Masshole Mommy

Newport Mansions: The Marble House

Jun 192013

Last Friday, Chris and I had a chance to visit another one of the famous Newport Mansions. The Newport Mansions are a collection of 11 historic properties. The Gilded Age mansions are all restored “summer cottages” (must be nice……) that belonged to some of America’s wealthiest families during the 1800′s and early 1900′s (the Vanderbilt’s to name one). Chris and I had each toured a couple of the other mansions at different times in our lives but, we’ve never been to The Marble House, so that’s where we decided to go this time around. This is the third mansion that we’ve visited together (we’ve also been to The Breakers and Rosecliff).

Marble House was built between 1888 and 1892 for Mr. and Mrs. William K. Vanderbilt. It was a summer house, or “cottage”, as Newporters called them in remembrance of the modest houses of the early 19th century. But Marble House was much more; it was a social and architectural landmark that set the pace for Newport’s subsequent transformation from a quiet summer colony of wooden houses to the legendary resort of opulent stone palaces.

Imagine? A summer cottage! The Vanderbilt’s lived in this ginormous house for something like three weeks a year. Anyways, they only allow photos to be taken outside, so here are a couple that I took.

But being the little law breaker that I am, I managed to snap a few pictures inside the house. They aren’t great, but they are better than nothing. Plus, I didn’t use my flash, so what’s the harm? Continue reading »

You NEED to Check out the Bit Players at the Firehouse Theater in Newport, RI

Jun 182013

Chris and I spent the weekend in Newport, RI. Whenever we get a chance to go away without the kids, that’s usually where we end up. It’s only about a 45 minute drive from where we live and there are so many cool things to do in Newport – including some really good eating establishments (and you all know my love of eating), tours of the famous Newport Mansions and tons of shops to visit. Plus, we get wicked cheap lodging at the Naval Base down there because Chris is in the military, so it doesn’t cost us an arm & a leg for an entire weekend away.

Anyways, we were looking for something different to do while we were there last weekend and about a month go, I did some snooping around and came across a link to this place called The Firehouse Theater. They have live improv comedy shows there every weekend featuring a comedy troupe called the Bit Players. I’ve seen live improv before, but Chris hadn’t, so we decided that we’d check it out.

When we got to the theater, we checked in at the desk and then were able to seat ourselves once we paid. I’m not positive, but I’d guesstimate that there are somewhere around 75 seats in the theater and we picked seats right in the front row since we were there nice and early. Here’s a picture of the stage.

The place itself was pretty laid back. Chris and I had a few laughs over the ghetto chairs they had in a few of the rows. Don’t worry – there were only three or four of them in there. Continue reading »

Attack of the Ginormous Peanut Butter Cups

Jun 172013

Peanut butter and chocolate is my all-time favorite combination in the world. I’m not sure who first thought to dip their chocolate bar into a jar of Skippy, but let’s just say that they are a genius. Plain and simple.

This past weekend, Chris and I spent the weekend in Newport, RI, which is one of our favorite weekend getaway locations. It’s only about a 45 minute ride from where we live and there is so much to do there. One thing we always do when we’re down there is to stop a massive peanut butter cup. There are a couple of fudge/candy shops down there that sell them and this time around, we actually bought two – one each.

Just so you have a frame of reference, here I am holding one in my hand:

Alternative Ways to Say Someone is Crazy

Jun 162013

I was having a conversation with someone the other day about someone that we knew mutually that’s absolutely cray cray (aka crazy)! The person in question was not playing with a full deck, that’s for sure. I mean she definitely is not the sharpest tool in the shed and she certainly isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer! To say she is not firing on all cylinders is a complete understatement.

Anyhow, the conversation led to other ways of saying someone is off their rocker and here’s the list we came up with:

1. He/She is a few fries short of a Happy Meal.

2. The elevator doesn’t go up to the penthouse!

3. He/She is as sharp as a bowling ball.

4. He/She is one banana short of a bunch.

5. The wheel is spinning, but the hamster is dead.

6. He/She is a few ants short of a picnic. Continue reading »

Fun Zumba Wear – Get Ready to Workout in Style!

Jun 152013

If you know me in real life, then you already know about my love of Zumba. I took my first Zumba class in February of 2012 and I was completely hooked after my first time. Was I nervous about trying it? You bet. I went to my first class all by myself because the thought of ‘sexy’ dancing – in front of of other people no less – was absolutely horrifying to me. I was so self-conscious and afraid my jiggly butt would scare all the other people in the class away, but at the time, I really needed to lose some weight and since I had seen a few Zumba classes at my gym, I little bit of an idea of what I was getting myself in to. So, I decided to give it a go and I’m so glad I did. Zumba literally changed the way I thought about working out.

I am the biggest fan of Zumba there is. I lost tons of weight by doing it and you know what? It wasn’t as scary as it seemed. The fact of the matter is, you don’t have time to look at anyone else other than the instructor because it’s a non-stop class, so no one notices or even cares if you “mess up”. We all mess up, even those of us who go to class five or six times a week. Zumba is intense, but it’s the funnest way to workout there is – in my opinion. Zumba classes are an hour long (which almost never seems like we’re there for an entire hour) and they are made up of a mix of Latin music and hip hop songs. My instructor changes her playlist weekly, so it’s always fresh.

If you’ve been on the fence about trying a class, I highly suggest giving it a try. It’s a seriously fun way to workout!

With all that being said, when the folks at Zumba asked if they could send me a few pieces of official “Zumba” clothing, I was psyched. I mean, who better than someone who goes to class as many times a week to test this stuff out than me, right?

I received this Cosmic Blast Racerback in my favorite color (purple, or as they call it – orchid): Continue reading »

The Boogie Man is MY Friend

Jun 152013

When my good friend, Katherine Loving, author of ”The Boogie Man Is My Friend” asked me to review her new book, I was honored to say the least. You see, I’ve been reading her blog of the same name for years now, so I knew that whatever was in between the covers of the book would not disappoint. Katherine is a former member of the Casper, Wyoming police (or po-po as I like to call them) and she’s had so many personal experiences that it only makes sense that she would share them. Right?

First of all, here is the “official” book description: Continue reading »

Family fun in Benidorm

Jun 152013

If you’re planning family holiday somewhere sunny this year, you can’t go wrong with Benidorm. One of the most popular package holiday destinations in Europe, the capital of the Costa Blanca has plenty to do in terms of family-friendly activities and fun.

Mundomar in Benidorm is a large marine and wildlife theme park in the east of Benidorm and is one of the area’s best attractions for families and children. The park includes a dolphin-arium, flamingos, sea lions, turtles, a bat cave and a children’s play area. Shows including parrot displays regularly take place to keep the little ones entertained and there are plenty of bars and cafes here to stop of at for a drink or a bite to eat. The park stays open throughout summer and until the end of October and ticket prices vary depending on how many of you are going and what you choose to include, but as a rough guide, an online family ticket for the whole day for two adults and one child currently costs 49 euros.

What a lot of families decide to do is to incorporate a ticket for Mundomar with entry to Aqualandia, another of the resort’s best family attractions. Aqualandia is a huge water park with lots of rides and slides to enjoy in the Mediterranean sun, including Adventure Land, Grand Jacuzzi, Niagara and Geyser, ideal for children and anyone who prefers more gentle rides, right up to the exciting and exhilarating Kamikaze, Big Bang and Splash rides, with plenty more in-between.

When it comes to choosing your accommodation, hotels close to family-friendly attractions include the Rosamar Hotel Benidorm , which is half a mile away from Aqualandia and so couldn’t really be nearer. A three star hotel, it’s close to the beach and the centre of Benidorm without being overly nosy, so is ideal for if you want to cut down on travelling time and make the most of your time in Benidorm.

Aqualandia Water Park opens from 10am-6pm every day from May to October and as with Mundomar, tickets vary depending on when you go, what you want to include and how many people there are in your group. A ticket for a full day at Aqualandia and a full day at Mundomar is currently 34 euros per person if bought online, which generally works out as the best value for money.

**This is a guest post

Door Holding Etiquette 101 – From a Guy’s Perspective

Jun 142013

Hi Masshole Mommy readers! Chris here again with another guest post. I am here to set the record and establish some guidelines for door holding.

How long should a person hold a door open for an individual behind them?

There are a lot of factors to consider here. Are they you manager? Your friend? Are they handicapped? Are they cute? Your nemesis? Are you in a rush? Also, you have to take into consideration the distance between you and the person behind you.

Christmas in June?

Jun 122013

Yesterday I told you all about my son’s field trip, which was a walking tour of our town. While the kids were all at the library, another mom and myself ran over to a pizza place nearby to grab some lunch for the kids before we headed out on the rest of our journey. As soon as we walked in, we both chuckled because the place was all decked out. For Christmas.

There were poinsettias all over the place, as well as silk flowers and holly garland. I never go to this place, so I have no idea how long it’s been up, but I am assuming at least since last December.

Third Grade Field Trip – A Walking Tour of Our Town

Jun 112013

Yesterday, I got to accompany my oldest on a walking tour field trip of our town. The kids are learning all about our town in social studies, so the field trip tied into what they’re learning in the classroom perfectly.

Actually, myself and another mom are regular volunteers in the classroom and the teacher (who I LOVE) approached us a couple of months ago to see if we would be up to planning this entire field trip, which of course – we were. I met up with the other mom about a month ago and we personally visited the fire station, police station, library and the post office to coordinate times and get the visits all scheduled. And yesterday was the big day.

Our first stops were to be the fire and police stations. There were two classes on the field trip and because space was limited, especially in the police station, one class went to the police station for a tour while the other went to the fire station. They’re right next to each other, so after a half hour the classes switched. Our class went to the fire station first.

One of the fire fighters explained how things at the station worked (ie their 24 hour on/off schedules, etc) and explained how some of the equipment worked. One of the guys actually got into his full gear and I’m pretty sure every single mom chaperone reached for their camera when he came out in uniform.

The kids all left the school with a clipboard and played a little scavenger hunt along the way. They had to count how many churches & schools they passed, how many flags they spotted and things like that. Plus, they had a list of information that they needed to attain at each location like the Police Chief’s name, etc. Here’s my man paying attention: Continue reading »

Strawberry Pickin’

Jun 102013

Yesterday Chris and I took the boys strawberry picking. Since strawberry picking season only lasts for three or four weeks around here, and it was a gorgeous day, we decided to knock it out for this year.

We went to a place called Spring Rain Farm in East Taunton, MA, which is where we usually go because they have a decent sized strawberry patch there. After a while, the gruesome twosome went in separate directions and had at it. Continue reading »

Look What I Picked Up at the Grocery Store

Jun 092013

It’s a little blurry because the cart was in motion, but look closely at the bottom of the shopping cart:

My little man recently discovered that he fits quite nicely in the bottom portion of the shopping cart, so if you ever run into me at Trucchi’s in Middleboro - look down.

The New Air Wick National Park Collection – It’s Like a Vacation For Your Home

Jun 082013

Now that the nice weather is finally upon us here in New England, I love that I have the chance to enjoy some fresh air – especially inside my house. We have such a short span of time in which the weather is nice around here that I like to take advantage of it as much as possible. The thing is, I have three boys and a husband so trust me when I say that things get smelly around here fast. As much as I would like to be able to air out my house by opening up some windows, the pollen is so bad around here, that I just can’t. If I did, everything inside my house would be yellow within a matter of minutes.

So, to get the smell of boys out of my house, I have to get a little creative. That’s where the new National Parks limited edition collection by Air Wick comes into play. Not only are they amazing fragrances that make me feel like I’m on a mini vacation – right inside my house – but they are made by a brand that I have used for years and trust.

Cascade Platinum Pacs Will Make Your Dishes Sparkle!

Jun 082013

I hate doing dishes. There I said it. Of all the things I do around the house on a daily basis, dishes are my least favorite chore. With five people living in the house, obviously they are a necessary evil and since I’m a busy mom, the last thing I have time in my day for is pre-washing and having to re-wash the dishes. That’s why I only use Cascade in my dishwasher. It eliminates the need to have to re-wash my dishes after I run the dishwasher.

The thing is, I always pre-wash the dishes before I load the dishwasher. I think it’s something that my mother drilled into me when I was younger, but I’ve never trusted that my dishes would come out completely clean without a little pre-washing. But then I found out about new Cascade Platinum Pacs and apparently they were not only going to eliminate the need to re-wash, but eliminate the need to pre-wash. Gasp!

Cascade Platinum Pacs deliver the most powerful clean available from Cascade while simultaneously helping to maintain the sparkling look of your clean dishwasher interior. It’s advanced triple action recipe is specifically designed to leave dishware virtually spot-free and help prevent the build-up of hard-water film on dishwasher walls. Continue reading »

Dinostars!

Jun 072013

On Tuesday night, my oldest performed in his third grade school play. It was called the Dinostars and the kids have been rehearsing for the big show for months.

Here’s a description of the show:

They sing, they dance, they’ll make you laugh if you give them a chance! Here come the Dino Stars, taking the stage to entertain you with heroic and Mesozoic acts of fun. With Raptors who rap, stand-up comedians, and even Tyrannosaurus Tex and his gang of line-dancing dinosaurs, our panel of judges have a big job ahead of them. Young performers will love their time in the spotlight with this entertaining 20-minute musical featuring five original songs in a variety of musical styles, clever rhyming dialog with over 35 speaking parts easily adaptable to casts of varying sizes, and simple movement and production tips to help stage a successful performance, even when time is limited. Let’s get on with the show! Songs include: Dino Stars!, The Raptors Rap, Micropachycephalosaurus, Dinosaur Two-Step, and Dinosaur Rock.

We had to get there early to drop off my son, so we were able to get great seats right in the front of the auditorium. Here’s the stage before the kids came out:

Once the show started, all the kids made a big entrance from the back of the auditorium: Continue reading »

Fun Times at the New Kids on the Block Concert

Jun 062013

On Sunday night I went into Boston with some friends to see The Package Tour – Boys II Men, 98 Degrees and Boston’s own New Kids on the Block.

I first saw NKOTB at the old Foxboro Stadium (the old stadium that my beloved New England Patriots played in before they built the snazzy new Gillette Stadium that they play in now) when I was in the ninth grade. So, if you’re better at math than I am – we’re talking a little over 20 years ago. Imagine being a girl at the ripe old age of 14 getting to see her biggest crush…..let’s just say that at the time, it was pretty much one of the greatest nights of my life.

But some things never change.

Here is is 2013 and there were more girls there with crimped hair than should have been (for the record, that number should have been a big fat zero). I understand that that NKOTB were big in the late 80′s/early 90′s, but that doesn’t mean that anyone needed to dress up like they were stuck in that time period. You know what I mean? Besides, who the hell even still has their crimper from 1989 anyways?

Oh, and there was this chick with a banana clip. And again, I have to ask – who still has one of these in their house?

Sprinkles at the Bus Stop

Jun 052013

The other morning at the bus stop (my front yard), it was a little bit rainy. Actually, a light sprinkle is more like it. I was out there with my umbrella, but my little man flat out refused to bring an umbrella or wear a rain coat. So instead, he wrapped himself up in his hoodie.

Kindergarten Play

Jun 042013

Last week, the kindergartners put on their annual spring performance. This year, as you probably already know, I have a kindergartner, so I lined up early to get a good seat for the show.

The show was America themed and the kids all started the show with the Pledge of Allegiance and then they sang patriotic songs for the next half hour or so.

My little man was right in the front row donning a super cool “powdered wig”. I laughed so hard when I saw him in it. Continue reading »

Playground Fun

Jun 032013

Yesterday, we planned on going to the beach for the first time (of many) this season. We were all excited when we woke up and it was about 80 degrees and the sun was shining. So, we packed up all of our paraphernalia and off we went. We usually hit up this beach in the next town over (Wareham, MA) because 1. it’s free to park there in the public lot if you get there early enough to get a space and 2. it’s close. I’m lucky that I only live about 20 minutes from Cape Cod, so it takes almost no time to get to the coast.

Anyways, off we went (around 8 am) and as we drove up 495 towards the cape, we saw some ominous looking clouds in that direction. Sure as shit, they were right over the beach and not only that – the temperature dropped about 15 degrees. And mind you, we were only about 15 minutes away from our house. It was 66 degrees at the beach and thank god I always keep a hoodie in my car because I was frozen.

When we pulled into the parking lot, we decided we’d still head down to the water so that the boys could dig for a little while, but I kid you not, as soon as we opened the trunk, it started to sprinkle. Ugh. It only lasted for a minute or so, but we decided to call it and we loaded back into the car to figure out plan b.

On the way to the beach, we passed this cool looking playground, so we decided to stop there for a little while.

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