It's JANET, Ms. Jackson If Your Nasty!

YEP, that's right! Guess what lucky lady has a fantastic husband who scored two tickets to the Good Morning America (WKTU) JANET JACKSON performance this morning!?!? ME - IT'S ME! Ruthie - wasn't the same without you...we did not sneak backstage and Marc doesn't dance quite as crazy as we did....well, he does - he just chose not to today in front of his work colleagues. =) She is still the same Janet, awesome as ever - her new album hit stores today. Buy It People....it jams!

Update on the Pups

Thought I'd share some of the latest pictures and videos of our two extrememly entertaining children.....er.....pets. The pups have been growing like weeds and are really loving being up here - they may have a smaller home but they have an awesome dog run to play at every day (pending the weather - of course) and have made lots of friends. They continue to be a constant source of laughs and love - here's some updated footage of our sweet little puppies...

This is one of my favorite Maddie pictures as it's classic to her personality - thanks to Nanna for sending toys, they love them! The one pictured here lasted about a day and had to be retired - Maddie and Dexter had managed to destroy it!

This is Dexter's "PLEASE Mom, let me up on the couch with you" stance - way too cute to say no most of the time...

Maddie digging through the toy box searching for something - who knows what!

Dexter Loungin'

Finally - I'M BACK!

Today I happily accepted the position of Director of New Business Development with Active Marketing Group, a San Diego based marketing and advertising firm. Thanks to you all for your encouragement and prayers as I patiently awaited getting back into the working world, especially sales and marketing - I'm really excited! If you're interested in learning more about this company and what in the world I'll be doing, go to www.activemarketinggroup.com and check it out. You'll see the Client Success Stories part - my job will be to work with companies such as these and create campaigns to help them reach their goals and grow their business. It's quite a challenge and I have lots to learn - thanks again for all your prayers and support!

A Few Tidbits...

So, Thursday night it started snowing - and kept snowing - and kept snowing - and then started raining - and kept raining - and now, everything is wet and slushy and FREEZING...... Yep, this is what all you winter visitors have to look forward to - get excited! Yesterday I stepped out of a cab, thinking just how smart I was for wearing my flats instead of sporting my heels in the messy, ridiculous, weather outside ONLY to sink my cute little black leather-clad feet into a slushy, gray, ice puddle that covered not only the foot, stockings and shoe but also the rest of my leg, up to the bottom of my shin. Now I will tell you - I truly know what the term 'ice cold' means... I then casually walzed over to the sidewalk in front of the hundreds of people walking by acting as if I TOTALLY knew that I was sinking my feet into to gross, wet, slush on the side of the road and it was not a big deal. My toes were screaming at me but no one else needed to know.

These are the things that the glamour and glitz associated with moving to NYC fail to portray - but don't worry, I'm here to paint you the true, unbiased picture! =) Below are some pictures of the snow - it really is beautiful and fun... I can't wait to see Central Park covered in this blanket of white - hopefully it won't have all melted by the time we get there.

This is our block covered in snow!

Also noteworthy, Marc and I went last night to see RENT on Broadway with our friends James and Nina and it was awesome! This was my 3rd time to see it and Marc's first - we both loved it and yes, I cried when Angel died and when Mimi sang "Would you light my candddlllleeee" - it was a great performance.

Date night continued with a walk around Times Square - it's fascinating just to walk the blocks and see all the bright lights. It was 27 degrees outside but aside from that, it was so beautiful - Marc thinks I'm a dork because I love looking at everything so much... I think I'm cool. =)

We finished off the night with a late bite of sushi at Blue Fin - it was really good, great Yellowtail roll and Marc liked his Spicy Tuna Roll - Jen, we're definitely checking this place out when you're here. It receives two thumbs up from yours truly and yours truly's husband!

Some pictures below - enjoy!

Tix to the big show

Riding the train uptown to 42nd Street

RENT - At the Nederlander Theatre on Broadway

RUTH - take a very deep breath - this is what you have to look forward to when you come visit... a GIANT SEPHORA in the middle of Times Square... Wanna go?

Hershey's = YUMMMMM.

Inside the Hershey's store - so much choc-o-late......I could eat here - er - stay here forever!

The lights of Times Square

After Weeks Of Wondering - Should I Just Become a Professional Dog Walker......

I FINALLY have THREE (yeah, you read that right...) job offers on the table. HALLELUJAH - PRAISE GOD...seriously. I went to the gym on Thursday morning and came back to 5 messages, 4 of which were job related. When it rains, it pours and in this case - I welcomed the downpour! As of end of day yesterday, I have three job offers to consider:

1) Active Marketing Group - creating national advertising campaigns for clients of all shapes and sizes, all over the U.S. and beyond...noteworthy mention: in addition to many others, one of my clients would be Revlon...HELLO - REVLON - HOW FUN WOULD THAT BE?

2) Madison Square Garden - The Garden - The World's Most Favorite Arena...etc. etc. etc. - more importantly, the company owning such entities as NY Liberty, NY Knicks, NY Rangers, Radio City Music Hall, FUSE TV, and concert venues across the U.S. all of which I'd have an opportunity to sell sponsorships to (with immediate emphsis on NY Liberty...how "liberating"). So cool....

3) CBS Radio - The Mets Broadcast - selling radio spots for WFAN - The Fan - a historic radio station responsible for the creation of Radio Row, home of the Mets broadcast for around 20 years now - very cool. BASEBALL people - you all know how I love my sports teams...

So, I have interviewed for almost seven weeks now and am lucky enough to choose where I go. Trouble is always 'second guessing' whatever choice I make.

Your opinions are welcome - I am in the process of creating my pros and cons list for all... I think they are great opportunities and am excited to be employed again - and in New York City. Wahoo - nothing feels as good as dreams coming true! =)

Thanks to you all for your prayers and thoughts and support and motivation - THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

I have the weekend to figure out my fate and will be happy to let you know where my heart lies on Monday.......

Until then - have a fantastic weekend everyone! =)

Hairspray

Last night Marc and I headed to Broadway to see our first play together in NYC - HAIRSPRAY! It was so SO so good - I loved it! We had so much fun - the cast did a fantastic job and included some stars that Marc and I were excited and surprised to see:

Anyone remember O-Town (Ruth...I know you do) and this handsome fella? Ashley Parker Angel played the role of Link Larkin, the Hairspray teenage heartthrob.

How about this blast from the past - a little Tevin Campbell anyone? Tevin played Seaweed Stubbs and did an awesome job. I think Marc liked the play more just because Tevin Campbell was in it.
And now - drum roll please - NNNNOOORRRMMM! Yep, that's right - George Wendt, best known for his famous roll in Cheers all those years, played the roll of Mrs. Turnblad - yep, he was playing a lady! He was absolutely hilarious - I haven't laughed this hard in a long time - so great to see him on stage.

I highly recommend this show to anyone who loves the sixties and all the crazy things that era was about - LOVED IT!

Happy Valentine's Day and All That Jazz...

Even the Empire State Building was all holiday-ed out... So another V-Day has come and gone, thank God. Although I'm attached and very VERY happy and in-love, I know it's still a stinky holiday for anyone wishing they were attached.......whoever renamed it Single Awareness Day was right - what a silly Hallmark holiday. I hope all my friends made it through and enjoyed the chocolate and ice cream all us girls have out there to cure the blues that come along with this day sometimes. I've had the blues a lot lately too, not about V-Day, just lack of job and missing my friends and family OH SO MUCH.

I will say that my honey did bring me beautiful pink and white tulips, a mani and pedi gift certificate and Billy's Bakery goodies... I also received a treat from my father-in-law - flowers!!! Such a great surprise - he said I was part of the fam and that now he had three valentine's - can't beat a conversation like that - made my day! My wonderful, sweet hubby got great goodies for his day - I made him a cake and peanut butter cookies as well as pumpkin cookies, he was in "hog heaven", literally! =) We had fun - thanks to you Maggie, Erika, Grannie and Moms for sending cards and remembering us on this day - love them and loved hearing from you!

We had a good weekend and finally had a visitor - Marc's Dad was in town on his way home from a business trip so he met his grand-dogs and enjoyed a quick tour of the city. We were so happy to see him and sad to see him go - great visit, so glad he was here!

No news on the job front - same old song and dance, different day... Never thought I could be so tired of interviewing but BOY AM I SICK OF IT. So, no news...say a few prayers, they are muchly appreciated. =)

Happy birthday to my Mom and Brother - Feb 11th and Feb 13th respectively - Mom is fabulous as ever and Brother has now entered his 20's....good Lord, that means I'm about to enter my 30's - let's not talk about it anymore.... =)

Here are some updated pictures of us - enjoy and have a great week everyone.

Here are the pups after their big snow - the first snow for these youngsters...Dexter picked it up quick - he started eating it as soon as he saw it!

Maddie and Dexter shuffling through their toy box - so fun to watch as Maddie disappears into that tiny box searching for something...who knows what!

Maddie and Mom - hangin' on the couch

How cool is it that we have elevators in our apartment building and can pretend to makeout in the elevator any time we want!??!? Kidding...I'm kidding.... =)

Pin a Carrot on my Nose and Call Me Frosty, I'm Turning into a Snowman!

It is FREEZING outside - literally... It's been a lovely weekend, beautiful outside, sunny, breezy, really nice - UNTIL about 3pm today when the temperature dropped...and dropped...and dropped some more. We started around 40 degrees this morning, tonight we're rocking a temperature of 21 degrees with wind gusts up to 40 miles per hour - according to the weather channel, it feels like it's 2 degrees outside - TWO DEGREES - you read that right... Unbelievable! Marc and I had dinner at Outback Steakhouse - our usual Sunday Salads...that's on 23rd between 6th and 7th and we live on 23rd between 10th and 11th - by the time we got there and back, both of us were frozen - FROZEN.

Hudson River is in between those buildings but you can't see it!

The Empire State Building is behind all that snow and normally can be seen very easily from our place...

Look close and you can see the flurries!

We got a cool video of the snow storm coming in from our apartment - even though it only lasted a little while, it was cool to watch. The wind was blowing so hard that it was snowing sideways.....check it out, hope the video works.

Aside from turning into Frosty, the rest of the weekend was great! We had lots of dog park time and rest and relaxion - just what we needed. We went out to a place called Hill Country on Saturday night with Byron and Jessica and for the evening I was so SO so homesick - and stuffed. This place is a total Texas hangout, based on the Texas Hill Country which as you know, is just like home to me and my family. The smell, the look, the pictures on the wall, the awesome bbq, it was great! First thing I did when I got home was call Mom and Dad - I love New York City but I sure do miss home. Here's the Hill Country website if interested in checking it out - http://www.hillcountryny.com/ .

Maddie and Dex loved the park - as usual. Here they are in their cute sweaters playing with a hocky puck they found...they are growing like weeds and becoming more and more fun each day. They are awesome! Enjoy the videos and pictures and have a wonderful week everyone.

Keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer - maybe I'll been an employed New Yorker by the end of the week!

You know the family is exhausted when you find them sleeping in the middle of the kitchen floor!

Dex and Dad - aren't they both so handsome!?

Maddie and Marc at the park with Chelsea Piers in the background - pre snow-storm...

Maddie Maddie Madison....

Our attempt at a family picture - best one we've got for now!