A long lost Uncle and love...

Uncle Eddie and Ella July 2011

Today was an incredibly special day. I was able to see my father's brother, my Uncle Eddie after a 20 year absence. Losing my father 9 years ago on July 13th was extremely painful and it left many questions unanswered about his family, my family, our roots. To sit with my almost 81 year old Uncle and talk about dates and Puerto Rico and family was incredibly moving. His two beautiful daughters beamed as we talked about the times we shared and the crazy life they have lived with their father. My own father was loud, demonstrative and was never shy to curse. To hear my Uncle Eddie talk about beating up a 40 year old last year and having multiple girlfriends made me laugh. We live completely different lives and I wish that wasn't the case but here we are... laughing, loving and connecting in ways so many people could benefit from. We expressed gratefulness for one another and vowed we would see each other more. There isn't a lot of time but today made up for so much.

My beautiful cousins are reminders to me how hard life can be and how resilient we are as human beings. Their lives propel me to continue to do what I love. I do not take a single day for granted. I do no take my wonderful life for granted. I will never take my beautiful family for granted.

Reach out today to someone you love, someone you did love, someone who needs love. The result will be lifelong... Just do it!

Love rules,

Jordan

A Dead Mole, a Spider and Ambition

I am not a morning person. My ideal working hours would be from 8 pm to 5 am. Unfortunately, having kids, this can't happen. I smile through my mornings with anticipation of a great day. I try different things all the time to get me through the first few hours and then my hyperactivity gets me through the rest of the day.

On Thursday, feeling overly ambitious, I ran downstairs to do some laundry. There was a pile of clothes on the floor near the washing machine. The laundry basket next to it was remarkably empty (sigh). I picked up the clothes to have something drop out of the sheets. I pulled my dollar store eye glasses down from my head and onto to my face and screamed when I realized it was a dead mole. Yes, a mole. No eyes, long stout and dead, dead, dead. I did a little squeamish dance and realized I had to get rid of it. I grabbed a few dryer sheets, picked it up and tossed it in the toilet. So gross, I washed my hands and cursed those freaking cats holed up in my basement. After my heart rate returned to normal, I picked up the same pile of clothes to have a giant black spider sprint out like Carl Lewis. I was done. So much for ambition. I'm big on symbolism so I figured I'm not meant to do laundry and left Jeff a text message there was laundry to be done.

I shook it off, took a shower, walked the dogs around the lake and laughed to myself about the poor dead mole.

Poor mole probably started out her day ambitious as well... I just succeeded :)

Rock on fabulous friends...

Jordan

When the transmission blows...Laugh it wasn't the engine!

For those of you who know me, I'm a pretty optimistic person. Last year, my transmission on my 3 year old car went and I struggled through the process of $4,000 in repairs and thought, I need a new car. 9 months later when the same transmission backfired, the warranty was expired since I drive 10,000 miles a day. This time, the mechanic suggested I sue Nissan and sent me on my way. After a nice sleepover in Warwick this weekend and then another sleepover in the Berkshires, I headed home singing in my car on the top of my lungs with a great running car. Tonight, I wanted to make a special dinner for my great friend Norma's Mom who turned 81. As I raced up Rt. 280 with 3 kids in tow, WHAM, the transmission slipped and I was banging on the hazards. I pulled over, thought it over and realized, damn, 2 miles away. My son Noah stated he was praying and I told him, keep praying. We started to chant, "come on baby, come on baby" as we coasted in neutral down Eagle Rock Road. What an adventure! Our energy made that car go!!! We made it to Norma's. I cooked, we laughed and Norma's mom Catherine, gave me her car to drive back home. I reached out to my friend Lynn who has a truck I wanted to buy and she says, "I will leave the keys tomorrow, take it."

Love always saves the day and there is no one I know more grateful for the love in my life and the people around me.

Love rules. Happy Valentine's Day!
Jordan

Blue Skies on a Cold Winter Day

It's amazing to live in New Jersey and experience all four seasons. It's also amazing to hear people complain about the snow every year as if it wasn't expected. Hello? We live in New Jersey. It's damn cold in January and February!

Although the warm weather is my absolute favorite, there is something fun about snuggling under blankets, making a fire and watching snow fall. Most people stay indoors more and fear venturing out because of the roads, the ice, the damn cold! I'm not exactly an indoors kind of woman so I always like to entice my friends and family to meet me places they probably don't want to go. A few tips for venturing out in the cold are a must:

• UGG boots are not snow boots
• High heels slide down driveways
• Saving the planet by not warming up the car freezes your ass
• Alcohol does NOT warm you up
• Walking two pit bulls in the snow results in falling
• Snow balls are really ice balls - Don't do it!
• Duraflame logs Rule!

Enjoy the winter, the cold, the snow... Be grateful you are alive and able to experience season by season. I am grateful for you and look forward to building an igloo in my front yard soon. Come join me inside and keep me warm!!

Warmest,
Jordan