Christmas Present Crisis...John's Painting and Basking Ridge Electric to the Rescue!!

This year, the big item on London and Maddie’s Christmas wish list was “new bedrooms”…and we’ve been working on making it happen this week. Yesterday, John’s Painting (908-604-8759) from Basking Ridge did an awesome job. Maddie asked for Benjamin Moore’s Aquarius (788) blue walls and Bainbridge Blue (749) trim; London also chose Aquarius but with Meridian Blue (761) trim. Manny and his crew also saved the day by hanging 3X3 Style Tile Bulletin Boards from PB Teen in each of their rooms…a task Rex and I would never have had the handyman skills to accomplish on our own. Just looking at the instructions made me a little queasy, but the guys from John’s Painting are much more than painters. After they installed London and Maddie’s beautiful bulletin boards, we locked the girls out of their rooms until Christmas morning. They’re complaining a bit about sleeping together in the guest room for the next few days, but you know how sisters can be. They can’t get into too much trouble with Santa and his elf scout, Smootie Jr., keeping an eye on them.

There’s still an incredible amount of work to be done, and this morning I discovered that two different sets of outlets in London’s room aren’t working…no blown fuses, not even the weird reset buttons you find popped out in the bathrooms…Basking Ridge Electric to the rescue! I didn’t have a lot of hope that we could get an electrician out today or tomorrow, but when I called Basking Ridge Electric (908-766-1846) I was thrilled to hear that someone should be here within the hour. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!!

I Can't Say My Friends Didn't Warn Me...

This post brought to you by TracFone. All opinions are 100% mine.

My husband got an email from our wireless service provider, letting him know that since someone in our family had been enjoying their data plan soooo much during the month of July, perhaps it was time to upgrade to a plan that included more data for that special someone.  I grabbed my daughters' phone, and saw that they'd taken 28 photos and videos of their bedrooms here in the Roxiticus Valley and sent them from their phone to their Bay Head beach buddies...and it's gonna cost them.

If we were real TracFone customers, London and Maddie might not be in trouble.  It costs very little to get both of the girls their own Tracfone so we can stay in touch. TracFone offers the least expensive way to own and use a cell phone in America.... no contracts, no credit checks, no activation charges or cancelation fees. Best of all, no surprises!

London and Maddie can choose from brand name simple "Candy Bar" phones for under $10, or "Smart" phones with so many features from leading manufacturers like Motorola, LG, Kyocera, Samsung, and Nokia.  We can pay as we go, online or with cards we can pick up at thousands of retail stores around the country.  With a 1 year service card, the girls get so much more...double minutes for the life of their TracFone, and 800 minutes for only $119.00.  Other monthly plans include 200 minutes for under $30.00, or pay as little as $9.99 for 50 minutes.

Check out the video about some of the cool phone features:

<iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wepWyWER-Vg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

With terrific nationwide coverage and excellent reception/connectivity, London and Maddie are going to be real TracFone customers real soon!

New Neighbors!!

Rex, London, Maddie & I have been spending a lot of August at our beach house in Bay Head, NJ, but we drove back this morning for a bunch of errands...we're waiting for a delivery from Wine Library, Maddie has a pitching lesson with Kristyn at RBIs in Randolph, NJ, we need to pick up our Summer Stars DVD at Annie's Playhouse in Far Hills, NJ, London has a munchkin rehearsal tonight for Hexagon Players' Wizard of Oz, and we're hoping to have a swim in the pool and dinner with our NEW NEIGHBORS!! They moved in across the street last month and have THREE GIRLS...yippee!

Meeting our new neighbors got me thinking that I really, really need to update this blog and all of my Roxy's Best Of... local sites so that our new friends will have the latest information on all the cool things to do in the Greater Roxiticus Valley (Morris County and Somerset County, NJ). As London and Maddie have grown up and their interests have changed, I realize I should be posting a whole new set of recommendations....and reminding everyone about some of our old favorites with staying power.

Maddie's Found a Home at RBIs Baseball (and Softball) Academy in Randolph, NJ

While it has taken my tomboy, Maddie, a little longer than her older sister, London (the dancer), to find her passion, she's found it in softball and just can't get enough. This spring, Maddie pitched for our 3rd and 4th grade rec league team, the Mendham Minors Mets, who went 13-0 in the regular season only to lose a heartbreaker to the A's in the championship game, 12-11 in the 9th inning...she used a highly accurate slingshot delivery, earning the nickname Maddie "K" for all of her strikeouts. After seeing the 10-year-old all-stars and some of the local travel teams play ball, however, we quickly realized that Maddie would need to learn how to throw windmill to speed things up enough to be competitive. Through a friend, we found pitching coach Kristyn Depasquale at RBIs Baseball Academy in Randolph, NJ...and along with Kristyn came so much more...we signed up for a family membership at RBIs and have year-round access (one hour per day) to air conditioned, indoor batting cages (with a softball pitching machine) so that I don't have to try to throw 60mph to give the girls batting practice. So let it rain, let the temperatures heat up over 100 degrees, Maddie won't stop pitching...batting....fielding....and when it comes time for Fall Ball with the Branchburg Blaze, she'll be ready.

You can join Maddie for RBI's Fall Ball Baseball and Softball Workouts coming up on August 23rd, 24th and 25th. Continue reading...

Music Monday: Any Woman's Blues by Bessie Smith

This weekend at the beach, I started reading an old favorite from 1991, Any Woman's Blues: A Novel of Obsession by Erica Jong, which fits in nicely with last week's Billy Falcon "Power Windows" post on Roxy's Bay Head Blog. The first page takes me back in time:
"I listen for the sound of his motorcycle spraying pebbles on the curving driveway path. I imagine his body, his mocking mouth on mine, his curving cock, and I am a ruin of desire and the fight against desire. I don't know which is worse -- the desire or the anti-desire. Both undo me; both burn me and reduce me to ash."

Today, I smile because the heroine of the novel is 44 and I've now reached the age of 44, having long ago outgrown my obsession and moved on. Though the novel came out 20 years ago when I was in the midst of my own obsession, until today I had never listened to any of the compelling Bessie Smith music whose lyrics introduce most of the chapters, and from whom the novel draws its name. I'll apologize in advance that YouTube didn't really offer up a video, but you'll get the sound of it.



My man ain't acting right, he stays out late at night
And still he says he loves no one but me
But if I find that gal, that tries to steal my pal
I'll get her told, just you wait and see
I feel blue, I don't know what to do
Every woman in my fix
is bound to feel blue too, 'cause
I love my man better than I love myself
Lord, I love my man better than I love myself
And if he don't have me, he won't have nobody else
My man's got teeth like a lighthouse on the sea
My man's got teeth like a lighthouse on the sea
And ev'rytime he smiles he throws them lights on me
His voice sounds like chimes, I mean the organ kind
His voice sounds like chimes, I mean the organ kind
And ev'rytime he speaks his music ease my troubling mind

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge 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!

London and Maddie Celebrate 10th Anniversary of Upromise: London's Dream

This post brought to you by UPromise. All opinions are 100% mine.

If my baby girl London can really be ten years old, then Upromise must be celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year, too.  We had a spa resort themed slumber party and a birthday cake for London back in January, but www.upromisetodream.com is going all out, giving away $20,000 to members who share a story describing how a parent has supported a child's dream.

We joined Upromise right after London was born in 2001, and our family has saved over $10,000 for Maddie and London's education through the Upromise program.  In total, Upromise members have received more than $600 million in college savings through their rewards program, and it doesn't cost anything.  We just take advantage of Upromise savings everywhere we can, from a few pennies every time we go to Shop Rite in Chester, or going through the Upromise site when we shop online... we even refinanced our mortgages in the Roxiticus Valley and our beach house in Bay Head  through Upromise and Washington Mutual.  As one of my cheapskate ex-boyfriends used to say, a dollar here, a dollar there, it all adds up.

Now Upromise is celebrating all of the ways the program has helped to fuel those sparks that made children into the people they are today and the adults they will become tomorrow.  Upromise users can participate in the sweepstakes by submitting their stories online, and can vote on their favorite stories by “liking” them. Upromise will give away $1,000 to ten winners and a $10,000 grand prize winner will be selected from the participants.  Click on the link to the dream wall official rules, join the Upromise movement, share your experiences and give a spark to help fuel the flame of your own child's dreams for the future.

I'm going to submit one dream for Maddie, and one dream for London.  I'll talk about Maddie's dream over on Roxy's Bay Head Blog, but here on Roxiticus Desperate Housewives we'll feature her older sister, London.  I don't know where London got the graceful, leotard and tutu genes, but London is my dancer, my ballerina. She's been taking ballet lessons since she was three years old, and in September she'll join Ballet Forte in Chester, NJ, for Division II ballet, pointe and modern dance classes four or five days a week. When Rex and I see London perform, it moves us to tears...when she's on stage or at the barre, she's found her home. At 10, she already dreams of Juilliard, and I'll hope she continues to work hard to make her dream come true.

Click on the link to the Upromise dream wall, and leave a comment here on my blog post to share your dreams.

London Ready for Fall Dance Classes at Ballet Forte in Chester, NJ

Through dance and softball, my two daughters, London and Maddie, have found their respective passions. I've always believed that having that kind of passion is a positive for everything in life. For me, it was radio stations. I dreamed of becoming a disc jockey and owning radio stations, and always found a way to write about radio for my school assignments...from high school through graduate school...and it truly shaped my life to where I am/who I am today. As their dance rehearsals and softball practice involve a greater commitment (four or five days a week), I hope that London and Maddie's non-academic pursuits will enhance, rather than hinder, their success at school. So far, so good...our family just doesn't have time to watch much television, which none of us really miss.

I don't know where London got her graceful genes, but as she's grown up she's only become a more beautiful, confident dancer. The closest I get to dance is the audience when London is performing, or reading about it, most recently revisiting Martha Graham's Autobiography, Blood Memory:

"I believe that we learn by practice. Whether it means to learn to dance by practicing dancing or to learn to live by practicing living, the principles are the same. In each it is the performance of a dedicated precise set of acts, physical or intellectual, from which comes shape of achievement, a sense of one's being, a satisfaction of spirit. One becomes in some area an athlete of God."

"To practice means to perform, in the face of all obstacles, some act of vision, of faith, of desire. Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired."

So in September, London moves on to begin Division II classes with Ballet Forte in Chester, NJ... a pre-professional dance conservatory dedicated to the development of each dancer as an individual. For the past seven years, Ballet Forte has offered dancers ages 5 to 18 a place to grow, focusing on personalized attention....they look at the whole dancer as an artist whose instrument is her body. When London joined Ballet Forte for a trial lesson this spring, I saw her at the barre and knew that she was home.

Ballet Forte at Wings Conservatory, 338 Main Street, Suite 2, Chester, NJ. Phone: (908) 879-8717.

Straight Up

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

From time to time, my friends and loyal Roxiticus Desperate Housewives readers know that I can't help but draw comparisons between my professional (investment banking) life and my personal (family) life, and there are some things that shouldn't cross over from one to the other.  For example, I expect to be tough in negotiations to sell a client's company, but I feel like I shouldn't have to be ready for a fight with other parents when it comes to our children's sports. As another example, I deal with contracts all the time for work, but I'd have to be crazy to sign a cell phone contract for London and Maddie when you can get everything you need without one by going with Straight Talk. No contracts, no surprise bills and no credit checks.

Once I cut my cell phone bill in half with Straight Talk, I'll feel so much richer I can treat my family to dinner out more often at some of our favorite restaurants...soft shell crabs and ribeye steak at Sammy's, here we come!

With great nationwide coverage and excellent reception/connectivity, Straight Talk only uses trusted phone manufacturers like Motorola, LG, Nokia, Kyocera, and Samsung, all free from activation, reactivation, or termination fees. Reconditioned phones start at $10...great choice for kids who are tough on their toys. Or reward responsibility with a wide selection of amazing smart phones. There are several monthly plans to choose from...tthe “All You Need Plan” with 1000 minutes, 1000 texts, and 30MB of web data, meets even the needs of heavy phone users. Unlimited Monthly service is only $45, and includes calls, text, picture messaging, and web.  Imagine unlimited calls, text, picture messaging and web for a whole year, for only $499.00!

Straight Talk International Long Distance Service is a flexible prepaid calling service that enables you to call a friend in another country from your home, cell or office phone at low rates.

Check out the funny Straight Talk commercial in the video below:

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Straight Talk had me -- hook, line and sinker -- at hello.

Music Monday: "Heaven's Highest Hill" by Billy Falcon

This weekend, we were down at our beach house in Bay Head, NJ (Billy Falcon theme week at Roxy's Bay Head Blog, too), and while the rain came down on Friday night I was listening to some 80s/early 90s classics on the iPod and looking back... for a bunch of different reasons: Saturday would have been my mom's 86th birthday, and I've been cleaning out the garage here in Mendham, digging through my family's old paperwork...I found the $35 receipt from 1972 for the beloved beagle-terrier mutt I grew up with, and the program from my college graduation. So when Billy Falcon's "Heaven's Highest Hill" came on, I knew that would be my theme for this week's Music Monday. In 1987, Billy Falcon's wife passed away at the age of 29 (breast cancer). He wrote this song in her honor.



How do I tell my baby, "Mama's not coming home"?
How do I tell myself I'll be staying alone? Oh, I...I can't stop crying.
She'll say,"Daddy, I wanna hold her...wanna see her again.
I wanna kiss her..wanna touch her." Oooo, what can I say? So do I.

Oh Mama, I'm missing you real bad.
But, it don't do me no good sittin' thinking 'bout what we had...

Love don't stop...it goes on forever.
Love don't stop...and it never will.
Love don't stop...one day we'll be together.
Love don't stop...and I'll sing this song to you someday from heaven's highest hill.

How 'm I gonna look into those big brown eyes
when she wakes up crying out in the middle of the night for the Mama?
How will I make it better?
The house is full of people but nobody's home.
Everybody's here and I'm all alone calling out your name
but, there's no answer.
Oh Mama, last night she told me not to cry.
I swear I see you every time she smiles.

Love don't stop...it goes on forever.
Love don't stop...and it never will.
Love don't stop...one day we'll be together.
Love don't stop...and I'll sing this song to you someday from heaven's highest hill.

I don't know if you hear me. Sometimes I'd like to think you do.
All the things we been fightin' for, I'm gonna make them all come true.
And these arms, they ache to hold you-and I know one day I will.
I'll meet you in the tall grass up on heaven's highest...

Love don't stop...it goes on forever.
Love don't stop...and it never will.
Love don't stop...one day we'll be together.
Love don't stop...and I'll sing this song to you someday on heaven's highest hill.
(love don't stop)
(love don't stop) one day we'll be together
(love don't stop) on heaven's highest hill
(love don't stop) our love goes on forever
(love don't stop) and it always will
(love don't stop)

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge 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!

London and Maddie Growing Up Too Fast

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TracFone for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Over the past year or so, I haven't been spending as much time in the blogosphere as I used to and some of my loyal Roxiticus Desperate Housewives readers may be wondering why...I've been busy with my "day job" in investment banking, but more importantly, my little girls are growing up and, particularly since my mom passed away last year and a number of young mothers I know have been diagnosed with cancer, I've realized how precious my time with London and Maddie is...so their spending time with my family, getting to the girls important events, hanging out at the beach and the pool -- all come before blogging.

That said, I can't stop London and Maddie from growing up, but I can take steps to make it easier on me. Like getting the girls their own cell phone so they can keep in touch with me from wherever they may be -- slumber parties, softball practice, Annie's Playhouse Summer Stars camp, ballet and Wizard of Oz rehearsals, or out at Centennial Park in Bay Head walking the dogs.  As plenty of real TracFone customers know, Tracfone is a low cost option that makes a lot of sense this summer. It costs very little to get London and Maddie a Tracfone so we can stay in touch.  There are no contracts, no credit checks, no activation charges or cancelation fees. No stress and no surprises.  

Tracfone offers great nationwide coverage and excellent reception/connectivity, a choice of brand name phones from leading manufacturers like Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, LG and Kyocera. Monthly plans include the option to pay as you go online or with cards available at thousands of retail stores across the country. With 1 year service cards, real TracFone customers receive double minutes for the life of their TracFone and 800 minutes for only $119. Or  choose monthly plans with 200 minutes for under $30.00, and as low as $9.99 for 50 minutes. Tracfone is the only wireless service where you can call internationally to over 60 international destiinations for the same price as any other call, so I could even borrow London and Maddie's Tracfone to call up my blogosphere buddies LadyJava and Mariuca across the globe!

Phone's ringing... must be time to pick the girls so they can enjoy some quality time with their mother.  While I'm gone, check out this YouTube video about Tracfone:

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Music Monday: "Girlfriend" by Matthew Sweet

I'm too sleepy at the moment to explain the connection, but Rex and I watched Black Swan last night, and seeing Winona Ryder made me think of Matthew Sweet and his song, "Girlfriend." Over the rest of the summer, particularly when we're down at our beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey, I'm going to try harder to get back into the blogosphere, including visiting some of my long neglected blogosphere buddies around the globe. In the meantime, enjoy the video...sing along if you remember it.



I wanna love somebody
I hear you need somebody to love
Oh, I wanna love somebody
I hear you're looking for someone to love

'Cause you need to be back
In the arms of a good friend
And I need to be back
In the arms of a girlfriend

I didn't know nobody
And then I saw you coming my way
Oh, I didn't know nobody
And then I saw you coming my way

Don't you need to be back
In the arms of a good friend?
Oh, 'cause, honey, believe me
I'd sure love to call you my girlfriend

Alright

Don't you need to be back
In the arms of a good friend?
Oh, 'cause, honey, believe me
I'd sure love to call you my girlfriend

'Cause you got a good thing going, baby
You only need somebody to love
Oh, you got a good thing going
You're only looking for someone to love

'Cause you need to get back
In the arms of a good friend

And I'm never gonna set you free
No, I'm never gonna set you free

I wanna love somebody
I hear you need somebody to love
Oh, I wanna love somebody
I hear you're looking for someone to love

'Cause you need to be back
In the arms of a good friend
And I need to be back
In the arms of a girlfriend

I didn't know nobody
And then I saw you coming my way
Oh, I didn't know nobody
And then I saw you coming my way

Don't you need to be back
In the arms of a good friend?
Oh, 'cause, honey, believe me
I'd sure love to call you my girlfriend

Alright

Don't you need to be back
In the arms of a good friend?
Oh, 'cause, honey, believe me
I'd sure love to call you my girlfriend

'Cause you got a good thing going, baby
You only need somebody to love
Oh, you got a good thing going
You're only looking for someone to love

'Cause you need to get back
In the arms of a good friend

And I'm never gonna set you free
No, I'm never gonna set you free

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge 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!

My First Year with Wii Fit

Yeah, I know it's been a long time since I've posted here, but I'm not even going to bother with excuses. This past weekend, I hosted a long overdue mini-reunion with a bunch of the gurlz from high school, and I told them where to find my blog...so I oughtta at least have something more current at the top of the page.

Anyway, my Wii Fit announced this morning that I'm up to my 364th day, so tomorrow we will celebrate our one year anniversary. Even though Santa delivered my Wii Fit the same time he brought London and Maddie the Wii, I never hooked it up until late last June, when my sister Aunt Veg was in town for the memorial service when my mom passed away. Aunt Veg and the girls set it up and tried it out, but I apparently didn't get motivated to start until three weeks later on July 20, 2010. Since then, I've spent 63.5 hours (more than an hour per week!) working out on the Wii Fit, I've lost 10 pounds, been handed a range from a low of 20 years old and a high of 68 as my Wii Fit age, and I've been better about making exercise a regular part of my life....which is not to say I like it. Lately I've been bored with my workout, whether it includes stepping and balance games on the Wii Fit, a mile or two on the elliptical trainer with a mix playlist on the iPod, or making the circuit on my weight machine.

Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone...Roxy and family are headed to Sol Mexican Cantina in Branchburg, NJ to celebrate tonight with margaritas...and I'm sure you all know what tequila does to me.

Music Monday: Go All the Way by Eric Carmen and the Raspberries

Due to stress at my real job as well as my awesome new responsibilities as the manager of London and Maddie's softball team, I've been neglecting my blog lately, but wanted to make it back with a bang for this week's Music Monday. I've told the girls we need a theme song for the Mendham Minors Mets, and thought briefly about "Who Let the Dogs Out?" like the New York Mets played at Shea Stadium for a while (still?) during the 7th inning stretch. Then we were driving home from practice one night and "Go All the Way" by Eric Carmen and the Raspberries came on the Blend (Sirius XM)...the girls loved it and with our team 5-0, it feels like a great team song to inspire the girls to go all the way to the league championship. Perhaps the other team parents will question the lyrics, but it's probably a step up from the usual "let you put your hands on me in my skin tight jeans, be your teenage dream tonight" coming from the girls in the back seat of our car or "I'm not here for your entertainment...it's just you and your hand tonight" that we sing while baking cookies here at Roxy's house.

Lucky for all of my loyal Roxiticus Desperate Housewives readers, I tracked down not one but two great versions of Eric Carmen and the Raspberries singing "Go All the Way." Here they are lip-syncing on the Mike Douglas show in 1974, when I was younger than London and Maddie are today:


And, more than 30 years later, here they are live in 2005 with Eric Carmen looking hotter at 50 or so than he did when he was first starting out.




I never knew how complete love could be
'Til she kissed me and said, baby

CHORUS
Please, go all the way
It feels so right
Being with you here, tonight
Please, go all the way
Just hold me close
Don't ever let me go

I coudn't say what I wanted to say
'Til she whispered I love you, so

Please, go all the way
It feels so right
Being with you here, tonight
Please, go all the way
Just hold me close
Don't ever let me go

Before her alone, I was cruel and mean
There was a hole in the place where my heart should have been

But now I'm changed, and I feel so strange
I come alive when she says all those things to me

And she says (come on)
Come on (come on)
(come on)
Come on (come on)
I need you (come on)
I love you (come on)
I need you (come on)
(come on)

CHORUS
Please, go all the way
It feels so right
Being with you here, tonight
Please, go all the way
Just hold me close
Don't ever let me go

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge 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!

March Madness Bracket Contests 2011

Just like last year, the team here at Roxiticus Desperate Housewives has done all the research for you to make the most of your March Madness 2011 experience. Hint to our readers: the contests get better as you scroll down.

First, ESPN has posted their 2011 March Madness Tournament Challenge, and I'm afraid $10,000 is not nearly as interesting as a million bucks. You'd think with sponsors like State Farm and Sprint, ESPN could pony up the money to make it a little more interesting for us.

The CBS Sports Bracket Challenge is offering a chance to win four tickets to the 2012 Final Four.
The good news: this year, BracketContest.com is again offering to pay one million dollars for the perfect bracket. The bad news: two years ago, all I had to give up to register was my e-mail address, snail mail address, and phone number, and they kept my mailbox full of scantily clad women and swimsuit calendars all year long. Last year, prizes would only be paid to participants that have an active account at Jazz Sportsbook or ABC Islands. An active account is defined as having funds and having played at least $50 during four out of the past seven days. Last year I passed on giving up my bank account and stuck with the free stuff....this year, I can't tell if they're going to require more information from me before I can submit my million-dollar-bracket...will let you know. I'm sending the swimsuit calendars to my office this year to keep the boys guessing.

WRALSportsFan.com has a $1,000,000 Bracket Challenge. Getting 1 or 2 wrong gets you $10,000. Miss 3 games and you can still win $1,000.

So here's the best perfect bracket contest I've found: Yahoo is offering a shot at $1 million in the Yahoo Sports Tourney Pick 'Em 2011!! Each person/household/Yahoo ID can fill out five (5) different brackets for five shots at the million bucks.

Having found our readers all of the March Madness Perfect Bracket Challenges you need AND cheered the local Mendham Patriots 5th grade girls to a 15-14 buzzer beater victory over Chester. Roxiticus Desperate Housewives must rest. Stay tuned for more March Madness and if you're the one with the perfect bracket, please thank us with an appropriate share of your winnings.

Local March Madness on Selection Sunday 3/13: Mendham vs. Chester Girls Basketball

The Mendham Patriots 5th grade girls’ travel basketball team finished their inaugural season in the Garden State League with 11 wins and 3 losses. After receiving a first round bye Mendham now opens the playoffs at home against arch rival Chester. Chester is fresh off a stunning victory at Hanover and is looking to avenge a February defeat at home at the hands of the Patriots. This one has all the makings of a nip and tuck battle that will go down to the final buzzer. Chester will bring a large contingent of friends and family with them so Mendham girls really need your help to maintain the home court advantage.

Game time is Sunday, March 13th, 3:30 PM at Mendham Township Middle School.

We hope to see you all there… Go Patriots!

Music Monday: Breathless by the Corrs

I'll be the first to admit, I have no excuses and can't explain what has kept me so busy that I haven't been blogging lately...I even missed Music Monday on Valentine's Day. I have been working on a couple of key transactions at my real job, London and Maddie and the Fighting Irish have kept me busy with rec league basketball and auditions for the Wizard of Oz, and I've been working out as much as I can in the hope of fitting into my circa 1995 Daisy Dukes for spring break in Southern California, but still...

Over on Roxy's Bay Head Blog, I'm hoping to post a Music Monday tribute to DJ Trish for sending me a workout mix that has enabled me to get up to 1.5 miles and 11 minutes without taking a break and lying down on the gym floor...but here on Roxiticus Desperate Housewives, I must own up to the realistic effect my workout has on me...go on, go on, leave me breathless.



Go on, go on, leave me breathless
Come on...

The daylight's fading slowly
but time with you is standing still
I'm waiting for you only
The slightest touch and I'll feel weak

I cannot lie
From you I cannot hide
I'm losing the will to try
Can't hide it (can't hide it)
Can't fight it (can't fight it)
So...

Go on, go on, come on leave me breathless
Tempt me, tease me until I can't deny this
loving feeling, make me long for your kiss
Go on, go on
Yeah, come on...

And if there's no tomorrow
And all we have is here and now
I'm happy just to have you
You're all the love I need somehow

It's like a dream
Although I'm not asleep
I never want to wake up
Don't lose it (don't lose it)
Don't leave me (don't leave me)

Go on, go on, come on leave me breathless
Tempt me, tease me until I can't deny this
loving feeling, make me long for your kiss
Go on, go on
Yeah, come on...



And I can't lie
From you I cannot hide
I've lost my will to try
Can't hide it (can't hide it)
Can't fight it (can't fight it)
So...

Go on, go on, come on leave me breathless
Tempt me, tease me until I can't deny this
loving feeling, make me long for your kiss
Go on, go on
Yeah, come on...

Go on, go on, come on leave me breathless (leave me breathless)
Go on, go on, come on leave me breathless (leave me breathless)
Go on, go on, come on leave me breathless (leave me breathless)
Go on, go on

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge 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!

Baby, Baby, Baby Ooh

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PBM Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

London and Maddie tell me Justin Bieber is out these days (Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and Jason Derulo are still in), but Justin's "baby, baby, baby ooh" is about as close as our family is likely to get to diapers and baby formula these days.  But for those of my friends in the Roxiticus Valley who are going around again with a new baby, I'm here to let you know you can get a good deal on Bright Beginnings infant formula on diapers.com.  If you use code GET30BACK to buy diapers or  GET10PCT for Bright Beginnings formula or anything else you buy on diapers.com, you'll get 30% cash back on diapers or save 10% on everything else.

The girls have also been kidding me about the time I spend on Facebook, but I enjoy catching up with my old high school friends online. So far I haven't been caught up in the drama of un-friending, though I have seen my friends change their Facebook status from married to separated, and wonder if I should be organizing my Facebook friends into groups like "Awesome Single Dads" and "Hot Girlfriends Who Deserve Better" and let them sort themselves out.  Meanwhile, I'll go on enjoying the daily Facebook updates on my beloved New York Yankees and Syracuse Orange, and find out who the Knicks will have to give up to get Carmelo Anthony before the trade deadline.  And my knocked-up Facebook friend P!nk can "like" the Bright Beginnings on Facebook Fan Page to get updates on the best deals on infant formula for her baby on the way.

Music Monday: U + Ur Hand by Pink

Well I know LadyJava did a P!nk Music Monday theme a couple weeks back, but I was baking cupcakes with London over the weekend and listening closely to the lyrics of "U + Ur Hand" and couldn't resist sharing it with all of you as a kiss-off line I sure could have used back in the day. Thankfully my newly minted 10-year-old didn't ask me for a "birds and the bees" explanation.



Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh
Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh
Check it out
Going out
On the late night
Looking tight
Feeling nice
It's a **** fight
I can tell
I just know
That it's going down
Tonight
At the door we don't wait cause we know them
At the bar six shots just beginning
That's when dick head put his hands on me
But you see

I'm not here for your entertainment
You don't really want to mess with me tonight
Just stop and take a second
I was fine before you walked into my life
Cause you know it's over
Before it began
Keep your drink just give me the money
It's just you and your hand tonight

Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh
Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh

Midnight
I'm drunk
I don't give a ***k
Wanna dance
By myself
Guess you're outta luck
Don't touch
Back up
I'm not the one
Buh bye
Listen up it's just not happening
You can say what you want to your boyfriends
Just let me have my fun tonight
Aiight

I'm not here for your entertainment
You don't really want to mess with me tonight
Just stop and take a second
I was fine before you walked into my life
Cause you know it's over
Before it began
Keep your drink just give me the money
It's just you and your hand tonight

Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh
Break break
Break it down

In the corner with your boys you bet 'em five bucks
You'd get the girl that just walked in but she thinks you suck
We didn't get all dressed up just for you to see
So quit spilling your drinks on me yeah

You know who you are
High fivin, talking ****, but you're going home alone arentcha?

Cause I'm not here for your entertainment
No
You don't really want to mess with me tonight
Just stop and take a second
Just stop and take a second
I was fine before you walked into my life
Cause you know it's over
Know it's over
Before it began
Keep your drink just give me the money
It's just you and your hand tonight
It's just you and your hand

I'm not here for your entertainment
No no no
You don't really want to mess with me tonight
Just stop and take a second
Just take a second
I was fine before you walked into my life
Cause you know it's over
Before it began
Keep your drink just give me the money
It's just you and your hand tonight

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge 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 the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Music Monday for London's 10th Birthday: I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing by Aerosmith

Happy birthday to my beautiful 10-year-old. From the Bernards Inn to the batting cage to the birthday resort spa, I don't wanna miss a thing...

I could stay awake just to hear you breathing
Watch you smile while you are sleeping
Far away and dreaming
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Well, every moment spent with you
Is a moment I treasure

I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing

Lying close to you
Feeling your heart beating
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming
Wondering if it's me you're seeing
Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together
And I just wanna stay with you
In this moment forever, forever and ever

I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing

I don't wanna miss one smile
I don't wanna miss one kiss
Well, I just wanna be with you
Right here with you, just like this
I just wanna hold you close
Feel your heart so close to mine
And stay here in this moment
For all the rest of time

Don't wanna close my eyes
Don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
'Cause I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing


I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge 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!

Music Monday: Don't Wanna Fall in Love by Jane Child

Way before there was Gaga, there was Jane Child...a skinny white girl with spiked hair with long braids and a chain linking her nose ring to her earrings who brought us "Don't Wanna Fall in Love" in 1990.

As with many of my recent Music Monday posts, I've been working out with this tune on my iPod trying to get back my legendary abs from the 90s and hope it will get you up and moving, too. Apologies in advance if you have to watch a commercial to get to the video, but I couldn't find an embeddable video without the ad, but trust me it is worth the wait...you make that knife feel good...enjoy!


Jane Child - Don't Wanna Fall In Love
Uploaded by Warner-Music. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

Ain't no personal thing, boy
but you have got to stay away
far, far away from my heart, my heart
Don't you know what your kiss is doing?
Let me tell it to you from the start, boy

I don't wanna fall in love, no no
Love cuts just like a knife, woo woo
You make the knife feel good baby
I'll fight you to the end

You've been hanging around, boy
And you have started sinking in
Whoa baby you're way out of line now
unaware how this all got started
Let me tell it to you one more time boy

I don't wanna fall in love no no
love cuts just like a knife woo woo
you make the knife feel good baby
I'll fight you to the end
repeat

I learned something about myself
last night with you I knew
I didn't want nobody else
And you're scaring me to death now baby

I don't wanna fall in love no no
Love cuts just like a knife woo woo
You make the knife feel good baby
I'll fight you to the end

I don't wanna fall in love no no
Love cuts just like a knife woo woo
You make the knife feel good baby
I'll fight you to the end

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge 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!

Music Monday for London and Maddie: Sisters by the Cheetah Girls

This week's Music Monday post is a tribute to sisters, specifically my two girls, London and Maddie. I know I haven't been good about updating my blog over the past six months or so, but that doesn't mean I don't have stories to tell.

Back in mid-December, I posted the following update to my Facebook page: "I was driving back from Christmas shopping in Flemington, through hometown Branchburg, when it hit me pretty hard that this would be my first Christmas without my mom, who passed away in June just shy of her 85th birthday. It's also likely to be the last year when my girls (now 8 and 9) still share that innocent wonder about the magic of Santa Claus. Time to create some new traditions that bring joy to Who-ville." I was overwhelmed by the response from friends, many of whom I haven't seen in more than 20 years. We planned a Boxing Day reunion at my house for a bunch of my high school girlfriends who have moved away to California and Virginia and Pennsylvania, and even though the event itself was snowed out, we've kept in touch and will likely get together over the summer.

Another one of my high school friends proposed that I play off our family's Pop-Tart Fridays to create a new family tradition: go to Pop-Tart World in Times Square for breakfast, then ice skating at the Pond in Bryant Park. We didn't have time to do it over the holidays, but decided it was the perfect plan for Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. Unfortunately, Pop-Tart World closed down a few days before our event, but we ended up at Crumbs Bakery with four cupcakes (480 - 550 calories each!!) for breakfast: dulce de leche, smores, peanut butter cup, and baba booey. Then on to the Pond!

It turned out to be the perfect personal tribute to my mom...although I didn't mention anything to Rex or the girls, my mom was on my mind...in a good "watching over you" kind of way. I was also tearful behind my sunglasses, again in a good way, because of the way my girls stuck together while skating around the rink. While Rex and I couldn't keep up with the girls, they were just so good about looking out for each other on the ice. As I chased them around the Pond, I reflected on how perfectly the two of them play together -- softball last spring and now Fighting Irish twins on the same basketball team -- and I realized that no matter how often they may fight at home, they've always got each other's back.

Cause we are sisters
We stand together
We make up one big family though we don't look the same
Our spots are different
Different colors
We make each other stronger
That ain't ever gonna change

London and Maddie, this one's for you:



There's a time when we all choose
To either quit or follow through
To just lose faith
Or trust your heart
To somehow lead you through the dark
You're not the only one who's dreamin'
And who needs help to carry on
We might get lonely but we're not alone

Chorus:
Cause we are sisters
We stand together
We make up one big family though we don't look the same
Our spots are different
Different colors
We make each other stronger
That ain't ever gonna change
We're cheetah girls cheetah sisters

Gotta do what we gotta do
Got the brains, got the power and we speak the truth
We're from everywhere all around the world
So ya best respect the cheetah girls
Dancing, singing from our birth
Working hard for what we deserve
Trying not to break the rules
'Cause mama didn't raise no fools
It may seem we're only dreaming
And we need help to carry on
It's good to know we're not alone

Chorus:
Cause we are sisters
We stand together
We make up one big family though we don't look the same
Our spots are different
Different colors
We make each other stronger
That ain't ever gonna change
Believe it mister
We're cheetah girls cheetah sisters

Bridge:
Someone's always there behind
To catch us if we fall

Chorus:
Cause we are sisters
We stand together
We make up one big family though we don't look the same
Our spots are different
Different colors
We make each other stronger
That ain't ever gonna change

Believe it mister
We're cheetah girls cheetah sisters

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge 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!

Music Monday: Cosmo Gettin' Busy Theme Criminal Fiona Apple

Last week, Cosmo put together a "Gettin' Busy" playlist. I was pleased to see that Fiona Apple's "Criminal" made the list, I'd need to rough it up a bit with some AC/DC ("You Shook Me All Night Long")...but I have a question for my loyal Roxiticus Desperate Housewives readers: am I the only one who likes to work out to gettin' busy music? It takes my mind off my suffering when I'm trying to finish 3 miles on the elliptical trainer or do five more crunches...




I've been a bad, bad girl
I've been careless with a delicate man
And it's a sad, sad world
When a girl will break a boy just because she can

Don't you tell me to deny it
I've done wrong and I want to suffer for my sins
I've come to you 'cause I need guidance to be true
And I just don't know where I can begin

What I need is a good defense
'Cause I'm feeling like a criminal
And I need to be redeemed
To the one I've sinned against
Because he's all I ever knew of love

Heaven help me for the way I am
Save me from these evil deeds before I get them done
I know tomorrow brings the consequence at hand
But I keep living this day like the next will never come

Oh help me but don't tell me to deny it
I've got to cleanse myself of all these lies 'till I'm good enough for him
I've got a lot to lose and I'm bettin' high so I'm begging you
Before it ends just tell me where to begin

What I need is a good defense
'Cause I'm feeling like a criminal
And I need to be redeemed
To the one I've sinned against
Because he's all I ever knew of love

Let me know the way
Before there's hell to pay
Give me room to lay the law and let me go
I've got to make a play
To make my lover stay
So what would an angel say, the devil wants to know

What I need is a good defense
Cause I'm feelin' like a criminal
And I need to be redeemed
To the one I've sinned against
Because he's all I ever knew of love

What I need is a good defense
'Cause I'm feeling like a criminal
And I need to be redeemed
To the one I've sinned against
Because he's all I ever knew of looooooooooooooooooooooooooove
Yeah yeah yeah uhh uhh uhhhhhh...

Hey hey hey haaayyyyyyyyyyyyy yeahhhhhhh yeahhhhhhhhhh hiyee ehhh...

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

Day Late Music Monday: Baker Street RIP Gerry Rafferty

I was just trying to decide on a song for this week's Music Monday when I learned that Gerry Rafferty had passed away. What better tribute than his classic "Baker Street"...RIP Gerry...you're goin', you're going home.



Windin' your way down on Baker Street
Light in your head and dead on your feet
Well another crazy day
You'll drink the night away
And forget about everything
This city desert makes you feel so cold.
It's got so many people but it's got no soul
And it's taking you so long
To find out you were wrong
When you thought it had everything

You used to think that it was so easy
You used to say that it was so easy
But you're tryin'
You're tryin' now
Another year and then you'll be happy
Just one more year and then you'll be happy
But you're cryin'
You're cryin' now

Way down the street there's a lad in his place
He opens the door he's got that look on his face
And he asks you where you've been
You tell him who you've seen
And you talk about anything

He's got this dream about buyin' some land
He's gonna give up the booze and the one night stands
And then he'll settle down there's a quiet little town
And forget about everything

But you know he'll always keep movin'
You know he's never gonna stop movin
Cus he's rollin'
He's the rollin' stone

And when you wake up it's a new mornin'
The sun is shinin' it's a new morning
You're goin'
You're goin' home.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge 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!