Back in the Spring, Rex and I were lucky enough to score two sets of four tickets to take London and Maddie and friends to see Miley Cyrus on Saturday, November 7th at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. We firmed up plans to include a mother-daughter pair of friends for Maddie and me, and a father-daughter pair of friends for Londona and Rex. We'll start off with an early Portuguese dinner, probably at Adega Grill in Newark, where we went the night we saw Movin' Out at NJPAC. Now, a... Read Full Story

After the annual Bay Head Halloween parade, we always close down our beach house and stay warm and cozy in the Roxiticus Valley until the snow melts in April. And, here in the United States, this weekend we ended Daylight Savings time by turning our clocks back an hour. So I wanted to find a fitting Music Monday, and came up with "Closing Time" by Semisonic. Rex and I saw them live at the Garden State Arts Center about fifteen years ago when they opened for Matchbox 20.Closing time - time for... Read Full Story

Tomorrow is Election Day here in the United States, and in New Jersey, we'll be voting on a new governor of New Jersey. Judging from the signs on the lawns around the Greater Roxiticus Valley, it looks like Mendham and Morris County will be turning out to support our neighbor, Republican Chris Christie. In addition, a group of friends at a Halloween party in Drakewick convinced Rex and me to write in Sam Tolley for Township Committee in Mendham Township, NJ.In celebration of Election Day 2009... Read Full Story

I know it's only Halloween, but I'm doing a little bit of online Christmas shopping. I have one of those 10% Target Rewards certificates that expires next week, and I wanted to get a jump on shopping at a discount (unfortunately, I have learned through a call to their less-than-helpful customer service that Target doesn't really mean it when they claim "free shipping on your $50+ order"...unless you're buying "specially marked items"...their message seemed to be "go shop in the store... who c... Read Full Story

London, Maddie, Rex and Roxy wish you a Happy Halloween!So far, we're just relaxing around the house, eating Rex's famous chocolate chip pancakes... later we'll head out trick-or-treating with friends. Be on the lookout for that girl band, the Butter Bites (and their Pirate Parents).Happy Halloween! Read Full Story

After school today, London, Maddie and I are off to a pumpkin painting and carving party with London's Brownie troop. We've already carved one set of pumpkins, but we are looking forward to more pumpkin good fun. Since our family loves to bake and eat pumpkin seeds this time of year, I thought I'd share the following recipe, passed along to us by our good friend and former nanny:Wash all the pumpkin goo off the seeds. Make sure the seeds are completely dry. Put the seeds on a cookie sheet (I ... Read Full Story

Now I know not everyone takes Halloween as seriously as London, Maddie, Rex and I do... we started our week long celebration of the spooktacular event with an Honorable Mention trophy for the Butter Bites in the annual Bay Head New Jersey Halloween Parade. On Friday, the girls will participate in another Halloween parade at Mendham Township Elementary School, and maybe wear their costumes to Randolph Gymnastics as well. Saturday is the real deal: trick or treating around the neighborhood w... Read Full Story

Pictures on the way!For now, here's the crowd pleasing "set list" that London and Maddie performed along the parade route from Mount Street to the Bay Head Firehouse:Taylor Swift's "Our Song"Demi Lovato's "Who Will I Be?"Taylor Swift's "Fifteen"Miley Cyrus' "The Climb"and on the way home, they wrapped up withTaylor Swift's "Teardrops On My Guitar" and "Love Story"We also have to keep our eye on our local newspaper, the Ocean Star... a photographer stopped me along the parade route and alerted... Read Full Story

While I visit my blogosphere buddies, Mariuca and LadyJava, on a daily (or nightly) basis via the Internet and online world, we often "threaten" to visit each other in person. Right now, the Accor Hotels 3-Day Super Sale Asia Pacific -- with over one million hotel rooms available at amazing rates -- is making it awfully tempting for Roxy to plan a whirlwind tour of Malaysia and Singapore to see my friends. Asia Pacific travelers will enjoy significant savings when we book a holiday visit (sta... Read Full Story

There's a long story about Roxy bringing the wrong video recorder with a dead battery down to our beach house in Bay Head for the annual Halloween parade, so I have to give you the following YouTube video of Taylor Swift singing "Our Song," instead of London and Maddie performing it along the Bay Head Halloween Parade route as their all girl basement band, The Butter Bites... I did bring my camera, so I'll have some photos of the trophy-winning singing sisters soon.I was riding shotgun with m... Read Full Story