Dog Shampoo for Cashew's Puppy Party

Our neighbors down at the beach are having a puppy party to celebrate Cashew's third birthday this weekend, and we're invited... and so are all the neighboring hounds of Bay Head. I know that our handsome host, Cashew, will be treated to a dog shampoo on the day of the big event. However, given London's dog allergies, I hope that all of the guests don't all show up itching, scratching and stinking beyond belief... and that's just the owners!

Kidding, kidding... but it is a reminder that many of our friends will wash their dogs one day, only to have the stink return the next. Or worse, I've seen dogs on parade at the beach whose owners have clearly waited weeks between bathing their pets because their skin gets so dry and flaky. If you're attending Cashew's Puppy Party this weekend and need help getting fresh before you bark at the door, why not try the all natural dog shampoo Dogosuds ® made by Dinovite ?

Some benefits Dogosuds ® users and their moms and dads and neighbors enjoy:

• Makes your dog smell clean and wonderful for a long time;
• Lathers beautifully and rinses easily;
• Contains 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oils that have natural, healing properties;
• This gentle, soothing shampoo works well for sensitive skin, but humans don't try this on your own golden locks!
• Is a natural deterrent to fleas;
• Contains no chemicals, no fillers, and no perfumes, so there's nothing to irritate or dry Cashew's skin!

Isn't it time for that new dog smell? See you at Cashew's Puppy Party!

Music Monday: Lipstick On Your Collar by Connie Francis

Usually you'll find Roxy stuck in the 80s, but this week London and Maddie have selected "Lipstick On Your Collar," a hit going back to 1959 from Connie Francis. It's been running through our heads because last week the girls started up at Annie's Playhouse Summer Stars again this summer, where last year the big show included 50s faves like Jailhouse Rock, Heartbreak Hotel, On Broadway, Love Potion Number Nine, and Lipstick On Your Collar. I made them a CD with many of the songs from the show, and we've been driving to camp with the top down on Roxy's red convertible, belting out the lyrics:

When you left me all alone
At the record hop
Told me you were going out
For a soda pop
You were gone for quite awhile
Half an hour or more
You came back
And man, oh man
This is what I saw

Lipstick on your collar
Told a tale on you
Lipstick on your collar
Said you were untrue
Bet your bottom dollar
You and I are through
'Cause lipstick on your collar
Told a tale on you, yeah

[Instrumental Interlude]

You said it belonged to me
Made me stop and think
And then I noticed yours was red
Mine was baby pink
Who walked in but Mary Jane
Lipstick all a mess
Were you smoochin' my best friend
Guess the answer's yes

Lipstick on your collar
Told a tale on you
Lipstick on your collar
Said you were untrue
Bet your bottom dollar
You and I are through
'Cause lipstick on your collar
Told a tale on you, boy
Told a tale on you, man
Told a tale on you, yeah

Ribbit. BluFrog Contest Ends Soon.

Before we spent a perfect nine days of vacation leading up to and through the Fourth of July at our beach house in Bay Head, NJ, London and Maddie spent a few weeks trying out a frog as a pet. I found the friendly teeny tiny little guy ribbiting out at me in the rain one day, scooped him up, and brought him in to live in the aquarium/terrarium with the girls' hermit crabs. The girls had a lot of fun catching bugs to feed Froggy in his habitat, but I think what he was trying to tell us before we set him free in the backyard was that he'd really prefer a shot of BluFrog Energy Drink.

Just like Roxy, Froggy seemed a little low on energy, and we both could benefit from the boost of BluFrog, a bold new energy drink just loaded with naturally good, better-for-your-bod ingredients -- organic fruits blended with radical superfood nutrients, hard core vitamins and herbs in a proprietary Limu blend that makes the BluFrog unique. Give me and Froggy the pure outrageous energy of Blu Frog...I'm sure we'll see him hopping around our backyard with a new level of performance, endurance and concentration. I'm ready to turbo-charge my inner frog and jump start my activities with Froggy's fierce fusion of health and enery.

Right now, there's a BluFrog contest going on, featuring great themed prizes like:

• BluGamer, the ultimate gaming package that includes an Xbox 360 Elite Gaming System with a Rock Band 2 bundle;
• Happy BluYear New York: the chance to come and ring in the New Year 2010 in New York City with Roxy;
• Blullapalooza: a trip to Lollapalooza in Chicago;
• BluStreak: a Richard Petty racing experience in Orlando;
• XtremeBLU: a trip to the Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado.

Better hurry over and check out the contest, which ends soon.

Ah, the Sweet Routines of Summer... London and Maddie Start Summer Stars Camp at Annie's Playhouse

I'm working from home today, since I need to be here to take London and Maddie for their annual doctor visit with Dr. Eric Yorke of Somerset Pediatric in Bedminster, so I had my first opportunity to drive the girls to camp... it's a top down day, and we had our CD of last year's musical favorites from Annie's Playhouse Summer Stars blasting as we drove to the Bernardsville Presbyterian Church in Roxy's red convertible this morning. On Broadway, Love Potion Number Nine, Lipstick On Your Collar, Heartbreak Hotel... I had the good fortune of seeing Annie this morning, and learning that London has wasted no time in putting the moves on Annie's brother, who is one of the reasons my girls jump out of bed in the morning excited to get to Summer Stars camp.

Continue Reading...

Music Monday: Dancing in the Street by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas

Back to work on Music Monday, after a 9-day vacation at our beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey. For those of us, including my family, who missed Martha Reeves and the Vandellas performing live at this year's 4th of July Parade in Brookside, I thought I'd share the following fun video. I'm here at the office, dancing in my seat!



Callin' out around the world
Are you ready for a brand new beat?
Summer's here and the time is right
For dancin' in the streets
They're dancin' in Chicago
Down in New Orleans
Up in New York City

All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin', swayin' and records playin'
And dancin' in the streets

Oh, it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
So come on, every guy grab a girl
Everywhere around the world
There'll be dancin'
They're dancin' in the street

This is an invitation
Across the nation
A chance for the folks to meet
There'll be laughin' and singin' and music swingin'
And dancin' in the streets

Philadelphia, P.A. (Philadelphia, P.A.)
Baltimore and DC now (Baltimore and DC now)
Yeah don't forget the Motor City (can't forget the Motor City)

All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin', swayin' and records playin'
And dancin' in the street, yeah

Oh, it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
So come on, every guy grasp a girl
Everywhere around the world
There'll be dancin'
They're dancin' in the streets

Philadelphia, P.A. (Philadelphia, P.A.)
Baltimore and DC now (Baltimore and DC now)
Yeah don't forget the Motor City (can't forget the Motor City)
All the way down in L.A. California
Not to mention Halifax Nova Scotia
Manchester
Alexandria, Virginia, Virginia

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 without prejudice.

Dog Shampoo?

Rex, London, Maddie and I have just returned from a glorious nine day vacation at our beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey, where London and Maddie were happy to have the responsibility of walking our neighbors' cockapoo several times a day. The girls are selling painted seashells again this summer, trying to raise money to buy a leopard gecko and and anole and all of the equipment that goes along with lizards... when what the whole family would really, really like is our very own dog. The good news is that London may be outgrowing her dog allergies, or that our neighbors' cockapoo is just "hypoallergenic" enough for her to not have an allergic reaction to Cashew so far this summer. Maybe the secret is that Cashew's "mom and dad" found him a new dog shampoo called Dogosuds® made by Dinovite.

Is your dog itching, scratching and stinking beyond belief? Do you? (Now be honest, if other people cross the street when they see you coming, it just might be your doggy stink) Have you ever washed your dog one day, just to have the stink return the next? Do you wait weeks between bathing your dog because his skin gets so dry and flaky? Does your husband hate bathing your dog because he rinses and rinses and rinses...and still can't get him completely rinsed?

If you and your doggy need help, why not try the all natural dog shampoo Dogosuds® made by Dinovite, Inc. Just like Cashew across the street, your dog may start to smell wonderful and clean for a long time, attracting lots of admiring young girls who volunteer to walk him around the block and over the bridge and around the park several times a day. You and your canine friend will find that Dogosuds® lathers beautifully and rinses out easily. Made with 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oils that have natural, healing properties, the gentle soothing shampoo is a natural flea deterrent and works so well for sensitive skin that you may be tempted to try it on your own goldilocks...Isn't it time for that new dog smell?

They'll Be Dancing In the Street In Brookside, NJ On the 4th Of July: Brookside Community Club 86th Annual Parade

According to a long standing annual tradition, Rex and the girls and I are spending the week from his birthday through the 4th of July at our beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey, but for those of you who are sticking around the Roxiticus Valley (Mendham, Chester, Bernardsville, Peapack-Gladstone, and Morris County), I thought I'd provide some entertainment in the form of local parades and fireworks.

I'd like to start with one of the biggest and closest 4th of July celebrations, put on by the Brookside Community Club in Brookside, NJ (part of Mendham Township, near the Mendham Township Elementary School). This year (2009) marks the 86th anniversary since the Community Club held Brookside's first Fourth of July Parade in 1923. The theme for the parade is "Dancing In the Street" with lots of singing, dancing, and music for all to enjoy, including Motown legends Martha Reeves and the Vandellas making their first U.S. appearance on their summer tour.

The Brookside Community Parade and Grand March begins at 9:00am on Saturday, July 4, 2009, and after the parade, Martha Reeves and the Vendellas will set up shop in the firehouse and continue to belt out such Top 10 Motown classics as "Heat Wave," "Jimmy Mack," "Quick Sand" and "Nowhere to Run." The performance is free. As usual, children of all ages will enjoy field games, clowns, moon walk, dunking booth, fire truck rides, food, drink, and an afternoon swim at the Brookside Beach.

The famous Pooch Parade returns this year with dogs of all kinds, shapes and sizes. To enter your dog, please call Diane Tolley at 973-543-7302 or e-mail heratdto07926@aim.com

For all the details, visit the Brookside Community Club web site or call 973-543-7250.

I hope all the Roxiticus Desperate Housewives who are in town for the 4th of July will check out the parade and events and let us know all about it.

Fourth of July 2009 Fireworks and Parades in Morris and Somerset County, NJ

In addition to the "Dancing in the Street" Parade in Mendham Township, NJ featuring Martha Reeves and the Vandellas this year, and the Fourth of July Fireworks event at North Branch Park in Bridgewater, NJ, there are Independence Day celebrations going on all over the Morris County and Somerset County areas. Here are just a few highlights I found online:

Bridgewater Township: Saturday, July 4, 2009. Washington Campground Association's annual one-hour Fourth of July ceremony will take place at 10:00am at the Middlebrook Encampment Site at Mountain Avenue and Middlebrook Road. It will include a retiring of the colors by an honor guard, followed by the reading of the Declaration of Independence by Sallie de Barcza, a direct descendant of John Hancock. 5:00pm North Branch Park on Milltown Road. Family festival with live musical entertainment. Activities include a moonwalk, giant slide and cartoon characters for children, Revolutionary War-period groups and other attractions. Live music will be performed by Bounce Ooolala and Daniel, Shorty Long and the Jersey Horns and Fortune. Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. For all the details, check online (somersetcountyparks.org) or call (908) 722-1200, ext. 225.

Chatham: Chatham Borough's annual Fourth of July parade begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday on Hillside Avenue and continues down Main Street to Chatham Middle School, 480 Main Street. A picnic on the school grounds begins after the parade, with hot dogs and other refreshments. Fireworks are scheduled at dusk. For more information, please call (973) 635-9090.

Chester: The West Morris Community Band presents an Independence Day weekend concert at Chubb Park (off Routes 24 and 206) on Friday, July 3rd at 7:00 p.m. For details please call (908) 879-5100. On Saturday, July 4th, an Independence Day celebration will take place from 1:00pm to 3:00pm at Cooper Mill on Route 513. Visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch and blanket or folding chair. Admission is $3, $2 for seniors and $1 for ages 4-16. Call (908) 879-5463.

Denville: A Fourth of July band concert will kick off activities at Gardner Field, just off Route 46 West at Savage Road from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, followed by fireworks. Call (908) 964-0026.

Dover: Holiday activities begin with food, refreshments and musical entertainment by Tropical Storm at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 3rd on Hamilton Field, 302 E. McFarlan Street at Route 46. Fireworks start at 9:45 p.m. For more information, please call (973) 366-2200.

East Hanover: Festivities begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 4th, in Lurker Park on Eagle Rock Avenue including children's rides, pony rides, food, refreshments, DJ music and games. At 8:00pm, Jimmy Sturr and his Orchestra will perform, followed by fireworks at dusk. Call (973) 428-3091 for details.

Flemington: The Flemington-Raritan Recreation Committee will sponsor fireworks at the Reading-Fleming Intermediate School on Allen Street at dusk Friday. Call (908) 284-7501.

Florham Park: Independence Day events begin with a flag-raising ceremony at Firehouse No. 1 on Brooklake Road at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 4th. A parade steps off at 9:30 a.m., rain or shine, at Ridgedale Avenue and Brooklake Road. A family picnic will be held on the borough hall lawn at Ridgedale Avenue and Elm Street from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., with children's rides, games, pony rides, a petting zoo and the Saint Barnabas "Fire Safety House." Fireworks are scheduled for about 9 p.m. Look online (www.fpjuly4th.com/schedule.html) for more details.

Franklin Township (Somerset County): Food vendors, inflatable children's amusements, crafts, games and a clothesline arts exhibition will take place at the municipal complex, 475 DeMott Lane in Somerset, from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, followed by fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Parking will be available at the Sampson G. Smith School. Call (732) 873-2500.

Glen Gardner: There will be firetruck rides for children Saturday in celebration of Independence Day. The first truck will depart Glen Gardner Borough Park at School Street and Hampton Road at 10 a.m. and rides continue until noon. Call (908) 537-2370.

High Bridge: In addition to hosting its sixth annual traditional Fourth of July celebration Saturday at the Solitude House Museum, 7 River Road, High Bridge will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Lake Solitude Falls. There will be free food, including hot dogs, soda, ice cream, popcorn and snow-cones, and entertainment by Billy D. Hunter. The High Bridge Mini-Historians will read their compositions from this year's competition. Call (908) 638-3200.

Lebanon: The 62nd annual Lebanon Borough Fourth of July parade will kick off 10 a.m. Saturday with a theme of "Many Faces, One Nation." It will run from Main Street to Myrtle Avenue, then down Brunswick Avenue, Beforehand, there will be a baby parade at 9:30 a.m. on Sutton Place, and a "Borough Students of the Month" presentation at 9:50 a.m. in Holjes-Sheppard Park, 6 Maple St. behind Lebanon Borough Elementary School. Call (908) 236-8464.

Lincoln Park: Paired with the grand opening of the Jerry and Dolores Turco Medical Rehab Center, the Lincoln Park Care Center at 499 Pine Brook Road will host a variety of activities 6 p.m. Saturday, including carnival games, pie-eating contests, a moonwalk, an "Elmo & Friends Revue," an obstacle course, face-painting, watermelon-eating and hula hoop contests, rock climbing, balloon-making and a DJ. Foods will be available, and fireworks are scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. Call (973) 696-3300.

Mendham Township: Saturday, July 4, 2009, 9:00am. "Dancing in the Street" parade down Main Street in Brookside.

Morristown: A Fourth of July celebration is scheduled to begin noon on Saturday, July 4th, at Washington's Headquarters Museum in Morristown National Historical Park, 30 Washington Place. Stories, riddles, jokes and an inspection of the troops will precede a reading of the Declaration of Independence at 1p.m. Costumed park rangers will denounce tyranny and praise liberty, and the festivities will conclude with celebratory musket volleys. Call (908) 879-5463. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, 73 Kahdena Road, will host a patriotic celebration from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 5th, with old-time games. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own lunch. Admission is $6; $5 for seniors; $4 for ages 4-16; $2 for ages 2-3. Call (973) 326-7645.

Mount Arlington: A fireworks display over Lake Hopatcong will begin at dusk Thursday, sponsored by the Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club, 75 Bertrand Road. Call (973) 398-4324.

North Plainfield: The 4th of July Parade begins at 10:00am on Saturday at Wilson Avenue and Greenbrook Road and ends at the North Plainfield Community Center on Clinton Avenue. The honorary grand marshal is the North Plainfield Volunteer Rescue Squad, celebrating 60 years of service. Call (908) 769-2902 for detais. On Sunday, July 5th, there will be a concert by Mylan starting at 7:30 p.m. at West End School, with fireworks to follow at dusk. Call (908) 769-2900 for more informations.

Parsippany: The annual Parsippany fireworks display will take place at dusk Saturday at Parsippany Hills High School, 309 Baldwin Road. Call (973) 263-7001.

Randolph: Randolph's annual Independence Day parade will be held at noon on Friday, July 3rd, beginning at Dover Chester Road and Randolph Avenue and marching to the County College of Morris. It will be followed by a Freedom Festival Fair from 2 to 11 p.m. at the college. The fair will continue on Saturday, from 2 to 11 p.m., with fireworks set to begin at 9:45 p.m. Call (973) 442-7608. Nash Dancenter at 10-12 Emery Ave. will host a Fourth of July party with a picnic-themed ballroom and Latin dance social 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday. Participants are invited to dress in casual red, white and blue clothing. Admission is $20. Call (973) 328-7979.

Somerville: Somerville, where Roxy went to high school way back when, marks the 100th anniversary of its historic courthouse from noon to 4 p.m. on Friday, July 3rd with music, children's games and entertainment, all part of an event called Picnic on the Green. The courthouse is at 20 N. Bridge St. Call (908) 231-7110 for details.

If any of you Roxiticus Desperate Housewives out there attend these events, we hope you'll come back here and share a comment with the rest of us. Have a happy and safe Fourth of July!

Rex's Birthday at the Beach in Bay Head

Sorry for leaving all of you without any notice, but we're down at the beach in Bay Head, NJ, and I haven't turned on my computer since we left the Roxiticus Valley on Saturday morning. Now we're off to celebrate Rex's birthday dinner at Mahogany Grille in Manasquan... we'll report back soon!

Melissa Missed the Sale

Just the other day, Rex, London, Maddie and I opened the mail to find the birth announcement in the mail for my BFF Melissa's beautiful daughter, along with a bunch of photos of the little cutie and her big (three-year-old) brother... born a little early at the end of April, she's just about two months old now.

I know Melissa and her husband made the decision before the birth to store their new baby's cord blood, but by delivering two months ago, she missed the big sale at Cryo-Cell. Right now until Sunday, June 28th, 2009, Cryo-Cell is offering a special $725 discount on their U-Cord service for expectant parents to store their baby's cord blood. Rex and I banked both London and Maddie's umbilical cord blood way back when they were born in 2001 and 2002, when it wasn't as trendy as it is now. It just seemed to make sense as a sort of "insurance policy" for our daughters' healthy future. Cord blood stem cells are a 100% (perfect) match for the infant donor throughout life, as well as a one in four match for a sibling. While we will hope that no one in our family ever needs the banked cord blood, over 12,000 umbilical cord blood stem cell transplants occurred worldwide, treating over 75 different serious diseases.

Cryo-Cell is the industry leader in cord blood banking with over 175,000 clients and more accreditations than any other private cord blood bank. From now until Sunday 6/28/09, just use the promotional code HOT to save $725 on Cryo-Cell's U-Cord service.

Music at Moorland to Benefit Somerset Medical Center Returns to Far Hills, NJ -- This Thursday, June 25, 2009

Music at Moorland, a magical evening of open-air dining, classical music and spectacular fireworks on the lawn of Moorland Farms in Far Hills, New Jersey, is a much-anticipated event for kids and Roxiticus Desperate Housewives and Husbands alike. The 8th annual Music at Moorland to benefit Somerset Medical Center comes to the Roxiticus Valley on Thursday night, June 25th.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra concert begins at approximately 7:30 p.m., and the amazing Grucci fireworks begin at approximately 9:30 p.m.

This wonderful family event offers a wide array of entertainment opportunities for everyone—from corporate tent parties held on the hilltop overlooking spectacular Moorland Farms to casual picnics with friends and families on the lawn.

You can buy tickets online for as little as $25 per person in advance, or spend up to $300/seat for reserved Benefactor seating tickets.

Music at Moorland has been generously presented since its inception in 2002 by sanofi-aventis, whose commitment to the event, the community and Somerset Medical Center—the beneficiary of all of the proceeds of this event—is extraordinary.

This year, the Grammy® Award-winning New Jersey Symphony Orchestra will once again be presenting the evening’s program. The music will start at approximately 7:30pm.

Also back due to tremendous popularity is Fireworks by Grucci, the Long Island-based company that has been presenting extraordinary fireworks displays throughout the world for generations. From the Olympic Games to presidential inaugurations, Grucci provides a ground-shaking performance that is second-to-none.

Rex and I took the kids in when they were really little... back in June 2004, just after we moved out here from New York City. They were a little too young to enjoy either the fireworks ("loud, Mooooommmy!") or the music, but now that the girls are old enough to help us to lug all the lawn chairs and picnic stuff up the hill, we may give Music at Moorland another try...so join us for a wonderful evening under the stars!

The painting you see at the top left was created by New Vernon artist Janet Tribus, who has always found inspiration in the pastoral farmlands of New Jersey. Tribus' oil painting showcases the beauty of Moorland Farms in Far Hills on a summer evening, its rolling hills illuminated by a spectacular fireworks display.

London's Twilight Book Club Music Monday: Say You Will by Carmireli

As the school year was drawing to a close, London and two of her second grade girl friends decided to start a book club to read and discuss the Stephanie Meyer novel, "Twilight." I started to preview the book myself, since I feel strongly that just because London can read books on a high school reading level doesn't mean she should...there's a lot of stuff that goes on in high school that can certainly wait until they get there. As it turned out, the girls decided they couldn't finish the book in class by the end of the year, so London and I have started our own Twilight Book Club at home... and I am hooked. I ended up buying the Complete Twilight Saga Box Set for the two of us to share. Once we finish the first book in the Twilight Saga, we'll have to rent or buy the Twilight DVD.

I started searching YouTube for a video I could share with all of you for Music Monday, and found this one, which uses a song I had never heard -- "Say You Will" by Carmireli. Enjoy!



You saw right through me
When I asked if you believed
I don’t wanna know

You knew when we touched
I held my breath till I had enough
I don’t wanna go

So I stand here with eyes closed
Without you here for me to hold
You close I can’t breathe I
I need you here to let me know

Can you save me from the shadows
Can you take me from this world I know
Can you wait here just to fight for us
Fight for all we have to trust
Don’t stop now don’t back down
I don’t care if you scream aloud
Just lie to me and say you will
Say you will

I fell completely
The moment I looked in your eyes
I won’t let you go no

I lie here with eyes closed
Without you here for me to hold
You close I can’t move I
I need you now to let me know

(Chorus)

And you told me we could have it all someday
That you would wait for me
If only you could know the tears I’ve cried
Then maybe you could see
You said you cared but now I fear
Our love was wasted along the way
But you told me not to be afraid be afraid

So tell me you can hold on
And make me believe

(Chorus)

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 without prejudice.

Garden State Ballet Recital Today

Another school year and year of after-school activities gone by, and Roxiticus Desperate Housewives still can't say enough good things about Garden State Ballet in Randolph, NJ. My girls have danced there with Miss Katie for three years now (starting with "baby blue" pre-ballet classes, followed by "white" beginner classes, and moving on to "Pink I" this year) and plan to continue in the pink II class in Fall 2009. Miss Katie also delivered a beautiful ballet lesson in our home for Maddie's 6th birthday party last year. Now today's the day for the annual recital, and Rex and the girls and I are off to Secaucus to see them shine.

While the Roxiticus Desperate Tomboy Mother has no idea where my girls got the ballet gene, I have developed quite a bit of experience and wisdom about ballet, for pre-schoolers on up to high-schoolers, over the past five years.

London started ballet at age 3.5 when we first moved out here to the Roxiticus Valley from the West Village in NYC. We went to a place called Showcase Studios in Far Hills, NJ. While my daughter enjoyed dressing up in a leotard and tutu and "making cookie dough" and "dancing like fairies," we didn't take it very seriously, it was just for fun. Good thing. Despite the pressure, we didn't sign up for the recital or the accompanying $300 costumes etc. Two weeks before the recital, Showcase Studios was evicted...no more lessons, no recital.

The next year, we "started over" at Art of Dance in Chester, NJ. This time both girls signed up for ballet class. I think all of my friends have tried Art of Dance for some period of time, but no one stays on....my girls just didn't have much fun there, and in pre-school, that's what ballet classes should be all about. Again, we thankfully skipped the recital....waaaay too much make-up and kinda trashy costumes.

In September 2006, both girls and one of their best gal pals signed up for the baby blue pre-ballet class (4 and 5 year-olds, I believe) at Garden State Ballet. When I learned that the recital was on Father's Day, I was all set to skip another year's recital...but I'm glad I didn't. At the recital, each class performed a basic routine and we snapped pictures of our little darlings. After a brief intermission, the stronger dancers returned to demonstrate almost professional skill in modern dance. While my daughters may or may not continue to dance as they get older, if they do, Garden State Ballet is the right place for a serious dancer.

Froggy

I found a teeny tiny frog outside in the rain the other day and brought it inside to live with London and Maddie's hermit crabs. While our Froggy is greenish brownish with spots -- our nanny thinks it is called a "pickerel," quite a few frogs have come into our lives lately, including the Big Old Frog making loud noises out by our swimming pool and the cute BluFrog in the picture on your left. Unlike our new pet, BluFrog is a bold new energy drink loaded with naturally good, better-for-your-bod ingredients -- organic fruits, hard core vitamins and herbs, and radical superfood nutrients in a proprietary Limu blend that makes the Blu Frog unique.

I've been lamenting my lack of energy lately, so maybe what I need is a dose of the pure outrageous energy of Blu Frog...cranking up the volume to give Roxy a leg up on performance, endurance and concentration. What I need is Froggy's fierce fusion of health and energy to turbo-charge my inner frog and jump start my activities -- from catchin’ a wave at our beach house in Bay Head, NJ, keeping up with London and Maddie and their friends, or just chillaxin’ in our backyard with friends all night long.

Click on the link or the Froggy in the picture to check out the amazing prizes you can win by Tweeting or Ribitting about it...

Awesome News! MRC Cleaners Found My Pants!

Even before he could distribute the $100 Reward flyer for my missing pants to MRC Cleaners' customers, our regular dry cleaning delivery guy, Jorge, came running back to the door. "Are these your pants?" he said, handing me my favorite pair of Yves Saint Laurent pants that match the jacket in the photo, as well as the navy blue ones and a pink striped shirt. "Hooray!" Rex and I shouted, knowing that now I'll have clothes to wear to all of our very important meetings coming up at work.

Woof!

My loyal Roxiticus Desperate Housewives readers know our pet situation... Maddie wants a dog more than anything in the world (check out Maddie's blog -- I Love Dogs and So Do You dot blogspot dot com), but her sister, London, is allergic. So for the time being, we've settled for hermit crabs and a teeny tiny frog I found near our house yesterday. Last Christmas, our friends Susan and Mike got an adorable labrador retriever puppy (see Tana at about 10 weeks old in the photo on the right) but over the past six months, Tana has grown up into a giant shedder... itching and scratching and leaving a trail of dog fur behind everywhere she goes. Until I learned about Dinovite, I thought all dogs naturally shed all the time, but according to their solutions center , healthy dogs, no matter what their breed, shouldn't shed year round. The reason so many dogs are problem shedders is that commercial dog food, cooked at extremely high temperatures, loses many of the important nutrients a dog needs to be healthy, so a lot of pets are missing out on necessary vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, beneficial bacteria and essential fatty acids. Dinovite's nutritional supplements can put an end to nutritional deficiencies and minimize the shedding.

Dinovite is guaranteed to work, and if we could avoid the shedding, maybe London wouldn't have such an allergic reaction to dogs... I think we'd go for a hypo allergenic Cockapoo or Portuguese Water Dog like the First Dog frolicking in the White House with the Obamas, but look out, Froggy, you may be getting a furry companion!

Have You Seen My Pants? $100 Reward

In mid-May, I sent in two pairs of pants to MRC Cleaners in Cedar Knolls, NJ (via their convenient home pickup and delivery service) to be dry cleaned. My favorite pair of pants matches the jacket in the photo: black pin-striped ladies’ Yves Saint Laurent, originally European size 42, but tailored to a smaller fit. The other missing pants are plain navy, women’s size 10, either Donna Karan/DKNY or Dana Buchman.

Please check your closets and recent dry cleaning orders. If my pants turned up in your dry cleaning order by mistake, please contact MRC Cleaners at (973) 267-4430.

Thank you!

I'm sending in a few hundred of these fliers to MRC Cleaners tomorrow, along with my most recent laundry and dry cleaning order, with the hope that management will distribute them to all of their customers.... we'll hope to have a happy ending to post soon.

Summer's Here and the Time Is Right... for Branson in the Street?

We're going Branson, Branson in the street...

I just can't stop singing, and I'm trying to get that oompa loompa song out of my head! Last night, Maddie and I accompanied London to her audition for Hexagon Players' Fall 2009 production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. During the grueling four hour auditions, each of what felt like hundreds of girls and boys sang their favorite song and told us what they had planned for the summer. We were so proud of London, who belted out "The Climb" and told everyone she's going to Annie's Playhouse Summer Stars camp and spending time at our beach house in Bay Head, NJ. Most of the kids were planning some form of acting or Broadway camp, but one youngster sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and told the crowd he was headed to Branson, Missouri. He and his family are staying at either the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing or the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel, both in the midst of all the action in the electrifying entertainment capital of the Midwest.

His mom and his sisters are going to hit the shops and boutiques, while the little boy and his dad check out hole after hole of breathtaking scenery at the new Payne Stewart Golf Club nearby. Depending on when they arrive and when they head back home, they may have the opportunity to take part in many different Branson summer events... like the Father’s Day Salute, the 10th Annual Clown Jam, or the National Kid’s Fest at Silver Dollar City. Maybe by the time they return to the Roxiticus Valley, the whole family will have forgotten that crazy oompa loompa dance.

What's are you and your family up to for the summer?

Music Monday: Veruca Salt (and London) Performing "I Want It Now"

Who else out there remembers those Oompa Loompas from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and their awesome songs about bratty children and their nasty parents? I have loved them since I was a child. 30 years later, London is preparing to audition for the Hexagon Players Fall 2009 performance of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, causing me to find the following inspirational video:



Veruca Salt:
Gooses! Geeses!
I want my geese to lay gold eggs for Easter

Mr. Salt:
It will, sweetheart

Veruca:
At least a hundred a day

Mr.Salt:
Anything you say

Veruca:
And by the way

Mr. Salt:
What?

Veruca:
I want a feast.

Mr. Salt:
You ate before you came to the factory

Veruca:
I want a bean feast!

Mr. Salt:
Oh, one of those

Veruca:
Cream buns and doughnuts and fruitcake with no nuts
So good you could go nuts

Mr. Salt:
You can have all those things when you get home

Veruca:
No, now!!

I want a ball
I want a party
Pink macaroons and a million balloons
And performing baboons and ...
Give it to me
Rrhh rhhh
Now!

I want the world
I want the whole world
I want to lock it all up in my pocket
It's my bar of chocolate
Give it to me
Now!

I want today
I want tomorrow
I want to wear 'em like braids in my hair
And I don't want to share 'em

I want a party with room fulls of laughter
Ten thousand tons of ice cream
And if I don't get the things I am after
I'm going to scream!

I want the works
I want the whole works
Presents and prizes and sweets and surprises
Of all shapes and sizes
And now
Don't care how
I want it now
Don't care how
I want it now

As an added bonus, here come the Oompa Loompas to set the Stage Mothers and other Bad Parents straight with these words of wisdom:
Oompa Loompa doompadee doo
I've got another puzzle for you
Oompa Loompa doompadah dee
If you are wise you will listen to me

Who do you blame when your kid is a brat
Pampered and spoiled like a Siamese cat?
Blaming the kids is a lion of shame
You know exactly who's to blame:
The mother and the father!

Oompa Loompa doompadee dah
If you're not spoiled then you will go far
You will live in happiness too
Like the Oompa Loompa doompadee do

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 without prejudice.

Stage Mother Roxy Prepares London for Hexagon Players Auditions for Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Now my loyal Roxiticus Desperate Housewives readers know that Roxy is far from a stage mother, and on that note I'm going to let you in on a little secret... Hexagon Players are holding open auditions for their Fall 2009 production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory tomorrow (Sunday, June 14, 2009) at 2pm and Monday, June 15th at 7pm.

Auditions will be held at:
Grace Lutheran Church (Fellowship Hall), 65 E. Main Street, Mendham, NJ
Children (6 years and older) and adults of all ages
are invited to audition. Auditions are walk-in -- please bring your own sheet music. For further information please visit www.hexagonplayers.org or contact (973) 543-8770.

Who Wouldn't Like a $10,000 Scholarship?

As London and Maddie get ready to finish up the second and first grade, respectively, I'm not sure I need to be focused on paying for college just yet, but you have to admit, it is never too early to start planning for your kids' future. I found an opportunity to win a $10,000 Scholarship for my girls. While it's been a long time since I've needed to think about baby formula, Kroger owned food stores are sponsoring an online contest to help fund your child's education and help store brand baby formula, Conforts for Baby, name their lovable little Firefly mascot. London and Maddie are planning to suggest the name "Sparky Little."

Going back about eight years, it was about this time of year when Rex and I were just getting used to 5 month old London and I discovered I was pregnant again... with her sister, Maddie. A crazy story about going to our favorite Fifth Avenue deli for lunch, buying my usual potato leek soup, getting back to the office and opening it to eat my lunch, taking one look and sniff at the soup and closing it up, declaring that I was pregnant. Hours and then a day later, both the home pregnancy test and my ob gyn confirmed that the "soup test" was dead on accurate. As the baby books and pediatricians advise new mothers, I had hoped to breast feed London for the first year, but as all but the most militant La Leche League mother will tell you, nursing while you're pregnant is close to impossible.

So Rex and I stocked up on baby formula and London chowed down. I didn't have Comforts Baby Formula at the time, but it contains all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients required for a healthy baby's first year and is also fortified with iron. Comforts Baby Formula contains the lipids DHA and ARA, which are associated with infant mental and visual development, and it is also fortified with choline, a nutrient associated with infant development that is found naturally in mother’s milk. Comforts Baby Formula contains lactose, a carbohydrate that occurs naturally in breast milk, and provides other nutrients found naturally in mother's milk that help to develop a baby's immune system. It is manufactured to exacting FDA standards in the only ISO 9001:2000–certified, infant formula-manufacturing facility in the United States.

Enter the contest online by visiting Comforts for Baby, filling in all of the information requested on the online entry form, including the original name you created for the Comforts firefly, in 25 characters or less. The winning entry and the name of the winner will be announced online after September 21, 2009.

Today is Maddie's Big Day

Today's the day! Mrs. Brown's first grade class at Mendham Township Elementary School is celebrating "Incredible Kid Day." To prepare for "Incredible Kid Day," all of the parents were asked to take some time to reflect and think about why we feel our child is unique and truly incredible. This afternoon, Rex and I will share our thoughts with Maddie by reading the letters we've written to her telling why we think she is "incredible." I'd better pack a box of tissues because every time I read my letter I get all mushy and teary-eyed thinking about how fortunate I am to have such a healthy, happy, incredible kid. We will read our letters to Maddie in class at the "Incredible Kid Day" party this afternoon, but I've decided to post mine here as well:

Maddie,
On the day you burst out into the world, I was filled with so much joy and love that I thought you couldn’t be much more incredible…but as you’ve grown up to be an almost second grader, I’ve discovered that you grow more incredible with each passing day, week, and year. Maddie, you are INCREDIBLE!
I think you’re incredible, and love you because you’re the one and only you… the unforgettable Maddie!
Naughty but nice, with that sweet mischievous grin that tells me you’ll never be in trouble for long. Remember when you forged that note from mommy excusing you from math lab with Mrs. Fuller? I can’t wait to see how this fun-loving approach will play out when you get to middle school and high school.
Creative. I love the unique projects you come up with, pulling together your favorite photos and writing stories about them. I can’t wait to teach you how to do more on the computer, since you’re already building upon the basics that Mr. Gallo teaches in technology class. At school, you work so hard at reading, writing and spelling and you’re turning out to be a real math whiz. I’ve been so proud of you as you master double-digit addition and subtraction, learning to tell time, and counting money… at school and in “real life.”
Rock Star, dancer and choreographer, singing Hannah Montana and High School musical faves with your all girl basement band, the Butter Bites. You’re the only first grader I know who is writing her own songs and choreographing dance moves for performances for family and friends, and one day the Disney Channel and the world!
Entrepreneur at the beach…the way you and London have been painting and selling seashells down by the seashore for 25 cents each since Memorial Day 2007 is impressive. You and your sister have earned over $300 towards Kit’s American Girl tree house, way too many Webkinz and your college savings plan….not to mention the friends and “fan club” who stop by our beach house every weekend to paint with you and admire your beautiful painted shells.
Daddy’s girl and sous chef. You’ve been cooking with your dad since you were a preschooler at Westmont Montessori… Santa really knew what he was doing when he brought you a set of your very own kitchen tools and ingredients for Christmas.
Incredibly poised, a graceful ballerina, and an agile gymnast
Big smiles that you give me every day… when I wake you up in the morning and tuck you in at night, and everywhere in between.
Loving sister and loyal friend to all your friends, old and new. You and your sister, London, have been best friends ever since she greeted you on your first night home from Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC, and the love that the two of you share is just incredible. You’re also a loyal friend to many new buddies from your kindergarten and first grade classes. You’ve kept up your friendship with Izzy from Westmont Montessori, and when you get together it’s like you were just working on a project together yesterday…chat chat chat!
Even if you couldn’t do any of these things, Maddie, I’d still find you to be an incredible kid. Just by being yourself, you fill my life and our home with happiness and love…and that’s pretty darn incredible.
-- Love, Mom

Maddie and London's Music Monday: Hold Me Closer, Tiny Dancer by Elton John

It's Sunday morning in the Roxiticus Valley, and we're getting ready for Music Monday as we head off to Maddie and London's three-and-a-half hour rehearsal for their upcoming Garden State Ballet spring concert. In honor of sweet little ballerinas performing in ballet recitals everywhere, we've chosen Elton John's "Tiny Dancer."



Here are the lyrics if you'd like to sing along:

Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band
Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man
Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand
And now she's in me, always with me, tiny dancer in my hand

Jesus freaks out in the street
Handing tickets out for God
Turning back she just laughs
The boulevard is not that bad

Piano man he makes his stand
In the auditorium
Looking on she sings the songs
The words she knows the tune she hums

But oh how it feels so real
Lying here with no one near
Only you and you can hear me
When I say softly slowly

Hold me closer tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
you had a busy day today

Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band
Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man
Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand
And now she's in me, always with me, tiny dancer in my hand

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 without prejudice.

Maddie's Incredible Kid Day

As the 2008-2009 school year comes to an end, Mrs. Brown's first grade class at Mendham Township Elementary School is planning a final celebration. On Friday, June 12th, we will celebrate "Incredible Kid Day." To prepare for "Incredible Kid Day," all of the parents were asked to take some time to reflect and think about why we feel our child is unique and truly incredible. For this special day, Rex and I will share our thoughts with Maddie by writing a special letter to her telling why we think she is "incredible." As I started writing in earnest, Maddie wanted to know why I was getting all mushy and teary-eyed. We will read our letters to Maddie in class on "Incredible Kid Day," but I've decided to post mine here as well:

Maddie,
On the day you burst out into the world, I was filled with so much joy and love that I thought you couldn’t be much more incredible…but as you’ve grown up to be an almost second grader, I’ve discovered that you grow more incredible with each passing day, week, and year. Maddie, you are INCREDIBLE!
I think you’re incredible, and love you because you’re the one and only you… the unforgettable Maddie!
Naughty but nice, with that sweet mischievous grin that tells me you’ll never be in trouble for long. Remember when you forged that note from mommy excusing you from math lab with Mrs. Fuller? I can’t wait to see how this fun-loving approach will play out when you get to middle school and high school.
Creative. I love the unique projects you come up with, pulling together your favorite photos and writing stories about them. I can’t wait to teach you how to do more on the computer, since you’re already building upon the basics that Mr. Gallo teaches in technology class. At school, you work so hard at reading, writing and spelling and you’re turning out to be a real math whiz. I’ve been so proud of you as you master double-digit addition and subtraction, learning to tell time, and counting money… at school and in “real life.”
Rock Star, dancer and choreographer, singing Hannah Montana and High School musical faves with your all girl basement band, the Butter Bites. You’re the only first grader I know who is writing her own songs and choreographing dance moves for performances for family and friends, and one day the Disney Channel and the world!
Entrepreneur at the beach…the way you and London have been painting and selling seashells down by the seashore for 25 cents each since Memorial Day 2007 is impressive. You and your sister have earned over $300 towards Kit’s American Girl tree house, way too many Webkinz and your college savings plan….not to mention the friends and “fan club” who stop by our beach house every weekend to paint with you and admire your beautiful painted shells.
Daddy’s girl and sous chef. You’ve been cooking with your dad since you were a preschooler at Westmont Montessori… Santa really knew what he was doing when he brought you a set of your very own kitchen tools and ingredients for Christmas.
Incredibly poised, a graceful ballerina, and an agile gymnast
Big smiles that you give me every day… when I wake you up in the morning and tuck you in at night, and everywhere in between.
Loving sister and loyal friend to all your friends, old and new. You and your sister, London, have been best friends ever since she greeted you on your first night home from Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC, and the love that the two of you share is just incredible. You’re also a loyal friend to many new buddies from your kindergarten and first grade classes. You’ve kept up your friendship with Izzy from Westmont Montessori, and when you get together it’s like you were just working on a project together yesterday…chat chat chat!
Even if you couldn’t do any of these things, Maddie, I’d still find you to be an incredible kid. Just by being yourself, you fill my life and our home with happiness and love…and that’s pretty darn incredible.
-- Love, Mom

London and Maddie's Nanny Looking Good in Scrubs

I have to admit, the closest I ever like to get to a hospital is watching McDreamy on Grey's Anatomy on TV, and I haven't had time to keep up on the show since they lost me in the middle of the 2007-08 season. However, our current nanny is studying to be a nurse, and London and Maddie love it when she shows up at our house in her colorful Scrubs. My girls definitely see her nursing outfits as a perfect part of summer fashion and admire her for her future career choice....never mind what we'll do without her when she finishes the two-year program. There's actually a Scrubs web site that offers nurses helpful information such as fashion and style for nurses, as well as makeup and beauty tips and secrets, including articles such as “waking up younger” which is hard to do in any profession! The article advises nurses, and the rest of us, to be sure to take our make up off at bedtime, and never ever go to bed wearing make up. With advice and secrets on nail care, work, love, money and the best make up for nurses, maybe the Scrubs web site is our nanny's secret to always looking terrific, even when she's exhausted from her studies and clinicals. Then again, maybe it's because she's fifteen years younger than Roxy...LOL.