Day 5 of 30 day BC - My favorite memory

Day 5 - Post a picture of your favorite memory.


Again with the favorites... how can you pick just one? So I decided to quickly scan my pictures and see what stuck out. And of course it was my great-nephew Jojo, wrapped in bubble wrap rolling down the hill. LOL! 

Me, Emmy and Jo - bubble wrapped and ready to roll

So I am guessing you might want to read the back story on this one huh? LOL okay here it is... When my niece and nephew - Shannon and Carlos- had Jonathan, aka Jojo, in April of 2005, it was sooner then expected. He was a tiny preemie and along with that came a lot of different preemie birth issues. Tear duct problems, hernias, and many others. But he and they got thru it all and he's grown into a smart, beautiful, precious little boy. A very clumsy, ready to tackle anything little boy! Seriously - he falls all the time and it always cracks us up - typical boy.

 Jojo as a baby!  

Jojo - ready for some Baseball

Then in August of 2009 something happened - and for whatever reason, while he was outside playing he passed out and his heart stopped. They live close to the firehouse and 911 was called and many police, EMT's and fire guys came - they brought him back (Thank you God) and my niece probably aged 10 years that day. I will never forget talking to her about it on the phone while I was at work. I remember hanging up the phone and going into the bathroom and bawling my eyes out at what could have happened. Makes me tear up now just thinking about it.

Not sure from there how it really came to be but i do know my running joke was that i would wrap him in bubble wrap from now on so he wouldn't ever get hurt. It was still fresh in everyones minds by the labor day picnic and tho he was fine - the scariness of what happened ,and the questions as to why, were still hanging in the air around us all. I figured a way to lighten up the mood and make everyone feel like he was okay and still our clumsy little handsome man would be to make good on my constant promise to wrap him in bubble wrap.

wrapped...

ready...

ROLLING!

So I did and he Loved it and he rolled down the hill more times then I could count. Then we wrapped him and my brothers daughter - my niece Emmy, up together and rolled them down the hill too. OMG!!! We all laughed so hard every time... God it was hysterical.

2 kids and some bubble wrap LOL

So yes, I would have to say as memories go, this one is one of my absolute favorites. And fyi - he is now a healthy , happy little man. Thank you God!!!

"Therapy in expensive, bubble wrap is cheap."

Some  Virtual Bubble Wrap for you to pop on your computer... go on - you know you wanna do it!

PS: I can't do this blog post without at least 1 picture of Jojo's phenomenal little sister, my great-niece Jiselle...

Dress up time with Jiselle

And of course a shot of the whole Rios clan... 

Christmas 2010-Carlos, Jojo, Shannon and Jiselle (and baby Rios 3 in Shannon's belly YAY!)

Aunt Stacey loves you guys so much! xoxoxoxox

PPS: ya'll know  that now, to be fair, I will be doing a blog about my niece Emmy and her sisters Shay and Patty. Just warning ya!

Day 4 of my 30 day BC - A picture of my favorite night

Day 4 - Post a picture of your favorite night


Wow this is a tough one. Who can just pick out 1 night and say  "This one is my best night ever!" I mean come on, I'm 47 years old... there's been a LOT of favorite nights! For which I will consider myself blessed. 


I don't have the pictures on hand for it but(and this guy is the only one who is safe from having his pic on my blog...for various reasons) the weekend I went to NYC in 2003 with the guy i was in love with  ranks up there. The actual night I am thinking of, we went to dinner at Joe Namath's Steakhouse, then to see Les Miserables on Broadway, -  drinks afterwards at an awesome place HIGH above NYC called The View and the bar/restaurant rotated so you were looking at a wall of windows and the city at night. Very romantic, very big city (for me... my first adult trip there) and just an all around amazing night!

The View Lounge in the Marquis Marriott - New York City

Another fantastic night was the June 20th, 2009. The night i held a beef and beer to benefit the Police Survivor's fund for the Philadelphia FOP.  Man what a great night - friends and family filled the place, 6ABC news and Fox 29 were there, give away gifts galore and food and drink. And all for a fantastic cause. The money raised went to the surviving families of police officers killed in the line of duty.

Philly Survivor Fund Beef and Beer gift tables

That was also the night I got re-acquainted with my old high school love , who came to the party. Christ, it had been over 30 years since we had seen each other , and yet when he walked in the door, I knew I was in trouble. LOL And I was soooo right.

Then there was my birthday party in 2009. Above mentioned high school man, still in my life. Again family and friends and a dining room at the Blarney full of fun. It was my first birthday, since the divorce, where I was actually dating someone and was in a happy and somewhat normal relationship...emphasis on SOMEWHAT lol...

Blarney Birthday - October 2009

It was so much fun catching up with everyone and having them meet John. It was even more fun drinking and dancing the night away... and of course my card from the man, which was all i asked for, ended up being this-

Friggin CLOWNS! Did I tell you I hate clowns?

Yes...clowns. The only person in the world who could have gotten away with this and by the way... that is my own mom in the front there w/ the red and blue on. And look at Nicole... hesitant to do it cause she knew I would freak. LOL . You can imagine my reaction...well after I came out of the bathroom, I decided it was pretty damn funny! And I let him live LOL

me deciding to appreciate the clown gesture

So there you have it. 3 of my favorite nights. And I didn't even mention Alex and Jimmy bilotta's wedding,

Me and Alex, the beautiful bride

 or the night I broke my toe and knocked myself out on a date at a strip club LOL. Oh the discoveries made that night... Or Michael Decillis's Casino themed going away party I threw when he moved to Vegas,

Michaels going away party - i think in 2000 

 and so many more...I guess it really is a wonderful life!!

The Infamous Oscar Beach Weekends...

17 days and counting until I go away for another Oscar's Beach Weekend. Here's just a taste of what the weekend is about.


 It's been a tradition of mine (ours, including my friends) for many years, maybe 13 or 14??. Probably since my parents bought their first beach house in Rehoboth. I'm not sure how it started but it's been something I look forward to every year. 

It has evolved and changed over the years, with a different cast of characters and usually a virgin or two. But the basics have always remained the same. In the middle of winter, a group of my friends and I go to the beach for a 4 day weekend over the Oscars weekend. We drink, we eat, we relax, we catch up, we laugh ...oh my do we laugh! We watch the Oscars and the red carpet arrivals and we rejuvenate our minds and souls enough to get thru the rest of the winter with a smile.

It used to be a chinese feast during the show and lots of drinks. Now we pick a signature drink for the day. Last year it was cotton candy martini's

They were awesome by the way. The year before that we made Skittles vodka - Taste the rainbow bitches...

The "rainbow" was not enjoyable...LOL Well Vernie loved it but the rest of us... meh - not so much.

 We also make a feast, we've done dinners and appetizers  and lately , we just stick to the apps. Everyone makes their specialty or favorite - tex mex dip, cheesy hot crab dip, buffalo chicken dip,mozzerella melts.veggies and fruit - you name it we have it. All delicious and decadent and so much fun to make and eat. All of  us cooking in the kitchen, pre-gaming for the show.

I usually drive down Friday morning with my Boo, Bob, With Cher on the cd player as we hit the outskirts of Lewes, DE. 

me and my Boo - (don't be mad I posted your picture bob xoxo)

and sometimes a 3rd person... my cousin Barb sometimes joins us or meets us down there, this year my girl Tami is along for the ride. But Aimee's also been down there too. Both first timers aka Virgins! Vern and Jeff come down late night friday or

early satuday morning. 

Jeff and Aimee - Oscars weekend, 2009 i believe.

We hit the liquor store first. Now if you live in PA you know what it's like to have to go all over for beer and liquor. But in Delaware it's all under one fabulous roof.

I swear the angels sing when we walk in the doors...

Whoever is there heads to Crabby dicks for happy hour friday evening - 3-7. 1/2 price apps and drinks fill the table

Jeff and Vern - Crabby Dicks

 and we finsh the evening in front of the fire then hit up the gift shop.

Bliss at the beach - Crabby Dicks fire

Fun in the gift shop

Then it's back to the house for a night of catching up and drinking. Saturday we all do our own thing. Some shop at the outlets, some head to the beach for boardwalk fries and grotto's pizza. Some sit on thier asses and read books and drink mimosa's (ummm me and bob LOL) This year I am surprising everyone with a pimp cup project. Let's see how many of my Oscar's friends read my blog...(prolly none LOL) If they do they will know that this year I am buying us each a dollar store wine glass and champagne glass, some glass paint and glue on jewels, so that we can each make our own fancy pimp cup drinking glasses to use for the show and then take home as a momento.

Saturday night we take it easy and then Sunday - the big day - we head to the dollar store to buy presents for everyone. We used to play oscar bingo but now just pull winner names from a hat and if your chosen one wins an oscar, then you get a present from everyone.

Barb with some of her prizes - 2010 Oscars weekend

Then we get in our comfiest clothes (aka jammie and sweats) and settle in for the show. Monday we recover and come home. Full of memories and good food and love for each other. 

Then we all detox for a week to get over the food and alcohol we consumed LOL

So that's our Oscar's beach weekend in a nutshell. SO MUCH FUN!!! 

17 days and counting...

Day 3 of 30 day BC - My favorite TV Show

Day 3 - Post a picture of the cast from your favorite show.

NCIS

Yes, it may not be a surprise to some but my favorite show is most definitely NCIS. I came into it in the 3rd season but have probably managed to see each one on USA reruns. Love me some Gibbs, Dinozzo's sexy as hell. Ziva kicks ass - and Abby... well she is sweet wonderful goth abby! 

It's a show that makes me think, makes me laugh and most of all entertains the hell out of me.

DAY 2 of the 30 DBC - Me & the person I have been close w/ the longest

DAY 2 - Post a picture of yourself and the person you have been closest to the longest.

This is a picture of me and my cousin Barb! We've been close since she was old enough to walk and while we may not see each other all the time we always hold each other in our hearts.She may not be my true blood relation... but she is more friend & cousin then blood. Love you Barb! Can't wait to see you at the Oscar's weekend in a few weeks! xoxoxo

My second longest friend is Vernie. (he's in the plaid, his hubby Jeff is in the white sweatshirt.) This was taken in October of 2001 and Vern and I have been friends since the days of  QVC way back to 1993. 18 years. We still see each other at least once a month and we go to the beach together at least once or twice a year. Of course Vernie, my irish firecracker, looks the same as he did back in '93... Beeatch! LOL Love you  Vernie!! (and love you too Jeff). Can't wait until the oscars weekend and if it ever stops friggin snowing come over and drink wine with me before we go away!