Pending Withdrawals

Leave it to the English (& Canadians) to serve up a majestic dose of sumptuous cinematography in this heart-pounding period piece that doesn’t leave much to the imagination. The Tudors is outstanding!

The history, passion, betrayals and intrigue enveloped in this flawless production by the brilliant English screenwriter & creator Michael Hirst captures the agony of 1 man’s life journey in his ultimate quest for love and honesty. Yes, yes, power and all that, but fundamentally, as the years passed, love and truth reigned supreme.

In his prime, Henry – an educated author & composer – was known as charismatic, passionate and an attractive sportsman. He ruled with absolute power.

Why did Henry Vlll (1491 – 1547) have 6 wives? How did the Church of England come to be? Why are Henry Vlll and Elizabeth I the most famous monarchs in English history? Watch this 38-hour epic series and see the treacheries that cloak his kingdom unfold.

The voracious appetite of this happily married Mom was effortlessly satisfied with each hour I shared with my equally-engrossed husband. A perfect blend of desire & lust mixed with gross man stuff like Tower scenes and combat will captivate both men and women alike.

The Tudors is a magnificently edited work of art cast with absolutely incredible actors, extravagant costumes, opulent scenery and a twist at the end of each episode that leaves you breathless for more.

We’re about to wrap up our last hour of the series, I’m dreading it and the pending withdrawals. I just don’t want it to end. Bravo to all who made this chapter of history come to life!

The Bright SpotTM  – a delicious next few months with your special someone. Get it on Netflix or the DVD set and whisper in your love’s ear, “Let’s Tudor tonight!” with that knowing little smile and a naughty twinkle in your eye.

Daddy

My Daddy was my hero.

Kind and loving, generous and hardworking, he loved his family and we adored him.

Below is a photo tribute for my father. Happy Father’s Day, I miss you so.

 

The quote, “A Happy Childhood Lasts Forever,” sums up my father’s parenting style – an amazing storyteller, an excellent Santa, a funny Daddy who was bigger than a mountain and softer than a teddybear.

My father held us up and made us believe in ourselves. (Me in the 60s, my sister in the 70s):

 

One of 7 children,   (2nd in pic), he left his country and came to the USA in his early 20s, with no family, no friends, just a few dollars in his pocket, and worked tirelessly to put himself through college, met my mom, got his MBA,  

and they built & earned a life together living the American Dream.

 

                                                             (1st Christmas with mom)

He worked day & night to give my mom, sister & me an incredible life, for which we are forever grateful,  

 

but even with life’s ups & downs, there he was with a huge & brilliant smile – the most optimistic person I’ve     

ever known! My strength in “Mission: Bright Spot” (read above) comes directly from Daddy.

He founded 6 companies, and as busy as he was, he was never too busy for us. Daddy dropped everything if my sister or I phoned him or popped by the office. He would stop conferences mid-meeting and get up to kiss us & give us a great, big hug.

 

                                               

(Good eye if you recognized my favorite little blue daisy dress above in the picture from 23 years ago – it’s the same dress I wore last year for the photo in the above header of this website – I’ll never get rid of it! 🙂

 

Inventor of several patents, Daddy was a math genius and was there anytime we needed help with school work. Education was of the utmost importance to my father! Education and persistence.    

He always made it a point to pick us up at the airport. When we were little, he read to us at night, took us skiing, ice skating, sledding, horseback riding, boating, and every summer filled his car with neighborhood kids for a trip to Dairy Queen.

 

Daddy loved to dance…

 (gala in the 80s)

…but God needed him, so I never had the chance to dance with him at my wedding.

I met my incredible husband on FATHER’S DAY and Phillip & my Dad share the SAME BIRTHDAY! Signs everywhere!

At our wedding in England, Phillip’s wonderful father walked me down the aisle. Too weak to travel due to illness, my sweet father-in-law did not attend the wedding in the States.

God has called my dear father-in-law as well.  Now both Dads watch over us.

 

My father’s best friend, Ali, escorted me in the States.(Daddy and Ali goofing around in the 70s)

Many years have passed since my beloved father died suddenly and unexpectedly.

He was laid to rest on Valentine’s Day…appropriate for a man with such a big heart.

He was smart.

He was strong.

He was cool.

He was kind.

He was goofy.

And he was my hero.

My father loved children, it is clear.

   

He lives on in our family & our memories 

and I thank you for sharing this beautiful & poignant holiday with me.

Happy Father’s Day to all the Daddies in the world – no matter how busy you are, nothing can take the place of your quality time with your children. Nothing.

   

This note sits atop my computer screen. My father was an inspiration to me and to many whom he mentored. Charismatic, fearless, a visionary, entrepreneur, motivator, a true patriot, he was larger than life and is deeply missed by all who knew him.

The Bright SpotTM   –  

 

 

 

Bold Moves

Soft Hands, Warm Heart, Now that is Strength!

Teach your children to be kind to animals, to use gentle hands and soft voices. A respect of nature and the world we live in will always serve them well. 

Meet our newest furry baby from the shelter. Her name is Purr.

The examples we set as adults have profound effects on our children. The way they treat each other and other living beings they learn from you.

It’s easy to be tough, cool and sometimes even mean, but to be big & strong and still kind and loving, now that’s a real gift! A treasure for a lifetime for all who receive that love.

The Bright Spot – I am proud of my children, my husband and my parents. Thank you, Mom & Dad, for giving me the gift of Soft Hands, Warm Heart. You were the greatest teachers and I love you!!

It is not about hamburgers!

The Bright Spot – that there are brave people willing to give up their lives to save ours and our freedoms. God Bless America!

My Mom-Shirt Says It All!

Awakened by the sounds of supressed giggles & loud shhhushhing, the aroma of 24 roses and strawberry-cream chocolates, the sizzle of bacon, scrambled eggs & smoked salmon, the juiciness of a delightfully sweet fruit bouquet, and the sparkle of a gorgeous diamond droplet necklace, it was actually my new Mother’s Day t-shirt that said it all:   

Thank you to my dear husband for noticing…you know…how exhausted active Moms are!! Hahahahahaha!!!

 

But really, above and beyond all else, the cuddles & snuggles of my wonderful children, the sumputous kiss from my incredible husband, the birthday hats, the Mother’s Day song, the handmade cards & gifts created with such care, 

& the pure joy of sharing breakfast in bed as a family was the best Mother’s Day gift of all!

A Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms out there – now go put your feet up!! 🙂

The Bright Spot  – remember as you plow through the fog on a particularly tiring day – exhausted because everything you do is for your family because you love them so much, go ahead and take a moment to grab your kids and snuggle the daylights out of them, because time is short and those are the moments you’ll remember…not the dishes, not the laundry, but the special cuddle, the eskimo kisses, the sweet memories. Then go take a little time for yourself…the laundry will still be there when you get back!

Pixie Dust & Dolphin Kisses

Nothing can take the place of wonder & awe in a small child’s eyes.

Think back to a time when everything you believed in was true & sweet & simply pure magic.

 (3 years old)

Our little one just turned 6 ~ celebrate with us in this photo journey and thank you to everyone who has sent such lovely e-mails ~ I have shared every one with her!

It all started with a trip to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique: choice of gown, hair in a princess bun with shimmering pixie dust, a wand, glass slippers, and a beautiful sparkling wishing star.

Cinderella had just finished dancing with Prince Charming…Sleeping Beauty & Snow White. 

   

The Fairy Godmother greeted Little Petal and her Baby Bambi at the door.

                                 Following her gown presentation in the dressing room…

     

   …it was time to transform into a little princess. Hair, nails, the whole royal treatment for Little Petal and her Baby Bambi – who was also sprinkled with pixie dust and given a matching crystal cheek applique.

Then it was time to meet Cinderella and have lunch with her in her castle!

   

  Cinderella enjoyed meeting Baby Bambi.

Snow White, Belle, Ariel and Sleeping Beauty made our little princess feel extra special, too!

                       

  

After making a big wish on her birthday candle and a wonderful farewell hug from Cinderella,

we enjoyed the Magic Kingdom where dreams really do come true…

…because the next morning, Little Petal awoke to the news that her dream of swimming with dolphins was about to come true!! (For more on her incredible love of sea animals, go to the story “Harmony & Magic,” posted on November 3, 2010)

 We spent a beautiful day at Discovery Cove swimming with sting rays, swimming through an aviary – protected by 2 waterfalls…and Little Petal’s favorite – swimming with a very sweet dolphin named Jenny – what an amazing experience!

The Bright SpotTM  – Creating memories with your family, for in the end, all we have are our memories.

Do You Need Fur That Badly??

If you’ve read my Press Release, you know my husband and I fervently hope for the end of the brutal seal hunt in Canada and have worked with the Senior Vice President of the Humane Society of the United States Wildlife to stop the largest massacre of marine mammals on the planet – slated to begin this early April on the baby seals’ birthing floes. 

According to this Senior VP, “the Canadian government is now allowing 468,200 seals to be killed – an increase of 80,000 from 2010. This is the HIGHEST SLAUGHTER since the 50s and 60s when the sealers nearly decimated the seal population by as much as two-thirds!!”  468,200 seals will be slaughtered in a 6-week period – you do the math, that’s a lot of hooked-club bludgeoning in an 8-hour day!!

There’s ONE thing that you can do to help STOP this, read below.

Fact: 95% of the seals beaten to death are less than 3 months old.

Fact: Over 50% are 12 – 30 days old! Most have not even eaten their 1st solid meal. They are nursing on their mother’s milk on their birthing grounds.

Fact: Most cannot swim yet as they are so young. Even the bigger seals cannot defend themselves – they cannot run away! Come on – they don’t even have legs, this is NOT a hunt but a vicious, savage massacre! 

Fact: Observing vetrinarians say as many as 42% of the seals are skinned alive. Video shows the mothers cry!

I mean, really, do you need fur so badly that you are willing to wear the remains of a baby seal beaten to death by a hooked club? Seal products are banned in the US, thank God, but it needs to stop worldwide and YOU CAN HELP BY MAKING ONE SIMPLE CHANGE – DON’T BUY CANADIAN SEAFOOD – JUST LOOK AT SEAFOOD LABELS IN YOUR STORES OR ASK WHERE SEAFOOD WAS PURCHASED WHEN YOU’RE IN RESTAURANTS, OR JUST GO TO THE HSUS SITE BELOW FOR DETAILS.

If you have the guts for it, read my article in XD Magazine, but be warned the photos are graphic. Click on the red words below here that say “end the seal hunt” to read my article, and to see how YOUR ONE simple change can have a huge impact:

Article:  End the Seal Hunt

Or click on the seal photo below to learn more about the boycott to not buy Canadian seafood until this henious brutality stops.

 

 

The Bright Spot  – YES, THERE IS ONE AND AGAIN, IT’S YOU!!  650,000 individuals and 5,500 companies are participating in the HSUS ProtectSeals Boycott of Canadian Seafood. THANK YOU if you are one of the 650,000 people and THANK YOU if you go to the seal link above and join the effort.

A MILLION Thanks to YOU!!

We hit our 1 Millionth page view on this site since its launch 6 months ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We only have YOU to thank as our faithful readers of this site and as listeners of our radio show, “Let’s Talk with Bianca & Phillip” on stations WSTC and WNLK, and streaming LIVE worldwide.

                  

With guests from around the nation, our show focuses on Life, Love & Parenting issues. We welcome all of your input and respond to every e-mail.

The show is archived on this site every week! – just click on the Radio Show flower in the navigation bar above to select a topic of interest to listen to at your convenience.

                          

We’d love & appreciate your vote ~ only takes a minute.

     Please click on this Vote Now image ~ you’re eligible because we stream Live.

On the VOTE NOW survey above, please forward to page 4 & under Radio Personalities: type in “Let’s Talk with Bianca & Phillip,” and under Radio Station (local): type in “1400am WSTC, Norwalk.”

Then just hit “Submit” at the end. You don’t have to give your information.

The Bright Spot  – YOU, YOU, YOU!!  Our readers, listeners, followers and friends, THANKS A MILLION!! LITERALLY!!

Thank You & Thank You Again

                

 ~ especially to Mama Hen at www.MamasLittleChick.com !! I am forwarding these awards to some of my sweet followers who take the time to e-mail, comment and follow this site regularly: Chelsea, LeeAnn, Kerry, Marissa at Let’s Move It Mommas, Rayan Turner, TV’s Take, Jinnia, ThetaMom, The Planet Pink, Hello Sneakers-Goodbye Heels, Mrs. F., Mommy Spirit, Melissa, WallFry, Discovering the Me in Mommy, Erica, Jill, Warren, Stefanie, Adrienne, Grace, KatieMay, Hannah, Scott, Pooneh, Parisa, Becky and Dr. Yakini.

I cannot believe it, almost a million page views in just 6 months because of all of you ~ thank you!

     Would you please do me a favor & take a minute to vote for us by clicking on this Vote Now image ~ you’re eligible because we also stream Live.

(This site, The Let’s Talk Mom.com, is updated every week – my husband & I host a parenting program Live on 2 radio stations, 1400am WSTC & 1350am WNLK – it’s later archived on this site so you can listen to any of the shows at your convenience. See flower in nav bar above.) 

On the VOTE NOW survey above, please forward to page 4 & under Radio Personalities: type in “Let’s Talk with Bianca & Phillip,” and under Radio Station (local): type in “1400am WSTC, Norwalk.”

It would be so wonderful and appreciated, and you don’t have to give any of your info on the last page or fill out anything else unless you wish to. Just hit “Submit” at the end.

The Bright Spot  – YOU!!  YOU are our Bright Spot – for without you as our readers, listeners, followers or friends, we wouldn’t be here. So thank you, thank you, thank you from our hearts to yours.

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