how to get out of a bad date ....

Ever been there?

1. the best line is "it's not you it's me" they usually laugh but then get concerned about what that might mean (this is your out)
2. text at dinner.
3. snort when you laugh
4. go to the bathroom a ridiculous amount
5. tell them you still see your ex and he or she is "just a friend" (everyone thinks of that song and gets the hidden message. works everytime, hands down.
6. this one works every single time as well " i am not in a place where i can make any commitmients at this point in time. "
7. wear a helmet on the date.
8. causally mention that you already bought a wedding dress.
9. order whiskey on the rocks
10. fist pump at the table when a good song comes on.

say yes when others say no

2009 almost killed me. 2010 is starting off with my mother's life being saved by her doctor who refused to give up on her. about a year ago the scarano family was told that a time frame for our queen was the diagnosis. instead of taking this, she began to fight. she took all the medicine she needed, she started following her doctor's orders and began a journey that most would of thrown the towel in. after six months of overcoming she went in for a scheduled open heart surgery and the team told us, she was "too risky" "too far gone" and that maybe we could use her in an experimential surgery. THIS was TOO much for the baby of six. something in me started to ache and every day i felt the un-consolable grief of the thought of my reality. i watched my parent's spend time praying and discussing matters too heavy at times for me even to hear. i began to have conversations with my mom that shadowed a daughter and mother saying goodbye. We began to recap our adventures and my mom finally asked me the question. She stated it this way to me " christina darling: tell me about what your life will be like when i am gone, tell me what adventures you will go on?" i remember as we drove home from tjmaxx and she asked me such a profound question it took everything in me not to completely lose my composure. i began to tell her about my dream of making people happy with cupcakes,my desire to salsa dance again on the island of mykonos in the salsa club. (greeks give a new fire to salsa btw) that i would finally publish the book i have worked 7 years on, that i would of course design, paint, create and love. i told her at some point surrender to a lover, i promised her i wouldn't get back with ANY of my ex 's and i would wait for someone who had peices of joe and dad and mark and tommy (brothers).... we talked about what to do with her poetry, what places i would travel too, what dreams i had for my life, how i would reach them... we set a plan...
on thursday of this past week, my mom went back in to test.
they saw the risk decrease.
we had to deal with the reality that she may not survive.
...
when talking to her doctor he said that everyone was amazed at how far she had come and how hard she worked to be strong.
the best heart doctor in the country performed her surgery. he was on channel five this week even discussing how he was the 1st doctor in america to put a mechanical heart into a patient.
My mom, thru prayer and mercy survived. she had her heart taken out of her body and had a cow valve added. Thank you little cow.
her body accepted the *adapted* restructured heart*
then she was strong enough to come off the breathing machine and life support...
and then after that... she got on her feet and walked.
today marks a new day.
My mom has a spirit and a strength like no other.
when talking to her doctor... my dad said to him that he was extradionary.
he said "no, he just says yes when others say no"

if anyone is thinking no tonight, i want to encourage you to say yes even when others say no.
we underestimate the power of the human spirit all the time. this man is extradionary and because he did not give up on my mom... she is here today. a walking miracle.

words could never express my thankfulness for all the prayers the love and the support. i am overwhelmed by the kindness that has been extended.

To the team at Mass General Hospital, thank you for saying yes, when all others said no....
I want to thank God for being kind to my family and allowing us more time with our Queen.

Muppet Cupcakes

the cupcakes are about to go national....

all my friends all over .. the time is near.

www.muppetcupcakes.com

yay!

lay your armor down ( a story of surrender)

I see you in a forest. I see your armor and your wounds. I can see your stiches and those wounds that have already been healed. I can see your scars. A funny thing is happening there is light coming from your wounds. you are resting under a tree. you havent taken your armor off in years. your armor is so used to being on you that you have marks when you remove it. This is the first time in a decade that you have laid your armor down. there is an excitement in your heart and hope in your voice. It is strong like the many depths of thunder. there is a gentlness in your movement as if you are handling something so delicate and precious. you have reached out in love and have not been scared. you trust and have laid your armor down and you whisper to me in the stillness of your heart, love of my life i have had to wear this armor for a decade now and this is the only time i can lay my armor down. i lay down my armor at my feet because here right now is the time and it is for you and it is so natural.
the road is now before you and you can see the dim light begin to shine like the morning sunrise.
upon seeing you lay down your armor i put down my bow and arrow and i take off my sheild. we sit under the tree that shadows us from getting burned and we breathe each other in. you wisper in my ear about the depths of your love for me and i shutter inside as i have so many times before.
And too our surprise we have twins. one boy joseph and one girl lillian. they run to us and they are playing with their swords and shelids. they haven't reached four yet. lillian runs up your large arms and she kisses you and whispers in your ear that she will never love another as she loves you and joseph puts on your sheild and says he wants to be a warrior like you someday.
in that moment you are overjoyed. all that you have wanted has come into it's fruition. your armor is down and your baby girl is there with you. And you have created your lillian and she is just as you saw in the dream of your heart and your son joseph is more than you ever expected. it is as if you saw clearly the desires of your heart come to life. the desires you had abandoned.
you fall asleep under your tree holding me and your twins. you are so strong and your embrace holds all three with no effort at all. It was as if you were created to hold all three of us at once.

Valentine's Day Runway Show

For Valentine's Day 2010 i am desgining a collection for a runway show here in the bean town with a friend and collegue from my day's in fashion. All the proceeds when purchasing the pieces from the collection will go to a Rape Crisis Center in Boston, MA. The idea of the night is to take back the soft gentle feminity that is ours as females, that is God-given and designed and unique. The show is about being stronger and taking back the beauty that is female. The trend will be the Romantic trend, shown on Valentine's day... the soft romantic trend with edge is going to be one of the hottest trends for the spring 2010. I will post further about logisitcs. As we sit right now, my collection will be available in stores in Wakefield and Cambridge and can be purchased on Valentine's night. Everyone is romantically lovable. My collection is inspired by that one solid passion and the southern coast of Italy. Please come support me and the Women that have been wounded by Rape.

my bucket list for 2010

* this past year, i had a year that was enamored in suffering, loss and grief. it was as if everywhere i turned things were taken from me... but i endured.*

so this spun my 2010 bucket list*

Miss Stina's 2010 Bucket List*

*love fiercely in all things, neighbors, familia,friends, handsome gentleman.*laugh out loud daily*get a couture chanel dress*SKYDIVE*get eli a brother*re-do my cucina*take a vacation on my born day to turks and caicos* get a new job*stop losing ipods* start making shoes (taken advantage of the sicilian neighbor who knows how)*creatively dive into the creative direction of the cupcake factory * take over the world one cupcake at a time* take my mom to my Fashion show on feb14th* design*create*love*dance* have breakfast at tiffany's* learn the piano* work on my italian to become fluent* learn how to read mandarian chinese and have basic conversations* take a class for fun* buy a Vespa for the summer/spring*

*daily be grateful for the gorgeousness that is life* build a fourth shoe closet*

Step One: self-care for the single thirty somethings

you need to take care of yourself.

until you can love yourself...how are you expected to love anyone else?

ways to take care of yourself.

naps, weekly massages, go for a jog.
make soup.
hug your family members.
cook yourself a healthy dinner.
clean your house.
drink water.
forgive.
volunteer at a soup kitchen, read a book.
watch a great film.
laugh.
dance.
sing in the shower.
make a martini and enjoy it with some chocolate.
stretch.
pray.
be the hostess with the mostest and throw a dinner party for your loved ones.
take salsa lessons..
put lavender on your pillows.....
get in a habit of adding cardio to your daily routine.
floss.
dont make the bed, and laugh at how your mom would dissapprove.
take a risk.
try something new.
go to a water park and act like you did when you were little.
go get an ice cream
buy yourself flowers.
follow your heart...
daydream.
cry.
sing in the shower.
do not take yourself to seriously.
protect your heart.