Let's Play Catch...

...Up that is.  Where has the time gone?  It has been way too long since I've updated the blog.  A clear and undeniable admission that the Perfectionista is a bit busy.  But there is a faint little light on the horizon...dim, but its a light!

So...what's been going on???

Last week started, or the weekend ended, with a trip to NYC for work!  The first Por Tu Corazon Health Summit was held by the American Heart Association and my colleagues assembled some fantastic panels!  Marcela Garcia, Editor of El Planeta and our newest Board member, Patti McKenna the Sr. VP of the AHA in Boston, Nicole Lucey, our Sr. Director of Community Health, and I headed down on Sunday night, met for dinner at Turks and Frogs, and then stayed for 2 nights at the Excelsior hotel.

We were well stocked for snacks during the drive.  Nicole's fries smelled yummy....but I opted for monkey food.

I love being home after a trip...especially when the sunset is beautiful in the neighborhood!

Fast forward to Wednesday night...my contact at the Globe invited me and a guest to talk business during the last Celtics preseason game.  Jason was a bit late coming home from Nature's Classroom, so Allyson Perron, colleague and sports fanatic extraordinaire joined me in the Globe's Luxury Suite.  What a fun time - thanks Randi for inviting us!  While we were there, I did get some inspiration for halloween costumes...

Friday brought a chilly wake up....snow falling!

Luckily, it was only for a few minutes...then the sun came out and it was a gorgeous fall day!

That night, Jason and I went to his old roommate's wedding.  Congrats to Eric and Jennie Lawson!  It was beautiful and we had a blast.  I wish I had met these friends a lot earlier...very fun group! Hopefully, we all get together more frequently.

And this brings me to yesterday...

totally got caught taking a cat nap with Emma on my in-law's couch.  Its the perfect napping couch.

In between these captured moments, I have an amazing story to relay, but I'm going to separate it out into its own post.  Stay tuned...its worth the inspiration and life lessons you'll take away.

Have a great Sunday!

The Most Precious Pumpkin

Hello Perfectionista world...I have one of the greatest surprises for you this morning...make sure you yawn big and stretch because its going to be a fantabulous day! 

 Let me introduce you to Sal!!!

Salavatore Paul Discioarro

He is the most beautiful little red-headed Italian bambino I have ever met.

Huge eyes, adorable smile...he actually looks just like his Mom, my friend Kerry.  And if he's lucky, he'll have a voice just like hers, too! 

Sal and his parents, Kerry and Mike, came to visit this past weekend and do the New England fall thing.  First, on Saturday night Nonna made an amazing Italian dinner of veal and chicken cutlets and her seemingly world famous eggplant parm.  However, Kerry's request was for all things pumpkin...

So we started Sunday with Big Daddy's pumpkin apple pancakes and pumpkin coffee.  Then, we moved on to hot apple cider, cider donuts and pumpkin picking at Tougas Farm in Northborough. Emma was all smiles...

And super silly.  That hasn't worn off yet...its Wednesday by the way...

Then, we had Miss Maddy Moody Pants.  We are in so much trouble...

Those eyes...I'm going to buy Daddy a baseball bat for Christmas to keep by the front door.  You can never be too prepared!

And back to more sillies...  I love these girls!

Man, that cider was delish!!!  The perfect drink for a gorgeous day - sunshine with a slight chill!

Even Sal had a great time!  Between snuggling with Mom and riding with Dad in the Baby Bjorn, he was a happy little guy all weekend!

I think we take this photo every year...and I think that Emma still believes that little pumpkins grow on trees!  I love it!

We found lots of pumpkins - some for seed making, some for carving and some for painting.  But the most perfect pumpkin we found, we had to send back to NY...

...with his parents.  Boo.

But, before they left, we chowed down on my new favorite cool-weather recipe, Moroccan Lamb Stew.  The whole family likes it (Beppo gives it 4 out of 5 Beppos...nobody's perfect.) I just hope they don't get sick of it before spring!

Happy New England Fall everyone! Its my favorite time of the year and I'm hoping it lasts a few more weeks!!!  

Thanks, as always, for reading.  Subscribe today so you don't miss any Perfectionista adventures!

The Leaf Peeper(s)

Sunrise at the Trapp Family Lodge is pretty cool...even before you can see the color on the leaves!

Happy Birthday to our little early bird!!! Looking like a true journalist...a bit skeptical!

...and silly!!!

We took the girls out for an early morning spin on their bikes.  Emma did really well for her first time!

So for the past three years, Jason, his sister Shannon, and I have run the Leaf Peeper races.  The first year, we did the 5K, the second, Jason and Shannon signed up for the half marathon, and I did the 5K.  However, because of a bad eyebrow waxing accident, Shannon ran as my seeing-eye partner in the 5K (love her!!!) and Jason did the half. 

This year, we all did the 5K with Janet, Jason and Shannon's cousin.  Janet and Shannon have clearly been running, while Jason and I went into it cold.  After all, he did just get clearance to run after his shoulder surgery 2 weeks ago!  (so what's my excuse you may ask?  I'll get back to you when I find one...)

And away we gooooooooooo!!! (Janet was already way ahead of us :))

See, she makes it look super easy!

Next is Auntie Shannon...she also makes this running thing look like a breeze!

Pant...huff...gasp... I can't even muster up the energy to turn my head and actually look at the camera!  And yes, Jason will always run for beer!

However, once its over...I'm all smiles.  I did it, and I beat my time from last year.  OK, that doesn't say much, but I met my race goals: don't finish last and beat my previous time for the race.  Oh yeah, and be alive at the end.  That one is key...

The kids made the best cheering squad ever!

The race crew!  What an awesome weekend!!!

So...What race should we do next?  Please send suggestions!!!

Thanks for reading!

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Birthday Road Trip!

Warning: there is a lot to cram into the next 2 posts...it was a jam-packed weekend full of family and fun!  Birthday, dinner, road race..and lots of time in the car...

My baby is 4 years old... I can't believe it!!!  Friday night, we gave Emma her present - a princess big girl bike!  Daddy even stayed up late to put it together so we could take it on our little road trip to Vermont!

Saturday morning, Jason made pancakes, and we all piled into the minivan...well, almost all.  Beppo vetoed the "let's all go together" idea and opted for a quiet, attitude-less ride.  Smaht.  Wicked Smaht.

This is how Mommy survives her road trips...

yes, that's a large iced coffee and hand sanitizer...and gum from starbucks and a pack of baby wipes.

Being a mom is awesome!

We finally got to the Trapp Family Lodge, and this was the view from our room and the strolling balcony.  Ahhhhhhhh...

Fast forward to dinner.  American Flatbread in Burlington with the family!  Janet and Johnny, Aunt Chris, Neeny & Papa, Auntie Shannon, and Nonna & Beppo!  What a great birthday for Emma - Cheers!

The pizza was amazing as always, ditto for the salads...but the beer.  Good Lord, thank you for making a plethora of fall/harvest/pumpkin beers.  Thank you Beppo for a great shot of the beer list!!!

And then it was time for the birthday girl's dessert.  As she said, "the singing was my most happy part."  

Although she loved blowing out the candle...

And really, we all know it was the brownie and ice cream that made her night!

After, we walked down to the Skinny Pancake so the grownups could get crepes for dessert.  Its almost a tradition for Shannon, Jason and I to make the progression from American Flatbread to the Skinny Pancake the night before the Leaf Peeper.  This year we omitted the VT Brew Pub...but that will have to make a comeback.  

New tradition...photos with cows!  Emma smirks and says, "heh, I'm squeezing it."  She's a very funny 4 year old...

But Johnny really got into it...this picture is priceless!

The girls with Aunt Chris and Neeny.  4 wild and crazy girls!!!  The perfect way to end a perfect night!

Stay tuned...next up, race day! (And Emma's real birthday...)