Our tour of PCTI, The Passaic County Technical Institure

Passaic County Technical Institute

This week, my Daughter and I went on a tour of PCTI to see if she would like to go to High School here. The School is amazing. It is a secure campus, set up on a mountain top in Wayne, NJ and it boasts its own Athletic Center, complete with indoor pool, a zip line and obstacle course, athletics, galore!  It's own restaurant, bank, printing shop, you name it! 

 Here, we are at the TV station by the green screen, interview set, control room....

 The most interesting thing to Rachael was the School of Communication and the art rooms.

Of course, I liked the Johnny Depp drawing! 

The school was like a city!

It took us about 2 hours to tour the school.

I was most impressed with the Criminal Justice room with the NJROTC and its Commanding Officer, who happened to be in the class I was visiting. She was an outstanding individual who is in charge of 300 students, along with Retired Naval Officers who guide them all. She just wanted to make me stand up and cheer (and sign all my kids up for the ROTC!!)

It was very impressive to see such a dedicated young woman with a passion for Leadership.

The classrooms were all busy and bustling, filled with each school's individual blend of tools needed for each concentration. You can see the hard work and dedication of each classroom and the energy that filled the halls of the institute. I look forward to hearing from admissions that she will officially a part of the Class of 2017!  

Loudly yours,

Alicia

Gratitude Journal Days 13-15

Hmmmmm.. 9 things to be grateful for. That seems like a lot, but after watching the video at the end of this entry, 9 things to be grateful for is nothing.
1. I am grateful for my home. Is is warm and safe and dry.
2. I am grateful for my bed. It is where I rest in the evenings and dream great dreams. It is like sleeping on a cloud and I love it!
3. I am grateful that I have exercise equipment right in my bedroom that I get to use before I jump in the shower.  I love the time saved there!
4. I am grateful for my working van that gets me where I need to go. I did not have the van working during the storm and I was without it for about a week and it near killed me!!
5. I am grateful for my leader, Kim, who is doing such a great job as our Double Diamond! She is joy and a great teacher.
6. I am grateful for my music minister, Jim, who is soooo talented and giving. He is a treasure!
7.  I am grateful for my connections in the surrounding communities, especially Hurricane Sandy, Helping Hands, started through my good friend, Majella LoBello.  She has done some amazing work!!
8. I am grateful for the clergy in my life and their role in growing my life of faith. I can be a tricky student and they are doing all they can to guide my faith walk and I appreciate it.
9. I am grateful for my health. It goes without saying that health is one of the most important things to have in life and I am grateful that I am healthy as well as my family, thanks be to God.
Loudly yours,
Alicia

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Gratitiude Journal Days 5 & 6

Today, my gratitude goes towards my faith based Community. I have been very lucky to have been given the gift of music and granted the opportunity to share the gift God gave me with a Congregation who is loving, appreciative and understanding when my delivery is not perfect. I have been blessed with talented musicians who make me sound even better than I would alone and who have been accommodating in many ways.

I am also grateful that I have been fed spiritually through song when I can feel the message of God pressing onto me in my own life when I am proclaiming the psalm or singing a hymn. It is revealing to feel as if the song is speaking to me in my own life while I am reaching out to others.

I am also grateful for the patience of my Husband and Family as I am continually leaning on them for free time to go and work within the church at Masses, Funerals, Weddings and such. It is a blessing to be able to provide for the family and feed my soul at the same time.
I am grateful for my friends and those relatives close enough to me to call friends. These are women who I can lean on in times of trouble and call on many of them for advice. I appreciate their wisdom and their listening ears.

I am also grateful for the Community in which I live and for all the things that are done to help us all get together and do fun things. Like tonight, we will be lighting the tree together, singing and sharing hot chocolate. I am grateful it is not too, too cold out, so I will not freeze to death out there!

Lastly, I am grateful for the ability to juggle my crazy, crazy life!  I have been running around a lot lately, trying to maintain my current job and my 2nd job all in one. It gets hard at times. but are both fulfilling in many ways.  Both help people and many are very happy when they are done meeting with me. I love my jobs! :)
Loudly yours.
Alicia
ps- I have to share my interview with a beautiful young lady who I know is going to be a famous illustrator one day.  She was so sweet and I have fun interviewing her and getting to know her better.

Gratitude Journal Day 4

Today, I am grateful for my Cousin, Irene, who introduced me to my business. It has been so much fun working with her and seeing her on a regular basis. I have always been close to her, but being on her team and working together has been an entirely different experience, all for the good.

I am grateful today for Catholic Schools. My kids are getting a well rounded education with a Catholic flavor that I love, I love it when my kids come home singing church hymns and when they want to audition for the talent show using those songs. So sweet!!
Lastly, I am grateful for my baby birds. Yes, they are noisy, but they have been  fun companions and have taught my kids to love animals and to take care of them.

Our Trip to Bushkill Falls, Pa Part One

It's a ride out to PA for about an hour, give or take. Just a relatively short ride to see some of nature's beauty. We chose this time of the year to go to see the leaves and because October weather is usually so conducive to hiking. Just cold enough to keep you from sweating while you walk, but warm enough that you are not freezing. We tried to make this year's trip with most of our neighborhood gang, but as life has it at times, it did not work out completely, but we were able to spend the day with one of our neighbor families and it worked out great!  So, the largest family and one of the smallest of Mt Tabor sojourned together to the falls. We arrived around mid day and the sun peeked out from the clouds as soon as we arrived.  We piled out of the car, paid the fare and checked out the trails. We opted for the biggest route and got right to hiking. We quickly realized that the boys were not going to keep the pace we were moving, so we made a decision to let them run ahead. It was a good decision. We would have held them back and we would have heard complaints the whole way through. We took out time, stopping to take pictures at will. We got a lot of good ones!  It is ironic how serene the woods can be while at the same time have such brute strength in the power of the falls.

Loudly Yours,
Alicia

My Dinner with a Billionaire...in the making...

Yes, Billionaire.....with a B.
Seriously.
I did.
I made dinner and shortly dated a man who is now a Billionaire. Just made the connection yesterday, about 22 years later.
He was the last man I dated before I married my Husband.
I met him through a close friend I had from the gym.  I was Condo sitting her place and invited him over for dinner. No hanky panky, just dinner and maybe some snuggling. Alright, maybe a little more than that, but nothing rated R, if you get the picture.

I remember I made him Curry Chicken for dinner and took pains to make every ingredient just perfect. I was so excited to make everything look amazing. Candles on the table, table cloth, cloth napkins, lights down really low, dessert made.....just perfection. I knew he had money and I wanted to impress.

The door bell rang, my heart skipped a beat.  I ran to the door and slowed down as not to be out of breath. I answered the door and there he was, with a super smile and dressed casually, and with just the right balance of fashion and comfort. He had on great shoes, too.  I allowed him in and we headed to the kitchen to check on the food and he helped me up on the counter to get something I can't recall, but I remember we had a chuckle about how I was too short to reach that item I needed. He helped me bring some the food into the dining area and we drank some wine and chatted candidly about things going on in our lives.

We sat at the dinner table and the conversation continued. I was pleased as punch that he liked the dinner and felt like such a success.
The evening continued at the kitchen where he helped me clean up the dishes (which impressed the heck out of me), then when we were done in the kitchen, we headed to the living room to watch a movie on the couch.

I have no idea what we watched and the night ended when he left to go home. I was not the one night stand kind of girl and I was not sure where this relationship was headed. So, I let him go.....and I never saw him again.

I heard from him after that. He called and we spoke....but he was just too busy to ever take my call as he was building his business....and build it he did.

He built it to the tune of 23 Billion (yes billion) dollars. Hmmmm. that is a lot of money.   A LOT of money.

Shortly after I realized that it was not going to work out with Mr. Got Rocks, I started dating my Hubby. I knew He was the man I was going to marry soon after we met, although I did not believe it at first. He did not own his own car, he was still living at home and worked retail. Not the worldly ideal; but what he does have is a Billion Dollar heart and that is what attracted me to him the most.  Do I regret me decision not to pursue Mr. Got Rocks? No. My children are treasures worth more than gold or riches and so is my dear husband.

It is interesting to think of what life might have been if I had kept on Mr. Got Rocks. It would be a super spoiled version of me. Not too sure I would want to be in the room with that.  It might not be too pretty. How knows? Maybe I would. I would like to think that I would have a heart big enough to share with a lot of people in need, with all of his money.  Maybe. Then again, I look to people who had nothing, and made all the difference in the world, like Blessed Mother Theresa.
This morning, when I woke up, I heard a whisper from God, telling me that He has blessed me with treasure beyond measure in my children and that they were more that all the riches in the world.

Yeah...what God said.

Loudly yours.

Alicia

So lucky

Today I have been pondering how lucky I am to have a job that gives me the flexibility I need to be a Mom of 7 kids, that gives me the option to build other businesses and continue to follow my desires.

For instance, singing. It is a passion for me.  I think I would die inside if I lost the gift of singing.  I am lucky to have the ability to almost drop everything and sing at a Funeral Mass or Service. I have the privilege of singing every Sunday and get paid for it, something I have and would do for free.  I love that I get to pursue my deepest desire to continue developing my voice.  

I am grateful to my hubby who puts up with my singing career and is always there to be with the kids as I am unleashed to jog my vocal chords.  Same goes with my many business ventures.  From makeup to water units, to travel, to gold to my awesome wraps,  he is there for me and the return has been good, but it could not have been without his help, that is for sure. :)

I still have a bug in me that wants to go forward, though.  I want to have that chance to sing on Broadway, to record a legit CD that gets onto the charts, to travel all over the world, have a home in Ecuador and at the shore...I guess that is what keeps me going, searching for the perfect situation that will get me the things I dream of.  I just got a message from an Ambassador Executive from It Works.  I read of her success and I pray to be on the receiving line, right along with her in about a year from now.  I am putting it out there, as a prayer to God that He gets his Universe in motion to have those dreams come to be.

Loudly yours,
Alicia
 

First Day of Kindergarten for Bella

Dear Bella,

Today is the first day of Kindergarten.  I just know you are going to do great!  I wanted to write you this letter so you can look back on it and get a glimpse of what it was like on the morning of your first day of Kindergarten.  

I woke you up around 5:30 am to get you ready.  I sat on your bed and reminded you that today was your very first day of Kindergarten!  

 I also tried to wake up your Sisters with a very impromptu version of One Thing (by One Direction...the latest boy band CRAZE) 

It went like this: Get up , get up, get up, get out of your bed, be-cause you have school to-day....Get up , get up, get up, get out of your bed, or you'll miss the school bus...whoa o-o-o-o-o-, whoa -o-o-o-o-o, but then your Sister, Rachael sat up in bed and yelled at me that I was being annoying, so I had to stop.  She made it hard for me to think of other lyrics with her yelling.  That's ok, mission accomplished anyway...got you girls up from bed.   

Vincent met you in the hallway and we all went downstairs for breakfast. Justin fell asleep on the couch and got up to tell you good morning and how beautiful you were.  

I gave you a quick bath before breakfast and you used your new princess bath towel that Grandma and Grandpa gave you for your birthday. It is pink with a crown at the top of the hood.  

You got dressed and tried to button your shirt, but it was a little hard, so I helped you.  

 You ate your cereal, a generic Lucky Charms and got your uniform wet with milk. You cried, but it was ok, because I wanted to take it off anyway because it was really too small for you anyway.  We are going to wash that jumper and give it to your friend, Gracie, since she needs a smaller one anyways.  

I made lunch for you all, then Daddy took you to the bus stop after you all brushed your teeth.  

I hope you had a good day at school!  I am sure you will, as Mrs M is a great teacher!

 

Much Love,

Mommy

Children's Day Unraveled Part 3

This day starts early!  The kids are usually up and excited! Today is officially their day. ALL DAY.
7 am:
The Flag is honored by the local Girl Scouts with a flag raising to officially begin Children's Day, followed by the firing of the cannon to let Mt Tabor know that they day has begun.
Immediately following, the volunteers for the Midway begin the long process of putting together the Midway as the others leave for breakfast.  One by one, neighbors emerge from thier
homes to make the magic of Children's Day happen.
8:15 am:
Athletic Event Registration begins at 8:15 am until 9 am, when the games begin!
9am :
Everyone gets a participation ribbon and placement ribbons are awarded to the athletes after each event.
Awards are then given for overall athletic and sportsmanship at the Midway during the awards ceremony for both the
athletic events, the house decorating event and the floats.

12:15 pm:
CD Parade Line up at the Post Office.  Registration and Check in happens here for all those who have taken the
time to create their float.  Floats are accompanied by decorated bicycles, baby carriages and costumes. This year, my
kids got together and made their own float with a borrowed float bed and some advice from the Dad of their friend.
They won first place! :)
1:00 pm:
The Parade begins!  Participants have a grueling path to take as the parade route is very hilly in some spots.  I usually
enjoy taking a seat, right in front of my house to watch the parade.  I personally had enough of the hills during the 5k.
The floats vary from small to amazingly huge! This year, we saw Godzilla, Men in Black, an amazing Indian Elephant,
Angry Birds,  a luchador ring, to name a few.  It was fun to watch as it is every year.





1:30 pm:
The Midway fun begins!  There are pony rides, raffles, games, food, music and the Children's Day Art Show.  There is
even free ice cream for the kids who participate in the parade, donated by the Mount Tabor Historical Society!
There are a lot of free activities for the kids, like bubbles, balloon launching, chalk, puzzles, corn sifting, jump rope,
and the like.  There are midway games you can play by purchasing tickets, including the strong man anvil game,
and other games of skill. There is a food stand operated by and to benefit the volunteer Mt Tabor Fire Department.

4:30 pm The midway closes down for the day and everyone goes home for dinner.  Some packing away of the Midway begins.
7 pm:
Assembly for the Evening Parade. All those who placed as a winner in their category march yet again and are joined by extremely loud local Firefighters who love to blast their sirens.  (This is when I usually retreat to the house) WAY too loud for even me!! (If you can believe that)
7:15 pm:
The parade is fun and is usually accompanied by some fun water hose war that usually goes on, right on my corner. For years, there has been a water fight between a certain group of  people ( I am guessing friend and relatives of the fire fighters) who try to have a water fight with the fire fighters. It is quite comical.  I will have to take pictures next year.

7:45 pm:
Lowering of the Colors
The Mt Tabor Fire Department has a ceremony with the Pastor of the Methodist Church in town, who blesses our activities for the day.
7:50 pm:
The Francis X Wentworth Sr. Memorial Concert
This concert is given every year by the Wentworth Family.  One of the largest families in Mt Tabor history,  JG Wentworth being one of the Wentworth clan, together with his family, donate money toward our annual concert. (You may recognize JG from his commercials "I want my money and I want it NOW!"  It is a gift from their family to the town of Mt Tabor.  This year, we were visited by "The Zombies" and friends. It was  a great concert, followed by awesome fireworks (the best I have seen this year) and neighborly fun, including free glow stick necklaces for all!
This year's Children's Day was a great success.
Loudly yours,
Alicia
ps- We have been accused of being a little too quiet in our exposure of Children's Day as we limit our weekend to Mt Tabor residents and their guests.  Some might think it true, but you must admit, the whole weekend is provided by donations, dedication, sweat and time by our town's neighbors,  plus,  we don't have a lot of space to house all of the surrounding towns, so we have and will remain on the quiet side about inviting others to join us. I know it kind of stinks, but it is what it is. :)