Blue Moon, White New Year's, Happy New Year 2010 to All

Rex, London, Maddie and I are relaxing by a roaring fire after a perfect New Year's Eve dinner at Ninety Acres, the new restaurant at Natirar in Peapack, New Jersey. It is snowing here in the Roxiticus Valley...not expected to create much accumulation, just pretty puffy snowflakes falling and hiding the blue moon.

Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve will be on in a few minutes, but we may wait until tomorrow to post our New Year's resolutions. Maddie would like to share one now: her first resolution is to stay up until midnight to watch the ball drop. She's been up since six in the morning, so it may also be the first resolution to slip through the cracks.

Music Monday: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

Christmas Day has come and gone, but our family is still celebrating here in the Roxiticus Valley, as we get ready for the New Year 2010. London, Maddie and I are watching Rudolph & the Misfit Toys while we stuff and stamp envelopes full of New Year's cards.

One of the songs that moves me every year during the Hilltop Presbyterian Church Christmas pageant comes from a poem penned on December 25, 1864 during the American Civil War by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I found a video of a recent version by the Casting Crowns.



I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play
And mild and sweet their songs repeat
Of peace on earth good will to men

And the bells are ringing
Like a choir they're singing
In my heart I hear them
Peace on earth, good will to men

And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth I said
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men

But the bells are ringing
Like a choir singing
Does anybody hear them?
Peace on earth, good will to men

Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men

Then ringing singing on its way

The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men

And the bells they're ringing
Like a choir they're singing
And with our hearts we'll hear them
Peace on earth, good will to men

Do you hear the bells they're ringing?
The life the angels singing
Open up your heart and hear them
Peace on earth, good will to men

Peace on earth, Peace on earth
Peace on earth, Good will to men

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.





PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Still Celebrating!

Santa was very very good to us yesterday... he brought London and Maddie a Wii, and Wii Fit Plus for Roxy...should be a big help getting started on my New Year's resolutions.

On the day after Christmas, we're working on a jigsaw puzzle in front of a roaring fire, and Rex will be out shopping for our second big Christmas celebration tomorrow, when we'll have 15 for a crown roast of pork from Perrotti's butcher in Far Hills, NJ.

Tracking Santa As He Makes His Way to the Roxiticus Valley, New Jersey

One of Maddie and London's favorite Christmas Eve activities is to track Santa as he makes his way to the Roxiticus Valley. So far, we've tracked him from Russia to Korea... as we're heading out for last minute holiday shoe shopping before the Hilltop Church Christmas Pageant, I believe he was headed for India.

Music Monday: White Christmas by Bing Crosby

I've got Elvis singin' Blue Christmas over on my Bay Head Blog, but here in the Roxiticus Valley we just shoveled/plowed out of our driveway after almost a foot of snow on Saturday night and it looks like we'll be having a White Christmas. Here's my dad's all-time favorite Christmas song by Bing Crosby, taking us all back to a simpler place and time with a wish I'll share with all of you:



I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten and children listen
to hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten and children listen
to hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
with every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright,
and may all your Christmases be white

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
just like the ones I used to know
May your days be merry and bright,
and may all your Christmases be white

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
with every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright,
and may all your Christmases be white

May your days be merry and bright,
and may all your Christmases be white

And may all your Christmases be white (All your Christmases be white)
And may all your Christmases be white (All your Christmases be white)
And may all your Christmases be
(All your Christmases be white)
(All your Christmases be white)

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.





PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

I Miss My Dad

The photo on the right, London and her Grandpa, was taken on Christmas 2001, the year before he died. London was almost one, I was (very) pregnant with Maddie.

Mostly joyous around the holidays, but I do miss my dad.

Finally Starting to Relax

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson. All opinions are 100% mine.

Just before Thanksgiving, things got really busy for me at work, and I started to stress out about meeting deadlines and keeping two of our most important investment banking clients happy. It was particularly frustrating as Advent began and the holidays got closer and closer... I wanted to spend time with Rex, London and Maddie, but even on the weekends, I was worried about work. On Tuesday, I met my deadline and sent a draft Confidential Information Memorandum off to our client... he read it on a flight home from San Francisco and wrote back last night that he was pleased with our work. Yesterday morning, we met with the other key client, two really strong partners who finally feel like we're on track with their project. Rex is flying home from Washington, DC tonight, and with just one week until Christmas, I am finally, finally starting to relax.

During my weeks of stress and anxiety, I was starting to fantasize about disappearing from the office one day, jumping on a plane and escaping with my family to the warmth and comfort of an Ozark Mountain Christmas at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing or Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel, where no one would find us. With packages like It’s a Wonderful Life, starting at $329 per night and running through December 23rd, we would hide out in Branson and experience the ultimate holiday getaway for relaxation and entertainment, then come home ready to celebrate with all of our holiday shopping complete. I dreamed of getting a treatment at Aspire Medical Spa with my Branson Landing passport, which is also loaded with discounts at dozens of local shops and restaurants. London and Maddie could settle in for Story Time with Mrs. Claus in the lobby of the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel, and if we chose the Santa's Coming to Town Package, starting at only $189 per night, Santa himself would deliver milk and cookies and gifts, right to our room.

Click on any of the links in this email to share my Branson Winter fantasy!

Music Monday: The Nutcracker (Dew Drop Fairy)

Rex, London, Maddie and I are decorating our Christmas tree, trying to stay warm by the fire...I'll post a photo of our Christmas tree as soon as we finish decorating, but it may not be until next weekend, since Rex has to get the big ladder out to put our tree topper on. We're listening to holiday tunes... one of our favorites from the Nutcracker ballet, which we saw yesterday, is this one...

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.





PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Garden State Ballet Youth Company Performs the Nutcracker Today

The Nutcracker will be performed by the School of the Garden State Ballet's Youth Company on Saturday, December 12th at Holy Family School in Florham Park, NJ. There will be two performances: 3pm and 7pm. Tickets for the 3pm performance are $5.00 each (family maximum of $25); tickets for the 7pm performance are $7.00 each (family maximum of $35). For tickets contact: Ruby Sanchez: 973.462.6402 email: rub1 at optonline dot net or Amy DeFranco 973.216.0626 email: defr1234 at aol dot com.

Additional Garden State Ballet Youth Company Nutcracker Performances are scheduled as follows:

• Secaucus High School on Friday, December 18th at 7:00pm


• Rutherford Public Library on Sunday, December 20th at 3:00pm.

London and Maddie take ballet and modern dance lessons at the Garden State Ballet Randolph Studio. Although our girls won't be performing in this year's Nutcracker, Rex and I wanted London and Maddie to see their friends dance, and determine whether they'd like to make that serious dance commitment next year. We're going to see today's 3pm show, and will report back.

Hacked!

Apologies to those of you who have tried to visit and been blocked over the past day or so... I just found out that my site was hacked and contained some code that was causing browsers to block my blog... even from me!

Thank you to my good blogosphere buddies, Mariuca and LadyJava, who got to the bottom of the problem. If your site is going blank when loading, check out LadyJava's post here and Mariuca's post here for some help finding the problem... check your blog's XML template for hacked code from a site called Paying Post. I should also be clear that I do not participate in "Paying Post" and did not, intentionally or inadvertently, add their code to my blog. I was HACKED!

My first repair was to go back to my old Blogger template from May 2008, but with the information about the paying post code that was hacked into my header, I was able to restore my most recent template and put my site back together again.

Roxy

Ozark Mountain Christmas

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson. All opinions are 100% mine.

Even though the Mendham Township Schools were open today after a two hour delay, the snowy sleety weather caused Rex and me to work from the home office and keep our girls, London and Maddie, at home today and let it snow, let it snow, let it snow... "home schooling" in front of a roaring fire instead of struggling up the driveway to the bus stop against the elements. Somehow being snuggled inside with my family got me thinking about country songs... isn't there a country song (Johnny Cash? Kenny Rogers? John Denver?) about an Ozark Mountain Christmas... and if there isn't, there ought to be one... a song that celebrates the warmth and comfort of holiday season at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel. With their special holiday packages like "It’s a Wonderful Life," starting at $329 per night and running from now through December 23rd, you and your family can travel to Branson to experience the ultimate holiday getaway with something for everyone: shopping, entertainment, and a little rest and relaxation. Get a Branson Landing passport loaded with discounts at dozens of restaurants and shops, as well as a soothing treatment at Aspire Medical Spa. Or, choose the "Santa's Coming to Town" package, starting at $189 per night, and the little ones will enjoy Story Time with Mrs. Claus in the lobby of the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel, and Santa himself will deliver presents, cookies and milk to your room.

Music Monday on Tuesday: Dean Martin's Classic, "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!"

I'm getting a bit of a late start on this week's Music Monday post... we had our first Monday of the month staff meeting at the Firm and it feels like the meetings were non-stop until our holiday party tonight. Now Rex and I are on the train home, and I'm catching up with a classic Dean Martin tribute to the snowstorm that may be on its way to the Roxiticus Valley overnight. There's nothing I'd like better than to get the early morning phone call from Mendham Township Superintendent of Schools Kris Harrison letting us know that London and Maddie can sleep late and we can spend the day by a roaring fire... Let it snow, let is snow, let it snow!



Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

It doesn't show signs of Pauseping,
And I've bought some corn for popping,
The lights are turned way down low,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

When we finally kiss goodnight,
How I'll hate going out in the storm!
But if you'll really hold me tight,
All the way home I'll be warm.

The fire is slowly dying,
And, my dear, we're still good-bying,
But as long as you love me so,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

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.





PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Holiday Party at the Firm

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Bidazzled. All opinions are 100% mine.

Rex and I are on the 86 minute train ride home from Hoboken to Peapack, NJ after our office holiday party at the Katwalk in midtown Manhattan. We left the party early (around 10 o'clock) to get home to our girls before the snowstorm... the Jagermeister shots had just begun, and no one had gotten particularly wild yet. Instead, a bunch of us were talking about who in the office was most active online, with "professional" networking sites like Linked In, "young" social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook, and other online activities like blogging, Twitter, and auction sites including the new Bidazzled tbat was just launched in early November.

Since I keep my online identity as Roxy the Roxiticus Desperate Housewife a secret around our investment banking firm, I didn't let on that I'd be blogging and about the holiday party on our way home....and tweeting all about it since I just added a Twitter widget to my sidebar (though I can't seem to sign in and tweet using my AT&T Wireless tethered Blackberry connection).

The new Bidazzled site is redefining the online auction market by offering savings of up to 90% on name brand merchandise while all bids help to fund a lung cancer charity -- The Ruch Foundation, online at Ruch Foundation dot com. Commonly called Penny Auctions or Pay-Per-Bid auction sites, Bidazzled bids are purchased in advance and then used to bid on merchandise. With each bid placed, the price increases a few cents, and a few seconds are added to the countdown clock to give others a chance to bid. The auction ends when no other bids are placed. So if a new laptop ends at just a dollar, you could win the laptop for a dollar... as my loyal readers know, a dollar is about all my broken laptop is worth, and I sure could use a new one for just a dollar.

Bidazzled auction winners usually save more than 80% off retail, and nobody loses because even if you don't win, you receive up to 50 Bonus Bids as a thank you for participating, and you can purchase the auction item less the investment you had in the auction. If you do win, Bidazzled typically makes an offer to buy the item back for either cash (via PayPal or check), cash and bids, or lots more bids.

Bids cost $1 at Bidazzled and are available for purchase in bid packs as low as $25. Every time you purchase a bid pack, you also receive free bonus bids. When you dilute the cost of your paid bids with the bonus bids you receive, the highest cost of a Bidazzled bid is only sixty-seven cents ($0.67) per bid and can often be much lower with their lucrative viral referral program. If A refers B, A receives 5 Bonus Bids; if B refers C, A receives 4 Bonus Bids; if C refers D, A receives 3 Bonus Bids; if D refers E, A receives 2 Bonus Bids; and if E refers F, A receives 1 Bonus Bid.

In the first month, there have been two winners of Nintendo Wii systems who won the Bidazzled auction using only their five free bids. There's nothing to lose, and if you'd like to check out the new Bidazzled auction site, I have an exclusive offer for my loyal Roxiticus Desperate Housewives readers: if you enter the code "BBP1202A" on the Bidazzled registration page, you'll get fifteen (15) additional free bids, with no obligation or cost of any kind.

And if you run into one of my coworkers on Wall Street, please don't tell them you know who the real Roxy is.

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town...Saturday, December 5th at the Mendham Junior Women's Club Winter Carnival

See Santa arrive on the big red fire engine at the Mendham Junior Women's Club Winter Carnival on Saturday, December 5th from 10:00am until 2:00pm at the Brookside Community Club. Proceeds from this family fun event will benefit vital programs and services within Morris County.

• Bring your camera to take a picture with Santa in front of fireplace in time for Holiday cards - arriving at 11:30AM, visiting till 12:30PM
• Several Girl Scout, Brownie and Daisy troops will be there for a singalong... I know Maddie's troop will be there, and London's troop will be caroling at Kings
• There will be games (Cupcake Walk, Christmas Tree Ring Toss, Lollipop Snowman, Bean Bag Toss) with prizes
• Crafts: Make a Tree Ornament or Necklace
• Activities: Face & Nail Painting, Tattoos
• 50 / 50 Raffle
• Baked goods, bagels, pizza and drinks available for sale
• No Admission Fee – help MJWC help others, and have a fun time with the family while doing so!

For more information contact www.mendhamjuniors@gmail.com.

Lifetime Love of Learning

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

It is no secret that Rex and I try hard to instill in our daughters, London and Maddie, a lifetime love of learning. They're off to a terrific start at Mendham Township Elementary School, and what better way to be a role model than to continue our own education as adults? As investment bankers, Rex and I are both preparing for the Series 79 exam, so for the next few months the girls will see us studying right along with them as they complete their second and third grade homework. Once I pass that test, I found out that I can earn my Master of Arts in Teaching degree from the University of Southern California (USC) without ever leaving the Roxiticus Valley!

The USC Rossier School of Education School of Education, ranked #22 in the United States and #9 among all private universities by US News and World Report, though its MAT@USC program, offers current educators and aspiring teachers the prestige of earning a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from an elite research university with the convenience and flexibility of studying online. The program combines highly interactive online learning with field-based experiences in the student's local area, includes a groundbreaking tuition reimbursement program specifically for MAT@USC graduates, full USC student status and benefits, participation in commencement ceremonies and free lifetime Alumni Association memberships. Click the link for more program information.

With the accelerated program, I could complete my degree in as little as twelve (12) months...what a great opportunity to become a part of the USC Trojan Family, all without leaving the Roxiticus Valley... if only USC could send a little of their weather my way over the winter months...

Off to the HSA Meeting at Mendham Township Elementary School

Now that I'm working for someone else, and particularly as the mergers and acquisitions market is warming up after a long cold year, I don't often have the time to attend the Home & School Association events that are scheduled during the day at Mendham Township Elementary School.

However, this one seemed important. Here's the email note about it:
The next MTES H.S.A. General Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday December 2nd at 9:30am in the Elementary School Staff Development Room. School Board President Mark Ford will be present to announce a new program coming to Mendham Schools. Superintendent Kristopher Harrison, Principals Dr. Ciccone and Ms. Allen and Special Services Co-Ordinator Mrs. Elaine Lombardi will also be in attendance to share what is happening in their areas.

Sounds like a lot of heavy hitters, and since I'm working from home on two client projects while Rex has a full day of meetings in New York, I plan to attend. I'll fill you in tonight!

On the First Night of Advent

On the first night of Advent my kiddies gave to me... some finger knitting, my very first clue, and a handful of confetti. Rex and I gave London their first Advent gifts, which didn't fit in the little pockets of our calendar: matching poufy sponges for their bath.

They lit the first Advent candle this past Sunday at Hilltop Presbyterian Church in Mendham... and presumably at churches all around the world. Christmas is coming... good cheer!

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Yamaha. All opinions are 100% mine.

Rex, London, Maddie and I all enjoy our iPods... each of the girls has a little pink Nano with headphones, and Rex and I share a black iPod Classic that moves around the house with us for various activities... we each have our own workout playlist (Shakira! Shakira!) for sweating on the elliptical trainer in the basement, and various five star playlists for entertaining in the family room.

Now, with the Yamaha PDX-60 Speaker Dock, our whole family can enjoy our iPod music, games, and movies wirelessly from anywhere in the room. Featuring the easy to use exclusive Yamaha yAired (TM) wireless technology (unlike bluetooth, no pairing is needed), London, Maddie, Rex and I can get instant connection, no sound delays and quality sound with the deep, rich bass going boom boom boom. With the wireless remote, we can quickly turn down the volume when Grammy or Grandmom call on the phone. Thanks to the magical convenience of dual charging, we'll never have to stop rockin' around the Christmas tree when our iPods run out of power... we can charge two separate iPhones or iPods at the same time, so London can use the dock on the speaker for her pink nano and Maddie can use the included charging cradle for her pink nano. And did I mention... the sleek, elegant Speaker Dock comes in PINK!

Music Monday: Bob Geldof & Bon Jovi -- I Don't Like Mondays

As we were wrapping up a nice long Thanksgiving weekend, Maddie clearly didn't want it to end, and told me "I don't like Mondays," reminding me of a very sad yet compelling song by Sir Bob Geldof and the Boomtown Rats (released in October 1979 and referring to a January 1979 elementary school shooting by 16-year-old Brenda Ann Spencer). I was reminded at church today that the holidays can be a lonely and alienating time for many of us, but I'd like to look past the darkness to a plea for a peaceful Advent season (the time leading up to Christmas). Here's a video of Bon Jovi joining Bob Geldof to perform "I Don't Like Mondays":



The silicon chip inside her head
Gets switched to overload
And nobody’s gonna go to school today
She’s gonna make them stay at home
And daddy doesn’t understand it
He always said she was good as gold
And he can see no reasons
'Cos there are no reasons
What reason do you need to be show-ow-ow-ow-own?

Tell me why
I don’t like Mondays
Tell me why
I don’t like Mondays
Tell me why
I don’t like Mondays
I wanna shoo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oot the whole day down

The Telex machine is kept so clean
And it types to a waiting world
And mother feels so shocked
Father’s world is rocked
And their thoughts turn to their own little girl
Sweet 16 ain’t that peachy keen
Now that ain’t so neat to admit defeat
They can see no reasons
'Cos there are no reasons
What reasons do you need?
Oh Oh Oh Oh

Tell me why
I don’t like Mondays
Tell me why
I don’t like Mondays
Tell me why
I don’t like Mondays
I wanna shoo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oot
The whole day down, down, down, shoot it all down

And all the playing's stopped in the playground now
She wants to play with the toys a while
And school's out early and soon we'll be learning
And the lesson today is how to die
And then the bullhorn crackles
And the captain tackles
(With the problems of the how's and why's)
And he can see no reasons
'Cos there are no reasons
What reason do you need to die, die?
Oh Oh Oh

Tell me why
I don’t like Mondays
Tell me why
I don’t like Mondays
Tell me why
I don’t like
I don’t like (Tell me why)
I don’t like Mondays
Tell me why
I don’t like
I don’t like (Tell me why)
I don’t like Mondays
Tell me why
I don't like Mondays
I wanna shoo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oot the whole day down

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.





PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

For Our Neighbors Up North...Good Day, Eh?

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dr. Oetker. All opinions are 100% mine.

Now my loyal Roxiticus Desperate Housewives readers know that Roxy loves a good contest (and a good pizza) as much as the next person... the pizza is for everyone but the contest is open to Canadian residents only. So I'm going to tell all of my friend from the great white north about the Dr. Oetker Kitchen Makeover Contest and hope that if you win the grand prize, you'll at least think of me whenever you cook in your fancy new kitchen.

I may not be Canadian, but I have recently become familiar with Dr. Oetker and can give those frozen pizzas a huge rave. A few weeks back, Rex and I were in Penn Station, waiting to take the train home from New York City to Bernardsville, New Jersey, when I noticed a bit of commotion. They were giving out free stuff... free pizza, to be specific. So I grabbed a fresh mozzarella and tomato pie (no mushrooms, please) and carried it home with me on the train. I tried it the next day for lunch and really really enjoyed it...in fact, the pizza was large enough for a family of four but I didn't share. So if I were Canadian, it would be a no brainer to enter over and over and over for the chance to win a $20,000 Kitchen Makeover from Dr. Oetker, since all you have to do is pick up a PIN from specially marked packages of Dr. Oetker Casa di Mama Pizza.

The grand-prize winner gets the $20,000 kitchen makeover from Dr. Oetker Casa di Mama, and eight second prize winners will scoop up one of the following Whirpool appliances: a refrigerator/freezer, freestanding electric range, dishwasher or microwave.... 2,000 other lucky winners will instantly win a Casa di Mama Pizza or a pizza cutter. The contest ends on January 4th, 2010, and is available to Canadian residents only, but you don't have to be Canadian to sign up to be a Savoury Moments Member. Good luck and good day, eh?

On Thanksgiving: A Thank You Note to Every Mendham Township Taxpayer

We've started our Thanksgiving weekend, and in addition to the usual reasons we give thanks (family, friends, good health), I would like to say thank you to every Mendham Township Taxpayer, whether or not you voted to pass the 2009-10 school budget, for contributing to the school programs that benefit my children, London and Maddie. Here's why:

After our November parent-teacher conferences, I sent the following letter to Mendham Township Schools Superintendent Kris Harrison, MTES Principal Cara Allen, and Director of Curriculum Sandy Cullis:

Rex and I wanted to let you know how pleased we’ve been with the new programs at MTES this school year. Whenever we’ve been in the school halls, we’ve felt a very positive vibe among the students that reflects your “discipline with love” style, making “respect,” “cooperation,” and “work ethic” mean more than just words on a bulletin board. From the Outdoor Learning Center to additional technology in every classroom, the changes have taken MTES to a higher level. London and Maddie come home from school every day with enthusiastic stories about their classes with Allison Klacik and Laura Gallagher, and they’re even more excited about Gateways and Quest with Dori Smyth. Last week during conferences, Rex and I had the opportunity to meet with all three teachers to discuss our daughters’ progress, and we are thrilled about the enrichment experiences they have received from Gateways and Quest. It’s clear there’s an extra bounce in their steps because of these programs.

As you may know, we have been focused on challenging our children through a Gifted & Talented program at MTES since London started Kindergarten in September 2006, and your team’s implementation and execution in the program’s first year is impressive. The daily opportunity for London to go out to Gateways to read and interact on a level with her academic peers has made a world of difference in advancing her reading comprehension, encouraging her to reach to get to a higher level, and inspiring/continuing her love of learning. Beyond academic success, Rex and I have emphasized the value of leadership to our children, and Allison Klacik let us know that London has taken a strong leadership role in sharing her Quest experiences with the rest of her third grade class. In the second grade, Maddie has really grabbed hold of the weekly puzzles in her Gateways class, and always accepts the extra challenges that Dori Smyth delivers. Maddie has made serious progress in reading this year, as well as discovering and excelling at logic puzzles. Nancy Fuller continues to make sure math isn’t left out of the enrichment equation, and her energy brings out the math whiz in all of us when the girls bring home her enrichment packets.

Please let us know if there’s anything more we can do to continue to support Gateways, Quest, and other enrichment programs at MTES, and do let Dori Smyth know that both kids and parents believe she’s doing a fantastic job. Keep up the solid effort!

Kris Harrison responded quickly and reminded me that "During these difficult financial times, our schools, like others, will face deep scrutiny over every budgetary line item. As we move forward this year, please feel free to share your experiences with other families and your neighbors who do not have children in our schools as every positive story should be told. If our community is informed about how well we are meeting students’ needs there should be little worry about passing the budget and sustaining programs such as G&T/Enrichment and guidance that so often can be characterized as luxury items."

So at Thanksgiving, I thought it was just the right time to thank each and every one of the Mendham Township taxpayers, particularly those of you who don't have children or whose children have grown up and no longer benefit from the programs offered at our elementary and middle schools. In addition to the Gifted and Talented programs, I never realized until Sarah Springer, the new Mendham Township Elementary School guidance counselor, came into our lives how much my daughters needed her. Without airing too much of our family's dirty laundry, I'd like to acknowledge how important a guidance counselor turned out to be: London consulted Mrs. Springer for strategies to deal with her recurring nightmares about people-stealers; Maddie has also needed a resource for issues related to stress and worries.

For parents of children who don't participate directly in the new MTES Quest and Gateways programs, I'd encourage you to consider the idea that enrichment benefits everyone. When London goes out for 3rd Grade Gateways (reading enrichment on the seventh grade level), her friends who stay behind in Ms. Klacik's class benefit from smaller reading groups and extra attention. When she participates in Quest (the top 10% of academic achievers in the 3rd Grade), the rest of her class has an enrichment period devoted to Master Enrichment... projects on each student's topic of choice.

Charter Communications: Best Deals of the Year

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Charter Communication. All opinions are 100% mine.

As we head into a long, relaxing Thanksgiving weekend, Rex is cooking up a storm with over 40 pounds of turkey plus side dishes for two separate celebrations -- one on Thursday with Grammy and Grandmom and one on Saturday with four of Rex's six kids -- and Charter Communication is ending a year of groundbreaking sweepstakes and offerings with one last push—and it may be their best promotion of the year. There are two cool ways to win: great deals on Charter Cable, Internet and Phone services, including FREE Gift Cards with special online deals and a chance to win cool prizes for the holidays. Check Charter’s Daily Deal Web Site for more details.

From Black Friday (November 27th, 2009) to Cyber Monday, Charter Communications is offering gift cards from major retailers -- in electronics, clothing and accessories, home goods, and restaurants -- worth up to $200 with special online deals. Charter saves you shopping money just when you need it the most! After Cyber Monday,Charter begins thirty-eight (38)days of specials, giving out great gifts, prizes and deals... something different (e.g, iPods, camcorders, GPS units, webcams, TVs, photo frames) and plenty of changes to win every day.

If you want to keep up on all of Charter's daily deals, become a fan of Charter on Facebook for updates every day through the holidays.

Music Monday: Rock 'n' Roll Never Forgets

The Miley Cyrus concert at the Prudential Center a couple weeks ago had me reminiscing with my friend Susan about our own mis-spent youth. And while sweet sixteen has turned quite a bit older than thirty-one, this song captured the feeling I was looking for that you're never too old to rock 'n' roll (if you're too young to die).



So you're a little bit older and a lot less bolder
Than you used to be
So you used to shake 'em down
But now you stop and think about your dignity
So now sweet sixteen's turned thirty-one
You get to feelin' weary when the work day's done
Well all you got to do is get up and into your kicks
If you're in a fix
Come back baby
Rock and roll never forgets
You better get yourself a partner
Go down to the concert or the local bar
Check the local newspapers
Chances are you won't have to go too far
Yeah the rafters will be ringing cause the beat's so strong
The crowd will be swaying and singing along
And all you got to do is get in into the mix
If you need a fix
Come back baby
Rock and roll never forgets
Oh the band's still playing it loud and lean
Listen to the guitar player making it scream
All you got to do is just make that scene tonight
Heh tonight

Well now sweet sixteen's turned thirty-one
Feel a little tired feeling under the gun
Well all Chuck's children are out there playing his licks
Get into your kicks
Come back baby
Rock 'n Roll never forgets
Said you can come back baby
Rock 'n Roll never forgets

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.





PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Naughty But Nice... Did You Call Me a Dirt Devil?

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hoover and Dirt Devil. All opinions are 100% mine.

When Santa makes his list and checks it twice, I'm sure he'll find that Roxy's been both naughty and nice... hey, did you call me a Dirt Devil? Well, your mama wears army boots!

It is actually a bit of a long running joke in our household that while Rex goes all out on sexy lingerie, perfume and whimsical gifts under the tree, I'd be just fine with a practical gift like a vacuum cleaner, power drill or toaster oven. As it turns out, the Dirt Devil Holiday Gift Guide actually includes twelve pages of helpful hints and web site links with over three hundred (300) ways to save with online holiday shopping... a list of Black Friday sites, Cyber Monday sites, Deal a Day sites, Free Shipping Shortcuts, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, and Family Favorites... and yes, there were special offers on Dirt Devil faves like the Gator Hand Vac, Select Vision Canisters, and free attachment gifts with purchase while supplies last... but if you picked Rex out of the red hat for Secret Santa this year, remember that he's not a practical kind of guy when it comes to holiday gift giving... even if Roxy has been known to take out the Dirt Devil and do the vacuuming at 2 o'clock in the morning wearing nothing but a smile or a skimpy little French maid's costume.... humming, "he sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake..." as we fade to black.

Reiterate Buy: Tickets to See the Hexagon Players Performance of Willy Wonka!

Sorry for the Wall Street title to this post, but I've been working too hard this week and can't seem to separate business from pleasure. Anyway, my loyal Roxiticus Desperate Housewives readers will remember that on Sunday, Rex, Maddie, London, and I went to see the Hexagon Players' local performance of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory at Delbarton in Mendham Township. It turned out to be my favorite Hexagon performance from the past several years... we've seen Sound of Music, Peter Pan, Willy Wonka, and maybe one more. The Oompa Loompas really stole the show!

The last performances are scheduled for Friday night (November 20th), Saturday afternoon and Saturday night (November 21st). If there are any tickets left, Roxy strongly suggests that you go online and scoop them up. Loompadee doo!

Cool Contest for the Butter Bites!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Popstation. All opinions are 100% mine.

Remember London and Maddie's all girl basement band, the Butter Bites?? The Butter Bites just came out of the basement on Halloween, wearing their rock star costumes, marching down the street with the Pirate Parents pulling a wagon with a drum and an amplifier, singing songs by Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato and generally rockin' this town inside out.

It may just be time for the Butter Bites to really take their act on the road... or at least on the Internet. We've discovered PopStation, an online music and entertainment singing experience where people like London and Maddie have a chance to sing their way to the Top of the Charts and qualify for their very own album deal. Registration for the contest is free. Then, every week, original Popstation songs are released from Monday through Thursday (Hip Hop/R&B on Monday, Country on Tuesday, Pop on Wednesday, and Rock on Thursday) and are available in the practice rooms
for two (2) weeks. Contestents like London, Maddie & the Butter Bites are encouraged to "make the songs their own” by adding emotion to the music. Songs entered into a contest will get voted on by the Popstation audience – no celebrity judges or panels.

I'll say it again: practice rooms!

Now, here's the lowdown on the prize... the BIG Deal is a VIP album recording experience... awarded every three months to one lucky (and talented) #1 performing artist. If London and Maddie win "The BIG Deal," the Butter Bites will enjoy an all expenses paid three night stay in New York City at a ridiculously posh and hip hotel. My little rock stars will be picked up in a luxury car service and whisked off to a professional recording studio where they will spend two days recording their very own debut album with the help of a professional production team. When the Butter Bites album is done with the final mixing, postproduction and design, it will be featured on the Artists page of Popstation for all the world to see... and hear. Roxy will give up investment banking and blogging to take my place as the Butter Bites' agent... and to make sure they don't start pole dancing at the elementary school.

Too Tired to Be a Second Grader at Mendham Township Elementary School

I had spent the day hard at work on a Confidential Information Memorandum for one of our investment banking clients (let's call it Project "Rocket Science"), and had just about used up my quota of brain cells for the day, maybe even the week. Not to mention feeling a bit under the weather with my first cold of the season. Add a beer to the equation... Killian's Irish Red. Then Maddie asked me for help on her second grade math and logic puzzle homework tonight. She had finished most of the assignment, leaving only the toughest problems for mom to help out on. There were words in circles and other words not in circles, and somehow you were supposed to guess what the non-circle words had in common with each other and did not have in common with the circle words. Here's a sample problem that Maddie said was easy...the circle words are teddy bear, doll, and blanket; outside the circle words are pants, scissors, and pliers. Well, not only am I NOT smart enough to be a fourth grader, I am too tired to be a second grader! Here's the trick...turns out the words outside the circle come in pairs. I think I'll put on a pair of pajamas, grab my teddy bear, and get into bed early so I can wake up tomorrow morning smart enough to be a second grader, third grader, and an investment banker.

Just Let Me Slip On a Banana Peel and I'll Tell You About It

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Banana Shpeel. All opinions are 100% mine.

When I was growing up, my mother used a bunch of strange expressions that made me laugh, but I never knew exactly where they came from... maybe old time radio before there was television? Vaudeville? Here's an example... when I needed her to drive me somewhere in the morning before she was dressed, she'd say, "Just let me slip on a banana peel and we'll be on our way." Now that I have two little girls of my own, I find myself using my own strange expressions, not to mention occasionally adopting one or two of Grandmom's... last week when we had dinner with Grandmom, she told/sang us some old jump roping games and chants that she and her friends did when they were in grade school. Next time we're over her house for a visit, London and Maddie will have to get to the bottom of a few of the quaint expressions we use around our house.

Speaking of crazy humor, vaudeville and slipping on a Banana Shpeel, Cirque de Soleil has a new adventure... Banana Shpeel is a roller-coaster mix of styles that blends comedy with tap, hip hop, eccentric dance and slapstick, pulled together by a hilarious narrative that sounds a bit like Grandmom and ignites a succession of wacky adventures. The Banana Shpeel story takes us into the strange world of Emmett, a romantic and innocent actor who has come to audition for a cruel and cranky producer with the unlikely name of Shmelky. Meanwhile, there's the love story of Emmett and the beautiful Katie. and meets a bunch of absurd characters, including the strange Banana Man. But who is this mysterious Banana Man and how can Emmett escape the clutches of Shmelky and his henchmen?

I haven't been to a Cirque du Soleil show in many years, though I've seen a few clips on television... and also heard a rumor that one of the girls' instructors at Randolph Gymnastics used to perform his gymnastics on the backs of horses for Cirque de Soleil. It's not hard to picture Jordan as the mysterious Banana Man! I'm going to look into taking London and Maddie to Banana Shpeel as their first ever Cirque de Soleil experience.

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Computer Problems

The old HP, she ain't what she used to be... I can't tell if it's a virus or a hardware/electrical problem (or a little bit of both), but my HP Pavillion notebook is giving me fits. For the past few days, a file called "DeadUpdate.exe" pops up on my screen every three to four hours (saving itself in my temp folder each time), but Microsoft Vista User Controls give me the opportunity to cancel it out before it can contaminate my laptop. I can delete it from the temp folder but it always comes back. I sent a "sample" of this virus to McAfee the other day, but haven't heard back.

Meanwhile, I shut down my computer this afternoon, and when I came back it was dead. It kind of sputtered like a car that had run out of gas, and came back to life when I held down the F10 key. I took that opportunity to back up my files (again) to several places, but I always worry that there are certain things you never get back when a computer crashes.

Ugh! Anyone out there have any suggestions?

Tweet to Make Holiday Wishes Come True

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Leapfish, Inc. All opinions are 100% mine. Tweet-a-cause, a social media fundraising initiative, gives Twitter users the power to grant an ill child’s dream to go to Disneyland, one Tweet at a time. Jacob, age 4, has a rare and life-threatening disease that has affected him since birth. Jacob's one big wish in life is to visit Disneyland with his family. From Monday, November 16th through Friday, November 27th, 2009, LeapFish will donate 5 cents per Tweet to the Make-A-Wish Foundation until $10,000 has been raised so that Jacob and his family can go to Disneyland.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants magical wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich their lives with hope, strength and joy. They have granted wishes to more than 174,000 children nationwide. Through the Adopt-a-Wish program, a donor such as LeapFish can cover the entire cost of a child’s wish. To raise awareness of the Adopt-a-Wish program and to help get the social media community involved in granting an ill child’s wish, LeapFish is sponsoring the tweet-a-cause
and Make-a-Wish campaign.

LeapFish is an evolved search engine that captures the traditional, multi-media and real-time Web, through a single, connected search platform for both searching and sharing content. Founded by Ben Behrouzi (co-founder of Reply.com), LeapFish is a privately held, 100-person corporation headquartered out of CARR America Corporate Center in Pleasanton, California.

If you check the Twitter update in my sidebar, you'll see that I "Just tweeted 2 grant a childs wish! #LeapFish donates to #makeawish foundation for each tweet. http://bit.ly/3Tj8A Please retweet!" So what are you waiting for? Please retweet, and help make Jacob's Disney dreams come true.

Music Monday: Old School Oompa Loompas from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Rex, Maddie, London, and I are off to see the Hexagon Players' local performance of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory at Delbarton in Mendham Township this afternoon, and wanted all of you to share in the fun:



Sing along with Roxy now:

Oompa loompa doompety doo
I've got a perfect puzzle for you
Oompa loompa doompety dee
If you are wise you'll listen to me

What do you get when you guzzle down sweets
Eating as much as an elephant eats
What are you at, getting terribly fat
What do you think will come of that
I don't like the look of it

Oompa loompa doompety da
If you're not greedy, you will go far
You will live in happiness too
Like the Oompa Loompa Doompety do
Doompety do

Oompa loompa doompety doo
I've got another puzzle for you
Oompa loompa doompeda dee
If you are wise you'll listen to me

Gum chewing's fine when it's once in a while
It stops you from smoking and brightens your smile
But it's repulsive, revolting and wrong
Chewing and chewing all day long
The way that a cow does

Oompa loompa doompety da
Given good manners you will go far
You will live in happiness too
Like the Oompa Loompa Doompety do

Oompa loompa doompety doo
I've got another puzzle for you
Oompa loompa doompety dee
If you are wise you'll 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 lie and a shame
You know exactly who's to blame
The mother and the father

Oompa loompa doompety da
If you're not spoiled then you will go far
You will live in happiness too
Like the Oompa Loompa Doompety do

Oompa loompa doompety doo
I've got another puzzle for you
Oompa loompa doompeda dee
If you are wise you'll listen to me

What do you get from a glut of TV
A pain in the neck and an IQ of three
Why don't you try simply reading a book
Or could you just not bear to look
You'll get no
You'll get no
You'll get no
You'll get no
You'll get no commercials

Oompa loompa doompety da
If you're not greedy you will go far
You will live in happiness too
Like the - Oompa -
Oompa Loompa Doompety 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.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Remembering My Dad and Honoring My Uncle Joe on Veteran's Day

Today is Veteran's Day, and I would like to extend a thank you to all of the veterans out there, and remember two in particular. My dad, who passed away almost eight years ago at the age of 87, was a World War II veteran. His younger brother, my Uncle Joe, who celebrated his 90th birthday in August, also served in World War II, but is a living reminder that our freedom isn't free. He was shot in the head and has spent the past 60+ years in the care of the U.S. Veteran's Administration, primarily at the VA hospital in Lyons, New Jersey. Despite the fact that Uncle Joe enlisted in the army to serve his country instead of going to the University of Alabama on a baseball scholarship, he has never seemed bitter about his incredible sacrifice.

London, Maddie, Rex and I will be over to visit Uncle Joe on Saturday. He has his good days and his bad days, and is extremely hard of hearing, but his eyes always light up when London and Maddie dance into his room to share their latest news.

While Billy Ray Cyrus isn't one of the great thinkers of our time, I would like to share the lyrics to his song about veterans, "Some Gave All"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some gave all

Music Monday: Party in the U.S.A. by Miley Cyrus

Or should I say, pole dancing in the U.S.A.? We're back from Saturday night's Miley Cyrus concert at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, and I have to confess that Grammy was more right than I was about the content of the performance. Even though Miley never once donned her blonde wig or sang their Hannah Montana favorites, London and Maddie and their 8-year-old girlfriends had a great time, but the grown-ups spent quite a bit of time whispering "Don't tell Grammy" and "what happens in Newark stays in Newark" as Miley changed from one pair of leather boy shorts into the next. As Miley gyrated on the stage in her panties and grabbed at her crotch during the new "sexed up version" of Girls' Night Out, I asked my friend Susan if moms and dads ever took their kids to see Madonna (even as a teenager, I was never a fan), and she reminded me that back in the day, our parents didn't take us to concerts, and certainly not when we were eight years old. My first concert was Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes at Somerset County College when I was twelve years old... my friend's older brother (the nice one, not the hot one) took a bunch of us, and the venue was about three miles away from home. Next week's Music Monday may take us back with Bob Seger' "Rock 'n' Roll Never Forgets."

London and Maddie both told me that they enjoyed this concert more than the "Best of Both Worlds" tour two years ago, but I'm sure many of Miley's younger fans were disappointed that she has turned her back on the Hannah Montana alter ego and the songs that brought her fame. As more than one parent has lamented online (here's a link to a well-written review of her Portland, Oregon show), "I wish we'd have known she was going to transition this quickly in this manner BEFORE I bought the tickets months ago." Because the Wonder World tour used paperless ticketing (show up with your photo ID and the credit card used to purchase the seats) at all venues, disappointed parents don't have the option of reselling them....even though the new Miley has developed a following among plenty of teenage boys who didn't have any interest in the Disney show their baby sisters have been watching for the past three years.

Highlights for the kids were Miley riding a motorcycle through the air while singing a cover of Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n' Roll." The hands down favorite for kids and adults in our group was "Party in the U.S.A." where we all got up and were movin' our hips like yeah, just like in this week's Music Monday video below:



I hopped off the plane at LAX
with a dream and my cardigan
welcome to the land of fame excess, (whoa)
am I gonna fit in?

Jumped in the cab,
Here I am for the first time
Look to the right and I see the Hollywood sign
This is all so crazy
Everybody seems so famous

My tummy's turnin' and I'm feelin' kinda homesick
Too much pressure and I'm nervous,
That's when the taxi man turned on the radio
and a Jay Z song was on
and the Jay Z song was on
and the Jay Z song was on

CHORUS:
So I put my hands up
They’re playing my song,
And the butterflies fly away
Noddin’ my head like yeah
Moving my hips like yeah,
And I got my hands up,
They’re playin' my song
I know I'm gonna be ok
Yeah, It's a party in the USA
Yeah, It's a party in the USA

Get to the club in my taxi cab
Everybody's lookin at me now
Like “who's that chick, that's rockin’ kicks?
She gotta be from out of town”

So hard with my girls not around me
It's definitely not a Nashville party
'Cause all I see are stilletos
I guess I never got the memo

My tummy's turnin and I'm feelin' kinda homesick
Too much pressure and I'm nervous
That's when the D.J. dropped my favorite tune
and a Britney song was on
and the Britney song was on
and the Britney song was on

CHORUS:
So I put my hands up
They’re playing my song,
And the butterflies fly away
Noddin’ my head like yeah
Moving my hips like yeah,
And I got my hands up,
They’re playin my song
I know I'm gonna be ok
Yeah, It's a party in the USA
Yeah, It's a party in the USA

Feel like hoppin' on a flight (on a flight)
Back to my hometown tonight (town tonight)
Something stops me everytime (everytime)
The DJ plays my song and I feel alright!

CHORUS:
So I put my hands up
They’re playing my song,
And the butterflies fly away
Noddin’ my head like yeah (Oh, nodding my head)
Moving my hips like yeah, (Ooh Yeah)
And I got my hands up,
They’re playin my song
I know I'm gonna be ok (gonna be okay)
Yeah (huh huh), It's a party in the USA (Yeah)
Yeah, It's a party in the USA

So I put my hands up
They’re playing my song,
And the butterflies fly away (flying away)
Noddin’ my head like yeah (nodding my head like yeah)
Moving my hips like yeah, (moving my hips like yeah)
And I got my hands up,
They’re playin my song
I know I'm gonna be ok (I'm gonna be okay)
Yeah (Yeah), It's a party in the USA
Yeah (hahaha), It's a party in the USA (Party in the USA!)

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.





PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Big Weekend: Miley Cyrus at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ

Back in the Spring, Rex and I were lucky enough to score two sets of four tickets to take London and Maddie and friends to see Miley Cyrus on Saturday, November 7th at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. We firmed up plans to include a mother-daughter pair of friends for Maddie and me, and a father-daughter pair of friends for Londona and Rex. We'll start off with an early Portuguese dinner, probably at Adega Grill in Newark, where we went the night we saw Movin' Out at NJPAC. Now, as we head into a four-day weekend thanks to the NJ state teachers' convention, the big night is almost here, and the girls are very excited.

Now, I know there are those who frown upon Miley and her Hannah Montana alter ego... in fact, Grammy continues to talk about the upcoming concert in a way that suggests that Rex and I have made plans to take our daughters to a strip show in Vegas. However, all four of us really enjoy her music (with Rex and me shedding a few Disney tears during the Hannah Montana Movie), and I believe with sufficient "parental guidance," our girls are smart enough to understand the difference between a "normal teenage girl" and trashy behavior that points us towards the next Britney Spears.

Last time I mentioned the concert here, however, more than one of my loyal Roxiticus Desperate Housewives readers reminded me that Miley's baby sister (who is about London's age... 8 or 9 years old) has been stirring up scandal with her online video "show" and scantily clad appearances on Hollywood red carpets. Don't worry, though... London and Maddie's girl band, the Butter Bites, "kept it country" for their Bay Head Halloween concert and trick or treating outfits.

Music Monday: Election Day by Arcadia (featuring Duran Duran)

Tomorrow is Election Day here in the United States, and in New Jersey, we'll be voting on a new governor of New Jersey. Judging from the signs on the lawns around the Greater Roxiticus Valley, it looks like Mendham and Morris County will be turning out to support our neighbor, Republican Chris Christie. In addition, a group of friends at a Halloween party in Drakewick convinced Rex and me to write in Sam Tolley for Township Committee in Mendham Township, NJ.

In celebration of Election Day 2009, let's go back to the 80s and join Arcadia and Duran Duran as they pull their shirts off and pray, we're coming up on re-election day...



Wild kind of look to the day, opening eyes impale neon flickers
She moon she turning away, the city's her slave but he's cheating his mistress
She's moody and grey, she's mean and she's restless (so restless)
All over you as they say rumours or rivals yell at the strike force
Hi guys, by the way, are you aware you're being illegal
It's making your savior behaviour look evil
'scuse my timing but say, how d'you fit in with this flim, flam and judy

Maximum big suprise your smile is something new
I pull my shirt off and pray, we're sacred and bound to suffer the heatwave
Pull my shirt off and pray we're coming up on re-election day

Don't even try to induce, In all my restrain there's no hesitation
All the signs on the loose 'cause sanity's rare this end of the hard day
(yeh)Shadows are crawling out of the subway
Any way that you choose in every direction just to confuse me

Maximum big suprise she knows something new
I pull my shirt off and pray, i'm saving myself to suffer the heatwave
Pull my shirt off and pray, we're coming up on re-election day

By roads and backways a lover's chance down a wind
Cut open murmurs and sounds be calm hands on skin
Carry further oh...entangled strands all sing
Saving some time to slip away we could dance oh..

Shouldn't be asking wild and scheming
Could be my election day

Stretching my back down the way
To your invitation stretching my body
Use your intuitive play
cause maybe we have more play time than money

Maximum big suprise you know something new
I pull my shirt off and pray, we're sacred and bound to suffer this heatwave
Pull my shirt off and pray we're coming up on re-election day

Re-election day

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.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!



The First Commenters Club congratulates Mariuca:

Pssst.... Don't Tell London and Maddie

I know it's only Halloween, but I'm doing a little bit of online Christmas shopping. I have one of those 10% Target Rewards certificates that expires next week, and I wanted to get a jump on shopping at a discount (unfortunately, I have learned through a call to their less-than-helpful customer service that Target doesn't really mean it when they claim "free shipping on your $50+ order"...unless you're buying "specially marked items"...their message seemed to be "go shop in the store... who cares whether you'd rather spend the time with your kids?").

Just until the end of today (Halloween), Amazon is running a special offer where you buy $80 of video games (including either of the two Disney Sing It bundles) and get a $40 promotional credit for your next Wii, Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 video game purchase.

London and Maddie are hoping Santa will leave a Wii under their tree, so I've been looking into games they might enjoy. Since they love to practice singing and dance moves with their Butter Bites band, I want to find singing, dancing and musical activities. I saw a clip on the Disney Channel promoting their Sing It games, so I tracked down the song lists for two of the games.

The "original" Disney Sing It features the following favorites:
Aly and AJ – Potential Breakup Song
Aly and AJ – Chemicals React
Aly and AJ – Like Whoa
Camp Rock – Here I Am
Camp Rock – Hasta La Vista
Camp Rock – Play My Music
Camp Rock – Gotta Find You
Camp Rock – This Is Me
Camp Rock – Start The Party
Camp Rock – We Rock
High School Musical 2 – You Are The Music In Me
High School Musical 2 – What Time Is It?
High School Musical 2 – Fabulous
High School Musical 2 – Bet On It
High School Musical – Start Of Something New
High School Musical – Get’cha Head In The Game
High School Musical – Breaking Free
The Cheetah Girls 2 – The Party’s Just Begun
The Cheetah Girls 2 – Dance With Me
The Cheetah Girls 3 – One World
Everlife – Real Wild Child
Everlife – Find Yourself In You
Jordan Pruitt – Outside Looking In
Jordan Pruitt – Jump To The Rhythm
Jesse McCartney – She’s No You
Jump In – Push It To The Limit
Vanessa Hudgens – Say OK
Billy Ray Cyrus – Ready Set Don’t Go
Hannah Montana – Rock Star
Hannah Montana – Nobody’s Perfect
Hannah Montana – Life’s What You Make It
Hannah Montana – Best Of Both Worlds
Miley Cyrus – Start All Over
Miley Cyrus – See You Again
Miley Cyrus – G.N.O. (Girl’s Night Out)

Sing It Pop Hits continues the fun with:
Colbie Caillat - Bubbly
Colbie Caillat - Realize
Coldplay - Violet Hill
Demi Lovato - Don't Forget
Demi Lovato - Get Back
Demi Lovato - La La Land
Duffy - Mercy
Duffy - Warwick Avenue
Hannah Montana - Let's Do This
Hannah Montana - Let's Get Crazy
Jem - It's Amazing
Jesse McCartney - How Do You Sleep?
Jesse McCartney - It's Over
Jonas Brothers - Burnin' Up
Jonas Brothers - Hold On
Jonas Brothers - Love Bug
Jonas Brothers - SOS
Jonas Brothers - When You Look Me In The Eyes
Miley Cyrus - 7 Things
Miley Cyrus - Fly On The Wall
Miley Cyrus - Hoedown Throwdown
Miley Cyrus - The Climb
Mitchell Musso - The In Crowd
One Republic - Apologize
Steve Rushton - Emergency
Taylor Swift - Change
Taylor Swift - I'm Only Me When I'm With You
Vanessa Hudgens - Sneakernight
Love and Theft - Dont Wake Me Up
Hatching Pete - Let It Go

Just until the end of today (Halloween), Amazon is running a special offer where you buy $80 of video games (including either of the two Disney Sing It bundles) and get a $40 promotional credit for your next Wii, Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 video game purchase. Let's get shopping!

Not for today, but once I get a better understanding of all the musical options out there (and when I get my $40 promotional code from Amazon for the games I bought today), my friend Susan and I are intrigued (for our daughters or ourselves??) with Guitar Hero World Tour. There's a "Complete Band Game" bundle that appears to come with a microphone, guitar, and drum set, so the whole Butter Bites band could play at the same time. Have any of you tried it?

The other game I've heard of that I think my little Butter Bites would enjoy is Dance Dance Revolution, but there are several options to choose from, including bundles with different songs and multiple dance mats...it starts to get confusing to make sure we have enough remotes, mats and...nunchuks...what kind of crazy word is that??!!

My loyal Roxiticus Desperate Housewives readers know that I haven't had a lot of time to spend in the blogosphere lately, but if Santa delivers the Wii and we get all the pieces hooked up properly, I will commit to explaining to all of you just what you need to get started having family fun.