What We're Doing: Regrouping after a Ski Trip with Family & Friends

Safe and harmonious: it was a wonderful trip.


Armada Trunk: Pre Ski Weekend
Trip to Costco

I am particularly happy to write this post as a means of savoring and preserving the good times of our ski trip. Reflecting on the long weekend in the Berkshires with my family, sisters, their families, and good friends, three themes come to mind:  keeping warm, gathering, and sharing stories.

Keeping warm under blankets during the ride up to the mountain, ice crystallizes in intricate designs outside and inside the car windows. Thermostat reads 2 degrees!

In the morning, there are significant winds on the express 6-seater lift!  Cozying up to my husband to keep warm on the blustery lift.

The lodge becomes our warming center: hot chocolate, warming hands at the fire pit at the lodge patio...
Big bowls of spicy Texas beef hot chili , warm burritos, and New England clam chowder (a new favorite of our 13 year old son, a budding food connoisseur) in big bread bowls with bread lids on top...to keep it warm.

Next to safety, keeping warm is a top priority when skiing. Over the years, we've tried many brands of clothing meant to keep you warm. Click on our links (we wouldn't steer you wrong) to check out the tried-and-true warmth-keeping layers that we consider essential for a day on the slopes:  Underarmour turtlenecks paradox pants...Smartwool ski socks and skull caps under helmets, turtle neck warmers, face warmers, hand warmers, and Smartwool, moisture-wicking ski socks...ski gloves layered on top of thin, gold-metallic gloves. Favorite underlayers of all:  Hot Chillys!

We like Denali and Minus Zero wind-breaking jackets as extra layers, more layers with Polar Max,and Paradox pullovers, handwarmers, Boeri helmets, snow-white Bolle goggles (another favorite!)

Probably to get warm, our 16 year old tried beef barley soup at Dakota steakhouse and seafood restaurant where we sat (about 20 of us) in front of a wide and roaring toasty warm fireplace, beneath several big moose heads and an upside down canoe.

....taking long soaks in Jacuzzis at the hotel...wrapping fingers around mugfuls of hot chocolate...

Out to eat later that evening, and we're all wearing "warm":  fur hats, rugged work boots, grey flannel earmuffs, lots of fleece.

Gathering in the garage, a few days before the trip, to load the Yakima rooftop cargo capsule, assembly-line style, with boots, skis, and poles... This ruggedly durable, capacious, and sleekly-designed storage container is an unequivocal MUST!!  Check out my link; they are worth every penny.  Equipment is clean, contained, and ready-to-go. Perfect for snowboards as well.

...in the car, the five of us, for a three and a half hour ride on scenic, rural route 22 where we see cows, horses, and 6' long icicles hanging down from the rooves of homes with wrap-around porches. We saw a frozen lake on which men were fishing and cars were driving!

Gathering in each other's suites to share a mug of Ghiardelli hot chocolate or a glass of red wine....in each other's suites for a few rounds of rough-and-tumble:


Our Teen Boys taking Turns Bench-pressing their
38-lb Little Brother...Fun in the Suite

 ..at our long table in the lodge to eat  and tell stories about our experiences on Left Bank or Grand Slam or - in case of our sons and ski-loving nephew - black diamond Ace of Spades

Gathering at the table in our suite to play very competitive Scrabble, side-splitting game of Cranium and Duck Duck Goose, which our 3 year old vociferously orchestrated.  If your family does not own Family Edition Cranium, I enthusiastically recommend it:  sculpting with play dough, humming songs, sketching with eyes closed, acting things out ...  So much fun and so much roaring laughter that my 16 year old nephew couldn't catch his breath and my throat was sore from screaming!

...gathering for very large deliveries (my husband ordered) of four varieties of pizza, 3 versions of salad and Buffalo wings....to watch the Jets game; miraculously, I napped through the first hour of the gathering.

..at the scrumptious salad bar at Dakota Steakhouse ( I love salad bars...wish I had one built-in to my kitchen ):  wasabi peas, whole radishes, long sprouts, soy nuts...the most delicious lemon-flavored carrots I've ever tasted.  Our 3-year-old couldn't get enough of those carrots!

..at the Chipmunk bunny slope to watch our preschooler at Skiwee School and playing with play dough at the Cub's Den Playhouse.

Gathering in each other's rooms to see what snacks each party brought, which ran the full gamut: oatmeal squares, croissants, Nutella, pretzel rods, chocolate chip cookies, muffins, pistachios, Zone bars, turkey and pear sandwiches, almond & apple butter sandwiches, organic pop tarts (can you believe they make them), raw almonds....

..at the breezy top of the mountain, where the windmills turn, to wait for friends coming up on the lift.

...in front of the lobster tank at Dakota steakhouse to watch our son's face as he watched the lobsters...

..at Dakota lobby for our annual photo in front of the 8-foot tall stuffed grizzly bear!

Sharing stories Which route did you take up? Hutch? Taconic? Thruway or the scenic, rural route 22?  How was the traffic? Detours? See any deer?

Which lift did you take up?  Which trail did you take down? Did you take the 2 mile run? Who did you ski with? Try the workout room at the main lodge? How were the treadmills? The pool?  Take any trails thru the woods? Moguls? Icy patches? Which lift has the cushioned seat? Did you take the two seater chairlift that cruises over the alpine slide?  Did you hear the top 40 music blasting at the terrain park?

Did your lift stop? for how long?

P-touch Labeler is Indispensable in Keeping
Equipment Organized

Getting Organized To avoid confusion at the bustling ski lodge: Who's helmet is this?? Anyone see my goggles??? Where's my neckwarmer? my sister and I went on a labeling frenzy the week before we left. 

With our Sharpie markers and with white adhesive labels made with our P-touch labelers (One of our Top-Top Favorite Products; I couldn't live without mine! Order your labeler today if, like me, getting organized is one of your New Year's resolutions.) we labeled everything:  rolling duffel bags, helmets, helmet bags, goggles, gloves, boots, even my son's ski pants were labelled with round, plastic discs dangling from his pockets (cell phone # as well). I labeled our rolling cooler!

Our 3-year-old on the Magic Carpet, Chipmunk Slope

Meeting his Instructor at SkiWee School

Happy and harmonious, the twenty of us: it was a trip to remember with smiles.

Cooking with Laura - Grilled Chicken with Balsamic Glaze, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts





Grilled Chicken with Balsamic Glaze

Easy, delicious, healthy, inexpensive, easy cleanup - this dinner has it all!  As usual, trying to cook boneless chicken breast with a new twist.  I buy the thick boneless chicken breast and slice them into two thinner cutlets.  When you buy the chicken cutlets thin-sliced, they are usually a little too thin.  Run the chicken cutlets under cool water, cut off any visible fat and membranes, pat dry with paper towels, then coat with extra virgin olive oil (of course), salt and pepper.  Grill the cutlets on a grill pan that has been sprayed with olive oil, on medium heat about 5 minutes per side, until lightly browned and cooked through but not overdone.  In a small saucepan, add 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar and two cloves of finely chopped garlic.  Boil down until the balsamic reduces in half.  Lower heat, add one tablespoon of butter and stir in.  Drizzle the glaze over the chicken.  Balsamic vinegar has a delicious sweet taste when boiled down.

For the sweet potatoes, wash and peel two sweet potatoes  Cut in half crosswise and then cut lengthwise into eighths.  Toss with extra virgin olive oil (of course), salt and pepper, and bake on cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until nicely browned and fork goes in easily.  The softer, the better.

For the first time ever, I made frozen rather than fresh brussel sprouts.  They were easy and delicious.  Steam according to package directions.  Drain and add 1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil and a dash of salt.  If you don't own a grill pan, order this one now.  You will love it and use it over and over again. 

Cooking with Linda: Sicilian-style Pizza with Bell Peppers

Everyone here is happy when it's homemade pizza night! I grew up with homemade pizza on Fridays as well as homemade sauce (with one bay leaf and parsley from my father's backyard garden), meatballs and sometimes gnocchi on Sundays. 

Pizza made at home is a big step above the pies that are delivered.  Follow this easy recipe, and I bet your family will enjoy it very much, too.


Always helpful, our 3-year-old sprinkles
the part-skim shredded mozzerella.

Brush a light coating of extra-virgin olive oil along surface of a baking sheet. For us, this is Sicilian style because the pizza is rectangular, served in squares, and the dough is fluffy. Spread the two balls of pizza dough evenly, leaving generous amounts of dough in the corners and around the edges of the baking sheet.  This allows the tomatoes and toppings to stay in and allows for a substantial crust to hold.

Bake the pizza dough, only, for about 5-7 minutes until it rises and becomes fluffy. Remove baking sheet from oven. I have made homemade pizza dough in the past (seasoned with fresh rosemary) but I find that the dough I purchase at local pizzerias and Italian bakeries is just as tasty. I leave it out, room temperature, for about 45 minutes until I'm ready to use it.

On top the partially-baked and lightly golden pizza dough, evenly spread 3/4 can of crushed tomatos; sprinkle a generous portion of part-skim, shredded mozzarella cheese, touch of garlic salt and black pepper. Add crushed red pepper (optional).



Like his big brothers, our sweet Little Guy enjoys
occasional food prep in our kitchen!

Wash a yellow and green bell pepper; slice thinly and steam on top of the stove for about five minutes until they are tender. Without this step, the peppers may not cook enough in the oven.

Bake at 425 degrees for about 15-20 minutes or until mozzarella is bubbly and light golden brown. Let the pizza cool a bit before cutting.  Although I own a large and easy-to-use Pampered Chef rolling pizza cutter, I prefer to also use kitchen scissors to cut Sicilian-style slices.



Sicilian-style Pizza topped with Yellow & Green Bell Peppers

Serve with baby arugala salad, Pellegrino with fresh lemon, and dinner is ready. Pronto!

What We're Doing - Snowblowing



Ariens snowblower

 A big snow means my husband gets to use his big Ariens snowblower - something he looks forward to.  Long Island got hit with 12 plus inches of snow overnight.  My husband was out there this morning clearing the driveway - and a few neighbors'. 

The Ariens is a powerful machine, and its shiny orange metal really stands out in the snow.  It glides up and down the driveway, throwing snow 30 feet away, leaving a beautiful clear driveway.  And the best part is that no one has to shovel the driveway.  All the snowblower needs is a gallon or so of gas and it is good to go for a whole season. 

Decluttering 101: Selling on Ebay

Mickey Mouse and friends - Pinocchio, Daisy Duck, Pluto, Bugs Bunny



Parting with Mickey Mouse - or Not

I've been on a major decluttering mission.  The prize would be to have closets that look like those in Real Simple magazine.  Realistically, I just don't want to have a shoe fall out and hit me on the head when I open my closet door.  I've been tackling one closet at  time, making piles of items to give to charity, to give to friends or family, to throw out, to save, and to sell. 

It's really hard to get rid of things I've been saving for years, but I keep reminding myself that I haven't regretted getting rid of one thing.  Because my house has very small closets and very little storage, I still have a long way to go.  For followers of my blog, you know that I was inspired after hearing Gail Blanke speak and reading her fabulous book, Throw Out Fifty Things. 

I recently discovered selling on ebay as another way to declutter.  A great way to get rid of that old camera that I never used but was very valuable to a collector in Illinois.  I also parted with a handmade patchwork quilt that was taking up a whole shelf in a closet - several bidders went crazy for it!  Then I started selling my old toys (yes, I still have some) and my son's old toys.  So, that's why I took this photo of Mickey and friends and put it up on ebay to sell.  Turns out, my mother saw my ebay listing and wanted to bid on the Disney figurines!  I told her that I could simply withdraw them from sale and give them to her.  Which I did.  When I gave them to my mother, she said she didn't want them because she thought they were much bigger.  So, there they are back in my storage room - together with Winnie the Pooh, Owl, Piglet and Eyeore - you'll see them on ebay next week!

Winnie the Pooh and friends - Piglet, Eeyore and Owl

What We're Watching: Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

A little embarassing but I'll put it out there ....
I'm an avid follower of this reality series.  It's one of only two shows that I enjoy in the evenings. When  watching Real Housewives on Thursday nights, I tell my sons not to bother me unless it's an emergency. Not kidding.

Can't get over how catty and competitive these grown women are. Watching the show, I count my blessings: the women in my life - mother, mother in law, sisters, sisters-in-law, nieces and girlfriends - are supportive and kind, each and every one offers qualities and strengths to admire. As I see it (rose-colored, maybe....but still my perception is my reality), their intentions are to edify rather than tear down.

Back to Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I like Kyle. She's real, acts in a natural manner, and seems to have her priorities in line. Kyle's the type of woman with whom I'd be happy to be friends. Confident and stylish as well, but then all the women have high style. I enjoy checking out their accessories: earrings, cuff bracelets, necklaces, purses ...  maybe I should get a pair of huge hoop earrings.

A tight marriage, happy children, and good friends, Kyle is a woman to admire.
Lisa (the paradigm of classy combined with hip) and Adrienne are my two next favorites. I admire Adrienne's strength, conviction, and dedication to martial arts. Her marriage seems playfully fun-loving, devoted, and healthy.

I'm addicted to this series and ("obvi," as my boys would say) I've divulged to the blogosphere... my husband sometimes indulges me by watching it with me so I can talk to him about it later....lol; he's the best.

If you haven't tried this series yet, give it a shot. NY City Housewives is a good place to start: The Real Housewives of New York: Season One and The Real Housewives of New York: Season Two.

Pardon the cliche, but this series - with all its shenanigans - confirms that money and status do not necessarily yield peace and contentment. The show does, however, yield a deluge of drama - I have boys, no drama. Refined girlfriends, no drama.  Very good family, no drama. Again, I count my blessings.

~ Linda

What We're Into: Linda tries to Prioritize

People think stay-at-home moms have all the time in the world. Not true.
In fact, when Monday morning hits and the kids are at school, I don't know which direction to head in first. I feel scattered and pulled in myriad directions, unsure of what to tackle first:


food shopping, erranding (always a gazillion), scheduling doctor, dentist, orthodontist, car, and vet appointments, organizing a closet or cabinet, sorting through paperwork, taking a walk, calling friends to catch up, gift shopping, the list is endless.


I remember Mom calling it "the merry-go-round" and I didn't get it. 
Now I do: spinning like a top.


Prioritizing well is something I plan to really work on this year.
Health and family are at the top of the list - this I know for sure. Next is what my husband and sons need.  Basics of keeping the household running efficiently and serenely are next in line (wouldn't that be wonderful ... with three sons and a vociferous dog, I'm a helpless idealist.) Then the real challenge of prioritizing looms.

Which entreprenurial idea to tackle? Which lunch date to make? Who to visit? Which store to go to?  Which topics to learn about?  Blog template design and taking photos should be on the list; I'm amateurish at both.

Prioritizing well is an art of living skill.
I've heard it said: People first, things second.
This wisdom I adopt whole-heartedly.  So if one of the guys calls (and the 3-year-old calls often) and the dishes are piled high in the sink or the groceries are not put away, I'm off and running...

I think a big part of prioritizing is taking the time to carefully think through the options before deciding to have an "indoor day" (and tackling a million indoor things) or to get in the car. Prioritizing well might start with sitting down in the living room (one of my favorite rooms in our house - light colors, serene) more often ... to think ... and plan the day. This part sounds very appealing.

One more 2011 intention is set. I'll keep you posted if I make any headway.