Charleston, I’m Coming for You!

I’m heading to Charleston, South Carolina this November, and I’d love your help! I’m looking for all the can’t-miss eats, treats and sights. Especially anything unique or a little off the beaten path. Got a favorite rooftop bar? A must-try restaurant? A quirky tour or hidden gem? Drop it in the comments or email me. 

I’ll be there for 4 days and want to make the most of it. Going with college friends which is the BEST part for sure!

Be Strong Picture Book Review

The picture book, BE STRONG, is another winner from Pat Zietlow Miller and Jen Hill! I'm going to be reading it to my students sometime during the first few weeks of school for sure.

It's a perfect read-aloud to support units on Kindness, Empathy, Grit and Perseverance, Family and all of C.A.R.E.S.

Our school theme this year is BETTER TOGETHER and this fits the bill...beautifully!

This is the same team who brought you

Read more about BE KIND here.   I am such a huge fan of the book!

To read other books I think are great for Back-to-School, click on links.

Playing Possum

Don't Hug Doug

The Belonging Tree

I'll be posting more tomorrow!

Happy reading!

December Randomness

I've always loved this quote. I am so looking forward to 2021. Who isn't?

I recently discovered these nail strips and they've changed my life!  (I don't sell or know anyone who sells.  If interested, Google someone in your area.  They are Color Street.)  Took me 8 minutes. Both hands.  Lasted over 2 weeks.  For about 10 bucks, I'm really happy I discovered them.

I love our mantle.  Live plants but I'm thinking because we need to find small poinsettias, we should look for ones to reuse each year.  Just easier! 

This next pic is from last year. Sad we won't get to see family this year but, for us, worth waiting.  We've come so far to get COVID now. That vaccination is right around the corner!

Need a family craft or gift for grandparents?  This is free in my store.  SO EASY! Click on pic.

Not sure of you use Instagram but I have lots of book recommendations over there. I give quick peeks inside books to help you out. Some are my favorite books from the past and others are recent finds. Click on the Highlights button when on my Instagram to see them. (Or visit my stories...that's where I pot most.) I have lots of book categories and add to them all the time.

Here is an example of what a book recommendation looks like.

Have a great day!

Stressful Times for ALL

I officially started self-isolating on March 1 because I needed major surgery on April 1.  Wanted to be as healthy as possible.  Of course that surgery was cancelled and not sure when it will be rescheduled...luckily, not a life-threatening situation. (But it is a quality of life issue!)

So when the real NJ lock down came mid-March, I was all in and determined to keep my family in my safe bubble and avoid the virus at all costs.  (NOTE: Daughter who lives in NY had Coronovirus but is now fine, thank God.)

So, ready and willing to settle in, I was thrown a curve ball.  Two days before the mandated lockdown, I had my yearly mammogram.  First since my Uterine Cancer last year.  Naturally nervous.  MAJOR...

Then I got a call back and had to wait five days for that appointment. I was so nervous and living off tea for the first few days.  (So glad I froze a ton of milk so I'd have it!)

Then at call back, told I needed to have a biopsy.  Had to find and schedule a consult and a biopsy at a time when so much was closed and I was terrified of going out and catching the virus.  This was the official beginning of mandated distancing in NJ.

Needless to say, I graduated to

Seriously, my sister sent me a bottle of Hendrick's when she knew I had limes and was stressed.  Who doesn't love a good Gin & Tonic.  (Thanks, Karen!)

I am fine.  NO CANCER.  Got results yesterday...a week since biopsy and three weeks since my consult.

So I have been extra stressed.  But came out the other side.

So why am I writing this?

Because I know some of you MUST go out to appointments or have been told you need a biopsy and have put it off.

Listen, I totally understand.  But, I couldn't put off.  I'm glad I didn't and wanted to share what precautions the office put in place.  And, if your doctor is open but you haven't had the biopsy you need because you're terrified of the virus, maybe, just maybe, what I say here will help you at least have a conversation with your doctor's office.  (I am just so grateful they stayed open!)  NOTE: My county certainly has confirmed cases but we are WAY lower than the counties you see on news each evening.  So that helped with my decision too.

The day before my appointments, they did call me to see if I had any symptoms.  I was happy they called and she did say one person cancelled who felt she might have been exposed.  I was grateful for the calls.

When I went to the consult, I made my husband stay in the car.  No need for both of us to potentially be exposed.  (Next time I visited, told no one else allowed up besides patient.)

One couple in waiting room.  Besides Hand Sanitizer, and all of the staff wearing masks, that was it.

I had wipes with me and didn't touch anything except I had to lie down. Even brought my own pen.

Biopsy two weeks later:  Got call and they assured me they spaced out appointments (only two that day) and said it would be essential staff only.  They assured me that no one else would be there.  Less people means less of a chance of germs, obviously.

Bringing nothing but myself and a pen in my pocket, the parking lot was empty, nurse at OPEN door covered head to toe.  Got a mask and went up stairs (open door) without touching anything.  Door to office was open too.  Again, no need to touch anything. Place empty.  Taken right in for biopsy and only technician and Dr. were there along with the receptionist.  All covered head to toe.

They were wonderful and while I am a worrier by nature, I did feel like everything was sanitized and safe especially when they told me how they sanitize and filled me in on other things as well.  (They even scheduled so I was only one using the table needed for my type of biopsy that day.) Forty-five minutes later, I was finished.

But how safe are we from a virus you can't see?

Originally, I was told all results were in person but at my biopsy, they told me I'd be face-timed which I so appreciated.

So, it's been a week since my biopsy, I got good results, and have no symptoms of the virus.

I wasn't able to shower when I returned because of bandages but I immediately changed and scrubbed myself clean.

I made it through a scary period.  Such a crazy amount of extra stress.

I wanted to share in case YOU need to have a procedure done and are stressing.  Whether you have it is up to you but I wanted to share my experience.  My doctor's office was amazing and so careful.  What you'd EXPECT them to be.

Not all places are open but I'm glad they were.  If you are needing to go get a possible life altering (cancer) procedure done and you're doctor is still working, have that conversation with them.  Try to get the first appointment of the day if you decide to do through with it.

And keep in mind that these brave Drs. and Nurses and Office Staff are AFRAID too.  They want to be safe for themselves and their families so they are going above and beyond to keep things safe for EVERYONE. All of them heroes.

Be safe.  Stay safe.

Latest Binge-Worthy Shows

Happy Summer!  Today was my last day!  Time to relax and unwind!

When I was home for six weeks recovering, I had lots of time (too much?) to watch TV.  Here are some shows I discovered and LOVED!  Maybe you'll find a gem here for you, too!



This is my favorite of the bunch.  However, I don't love the trailer and it doesn't do the show justice. I seriously cannot express my love of this show enough.  My daughter discovered it and she is the target age...not me!  But I just love the strong female characters and I so love the fact that the head of Scarlet Magazine (JAN!!! From The Office!) is NICE and SUPPORTIVE...no boss from hell here!   A boss I'd want my own daughter to have. Lots of layers and depth to this show.  Three seasons (10 episodes each) have me waiting impatiently for a fourth. On ABC Family.  I watched on Freeform on my iPad.

From Freeform:  A glimpse into the outrageous lives of Jane, Kat and Sutton, who are working at the nation's top women's magazine, Scarlet, while navigating their careers, identities and individual voices. This next generation of unapologetically fierce working women is primed to take on the world and smash the patriarchy — one selfie at a time.




Everyone seems to have watched this!  On Lifetime but streamed on Netflix a few months later.  From Lifetime: Starring Penn Badgley, “YOU” is a 21st century love story that asks, “What would you do for love?” When a brilliant bookstore manager crosses paths with an aspiring writer, his answer becomes clear: anything. Using the internet and social media as his tools to gather the most intimate of details and get close to her, a charming and awkward crush quickly becomes obsession as he quietly and strategically removes every obstacle – and person – in his way. The series also stars Elizabeth Lail, Luca Padovan, Zach Cherry, and Shay Mitchell, with a special guest appearance by John Stamos.  Season 2 will only stream on Netflix.




From Netflix: Jen's husband recently died in a hit-and-run, and the sardonic widow is determined to solve the crime. Optimistic free spirit Judy has recently suffered a tragic loss of her own. The ladies meet at a support group and, despite their polar-opposite personalities, become unlikely friends. A dark comedy.





From Hulu: From Executive Producers Lorne Michaels and Elizabeth Banks comes Shrill, a comedy series starring Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live) as Annie, a fat young woman who wants to change her life — but not her body. Annie is trying to start her career while juggling bad boyfriends, a sick parent, and a perfectionist boss.



A kinder, gentler reality show!  To be honest, this is the only thing my hair salon/nail place has playing so I watch it when I'm there and really enjoy it.  I have watched a few on Netflix and it is strangely calming for me.  I think I've been watching the oldest episodes.  I just love the way it's shot and the spirit of the show.

Would love some recommendations if you have them!

Happy watching and an even HAPPIER SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any Binge-Worthy TV Show Recommendations?

If so, I'd love to hear from you!  I like to have something playing in the background in early morning/late evening hours when I'm working on school-related "stuff."  So far this summer, I watched Stranger Things and loved it! Having only one season so far appealed to me since I knew I could watch it quickly.  I'll be watching Season 2 for sure.  (Love these kids!)

Then I moved on to this AMAZING, highly-rated Netflix documentary, The Keeers,  which was only 8 episodes I think. I highly recommend you tune in but be prepared to feel outraged on so many levels. So, so many levels.

I also watched something I had ZERO interest in but ended up liking it.  I needed a bit of fluff after the The Keepers.  I am certainly NOT the targeted age group but it was fun and campy and again, only one season so far:

It's Archie and the Gang in modern times.  Who knew Jughead was played by Cole Sprouse of Zack and Cody fame?

Right now, I'm on Season 3 of a show many of you most likely have been watching for a while: SUITS.  I like it a lot but not sure if I'll go the distance of seven seasons!  (Watching it on Amazon Prime.  The new season starts on USA Network next week.)

I also watched my beloved Orange is the New Black but was disappointed in the season which took place over three days.  Boo to that!

I don't have HBO so no Big Little Lies for me yet which I heard rocks!

Looking back at this post it seems like I watch WAY too much TV!  Eek!  Just when I'm working.  I like to multi-task!

One last thing...I never gave a shout-out to Matthew who graduated from High School a few weeks ago.  He'll be going to Rider University just 30 minutes from here (but he will live on campus) in September and major in Sports Media.  So proud of him and know he's going to do great things...he already has!

Sarah will already be a Junior in Newhouse at Syracuse University in the fall. How did that happen? They're getting old which only means one thing:  I AM GETTING OLD!  :)

It's raining here...a perfect day to...watch TV!

Mildew Stains on Deck? Dirty Pool Steps? Problem Solved!

This isn't school-related but I just have to share two outdoor tips for you if you have a pool and a composite deck.  These two products are MIRACLE WORKERS!  Seriously, they rock!

  

and 

First off, most people have white steps going into the pool.  These get grimy and no matter what product I've used, still look dirty.  The white is a bit textured and sunscreen and such get into the tiny groves.  When the water level fluctuates, you get the dreaded water mark, too.  Our pool is SUPER CLEAN yet when you look at the white step area, it doesn't look clean.  Almost like a ring around your tub.

Pool companies have sold me liquid cleaners that you pour on...but they pour right off and into the pool and DO NOT WORK.  After 8 years, someone suggested MR. CLEAN Magic Erasers.  In less than a MINUTE, the entire white area looks BRAND NEW!  Seriously, I almost cried after trying it for the first time.

On to the second product: Corte Clean!  The year we got our deck, it looked perfect!  Our neighbors had a three year old composite deck and came over to see if we had mold like they did.  When I saw their deck with gray specks COVERING it, I assumed they got a bad batch of decking materials. Within a year, mine got that way too.  YUCK!  We had it powerwashed (which you shouldn't do to a composite deck) and while it looked good for a week, by the second week, marks reappeared.

Then I discovered CORTE CLEAN from my cousin who owns a hardware store.  (NOTE: It is only now available online because it has a six-month expiration date. I have nothing to do with the company.  I just use their product.)  Again, it will rock your world.

After you use it, your deck will look like new for a good year IF you do a quick. light cleaning in fall as maintenance  Check out their website for specifics and a video on how to use it if interested. We used it on our top deck yesterday.  Our deck looks new today. Check them out if you've had it with your composite deck.  If you use it correctly, your deck will look like it did on DAY 1. Seriously.

I will update this post soon with pics.  For now, I just wanted to offer a solution for anyone out there desperate to find one to these two problems!

A Shout Out To My Better Half

My FABO husband, John, is also a teacher, media specialist AND an author!  

Yep- we have co-written a few books together:

Our collaboration was a smooth one and truly 50/50. He's an amazing historian and researcher and the books above required such attention to detail. 

Excuse me while I brag a little more about him!

He was named Teacher of the Year in his school this year!  WAHOO!  SO WELL-DESERVED!

The Mullarkey Fam is BEYOND excited for him!  He's going to be honored at a Board of Education meeting is a few weeks:  Sarah will be home from Syracuse, Matthew (my Senior in HS) already put in for the night off of work so all is set! 

 Did I mention he's also a great artist?  He makes clip art and loves to doodle when he can.  

Here's a sampling of his two styles:

But honestly, what I admire John the most for is his KINDNESS.  I don't think I've ever met such a kind person...my kids agree.  We are blessed!

Sportscaster Camp (My son's very cool experience!)

Fun Happenings Around here last week!  John and I have wanted to send Matthew to the The Ian Eagle/Bruce Beck Sportscaster Camp at the ***Yogi Berra Museum in Montclair, NJ for a few years. Both Ian and Bruce are the go-to sports guys having won a zillion awards between them. A lot of their "campers" have moved on to TV/Radio Jobs.  A great opportunity.  Right after camp, Bruce was headed over to Rio to cover his 7th Olympics for NBC.  Can you imagine?

Matthew is all about 24/7sports and, as he approaches college application time, he knows for sure he wants a career in SOME type of sports reporting.  Lucky for us, we live within easy driving distance to Montclair State University (Where the Yogi Berra Museum is located) and he was able to go. Finally!

He loved it!  Most importantly, he's decided he'd like to puruse radio/sports social media rather then the TV side.  THIS IS HUGE!  Nice to know he's zeroing in a bit.  Of course I know it could change and on-air reporting could be in his future.  (He is a TV "pro" having auditioned for/getting a wee part in a David Letterman Skit a few years back!  He played a Boy Scout. He doesn't speak a word but that's besides the point! :)

  

See him in action! 

But I digress...

One take-away that he got from camp seems so simple but is a great nugget of wisdon: Say YES to everything that comes your way.  They had about a dozen well-known speakers come in during camp and he swears each one said something to that effect.  Be it calling play by play for a high school team or a a preschool baby crawling event, JUST SAY YES!  You never know where it will lead.

The highlight for him?  A Behind-the Scenes Look at Met Life Stadium (Press box amazing!) which is home to the Giants (his favorite team!) as well as their training center.  Seriously, a dream come true for him.  He got to look at their new museum and I'm sure his heart skipped a beat seeing these babies:

The Super Bowl Lombardi Trophies!!!

Hall of Famers...without looking at this player's name, I'm sure you reconized him!

Matthew with Jeff Feagles!

He got lots of cool pics especially of the players' (full) lockers at their training center but he didn't feel right posting pics of them because some of the guys had some pretty personal stuff in the lockers. (Framed pics/letters from families, etc.).  The week was a success!

On a fun fact note from long ago...

***My husband grew up not too far from Yogi Berra's house.  He and his friends would often ride their bikes the five miles to his house and Yogi and his wife (most his wife!) ALWAYS brought them out bottles of Yoo-Hoo! Although John has never been a Yankees fan, he's always had a soft spot for Yogi!  

Have a great day!