Talk About Coming of Age..

I attended my first "friend from high school" wedding this past weekend!

Talk about feeling like a real-life adult.  Are you SURE that we aren't walking the halls, headed to PE, and passing notes in biology?  Yes?  Oh.. darn.

But if, anything is gonna make you feel like an adult.. why NOT it be a fabulous wedding? (I'll take that before an electric, loan, or insurance bill, that's FO SHO)

Sunshine & I danced the night away with my friends, and the beautiful bride & her groom, at a beautiful yacht club, eating DELICIOUS food, and drinking 1 or 2 adult beverages (going along with the adult theme). 

All in all, fabulous weekend on the island with my family & Sunshine!

It's crazy, sometimes you forget that time is moving forward, even if you don't feel you are.  It's
difficult to deal with either a set-back, or an obstacle, and still think "yeh, I'm progressing." But if you need ANY proof of the progress you've made in your own life recently.. catch up with some friends from high school ;)

While home, I got to talk about some last minute details for our fabulous fundraiser!  Our team has been hard at work spreading the word and rallying some local support for some fabulous prizes for the event!  C'mon out and join us and find out what CARMELO ANTHONY donated to A Night Out with Team DONNAtello!!

Also, if you're reading this thinking "hm, it's about gosh darn TIME you returned to the interwebz!" You would be correct, thanks to a not-so-gentle prodding from a few friends at home (won't name any names, but they rhyme with Shmelissa and Shtephen) I will be making much MORE of a conscious effort to keep up with this Coming of Age BIDNESS.  LOVE ME ANYWAY!

xx. Mayonnaise

Cowabunga.

Yup, that's a period at the end of that Cowabunga.  Why?  That's about all the energy I can exude now.

Let me tell you how much of a downer rain is.  Seriously, the biggest buzz kill I've ever met.  Even when you THINK you have energy to do something, rain comes in & is all "NAAAH YOU CAN DO IT TOMORROW GUYZ" 
After a week of that mentality, I finally buckled down this morning and got bidness done. Today's sunshine served as my motivation, thank the good lawd. 

So, why travel back in time to use the word cowabunga? Well, time is ticking away and the Team DONNAtello fundraiser is only one month away!  Fundraising is well underway, and we are making FANTABULOUS progress. BOOM!

peep THIS ^ print it, send it, share it, BE THERE.

xx. Mayonnaise.

As The World Turns

This weekend was a big graduation weekend for lots of schools, and a bunch of my best friends! (congrats you college grads, you!)

It's an interesting feeling.. to be out of school for an entire year.  It might not sound like a long time, but it seriously feels like it (cue the grey hair emerging from my scalp).  So much can change in a year, psh, so much can change in a day.. so multiply that by 365, and that's a heck of a lot of changes. 

I spent time on Saturday saying congratulations and well wishing a bunch of friends, a few acquaintances.. but one of my friends told me it's starting to hit him that adulthood is upon him. 

There are so many milestones we feel the imminent hammer of adulthood slamming down on our heads.. 18th birthday, high school graduation, college acceptance, leaving for college, graduation from college.  Not everyone experiences those milestones though, so why is it that we don't feel adulthood until we reach them?  Some people may not "feel" adulthood until they become a parent.. for some that's at 16, for others maybe not until 46.  But what really makes an adult, an adult?

If you're waiting for me to answer.. you'll have to keep on waiting, because I don't have any cookie cutter definition for ya.  Sorry bout it.  You can ponder over there, while I ponder over here. 

If your calendar doesn't become COMPLETELY consumed with this mind-blowing question I have posed.. consider THIS

FOOD AND DRINKS FOR A CAUSE.. DUH

 Seriously, if you're on Long Island, in the area, or feel like taking a weekend vacation.. JOIN US.  It's going to be a great time, with great food & fabulous company (I'll be there.. what more could you want?)

So, as you could imagine.. coordinating this event & planning for the MS Challenge Walk is very time consuming.. and has resulted in my apartment becoming a sweatshop (sorry Sunshine).  I have envelopes everywhere, flyers EVERYWHERE, paper cuts, telephone calls, markers, pens, and about 200 more letters to address.

Sunshine is contributing to my sanity (just about as much as he in contributing to my INsanity)but he's an angel for putting up with me when I go into fundraising mode.  Join me in giving him an interwebz round of applause, WOULDYA?

While I work my finger to the nubs, contemplate my deep-thought-provoking-adulthood question, AND mark your calendars for the fundraiser!

peace out, yo
xx. Mayonnaise

Lessons Learned and Embraced

I haven't written in a while (yet again), but there is so much going on these days that to write a summary would just be blasphemous. 

So here are a few things I've learned recently.  Now that I think about it, maybe it's less learning and more embracing lessons already uncovered.  Anyway, maybe one day I'll elaborate on some of them, maybe I won't *you don't know*.  But maybe that's the fun of it? (love me anyway)

you can be the strongest person on the face of the planet.. but you still need a support system

clementines go bad at a lot faster than you would think (trust me, it looked like a science fair experiment was happening on my shelf)

there is no problem in living your life for others, but sometimes you need to stop for a second & take care of yourself

keeping up with your dirty laundry is, in fact, VERY important

the absolute smallest thing can change your thought process, mood, day, even life

..and could end up not being all that small anyway. 

your weakest moments are those in which you can gain the most strength.

 the chicken dance is not appropriate in all situations (even if you REALLY have that itch)

I have an UNREAL support system, and I thank them for being the scaffolding holding up the decrepit building that is myself at times.

With all of that said, I can tell you that I am trying my ABSOLUTE hardest to appreciate the moments as they happen, and not to worry about the future quite as much as I tend to do.  I'm most definitely not saying that I have stopped planning, or looking towards the future.. it's just less worrying, and more positive vibes.  So if you have any extra of those, send 'em my way.  They are always welcome, received, and sent right back atchya with a big ol' wet kiss (whether you want it or not).  

Happy Tuesday kiddos, get through your hump day as pain-free as possible. 

xx. Mayonnaise

Wild & Precious Life

There are too many reasons why I have spent multiple minutes, hours, days, recently reflecting on my one wild and precious life.  The tragedy in Boston, frustrations at work, mom's ever-changing health, new family members being born (squeal! babies!), waking up on the wrong side of the bed, not putting enough coffee in the coffee pot, crazy schedules, new stages of life, trust me I could go on, and on, and on, and on.... 
But should I be doing this?  I don't know.  Everyone's philosophy is different.  Sunshine tells me I need to relax, and worry about "just today."  But I'm pretty sure that's not in my genetic code.


I seem to be on this (roughly) 3 week rotation (Sunshine would probably say it's even more frequently) of "reevaluating" my surroundings, and my choices. 

Do I want to keep this job?  

Do I really want to go through the interview and application process again?

Should we move?

Where do we want to live?

Why don't we have a puppy?

oh that's right.. responsibility.

Am I doing enough?

Read this. 
Think about it.

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

While that quote resonates in my brain while I figure out where I'm at in this weird 20somethinglifecrisis, (yep, it's a term) let it resonate in yours. 

xx. Mayonnaise

Don't You Look at Me in That Tone of Voice

Relax chitlins, your voices have been heard (although I don't appreciate the nasty glares), and I have returned to you, for your reading pleasure.

Must admit, I have so much to write about and all at the same time, nothing to write about.  Weird feeling, see if you follow.

YET AGAIN, my schedule has changed (largely why you haven't heard from me in a minute, sorryboutit).  I have spent more time on the phone in the last 9 days (roughly.. no, maybe exactly) than I have just about.. ever.  Making appointments, changing appointments, meeting new clients, working on new projects, blahblahblah.  The work aspect of my little world has been.. chaotic.  BUT, as always, there are redeeming moments, and I still enjoy my work.  regularytryingtoremindmyselftotakeaDEEPbreath. eeeeehwoooooh (breathing sounds, duh).

check out Sevenly on instagram, twitter, and their website! DOitNOW

As I announced a few weeks ago, I'm returning to the MS challenge walk in the fall! YAYAYAY I'm beyond excited for this, and this is also keeping me VERY busy.  I have had a few meeting of the minds with my teammates (my sister & my best friend) and I'm so excited about the events we are planning and some of the NEW teammates that are joining us (my youngest sister, among others)! YAY

meeting of the minds MILES apart! (thanks apple)

I originally intended to do this walk, and train to run about half of it.. but that may not be the next new goal considering..

I just verbally committed to running a half marathon with my friend, Kelly! (yes, I'm joining the forces of the crazy running people who regularly have their sanity in question)
Truth being, I used to love running, and lost that love.  I am currently staring it in the face sitting across from it a diner debating whether or not we should break up-- but I figured sharing this decision with the world will hold me accountable for child support.

MORE TO COME on fundraising events and ways to get involved! Need to get my OWN butt in motion on some of these ideas before I can send out pretty e-vites and serve you food.

peace out kiddos, enjoy that SUN!

xx. Mayonnaise

ps April is Autism Awareness Month! Hope you lit it up blue! I ordered (yet another) piece of Sevenly advocate swag, and if you haven't checked them out yet.. seriously DO.IT.NOW.  

Extree Extree Read Allaboutit!

After MUCH anticipation (I know you've been sitting on the edge of your seat) I am SO very happy to announce that I will be participating in the  

MS Challenge Walk

this fall!  After taking a break from fundraising and participating in the walk with the Greater Delaware Valley chapter, my team and I have decided that a return is long over due!

AND, with the growing and overwhelming support that we have received over the years, we are even MORE excited to announce that our TEAM has grown and we will be bigger than ever!

If you don't know too much about the walk, our experience, our my family's story and involvement with the MS society, check out some of these links:

The Donnatellos facebook page
Pictures from our 2nd challenge walk!
Our Story  about being a family living with MS

sister, me, MOM (the DONNA in Donnatello), my bestfrand

Once we have more plans, details, and EVENTS (yes, EVENTS) I will let you in on it all. No. Doubt.

Also, the BIGGEST of thanks to my friends and family who participated in the wear orange MS Awareness project.  My mom got a KICK out of it, maybe even a tear or two, and is beyond grateful for all of your support (so am I!) 
We'll have even more about that at a later date.

Welp, have a very happy Monday.  Hopefully you have a few less inches to scrape off your car than I do!

xx.  Mayonnaise

pssssssstt. Interested in learning how YOU can be a part of Team Donnatello, help fundraise, and raise awareness?  hang in there kids! more information is coming your away pronto