02.07.13 With signs of Sandy still around we now await Nemo

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     Today the air and water were relatively calm. A NE wind created a little white water but I couldn't find a striper in it to bite. Things looked peaceful, even the lingering signs of the devastation that Sandy left.....and now we're waiting for Nemo.
     I don't know who to trust anymore. The media is just so out of control that even some snow forecasted becomes "StormWatch 2013". I know this is being tracked as a historic storm in terms of snowfall for New England, but others are saying the 40N 70W intersection is going to be were the fronts collide. We can POSSIBLY expect flooding, high winds to 50 mph, rain, and snow with accumulations along the Jersey Shore up to 6 inches with 12-18 inches in New York City, that according to the Weather Channel HERE .
     There seems to be a line E to W that falls somewhere along northern New Jersey, and another N to S that runs along the Turnpike, and it looks like we could be spared....but who knows.

02.08.13 Great day at the vise with Steve Farrar

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     Following the Fly Fishing Show I wrote a post about some of the fly tying materials that I had purchased. In the days that passed I tied, well attempted to tie, some flies using Steve Farrar's Flash Blend. He developed the Blend around 15 years ago by mixing the materials by hand. I worked with Steve back at the old (The) Fly Hatch days, but never paid attention to the saltwater fly fishing as I was all about the trout and the Upper Delaware.
     After my post I received an email from Steve offering to help me out as I started tying with the SF Blend. The SF Blend, a mix of Angel Hair and Slinky Fiber has been around and makes for great baitfish flies when tied properly. As with anything else, there is a learning curve in tying with this material. Several times Steve would say, "Half as much", as the fly was too bulky and had to be trimmed down. Steve ties his flies with the Blend with almost no waste and minimal trimming, which is the way the fly should be tied.
     Not only fantastic tyer but he's a super nice guy and is willing to help anyone who has questions about fly tying or fly fishing. He is a true Ambassador to the sport and I am grateful to have been able to spend the afternoon with him.

02.10.13 Beautiful morning on the beach....water's looking fishy

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     On any morning in the summer along the Jersey Shore you will find bunches of people out at dawn taking in the sights awaiting a beautiful sunrise. I drove down to the beach on this cold post snow February morning to find no one had ventured out just yet. With high tide (new moon) at at just before 7, and sunrise at the same time, it was nice time to see how the water looked post Nemo. As I drove down past the snow covered trees and plowed out driveways I figured I would find off color water and crashing waves with big swells. Surprisingly I didn't find any of that. The water was clean, relatively flat, and very fishy looking. I wanted to know what the water temps were, but with thermometer in hand I was ready, but with Crocs on my feet I wasn't.


      When I got back to the office I pulled up the RU COOL website and took a look at the sea surface temps in the NY Bight. It is a great resource that I first learned about in Rich Murphy's book, Fly Fishing for Striped Bass. I really enjoyed reading this book, and refer back to it often. At this years Fly Fishing Show I had a chance to stand and talk with Rich over a beer, but honestly, my inebriation, his low voice, and out-of-this-atmosphere thinking on striped bass had my heading spinning. I had asked him his opinion on our two year run on winter striped bass fishing and his take on where these striped bass were from. He said the most accurate way to know was to count the striped bass' ear stones....."Bartender I'll take another!" Then we got into mitochondrial DNA....."Bartender, I'll take a double!"



     But back to RU COOL. It is part of Rutgers University and one of the many things they do is compile real time data from satellites, underwater gliders and radar to track things like sea surface temperatures. For me, getting an overall idea of what temps are up and down the Jersey Shore can help in planning my fishing trips day to day, and even every 15 minutes! You can see it for yourself HERE.
   As we continue to have striped bass winter over you can look at the above RU COOL report from this morning and imagine where the striped bass just might be. If you look closely you can see that shore temps might be around 40 degrees, but in certain locations off the beaches it goes up to 45 degrees. Are the bass moving out to warmer water temps and then coming in to eat? Is that why when you make your jump from beach to beach or jetty to jetty you find no fish and then a bunch? We all like to see the birds in the air and give chase, how about the birds swimming in the water? From last year we all saw and learned about how important crabs were in a stripers diet, and that has continued into this year. So, is it fair to say the bass are hovering in water warmers just offshore and then coming in in schools to find and eat crabs?

As with you, I love this stuff, and love trying to figure it all out. And just when you think you "got it", it all changes or something totally blows up your theory.

If I didn't go down to the beach this morning I probably wouldn't have thought about all of this. I think the fish will be coming in to eat over the next few days.
   

02.22.13 Gearing up for Ramsey Outdoor's "Cabin Fever Day"

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Tomorrow, Saturday February 23rd, I'll be presenting an "Intro to Fly Fishing the Jersey Shore" seminar at Ramsey Outdoor in Paramus. It's their "Cabin Fever Day" and major manufacturers, conservation groups, and vendors will be at the store. Below is a schedule of the speakers and their seminar topics,

Rich Strolis- 10AM- Streamer Tactics

George Daniel 11AM - 2012 Trout Lessons

Colin Archer - 12PM- Saltwater Fly Fishing

They'll be great deals at the shop and it's a great opportunity to learn about and pick up new products, new techniques, and even a new fishery.

See you there!

02.25.13 Changes they are acoming......

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     Yep, that's me. Now you'll know everything. After 45 years of battling up and down, mostly up, weight issues tomorrow is go day. Instead of heading down to the beach at first light to check conditions I'll be heading to Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch for bariatric surgery. The procedure I'm getting done is called a Vertcial Sleeve Gastrectomy or VSG. Most people are familiar with the gastric bypass or the lap band procedure, this is the newest form of weight loss surgery.      I, like millions of people, have an eating disorder. Some might call it a lack of willpower, or self esteem, which may be true, but there is also a bigger problem out there. It is a form of addiction. Some have a nicotine, alcohol, gambling, or sex addiction, some have a food addiction. It's usually misunderstood or overlooked because hey, everybody eats, just some of us more, or a lot more, than others.      I have been through the ringer of diets and lifestyle modifications over the years. Things like Nutri-System, Atkins, Weight Watchers, diet bars, diet shakes, and even just plan starvation have all worked for a bit, but eventually things go back to (ab)normal. Most people have been up and down with their weight, and like me, have seen big swings over time.      In 2008, my latest hard core attempt,  I "started anew" and went all out slimming down to just under 210 pounds and feeling, and looking, pretty good. Then reality resumes....and so does the eating. My weight creeped up, and on. 210 became 215, then 225, then 240, and so up to 260. When I was at my doctors in September and was told I was approaching a BMI of 40, which is the cutoff for being labeled morbidly obese, I knew I had to do something.     Besides what being "fat" does to your self esteem and physical and emotional self, it's just not healthy. With high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, high cholesterol and a plethora of weight related co-morbidities that occur, my time bomb was started to tick. I realized that this was my doing, but "Hey, stop eating!" or "Change your ways!" was and is easier said then done.      Later that same month when my doctor informed me I was approaching a new weight class, I decided to check out the Weight Loss Center at Monmouth Medical. I was familiar with weight surgery as my mother had a successful gastric bypass in 2004. If it was available years ago I think her mother too would have had it done as she was a very eligible candidate. 


     I initially thought of a lapband, but learned of the VSG, or sleeve. There's no doubt it's invasive, and it's surgery, and yes it's permanent.....but it was time to be done as I was done with well, being fat. Numerous people say "Hey, you're not fat.....your big, husky, large, big boned, broad, heavy......uh, it's fat." According to the "scale" where they look at height vs weight ratios I should be coming to the fight weighing in at 185. That's 75 pounds from where I am at.     So with the sleeve in my mind I started the 6 month process of changing my diet, going through tests, visiting with a psychologist and nutritionist and my surgeon. Of course all of this had to be presented to my insurance company which signed off the same day they got the paperwork. In addition there were monthly support groups meetings that I attended religiously. One thing they all said, "Don't have a last hurrah!", I had about 25. But now, with only hours away, I can say I am ready, although growing more nervous for life after gastric surgery. One thing I hear is, 'The only regret I have is that I didn't have it done sooner!", which makes me feel a little better.     Yes, the picture above is well, just embarrasing, but it serves me well in seeing that that's what I really look like. Not the me in my limited daily wardrobe of clothes that fit and hide what's underneath from the outside world.
These next few weeks, into the next month or two will be a challenge as I use this "tool" and with a new mental approach to eating try and make myself a healthier, and hopefully happier me. In cliche' but, "I will be eating to live, not living to eat."
Have a laugh while you can  (hey it's a half nude fat guy wearing a stripping basket standing on the beach)  as I hope to come out of this looking like Brad Pitt, and not a shar pei!
I'll be ready for those drift trips down the Delaware starting in April and jumping up on the poling platform on the boat in the Navesink in late March. See you out there.

Credit Card That Allows You to Track Your Kid's Spending

To contact us Click HERE
  If you are a parent who gives your child an allowance, then you need to check out this credit card that not only allows you to load their allowance, but also track how they spend it. The benefits of giving your child a credit card over cash are primarily safety from them losing the money, as well as them knowing you will be able to know where they spent their money.
  The Bill My Parents credit card goes way beyond that. The card will actually send you a real-time text or email letting you know where your child is attempting to make a purchase. You then have the option of allowing it or "freezing" the card. This cannot only be helpful in stopping your child from wasting their money, but also give you some insight into what they may be getting into.
  The card can also be loaded by friends and relatives for special occassions like birthdays or graduation.
 For more information click on any of the links in this post or the one below.
Bill My Parents

Martell's Tiki Bar Deal and More

To contact us Click HERE
  Memorial Day weekend is here, and it looks like we are going to have great weather here in New Jersey. The choices of things to do are really unlimited, but should certainly include some outdoor time.
  One of the things us Jerseyans love to do once Memorial Day weekend arrives is head to the Jersey Shore. Whether it is the beaches of Sandy Hook, with it's view of New York City, or the free, wide beaches of Wildwood, or anywhere between, there is surely a beach for everyone in our state.
  My personal favorite is Point Pleasant. The beaches are clean, there are great rides and games for my son, and of course the great food. If you are anything like me then you need to check out this Martell's Tiki Bar Deal that I had emailed to me. You can purchase a $50 certificate for use there for only $25. When do you ever get a 50% discount on a meal, especially one at Martell's?
  Another offer I had emailed to me which I thought was very intriguing was a $40 certificate for only$20 good towards a whale and dolphin watching trip off of Cape May. The offer, along with many more, is available at the KGB deals.
  I hope you will be able to take advantage of these specials, if not this weekend, then in the near future. Meanwhile get out this weekend and enjoy this great state of JERZEEBABY!

My Son's Picture Makes It Onto a Yahoo Article

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  Some of you may know that I write for several different internet sites. One of those is Yahoo. I was recently reviewing some articles I had previously written and came across this article with my son's picture. To be honest with you I had practically forgotten I had written it and that it had his photo. Needless to say, this is again my favorite article.
  They grow up so fast may be the truest words ever spoken. He will be four in a few months and has matured incredibly. He is super independent and even told me today he is going to take a plane to Philadelphia by himself. Being we only live across the Delaware River from Philly, I would probably be concerned if he said he was going to swim there.
  Pretty cool to think his image will be on the internet forever. Hope I get to show him it when he becomes a teenager. He will hate that.

California Children's Museum

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On our last day in the city, we drove over to Sausalito to go to the Bay Area Discovery Museum.  The museum had a really unique set up.  Instead of being in one building, the museum is arranged in several old military buildings.  The exhibits are inside four of the buildings and then there are a bunch of exhibits outside in between the buildings.  The first room we stopped in had trains, boats, and a crane. The train table was prefect for Taylor.  It was low to the ground, so she could walk all around playing with the trains.

Brayden loved the big boat.  He could pretend to fish off the side using fishing poles and crab pots.


The outside part of the museum was really fun.  The kids had never been to a museum that had activities outside!  They had a great area set up with instruments made out of natural materials.


There was a really fun water exhibit outside.  It reminded us of the water table exhibits you see inside our local children's museums, but because it was outside they made it using rocks.  It had waterfalls and pretend fish and frogs.  Brayden loved having races to see which fish and which frog would make it to the end first.

Taylor really liked walking around holding all the fish.  She would put them in the water for a little bit, but then pick the fish up and carry them around.


Some of the other great outside activities were a set of huge building blocks, a pretend construction site with shovels and trucks, two pirate ships, and a couple big mazes made out of bushes and trees.


Having exhibits outside was such a fun experience.  There was so much more room and the kids were able to run around and climb on things.


The last room that we went in turned out to be Brayden's favorite room.  The exhibit was a special Clifford exhibit.  The room had a kitchen, book area, music area, and some other things, but Brayden really loved the mailboxes!  There were about 15 different mailboxes placed around the room.  Each mailbox had a different characters name on it.  The kids could pick up letters at the post office and place the letters in the correct boxes.  Brayden thought it was the funnest thing running around distributing all the mail to the right characters.


When we left the museum we had an extra special treat, because we had a great view of the Blue Angels practicing their tricks right over the bay!  

The Count's Spooktacular

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On Sunday, we went to Sesame Place for the Count's Spooktacular.  Sesame Place has an excellent Halloween event every year.  It is wonderful for Brayden who loves all things related to Halloween.


The park is decorated with spiders, pumpkins, and pictures of all the characters in Halloween costumes.  The park sets up trick-or-treat stations all over the park.  Brayden would get so excited every time he saw a treat station.  He was a great big brother and made sure to ask for a treat for his sister at every station.


The kids went on all the rides, some a few times!  We took a break in the afternoon for lunch with the characters.  The characters all had really fun Halloween costumes. Brayden was all smiles when the characters stopped at our table.


Taylor would get very excited when she saw the characters from a distance.  As soon as she saw them she would start pointing at them and watching them.  Unfortunately, just like last time, she wasn't having anything to do with them when they got close to her.



Taylor seemed to warm up a bit to the characters.  The Count was the last character to stop at our table. Taylor actually looked up at him, instead of trying to climb over my shoulder.


Taylor may not have liked the characters up close, but she loved the shows!  We took the kids to the Abby Halloween show.  Taylor was standing up on my lap, smiling, and pointing at all the characters.
During our visit, we made sure to go in the Count's maze.  Just like her brother did when he first went in the maze a few years ago, Taylor ran from pumpkin to pumpkin trying to pick them up.


Brayden painted a pumpkin to add to his pumpkin collection!  It had a foam face and then he added a bunch of hair and details with glitter glue.


Our little guy is getting so big and brave.  He climbed around all the nets and tunnels that are very high above the ground.  He didn't even need Jon's help this time!  Another big accomplishment for Brayden was going up and down the huge tunnel slides all by himself.  During our last visit, one of us would have to go up the big staircase with him and watch him go down the slide.  This trip, he went up the big staircase all by himself and slid down all by himself!  He must have gone up and down the big slide about ten times in a row.


The weather was perfect for our trip.  The kids had fun running all over enjoying the fall weather.  Brayden loved having a whole day filled with Halloween activities.

02.23.13 Great day at Ramsey Outdoors- Paramus

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     Well the rainy weather made for a perfect "Cabin Fever Day" at Ramsey Outdoors- Paramus. The day started at 10 with several tiers, manufacturers, vendors and clubs set up for people to browse while the speakers got ready to present. Saw lots of interest over at the Orvis table in the H2 and the Guide Sling Pack, I even saw a guy I know buy two packs, one for himself and his son. Rich Strolis started things off with his streamer presentation followed by George Daniel on Trout Lessons 2012 and myself wrapping it up with Intro to New Jersey Saltwater Fly Fishing. The attendees were great and from what I hear all happy with the seminars. One thing all three of us had in common, we all went over time, but, like I said, that's because we're so passionate about the our topic. That, or we just rambled on too much!
     When we weren't talking we set up and tied and did a meet and greet for those that stopped by the table. Thanks to Ryan and the crew for inviting me to a great day.








       

Children's Play Space Design

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Playground that actually can occur in the home. In fact, a small house not once, can accommodate your child's games.The agenda for the first time in designing a playroom for your child is adjusting to the needs of the child's room. For example, children under five years of age (children) who want the space for a more comfortable and uncomplicated.If you have young children, parents should not build a townhouse. The soil should not use material that has a slippery surface. Understandably, usually children under five years likes to move, although the course is still unstable. "Furnishing the house also does not need people. 


So baby can still move freely.To add a fun environment, you can paint the walls of the nursery with bright colors like red, pink, green, yellow or orange. Ria atmosphere occurs if there are more photos of favorite cartoons of children on the wall. So, although minimal furnishings, the room where children play still looks attractive.If you have trouble choosing the right design, serving recipes M. Zaenal Abidin, PT Pavilion Architect 95. He said, echoes the idea of ​​playing the normal course of visiting the child, such as kindergartens, nurseries, schools or take the concept of nature. But remember, comfort and safety of the child should not be overlooked.To create a comfort, you should notice is the air temperature in the room. You know, if your child is playing, his movement is very fast, very fast for child's sweat. If possible, install air conditioning (AC) in the games room, with temperatures around 20 degrees to 28 degrees Celsius. The temperature was quite comfortable for your child to move ahead and sleep.

If you can not install the air conditioner, keep the play area was open space.You can make use of plants normally found in front of the house. Add a few feet of grass that is used as the basis for small-type game. Do not forget, a fish pond is also the main attraction. 


However, the pool was not too deep, so as not to endanger the child.Although small house, you can still have a game room for the baby. You can combine a family room with room to play. You can add goodies typical children. In this way? there are advantages too, because you can chat with your family and your child can play hard.Safety, children's play area should not have a wall or partition that separates the other room. This applies to the play area within the home or outside the home. The aim is that parents or caregivers can monitor your baby with ease.


Children's Play Space 

Valentine's Yuuuummmy Dessert Recipe!

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This Valentine's weekend, I'll be serving our guests red velvet cake.  It's a popular dessert and shows up in many bakeries and restaurants.   Here's a recipe to make for your sweetie this Valentine's Day.

Oh, and if you haven't booked your Valentine's Lover Package yet, check out our special and call us at 1-800-258-2625 or reserve on-line today!

Red Velvet-Cherry Cake Roll

Cake:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups cherry-flavored cola
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup buttermilk
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon red food coloring
2 teaspoons almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Filling:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2 teaspoons almond extract
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter an 11" x 17" rimmed baking sheet and line with parchment paper; butter the parchment and dust with flour.

Bring the cola to a simmer in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 10 to 12 minutes.  Let cool.

Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.  In a separate large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, almond and vanilla extracts, and the cola syrup.  Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.  Spread the batter on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. 

Dust a clean kitchen towel, not terry cloth, with confectioners' sugar.  Invert the cake onto the towel and peel off the parchment.  Trim the cake edges.  Begin rolling the short end of the cake around the towel and let cool completely on a rack.

In a large bowl, make the filling by whisking the cream cheese, 1/2 cup heavy cream, and the almond extract until well combined.  In a stand mixer, whisk the remaining 1 cup of cream and confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form.  Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.  Chill until ready to use.

Unroll the cooled cake and spread the filling on it.  Gently reroll the cake and transfer it to a platter.  Dust with confectioners' sugar.

North Conway Named 1 of 25 World's Best Ski Towns by National Geographic

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Folks in the Northeast U.S. do not have to travel far to stay and ski in 1 of 25 world's best ski towns recently named by National Geographic.  They can visit North Conway, NH in the heart of The Presidential Range of the White Mountains.  Mt. Washington is the highest peak at 6,288 feet on the East Coast.  There are seven alpine ski mountains in Mt. Washington Valley and six cross-country ski trails all within a half-hour of North Conway.  The first purpose-cut ski runs and ski schools in North America were established here in the 1930s.

Cranmore Mountain Resort located just outside of the village attracts families because of its excellent ski school.  It also has non-skiing attractions like snow tubing, a mountain coaster, climbing walls, and indoor tennis.

We're hoping that March will go out like a LION with more snow accumulation for skiing and snowshoeing opportunities for everyone. 

The Buttonwood Inn has a lot to offer everyone and we're just 5 mintues from the village.  We also have access to snowshoe trails out our back door.

We also have discounted ski tickets for our guests.  So check out our ski packages and book on-line or call us at 1-800-258-2625 today!

Group Gatherings Mother's Day Weekend

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We had several lovely families stay at The Buttonwood Inn this past Mother's Day Weekend.  Our inn is large enough for families and group gatherings because we can seat about a dozen people in our Living Room and in the Mt. Surprise Room.  Our front porch is a popular spot for guests to enjoy their morning coffee or afternoon tea watching the hummingbirds and birds.  We have several double-seat Adirondack chairs on the lawn for those who want solitude just staring at the mountains and forest.  The in-ground heated pool is fun for anyone who likes to swim or float on a tube.  Families with children can play and rejuvenate before heading off for dinner.

The daughter and son-in-law who reside in Boston arranged the Mother's Day weekend for her mother, father, and sister who flew up from Louisiana. It was the perfect getaway because they were able to reconnect and relax at our inn, and yet shop, hike the trails on Bartlett Mountain, and go on a fly fishing excursion.  On the first day of their arrival, they headed downtown to shop in Settlers Green Outlets and local curiosity shops, had dinner at a local restaurant, then came back and relaxed in the hot tub.  The daughter also reserved an hour-long in-room massage for her mother on Mother's Day morning, which she thoroughly enjoyed.  Bill booked a half-day fly fishing excursion for the father and son-in-law with North Country Angler.  They were thrilled to have caught four brook trout (caught and released).  While the men were fishing, the women hiked the Mt. Surprise and Buttonwood Inn Trails to get up to the Bartlett Ledges.  At the end of Mother's Day, the entire family had pizza and watched movies in the Mt. Surprise Room. 

I made a lime cake frosted with lime cream cheese icing for Mother's Day afternoon tea service.  Here's the recipe.

Lime Cake with Cream Cheese Icing



Cake:


Butter, for greasing pan
Flour, for dusting pan


One 3-ounce package lime flavored gelatin
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs, slightly beaten


Glaze:


1/2 cup lime juice (from 3-4 large limes)
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar


Icing:


1/2 cup (1 stick butter), room temperature
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
One 1 pound box confectioners' sugar
Zest of one lime


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter and flour a 9”x13” cake pan.


In a large mixing bowl, mix the gelatin, granulated sugar, flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir to mix well. Add the oil, orange juice, lemon juice, vanilla, and eggs. Mix until well combined. Pour the batter evenly in the pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Test for doneness inserting a toothpick. Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes.


For the glaze: While the cake is still hot, mix the lime juice and confectioners' sugar together well. Pierce the cake with a skewer to allow the glaze to soak in better and pour it over the cake. Allow cake to cool completely as you prepare the icing.


For the icing: Cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat in the confectioners' sugar until mixture is smooth and easy to spread. Add the lime zest until combined. Spread the icing on the top and sides of the cake.

Credit Card That Allows You to Track Your Kid's Spending

To contact us Click HERE
  If you are a parent who gives your child an allowance, then you need to check out this credit card that not only allows you to load their allowance, but also track how they spend it. The benefits of giving your child a credit card over cash are primarily safety from them losing the money, as well as them knowing you will be able to know where they spent their money.
  The Bill My Parents credit card goes way beyond that. The card will actually send you a real-time text or email letting you know where your child is attempting to make a purchase. You then have the option of allowing it or "freezing" the card. This cannot only be helpful in stopping your child from wasting their money, but also give you some insight into what they may be getting into.
  The card can also be loaded by friends and relatives for special occassions like birthdays or graduation.
 For more information click on any of the links in this post or the one below.
Bill My Parents

Martell's Tiki Bar Deal and More

To contact us Click HERE
  Memorial Day weekend is here, and it looks like we are going to have great weather here in New Jersey. The choices of things to do are really unlimited, but should certainly include some outdoor time.
  One of the things us Jerseyans love to do once Memorial Day weekend arrives is head to the Jersey Shore. Whether it is the beaches of Sandy Hook, with it's view of New York City, or the free, wide beaches of Wildwood, or anywhere between, there is surely a beach for everyone in our state.
  My personal favorite is Point Pleasant. The beaches are clean, there are great rides and games for my son, and of course the great food. If you are anything like me then you need to check out this Martell's Tiki Bar Deal that I had emailed to me. You can purchase a $50 certificate for use there for only $25. When do you ever get a 50% discount on a meal, especially one at Martell's?
  Another offer I had emailed to me which I thought was very intriguing was a $40 certificate for only$20 good towards a whale and dolphin watching trip off of Cape May. The offer, along with many more, is available at the KGB deals.
  I hope you will be able to take advantage of these specials, if not this weekend, then in the near future. Meanwhile get out this weekend and enjoy this great state of JERZEEBABY!

My Son's Picture Makes It Onto a Yahoo Article

To contact us Click HERE
  Some of you may know that I write for several different internet sites. One of those is Yahoo. I was recently reviewing some articles I had previously written and came across this article with my son's picture. To be honest with you I had practically forgotten I had written it and that it had his photo. Needless to say, this is again my favorite article.
  They grow up so fast may be the truest words ever spoken. He will be four in a few months and has matured incredibly. He is super independent and even told me today he is going to take a plane to Philadelphia by himself. Being we only live across the Delaware River from Philly, I would probably be concerned if he said he was going to swim there.
  Pretty cool to think his image will be on the internet forever. Hope I get to show him it when he becomes a teenager. He will hate that.

California Children's Museum

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On our last day in the city, we drove over to Sausalito to go to the Bay Area Discovery Museum.  The museum had a really unique set up.  Instead of being in one building, the museum is arranged in several old military buildings.  The exhibits are inside four of the buildings and then there are a bunch of exhibits outside in between the buildings.  The first room we stopped in had trains, boats, and a crane. The train table was prefect for Taylor.  It was low to the ground, so she could walk all around playing with the trains.

Brayden loved the big boat.  He could pretend to fish off the side using fishing poles and crab pots.


The outside part of the museum was really fun.  The kids had never been to a museum that had activities outside!  They had a great area set up with instruments made out of natural materials.


There was a really fun water exhibit outside.  It reminded us of the water table exhibits you see inside our local children's museums, but because it was outside they made it using rocks.  It had waterfalls and pretend fish and frogs.  Brayden loved having races to see which fish and which frog would make it to the end first.

Taylor really liked walking around holding all the fish.  She would put them in the water for a little bit, but then pick the fish up and carry them around.


Some of the other great outside activities were a set of huge building blocks, a pretend construction site with shovels and trucks, two pirate ships, and a couple big mazes made out of bushes and trees.


Having exhibits outside was such a fun experience.  There was so much more room and the kids were able to run around and climb on things.


The last room that we went in turned out to be Brayden's favorite room.  The exhibit was a special Clifford exhibit.  The room had a kitchen, book area, music area, and some other things, but Brayden really loved the mailboxes!  There were about 15 different mailboxes placed around the room.  Each mailbox had a different characters name on it.  The kids could pick up letters at the post office and place the letters in the correct boxes.  Brayden thought it was the funnest thing running around distributing all the mail to the right characters.


When we left the museum we had an extra special treat, because we had a great view of the Blue Angels practicing their tricks right over the bay!  

The Count's Spooktacular

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On Sunday, we went to Sesame Place for the Count's Spooktacular.  Sesame Place has an excellent Halloween event every year.  It is wonderful for Brayden who loves all things related to Halloween.


The park is decorated with spiders, pumpkins, and pictures of all the characters in Halloween costumes.  The park sets up trick-or-treat stations all over the park.  Brayden would get so excited every time he saw a treat station.  He was a great big brother and made sure to ask for a treat for his sister at every station.


The kids went on all the rides, some a few times!  We took a break in the afternoon for lunch with the characters.  The characters all had really fun Halloween costumes. Brayden was all smiles when the characters stopped at our table.


Taylor would get very excited when she saw the characters from a distance.  As soon as she saw them she would start pointing at them and watching them.  Unfortunately, just like last time, she wasn't having anything to do with them when they got close to her.



Taylor seemed to warm up a bit to the characters.  The Count was the last character to stop at our table. Taylor actually looked up at him, instead of trying to climb over my shoulder.


Taylor may not have liked the characters up close, but she loved the shows!  We took the kids to the Abby Halloween show.  Taylor was standing up on my lap, smiling, and pointing at all the characters.
During our visit, we made sure to go in the Count's maze.  Just like her brother did when he first went in the maze a few years ago, Taylor ran from pumpkin to pumpkin trying to pick them up.


Brayden painted a pumpkin to add to his pumpkin collection!  It had a foam face and then he added a bunch of hair and details with glitter glue.


Our little guy is getting so big and brave.  He climbed around all the nets and tunnels that are very high above the ground.  He didn't even need Jon's help this time!  Another big accomplishment for Brayden was going up and down the huge tunnel slides all by himself.  During our last visit, one of us would have to go up the big staircase with him and watch him go down the slide.  This trip, he went up the big staircase all by himself and slid down all by himself!  He must have gone up and down the big slide about ten times in a row.


The weather was perfect for our trip.  The kids had fun running all over enjoying the fall weather.  Brayden loved having a whole day filled with Halloween activities.