More on the Christmas Presents

Ok I found the actual list that Marie made while at Toys R Us. So here they are..

Bella Dancerella Home Ballet Studio w/ VHS instruction and ballet bar
Just like home Dairy Queen Playset
Just like home Subway Play Food Set
Polly Pocket Rock n Roller Coaster Hotel
Polly Pocket Quick Click House of Style
Polly Pocket Pet Friends Gift Set
Leapster Software: Sponge Bob Square Pants

Hope everyone can find something of interest. I am off to watch my apprentice Martha Stewart that I taped. I SHOULD have been on this show!

Christmas Present Wish List

As requested by many here is our Christmas present wish list.

JJ - Gift cards to Lowe's. He wants more tools from Sears, but he has been getting tools for the past few years so I convinced him that it would be better to get Lowe's cards so he can get wood. So he wants Lowe's.

Jamie
Creative Memories - Memory Mate Carryall - $52.00
Creative Memories - DecoFile Decorative Supply Organizer - $20.00
Creative Memories - DecoFile Folders - $12.00
Starbucks Gift Cards
Hobby Lobby Gift Cards
Target Gift Cards - we are in need of new side tables and some new furniture stuffs to start replacing some old pieces.
Anything Burberry

Marie
Fisher Price Star Station - 49.99
Disney Princess Cinderella Magical Talking Vanity - 69.99
Fisher Price Power Wheels Dora ATV Power Wheel - $199.99
Polly Pocket Snow Cool Hotel Playset - $29.99
Polly Pocket Cool Careers Gift Set - $16.99
Dora Slumber Sofa - $34.99
Crayola Color Wonder Variety Pack - $14.99
Crayola Color Wonder Finger Paints - $7.99
Leapster Electronic Book Finding Nemo - $19.99
Leapster Recharging Kit - $29.99

I am sure there is more that Marie wants, but I don't remember. She comes and tells me something almost daily so I will update when she tells me more. I ask everyone to please not send Stuffed Animals, Barbies, or Polly Pockets other than the ones listed. I realized we have 16 barbies and an entire case of pollies.

So far this is our list so I hope there is something you can find that is interesting! Love to all.

Clean Sweep

Some of you know this, but for those who don't I will fill you in. I decided to do a clean sweep on Marie's bedroom. (Clean Sweep is a TV show on TLC) Well the main point of clean sweep is to get all of your stuff out of the room and go through it. So I did just that. I pulled ALL of her stuff out and put it in the hallway and various different locations through the house. What started all this is the fact we got Marie a loft bed for an early Christmas present. (Loft bed is an elevated bed where she can play under. This bed is not very high as JJ can still stand next to it and read her a story) Anyway after everything was out and all over the house I cleaned the carpet thanks to my neighbor Jenna and her steam cleaner! Then it came to my mind that we were supposed to have company on Wednesday. (this was Monday by the way and the bed came Tuesday) So I had to work and work and work, but let me tell you it looks beautiful. You can now see no toys. They are all under the bed and the bed came with curtains to cover everything up. A neat freaks best friend! This morning I put everything under and feel so good about her room. Actually there is an exception. I need hooks hung in her closet so I can hang all of her bags and purses and get them off the floor. Then after I clean the rest of the house I am going to go though all of her clothes. Some how she hit a growth spurt and nothing fits her! I am not looking forward to the teenage years.

So we have done the clean sweep thing and there are a lot of stuffed toys that are going to charity. We still have not even made a dent in her stuffed toys, but we took out what she would not miss! It is getting close to time to leave for school and since someone requested breakfast in bed she is still in bed! I figured it was the first night in her new bed so....


PS When I get home in a little while if I get the kitchen floor cleaned I will post our Christmas wish list. If not it will get posted later this evening! So stay tuned!

Skating/Christmas

Happy day before Thanksgiving! As promised here is the first picture of Marie skating. She did in fact leave the wall and had a good time. We had to pretty much bribe her to leave because she did not want to. I know she will want to go back again soon. She is already talking about having her birthday party at the skate rink. How many months away is that seven?!

Well we are getting ready for the big day tomorrow. We are having ham and the fixings in a very laid back setting. We plan to clean the house tonight or during the day tomorrow and then pull out all the Christmas decorations and get ready for the next holiday.

I have such wonderful news for everyone! I have finished my Christmas shopping except for Marie! There are still some things that I have to make, but the purchasing part is finished. I cannot tell everyone how excited I am about this. It has been such a jungle in the stores the past few days that I cannot even imagine what it is going to be like closer to Christmas. I think I am going to get whatever we want for Marie online this year!

Well I need to get to cleaning this messy house so I can start getting in the Christmas spirit tomorrow. Plus I have a toll house pie to bake for JJ. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Harry Potter

Ok I just finished watching the latest in the line of Harry Potter movies. I hate to even be saying this, but I was not impressed. As a person who has read all the books I was completely confused while watching this movie. It felt very choppy and left out SO much important stuff. I won't go on for days and list everything just take my advice. If you liked the last one wait until this one comes to the dollar theater. Don't waste your time or money on it.

I will post more tomorrow with some pictures of Marie's first roller skating party!

Good night!

LSU

I believe I can say that LSU has won their game tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Geaux Tigers!!!!! and by the way for those of you who did not hear OU LOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are one very happy family here in Norman!

Blog Change

Ok I had my first blog spam so I have had to add a special step in order for everyone to post comments. You will just have to go through one security verification where it shows you some letters and numbers and you just type what you see. Also I have allowed anyone to post comments even if you are not registered. So grans you can now post any and all comments.

So sorry about the added step. I can't believe I am already dealing with spam on my second day. As JJ put it these are probably a bunch of kids who need to have their computers taken away.

Goodnight for now...

Oh so much...

Wow today has been quite eventful. Well not so much, but I am going to post anyway. Marie had pom class this afternoon after school. For those of you who do not know what pom is well it is a class where they are teaching Marie cheers and dances. She loves the classes. After pom we came home and JJ had a fire lit in the fire pit. We grilled italian sausages and ate outside. It was a little colder than I thought it would be so we kind of wrapped up and ate. Then we roasted marshmallows and made smores. This was the first time Marie had a smore that was cooked the correct way. I can't believe we have not taken her camping. She did not want to come inside and talked about wanting to bring her sleeping bag outside to sleep. I don't think so!

It was a very fun evening. I have to say I really love my family. We have so much fun together. We really laugh a lot which is such a great thing!

Well the evening was going ok until I hear JJ raise his voice. Apparently Marie pulled her her curtain rod out of the wall. Well it is now sitting in the living room and she was put to bed about 40 minutes ago. We had told her not to touch the rod, but she is 5 and it goes in one ear and out the other. I really don't want to put the rod back up since it is right by her bed, but they are room darkening and they really help her sleep longer. Perhaps we will have to buy some new blinds that will take care of that. Any ideas?

I need to go and find some hobby to work on. I have finished a lot of stuff and have been avoiding starting anything else, but I realized today while I was sitting at pom that I had no book or cross stitch to work on. I will have to change that. Oh by the way I am so excited! I was given the position of prayer leader in my bible study! We only have three more sessions this go around, but they want me to pick the next study and lead it. By the way does any one have any suggestions for a study to work on. I am looking at Life Management for Busy Women by Elizabeth George but I am still really open for suggestions! Beverly...Aunt Barb...Aunt Patty...Grans...Carmen...Christine

Off to find a new hobby! By the way Grans or Carmen can you pass along my site to Aunt Barb and Aunt Patty. I do not have their email addresses. It is on my computer that JJ has been working on for a few months so I don't have it. Thanks!

First New York Post

November 3, 2005
Day 1

Up at 3:30 a.m. to leave for the airport at 4:00 a.m. Our plane left ontime and we went through Dallas with a short stop then off to New York La Guardia. We landed at 11:50 a.m. ten minutes early. The approach was what I only could dream of. First I saw the statue of liberty. It looked so small on the island and in the middle of the harbor. Then the Manhattan skyline. It is what I always dreamed it would be, stunning.

So we got our luggage, got in a cab and started on our way to the hotel. Well the taxi driver stopped us a block away from the hotel and then told us we had to walk to the hotel. Well we were not about to drag our luggage. The cabbie tried to tell us it would take an extra hour to make the block. Well we made him take us directly to the door. He was so huffy about it so he only got a thirty cent tip.

The hotel was so cute and from the moment we entered everyone was so nice. We were too early so we could not check in, but could leave our luggage and go out and about. We did however find out that for some reason we had been upgraded to a jr. Deluxe king room. Not to look at gift horse in the mouth we said great and went to find lunch.

On our way to Trump Tower we passed radio city music hall (the musicians were striking), the ice rink, St. Patrick's Cathedral and so many other places. We ate in the bottom of Trump Tower. I had a cajun turkey sandwich (it was surprisingly spicy), a piece of white chocolate mousse cake and a sprite. They had the 'good' ice! (same as sonic ice!) The food was yummy, but pretty expensive.

We left lunch to find the Fendi flagship store that was supposed to open today. Well obviously our invites got lost so....We went to Tiffanys. They have elevator attendants! I bought two things. A present and then a ring for me. The ring says "Please return to tiffany's" I love it!

We left there and went to Bergdoff's shoe department. There were so many pairs of Manolos that I could have passed out! My dream pair, that I did not know existed, a pair of cheetah print kitten heel shoes, were there. They are still there :(

We left the store and went by the Plaza hotel, it is closed for remodeling. We were on the side of central park. Then through times square to our room.

We got checked in and what a room we have! We have so much space and there is even a couch. We were a little too tired having gotten up early and walking all day so we went to a place called Smiley's. It is like a convenience store with a buffet I got sesame chicken, noodles, papaya, pineapple, chicken Caesar salad, yogurt and a cherry coke. When we walked back after filling up our to go plates we went back through times square. I was so shocked by how many lights were on! It was brighter tonight than it was during the day. Off to sleep!

November 4, 2005
Day 2

My eyes popped open a little after six. I took my shower, got ready, and we hit the road. We walked to where they tape the today show. We saw Matt Lauer, Katie Couric, and Al Roker. We got a great surprise when across the street at the ice rink at Rockefeller center Dorothy Hamil was skating. She looked so beautiful and graceful skating along.

We met two ladies who were going to run the marathon on Sunday and exchanged info with them. We considered going on the NBC studio tour, but instead decided to go to the top of the rock (top of Rockefeller center). We found out it just opened on the 1st. We got a coupon for buy one get one free tickets. We took a very cool elevator to the top. They had a clear ceiling that projected pictures. Also all the way up there were neon light sticks leading the way up. The view was amazing! You could see for miles. It really gave me a great perspective on the city. Wow what a view!

From the top of the rock we headed out for some shopping. American Girl, Burberry, Barney's, and Bloomingdales. I have discovered at Barney's there is no way I can ever afford to purchase anything at all! I am in love with Burberry. I want the $695 long poncho, but will dream about that for a very long time! In my dreams!

After shopping we went to China Grill to eat. The food was great. I had Confucius chicken salad that four people could have eaten and still have leftovers and then crab cakes. Susan had these wonderful crispy spinach. If every veggie was like that I would become a vegetarian!

After lunch we came back to the room to freshen up before heading to Queens for the taping of Hope and Faith. We left and walked to the subway. Yikes! It wasn't as bad as I expected. I was so freaked about things that I made sure I brought antibacterial wipes for the ride to Queens and then some for the way back! It was much cleaner than I thought. There was no spray paint anywhere. The only graffiti was etched on the windows.

We got off the subway at Hunter's Point and went out to catch the shuttle to the studio. We checked in and waited then were let inside the studio. After of course going through a metal detector and having our purses searched.

The set looked SO good. It was just like I was with them. We got settled and come to find out we had this audience warm up guy named Phil Stiller who was hilarious. He was there to keep us entertained. He did this in so many ways such as called our loved ones and talking to them. We got them to call JJ. Phil asked him where he was at and JJ said a birthday party. Phil asked him why he was having a birthday party for me while I was gone.. JJ came back with a "they are more fun without her." Well the audience went against JJ. Before they got off the phone Phil made JJ tell everyone in the audience how wonderful I am. JJ also made some comment that I cannot remember that Phil responded with "well she married you didn't she?!" Well I got a hat out of the deal which I want Kelly Ripa to sign.

I found out that the studio we were at as the same studio where they taped sex and the city! Chris Noth had once been there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also the lady who does the costumes for Hope & Faith, Patricia Field also clothed the sex and the city girls. She really stood out with her RED hair and a yellow jacket that had black cat fireworks advertised on the back. What an outfit, but she coud totally pull it off.

This taping was better than I ever could have imagined. They fed us pizza and cookies and gave us "Hope and Faith" water. The cast interacted with us. It was SO great. Faith Ford made a joke that made me laugh so hard. They were talking about boys being brownies and Phil asked what they would be called and Faith said brownies with nuts! It was really nice to see how the taping went. They would perform then the director would tweak a few parts or rewrite then they would do it again and continue the process until they were happy.

There were mistakes of course in the episode we saw. (#310 which will be aired on November 25th so watch) Ted threw his award on the table and it broke. Also when Ted was going upstairs but first had to do an impression of the hulk he could not stop laughing. Oh my Ted is SO cute! He does not look a day older than he looked in Happy Days! After they finished taping they did a Christmas PSA and one to run during the soul train awards. Kelly had a hard time getting the words out correctly. It was so great to see when they were finished the cast were all hugging each other and really looked like they all cared about each other. Oh I forgot that the three kids were sitting during downtime doing special handshakes. Then the youngest two were throwing a tennis ball to each other. During downtime Paulie Litt came up in the audience and sang Frank Sinatra. He is so darling!

When the taping finished we got back on the shuttle to the subway and rode it back to Manhattan. It was very well lit and I was not worried for on minute about being underground.

On our walk back we saw a movie being taped called gardener of Eden. It did not look interesting so we came back and got in our jammies. They delivered our milk and cookies and we are about to go to sleep...finally!

If you have made it this far you will have to stay tuned for the next few days.

T.G.I.F.

We had our first comments!! Thanks Dad for taking care of that for me and Grans don't worry if you couldn't get your comments posted I was happy to get an email from you.

In answer to a few questions I have received no we are not going to have a turkey. I bought turkey lunch meat if anyone really needs their turkey fix. I like to just go to the honey baked ham store and pick out my ham and then I am done. I have also discovered their excellent sides so since we are not having company I got their sides and will cheat this year. If we were to ever have someone join us for thanksgiving then I do the real stuff, but since JJ won't eat most of the stuff I like the idea of not having a major mess to clean up.

In answer to my next question I had "what is a blog?" well it is a lot of things to a lot of different people. For us it is a way for me to have a running dialog with everyone and feel like we are much closer than we really are. Plus it is an easy way for me to share pictures and news that some times I might forget to send in an email.

I am so happy to hear that Dad is safe in Egypt. I wish you were here so you could share in our ham and I might just make a turkey if you were here. Probably not since the honey baked ham store does a nice turkey. We all want to see pictures from you trip so maybe you need to start one of these to let us know what all is going on. Or if you want I can give you permission to post on our blog and you can post pictures here. Just let me know what you want to do. I know everyone is just really curious because I don't think any of us has been to Egypt nor will we go with the exception of Carmen our world traveler.

Speaking of Carmen I got her this wonderful Christmas gift that I want to annoy her that I am going to keep a secret from her. For those of you new to this blog Carmen is my sister and we cannot keep anything from each other. This year however I want her to have a big surprise. So if anyone else wants to know what I got her email me and I will let you know.

Well Marie and I have to leave for school in five minutes and she is not finished with breakfast nor is she dressed. Hopefully some interesting stuff happens today so I can have something more to post. Love to all and thanks for reading this far.

First Post

Greetings from Oklahoma! Marie just got out of the bath and wants her dessert while JJ and I are watching Law and Order. Typical night for the Muffoletto family!

Just to let everyone know we are staying here for Thanksgiving this year due to work. I have bought our Honey Baked Ham and the sides and we are going to spend a hopefully relaxing weekend together.

The weather has finally gotten cold here, but not cold enough to put the heat on. Perhaps the way things go we will not have to turn the heat on at all.

All for now. In the next few days I will start posting the info from my New York trip! I wrote each night about what I did so I plan to type it up so everyone can see. Until then enjoy the pic of Marie.