I am not sure how others feel but I know that when beds are made, laundry is kept up & put away, dishes are done, bathrooms are cleaned, offices are organized and shit is put away…our house, family, marriage all runs smoothly, like a well oiled non stressful machine. Let me emphasize the non stressful part…because it is true. When the house is in chaos so is this family, we (me, Brian, and the boys…truthfully probably just B & me). It puts us both on edge and with two very active boys, combined with two very demanding careers, we don’t need additional chaos!

So what happened? Brian and I arrived home from work on Friday to a clean house courtesy of Grandma and then we found ourselves spending the weekend putting away the laundry she had done, and then moved to the kids rooms and did the same, then we cleaned the basement (i.e. organized), I started organizing the kids toys, games, pantry, office, steam cleaning the carpet and before you know it our house was perfect. Well maybe not totally perfect, but perfect in our eyes. What was left was a very clean, organized home with beds made, laundry put away…a polished beauty, one that we would be proud to call home.

But the BEST part? Almost a month later it still looks that way. When we go to bed, leave for work, whatever…the house is in order. Funny how keeping up with everything is a lot easier than trying to do a complete overhaul…who knew? (Mom, Grandma no comments please!) I think I have actually become a bit neurotic because I seriously can’t leave the house or go to bed with things out or dishes in the sink, etc…ridiculous and wonderful all at the same time.

Which brings me to the reason behind this post…habits. It took giving us a fresh start and committing to keeping our house organized and doing it EVERY SINGLE DAY to become a habit and of course breaking the bad ones.

I have some other bad habits too that need breaking and rewiring…so here goes the second part of this post.

This weekend we are having an all family picture on my Mom’s side, the last one was taken in 1998. So much has changed in 12 years including losing my Grandpa (and trust me when I say this is no easy feat thinking about him not being part of this picture) but there is also a lot of good too…marriages, babies...all totaling a new family picture of 27 people. The coordination of this picture has been a year in the making since a portion of our family lives in AZ. A year…an entire year I knew this picture would be happening and here I am days before the picture thinking to myself “why didn’t you do something sooner.”

Believe me this is not a pity post AT ALL, I am not fishing for affirmations or excuses; I am just being honest with myself. I knew this picture was going to happen and I know that there is a good chance we might not ever have another or at least it won’t be in the next 10 years. So why on earth did I not get my ass in gear sooner with the healthy eating and exercise regime that I have so desperately wanted to start and make it a habit by now? Excuses and lots of them. I really despise myself in pictures right now and if I am to be to totally honest at least the last 6 years…and now I will have a permanent portrait of how much I do not like the way I look at this moment.

No it’s not all about physical beauty it’s also about being healthy and doing something for myself, for my kids and for my husband. I don’t think I am ugly, hideous, or anything of the sort, in fact I feel beautiful more often than not. But I do know that I have avoided for a long time admitting to myself that I am not totally happy with who I have become. So there is really nothing I can do about the looming picture this weekend, well maybe slip the photographer a hundred to Photoshop the hell out me. Instead I am going to use this as a new beginning to break some bad habits and create some new healthier ones.

I start yoga on Monday and am ecstatic to being doing this and I have a few other little things in my back pocket that I am committing to as well. My plan is in a few weeks to come back to this blog and be able to rave about how in addition to a clean organized house I have also become a healthier me.

Chicago was sort of right…hard habits are hard to break, but not impossible.

Until next time…

Travel Diaries...

I guess I sucked at keeping my resolution of staying on top of my blog….but you know what they say…life happens. Well at any rate I am here now…fresh off of my flight from MSP to LGA (that’s Minneapolis to LaGuardia for the laymen out there). The flight was standard…actually a little cramped to be honest. Apparently depending on what straw you draw you may end up on a smaller DC10 than the last DC10 you flew on, even when flying on the same airline. Ridiculous I tell you…planes are like women’s jeans just when you think you find the perfect pair, you return to the store to buy a second pair of the exact same jeans, but are crushed to find they are indeed NOT the same jeans that you originally purchased. Make sense or completely lost?

This nonsense is all leading up to a long post of random thoughts but mostly about me evolving into a certified travel snob. First off I must say I rarely ever talk to the person I sit next to, not because I don’t like them or I am antisocial quite the opposite in fact, unfortunately I borderline on being diagnosed with narcolepsy and use my flights to feed my need to sleep whenever possible, which for those of you who have children know that naps are a rarity at best. Truly, I love naps like most people love a good scotch…so good, yet over too quickly, and you always want more…wait that sounds like (KIDDING HONEY!!!)…I digress….so this time I actually engaged in a conversation with my flight neighbor and no joke we talked the entire flight…crazy I know.

Let me introduce you to my flight friend, his name is Louis, he was wearing skinny jeans that were rolled, a button down shirt, cardigan with a fabric flower pin and navy blue canvas boat shoes…I know, quite the impression that I remembered all of this. He also had very nice hair, not like drop dead gorgeous hair, but I could tell he fell into the product whore category such as myself (later we both agree it is worth checking luggage to travel with full size hair products). You are all saying to yourself “surely he is straight with a penchant for style” but on the contrary…my new friend Louis is certifiably not straight and confirmed this later in our conversation, because as he stated “I have four brothers and my Mom swears she always knew I was special”…special indeed Louis, I am certain none of your brothers could pull off wearing skinny jeans with a floral pin with as much panache as you if they tried.

At any rate, we struck up a conversation over the fact that the OLDEST living FLIGHT ATTENDANT that ever existed (I SERIOUSLY kid you not) was working our flight…I wish I remembered her name (lets call her “Matilda”) because she might just be the 1st flight attendant ever hired by Delta…and god bless the woman, but she couldn't hear or see (she actually told us this)…of course the 3rd Musketeer in our row was concerned that “Matilda” might not make it if we were to find ourselves in a serious situation (crashing, etc…) but what was the first thing my friend Louis and I were thinking? Better order 2 drinks cause she’ll never make it back by the time my first is empty, hell she might not make it at all. So Louis ordered 2 Vodkas & a club soda, while I of course ordered…you guessed it, 2 Cabernets. We chatted about him being born & raised in Minneapolis and now living in NY going to Grad school for Fashion Design and working at Caroline Herrera’s fashion house. Just so you know when he graduates this Spring he is hoping to land a job with Ralph Lauren or J Crew…we of course discussed other things like where I work and how he remembered my High School because he heard about it burning down when he was in Junior High. Other topics included our love for trashy gossip magazines (which we later swapped) and how we were both surprised that Jenny McCarthy & Jim Carrey broke up…but neither of us were saddened…we also talked about our devotion to the best TV show ever, Lost (ok maybe not ever but at least right now) and the up & coming favorite, Modern Family. I swear had my cousin Bobby, er Rob or whatever the hell he wants me to call him hadn’t found the love of his life (no worries Jeremy we love you!) I sooooo would be setting Louis & Bobby up on a blind date, but alas it was not meant to be. At any rate Louis and I had a great time chatting it up about all things that most men in my life would have no desire discussing…ever.

Yes, it was all that and much more and it reminded me that maybe sleeping my life away on flights isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, I mean how many Louis’s have I missed by snoring my way through 30,000 feet? I guess I will never know.

Does the mean that I will no longer hit snooze while flying the friendly skies? Hell no. But maybe, just maybe I’ll at least attempt to make eye contact before dozing off. So I think I have probably dragged this post on long enough and you’ll have to wait with baited breath to hear my rant about how I’ve turned into a travel snob until later.

Until next time…

LMAO...

...yeah so let's start this post out on a "funny"...I was playing around with the "dashboard" on my blog and came across the "next blog" button, so naturally I do what most curious people do and click on it...this is where shit starts to get funny...the next blog was...wait for it.........."Gay Dad's in Munchkin Land"...if you are not laughing you should be...and no gay hate emails either, cause ya'll know I love everyone, gay, straight, diagonal & everything in between....but that, that made me laugh OUT LOUD.

So what else, what else...sitting at the Grill/Bar in my hotel in Indy, yes I am traveling again, yes it sucks, but that's old news right? Enjoying some Vino, waiting for dinner and then prepping to watch the season premier of Lost...gawd I love that show, tis my guilty pleasure and I love it as much as I loathe it. Also I should note that holy hell it is hot in this restaurant...must be trying to help you sweat away the calories...but I digress.

I do have a few things on my mind, first my baby, my sweet, sweet BIG BOY is 6. I am the Mother of a six year old...WOW. The fact that I am a Mom is not surprising the fact that my first born is 6 just slays me...people who do not have kids take note, you will never know how fast time flies until you have children and never underestimate this statement, ENJOY EVERY SINGLE MINUTE.

Second, I went shopping for a suit last night and saw my ass in the mirror...well lets just say "objects in mirror really are that large" talk about a buzz kill. So if you are wondering how my "workout" resolution is going...no need to ask. Most of the others are making progress, but that is for another post. Needless to say if I don't get on the treadmill soon, I may be required to hang an orange or red flag off my ass in the near future for the safety of others.

Lastly, I have encountered two instances in the last month or so that has brought to my attention that my "strong personality" might just be a little daunting or threatening to others. When I say others, I mean people who I thought knew me, or at least I thought they knew me. At first I was quite upset and put off. I mean really, none of us are perfect. I am actually quite proud that I surround myself by some of the most perfect "imperfect" individuals, but this notion of being somewhat threatening, well that just down right hurt. But then I got to thinking and of course talking with the Mr (who again, not perfect despite what his Mother & my Grandma might think) and this is me, all of me, for good or bad this is who I am. I like to laugh and make people laugh. I like to joke about serious situations to ease the tension, I like to joke about the funny things in life, because well, they are funny. But I am also a very caring and considerate person, who loves my family & friends more than they will ever know.

So yes, I may joke...a lot...and sometimes I miss the mark, but in the end those that really know me, know who the REAL Vinomommy is and what makes her tick, well those are the people that matter most and those are the people that keep me in check and remind me that they love all of me, good, bad and everything in between (even the ass with the red flag...I know, inappropriate).
Until next time...

Hello from Mormon Country...

...I am currently sitting in my hotel room watching TV and kicking back from a busy day of training. I was given the opportunity to attend a sales training course being hosted by one of the sister company's that the company I work for owns. It has been great, not that I am getting back into sales...honestly I never left...don't kid yourself in thinking that once you become a manager that you no longer are "bothered" by the daily tasks of conducting business...cause guess what you still are...I digress...

Anyways it has been a great refresher and given me new ways of looking at my current ways of handling business. It has also given me an opportunity to check out yet another city & state I have never been to...Utah and more specifically Salt Lake City...this place is definitely different...a lot of Mormons, who would have thought? I have checked out the Temple, the Tabernacle, ate at a lot of great restaurants and plan on heading to Park City tomorrow night.

Usually I am not this social after hours on work trips but I am traveling with one of my staff and there are also others attending training from out of town. It's nice to have people to talk to versus working and heading back to hunker down in my room for the night...because really that gets old, boring and at times lonely. Speaking of lonely I miss my guys terribly...I constantly worry about how my travel affects them and in my own selfishness wonder if they miss me as much as I miss them...

So that's all for tonight just a little tid bit of what I am up to and hopefully I can muster the energy to write a little more of about what has been happening at Casa del Gadient...

Till next time, I will be counting the days, hours, & minutes until I see my guys...

Yes Virginia, Jen still has a blog....

...so here we are again, except this time I can't even believe how long I have left this little blog of mine vacant (despite the numerous messages, complaints, etc...from all of you as "reminders")...poor thing, she has been sorely neglected.

BUT...new year = fresh slate = chance to redeem myself in the blogosphere! I am actually giddy at the thought of a fresh start...because you know a lot has happened since I last posted and although much of it has been captured on my other technology vice a.k.a Twitter it's just not as good as the real thing.

Currently I am sitting in front of the fire (a REAL fire btw) at my Grandma's house with a glass of vino as my side kick. I have spent the last 4 days here and the level of rejuvenation I am feeling is astounding. My time has been spent loving on my kiddos, laughing out loud, sleeping, drinking, playing cards & driving those that I love crazy with my outrageous singing and at the end of the day it is exactly what I needed to realign my life post 2009.

So how was 2009 you may ask? Good. There were struggles with work (honestly that is an understatement for both the Mr & I), challenges of the unknown, and the loss of a loved one but there was so much more that was good, real good...having a family I love & adore, we were & still are healthy, we have two handsome & wonderful boys, we have jobs, we have a home, we have debt...I was doing so well until that last statement...but in all honesty I REALLY can't complain, life simply has been as it should, good/bad and everything in between.

So where are we headed in 2010? Well I hope for more of the same (at least the good stuff), but as many of you have done, I too have compiled a list of resolutions that I am going to strive to accomplish in the New Year...cliche I know, but that is how I roll. So here it goes, in no particular order, Vino Mommy's resolutions for 2010:

1. Exercise - Yes, I am using a blanket statement as I currently have no exercise plan, but trust me, I could stand to lose a few lbs (ok alot, but baby steps)...the hope is that by exercising I will have an outlet for my stress & oh yeah lose some pounds in the process.

2. Blog on a Regular Basis - Yes, hard to believe it would make the list, but I am determined to blog more than 1x every 3 months! Plus secretly I know you all want me to...

3. Reduce Our Debt - We make good money, nothing outrageous but good and what do we have to show for this DEBT...I hate it, loathe it, but can no longer hide it. I am determined to make a concerted effort to spend less...even if it means drinking less Vino...that might be a little harsh, how about "cheaper" Vino to accomplish our goals.

4. Expansion of Our Family - WE...yes the Mr & I need to make a decision of whether or not expand our family with another Bambino. Sounds so simple, but alas it is not. There are many pros & cons and frankly we just need to figure it out...the boys are getting older and so are we...I just wish I knew what the answer was...I have a feeling what the end result will be but you never know...

5. Work/Life Balance - I am continuously on the search for balance with my life & career...my life from 8 - 5 (I laughed as typed that) is more than just a job, it's my career. I have been carefully paving a path to where I am at today. Sometimes it was being in the right place at the right time and much of it is due to hard work & sacrifice. At the end of day I am always looking for balance, it may not always be equal, but balanced none the less so that I can continue on my journey while not losing sight of what means most to me.

7. Clean the Clutter - Specifically I want to get rid of the shit that plagues our basement & my craft room (many of you probably never knew we had either...). Now hear me out when I say we are a far cry from being the next "victim" on Hoarders...but I really want to transform those rooms into usable space vs a catch all for crap.

8. Focus - I am not referring to some adult onset ADD...I just want to be able to practice what I preached for so long, which is essentially be present with whom ever you are with or whatever you are doing. I seem to become increasingly distracted by the ever expanding technologies...texting, tweeting, blogging, etc...all of which has made me a little less present for those that I love and the things that I do.

So there you go, I am sure many of you would prefer a more rounded out list say to 10, but my blog, my list, my way...plus 8 seems like a number I can stick with. I plan on keeping you all posted on my progress and what my plans are to ensure that I accomplish these goals. As a wise person once said "hope is not a plan" so I guess I can't go with that route...

To all of you, thanks for sticking with me during the "dry spell" of 2009 and here's to an incredible 2010!

Where to Begin?

Wow...I have really been quite the slacker lately...funny how not a day goes by that I don't think about posting something...anything really. So...I am going to start "small" and attempt to build from here...cause even though it seems like I have given up on the world of blogging...I haven't. It's more like the pendulum of time has thrown me completely off and I am fighting like hell to get back up.

I used to think my life, our life, was crazy busy...I couldn't have been more wrong, life as we know it now is UNFREAKINBELIVIBLY CRAZY.

Don't get me wrong our life is good, real good as I have said before, but the balance...that thing that I strive to find EVERY SINGLE DAY is a little off...nope make that completely off it's axis.

The boys both started school this year, Ross venturing off into Kindergarten & Jack starting his first year of Preschool. The good news here is that they LOVE it, seriously love themselves some school. Which is comforting and of course a little sad knowing that they truly are growing up and doing things without Mom & Dad's help and I of course have been playing over and over in my head "how did the last 5 1/2 years fly by so quickly?" Take a peek for yourself...

The Big Boy...
The Little Boy

My Boys...
So school has been a great thing, Ross loves his teacher and she is great despite the fact that I think she was born when I graduated from HS...ok, not really but either she is aging amazingly or...I am getting...gasp...older? Jack of course fell in love with his teacher from the get go because he actually has Ross's first Preschool teacher...Ms Mary. Let it be known that I warned Ms Mary that Jack is not Ross...not just the "he's the little brother...blah...blah" more the "he is much more 'spirited' than Ross"...which really equates to...he's a wild man, what is your liquor preference? However despite our fears that Jack would terrorize Ms Mary and wish she had retired sooner, he has done fabulous and is well behaved and BONUS has not peed his pants in school. We had little doubt that Ross would adjust to Kindergarten superbly, but of course being the shy, perfectionist, old soul that he is it can take awhile for him to get "comfortable" in new surroundings. But again, he has done wonderful and lovin' every minute...well with the exception of us asking him everyday "what did you do at school" which is usually answered with "I don't remember...I played." Huh...interesting.

So let's see we've got school, then we started swimming and soccer. Phew! Throw in the Mr having back issues which ultimately landed him with a diagnosis of a herniated disc...well that's when things really started cooking around here (although softball was no longer a scheduling issue as bad back=no softball for the rest of the year...woo hoo).

Then shortly after the start of our marathon fall my work got busy...nope busy doesn't do it justice...INSANE...the kind of insane non stop work that ultimately wore me down and had my heart beating so fast that my chest started to tighten, breathing became difficult, and a momentary nervous breakdown ensued. Which oddly enough I take meds to curb anxiety (I know, surprise!) , so you know it's bad when even the "happy pills" can't fend these feelings off.

The "busyness" is great for business, we are now half way back to where we were a year ago, which probably sounds meager at that, but trust me when I say we have made leaps and bounds. But with this has come ridiculous work hours, day, night, weekend it doesn't matter. I am at the mercy of "The Client" and I hate that. They essentially own my ass and I have no choice but to grin and bear it till it's all over. I am however doing my best to avoid the "flight mode" and am now preparing myself to "fight" knowing that if I focus on just getting the job done, that one day (god willing by December) it will be over...or at least slower.

I have cancelled both work trips and personal trips because of the work load (2 vacations to be exact). Thank god the Mr is incredibly understanding (yes I know, as a person he is much better than I...nothing new there) and is more than accommodating with my job. Good news for him is that mid-October we will be in NYC together, kid free, just he and I...and well the rest is for us to know and you to not. :)

The positive side is I have only had a couple overnight trips one being tomorrow (and no I am not packed or ready to go whatsoever and it's 11PM...) which has kept me home more, but with the amount of hours I am working I might has well be in another state. The one thing I can say is that I am perfecting the "quality" of time with my family versus the "quantity" and am consistently trying to balance that damn pendulum one day at a time (Grandma if you are reading this...if you lived with us life would be much more even keel...I'm just sayin).

So again as I have signed off before, I will attempt to keep this little life journal of mine up to date and a little more light hearted, cause I am not much of a fan of drama mama as I am of Vino mama...until next time.