Candied apples, and other appley things

I love apples, and I LOVE apple season. Here in the Northeast, we grow a lot of apples. When Fall comes around, you can never be far from a dessert based on an apple. Are you hungry?



Here is a sampling of my favorite apple treats:

Candied/Caramel Apples:
Nothing beats a candied apple or a caramel apple. If you don't live near a farm market where you can buy a good one, check out Mrs. Prindable's online.
This stuff is amazing, and tastes as good as it looks. Think of... an apple with your favorite candy bar in one bite! I buy these by the truckload for the holiday and give out as gifts.
http://www.mrsprindables.com


Apple Cider Donuts:
I live near a fabulous farm market.... Duffield's, in Sewell, NJ... http://www.duffieldsfarm.com/

but if you can get there or don't want to make them from home, buy 'em:
http://www.deliciousorchardsnj.com/order-donuts.html


Apple Butter:
Way better than jelly! My favorite is available at:
http://www.wolfermans.com/

Fashion and the home office

There used to be a time when I would go crazy for a "business casual" day. Back in the day I worked in a "real" office, with a receptionist, coffee machine, and animated co-workers that could make you laugh on even the worst of days.

Back in 1992, when I was introduced to this office world, I was working for a company (later acquired in 1995 by the behemoth company I work for now)... and we had a pretty low-key dress code. I wasn't wearing suits, but since we had customer seminars in our office on a frequent basis, so we had to be dressed for success on most days... kinda a "pumped up" business casual.

After the hostile takeover (yeah, it was pretty crazy in the dot.com era) the company we were melded into had a VERY strict dress code. So, as the months went on, to appease the "crazy" software people that they brought on (me), my new company adopted casual Fridays.

Casual Fridays were like the old dress code, so we were bummed.

The interesting part of all of this is how this got me to thinking how much I miss dressing up and going to work each day. Most days, I dress in very casual clothes (and almost always my sneakers) and spend the day here at home in my office.

I occasionally go into the local office (about 20 miles from home), but boy is it different. I can actually wear jeans (not my sneakers though) and would fit right in. Reason being, our office culture is all about mobility now. Customer meetings are no longer held in-house anymore. The purpose of going into the office doesn't have the human component anymore. It's plug in, do your thing, and get out.

The only real opportunity I get to put on my fashionable shoes is when I travel for work, which is not more than a couple weeks out of the year. I have to admit, it does feel good to walk around in heels once in awhile. There is something mildly comforting to me wearing a nice pants suit, heels, and my cool "smart" glasses (don't forget the handbag!). Perhaps I was never meant to be the work at home type, but here I am.

So, I guess in the end, I am saving money not having to have my closet full of work clothes. Hell, that would be scary anyway, because I know my love of fashion would carry into my work clothes and soon I'd have a VERY expensive habit to add to my OTHER very expensive habit of collecting handbags.

Wow, now that I just thought of this, perhaps a new handbag purchase is in order. Look at all the money I am saving!

A Mom's guilty pleasure: TV anytime, anywhere

Do you remember the days when you struggled to program the VCR to tape a TV show? The agony of wondering if you pushed the right buttons and then finding out that the tape ran out or worse, you taped the wrong channel??

In this digital age, I've been thinking about how much life has changed from a mere 10 years ago... when there was no alternative except VCR's. Now, we have DVR and Tivo... one of the best inventions as of late.

However, I must admit, I subscribe to neither... why? Because there is this thing called streaming on the internet, and it's FREE. Did you realize that about 75% of the primetime shows you watch are readily available on the internet, to watch at your convenience? I think ABC started the trend last year, when it began to offer episodes of it's most watched shows for FREE the next day after a new episode airs. Now, CBS and NBC have joined the bandwagon. Not to mention, there are other places, like Google Video, where you can find some of your favorite shows as well.

Now, as a FT working Mom, I get very little opportunity to watch uninterrupted TV. And, when 9pm rolls around in this house, everyone heads to bed. We just get up too freaking early to watch TV until 10 or 11pm. Mom gives a giant THUMBS up to this new era of on-demand TV.
I just LOVE this. Yesterday, I took my break to fetch lunch, and caught up on two episodes of news shows I missed. This is absolute genius!!!!

So, you might be thinking, what have I been watching? Well, my favorite show, Lost, doesn't start up until next week.... but so far, my two picks for ultra cool TV shows new for this season...

"Smith" and "Heroes"

So, when you have some time to kill, check them out. Technology can be wonderful thing...

Still here

Hey all, I'm still here. Just trying to get back from the funk I've been in all weekend. New post coming later!

{sigh...}

Well, many of you who know me IRL or online know I've been trying to have another baby. After a cycle full of promise, another BFN (Big Fat Negative... for those of you not one of my buds from the "Ovu community"). Armed with a box full of HPT's and a break from the pc, I tested and was highly annoyed to see just the test line staring back at me. Another failed cycle.

I could cry, and I did. Normally, I am a very contained person, but the need I have right now to shout at the sky is outweighing my usual mode of keeping positive and calm.

Next week marks one year since S. and I decided to try to add to our family of three. Nothing to show but a miscarriage in the Spring. And an awful one at that... I was just entering my second trimester, thinking all was well and right with the world, then BAM! taken away.... just like that.

I was upset, but I moved on with hope that lightening only strikes once.

And that might be true, but I'll never know unless I get pregnant again.

The last hour, I've just been sitting at my desk, like a blubbering idiot. Too emotional, in fact, to be able to type this and make any sense....

sooooo....I'll leave the over-analyzing for later, when I have the time and want to jot down here in my blog. For now, I just wanted to write this down for my friends checking in on me who knew I was testing today.

Yeah, it's bad news, and it flippin' sucks. Not much more to say on that.

Color me blue

Perhaps it's the never-ending work days I've had lately, not eating well, not working out... but today I've got the blues. It's PMS on overdrive I think.

I am just not feeling myself.

I'm not sick (well, maybe "sick in the head" as my Mom would say).

Do you ever have days like this?

Today, for the first time in years, I didn't wake up at 5:30am. Hubby had gotten up, taken his shower, and headed downstairs and I never heard him. I was awakened by my son, who walked up next to my bed announcing "MOMMMMMY... were's my kitty????"
David has had a complete obsession since the kitten got here, more on that later.
I got up, showered, and by the time my hair and makeup was on, S. yelled "leaving!" so I walked downstairs to two cats staring at me and a toddler trying to knock one of them out with a mini-football.

I drove David to preschool, and almost forgot his lunch. When I drove home, I ordered coffee at the Dunkin Donuts drive-thru and handed the guy a dollar (I thought it was a ten).

When I got home, I took my coffee and bowl of cereal upstairs to my office and SAT there.... staring at my pc, wishing work would forget I was alive. I had 48 unread e-mails, just from last night???? do these people sleep????

Maybe I'm just in a bad mood. I usually shake the feeling by lunchtime, but here I am... still feeling.....odd.

Introducing: Gilbert

Well, if you've been following my blog, I talked about the stray kitten we found over at my Mom and Dad's house. After careful consideration, we decided to give him a new home. David has named his new friend Gilbert (yes, from the Caillou show on PBS).
We took Gilbert to the vet last Saturday, and had him checked out. Dr. Beyer (the sweetest vet under the sun btw) checked kitty from head to toe. Except for a few fleas and ear mites, he is clean as a whistle. She also estimated that he is about 4 months old.
Unfortunately, our best guess is that he was part of a litter of kittens that someone was taking care of, but maybe they couldn't find him a home and just dumped him on the side of the road. It's sad to think about, but I'm sure not the first cat to have had this happen to. Fortunately, Gilbert's previous owner picked the right street and house.
I have to admit, this kitten is so nice. Such a friendly disposition. And, of course my son is so excited because Gilbert fawns over him.
Gilbert's temporary residence is the garage... we were waiting for his tests to come back to ensure he can't give anything to the other pets. As of today he has a clean bill of health, so we will being transitioning him into the house this week after a good bath.

Hot Bags, Cool Cause

You all may know a passion of mine is assisting however I can to raise breast cancer awareness.

I found out today that there is an auction going on right now at eBay (sponsored by Seventeeen Magazine) with proceeds going to the fight against breast cancer.

Click on the title of this post to go there. Check it out!

Kitty Cat Quandary

Yesterday, we stopped over my Mom's house and discovered a stray kitten had adopted my parents. Little did kitty know that he/she was knocking on the wrong door. lol. Strays pop up from time to time, my parents live in an out of the way area (mostly farmland) and cats without owners are plentiful.
My parents are away way too much to take the cat in, and although I could see my Mom was wanting to keep the cat around, she refused to start feeding it for fear she would be too attached. Of course, David was ready to bring this little one home. And the cat picked up on that... would not leave David's side. When we pulled away in our truck, the cat galloped along side as if to say, "please, take me home".
It couldn't be more than a few months old, and S. and I are seriously considering giving this cat a home. We have one cat and a dog now (they get along great), but I am worried adding a cat might upset the balance with the other two pets (who knows). The cat and dog that we have now are very old (Luke, the cat ....named after Luke Perry.... uh huh, I watched 90210 for all those years) is going to be 15 years old, and Teddi (our dog, a Keeshond) is 11 years old. David is very attached to both, and Steve and I worry that it's likely they are in their twilight years.... it's only a matter of time before we go from 2 pets to none.
Today is a rainy day, and my son has reminded me no less than 10 times already that kitty is cold and wet, and he wants to save kitty from the wild raccoons (my parents live next to an old farm and have a serious raccoon issue).
So, I am pondering if we should go back over my Mom's and pick up this cat. At the least, if we don't take the cat, I need to ensure it gets a home.

I am in charge, sure I am!

I love him to death, but this little man of mine LOVES to push my buttons. S. and I have been battling with David on the potty front, but lately he has started to defy us every chance he gets. We can handle the fact that "no!" is sometimes a foreign word to him. We understand that the main objective for a toddler is to push, push, PUSH... as far as he can, just waiting to test our parental foritude. My goal lately has been sort of a mantra to myself...
"don't back down... don't back down.... I am the parent... I am in charge"
But this little bugger finds amusement and now pushes me for sport. He laughs sometimes, and boy does that get me going. Somehow, I find the ability to keep myself on an even keel. It's harder for Steve, and now I see why... they are so alike it's not funny.

After the 6th trip to the naughty chair last night (David sits there, not crying or anything), I end up thinking all night about what I am doing wrong. Are we too hard on him, not enough?? Will he grow up and blame me for not having raised him well?

This morning, I found myself having a conversation with David while driving him to preschool today. It takes 20 minutes door to door to get there, and the whole 20 minutes I lectured. When I asked him a question, he sounded like he was following, but who knows. Highlights went like this...

"David, Mommy gets so upset sometimes when you don't listen... Do you understand that I am always trying to be the best Mommy, but you test me beyond boundaries... I need for you to be a good boy, and not make me lose my mind because I told you to pick up your toys ten times... why did you need to pick up the doggie's poop in the yard when I specifically said NO... Mommy needs to not work , maybe that is the issue... maybe I need to drop out of the corporate world and work at Target as a checker, they get a discount, don't they???" etc. etc., so forth and so on

I knew he wouldn't understand or even remember what I was talking about, but it felt good just to say it.
As we were walking in the door at school, he looked concerned and said, "Mommy, I love yoooooou... are you ok?"

[insert crazed laughter here]

Maybe he does get it. Score one for the little guy for diffusing my ramblings. Score two for being cute.

End score
Mom=0
David=999

Latest additions to BagMomma's closet

Ta Da!! The latest additions... I bought both of these items in black over the weekend. The hobo bag is really nice, and the wristlet is just adorable (it's like the size of a wallet, so don't let the pics together fool you). It's been awhile since I've bought a predominantly black bag. I've been into colors lately, but I am in love with this bag!

Five years later

I was at my desk in my NJ office on 9/11/2001. But the NYC office was very familiar to me. I had traveled there frequently over the 6 previous years. I was there the week before (visiting old work friends), and traveled in the same way I had for all those years. Amtrak Metroliner to Newark, jump on the PATH train to WTC. Walk from WTC down Broadway a block past Wall Street, pass the Merrill Lynch bull... to the office on the 24th floor of the NASDAQ building on Bridge and Pearl Streets. When I traveled there, I stayed at the Marriott (it was the Vista Hotel for many years) in the WTC complex.

The last time I traveled there, I had stayed for three days. I remember checking for email in my hotel room on the 22nd floor, looking out towards the Financial Center and the water just over West Side Highway, and thinking how beautiful and alive the city was. I was always excited to visit, if not to work, but to try a new restaurant, walk somewhere new. I was a country girl from NJ, lucky to work for a company that opened my eyes to every corner of the United States. Most of all, the shining apple of New York.

When I would leave the hotel in the mornings to walk to my office, I'd always stop to peer up the side of WTC buildings. It would make me dizzy every time, but somehow it was so stunning I could not take my eyes off of them. I especially loved visiting during the holidays... the smell of roasted chestnuts in the air, and shopping at the Century 21 store across the street.
One of my last meals at WTC was at the restaurant on the top floor of WTC. I was there with a couple of coworkers having dinner. I was excited to be at the top, because for so many years I never had the opportunity to see the observation deck. It was awesome, and made me feel so small looking out at the city.

So, when that fateful day became ingrained in the memory of all Americans, I was at work watching my city fall. About 35 of us that were in the office that day gathered around the TV. Hearts in our mouths. Worried for our coworkers who were in our Wall St office, but also those in the WTC buildings at customer locations were we were doing consulting work. Work that day pretty much stopped, except for my company's HR organization making the grand effort to account for all 30,000 US employees.

At the end of the day, we lost only one employee (on the plane that hit the Pentagon). All of our employees at WTC got out, and walked on foot all the way up to Midtown. Two were very good friends of mine. They "retired" three years ago from the IT business, I think that day played more into that decision than the rigors of travel and consulting work. Neither could bring themselves back to work there. I have many friends and family who have lost a family member that day.

As for me, I have been in NY, but have not been to the old stomping grounds. I changed roles shortly after 9/11 and no longer had a need to go there anymore. I've thought about going to see the site, but it seems that I would rather remember my city as I remember all of my visits... untarnished, and unblemished.
A prayer to all whom 9/11 has touched. Please take a moment today to think of the people who you love and those you have lost... and the people who will carry the memory of this day forever.

I love it!!!

A perfect cup of coffee

I have another obsession which, at times, becomes expensive and ridiculous to some. Coffee. In all forms: hot, iced, caffeinated, decaffeinated, with whole milk, non-fat milk, soy. Be it a regular cup of coffee, a latte, a capuccino from Starbucks or the multitude of other coffee chains.... or a lovely cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee (no sugar please!) It's all a good thing.
I get downright grumpy if I pass thru a drivethru for coffee and it's not made by my specifications. I guess I am a coffee snob. If I mistakenly get sugar in my coffee, I will go out of my way to return it and drive out of my way for a replacement cup. When I need to budget on occasion, I will go without anything to keep my coffee. I just ordered 3 lbs. of beans from Peets a couple days ago, and I am anxiously awaiting the Fedex man to bring my fix for the weekend. Hubby likes coffee too (not to the extent that I do), but he indulges my habit by driving me to various coffee places when we are bored. He's a sweetie isn't he? David even drinks his juice from a Starbucks mug, he calls it his "coffee", just like Mommy drinks. Am I creating a future coffee connoisseur?

A BagMomma Dream

I've had my eye on this bag for awhile now. It's a Louis Vuitton Cabas Mary Kate bag. RV $1,110.00

There is no way on this earth that I can afford this bag (I could get like 3 or 4 nice bags for this price), but I love to look at it. It is a good Mom size, no?

Can carry all my essentials plus a juice box and package of animal crackers or Pirates of the Caribbean fruit snacks.

The green-eyed monster makes an appearance

I am bummed today. It all started when I took David to preschool this AM. With the start of the new "school" year and the end of summer, new and old faces were aplenty. Most notably, I ran into two mommy-acquaintances bringing back their toddlers to daycare after an absence.

Conversation ensued:

Mommy 1: "Oh, Hi! so great to see you. Wow, David is sooo big"
Me: "Hey! Great to see you, what have you been doing?"
Mommy 1: "I just had another baby! What's going on with you... I expected you'd be pregnant by now."
Me: "uuuuuuh, yeah. Working on it. Really working on it"

Mommy 2:"Hi, great to see you!"
Me: "Likewise, your [son/daughter] is getting so big!"
Mommy 2: "He/she is a big brother/sister now! I just had a baby. Is David a big brother or sister yet?"
Me: "wow, congratulations! ummmmm, no, not yet"

Do you hear that .......? It's the sound of a pin dropping......
Annnnd... the conversations trail off. And I lurk out of sight. Did I feel like saying what has really been going on... "Yeah, I was pregnant in February, but had a miscarriage in late April." "Did I mention the suspected chemical pregnancy last month that went south?" "Yeah, it's been difficult, but we [husband and I] are still trying." "My hubby is sick of me spending money on Ovulation Predictor Kits and Home Pregnancy Tests"

sigh.....
at the end of the day, I am happy that so many of my friends, family, and acquaintances are having babies. But am I jealous? Hell YEAH, I am. It's going on a year of failed cycles, and failed pregnancies and to tell you the truth, it sucks.
I am generally a positive person, but this is wearing on me. Every month that goes by ages me a year. You know, playing that game... 'well, I'm 38 now and if I conceive NOW, I'll be 39 when I deliver, but if I don't get pregnant again until 2007, I'll be inching to 40'. I don't want to be 40 anyway, and certainly, I do not want to celebrate that birthday still trying for #2!!!
I just don't.

So, I think I let jealousy get the better of me today. I'm sure I'll stop sulking by the time I finish this post and drink my coffee. perhaps.

Get movin' sister

I'm so unfamiliar with the gym, I call it James
~misc. hollywood person

Yeah, it's like that. I always seem to have the best intentions when it comes to working out, I just can't seem to fit it in. A cop out? Perhaps... But doesn't it matter that I really want to go? I have made a promise to myself that I will haul ass into the "fitness studio", (that's what we call it in high-class NJ) at least 3 times a week. Technically, I need like 6 days a week, but why set a goal I'll never achieve? lol Anyway... I am writing my commitment down in hopes I will see this here thereby guilting myself into going. Hey, if it works...

It's all about the bag

I have an obsession, and it all started about 12 years ago with a simple brown purse my Mom bought me for my new job in the the corporate world. But let me digress for a moment, to explain the motto that sits atop this blog.

My Mom is, and always will be, a fashion maven. She was a snazzy dresser as far back as I can remember. No sneakers in that woman's closet.. no sireee. She had clothes, lots of them, and shoes... of Imelda Marcos proportions. And, accessories.... most of all... handbags.

I think back now, how it all started, and I remember Mom and Dad had some pretty lean years when I was a kid growing up with my brother. My father was the kind of guy who had 4 jobs at once just to keep the bills paid (more on my Dad in a later conversation). My father had taken over my grandfather's construction business after his death in 1976. And, well, we didn't have a whole lot in terms of money when I was very little, but as the business grew, so did my Mom and Dad's wallet. By the heydey of the 80's, before the whisper of a recession, we had enough money for Mom to indulge herself (and us) with the finer things in life. Family vacations (which were little more than a few days away at the shore) grew into cruises and getaways to far-away destinations. I loved the cruises the most, because, as I came to learn.... the Caribbean was a great place to buy HANDBAGS. Especially Gucci. My Mom and I would gleefully walk the shopping areas of St. Thomas and St. Maarten in search of the cutest purse. We always found one (or, two, or ten).

So begins my appreciation of a good handbag. In 1992, I was just off the heels of my first out-of-college job (as, what else? an accessories/jewelry buyer for Macy's) I took the leap jumping into Corporate America, working for a software company. To commemorate the occasion, Mom bought me a Coach bag. It was brown leather, with a big flap with a brass closure, and it was heavenly.

Since then, I have added to my collection, on the order of maybe 4 Coach bags per year (one for each season), in addition to the other brands I buy occasionally (and I say that because I do actually have a handbag budget... well sort of). My latest addition is a Burberry bag. Love it!

I would love to have the newest Coach Diaperbag.... a good reason for trying to conceive #2, dontcha think? OK- just kidding, but I will have that bag eventually.

Some women say they can't leave the house without makeup, or their favorite coat... I choose hangbags. There is something wildly appealing to me about a new handbag... always makes the day a little brighter. It's a bizarre addiction, I know, but it is me.

Wake me up when September ends

It was a mixed bag of weather around these parts over the Labor Day holiday. It poured Friday and Saturday, sunny on Sunday and Monday, now it's back to the drearies.Can say that I was even mildly productive over the weekend. Mostly we just RESTED! Hey, that's a switch.David has been pressing us to get him a "big boy" bed. So, off we went to about 4 local furniture stores, and I think we found what we are looking for. David has his heart set on bunkbeds, and after thinking about it... why not? That way if his cousins come over in the future we'll have an extra bed. Since his room has baby furniture in it now, I figured I might as well get him a new dresser too.I pray that I will need that baby furniture in the near future, so we will cram it somewhere for now.Meanwhile, in the work realm, I got assigned to a "special project", which basically means that I won't see the light of day for about a month. Hmmmmpfh.....!I am quite tired (maybe it's the rain), so I will leave the philosophical comments for later. :)

Potty challenged

David has been slow to take to the proper usage of a potty. We started way back at his 2nd birthday... He was interested. So, with (a little) encouragement he tried, aaaand he decided it was not for him. By his 3rd birthday in May, Bob the Builder or Thomas the Train underwear was not even mildly enticing to him. He was just fine in his diaper, thank you very much.When my husband and I were about to "take a potty break" with David, he decided that Pull-ups looked fun, and one day he decided "I will pee no more!". We were so happy. He has not made one mistake in the pee-pee department. He even decided to stay dry at night! Hallelujah!But then, there was that other order of business.. poopy. David would hide in the corner and do his business in the Pull-Up, then we thought- ah HA! switch him to underwear. So, we did. And it did not make a difference.Now, he's holding it in.. at home, at school. He cries. He says he wants to be a baby. (whaaaat?)Not pretty. And, I am getting a little bored of potty talk. What's a Mom to do?

The lady doth protest too much

Shakespeare was a genius. This dude got all fancy with his plays....damning children in school everywhere for centuries to come with books most high schools kids could never comprehend on a good day. This was a guy who liked to write about women nagging men. I don't consider myself a nag. Well, the exception being when I am driving with my husband, and he drives like a maniac. I can't NOT say something when he is trying to teach people lessons for ignoring his rules of the road.But the other thing about Shakespeare is he seems like he was a very endearing person as well. I mean, you have to be to write Romeo & Juliet, right?I think if he was alive today, he'd be Jerry Bruckheimer or something.... you know, the Hollywood producer who does all those big budget, action flicks but still finds time to vist the softer side on TV shows. Manly stuff.Ok, so you are wondering what the heck am I thinking about today? Well, my hubby bought a new truck last night. He loves this truck. We pulled in the driveway last night and he has to go back outside and ponder how nice it is. He spent the night reading the manual (which he does not really have to do... he works in the auto industry for crying out loud). He walks out in the garage and determines if his new white truck (with arizona beige accents) matches his Harley. Yup, hubby has a 2005 Harley too... deep red with an exhaust that can shake the house and make the pictures fall off the walls.Then at the end of the evening he comes over and gives me a hug and says "thanks for letting me buy my new truck" so sweet.But the real deal is I think he is happy that I am a woman who does not nag him about his toys. He has trucks, Harleys, and lawn mowers. I have shoes and Coach bags (ok, lots of Coach bags... and some Burberry, Prada too). If he knew how much I spent accessorizing, he'd have a cow. But hey, we're even, right??

Intro: Meet SuperMom (not)

I had been keeping a journal on another site, but it was cumbersome. A cyber friend of mine led me to this place, and viola! here I am. I guess I should start with a little background, and then, reader, you will just have to dive in the life of Shelli- crazy Mom on the move (armed with only the very best handbags.. more on that obsession later...)I work at home, and when I say work at home, I must qualify that it isn't a job where I have tons of free time to clean my house, make weekly hair and nail appointments, and watch daytime TV. No, I WISH.I work FT in a consulting operations role for a major technology company. Which one? If you read along, you'll figure it out. I live in a world consumed by laptops, blackberries, conference calls, and the occasional business trip. I am wired for speed.I have been married to my wonderful husband for 11 years, and we have a very active toddler, David, who just turned 3 in May. He's a handful, but aren't all toddlers? We are trying to conceive #2, and well, it's been awhile that we have been working on that. I had a 2nd trimester loss back in April, but we are still moving forward.In my spare time, I struggle with being everything to everybody. Actually, to be truthful, it's me being hard on myself.... I thank years of women before me for that little prize.So here I am, and instead of laying everying out there at once, hang on. Instead of paying for therapy, the Blog will be all the therapy I will ever need.... Fellow Moms and Superwomen are welcomed to comment, especially if you have any good ideas!