A burger, A Tree and a conversation with my mom

Yesterday between a touch of a self-induced head ache ;) and a long weekend of fun activities I went to get that little rascal to take her to her fav pub. We decided we would get burgers and fries. We both had on our skully hats and grins... I from the night before and her, who knows what she was up too. If you know my mom she is always up to something hilarious.

We got into a conversation about Christmas trees. I talked about the smell of the real tree in my home when I woke up in the morning and she said- I know that smell. It has been so long since I had a real tree, I may like one this year. I told her I would take her- to get one. She told me that a real tree was what she used to do when she was poor. When she made a little money she bought a fake tree. She said it took a long time for her to be able to buy a fake tree. She told me about all the trees she had... As I was sitting there I realized that in this women, who was born in 1938 there were stories that could make anyone cry or laugh. Her appreciation of being able to buy a fake tree blew me over. She said- When you have nothing and then you have something- you can really appreicaite it. I kept thinking about the book tuesdays with morrie. How a conversation could make your heart explode. Everyone talks about revelation and divine wisdom and being better and I was being run over by truth in a pub, with a skully hat and a hangover and through those little blue eyes that are always up to something, I was having a moment of clarity- a moment- that was simple " when you have nothing and then you have something you can really know you have something..." she was appreciating a fake tree, when most would complain about putting up a tree she was happy that she was able to afford one " one day"

You want to change your mindset? Try swallowing that- the humilitiy that came out of her floored me. I saw my mom in a rare moment share- something- that you can't get in books. She told me 'every great accomplishment is at first seen as impossible and when you have nothing- when you get something it's awesome.' I told her she was awesome.

When we went to pay the check, I noticed she was counting her cash- and she said- always give your best- I won't disclose the amount she tipped- but it was more than generous.

The Bartender and the Manager came over to say hi to her, wish her a happy thanksgiving and they knew all about me, about my job my cupcakes- and noting my parents come in a few times a week and how much they loved my parents. I began to tear up when i realized this beautiful person- is literally adored by everyoone she comes in contact with.

We left the pub and she said "take me by the trees and if I feel inspired we will get one" I took her by the trees and I will never forgot her little bright eyes- she said " that one christina, that's the one" So I illegally parked the mini van in a fire lane and I ran into walmart- I started to tear up like a little kid- and I said to this guy with a face full of tears " My Mom found the tree she wanted- could you please help me get it for her?" I mean I was a hot mess, the good hot mess. He said of course- and when he saw my mom's sparkly eyes- he was moved- and was humbled- we walked back in with the tag for the tree- didn't speak, but he was smiling...and I could tell he didn't want to charge me-

When he rang the tree, he said " no, that was marked as twenty- your not paying full price" and he said to me " your mom is pretty awesome" So I kept from hugging him and thanked him.

When I got back to the car, my mom said " this is so awesome." I said, it really is.

She smiled the whole way back to her house-

I haven't stopped smiling. Joy can be contagious, humility can change the outcome.

I had a burger at a Pub with my mom but I felt like I was at the ritz having a filet with the Queen of England.

Christina's Fun Finds

Being the best female I can be I found these things/ideas to be awesome

1. maybelline the colossal volume express mascara (yellow container) available @CVS is the same quality or dare I say better than- my Dior and chanel and bad-girl lash by benefit mascara and you will save SO much $. so do it. you will be happy. Run- way lashes for cheap.
2. a really cook chic I know Rachael owns this shop- rasberry beret one is in wakefield and the other is in cambridge- I have found two gucci bags- vintage- I can't say enough about her awesomeness and the fun little treasures you can find here. I have attached the website.
3. I found a GORGEOUS new color that I have never used which was odd when I went for my mother/daughter mani/pedi date it is OPI We'll always have Paris. This color is perfect for the fall and the winter- go check it out- you will like it.
4. the new *laugh if you want too* Hillary Duff Scent With love- that I happened to by mistake stumble across in tjmaxx near my office is maybe 14$ and it smells like a cross between my classic (staple) Christian Dior addict and some kind of sweet- cookie- smell. I have gotten almost as many "what are you wearing, christina ?" this week as I usually do when I am wearing my DIOR. this amazing scent is almost 100$ cheaper- and the scent literally is close enough in quality. You will feel good about the price and smell awesome.
5. when i was attempting vegan ism- I came across a chocolate powder sweet thing to the face, like a kiss but goes into your belly. Maxwell House International Mocha & French Vanilla Latte are just as good as your fav coffee house and you can enjoy it at home. It reminded me of being in europe.
6. I found and awesome recipe for vegetable fajitas on allrecipes.com and it goes awesome with Sav. blanc wine or from real house wives the "skinny" margarita. you can get this at any liquor store and it is so so good. Impress someone with your ability to make Vegetable Fajitas- :)

I am done with the Skinny Biatch book- closing thoughts

You don't need to read the book- I will tell you right now- what you need to do.

1. ban all sugar and artificial sweeteners ( i part-own a cupcake company, not possible :() Splenda and any other fakies stimulate your sweet tooth and real sugar well I am not telling you because Sugar is awesome. They say you can have fruit when your sweet tooth kicks in. They suggest yucky alternatives to baked goods like beet sugar and cane juice and syrups. (no, no, no! I am a Mary Poppins gen- a spoon full of sugar- helps the medicine go down, whether it is the hardships of life or the cough syrup. Ain't nothing like being a girl and putting on a cute apron and baking in the kitchen! just sayin' and you should add in some HOT shoes while doing this- it really creates the cuteness of being a female....
2. eat brown rice, that's reasonable brown rice is awesome. Eat whole wheat pasta- already do- always.
3. Become a vegetarian. Well, That is reasonable.
4. Eats tons of Vegatables, Check. Vegatables are amazing.
5. Change your Dairy to soy. I have done that- not hard- soy is actually really yummy.
6. Eat alot of Soy, Veggies, Nuts, water, green tea and Fruits.
7. They call everything a slip up, including wine and martinis. I just don't think I could be the girl that I am without these two. :) They do say you can have "organic" wine- It tastes to me like those weird drinks that are think with all the viatimins in them. so, that's not going to happen.

In yoga this morning- I decided- It was a great read- I learned alot- There are some lifestyle changes I put into immediate effect.

But I can't live with out certain things. I think in conclusion- I might choose be a vegatarian that eats fish which is called a Pescetarian. So skinny biatch is worth the read if you want knowledge and to be FORCED make lifestyle choices. But being a Vegan is way to extreme for my laid back nature, but what an honorable lifestyle.... :)

the weekend as a vegan comes to an end.

it is so interesting to me how one area of your life can flourish like with business and success and new ideas and new challenges and an entire different area is treated with an un needed dose of apathy and the cup tips right over. it always and still is amazing me how people can claim to care for you but at the first test of this they show you a whole different ball game- and then they serve you with an indifference that just makes no sense. everyone you talk to after a surprising fall out I am sure could sing the same tune - shocking. I on the other hand tread very careful around how I treat people. I always take into consideration the other's heart.
I will never not do that, despite how I am treated. my life is evidence of that. i believe how you treat others shouldn't be swayed even if someone is being not as you would desire. I think it takes more dignity to be kind in the face of this than to turn to two wrongs. yes, it still hurts the same whether you cut someone down back or you don't. I say don't inflict hurt on them, even if they are hurting you. There is enough hurt in the world- try not to create excess if you can. enough on my moral thoughts from the weekend.

With that being said... I spent the entire weekend, catching up on helping my heart along and making cupcakes... helping the homeless and teaching first and second graders. I did the typical spend time with family, cry and then of course clean and shop. I have managed to organize everything that I own and sort FINALLY a large amount of clothes for women in need and then of course organize every article I have into three wonderful closets and two shoe closets. This week I start pushing very hard with the cupcake company and I have some other big things on my plate that I am looking forward too. I am catching up on my power point skills and getting ready to nail some huge things....


How did the skinny biatch diet go today? well, I lost my appetite completely so I didnt really need to stick to much of anything.

I am sure I will wake up hungry- until then- I am sticking to the skinny biatch vegan diet by not being hungry. I had a pomegranate fruit- so I won the skinny biatch book today-

Christina 1. skinny biatch book zero.




I hope all my friends and family had a better weekend than me and of course a better day than the beloved pats.

Day TWO of the skinny biatch and the "vegan" attempt

so.. today I woke up.. after an epiphany to grow a back bone, thank you kim and I had a craving for cookies. In the skinny biatch diet you can't have cookies. So i went to the cafe at my office building and looked for the cereal with the little cookies. I had already decided I wouldnt have a real cookie- I would have the fakies. I did not as you can guess find the cookie breakfast cereal I wanted i instead went for cinn. toast crunch with no fat milk. I didn't do what the book said, clearly but the milk loaded with sugar was worth it. I went the entire rainy friday with... coffee and powdered nonsense and for lunch I ate veggies and peanuts. By dinner I was bored and ate a salad and left over french fries (which i don't want to talk about those)

I went to a clothing swap and one of my friends who follows my blog had sent me a text " i have something for your skinny biatch efforts when you get here" and she did... when I got there beautfiful clothes were spread all over the house and she said " take whatever you want, all the girls are done" I found things to add to my closet that I had only dreamed of. Coats, shoes, pants- everything I saw resembled Mod and Preppy and of course romantic elements. I was in heaven. Then she said " for your efforts I have Vodka and Pelligrino"

Needless to say- day two I cheated on the milk and sugar covered cereal- But managed to stay MOSTLY to the skinny biatch diet. I haven't lost weight- But my body is reacting.
I feel random bursts of energy. I can't tell if this is because I have had much needed rest- or if it is because I am following these crazy health nut guidelines. Luckly I have not gotten to the section on alcohol. My guess is that my wine night is out and my martini affair may be called into question. I am pretty sure I am not going to like that chapter.

That is all for now, but early in the morning I head to New Hampshire. I am making more cupcakes than you would believe. My sister who is one of my heroes (all of my sisters are really) is a long time vegetarian. She will be excited to hear all about my new "vegan-like- with cookies and alcohol adventure" maybe she will send me home with some killer reciepes and I won't feel like such a dead beat. She has a way to make me feel like a sophisticated female-

My friend who is a very talented Visual artist will be in the Muppet Cupcake Factory with us for the day- and she will be shooting us for her portfolio. I am just so blessed to have so many talented and amazing people in my life... maybe I will make a cupcake in honor of this bastard book and upload a photo to my blog...

If I don't get skinny- I want my penny back that I paid for this book. Plus the 2.85$ in shipping and handling from amazon.

On an end note:
Skinny Biatch- you shouldn't take cookies away from anyone. No animals were harmed in the baking of cookies- try a life balance. My Dog eats cookies and loves them. I think the animals don't mind? But thanks for telling me what processed sugar can do to body- I could of done with out that information. But now that I have it... I am marked for life with the haunting thought.

I personally enjoy sugar highs and sugar crashes all in a day at the office. It brings a little excitement to the mundane.

Day three should be fun- I will be covered in a sea of sugar making things that taste sweet- all day long. Muppet cupcakes does not use egg- being sensitive to the vegetarian and health- reasons... but we certainly use sugar... because sugar is the best and makes everything a little bit nicer.

Till day three... and I am not hungry I am just so thirsty because I am eating awkward things like peanuts. It almosts makes you not want to eat. They are too salty. I may be what my mom likes to call "bastardizing" this skinny biatch diet... o well, I am trying something new and hard.

The Epiphany brought to you by the Rain & The band Arcade Fire & a best friend.

amazingly that delicate combo of the rain, a best friend and the suburbs album by arcade fire nutured an environment for my epiphany. It was simple. It wasn't one of my huge ones where I give everything I have to the poor- or take in the sick and feed them- or any of those social responsibility types. It wasn't my typical- how to have to much fun and learn new hobbies like fly fishing. It wasn't my let's snowboard off my roof routine (happens every 1st snow storm) or my save water and sponsor a well in south africa idea.

My best friend said to me "you have a hard time being mean back even when someone is delibrately being mean to you." (I am not talking about wise cracks or things that are absolutely hilarious and teasing) no one has ever said that to me. When I get pushed to the limit I get mad- but it takes maybe 20 or so mean acts on the other persons side for me to even show an ounce of anger.... and I usually don't get angry until a week or so later once it hits me- I stay in the kindness zone- almost always. Unless of course my life is in danger- then it pops right off and most of you wouldn't even reconize me.

Last night I decided it was a high complimient that when people are mean to me and I don't react the same. I love that I don't treat people bad- that I treat others with kindness even when they are being gross. SO what was the epiphany? The moment of great or sudden revelation????

It is real. You can be kind in a world crawling with cowards and when hate is being thrown at you.
What else is real, last night I decided even though I am a little too sweet - and I know this- and so does everyone else who is in my inner circle- I will not be a doormat any longer or taken advantage of. When I awoke this morning- I put on my big girl panties- tied a ribbon on my finger to remind me-

and now for day two of skinny biatch.... let's go. life is short get right at it.

Day ONE of the Skinny Biatch Diet

day one- day one- how I hate thee.

So, I don't need to technically do this skinny biatch diet. But I like it because it challenges me and insults me at the same time. The authors call you names like moron and then other choice words and it makes you want to beat them by accomplishing it.

It's the classic you can't do this... so you try with all your might to do it.

Basically the Skinny Biatch diet is vegan. As a steak, chicken and Fish lover I find this intresting. I grew up on a farm and I remember not being tall enough to brush my own teeth and learning that animals scream before being slaughtered. My DAD who is amazing, decided that his family would eat (for a season of our lives) off his farm which was green before green became cool and was holistic before it became obvious that is what is needed for balance.

I literally have memories of seeing baby goats get born, homeless people clothed and fed and ready... eating my pet pig for breakfast. So, in and around being a vegatarian and vegan i have feelings. needless to say the information in this book is compelling and horrible, truth and just not what you want to hear. It is almost as bad as when I found out the main ingredient in my beloved corn chowder was whispers...cellulite.

Day One- I felt scared about eating so many carbs. What do these fools mean I can eat as much bread as I want?

I really wanted bacon when I woke up. I think it is because these FOOLS told me not to have it.

After my morning yoga- I made jokes about the pig being a magicial tasty animal that i wanted to eat, NOW.

I skipped sugar in my coffee- stupid rules and I ate some poweder nonsense that didn't resemble the old school one and one I got addicted to being a new englander.

screw slendaaaaaaarrr... it makes me feel fake. I would rather have the breathe of an 80 year old man in the country that try the fake sugar.

This is how my day went. I am not hungry on this diet. I feel like some kind of mad nomad running around eating grains, vegtables and dirt.

If I gain weight from the carbs, I might get a pet pig and name him some sort of name that shows adoration towards tasty meats that keep you skinny.

Little best selling diet and skinny biatch book, please don't disaapoinment me. I don't feel any skinnier....

please don't sit on a web of lies... skinny biatch authors.

I wonder if I sneak in some of my cupcakes what will happen?

the book skinny BIATCH

One of the wishes my mom has is that I start blogging and publishing and sharing my words. I have been slack-a-lacking... and I like it.

Let's talk about the Book "skinny B*&%^" that i am reading.

Who can recover from that kind of brutal honesty? I mean is this real? Why do we walk so blindly? Why do I even think what I think. If you read this book you mine as well kiss any cultural norms you learned and desire for much of anything that closely resembles food right out the window. Can you handle the truth?

I mean when someone says to me "stop being a moron and get skinny" i feel the need to react-

I also like the in your face approach- to move it along-

I think I will blog- as I am moving threw this book and diet and what kind of meals I can come up with and all that I am facing.
Maybe I will figure out a way to sneak in martinis.

Maybe some of you fools can join me? I blame my curiosity and need to read for this new endeavor. Darn over active mind.

I would like to add- I make tons of cupcakes all the time- and one of the chapters says sugar is the Devil. I am not 110 on board with anything- I just like little adventures and challenges along the way...