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This Week’s Ten Things of Thankful; is brought to you by the Letter R

This Week’s Ten Things of Thankful; is brought to you by the Letter R

Since the kids were little, in order to help build their language skills, and vocabulary, we always played some sort of game at the dinner table – we stopped because after all; you know they know everything now.

Ten Things of Thankful – It’s all Good, I think

Ten Things of Thankful – It’s all Good, I think

I am writing this on Sunday, and will try to post before the end of the day ….I know I have a lot to be thankful for this week.  The simple thankfuls are there, they always are.  The truth is, last week was a mixed 

The Next Stop on the Virtual Blog Tour…is here!

The Next Stop on the Virtual Blog Tour…is here!

http://www.rockawayjetski.com/?page=tours-LongIsland
Hello Everyone, I was invited by Susan F from http://www.ofeverymoment.com/  for the virtual blog tour. Over at ofeverymoment you can read about so many subject, topics/advise and even fiction. Susan has a story that she waits for her word prompts to continue adding to the plot. I cannot wait to read more about Maria and the dubious plant she smuggled out of Mexico; I think I said enough except the plot thickens.  
Both Susan and I participated in the May NaBloPoMo on Blogher; she found me and liked a post, when I went over to visit her blog, I immediately fell in love with ofeverymoment because of her writing and all the beautiful photos of her home state Montana.  Although I never visited the state of Montana, the state holds a special place in my heart because my Nonno; yes the same man that would say Mangia, Mangia…No Talk; was born there.  My great-grandparents emigrated there from Italy. When they arrived at Ellis Island, they heard the word work, and were sent to Montana, where my great-grandfather worked as a coal-miner; sadly, the winters were long and cold and after some years, they returned to Calabria Italy.
 
The tour participants are asked three questions and here are my questions and my answers
 
What am I working on?
 
Currently I am participating in NaBloPoMo challenge for my other blog SquaareKat, along with writing for Mangia, Mangia…No Talk- so my time, thoughts, and brainstorming are in two different places.  Mangia, Mangia No Talk is a food blog and I write and post recipes of the meals or dishes that I cook for family and friends. Each week I also link with several bloggers for the Ten Things of Thankful- created and started by the talented Lizzi R at Considerings Life in Silver Linings; http://summat2thinkon.wordpress.com/
this is a great exercise for me so that I can recognize the good of the week. Which is so important, each week I go over what occurred for that week; I am always surprised that I can be thankful for ten things, plus some, after the post is written.  On the sidelines, I am always honing something whether it is the writing, learning all about blog world and always trying new recipes – its summer we are eating a bit lighter so I experiment with meals, ingredients and trying to take better care of ourselves.
 
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
 
MMNT is a food blog – the meals I cook are the same meals that all the women in my family cooked.  We are talking generations- most of them have sparked memories, so I write about and share those memories with my family, sometimes I am so passionate what I am writing about you can feel my exuberance and the success it created at my table – please feel free to browse all of my posts – lastly after 169 days I posted my 100th post.
 
Why do I write/create what I do?
 
I am not sure why I do what I do. The only explanation that I think I can come up with is; this need to express myself must be in my genes. if I’m not writing, I am cooking and creating a feast, if I am not cooking I am doing some sort of craft project . I am quite handy with a glue gun, but  I have also dabbled in cross-stitch, and a couple of years ago I taught myself how to crochet….having said all of that I have been writing poetry since I was 5 years old. Like I said before I probably been this way, because everyone around me always did something, I hardly remember anyone doing nothing. 
 
How does your writing/creating process work?
 
The quick answer is the theme song from Gilligan’s Island. I was once stumped, because I could not remember the first word to the song …hence, I was not able to start to sing it or finish it.  Hey, I remembered “a three hour tour” but that was it – finally I remembered the first word, and that darn song flowed out quite easily – I have the same theory with my writing, get that first word down, and it will flow easily.  Obviously, it is not that easy –it sometimes takes me hours to have something down on paper and sometimes its quick and easy.  My goal is to write more on the weekends, the early mornings on Saturdays and Sundays, so that I can schedule the posts during the week. That has not happened yet.  The technical writing process is; I write it on MS-Word, read it over several times – have my husband edit the post, then I copy it and paste in blogger draft, add my pictures, and work on final touches.  That is it …. Is that how everyone does it?
 
My next call of duty is to invite three other bloggers to continue the tour.  – I had already committed to today’s post and did not want to back out of it. The original three I had asked were not able to do it, and it was too late to look for any other participants… so I urge you to check out the side bar under My Blogging Entertainment the many blogs I love – all their writing styles are beautiful and they all share wonderful , beautiful and lyrical writing voices.
 
I hope you all enjoyed this Blog tour – and please visit all my favorites including http://www.ofeverymoment.com/
 
Have a wonderful week!
Mangia, Mangia…No Talk!

 

Ten Things of Thankful “In Summer”

Ten Things of Thankful “In Summer”

“Ah I don’t know why, but I always loved the idea of summer and sun & all things hot!” Olaf from Frozen

Happy 4th of July Plus More; Ten Things Of Thankful

Happy 4th of July Plus More; Ten Things Of Thankful

Hello Everyone –
 
Last week was our first week to start the summer vacation. As you remember we started the last day of school at our church’s annual feast-well that didn’t stop there.   Our friends  Deb & Paul were quite generous and invited our family to Adventureland,   Deb scored 8 free tickets to ride on the rides–you don’t need to pay to get in–you pay to ride the rides so  thank you Deb and Paul.
 
Teddy had a visit to the groomer and he is quite the handsome pup.  I am thankful that he was able to get an appointment and came back to us safely.
 
I wrote every day last week for Blogher’s July   NaBloPoMo, for my other blog Squaarekat, I am thankful that I was able to, and proud too–another grateful mention is that the post after this one for Mangia, Mangia. No Talk, will be my 100th post…. J
 
Hubby and Amelia picked me up a telescopic back scratcher–it fits in my purse –LOL! Will I use it in public, maybe, not sure but definitely among friends, in the car and when I have to scratch an unreachable area–(my back) hahahaha!
 
I took a picture of my summer shoes…I think it is art; and yes I am thankful for my summer shoes- it’s one of my favorite things of summer.
 
We had a rainy 4thof  July and I loved it– thank you  mother nature–there was no  pressure this year we did  nothing-the barbecue party we were supposed to go to was postponed and moved to Saturday – sadly we could not go to that one – because I had committed to another barbecue.
 
We took our annual flag shirt picture and we (hubby and I) could not believe how much our kids have grown in the 4 plus 1 years that we have had/known them. 
 
Speaking of rainy 4thof July, I became the coolest mom when I chalked Amelia’s hair–I am thankful that it came our great and that she was happy with it.
 
This is a combined   thank you to our friends Deb and Paul for hosting a barbecue on Saturday, Laurie for bringing my favorite beer; Modelo Especial and to Deb’s mom  for all the great sparklers-the kids had a safe blast-there was good margaritas, good food, swimming, sparklers and my favorite beer–thank you!
 
I am thankful for being born in a country that is free and wonderful – I am thankful that my daughter and son are equally grateful for living in this country and I was thrilled that they we were able see beautiful fireworks in our own driveway, which was accompanied with me and my daughter oohing and aahing quite loudly.
 
Happy week ahead!
 
 

 

Happy 4th of July, my friends

Happy 4th of July, my friends

Five years in the making   2009 This is the first year we met our children 4 or 5 days prior to this picture, they traveled 15 time zones to meet us. This was taken after our first week hosting them.   2010 Home at 

Happy Fourth of July Eve!

Happy Fourth of July Eve!

My family loves Eves; you know what they are?  The day befores – of course, Christmas Eve is our favorite but the list of Eves also include the day before Thanksgiving Day, more importantly Eves embraces everyone’s birthday – a birthday doesn’t go by without someone being