Displaced dreams...

Well, here I am again up in New England. My second most favorite place in the country. But I have to say after driving through the inescapable rain for three hours today; I can clearly tell you that I like New England a whole lot better in the summer sun. During most of our visits we've been blessed with warm sunshine. The rainy days have definitely dampened my enthusiasm for this place a little. Also, I've never been up here in the dead of winter. Never intend to, either.

The reason I am back here for a few days is to drop off a chipper 8-year-old who is beginning another magical three and 1/2 week escape from reality. She is attending summer camp for her second summer in a row. Real, authentic summer camp. Sleep-away summer camp. Summer camp at a place that has been host to thousands of young girls her age over almost 100 summer seasons. Summer camp pretty much in the place where summer camp was invented. Camp with daily swimming on the lake. Archery. Arts & Crafts. Uniforms. Singing. Tents. A garden where you can eat the veggies right off the vine. It's rustic. Bucolic. It's exactly what I pictured when I first found the brochures when she was maybe four years old. It's exactly where I would have loved to have gone if I had been given the opportunity.

So lately, instead of just living vicariously through her, I've been dreaming about making up my very own "Summer Camp," concocting plans in my head for an annual escape to New England -- Vermont specifically. We would buy a little cottage on the lake, or at least on a stream. Maybe a place with it's own private little pond. A cute place, a little rustic, no A/C, lots of land so we can plant a garden and maybe have a few pets.

But what dawned on me today is that our family is in NO WAY ready for the realities of a second home. Financially. Mentally. Work-wise. Physically. Shit, it's hard enough to keep up with one house, our 5-acres where the business resides and a freakin' rental condo. How would we manage another place thousands of miles away from home? Why would we tie up so much money for something we could barely use?

I learned a lesson today. My dreams are somewhat displaced sometimes. But that is OK. Dreams and goals change over time. Maybe when retirement nears we'll still want a little cottage in Vermont to escape the steamy Florida summers. But, then again, maybe we won't. Either way, I'll be OK with it. In the meantime, I'll just remember that I live a charmed life in a beautiful city. And be thankful for all that I have.

Three Years Later...

It's hard to comprehend that the last time I wrote a blog entry the kids were entering second grade and kindergarten. I now have a soon-to-be fifth grader and third grader. Jake is so big he can wear my shoes. I've just glossed over three of the busiest years of our lives... a time during which we launched a new company -- People at Play that we operate over the weekends allowing individuals and groups to operate (our) real construction equipment for fun. All that while keeping the other company going... and the family life on track... as well as can be expected.

I've struggled with weight gain and celebrated weight loss... enjoyed great moments with the kids and  lived through dark Mommy-low-points, that I am guessing we all go through. I learned what it was like to lose a parent; my Dad passed away in March of 2011... and also the sadness of losing a good friend.

I am coming out the other end of all this whole. I am also coming to terms with the fact that at 42 I do, really, truly, know what I want out of life and am not going to worry about what I don't want. I am releasing bad and focusing on the good. I am going to attempt to keep this blog on track, as I feel it gives me a good outlet for self expression... and it's a hell of a lot easier than keeping a diary.

Happy Summer, Folks! Here's to more paddle boarding, sand in your toes, vacations, grilled dinners and lazy afternoons by the pool.

Cool Stuff on the Horizon

Again, two months??? WTF? I used to be such a good little blogger until FB entered my life. As Betty White appropriately stated on SNL this past Saturday, Facebook is a huge waste of time, but unfortunately I am addicted to it.

Weight update is very good... I am down to a trim 126.0 and holding. I still hope to rock the "120" pretty soon, but I am in no rush, as it seems that the rapid weight loss works against me in the long run. Hey, I can't complain, I started this journey in a size 12 and now size 6 is falling off me, so... all is good.

I am having a terrific day today as I am preparing for my annual "Spring rite of Mommy-passage" a husband-less and child-less getaway with 15 of my nearest and dearest pals in Orlando. We've dubbed ourselves the BOHOs (actually April dubbed us the BOHOs - Biotches of the Highest Order) and the name stuck... perhaps because it is so appropriate.

On Friday I will join my gals for a weekend of R&R (think massage, laying by pool, shopping, dinner out and dancing with a little bit of alcohol mixed in for fun...) at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. Wow. I cannot wait. It's the fourth year for me and the fifth anniversary for the original group which started with four girlfriends from Clermont -- one of them being my buddy Cindi.

Also, I am so excited about the prospect of one of my new pet projects -- Java Dawg Coffee. If you're from Sarasota you may be familiar with the Double Decker bus at the Farmer's Market every Saturday. Well, this little company has a whole lot of gusto and things are just getting started. I am delighted to be a part of what is sure to be a success.

Still running and training for another 1/2 Marathon -- this time in California -- early September -- the Disneyland 1/2 Marathon. What fun... with three of my BOHOs!

Anyways, not much else to report. Life is still crazy busy... kids are adorable and growing fast... and summer is right around the corner! Phew... I am sweating already.

Weight Update

Well, there is a lot of stuff that I can post about -- our adorable new puppy named "Sushi", Jason's surprise 39th birthday party on Saturday night (seriously, I should be a party planner because that shit was fun), the fact that I have a horrible cold and that I am running a 1/2 marathon on Sunday... but the weight update is great... 129.0 as of this morning! Woo Freakin' Hoo!!!!

Loser Blogger Girl

I am a loser when it comes to this blog... I really thought that I had updated it "recently," I guess that would mean that middle of November (3 months ago) was "recent." I giggled to myself reading that entry though, because I have come pretty far in the time frame... I am down to a skinny-mini 133 pounds as of today. I was 131.0 after a long run last Friday, but blew it after a take-out pizza and a trip to the Circus over the weekend.

That's OK though. This is a game where I certainly don't mind being the loser. In fact, I relish being the loser. Big kudos to my running buddy Lisa who is in it to win it with me... our 1/2 marathon is in 3 weeks, we've both lost quite a bit of weight, we're doing our best with changing our diet and we're working out at least 4 time per week -- bootcamp twice a week and running/walking twice a week.

I'll let you know how it goes March 8th. And if we weren't crazy enough we signed up for the Disneyland Half Marathon in Anaheim in September. We need continued motivation to keep working out. I'm not the biggest loser, but I am a loser... and I'm proud of it.

On the Road to Self-Improvement

OK, so I'm in training for a 1/2 Marathon in March with my some of my BOHO gal pals and I realize there are good days and bad days when you're attempting to work out AND (more importantly) watch what you eat.

So far I've made what I think is great progress -- approximately 8 pounds lost, which shows in the way my face looks and the fit of my clothes. But I'm struggling to move from the 139.5 that keeps popping up on the scale for the past three weeks. One step forward and two steps back it seems sometimes, as I got sidetracked this week with a visit to McDonald's because Bryce wanted to go there. Since when do I let a 4 1/2 year old dictate what I do?

I am back on track now, but am a little bit nervous because we are headed out for vacation and I am NOTORIOUS for throwing it all out the window and chowing down when I'm away from home. Instead, I am going to go into this trip with a mental goal to NOT GAIN OR LOSE weight, just stay the same, which I think will be a feat of accomplishment if I can do it.

I am packing my running shoes and workout stuff and even though I won't be participating in the 26.2 miles of the Philly Marathon like Jason on the 22nd, I can squeeze in a couple of good workouts while we're away. Wish me luck!

I may not be rich, but I am wealthy when it comes to friends.

The past couple of weeks have had me pondering a very important phenomenon in life. Friendships. Having friends -- good friends -- is a rare and special thing and I think that Jason and I are really lucky to have more than our fair share. A few weeks ago we were visited by Monique during a trip back to Florida from her new post at the soon-to-open Ritz-Carlton in LA.

At the same time we found out that a very dear friend in Sacramento is recovering from three brain aneurysms... Lindsay and his wife Gloria and son Phil are New Zealanders (they own a roofing company in CA) and they are really some of the neatest people we know and love and we've had many, many fun times with them in Chicago, Florida, California and Las Vegas.

Here at home we've got our peeps... it's a long list so I won't mention everyone, but you know who you are...
The Youngs -- starting a long friendship in 1994 that has stood the test of time -- family not friends really.
The Kotters -- Christa was a very close friend in high school and we've reconnected while putting together our 20th high school reunion.
The Rileys -- Sara my workout buddy from bootcamp and Jay who I've known forever doing PR in Sarasota.
The Swifts -- Lisa my walking buddy and co-hort for the Princess 1/2 Marathon... and Jason who we've known through work for a long time. (Funny: Alisa & Jason and Lisa & Jason, right?)

A bit further out are the Foshee's in Clermont and, of course, all of those Clermont BOHOs (love you April!!!XO) that I love dearly for our annual Mother's Day ritual. My "lunch buddy" from The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, Karen Mulroy who lives in Ft. Lauderdale now and I can't forget one of my favorite people Joe Messing, who is 40 years older than me (almost to the day) and one of my closest confidants.

I am forgetting tons of people who make my life special and meaningful, but I am truly amazed by my good fortune of being surrounded by people who love and accept me no matter what. Isn't that really what life is all about????

It's hard not to eat stuff that is delicious and horrible for you.

OK, friends, so this past week along with having Bryce start VPK (pre-school) and Jake start first-grade I started in on a new exercise regimen and eating plan with a goal of actually losing weight. For real this time... no bullshit. No excuses. No greasy pizza or potato chips... or chocolate... or Pepsi.

So, I started on Tuesday (Monday was a dark day of Five Guys lunch with a Dr. Pepper... a farewell meal, if you will) eating healthier and with two walks completed this week with my walking buddy Lisa I have to say that this time it may stick. I really do feel good and I even slipped into two pairs of jeans that I haven't been able to squeeze my fat ass into for more than 3 months. That, my friends, is motivation. (Thank you, Christa, for clarifying that with me!!!!)

I do not believe that I am going to be 115 pounds again. I do not believe that I will turn heads on the beach in a bikini ever again, but I do believe that I can look quite a bit better than I do now. So, let's see how this goes. Like the title says... It's hard not to eat stuff that is delicious and horrible for you, but I'm doing OK so far.

Hi There, Remember Me?

Hi. My name is Alisa Bennett and I have left the blog-o-sphere for the wonderful, addictive world of Facebook. At least on Facebook I know that people read my meandering thoughts since they comment or "like" them once I share them with the FB world. With the blog, other than the few of you that know me and know about it, it's like it's not even here. To be honest, I took my blog address off of my FB page because some of my "friends" might read this and find out some of my bad habits, personal viewpoints and other unseemly things that casual observers like FB "friends" should not be privy to. Well, what the heck. If I'm in, I'm all in (just witness my last visit to Vegas in Feb. 09... not good at all). I will re-post my blog address on my FB page and just see what happens.

A lot, in fact, has happened since I last blogged. Summer happened. High school reunion happened. Still was overweight for high school reunion happened. You catch my drift.

Anyways, school starts for the kids on Monday morning and it can't come soon enough. I am amazed that my children survived the summer. They are two lucky little kids. I am going to try to uphold my committment to this blog. But if I don't it's not like it's really going to affect your life or mine, so let's just see what happens, OK?

Seriously, Folks...

OK, my high school reunion is now less than three months away, so it's time I get serious about those icky 10 pounds that have plagued me since,... oh, I don't know, about 2003, when I packed it all on for "pregnancy!" Who knew having kids would spoil my body THAT much! I mean, really???

Today I ate a Kit Kat and drank a coke at lunch. That was it. I am done. Jason got me the cool running belt with the water bottle and room for my phone so I have NO EXCUSES anymore. I am going to come up with my training program and post it here. I have bootcamp tonight and will keep at that twice a week, but I really need to start up the exercise program...

So, I'm starting off with today's weigh in 143.5. Yikes. I KNOW I've posted this before, but this time I've gotta do it!!!! Really! Really! Seriously!

In the Nooks and Crannies...

of my car's interior I discovered an entire microcosm of detritus... here's just a few of the gems I found whilst cleaning and vacuuming the car.


- 2 plastic dimes
- 1 black jelly bean
- 2 (real) pennies
- a petrified french fry
- plastic baggie with 10 quarters in it (???)
- 3 yellow straws from Capri Sun drinks
- one pair of (dirty) matching boys' socks
- three non-matching girls' socks (all dirty)
- 2 green camo backpacks
- two pairs of girls shoes
- inordinate amount of pretzel salt (like the end of a bag dumped out)
- 3 pens (miraculously all with tops on or near them)
- 1 colored pencil
- wadded up tissues
- wilted green top from a recently (?) eaten strawberry
- Christmas holiday kids' t-shirt

That is my kind of Friday night... life in the fast lane... cleaning the car interior.... does it get any better than this? I'd better not ask that question. Have a great weekend.

Wearing the big Girl Pants...

Yesterday I had to do what I consider to be the hardest thing I have ever done in my professional/working life. Jason and I had to lay off four employees, one of which had worked for us for more than five years, another for more than 3 years. It was terrible. It is extremely difficult to walk up to someone that you really like and tell them something that will change their life and basically wipe away their ability to provide for themselves and their family. I have to say that when Jason started this business nine years ago, I don't think that we ever really planned for that or saw that coming.

This economic situation does not seem to be getting better and I'm afraid that what happened yesterday may have to be done again in the next few months... I hope that isn't so, but at this point we really need to be pragmatic and conservative based on what seems to be the new normal.

I am sad. I am disappointed and I actually thought that I would be relieved after delivering the message to them yesterday, but what happened was the exact opposite. I feel worse and can't sleep.

Cut Backs

It seems like everyone is cutting back these days. Here's what I've axed from the home budget to try to keep everything bumping along as smoothly as possible. I know you probably don't care, but I wanted to put it together to see it in black and white.

- No more pedicures.
- No more YMCA membership.
- No more shopping excursions to places to browse for no apparent reason.
- Less lunches out during the week -- more brown bags.
- No more professional hair color (Michelle and I are going to do it ourselves (yikes!)) and much less frequent hair cuts.
- No clothes shopping -- (that's until I lose those 10 pounds and then all bets are off.)
- Less "date nights" and evenings out without the kids.
- No magazine subscription renewals except for the chosen few -- We really can't live without Esquire and Real Simple.

This isn't really much and I'm happy for that, but if things continue to slide then we're going to have to start cutting more deeply. Here's hoping this economic stimulus package really does affect us all in a positive way. I'm not sure I'm sold on it, but do we really have any choice?

Why do we care?

We had a good weekend... mostly spent at home -- went to the PAL fundraiser Saturday night, but other than that nothing special going on. What I am finding amazing (about myself, I guess) is how much I like cruising the Facebook profiles of friends, acquaintances, high school classmates, etc.

It really does feel like snooping in someone's medicine cabinet. (Don't tell me you haven't done that; you're a liar. You know you've done it, and I know you've done it, so there.). And what compels us to "throw down" and share some of our intimate thoughts with the world? (See 25 Random Things About Me). Is it that we all are a little bit vunerable and sometimes we need to connect with others by demonstrating our vunerability? I don't really know the answer, but I have to say that there is something compelling and strangely satisfying learning about other people's fears and feelings. Maybe we all have an inner need to know what makes other people tick, or we just want to feel that someone else feels our pain or shares our viewpoint.

Well, whatever it is, I have to say, that I have found Facebook to be an eye-opening experience (experiment?) and I will continue to "see" who is out there... on-line, looking me up.... and you.... and you.... and you....

Post Vegas Post

My lips are dry, my wallet is empty and it looks like someone punched me in both eyes. Yup, I'm back from Vegas. Jason and I spent the past four days with a group of 12 rowdy people gambling, drinking, eating and generally acting like complete idiots in Vegas, much like what the rest of the general population does when dropped in the middle of the desert surrounded by 197,144 slot machines, endless roulette wheels, card tables and short Mexican guys flicking and handing out "trading cards" of naked girls. (Boy, some pre-teen boy could trade A LOT of Pokemon cards for just one of those babies!!!! HA, HA, HA!)

So as I was saying, we did what everyone does: gamble, drink, cuss, repeat. I did a little bit of shopping (I should have done a lot of shopping and NO gambling that way I would have come home much happier, but that is not how this story goes).

In addition, we got to see Jerry Seinfeld on stage at Caesar's Saturday night and watch the SuperBowl on Sunday from 2,000 miles away instead of 50; I went to an oxygen bar for the first time and had some jell-0 shots with the girls, had lots frozen daquiris (and subsequent brain freeze), drank my weight in Vodka/cranberry, and loaded up on Pepsi. (What the hell, I was on vacation.)

What is it about Vegas that makes one lose complete grasp of the value of the dollar? In Las Vegas a $20 bill seems like a $1 bill and a $100 bill seems like a $20. It is so easy to lose complete understanding of what you are spending because you are constantly thinking that you are going to win it all back!!!!! (Note to self: YEAH, RIGHT!)

Jason was a tiny bit sick at the start of the trip, but he came back with a vengance, gulping down 10+ shots at Margaritville late Sunday night and then running 20 miles on Monday morning. I swear, he is the only person I know that can do that. He also bought me a new shirt with 4 f-bombs on it! I just love it, but I have the feeling I really can't wear it a lot in Sarasota... certainly not as much as I could in Vegas. And I don't think I want to have to have Jake try to spell and pronounce that word. Not that he hasn't heard it before! HA!

There were a lot of hilarious moments on the trip -- but some of my favorites were see the "walks of shame" early in the morning. You know what I'm talking about: the girls coming out of the dance clubs at 6 a.m. with puke-stained dresses, one-shoe missing and their butts hanging out the back of the shortest-dress-you-have-ever-seen. Nice.

Bye-bye Vegas. Bye-bye money.

1 Hour Left at Work, 12 Hours Until I leave Home...

OK, just one more thing to do at the office and I am outta here for four days!!! WOO HOO! No kids for four days -- HUGE WOO HOO!!! Vegas, here I come.

Virtual Life vs. Real Life

You know, I've always been a very social person, so it's been hard not to be "involved" in community activities that I just don't have time for since the kids were born. So, it's with great pleasure that I've discovered that blogging and Facebook can serve as a quasi-social life for those of us tied to the rigid schedules of the tiny people living in our house. So now I can be virtually popular!

In real life, though, I've got a few cool social events coming up that I am totally looking forward to: Vegas trip with a bunch o' contractors at the end of January, BOHO weekend in early May at Universal's Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando and.... (wait for it)... our 20th High School Reunion in early June. Also, a good friend's baby shower... and my sister-in-law's baby shower, too!

Q & A At 1 a.m.

Q: Why can't I sleep?
A: Facebook

P.S. Yay for me! I figured out how to re-activate my Blackberry e-mail all by myself...

Facebook Face-off

Well, I've spent the better portion of the morning setting up my Facebook page (Thanks, Christa!) I can see how people really get sucked into this stuff.... you could go on for hours searching for past co-workers, friends, classmates, enemies, arch rivals, teachers, sales clerks, tarot card readers, etc.

I don't feel very "popular" yet, as I don't have nearly as many friends as some of my other friends out there, but watch out... I'm on a mission to become Miss Facebook (or would that be Mrs. Facebook?) 2009! Ha ha! Gotta go check my facebook page. Oh, my God. Addicted already.

Deep Clean on New Year's Eve

The tree is down and all of the holiday decorations are back in the attic. Old toys, shoes, clothes are stacked up in the back of the truck ready for a trip to the Thrift Shop for donating and Jason and I feel a new sense of freedom in our own house from the clutter within (and out). We just (I should say Jason just) got finished going through the pool toys and all the stuff on the porch. It is so nice (and cathardic) to purge the unnecessary crap from the house. It makes room for the other, newer, shinier unnecessary crap that we've got.



I am not a pack rat and I hope that I never will be. I don't have any difficultly giving stuff away and I don't like having a lot of stuff around me... I've never been a big fan of garage sales or junk stores and I do not like knicknacks (sp?) AT ALL... I got very turned off from all that crap at a young age when my Mom made me dust around all of her 70s-era "decor," which I am sure is all dying a slow death in a landfill somewhere nearby.

Anyway, enough rambling, have a Happy New Year tonight and best wishes to you for a safe, happy and prosperous New Year 2009!