Workaholic these days

Phew...what a day!! Last week Stephanie (my fantastic assistant and best NYC friend) and I only had 10 or so kids each day because of the public school's winter break. But now it's a new week and everyone's back...14 kids in a room the size of my old garage!!! It's been crazy! And to make things more interesting I'm also helping out a few families and babysitting, tonight and tomorrow morning. Hey...a little extra money in the pocket is always good! And both kids are former students so it's nice to see them again! I had so much fun with little Liam tonight and his wonderful big sister Annabelle. I haven't visited with either of them in a few months and Liam has grown so much...he's 9 months old now and has teeth..so precious!!! And to make things even better, he was wearing a Red Sox onesie....Awesome job Rebekah (that's their wonderful mom:) Ok...off to bed, have to pick up Char in the morning and take her to school! Hooray for Friday being just 2 days away:)

Friday was a good day

On my commute to and from work yesterday I completed a level 4 (that's hard!!) sodoku, and when I got home, our Boston Red Sox Tickets had arrived in the mail!!! Yippee!! It's the little things in life that make me the happiest:)

My hippie rant/book review: Fast Food Nation

I just finished reading Fast Food Nation and I have to say...it is one of the best books I have read to date. I also have to say that the likelihood of me ever eating fast food again is slim to none! And not just because it is absolutely terrible in terms of health, but also for the way in which the fast food industry has changed our lives, landscape, and ideals...none of which are for the better. It's also about the way the fast food industry affects so many other industries. Take for instance modern day slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants. Their working conditions are some of the worst in the US, for both animal and human. Most of this is due in part to the pace that they must slaughter animals and disassemble them to keep up with orders for companies like McDonald's, Burger King, and the like.

Now, I am not standing here preaching to never eat meat, or to never eat fast food....that's a personal decision. However, I do think we need to worry more about what we're putting in our bodies, and letting our children and pets put in their bodies. I say this because God knows after the food industry scares (pet food, peanuts, spinach, peppers and tomatos) we've had over the past year or so, it's obvious that those who serve us have little concern for anything but making money and cutting corners.

Dale Lasater, a rancher in Colorado interviewed for Fast Food Nation, "finds it hard to justify feeding millions of tons of precious grain to American cattle while elsewhere in the world millions of people starve." While many family farms around him are being run off of the land by expansion of towns and suburbs, and giant factory farms, he stands firm in his beliefs of raising his cattle the way God intended them to be raised, eating grass and roaming the land. Needless to say, McDonald's has not been calling this cattle owner, ready to buy any from his herd.

I would recommend this book to just about anyone interested in learning more about where some foods come from...I promise it will open your eyes. It is well written, and the author includes his notes and sources making much of it factual, though the fast food industry would disagree. I will leave you all with this, a line from the book that stands out to me:

"People can be fed without being fattened or deceived."

Valentine's Day at the Morris House

Happy Valentine's Day! Here's what's going on at the Morris house today:

Maggie playing with her favorite squeaky squirrel

Libbey sleeping amongst the toys she doesn't play with
Adam playing....I mean organizing his baseball cards (P.S. this is nothing...you should see the boxes and bins FULL of cards in our office!)

We don't really celebrate Valentine's Day because tomorrow is Adam's Birthday! I gave him his presents last night, a new journal and L'Occitane products, and took him to Target today to get some baseball card stuff. We had a couple of slices at our favorite pizza place, and will be making a nice dinner for tonight! I hope this long, holiday weeked finds all of you well and loved! xoxoxo

Spring Training

Red Sox Spring Training officially started yesterday!!! It's exciting for fans because it gives us hope that the cold weather will soon be gone and baseball season is just around the corner!!! I can't wait!! Go Sox!

Spring Teaser

It's going to be almost 60 today in NYC! I'm gonna bust out the flip flops when I head to my doctor's appt!! But, alas, it's only a teaser....it will be back to snowing this weekend!!! But I'm not gonna complain too much...I am ready for Spring!!! I'll take the teaser and start to dream of my favorite spring things: March Madness, warmer weather, blossoming trees, my birthday, tax returns, and Red Sox Spring Training...which starts this week...Hooray!!! Here's a few pics of last spring in NYC at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens...(I can't wait to kick off the winter shoes for good):

Home with a headache

Well it's Tuesday, and I'm home with a massive headache! Yuck! I thought it was a migraine (I'm one of those ppl who suffer, and I mean suffer, from nasty migraines) but after my usual migraine routine, I was still in pain. I'm pretty sure I have a sinus infection, so I'm off to a new doctor tomorrow. Apparently my doctor is no longer practicing at my normal location and I can't find where he is now...strange. As some may know, I am not a fan of doctors and do not go as often as I should...but I'm trying to create a new me this year, and so going to the doctor when I'm sick is a good first step...don't you think? Now, maybe I should find a dentist....

These are a few of my favorite things...

NPR, Bird Watching, and Public Television....(especially This Old House!)

*NPR: I discovered not too long ago, while driving from NYC to the midwest that when music is playing it doesn't prevent me from dozing off at the wheel, but when talk radio is playing I listen more intently and stay awake. I love listening to the news, the speciality shows (the car guys from Boston, and Garrison Keillor), and the music. I don't know why it took me almost 28 years to discover this type of entertainment!

*Bird Watching: I used to make fun of my family for doing this same hobby, but after living in Northern Michigan for a few seasons, I was intrigued by the different types of birds on my feeders, and when they passed through. Now that I live in the big apple I don't get to see as many types of birds as I did in MI, but I do get to see different types...birds that are native to the Eastern coast. Just today on my feeder I discovered a couple new birds. We now have a nesting pair of Tufted Titmouses and I swear their was a Violet Finch, but it could have been a House Finch. I'll have to get a better look at him when he visits again.

*Public Television: This Old House is my absolute favorite. It could be because of the Boston accents, it could be the beautiful projects that they do, but it could just be that I secretly (not so much now) love Norm. He's so knowledgeable...as is the whole crew...they are just so much fun to watch. And I do learn something new everytime I watch! I think it's a turn on for Adam:) They are actually currently doing a project on a Brownstone in Brooklyn! We haven't been to check it out yet, but just wait...we'll get there and hopefully take some pictures to post.

Besides This Old House I also enjoy the documentaries, Antique Road Show, and NYC TV which has Globe Trekker, and Travels to the Edge with Art Wolfe. He is a nature photographer...possibly one of the best, and by far my favorite. There is a link to his work on my blog...check him out, you'll be glad you did!!

Saturday Morning Breakfast

I love weekend mornings! Adam and I have a fantastic routine where we cuddle with the pups, make some coffee, have some breakfast, and watch Good Morning America. Once the news is over I'm all about Saturday Morning Cartoons, and frankly, I'm not afraid to admit it either!! I am especially fond of The Sushi Pack, Strawberry Shortcake, and Dino Squad. Adam loves Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...always has!!

Here's a picture of the best part of my morning...Bacon!!! I love it, and I know how awful it is for you, but later today Adam and I will take the girls for a nice long walk and work off all of the bacon fat goodness from earlier! And maybe we'll go shopping....it is almost someone's birthday (Adam) and Valentines Day. That's a good way to work off calories too...right?!

Have a Great Saturday:)

Super Bowl Sunday

Everyone who knows me knows this...but I'll say it again...I am a huge sports fan. I blame it on my father, it's all his fault:) And I'm glad he raised me this way, because in life you should stand up for something, and while I stand up for many different things, I especially stand up for my favorite sports team.
Now, last year the Superbowl was special on both sides for 2 reasons....my friend from church and high school plays for the New England Patriots, and I now live in New York...home of the Giants, so either way I would have been happy. This year is different. I'm not a particular fan of either team, but I am taking a play from my dad's playbook. My father hates the Pittsburgh Steelers (he's a Cleveland Browns fan) and therefore I do as well. So here's to the best commercials of the year, The Boss playing at half time, and to the Arizona Cardinals...may the best team win:)