sAy AnYtHiNg

Greatest Hits of 2008 Volume 2

This summer marked the opportunity for some of our family to gather in Jamaica for a week of sun, fun, and relaxation.  Nineteen of us traveled from all over the states, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Utah, and South Carolina to be exact, to Montego Bay and the lovely Spyglass Hill.

    

One of the views we got to enjoy while dining...fresh mango, papaya, pineapple, 2 lb. freshly caught lobsters, jerk chicken, etc. etc. etc.

 

the other view we had while dining.

 

The gazebo where we had massages.  Pretty wonderful to say the least.

 

Denham our butler, Marvin, our driver, and Kingston the grounds-keeper.

       

Vincent, Kingston's assistant, Linnette the chef, and Joan our housekeeper and laundress.  They were all wonderful and spoiled us rotten!

   

The ocean was crystal clear even at 30 plus feet.  Great for snorkeling!

   

The Margaritaville slide, and my son after a successful run down said slide.  No easy feat I might add as this is no "kiddie" slide.  In fact, yours truly still had water coming out of my nose a full three hours after my ride down!

 

Many a wicked match of pool volley ball were played.  The competition was fierce, but the laughter never stopped.

 

Mr. New Diva, aka Lobster Boy.  I am certain that one day he will heed my warnings about sunscreen, but you never know.

 

Pilates in paradise.  Yes, it is a rather small picture, but as our nether regions are somewhat in the air, I thought you would understand.

 

Obviously, we had no fun at all, so it is a true mystery as to why it made the greatest hits. ;)

Greatest Hits of 2008 Volume 1

How does the time go so quickly?  I can't believe I haven't posted since, well several days ago anyway.  I hope all of you had a magical Christmas filled with laughter and love and all the goodies you asked Santa to bring you!  Christmas here at the Diva household was lovely indeed!

I have decided to offer my personal rendition of the "Greatest Hits of 2008" as a way to wrap up the year and launch into the new one.

So without further ado, I bring you Greatest Hits of 2008 Volume 1:

In July, my son went to sleepaway camp for the first time.  He had the time of his life, and can't wait to go back again this summer.  I missed him like CRAZY, so the time of my life was had the day we got to pick him up from camp and bring him home where he belongs!

   

 

 

The Welcome Home celebration was so much fun, I might be o.k. with letting him go again. ;)

Welcome Friends

Welcome I hope you enjoy this year's tour of our home.  Be sure to check out Boo Mama for the entire home tour extravaganza.

These pictures are not only a small tour of our home, but will allow you to be a part of our neighborhood Christmas party.  So Grab a drink and a cookie or two and let me show you around.

   

Your Host and Hostess for the evening, Mr. and Mrs. New Diva.  Yes, those are ones in Mr. Diva's pocket...a rip roaring game of poker was part of this year's festivities.  Pull up a chair if you are feeling lucky.

     

Help yourself to something to eat.  We have roasted pork tenderloin with mustard sauce, inside out BLTs, smoked salmon with a dill caper sauce on a roasted potato slice, marinated asparagus wrapped with prosciutto, roasted peppers and tomatoes with goat cheese on garlic, parmesan crostini, warm brie with an apricot orange glaze with apple slices, pear slices and crackers, and bbq meatballs.

   

 

   

   

Now that I've shown you around, how about a cookie?

   

And you certainly can't leave without meeting some of the best neighbors and friends in the world!

    

  

 

Thank you so much for stopping by, and have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Christmas Tour of Homes

 

Did you know that there is a virtual tour of homes galore going on right now?  Yep, Boo Mama is hosting her annual Christmas decorations tour, and it starts today.  So head on over and take a peek.  Then come back here tomorrow, when I will add our humble abode to the tour.  

Livin' on the Edge

It is 20 degrees outside, with a wind-chill of who knows what, but very, very cold and this is what I am drinking:

 

Oh yeah, rebel is my middle name.

Identity Crisis

This is the car (truck) I drive (this is not a picture of my actual car, but it serves the purpose).

 

It is a Toyota Sequoia Limited, and for the most part it has been a great family vehicle, but something happens every winter...I have to put it in 4 wheel drive to get "up" my driveway.  This might lead you to believe that my driveway would look something like this:

 

After all, it is a big truck and should be able to handle anything less than this without batting an eye, right?  Wrong.  My driveway actually looks more like this:

 

It is just about completely flat.  There might be a slight, and I do mean ever so slight, slope to it, but really it is pretty darn flat.  This is what leads me to believe that my truck is having an identity crisis.  It must believe that it is actually some tiny light weight of a car that needs extra help in bad weather.  I feel like reciting the "Little Engine that Could" story to it every year around this time.  I understand putting it in 4 wheel drive in nasty weather on the roads, but it just seems so silly to have to do it to get "up" my driveway when the roads aren't bad and the driveway merely has a dusting on it.  In fact, last night, we had some freezing rain and my truck had to stay parked in the driveway since even in 4 wheel drive all it did was slide sideways no matter how I turned the wheel to try to get it in the garage. 

Oh well, at least I am lucky enough to have a reliable vehicle to get my family safely to and fro, and maybe next winter will be the year it actually recognizes its true strength. ;)

Separation Anxiety

 

Have you ever read this book?  It is one of my favorites.  It is about a little raccoon who is afraid to go to school.  His mommy kisses his hand so that he will be able to take her love to school with him.  It is a very sweet book and I highly recommend it.

When my daughter first started pre-school she had a really hard time letting me go, so we started giving each other kisses in our hands every morning just like in the book.  I think it made both of us feel better.  Last year in pre-school we continued the tradition even though she was very comfortable going in to class each day.  This year she started full day Kindergarten and the transition was a little tough for her, and we had many tears the first week.  Of course our "Kissing Hand" tradition continued.  She has become confident about school now and really enjoys it, but we still give and get our kisses each morning.

Here is the kicker...both my kids have outgrown their separation anxiety, which is as it should be and I am happy they are confident kids.  However, my separation anxiety in leaving them seems to be growing by leaps and bounds.  More mornings than not, I feel myself get choked up when I have to leave them at school.  I love them so much and really just wish they could be with me all the time.

Good thing I have those kisses in my hand to get me through the day!