TONIGHT!

GO SOX! Lets see if they can once again GO ALL THE WAY! We will see.
At H & W these 3 songs are some of the ones that are played while we get our hearts pumpin'. I love them all and when we get to boys are back in town I start to really give it ump!

They came back!

Wow.....what a come back. Still a small ray of hope. You never know....we will see.

The Lil Mermaid

My adorable niece Selena came to see her auntie yesterday and she gets me in the Disney Princess mood all the time. She knows I love Cinderellas light blue dress but she will also tell you auntie loves Ariel b/c of the water and the songs. She was singing the songs and it got me in the mood to find them on the playlist thing. Had fun with curlers in her hair them got to take them out and see the banana curls. She is a lil doll. Luv u aunties girl.

Our son # 1 AGAIN!

O... I have to brag....

For the second time, last year and this term this year Stephen scored/placed #1 in his electrical class.(mind you I had to hear this from his teacher and another parent who he is friends with)(he is a modest kid) Yahoo! smart kid of ours. What does this mean> well only the top 3 out of 15 can work in the electrical field outside of class. He gets to work with an electrician from near by Saugus.We were up at the crack of dawn to get him there by 6am, we here at the Rafs are early birds so that is not a problem. lol He makes really good money but the hours of apprenticeship he gets are far more valuable to obtain his licence as a Master Electrician. We are so proud of the love and devotion he has for the path he has chosen. He worked for 8 hours today. His timekeeper job never goes over 5 (child labor laws) and he sits for that so I am sure he is a bit worn. The stuff he did in a remodel today blew our minds. We are like WOW kido u r good. Kudos to our first born. Who would of ever thunk...lol back in the day our son was going to rewire remodel homes. Hey buddy our bathroom fan needs replacing too. LOL LOL family discount...lolGO Stephen....
btw.....his boss at the rink is so understanding that he will not be working too many hours now that he has an apprentice job and I am so greatful for that. He still gets his Friday hours.

Summer memories

Every other year we go to Tucks Point in Manchester by the Sea to Michael's dads side family reunion. Nana Marthas mothers family. The Crivello family reunion is put on by Nana Marthas only living brothers daughters. Uncle Vinny is a sweet sweet man. He and Aunt Teresa have been together over 50 years. We went to the 50Th Anniversary party about 3 years ago. He lost his sight a week before the party but there told us that he would never loose sight oh how beautiful his Teresa is. How sweet is that. Michael and I were honored to be at the party and can't wait until we celebrate our 50 years of love, dedication, fidelity, friendship and devotion with eachother.
While at Tucks Point we had a golf cake for Ryans 13th b-day. The reunion consisted of 40% Rafts..lol The other big family is the Bruno Family and they were on our tail for numbers. The two sisters Martha and Marie had children and that is what makes up those two families. Some members came from Alaska, Wisconsin,Vegas and NY. Next year we hope to see the Georgia cousin. I should say in two years. We had so much fun there was talk to make it a yearly thing b/c it is so nice to see these people. Of course my fudge was a big thing. lol I did not post this back in June b/c I was just sent the pics from his 3rd cousin. Now to plan a Christmas get-to-gether. That would be a treat.

Wise Quote ....

A very nice gal from our church sent me an e-mail and at the end was this quote. I had to share b/c it is so very true. Have a great day and always make the ones who are special to you feel special.....xoxoxoxo


'People will forget what you said,
People will forget what you did.
But people will never forget how you made them feel'.

3.3 Mil......

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1123696&srvc=home&position=rated
Take a look at this link to see the money rasied yesterday...Yahoo! great amount since we are in an economic slump....

This month.....all about PINK!

October is more than just fall festivals, fairs, harvest and Halloween it is a very important month dedicated to breast cancer. Awareness, detection and remembrance is on top of the October list. Today is the Boston walk. I remember in years past the awesome group of women I was privileged to walk with on the walk. It was an awesome event. I am thinking of all the gals out there today walking, I could not be there due to circumstances beyond my control. I wish I were with all of you. My friend Jane always put so much effort into our team and makes all the walks memorable. One year I drove the bus to Boston and was so stressed being in all the traffic in a big bus but got through it. Jane and Sue were in the seat behind me. Funny b/c Sue does not get past Peabody much so that was the funny thing that she was "helping" (lol)navigate. I am sporting my pink today in remembrance and got a beautiful bouquet of pink balloons from LC w/ a swish mylar one and a sunshine face. Made my day. Just what I needed. Try to make any kind of donation be it cash, time or talent to this cause I hold dear to my heart. You never know who or how this will affect you or your life. Blessings and prayers to those going through it and making strides in recovery and cure of it. THINK PINK!

Speling may not be A+ but I always did well in grammah....lol

You Scored an A

You got 10/10 questions correct. It's pretty obvious that you don't make basic grammatical errors. If anything, you're annoyed when people make simple mistakes on their blogs. As far as people with bad grammar go, you know they're only human. And it's humanity and its current condition that truly disturb you sometimes.

The It's Its There Their They're Quiz

And I must state it is so weird to hear a person say ...."This is her" NO NO NO....If answering a phone and they say Hello is --------- there? You answer with This is she. That is the correct way. Also you are well or you did very well, good is not so "good" lol to use.

My Favorite rainy day things to do in the fall..

I say I don't "love" the fall but there is a lil part of me that does for this reason.......I spent the day in the kitchen, after seein Nana T with Ryan and MIL & FIL and an errond. I love to make several meals so that I can pull them out after a long busy day during the week. Two Sundays ago I did 14 meals and that made the last two weeks so easy. Pull out and heat after I did all the work on a Sunday. Two moms from Washington State stared a buisness out of this concept. I like to do it for my family and don't think I would like to HAVE to have 200 clients a week like they do. I was asked by two of the hockey moms to "help" them too. They would buy the food and I prepare it and then they pay me for my time. I tought of the old saying teach a man to fish he'll fish for a lifetime...lol instead of fishing for him...hehehe
I made about 5 meals this time and extra so that there are 2 sittings from each. I won't bore you nor temp you with the tastly temptations..lol Lets just say the boys want to eat them all at once when they see masterpiece after masterpiece being made and put away. They all get a taste to make sure it is up to Stephie par..lol
I made fudge yesterday to take to BABW's inventory fest. A batch of toll house choc chip cookies also for there and M's friends he will see tonight with the boys while I am at inventory. So this takes me to why I like the fall......I can have one of my cook fests. The rain made it wonderful that I could stay in and just do one of the things I love to do. My boss asked how can I cook and not want to gobble it all up. (being on the plan and all) ...I just am fine with it. It could be foods that I am not able to eat or choose not to and can still make them and be fime with it. Ryan was funny yesterday morn. While we were getting ready to go out early he saw that I had the Food Network on...(my fav) and said since u r doing so good (down 53 lbs yahoo) why do u torture urself watching that. LOL LOL I said it really doesn't bother me. I tought that was cute. It was the show all about chocolate. MY love for chocolate is great but these days not an issue. It does not over power me to the point that I am like gotta have it. Hey it is there and I can tak eit or leave it. Yes I did just say that...lol Heart and Wellness progm...I LOVE U! lol

The rain won't keep us away.....

Since I did not have to work today Jane and I were off for our walk. When the clouds were out and the streets wet we were not going. We did however get to PF. Did the treadmill and went the distance. I don't have a black membership so she would have to pay to be a guest but we caught this guy walking in and asked if she could go as his guest and he was more than happy to do it. It saved her $20 bucks. Got some Passion Tea at Starbucks, sat on the sofa there and now here I am drinking my Isopure. Gotta shower and do some errands in the wet rain. The time goes by so fast when you walk and talk, Pam can agree too...lol Have a wonderful day despite the raw, wet day it is. Always makes something positive out of the least bit negative.Enjoy everyday for it is truly a gift from God.

AND THE WINNER IS..............................

DAN yahoo.....I am so happy to see MY DAN win......Yeah Dan...
I loved seeing all the past HG's in the live audience. The other Dan from Charlestown, the roffah was there......Yeah Dan from BB 10......
Now I am sad b/c BB is over till next summer. Last winter we had the first BB of winter but that was b/c of the writers strik I am sure we have to wait till June....UGH////// Someday maybe BB 15 I will be a HG...LOL LOL LOL

$50,000 OR $500,000

We will see tonight who wins the half mil.....Dan or Memphis. Well lets see....just like Dan would start a tought. ...........lol Memphis won a very expensive vitage auto, Dan won $20,000 but no HG knows...just America for being AMERICAS PLAYER for one week not an entire season. He was suspected. Dan laid low and stayed under the radar BUT then stepped it up and won lots of comps.....He was a great player. Being the Catholic School teacher that wore his school shirt almost every episode he had a hugh following from his home town. He even said that kind of cash in his poor lil town would be HUGH....he is very much into helping out his football team and the school. This MAY lead the jury to vote for him. I put MAY in caps b/c that is how Dan would state things....lol Memphis really ticked off people but Dan did once or twice too. The 75 year old Jerry lastin gas long as he did called Dan, "Judus"....mouths dropped when he stated Dan you will always be Judus in my house and said you hide behind that cross of yours....Well that night Dan made sure he did not wear that cross b/c he knew he would be going back on his word....OK I am one for my word...and I can so see honor in that but some of these HG's/players have to realize IT IS A GAME! GAME! it is life in a house without ANY contact except Julie....Mrs. Chen as Dan would say even though she is not MRS. Chen ....lol He was so respectful to her. I do hope that the jury gives the cash to the player WHO PLAYED the game....Did I say GAME>......I will post who won.....Happy Big Brother watching. I WILL be so sad that it is over but hey what can you do......Maybe someday I can be a HG on BB......I would be the one who cooks up a storm for the others. Hey June won BB 4 I think b/c she cooked and cleaned for them and stayed out of the house drama....Hey if my place is in the kitchen then so be it...For $500,000 I will cook and clean.....lol Hey I already do it around here for the payment of LOVE!

I was tagged.......by Jenny...who wants to be tagged....

If you were able to be a donut, which one would you be? A glazed/KK original...yummmmmyyyy ....lol


If you were to say you are like a drink, what would the drink be?
Tazo Passion Tea....hot and passionate for life

If you were to come back as something, what would you be?
A waterfall....soothing and welcoming/calming and peaceful


If you were to be a candy bar, what you you be?
Dove Milk Chocolate Bar.......silky smooth and oh so sweet

9/11 Never Forget

The years go by but we can never forget. My prayers and remembering with fellow Americans are not just for today but always. Keep the victims and their families in your hearts and on your minds. God Bless them all.

This says it all

Your Blogging Type is Kind and Harmonious

You're an approachable blogger who tends to have many online friends. People new to your blogging circle know they can count on you for support. You tend to mediate fighting and drama. You set a cooperative tone. You have a great eye for design - and your blog tends to be the best looking on the block!

What's Your Blogging Personality?

SO I was aked whats with the "Know Fear" thing for Michael....lol K and J know...lol

The place where M and the brothers go for white water rafting....


The very high water slide I went down at Disney's Blizzard Beach. Ranked the highest drop in the country. My BIL Tony and I were the only ones brave enough. I love those things.....

Michael, friends and brothers go white water rafting at this place in Maine. The thing is it is so far up it is like a 6 hour drive...UGH He has this shirt from the place and on the back it shows the water and then the words.....KNOW FEAR So when Kristen met M for the first time he had it on....and probably. again lol He LOVES that shirt. It is old too. I want to say S was in like 3rd grade when he got it. It was a nice quality made shirt with organic cotton b/c it has held up well and washes awesome. Gets better every time u wash. M wants the family to go next summer. All of us. Me the boys and him......I have NO FEAR of the water ...that is so not the case. I think I hate most is the life jacket on. I feel claustrophobic with it on. When we swam with the dolphins I had to wear a thin one. It was not for safety for the human it was for the dolphins to relate to the colors and feel safe with the humans. That is what the people at Discovery Cove told us at Sea World. I sucked it up and had no choice but to wear it, all day long......It was mandatory. I think next summer will be a good time to white water raft. I will be down more lbs and feel most comfortable to do it. I swear I will still really hate the life jacket. That is a long story about a short answer...lol Know Fear is how K and J now refer to my main squeeze...lol One day I was talking to Jenny and she said something about Know Fear and I said oh yes he has it on...she was like AGAIN...lol Once in church the homily was about FEAR and the old man behind us said to M after Mass "did u know Fr. was going to talk about fear?" M was confused for just a second and then realized...oh my shirt....lol SO Jane that is why we call him KNOW FEAR! Janes husband John and M are so much alike it kills us.....

The boys are back in town....

No not the Sox...lol Michael (aka Know Fear) and Stephen......They had a blast on guys golf weekend. Stephen was the talk of the group. He got better scores than his uncle, father and Michaels friends. These guys were inpressed with our Tiger...lol Just kidding abou tthe Tiger thing....I am so not a T Woods fan at all............
We all met at Bertuccis for a late luch early dinner in NH on thier way down from North Conway. At that point it was only the family all the other guys went on their was to see their familes. Ryan and I went to Nevens farm yesterday, me being a not so found of animals gal I fould it to be once again a great step towards being open to ALL situations and growing as a person to do things even if I am not found of them. MSPCA has a beautiful place there in Methuen and I don't even feel gross when leaving. It is so clean, new and well kept. He was funny instead of a dog b/c he knows I am so not a dog or any animal for that matter person he said it would be cool to get a GOAT! Yeah ok kid....He brought up the point the grass would be nice and short all the time...LOL that kid is so funny.....He and I could of had some entertainment on Sat. night after Mass but he was like noooooo. There was an entertaining hypnotist at the youth group meeting this month for families. Not the R rated kind..no obvsly. not at the church..lol When we went to Point Sebago Lake in ME we went to a show and I am still the talk of the family lol b/c I really did not think I could get up there and be open to it and I sooo was...Thats another post...lol So we did not stay but there was a beautiful vow renuall during Mass. The man and wife were married 65 years and were still so spry from their age. She was 17 and he was 19 when they married and all the family was there. They married at St. Agnes and have lived in Middleton all these years. I know one of their greatgrand children I had them in school. It is so wonderful to see the love that they still get to have together. It made me cry, I know there were not many dry eyes in church when the best man....the brother of the man said a speech to his Sil and brother. I made me think of Nana T and Papa Steve, poor Nana lost her husband so early in life. He was 60 when he passed and she was 59. She has been without him for 28 years but is still his wife. She would never even think about having another husband. She at one time when I was in 12th grade dated this guy Peter. It was really a guy who she would see at the Wonderland Ballroom when she went clubin with her gals...LOL Ballroom dancin was her thing with Papa. She would look so glamorous all dolled up. So it took me back to the times when I was 7 or 8 and remmebered her in her dressy dress all leggy and spry and Papa in his navy blue suit. They were so handsome together. It made me think of if it were them up there. I someday want to be on the alter again proclaiming our love and renuing our vows...in 2017 ..9 years away M and I will be married 25 years and we both agreed that would be a nice time to do that. I am sure Fr. Mike will not still be at our parish. That would be cool if we could have him back to do the honors. lol .....So I leave you with a LONNNNGGGG post of lots of stuff. I know I can go on.....Have a great week...It's Monday.....hope your week flies to get to yet another fun filled weekend.......C YA!

Here goes Kristen,,,,,,

Before I answer these that K sent me....There is this awesome place in Woburn that my BIL, healthy Doc John took me too atleast 3 years ago called Know Fat/Low Fat
It is awesome....you order then they call ur number and everything is nofat or low fat...all healthy things...I got the best egg white and brockl. soy wrap there once and got the turkey burger and air cooked sweet potat. fries once. Salads are the best.....WELL.......took Ry there today to get something and IT IS GONE! WHAT THE HECK! .....good thing across the street in Cumming Center Woburn is a Fresh City...also a favorite of mine. I love the acai smoothie with protien. I got that and Ry got romaine with beans and wild rice salad....oh that looked so good. You can have it tossed or dressing on the side and Ry said tossed and I think it would be better on the side b/c it was too wet. SO we atleast got some tasty healthy treats. We were surpose to have dinner with friends after Mass but they had to cancel, sick and did not want to cantiminate us...lol So while M and S are on the guys golf weekend, Ry and I are buds......dinner tonight Amys Organic Low Sod. veggie lentl soup....I am NOT going crazy tonight....lol

Here goes.....


1. My Uncle: I have one and he is such a doll. He is so loved by all. Handsome and funny as all hell. Like a daddy to me. Walked me down the aisle when I got married. He and Know Fear get along so well. Love you Uncle Stevie

2. There’s this person I know who:is so smart and can make mega cash as a doctor but put that on hold to raise her kids and sacrafised for them and gave her mother the one thing tha tshe needed most. Luv u Jane....

3.Once, at a bar: maybe the ONLY time Know Fear and I were at one we got in an exclusive place in Harvard Sq b/c of his scientist friend. I was not yet 21 but got in..yeah ...lol

4.By noon, I’m usually: Have already been up for 7 hours maybe 7.5....lol

5.Last night:Ry and I played some skip-bo I luv that card game.

6.What I like best about the eighties is: that ESPRIT bags were awesome, jelly shoes rocked, PJH was the place to be GO TIGERS!

7. If I were a character in Shakespeare, I’d be: a maid who is in the backround cookin...lol ???? IDK

8.By this time next year:365 will have passed and the lbs will be down? sound good?

9.I have a hard time understanding: why people do the things they do and make choices that they make.

10.One thing I'm thankful for is: freewill........the freenation that we live in and the ablity to pray and love God without being put to death or jailed.

11.If I ever won an award, the first person I’d thank would be: my family and friends. Know Fear...lol S and Ry

12.Take my advice. Never: tell me I cna't do something b/c I will try my darndest to prove you wrong....

13.My ideal breakfast is: organice vanla. soy milk ,cup of berries and protein powder with lots of ice blended with ground flax...maybe peach or banana

14.A song I love is: The Prayer .....Celine Dion, Celtic Women

15.If you visit my hometown, I suggest: you eat the famous 100 plus year old Richardsons Icecream/it is made fresh it is not 100 years old...lol. They are awesome...then you can see Uncle Paul...I call him that...he is not my uncle ...I wish..lol at our church ......

16.Why won’t people: stop being crapheads and be nice.

17.The world could do without: Killings and War

18.I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than:I D K....ick either way

19.My favorite blonde is:I really don't know many blonds.

20.I can't count the number of times:I make sure things are just so and in thier place....lol OCD but not ovah the top....lol

Fall is on the way.....

I know I know.....slow it way down....lol
Hey have you noticed at night it gets darker so much more early now? Also the mornings are way to crisp to be summer morns and the nights are getting fall like too. Yesterday in Boston some temps read 83* but the wind was really blowin. By last night at the driving rang it was a lil chilly. I think also with dropin some lbs I get a lil just a lil colder faster than before. I was always so very hot even when others were cold. I am told at the program that is the # 1 complaint that patients say is that they are so cold. I ma sure it will get worse come the burr of the winter. I know so many who LOVE the fall and the changes that take place. I do agree that it is pretty at some points but then it gets blah lookin. The kids still love our apple picking fun and cleaning up the leaves. I love when the yard is clean after the leaves are picked up but then you wake up and it is like AGAIN....lol I secretly like the crisp smell and the feeling that you get when you go to the Topsfield Fair on a cool fall day. It makes me think of Michael and I's first time there together on a date our first few months when we met. I love the colors and pumpkins are my absolute favorite, I remember the lil one he picked out at the fair to get me when we were there. We still get one really lil one for the windowsill every year.
Just by all our time together Pammie has made me appreciate the fall and the changes more. I am lookin forward to them more so than dreading them like in years past. The program has helped immensely also when it comes to things that used to urk me. The de-stress Cd's along with all the awesome sessions we have at the end of our class make it all worth it along with the rethinking of food helps a great deal too. So this year I go into the changes of the seasons with a new fondness of whats to come. I welcome the change and embrace just how beautiful this place we call Earth is. Gods creation for us to love.