Dana Daily

I've been wanting to see TSO for years, and this year finally decided to just buy the tickets already. Any guesses on who I asked to go with me? Sal and I had a fantastic time and continued our date with dinner after the show.  When I bought the tickets I never could have imagined how much fun the day would be. (and with that, I can cross item #13, go to a concert, off my birthday bucket list ).

What a wild couple of days. I came home after a day of shopping yesterday to realize that I was out of heating oil in my tanks. The house was a balmy 61 degrees and it was steadily downhill from there. I had to take today off from work to be here when the oil was delivered, but as a result I got to spend a whole day doing nothing, guilt-free . How often does that happen? Never. I stayed wrapped up in an electric blanket and it was good.

White Christmas is not just the name of a movie. It is also a stage show and one I had the opportunity to see in Steubenville , Ohio this past Saturday. In fact, it was Date #2 (kind of) with the “Genuinely Nice Guy”, hereafter known as Sal. ( Our First Date ). Anyway, I say “kind of” because Sal is a percussionist and he played in the orchestra for White Christmas which means we spent much of our second date unable to see one another (this relationship is totally going to work LOL). In all seriousness, the orchestra was great, the show was great, and I had a fantastic time. Date #2 was great. We started with dinner at Scaffidi’s Restaurant , also in Steubenville . An eggplant dish caught my attention and it didn’t disappoint. I also had three slices of bread to Sal’s, um. . .none. How is it that men can avoid overdosing on carbs? Then we went to the show. To recap, the orchestra was great, the show was great, and I had a fantastic time. Alone. There was a wrap party for 2 a...

This morning at 9am I closed on my "new" house, my country cottage, my humble abode, and I am so excited. This is a new chapter for the girls and I. Enjoy the virtual tour below. Here is my country cottage which sits on an acre of property. With farmland to the right and behind and a sweet couple in their late 60s to the left, it's a little piece of country 30 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh (and that's with traffic). A room with a view. Check out this amazing, that's right amazing , fireplace. The focal point of the living room, the girls won't have to wonder any longer just how Santa will make his delivery. Trust me, it's been a major concern of theirs lately. Clearly the kitchen needs a little bit of work. There is a lot of unused/wasted space with this current layout, but it's clean and functional. It's also disappointing to know I'm the only dishwasher in sight, but again, it's clean and functional :-)  This is the future sit...

If you follow my blog you may remember my trip to Cadiz, Ohio to the "birthplace" of Clark Gable. In case you don't, here's a link . What was not mentioned during that tour was that Clark Gable had a secret daughter. (I wonder what else they've swept under the proverbial rug). Look what I found online today: http://news.yahoo.com/secret-children-hollywood-clark-gable-daughter-dies-180629863.html Judy Lewis didn’t find out she was the secret daughter of two  Hollywood  stars until she was 31 years old. Lewis only learned the truth when she had an identity crisis just before marriage and her fiancé blurted out, “It’s common knowledge, Judy,” he said. “Your father is Clark Gable.” Lewis, a former soap opera star, died Nov. 25 at the age of 76 in Pennsylvania, leaving behind a sordid tale of family deception – one that is all too common in Hollywood. Her mother was  Loretta Young , a budding actress, who told Lewis she was adopted after getting pregnant in a sh...

Item number 29 on my birthday bucket list  was to "go to a piano bar" which I had the opportunity to do, for the very first time, this past weekend. It sounds fun right? It totally was. It was more than just going to a piano bar though. It was a first date. With a really nice guy. It's true. A genuinely nice guy. The plan, as far as I knew, was dinner at Cafe du Jour on Pittsburgh's South Side. Which I highly recommend, by the way. Here's a tip, the stuffed chicken breast is delicious. Charlie Murdoch's is in an old church! The piano bar, Charlie Murdoch's to be specific, was a complete surprise. I had mentioned my birthday bucket list in a prior conversation and later sent him a link to my blog for a completely different reason. He took it upon himself to see what was on it and if there was something we could cross off on our first date. How cool is that? I know. . .awesome. Having never been to a piano bar, I had no expectations. It was so...

My parents hosted Thanksgiving this year and the girls and I had such a fun time. I have promised to host next year and I think my mom and dad are looking forward to that. I only took a few pictures this year and didn't get any food pictures, but here's one of my favorites...my sister and I with our respective children. Here are a few food highlights: My aunt and her husband make homemade wine and brought four different kinds. We had a little wine tasting and my personal favorite was a blackberry/grape. This same aunt baked a "real" pumpkin pie - with pumpkins straight out of her garden. The pumpkin roll the girls and I made was a big hit. The stuffing was yummy.

Sometimes things are better in theory than in execution. At St. Sebastian Parish, "Advent"ure Sunday is a chance for families to learn about Advent and to decorate a wreath. Christmas treats, hot chocolate, and a kid-oriented explanation of Advent was how it was described in the bulletin. It sounded like fun to me in a moment when I apparently forgot I am not Martha Stewart. Each family was tasked with creating bows. Following "Deacon Bob" and his instructions, my bows were a little more than just a little pathetic. There's a reason bows are available for purchase in stores everywhere. In an apparent miscommunication the church does not provide the greens, as several of us were told. So, a few of the men in attendance got in touch with their inner caveman and employed long forgotten hunting and gathering skills. They brought back a wide variety of greens plucked from trees on the parish property. Then we wired the greens to the brass ring, kind of. Mine l...

When I added "tour a Christmas lights display" to my birthday bucket list , I didn't expect that I would tour it this way. Hartwood Acres Mansion I received a flier this past weekend about a walk/run through the 2 million lights at Hartwood Acres in Hampton Township. A donation of $10 per person goes toward Project Bundle Up. I decided to check it out. The course is 3.5 miles (although there are short cuts making it 2.5 if you so choose). It sounded like a great evening walk to me, so tonight I headed over to the municipal building where a shuttle would take me to the lights display. The park was packed with people of all ages. Volunteers handed out glow sticks, a jingle bell necklace, and water. Hot chocolate, water, and snacks were available midway through the course. It was a great night for being out. While it had rained earlier in the day, no rain was in the forecast for the evening hours. The temperature (although I have no idea what it was) was perfect f...

When I created my Birthday Bucket List I knew I wasn't happy with my weight. Yes, I know. I look fine. But I don't feel fine. I decided to start small and set a manageable goal. I joined Weight Watchers in September and am happy to report that I lost 10 pounds (10.8 to be specific) in the first month. I'd like to lose another 10 by Christmas. Thanksgiving makes me nervous. Oh stuffing, how I love thee.

I am thankful for: 1. My children who keep me sane and make me crazy :-) 2. My job/career. I'm one of those rare people who actually like going to work everyday. 3. My siblings. We share a common childhood history and have grown up to be friends. 4. My parents. I'm a self-sufficient adult so they did a lot right, even if I was their practice child ;-) 5. My grandparents. Each are special in their own way and I have so many great memories. 6. My friends. Where would I be without my friends. I don't even want to think about. 7. My car. It's been almost 11 years and it still gets me from here to there faithfully. 8. Random compliments by random strangers. A compliment is a compliment. 9. Awesome coworkers. I really do work with some of the best people. 10. Early Christmas shopping deals. Most of my shopping is done! 11. Veterans and their families. Thank you! 12. My phone - for keeping me in touch with all the important people. 13. What would I do with all my...

This little box might not look like much, but it's the one thing in my apartment that is all mine . My kids can't stand the stuff so it's my one "treat" that I don't have to sneak behind their backs to enjoy and I never have to share, ever. In fact, Sarah informed me today that maybe when she's a big person she'll like apple juice too.

Reilly's on a sunny day (definitely NOT today) Sarah's Ready-K class took a field trip to Reilly's Summer Seat Farm just off 279 in Ohio Township today. I had no idea this farm existed, but what a cute place. pumpkins on a good day We didn't have the best weather, drizzle off and on, and it was chilly, but no one complained about being cold. A hayride took us to the pumpkin patch with a stop along the way to hear the story of Stuffy the Scarecrow. The pumpkin patch was an absolute muddy mess. I wish I could have felt confident enough walking through to pull my camera out and snap a few pictures, but suffice it to say it was hard enough just to keep Emily and I vertical. Fortunately one of the Ready-K teachers walked with Sarah through the patch. After all the kids picked a pumpkin, we took another hayride to the cornstalk maze. Neither one of my kids had been thrilled with the corn maze at Coolspring Farm a few weeks ago so I wasn't expecting either o...

Three years ago at 8:17am, I met my little lovebug for the very first time. It's hard to believe so much time has passed, but it's true she is no longer a baby. She's a preschooler on the go. I've never seen a child more determined to do things herself. She makes me giggle and want to pull my hair out, often at the same time. Happy Birthday, Emmy. I love you!

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered; Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway. You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God; It was never between you and them anyway. (poem attributed to Mother Theresa)  

                                                  Applefest weekend is my favorite time to "go home". My little hometown transforms into a festival of food, crafts, and entertainment for three days in October. The weather this year could not have been more perfect (sunny and warm). Here are a few pictures from the weekend (some of these are taken from the Applefest Facebook page; you'll recognize the people in the pictures I took). What would an apple festival be without an appearance by the iconic John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed)? Even better, he's learned to juggle since his early days of planting apple trees over this area of the country. I was a bit confused though because in 1997 (or so), I visited the grave of Johnny Appleseed in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Oh well. It's magic! There are many wonderful eats in Franklin's two parks. Here are Sarah a...

Charlotte took up residence in a protected corner of my office building (outside, of course) on the window and for weeks she was somewhat of a celebrity. We watched her grow and do all sorts of wonderful spider-y things. Coworkers would arrive in the morning and check on Charlotte before turning on their computers. People from other departments would swing by and ask how she was doing. Then one day she was gone. We left a presumably healthy and happy Charlotte on Friday, but on Monday all that remained was her enormous web and a few bits of her last meal. After a few weeks of hoping Charlotte would return we have just now come to terms with her passing and my coworker and fellow writer, Leslie Mitchell, drafted the following obituary (she may have taken some creative liberties), but please join us in mourning Charlotte’s passing. Demise of Local Celebrity Saddens MSA Associates, More or Less Charlotte, in happier times Charlotte , a yellow garden spider that took up her cel...

this seriously made me laugh out loud.

Goal #2 on my Birthday Bucket List is losing 10 pounds. We have an "At-Work" Weight Watchers meeting every Tuesday at MSA and I joined this last session which just started last Tuesday. I weighed in to get my starting weight (which was more than I expected - ouch!) and decided I wanted to lose 5 pounds the first week.  the coveted crown I lost 6.6, and won "The Crown" by losing more weight than any other woman in our group (the guys win a "HERO" badge). The Crown will stay perched on my cubical wall for the next week (except that I took it home to photograph it for this blog). My challenge/goal for this week is to again lose more weight than any other woman in our group to keep the crown, and hit the 10 pound weight loss mark. I don't know how feasible it is to have two big weight loss weeks in a row, but I'm sure going to try. My  Birthday Bucket List  goal was to lose 10 pounds, but that was just to get me started. There's more I'...

We were lucky to have fabulous late summer weather this last weekend of September and we made good use of it. My parents live in Small Town, USA and this time of year brings fall festivals and fun at local farms. My grandparents owned a farm while I was growing up, but it was sold when I was still in college so Sarah and Emily have never had the "farm experience". In the Pittsburgh Parent , I saw a blurb about Coolspring Farm and Corn Maze located near Mercer which isn't far from my hometown. We had to check it out today. We talked Uncle Andrew into going by agreeing to hit up the original Quaker Steak and Lube in Sharon for lunch beforehand. Sarah was happy to see watermelon on the buffet and Emily loved checking out the cars and motorcyles decorating the inside of the restaurant. The Coolspring Corn Maze was fun. This year's theme is "American Heroes". aerial view of the corn maze Sarah and Emily enjoyed their first hayride and my mom and I agr...

This evening was "Meet the Teacher" night at St. Ursula's. I had a chance to talk to Sarah's teacher last week, but tonight gave teachers the opportunity to discuss the goals for their students this year, how school is going now that we're a month in, and anything else parents wanted to discuss. I did talk to Sarah's teacher one-on-one again this evening, but she just reiterated that Sarah's doing well and that she is such an easy kid to have in class. She described her as a mini-adult, in a lot of ways. The biggest thing she wants Sarah to work on is playing with other kids. Mrs. P said Sarah seems to enjoy talking to her first thing in the morning and at other times throughout the day. She said she enjoys her as well, but they do try to encourage her to play with the other kids. I think Sarah is naturally drawn to and comfortable around adults and once she gets to know the kids in her class a little better and comes out of her shell a bit, she won'...

Here I am enjoying my new Kindle

I have to laugh when I think about all the nicknames Sarah has had in the last four years. Most are long forgotten already, but a few linger. One of the teachers at daycare started calling her "Sarah Smiles" when she was just 12 weeks old, and to this day still calls her "Sarah Smiles" each and every time she says her name. I'm not sure when I started calling her "Miss Sarah". The name "Sarah" is Hebrew for "God's Princess". There could not be a more fitting name for Sarah given her last days in utero and her birth experience. Certainly she put her guardian to angel to work early. However, something does not permit me to call her "princess" (or at least not often). I need Sarah to stay grounded and not morph into a little diva. "Miss Sarah" is my version of "princess" and she is none the wiser. Then there's "Sweet Pea". Where this came from I'll never know, but it's fitt...

I ended up in Maryland for lunch today. I just wanted to check out the Old National Road. The Casselman The Casselman on alternate Route U.S. 40 is located in Grantsville, Maryland which is just over the PA border in Garrett County. It's a small inn with just 4 guest rooms and a restaurant. The nearby Casselman Motor Inn features 40 rooms for travelers and short-term guests. This was a unique lunchtime destination. The food was good, the atmosphere friendly, and the building itself welcoming with lots of red geraniums potted around the outside. Here's a bit of history about The Casselman  and the Old National Road from the website: "The Casselman", 1800s Built in 1824, The Casselman was one of the numerous inns along the National Trail to serve the stage coaches, covered wagons, drovers and riders that made the Old Pike the busiest thoroughfare crossing the mountains. In its over 180 years of history, the Casselman has been called Drover's Inn, Farm...

What do Applebees, Trivia, and Gift Cards all have in common? Well, Applebees hosts trivia one night a week at select locations and the table with the highest number of points after 10 rounds wins a $20 gift card. Basically Applebees rewards you for having smart friends or a smart date. I am proud to say . . . my date and I won!!! It was exciting, but I must say, some people remember the most random information ever !

Emmy's self-portrait  Kids say the most unexpected things sometimes. As I was tucking Emmy in bed this evening, she said, "I love you, Mommy." I told her that I love her too and that I will never forget the first time I ever saw her. I said, "lovebug, you were such a beautiful baby." With all the sincerity in the world, she replied, "thank you, Mommy." She's a beautiful little girl too; wouldn't you agree?

I attended a copywriting workshop at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh today with three of my coworkers. The workshop itself is interesting. Not stellar, but interesting enough. With only an hour for lunch we had little choice but to hit the hotel's 4-star restaurant, Bigelow Grille . I was a bit skeptical. I'm not a "foodie". Actually, I'm not an adventurous eater at all. I also expected it to be quite pricey. When my coworkers, another attendee (from Michigan), and I were seated, the waiter informed us that the restaurant uses organic ingredients and food grown on local farms. Furthermore, Bigelow Grille has their own rooftop garden. "In an effort to continue our commitment to sustainability and the use of organic produce free of dangerous pesticides, Bigelow Grille is introducing our first roof top organic garden. 17 different culinary herbs are currently planted in organic mushroom compost to grow the best and healthiest produce available....

September 11, 2001 should have been a day just like any other, but for millions of people around the world and especially for Americans, it was not. For me, living in northwestern Pennsylvania , the day began normally enough. I went to work, logged into my computer, and started checking email. I hadn’t been there long when I received a message from a college friend saying a plane had hit the World Trade Center in New York City . I thought back to my most recent trip to NYC, a couple years earlier, when I walked past the World Trade Center . The towers were the New York City skyline, and in many ways, represented the city itself. How does a pilot accidentally fly into a huge building in the middle of the morning? But, given the towers’ height, I also thought, “surely the towers were built to withstand the impact of a small plane?” That’s what I was thinking, that it was a small plane. When the second plane hit it became apparent that this was no accident. We crowded around a...