Welcome, Ultimate Blog Party Hoppers!!

Hi!!!! So, I'm a little late to the party (as usual) but there's a huge blog party going on at 5 Minutes for Mom, including live performances (no joke!), door prizes, and partying! So here I am, and I'm even wearing my party dress!! Wanna beer? (Oh, it's too early?)

Anyway, this is really cool because it's like a real live party going on over there and it's going all week long! So I thought I might just drop in and say hi and put my party hat on. If you're here from 5 Minutes for Mom, welcome!!

So here's a little bit about me: I am a mom of two boys, one of which will be 3 on Easter, and the other of which is a year and a half. After my first son was born, I decided to put my career as a news producer on hold to stay home with him and I've been home ever since.

I used to severely miss the rush of breaking news and the creative outlet and the noise and the recognition of a job well done. But really, staying at home is just the same in other ways and this is how: I am in a constant state of heart attack like when there is an unexpected trip to the E.R. or one of the kids nearly pulls down the other one while he's still strapped in his booster chair, which is very much quite like the feeling I used to have as a producer sitting in a booth during a live show and a signal during a reporter's live shot would fail.

I get to do a lot of writing about things that interest me now through blogging, like getting fitter and healthier, cooking, mothering, wife-ing, potty training, picture-taking, and overall life-ing, and actually this is better in some ways than the writing I used to do, because that writing would be about car crashes, war, death, violence, and of course, politics... Sure there was some good news, but let's face it, there's a lot of focus on the bad these days and it's just so darned depressing. I don't like depressing.

And instead of stacking a show full of news and commercials, I'm stacking my day and the day of two other little tiny people: from 7-8 we're having breakfast. From 8-9 we're getting dressed and the little one takes a nap. There is quite possibly a pee-pee or poo-poo accident in between followed by some floor-cleaning. From 9-11:30 the older one is in school and I get some stuff done. Whatever that is. See? It's like my full day of newscast. A 24-hour newschannel of my own, if you will.

The noise? I'm sure I don't have to tell you what that sounds like though I've come to love the sounds of my house. And of course, I will probably get that much sought-after recognition of a job well done when the kids get their full scholarships to Harvard, but until then, I'll settle for the applause from their teachers on the water fountain I made for their spring festival this week.

Anyways, while my blog party photo shoot was under way, my oldest one woke up from his nap, so he joined me...

And then we did what usually happens toward the end of the party....


I know. Total party foul. When I was putting the camera on the mantle to take pictures I knocked over a picture and bam. Thousand pieces. Well, every party needs a party foul! It's usually me anyway so I'm used to it...

I also love meeting new people so welcome to this party and tell me a little about yourself!! Of course, it wouldn't be a party without a cocktail and since you're too far away for me to hand you this beer, please do try my favorite recipe for Sangria.

2 large oranges
1 large lemon
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup Triple Sec
1 jar of maraschino cherries with stems
One 750 ml. bottle inexpensive, fruity, medium-bodied red wine, chilled (I get whatever is on sale at Wal-Mart for $3. Seriously. Merlot is my favorite for Sangria.)

Slice up one orange and the lemon and put in large pitcher with sugar. Mash with wooden spoon until the fruit releases the juice and the sugar is dissolved, but don't completely mash the fruit. Juice the second orange and pour over fruit in the pitcher; stir. Add triple sec and wine, and entire jar of cherries and juice. Yes, this is more sugary stuff, but I love eating cherries out of my sangria. It reminds me of the Sangria I used to have at this little dive in New York City that I LOVED! (Guess where my wooden spoon came from! Ahhh memories.)

The Sangria is yummier the longer it sits. I've made it and let it sit for a couple of hours, but I've also let it sit overnight and overnight it is UNBELIEVEABLE!

Happy party-hopping everyone!! Nice to meet you!! Come back anytime!! Oh, and I've got a giveaway going on as I often do so click here for more on it!!! It ends Friday!! Cheers!

Welcome, Ultimate Blog Party Hoppers!!

https://babytealeaves.blogspot.com/2009/03/welcome-ultimate-blog-party-hoppers.html