Happy Birthday...

I just had to give out a Happy Birthday shout out to my birth mother...

Yeah, you are seeing and reading it correctly. Tina Turner is my birth mother. At least that is what I used to tell everyone when I was little. Okay fine, that is still what I tell everyone. I mean really, can't you see the family resemblance?!?...

Here is a delightful little blast from my past. Me and my mom at my grandparents house...

See the resemblance? It's totally there!

Giving Thanks...

I love Thanksgiving. I love it with all of my heart. And unfortunately I think it is one of those holidays that doesn't get all the attention it deserves. It seems like Halloween comes into town and then almost goes directly to Christmas.

It is so important to take the time to reflect on our lives and see the countless blessings that we have. There is so much that we take so for granted. The fact that daily we have food to eat.We have a warm place to sleep. We have people in our lives that love and care about us. The list could go on forever. What it comes down to, is we are blessed, very very blessed!

There is so much negativity in this world. So much focus on what is wrong and what we lack. I love what Mary Ellen Edmunds said: "When we focus on blessings, expressing gratitude along the way, we will become increasingly aware of all that has been so generously shared with us. We notice what we are thinking about, don't we?"

I am hereby committing to focus more on the good, and what I have, and how I can share it with those who are in need.

Another thought I have had on my mind a lot lately is how blessed I am to have so many wonderful people in my life. And after reading the following quote, I realized I need to express my gratitude to them more for just being who they are and the way it blesses my life...

"A grateful heart, then, comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives. This requires conscious effort--at least until we have truly learned and cultivated an attitude of gratitude. Often we feel grateful and intend to express our thanks but forget to do so or just don't get around to it. Someone has said that "feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." -Thomas S Monson

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you day was wonderful. I know mine was. Sitting around the table with 11 faces that I am so thankful for, what a delightful day to spend the day. The food was great (even the Jello salad that didn't quite set up and would have been better consumed with a straw rather than a fork), but just being together with family was even better. As dysfunctional as we might be (having dinner conversation on topics like getting felt up by TSA at the airport, feeding tubes, and faux teats) we sure do put the fun in dysfunctional and I am thankful for every warped-minded last one of them!

Underdogs

I believe in cheering for the underdog. Always have. Always will. And this week especially, I realized that many times you will stand alone when doing this. (Unless you offer to make dinner for those who are on the fence. It's a sure way to sway the votes in your desired direction.)

The most recent example of this from my life...Voting for Bristol-the-Pistol Palin on Dancing With The Stars

I can't explain why I love this show as much as I do, but I do. And this season did not disappoint. I was really hoping that Florence Henderson would end up in the finals. But when Ms. Brady got voted out early on, I was full on board of the Bristol train. For this choice I was ridiculed, but I didn't care. So last week, the voting determined who would advance to the final show. I decided to send out a plea via text message, for folks to vote for ole Bristol and offered to cook dinner for anyone who would vote for her. (Good thing I've got my trusted Trisha Yearwood cookbook aka my kitchen bible!) I would like to believe that our texting tree is what launched her into the finals.

So yesterday at work, I declared it Dancing With The Stars Day and told everyone they needed to dress according to who they were voting for. So anyone voting for Jennifer Grey needed to wear something dance-ish. A tutu, a ballgown, whatever they had. Anyone voting for that cute little cup of cocoa Kyle Massey needed to wear something Disney. And for Bristol, something Alaskan. A co-worker of mine came in dressed for the Tundra in snow pants, thermal bottoms, and a heavy sweater to show her Bristol support.

This is what I wore...
(My personal favorite touch is the 'Hockey Mom' pin. Because you know, the only difference between a pit bull and a hockey mom is lipstick!)

Tonight the finale was on, and oh what a show it was. All of the dancers came back for a little appearance. The Hoff came back and did a little Baywatch number (it caused me to throw up a little). Then out came that gem Florence Henderson (bless her sweet Brady lovin' heart, but she looked like Ronald McDonald in drag). Then out came The Situation (threw up a little, again).

Then the moment of truth and glory...The winner was...not Bristol. Oh well. I can be a good sport and sincerely say, "Good job Jennifer. You were the best dancer. Well done."

I can't wait for the next season. Hopefully they have some more gems on there like Mary Tyler Moore or Bob Barker, or maybe Super Nanny or Dog The Bounty Hunter. One can only hope.

Until then I will just have to watch a few celebrity train wrecks on ice with 'Skating With The Stars'...

Happy Birthday Theodore!

Happy 20th Birthday...
I'm so thankful I get to be your big sister (yes, both in size and age).

New York, New York!

I'm back!!! Back from my little blogging sabbatical. Back from a stellar vacation. I'm back!

It is no secret that I love the great state of New York...more specifically Manhattan.

I love the lights, the hustle and bustle, the pizza and cheesecake, but maybe most of all I love Broadway.

I just got back from maybe one of the best trips I have ever taken in my entire life (thank you Ma for making it possible). Seriously, I am still trying to comprehend all that we saw and did. So many things were checked off from my BucketList (hereafter referred to simply as B.L.). My family joked that they were afraid to even fly home with me because of all the check marks...

I should have known it was going to be a magical trip when a lunch stop Thursday afternoon offered this delectable little surprise...

(That's right ladies and gents, the McRib is back!!!)

After the tasty trip to the 'Golden Arches', I took a little flight with Mary Poppins...

Then later that night we were off to see the Wizard...More specifically, 'Wicked.' What an incredible show! Yes, it really is as amazing as people have said it is.

Then more super excitement came on Saturday. We went to a matinee of 'Lombardi.' The two leads were the Dan Lauria (the dad from the 'Wonder Years') as Vince Lombardi, and the one and only Judith Light (Oh how I love her! You might know her as Angela from Who's The Boss and Judge Donnelly from Law&Order SVU) as his wife. Wonderful and gripping show.

Later that night we went to see the play "Promises, Promises" starring Kristin Chenoweth (Glinda from Wicked), Sean Hayes (Jack from Will&Grace), and Molly Shannon (SNL rockstar and the star of my 'number one favorite made for tv movie of all time' "Superstar", which most know is pretty much my alter-ego). After the show I had a dream come true moment. The picture below speaks a million words...
You know how there are times that you meet a celebrity that you admire, and are sorely disappointed at their rudeness or coldness? That was so not the case here...she could not have been more kind, friendly and sincere. She is the real deal. Absolutely delightful! I adore her even more than I did before, which I didn't think was possible. She is a true Superstar!

We all know I have a sick love for professional football. Some of my most delightful days during the year are Sundays between the months of September through January. On Sunday we went to the new Meadowlands Stadium (in East Rutherford, NJ where the Jets and Giants play. The place is HUGE!) to watch the Jets play the Packers. Good game (SO happy to have seen Green Bay win). Big check on the B.L.

(And to boot, after the game we saw Sarah Palin! Yes, the woman for whom we had a birthday party and ate moose chili. Another B.L. check!)

Another B.L. endeavor was ice skating in Rockefeller Plaza...

(Shockingly, I didn't even fall! Ice Capades watch out...Here I come!)

It was all so delightful. Good times and forever memories. I wish you all could have come. Can I count you in for next time?!

To New York I say...

Dearest NYC,
Don't cry for me Argentina, I mean New York, I will be back before you know it! Try not to miss me as much as I will be missing you. See you again sooner than later.
Love,
Shannon...The soon to be Broadway Star (debuting as a dancing dinner plate in Beauty & The Beast. Stay tuned folks, it's gonna be good)