Winter: Hibernate or Celebrate?

Every year, our family closes our beach house in Bay Head after the annual Halloween parade at the end of October, and our favorite summer time activities -- riding the waves, painting seashells, eating clams on our porch -- now seem so far away. As we approach the New Year 2009 and two or three months of cold winter weather, I think about hibernating indoors, playing family board games like Scrabble and Monopoly and staying warm by the fire. London and Maddie, on the other hand, are all in favor of celebrating winter with outdoor activities like sledding and building snowmen.

Branson, Missouri seems to be one of those places where people celebrate winter instead of hiding indoors. If you think you'd enjoy scenic views of the Missouri Ozark Mountains, an ice sculpture competition, the excitement and whimsy of the holidays will come together for you with a family vacation in Branson, Missouri. This season, celebrate winter in the entertainment capital of the Mid West and choose from exclusive holiday packages with themes like the It's A Wonderful Life Package or the New Year's Eve Package at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing or the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel. Spa treatments and family style dinners are just the tip of the iceberg (forgive the winter pun) of what these two hotels have to offer. During the day, you'll capture the spirit of the winter holidays with light displays, parades and shows, with the old time charm of Branson surrounding you. Night time brings the luxury and elegance of either the Hilton Promenade or the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel.



If you love the nightlife, the hotels are conveniently located in and around the new Branson Landing retail and entertainment district situated on Lake Taneycomo. If you're more interested in cultural activities for the whole family, tt looks like there are two First Night celebrations going on nearby -- one in Springfield and one in Fayetteville -- where everyone can enjoy family-oriented activities on New Year's Eve. Instead of hibernating this year, why not celebrate winter in a town like Branson, Missouri? Brought to you by Hilton – the first name in hospitality.

Music Monday: Happy New Year with Guy Lombardo's Auld Lang Syne

When I was a kid, my parents would let me stay up until midnight on New Year's Eve to watch Guy Lombardo and the ball drop in Times Square on TV. Please join me in a bit of nostalgia with a video of Guy Lombardo's instrumental performance "Auld Lang Syne." I've also included the English translation of the traditional Scottish lyrics.



Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and days o' auld lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely you’ll buy your pint cup
And surely I’ll buy mine
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS
We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS
We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS
And there’s a hand my trusty friend
And give us a hand o’ thine
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted.

Grant a Holiday Wish for Our Heroes at Home

"Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Let your heart be light
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight..."

Those are the words from one of the most well-known Christmas carols, with lyrics by Ralph Blane and music composed by Hugh Martin. We've heard the words, and hope they come true this holiday season. Rex, London, Maddie and I offer this wish for a merry little Christmas to you and your family and to all of our heroes at home on Christmas Eve. While our stockings are hung by the chimney with care, there's still time to grant a wish for a military service family or veteran during this holiday season. Sears established the Sears Heroes at Home registry to make it easy for those of us who are fortunate to be safe at home with our families at Christmas to contribute online and provide financial support for the families of military service members who won't be home for Christmas and have made requests for our help. If you visit the site, you'll find stories that will tug at your heart: one soldier writes that his wife is the real hero, taking care of his family at home, another writes about missing his baby boy's first Christmas... you'll also see that the wishes these families have made are not extravagant, simple things like kids' shoes, clothing and coats are at the top of the list. The donations made at this site are not tax-deductible, but they will be distributed among the registered families as Sears gift cards to show our heroes at home, the families of American soldiers, how much we appreciate the sacrifices they make all year long and their efforts to keep our families safe and free.

From the four of us to all of you... Have yourself a merry little Christmas... now!

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy New Year.
Glad tidings we bring
To you and your kin;
Glad tidings for Christmas
And a happy New Year!

Now bring us some figgy pudding
Now bring us figgy pudding
Now bring us figgy pudding
And a cup of good cheer!
Glad tidings we bring
To you and your kin;
Glad tidings for Christmas
And a happy New Year!

We won't go until we get some
We won't go until we get some
We won't go until we get some
So bring it out here!
Glad tidings we bring
To you and your kin;
Glad tidings for Christmas
And a happy New Year!

We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year.
Glad tidings we bring
To you and your kin;
Glad tidings for Christmas
And a happy New Year!

Roxy Cuts 2008 Tax Bill by Spending Money On Year-End Blogging Tools

I don't know about you, but lately everywhere I go in the blogosphere, I seem to be reading about one of my blogosphere buddies using Dragon NaturallySpeaking software to use their own speaking voice to post to their blogs and create documents, reports and e-mails as much as three times faster than most people type -- with up to 99% accuracy. Mariuca and LadyJava can surf the web using their lovely voices or dictate and edit in software programs including Microsoft Word and Excel, Corel WordPerfect, and many other Windows-based applications. Dragon Voice Shortcuts collapse common tasks into simple voice commands. Bloggers and small business owners can create custom commands that will insert blocks of text or bitmaps -- your name, title, or signature -- by barking (or meowing) out a single voice command. Soccer moms can even dictate their next blog post into a handheld device when on the soccer field or otherwise away from the PC, or use a Bluetooth microphone. The software package includes a high-quality headset.

Right now through December 31, 2008, bloggers and small business owners can save on Dragon Naturally Speaking with the following coupon codes for 10 to 25% off:

• $50 Coupon Code- DNSMSBG -Dragon Naturally Speaking 10 Preferred


• $25 Coupon Code- DNSMSBG -Dragon Naturally Speaking 10 Standard


• $25 Coupon Code- DNSMSBG -MacSpeech Dictate

Another good reason to shop now is that if, like me, you're buying the software for your business, there's still time to write it off for this year's 2008 taxes if you buy by December 31st.

Support the Bay Head School Foundation

As my loyal Bay Head Blog and Roxy's Best Of... readers know, our family summers at the beach in Bay Head, New Jersey, but our full time home (where London and Maddie go to school) is up north in Mendham Township. If you do live down at the beach all year round, however, please consider a tax deductible donation before the end of the year 2008 to support the Bay Head School Foundation. Rex and I received the following letter that I'd like to share with you:

Dear Friends of the Bay Head Community:

We are appealing to you in this, our annual letter, for funds to continue the Bay Head School Foundation's mission of supporting Bay Head School in its efforts to maintain the tremendous quality of its curriculum and the way in which it is delivered.

The Bay Head School Foundation was founded when Bay Head School had to scale back as the budget could no longer meet all curriculum and facility needs to maintain the program level desired for the Bay Head School children. Three years ago, the voters approved a referendum making it possible for the district to bring our facility forward to meet the State mandated standards. The same year, the Bay Head School Board launched a new organizational structure including sharing services. We entered an inter-local agreement with Point Pleasant Beach to share their Superintendent with Bay Head School, which has become an example for the future in other districts.

Continue reading

I Made A Wish On Santa's Lap: Let's End Hunger in 2009

Seems like everyone's got a wish this holiday season... London and Maddie have been writing letters to Santa, but this year they've been more conscious of other people's needs and situations. Just today, Rex and I went over to Mendham Township Elementary School for the holiday singalong and brought a second big bag of London and Maddie's contributions to the Interfaith Food Pantry (I posted about Maddie's Pop Tart contribution over on Roxiticus Desperate Housewives when the food drive first started a couple of weeks ago).

As you may have noticed, all of my blogs, including this one, the Bay Head Blog, participated in a Blogging Out Hunger campaign to raise awareness of hunger in New Jersey and to raise money or food donations for the Community FoodBank of NJ on Monday, December 15th, and the donations are still coming in through the blogosphere. Today, I kept going on the Blogging Out Hunger campaign by leaving a comment on This Full House (see link in the post below), where Stop and Shop will contribute $1.00 for every comment up to $300. I also went over to the CEIVA Digital Photo Frame site and sat on Santa's lap. As you can see from the photo above, I made a wish to end hunger and whispered it in Santa's ear. You never know... I thought it made sense to cover all bases. The folks at CEIVA are also having a contest at their site: one random entry will be selected on each day of the contest through the end of the year. Each winner receives a cash prize of $500. While $500 won't end hunger, it sure would make a nice contribution to the Community FoodBank of NJ. Why don't you head over to the CEIVA site and make your own wish?

Let's Keep Blogging Out Hunger: Stop and Shop Contributes $1.00 Per Comment at This Full House

As part of the Blogging Out Hunger campaign for the Community FoodBank of NJ, one of my fellow New Jersey Bloggers -- Liz, from This Full House -- has gotten Stop and Shop to pony up $1 for every comment left (up to $300) under the blog post linked below. It's a way all of you can help and it won't cost you anything. Please take a second to click the link below and comment. Let's see how quickly we can raise $300 more bucks for the FoodBank.

http://www.thisfullhouse.com/this_full_house/2008/12/blogging-out-hunger-we-cant-let-this-bank-fail-the-big-give.html

Music Monday: Go Tell It On the Mountain

I just realized that this week's Music Monday is my last chance to share a favorite Christmas song. Hard to believe, but Christmas is this Thursday!

Here's Garth Brooks singing the gospel classic, "Go Tell It On the Mountain." I'll warn you in advance that the video is lame, but the music rocks.




Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and far away
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

The shepherds all were watching
Over their sheep at night
When a guiding star shone from heaven
And the followed that holy light

Got tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born
They found a lovely manger
Where the humble Christ was born
And God sent out salvation
On that blessed Christmas morn

Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

He brought with Him forgiveness
He live to show us the way
He came to redeem all creation
And to wash all our sins away

Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted.

Secret Santa Shops After the Snow Storm

As I have posted over on my Roxiticus Desperate Housewives site, New Jersey has been covered in a wet blanket of eight to ten inches of snow, sleet, and freezing rain since yesterday's winter storm warning closed all of the schools. I hope our Bay Head beach house is weathering the storm without us. I'll probably call one of our good neighbors later today to check on it. Snow storms, as you might imagine, are not a good thing for holiday shopping procrastinators like Roxy. Our family was planning to finish up the Secret Santa part of our shopping over the weekend, and I'm hoping that Ignacio and his band of merry men will be here soon to shovel out the driveway so that Rex, London, Maddie and I can head out to pick up our last minute gifts from Kmart.

Since I've learned that many members of our extended family, including Rex's mom a.k.a. Grammy, read my blogs, I have to be careful about posting the details of any surprise gifts, but I don't think I'm giving too much away to say that London has to buy a Secret Santa gift for her eight year old niece and Maddie has to pick out a gift for her six year old nephew. Since Trader and his wife split up earlier this year, we're hoping to find some High School Musical and Star Wars sheet sets for the kids' new bedrooms at Trader's house.

The challenge may be staying under our $25 Secret Santa limit with shopping budgets tight this year. If we can't find sheets that fit Secret Santa's budget, I know there are plenty of other great holiday gift ideas that we can execute for under $25 at Kmart. For example, Trader could get a Craftsman® 23-inch hand tool box with comfort handle for his brother, TallBoy; someone could give Grammy a set of Martha Stewart Everyday tall nickel pillar candleholders; London could get a Route 66 girls' fashion hoodie or embellished jeans for her niece; and Maddie can choose from a wide selection of LeapFrog Leapster Learning Games for her nephew. The complete Kmart collection of 25,000 gifts under $25 is available in Kmart stores.

With only four and a half shopping days left until Christmas, shoppers can also sign up at Kmart.com to receive the latest Kmart news via e-mail, including updates on special store hours, in-store deals and online-only sales. To help budget-conscious consumers this holiday season, Kmart is one of the few retailers that continues to offer a layaway program and no payments, no interest for six months, offering shoppers the value and savings to make this holiday season shine for one and all.

Please stay safe if you're heading out into the snow to complete your holiday shopping, and from our family to yours, here's a wish for the happiest of holiday seasons!

Blogging Out Hunger On Music Monday: We Can't Let This Bank Fail. 100 New Jersey Bloggers Unite to Help the Community FoodBank of NJ

It was 1985 when USA for Africa recorded "We Are the World" to raise awareness of hunger in Africa. Today, I'm posting this Music Monday video to raise awareness, not of hunger in Africa, but of hunger right here at home in New Jersey. Over 100 New Jersey bloggers have united to fight local NJ hunger in a coordinated "This Bank Can't Fail" blogging campaign for the Community FoodBank of New Jersey on Monday, December 15th. Our goal is to spread the word about the increased demand being put on the food pantries in New Jersey and how everyone can help.



No matter how you feel about the government bailout of the nation's largest banks, I think you'll agree that there's one bank that we can't allow to fail: the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. As you are probably well aware, the Food Bank is in desperate need of donations this holiday season. With bare shelves and demand for food among state residents far outpacing supply, the FoodBank is in danger of being unable to meet the needs of New Jersey’s hungry.

Our team of NJ bloggers will be in good company. Legendary music icon Bruce Springsteen will be lending his voice to the fight against hunger in New Jersey by headlining "We Can't Let This Bank Fail" -- a major advertising campaign and call to action for people to contribute in any way they can to help the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. Although Bruce Springsteen has been a supporter of the FoodBank for 23 years, often donating proceeds from his concerts to the organization, this ad marks the first time Springsteen has publicly lent his image to the campaign, due to the urgency of the situation.

The Community FoodBank of New Jersey is facing a dire shortage of food. Without the public’s support, it may, for the first time in its history, begin to ration food. This is a state-wide crisis, with the unstable economy resulting in a 30 percent increase in those needing food. In years past, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey has provided assistance to more than 500,000 New Jerseyans, but expects to see a major uptick in need this year, especially during the winter months when people often struggle between paying heating and food bills.

We're hoping our efforts will compel everyone to do something, anything, to help. Visit the Community FoodBank of New Jersey at www.njfoodbank.org or call 908-355-FOOD (3663) to learn more.

There comes a time, when we hear a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
And it's time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all

We can't go on pretending day by day
That someone, somewhere will soon make change
We are all a part of God's great big family
And the truth you know
Love is all we need

chorus:
We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day, just you and me

Send them your heart so they'll know that someone cares
And their lives will be stronger and free.
As God has shown us by turning stones to bread
And so we all must lend a helping hand

When you're down and out, there seems no hope at all
But if you believe there's no way we can fall
Let us realize that a change can only come
When we stand together as one

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted.

Music Monday: Roxy and Rex's Wedding Song #2... Jersey Girl

"I got no time for the corner boys, down in the street makin' all that noise,
Don't want no whores on Eighth Avenue, cause tonight I'm gonna be with you.

Cause tonight I'm gonna take that ride, across the river to the Jersey side,
Take my baby to the carnival, and Ill take you on all the rides,
sing sha la la la la la sha la la la.

Down the shore everything's alright, you and your baby on a Saturday night,
Don't you know that all my dreams come true, when I'm walkin down the street
With you, sing sha la la la la la sha la la la.

You know she thrills me with all her charms, when I'm wrapped up in my baby's arms
My little angel gives me everything, I know someday that she'll wear my ring.

So don't bother me cause I got no time, I'm on my way to see that girl of mine
Nothin' else matters in this whole wide world, when you're in love with
A Jersey girl, sing sha la la la la la la."

-- "Jersey Girl" by Tom Waits, with perhaps the most famous cover version by Bruce Springsteen. One of Roxy and Rex's two wedding songs (the other one was, of course, "Prove It All Night" by Bruce Springsteen).

As a Jersey Girl, that song is an anthem that always brings tears to my eyes and sends chills down my spine. Here's a video of Tom Waits singing "Jersey Girl"... check it out and let me know if it has the same effect on bloggers around the world, or if it's just a Jersey Girl thing.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted.

Some Gave All: This Holiday Season, Grant a Wish for a Military Family

Back in November on Veteran's Day, I got to thinking about my Uncle Joe, who's in the Veteran's Hospital in Lyons, New Jersey. He's almost 90 years old, and has lived most of his life with a metal plate in his head from a gunshot wound in World War II. I posted this Billy Ray Cyrus song as a tribute to my uncle, and it's running through my head again today as the holidays are approaching.

"I knew a man, called him Sandy Kane
Few folks even knew his name
But a hero was he
Left a boy, came back a man
Still many just don't understand
About the reasons we are free

I can't forget the look in his eyes
Or the tears he cries
As he said these words to me

All gave some and some gave all
And some stood through for the red, white and blue
And some had to fall
And if you ever think of me
Think of all your liberties and recall
Some gave all

Now Sandy Kane is no longer here
But his words are oh so clear
As they echo through out our land
For all his friends who gave us all
Who stood the ground and took the fall
To help their fellow man

Love your country and live with pride
And don't forget those who died America can't you see

All gave some and some gave all
And some stood through for the red, white and blue
And some had to fall
And if you ever think of me
Think of all your liberties and recall
Some gave all

And if you ever think of me
Think of all your liberties and recall, yes recall
Some gave all

Some gave all"

It feels to me like we can't do enough for the brave men and women who serve our country in the military, but at the Sears Heroes at Home Wish Registry they're trying to make a difference by granting the wishes of the heroes at home... the families who are missing their loved ones this holiday season. Military families are wishing for simple but important things. Kids' shoes, boys' and girls' pajamas, sweaters, pants and shirts, all with an average cost from $15 to $30, are at the top of the list. By making a donation to the Heroes at Home Wish Registry, shoppers can do something for a military family while shopping online for their own gifts from Sears. The donations made to the Sears Wish Registry are not tax-deductible and will be used to purchase Sears gift cards that will be distributed equally to the registered families.

The Spirit of BEAR-iuca Comes to the Beach in Bay Head, New Jersey

-START COPYING HERE-
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a powerful Genie Princess named Mariuca who was known throughout the land as the friendliest, most popular blogger in the blogosphere kingdom. Adored and admired by international visitors and commentators from around the world, the Genie Princess travels the blogosphere on her magical flying carpet, always looking for ways to share her good fortune with others. Over the past two years of blogging, Mariuca has met so many new people, from all walks of life and all over the world, each one bringing a little of their culture and lifestyle when they visit and comment on Mariuca’s two sites. So on her 2nd Blog Anniversary, Mariuca wanted to celebrate with all of her international blogosphere buddies by hosting bear-naming contests at Wishing On A Falling Star and Mariuca’s Perfume Gallery and to pass her two lucky, cuddly teddy bears along to the winners who came up with the best names.

On the opposite side of the world, from the moment Roxy (the prolific Roxiticus Desperate Housewives blogger) and her sweet daughters London and Maddie saw the teddy in his personalized t-shirt and blue muffler at Wishing On A Falling Star, they knew that he needed to come to live with their family in Mendham, NJ. The three New Jersey girls named him immediately and burst into a wonderful song for BEAR-iuca:

BEAR-iuca, BEAR-iuca, amazing teddy cheer
BEAR-iuca, BEAR-iuca, we’d love you to come live here!

Mariuca received 16 possible names for the Mariuca Teddy Bear, making it hard for the Genie Princess to choose just one…then Alakazam! A bolt of lightning delivered the perfect way to share BEAR-iuca’s good fortune to bloggers around the globe. While the soft, stuffed, cuddly BEAR-iuca is on his way to live with Roxy, London, Maddie and Rex in the Roxiticus Valley, the Spirit of BEAR-iuca is racing through the blogosphere to bring happiness, holiday cheer, and beary best wishes to everyone who welcomes him into their online home and passes along the BEAR-iuca good luck charm to ten friends.

Please play along with us by following a few important rules:

1. Add your site(s) to the list once you have received the Spirit of BEAR-iuca badge of teddy bear cheer.
2. Pass along the Spirit of BEAR-iuca and his cheery badge to as many people as you like.
3. Leave a comment HERE once you’ve passed on the Spirit of BEAR-iuca.
4. Once Roxy and the Genie Princess have visited your site to make sure your links are complete and proper, you will then be added to the Master List.

To ensure everyone receives equal link benefit, please UPDATE your list regularly!

BEAR-iuca LOVES 1. Mariuca 2. Roxiticus Desperate Housewives 3. Mariuca’s Perfume Gallery 4. Roxy’s Best Of... 5. Bay Head Blog 6. Roxiticus Best Blogs 7. Emila's Illustrated Blog 8. Metz - Empty Streets 9. The Spirit of Blogging 10. Speedcat Hollydale Page 11. Snapshot 12. purplefrogcat 13. Turn-u-Off 14. Simple Life 15. A Little Girl Talk 16. Life in the Lapadula House 17. Spicybugz World 18. The Mom With Brownies 19. Our High School Homeschool 20. Our Five Dangerous Boys 21. The Big Dog 22. LadyJava's Lounge 23. Moments of My Life 24. Life is too short to be ordinary 25. A Great Pleasure 26. Time Goes By 27. Life According To Me 28. Laketrees 29. This is a miracle 30. Porcelain Doll 31. Moms...CheckNyo 32. Wonderful Things In Life 33. Sweet Nothings 34. Hot Shit Form Here 35. Not Just a Mom Site 36. The Life of a Mom 37. Wiehanne Lounge 38. The Painted Veil 39. My Crossroads 40. Little Mermaid 41. LOVE's Haven 42. Also Mommy 43. The Journey 44. Comedy Plus 45. Making sense...(somehow) 46. The Modern Mom 47. Stay At Home Mom 48. Picture Clusters 49. Maiylah's Snippets 50. Sweety tots 51. My Discoveries 52. A Life to Remember 53. Rekha 54. Crissy's Haven 55. Crissy's Library 56. Crissy's Zone 57. Shopping Blog 58. Crafts and cooking 59. Asian Mutt International 60. A Simple Life 61. I AM KCAT 62. A Girl For All Status 63. Berry Blog 64. Carnation 65. Pinaymama's Diary 66. Life's sweets and spices 67. The Callalily Space 68. Butchay 69. Blessings in Life 70. Pinay Mommy Online 71. The Ruby Posts 72. Day Break 73. R...E...B...E...L?!? 74. VDAY CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY 75. Just the Tip of the Iceberg 76. Honeysweet Learning Center 77. Vsk8shop 78. A Diva's Hammer 79. Arlene - Joys in Life 80. Listening..Learning..Living 81. Mommy's Little Corner 82. Living one day at a time 83. Momhood Moments 84. SUPER INFO THAILAND 85. Life Ramblings 86. Samantha Ysabelle 87. Kikamz' Just About Anything 88. SigneSays 89. Normz 90. YOU Next!

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I’ve already shared the Spirit of BEAR-iuca with everyone I know with tags at Roxiticus Desperate Housewives and Roxiticus Best Blogs, so today I'm just tagging YOU! Leave me and the Genie Princess a comment and come join the Spirit of BEAR-iuca and share your teddy bear good luck stories with us. Copy the complete post, including the BEAR-iuca photo badge and hyperlinks, and be sure to UPDATE your list of links regularly to ensure that all participants enjoy BEAR-iuca’s worldwide linky love. Add your own story, song or video about BEAR-iuca to personalize your post. BEAR-iuca is looking forward to a warm welcome into your blogging home.

Dreaming of Jersey Shore Vacations and Getting a Head Start on Music Monday with Tom Waits and Bruce Springsteen

"I got no time for the corner boys, down in the street makin' all that noise,
Don't want no whores on Eighth Avenue, cause tonight I'm gonna be with you.

Cause tonight I'm gonna take that ride, across the river to the Jersey side,
Take my baby to the carnival, and Ill take you on all the rides,
sing sha la la la la la sha la la la.

Down the shore everything's alright, you and your baby on a Saturday night,
Don't you know that all my dreams come true, when I'm walkin down the street
With you, sing sha la la la la la sha la la la.

You know she thrills me with all her charms, when I'm wrapped up in my baby's arms
My little angel gives me everything, I know someday that she'll wear my ring.

So don't bother me cause I got no time, I'm on my way to see that girl of mine
Nothin' else matters in this whole wide world, when you're in love with
A Jersey girl, sing sha la la la la la la."

-- "Jersey Girl" by Tom Waits, with perhaps the most famous cover version by Bruce Springsteen. One of Roxy and Rex's two wedding songs (the other one was, of course, "Prove It All Night" by Bruce Springsteen).

As a Jersey Girl, that song is an anthem that always brings tears to my eyes and sends chills down my spine. Today I don't need a reason to get the chills, since as they say in New England, it has been WICKED cold here all day in the Roxiticus Valley... while London and her Brownie Girl Scout troop were singing Christmas carols in front of the Mendham, New Jersey Kings supermarket, and while we walked the streets of Chester and Mendham and Bernardsville to get a start on our holiday shopping. I can only imagine that our Bay Head beach house is shivering in the cold.

While some might find it odd to be thinking about the beach when it is well below freezing and due to stay that way for at least the next three months, the wind is whipping down the Boardwalk, and Santa's sleigh is slipping off of the icy rooftops, what better time is there to reminisce about last summer's good times at the Jersey Shore and to plan our next Jersey Shore beach vacation? It warms me up just to look at photos of London and Maddie selling seashells down by the seashore or riding the rollercoaster with their Jersey Girl friends at the Boardwalk.

While I'm not brave enough to head down to the beach in this weather, I can shop online for the perfect Jersey Girl holiday gifts at the annual holiday sale going on at Morey’s Piers in Wildwood. Morey's Piers is known for their amusement park rides and many other boardwalk attractions. From December 1st through January 9th, we can all save almost 40% on a season pass to both of the Morey's Piers waterparks. Come to visit your favorite Jersey Girl from afar, or plan out your Jersey Shore "staycation" close to home by using the Morey's Piers website to find the Wildwood, NJ hotel or motel that suits your family this summer. It may be cold outside, but it won't be long before the Boardwalk beckons!

Pete and Repeat

London and Maddie go crazy over this kind of joke...

Pete and Repeat were sitting on a fence
Pete fell off
Who was left?
Repeat

Pete and Repeat were sitting on a fence
Pete fell off
Who was left?
Repeat

Pete and Repeat were sitting on a fence
Pete fell off
Who was left?
Repeat

Get it?

Just a reminder that I haven't updated either London's blog (The Daily Soup) or Maddie's blog (I Love Dogs and So Do You) in a very, very long time. We were in NYC last night for dinner with my niece, Candy, and the girls were impressing her with tales of their blogs... I guess we better get a few more dogs up there for Maddie and maybe change the name of London's blog to The Every Now and Then Soup!

Just Like Old Times: Roxy Sits On Santa's Lap

It's that time of year... a chill in the air, a chance of snow, making a list and checking it twice, sitting on Santa's lap and making a wish. As you can see from the photo of Roxy posing in a CEIVA frame with Santa and one of his elves, technology has changed the way we do a lot of things, including sharing photos with our family and friends, and sitting on Santa's lap electronically instead of heading over to the mall.


Santa and the elves who make the CEIVA Digital Photo Frames are granting wishes every day until Christmas. If you've got one, you can sit on Santa's lap, whisper your wish in his ear (now, now, don't get fresh, remember he's keeping track of who's naughty and nice), and enter the Got a Wish Sweepstakes. 29 winners will be chosen, one for each day of the contest. Each winner will receive a cash prize of $500 to help make their wishes come true. I wished for good health and happiness this holiday season, and I'd like to share my wish with all of you. Happy Holidays!

Music Monday: All I Want for Christmas Is The Girl Of My Dreams

Today's Music Monday selection comes from London and Maddie, who just adore the Jonas Brothers. Since we're just kickin' back, relaxing at the end of the long Thanksgiving Weekend, and other bloggers are talking about putting up their Christmas trees and holiday lights, the girls thought we should get into the holiday spirit with (All I Want for Christmas Is) The Girl Of My Dreams. Ho Ho Ho!



This Christmas time there's just one thing I want.
It tops it all, it's better than eggnog.
It's cold outside, my boots are full of snow.
I'm just hoping for some mistletoe

OHHHH

[CHORUS]
You can take these presents, underneath my tree,
You can take this awesome scarf my grandma made for me,
You can take these boxes, tied up with string
'Cause all I want for Christmas is the girl of my dreams.

YEAHHHH

WOOOHH

Ho, Ho, Ho, Ho, Ho!!!

YEAHHH

Light's are goin' up it's Christmas time,
But I just want that girl to be mine,
My stocking's full but I'm not satisfied,
No, No, No, Noooo,
But I'll just wait until she's by my side,

YEAHHH

[CHORUS]
You can take these presents, underneath my tree,
You can take this awesome scarf my grandma made for me,
You can take these boxes, tied up with string
'Cause all I want for Christmas is the girl of my dreams.

Falalalala, lalalala

Faaaa la la laaa

You can take these presents, underneath my tree,
You can take this awesome scarf my grandma made for me,
I would give it all, just to let you see,
That all I want for Christmas is the girl of my dreams

I'm also trying out a new web thingy called Smallaa... please drop by and vote for my post. Smallaa pays $10,000 each week for the most popular post. If I win the ten thousand bucks this week, I bet we Music Monday participants, EntreCard droppers, and BlogExplosion Battle of the Blogs voters could coordinate an effort for each of us to have a turn at the big win.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted.

A Unique Gift of Hope for the Holidays

I've posted over on my Roxiticus Desperate Housewives blog that, after almost three years of trying to have a baby and all sorts of hardship, my best friend Melissa (we go back to middle school together) is pregnant with her second child, due in May. When Melissa asked her almost three-year-old son whether he'd like a sister or a brother, he told her, "Don't care. Just get me one now!" That's the sort of good news that gives all of us hope, and I'm considering a unique holiday gift to continue that feeling of hope and well being for Melissa and her growing family....a Cryo-Cell C'elle Stem Cell Preservation gift card.

A C'elle Client Testimonial gives a sense of the extraordinary statement created for the recipient of this unique gift. Holiday gift cards in various increments can be purchased for the following Cryo-Cell services:

• I'm considering U-Cord®, Cryo-Cell's stem cell cord blood preservation service, as my gift for Melissa...it's an ideal gift for family and friends who are expecting a baby in the near future and want to preserve vital stem cells that are collected from their baby's cord blood. Stems cells found in cord blood are known to treat over 75 diseases.
• C'elle® can also be a wonderful gift for women who are not pregnant. C'elle's groundbreaking technology enables women to collect and cryopreserve their own stem cells for potential cellular therapies that may emerge in the future. Preliminary scientific research suggests that in addition to potential use by the donor, these stem cells may possibly be used as well in the future to benefit other family members who are genetically related to the donor, such as a parent, sibling or child to treat a number of possibly life-threatening diseases including diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, stroke, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
• Protect Baby, Protect Mom® combines both services, offering a gift of hope and well-being for the mom-to-be and her newborn baby.

For more information about Cryo-Celle and C'elle, or how to purchase gift cards for these services, please visit C'elle, or call Cryo-Cell at 1-800-STOR-CELL or C'elle at 1-877-892-3553.

Music Monday: Surfin' Safari

It's about 20 degrees at the beach, the ocean is probably freezing, and Mariuca is asking London and Maddie to make her a snowman, but I'm going to try to warm things up here at the Bay Head Blog. Roxy's first Music Monday contribution here is Surfin' Safari, a Beach Boys classic.



Now there are those who question the quality of the waves in Bay Head, even when the temperature is warm enough to melt the polar ice caps that are out there now, but I'm going to ask all of you to suspend disbelief long enough to grab your long boards and catch a wave with Roxy!

Lets go surfin' now
Everybodys learning how
Come on and safari with me
(come on and safari with...)

Early in the morning well be startin out
Some honeys will be coming along
Were loading up our woody
With our boards inside
And headin out singing our song

Come on (surfin) baby wait and see (surfin safari)
Yes Im gonna (surfin) take you surfin (surfin safari)with me
Come along (surfin) baby wait and see (surfin safari)
Yes Im gonna (surfin) take you surfin (surfin safari)with me

Lets go surfin now
Everybodys learning how
Come on and safari with me
(come on and safari with...)

At huntington and malibu
Theyre shooting the pier
At rincon theyre walking the nose
Were going on safari to the islands this year
So if youre coming get ready to go

Come on (surfin) baby wait and see (surfin safari)
Yes Im gonna (surfin) take you surfin (surfin safari) with me
Come along (surfin) baby wait and see (surfin safari)
Yes Im gonna (surfin) take you surfin (surfin safari) with me

Lets go surfin now
Everybodys learning how
Come on and safari with me
(come on and safari with...)

Theyre anglin in laguna in cerro azul
Theyre kicking out in dohini too
I tell you surfings mighty wild
Its getting bigger every day
From hawaii to the shores of peru

Come on (surfin) baby wait and see (surfin safari)
Yes Im gonna (surfin) take you surfin (surfin safari) with me
Come along (surfin) baby wait and see (surfin safari)
Yes Im gonna (surfin) take you surfin (surfin safari) with me

Lets go surfin now
Everybodys learning how
Come on and safari with me
(come on and safari with...)

With me
Surfin safari
With me
Surfin safari
With me
Surfin safari
With ROXY!!

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are strictly for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted.

Bay Head Historical Society Celebrates the Holidays with a Victorian Christmas Party at the Museum on Saturday, December 6th from 1:00pm to 4:00pm

It may be cold at the beach, but the Bay Head Historical Society invites you to come inside and warm up with a Victorian Christmas Party at the Museum on Saturday, December 6th from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. Bring the kids to see the Christmas tree with authentic turn-of-the-century decorations. The Christmas trolley, with Santa on Board, will be running free of charge.

The headquarters of the Bay Head Historical Society Museum is the Loveland Homestead, an authentic farmhouse which was built in 1867 by the Loveland family, a prominent family from England. It is located at 1643 Bay Avenue on the corner of Bridge Avenue, at the base of the Lovelandtown Bridge. Phone: (732) 892-0223.

Winter...Tough On Roxy's Convertible!

It's a chilly night in the Roxiticus Valley, and although I miss our beach house in Bay Head, when I hear the wind howling against my windows, I'm just as glad that we shut our house down for the season after the Bay Head Halloween Parade. I'm afraid my sweet little Bay Head Blog is in for some neglect over the winter, though I will do my best to keep it warmed up from afar.

The good thing about living in a state that experiences all four seasons is that after the harsh winter, April showers bring May flowers and it is time to start the beach season all over again. Next Spring, when we head back down to the beach in Bay Head, I am going to pamper Roxy's little red Celica convertible with a tune-up, buick supercharger style, and the detail work my baby needs after spending the winter cooped up inside my garage.

What's it like in your part of the world right now? Do you celebrate the change in seasons, or is your climate about the same year round?

Will Rex and Roxy (Dressed as Barbie and Ken) Win the Ocean Star Halloween Costume Photo Contest?

By now you've heard about our family's Good Sport trophy in the Bay Head Halloween Parade, and we're wondering if we can add a $100 restaurant gift certificate to our Halloween good fortune. Our daughter, London, snapped the photo on the right of mom and dad dressed up as '70s era Ken and Barbie dolls at the Bay Head Halloween Parade last weekend. A photographer from the Star News Group, publisher of The Ocean Star, saw the two of us in action and suggested that we enter our photo in the First Annual Spooktacular Halloween Photo Contest.

Whether the costume is scary and ghoulish or downright foolish, Star News Group wants to see area residents decked out in full Halloween regalia. Prizes will be awarded to winners named in three categories — adults ages 18 and above, children ages 17 and under and pets. Rex and I will be competing for the adult prize -- a $100 gift certificate to the restaurant of the winner’s choice from the online StarNewsGroup.com Restaurant Guide. For children, the grand prize will be a $50 gift certificate to Quinnderella’s Toys in Manasquan. For pets, the grand prize will be a $25 gift certificate to B.C. Woof in Manasquan. Photos can be submitted via e-mail to contest at starnewsgroup dot com or dropped off in person at either The Ocean Star office, 421 River Avenue in Point Pleasant Beach or The Coast Star office, 13 Broad Street in Manasquan. All photos submitted must be the property of the entrant. Upon submission, all photos become the property of Star News Group and may be published in print and online.

Wish us luck!

Trick or Treat: Democratic and Republican Presidential and Vice-Presidential Hopefuls Greet Supporters at the Bay Head Halloween Parade in Bay Head,

While Rex and the girls and I have been fortunate to take home the Bay Head Halloween Parade's "Good Sport" trophy (for adults who get dressed up to march in the parade with their children) this year and in prior years, one family almost always gets the trophy for the best family, and this year was no exception.

In the photo on the left, Sarah Palin greets the crowd on Mount Street in Bay Head, then on the right she joins, from left to right, a very short Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Bay Head Mayor Bill Curtis, and John McCain to accept the big family trophy.

Music Thursday: Lookin' for Love in All the Wrong Places?

Lady Java, Mariuca's Perfume Gallery, and a bunch of my international blogging buddies have started posting "Music Mondays" and I know it's Thursday, but I'd like to put in my two cents for the week, along with a story about true love, Rex and me. Many of my Bay Head Blog and Roxiticus Desperate Housewives readers know that I've been a country music fan since the early 1990s, and my contribution to Music Thursday is called "Lookin' for Love" and comes from Johnny Lee:

"Well, I spent a lifetime lookin' for you
Single bars and good time lovers were never true
Playin' a fools game, hopin' to win
Tellin' those sweet lies and losin' again

I was lookin' for love in all the wrong places
Lookin' for love in too many faces
Searchin' their eyes, lookin' for traces
Of what I'm dreamin' of
Hopin' to find a friend and a lover
I'll bless the day I discover
Another heart lookin' for love

And I was alone then, no love in site
I did everything I could to get me through the night
I don''t know where it started or where it might end
I'd turn to a stranger just like a friend

'Cause I was lookin' for love
In all the wrong places
Lookin' for love in too many faces
Searchin' their eyes, lookin' for traces
Of what I'm dreamin' of
Hopin' to find a friend and a lover
I'll bless the day I discover
Another heart lookin' for love

And you came a knockin' at my heart's door
You're everything I've been lookin' for
There's no more lookin' for love
In all the wrong places
Lookin' for love in too many faces
Searchin' their eyes
Lookin' for traces
Of what I'm dreamin' of
Now that I found a friend and a lover
God bless the day I discovered you
Oh you, lookin' for love

(Lookin' for love) in all the wrong places
(Lookin' for love) in too many faces
Searchin' their eyes, lookin' for traces
Of what I'm dreamin' of
Now that I've found a friend and a lover
God bless the day I discovered you
Oh you, lookin' for love"

Although I've shared many happy family stories here about my idyllic life with Rex and our two girls, London and Maddie, I feel like I did spend a lifetime looking for love in all the wrong places (Jersey Shore bars, beach parties, and blind dates) before I discovered Rex. I remember the days when I would get dressed up and hopeful to go out with a new guy, only to have the evening turn into nothing more than a humorous (or painful) anecdote to share with my friends. Then, against all odds (take a look at me now...but that's a song for another Music Monday), Rex and I met at work, fell in love, and have lived happily ever after for almost thirteen years.

If you've been looking for love in all the wrong places, why not sign up for free with True.com and search for free for the love of your life. Thousands have already begun their happily ever after...if you check it out and get lucky, please come back and tell Roxy and our readers your fairy tale.

London and Maddie, Rex and Roxy's Big Win at the Bay Head Halloween Parade

We won, we won! While I do try to teach my girls that "it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game," it sure feels good to have that trophy in hand. As a family, we won the "Good Sport" award for grown-ups who dress up in the best costumes and march in the parade with their kids. So here we are in costume, from left to right: Maddie (as Sharpay "Golf" from High School Musical) Rex (as Ken), Bay Head Mayor Bill Curtis, Roxy (as Barbie), and London (as Sharpay "End of Year" from High School Musical).

I took an amazing bunch of photos (including a Bay Head appearance by all of the presidential and vice presidential candidates) that I'll be posting over the course of the week, hope you'll enjoy!

Continue reading

Today's the Day for the Bay Head Halloween Parade

It is eight o'clock on Sunday morning and we are waiting for London and Maddie to wake up at our beach house in Bay Head, NJ and begin the countdown to the 11:45am Bay Head Halloween Parade. Witches, goblins, ghosts and Disney princesses will start gathering on Mount Street in Bay Head, New Jersey, shortly after 11am for the 11:45am parade start.

As my loyal Roxiticus Desperate Housewives readers know, we stayed up north in Mendham on Friday night for the big Joan Jett & the Blackhearts concert at the Mayo Center of the Performing Arts in Morristown, NJ. We waited until late on Saturday afternoon for the drive down, and made it here in time for one of Rex's specialties...the last lobsters of the season. The weather forecast, including howling wind and rain all day yesterday, may have scared some other fair weather residents off, but we were determined to get down here and march in the parade...come hell, Halloween, or high water. Thankfully, the high water on Lake Avenue has gone down overnight to make way for the parade.

London and Maddie decided to go as a pair of Sharpays (the High School Musical character, not the dog breed) -- one Sharpay Golf and one Sharpay End-of-Year Celebration, complete with gold lame (pronounced la-MAY, not sure how you'd spell it differently than adding an accent over the "e") pants.


Rex and I are going as Barbie and Ken, and we're hoping this motley family can win a trophy this year. Rex really looks the part, and London promised to style my hair in Barbie pigtails, but the competition is always tough... we're not the only family in Bay Head that takes Halloween seriously!

Wish us luck...and if the girls' costumes, wigs, and oversized sunglasses turn out to be a suitable disguise, I may even share some photos here on Monday.

Weather or Not, London and Maddie Are Ready for the Bay Head Halloween Parade: Sunday, October 26th, Mount Street to the Firehouse in Bay Head, NJ

Rex read me a grim weather forecast for the weekend from The New York Times earlier this evening, but we're going down to our beach house in Bay Head, NJ, come hell, Halloween, or high water. Right now Weather.com is forecasting rain on Saturday, but sunny and 60 degrees on Sunday for the Bay Head Halloween Parade. Witches, goblins, ghosts and Disney princesses will start gathering on Mount Street in Bay Head, New Jersey, shortly after 11am for the 11:45am parade start.

London and Maddie decided to go as a pair of Sharpays (the High School Musical character, not the dog breed) -- one Sharpay Golf and one Sharpay End-of-Year Celebration, complete with gold lame (pronounced la-MAY, not sure how you'd spell it differently than adding an accent over the "e") pants.


Rex and I are going as Barbie and Ken, and we're hoping this motley family can win a trophy this year. Rex really looks the part, and London promised to style my hair in Barbie pigtails, but the competition is always tough... we're not the only family in Bay Head that takes Halloween seriously!

Dressing Rex Up in a New Suit, but not for Halloween

Many of my recent posts here at the Bay Head Blog have been focused on the upcoming Bay Head Halloween Parade, but today I'm thinking about dressing Rex up not in a costume, but in a new custom suit. With the rollercoaster stock market and the economy in bailout mode, I'm guessing that many of you, like me, would like to look your best while spending a little less. So let me tell you about MySuit, where you can get a made to measure suit starting at $495.

I just checked out the MySuit Experience for Rex, my husband and business partner. Next time we're in New York, we can set up an appointment at their midtown Manhattan location with a consultant, who will determine Rex's body type and fit him with a "Gauge Suit" that accounts for his body type, posture and stance, creating a dimensional context for the most accurate specs possible...they will measure Rex in up to 30 different ways, compared with the 3 measurements Rex would get if we bought "off the rack." Next come the "Elements of Style" where Rex can choose his options to create his own style and fit in his favorite fabric: a 100% wool, navy pinstripe suit featuring a single button jacket and double pleated pants. Technology and fine craftsmanship have come together to create an exciting new process that, with just a two week turnaround time, allows MySuit to manufacture truly Made to measure suits at close to off-the-rack prices.

MySuit is a global company with over 40 years of manufacturing and retail experience, a division of one of the largest suit makers in the world, selling made-to-measure suits at close to off-the-rack prices. You can make an appointment online, then head over to their 1270 Broadway (@33rd Street) location in mid-town Manhattan to get your style and fit in your favorite fabric. So what are you waiting for? Get yourself a made to measure suit starting at $495 at close to off-the-rack prices and help out our local New York City economy.