gossipMOM, Jessica Smith, Launches New Blog www.MomsGroupManual.com

So, I've finally done it, after a few weeks of brainstorming and thinking about what really makes my wheels turn, floats my boat, and gets me motivated, I am happy and excited to share it with you!

Please visit www.MomsGroupManual.com, A Mom's Guide to Connecting with Other Moms.

With Warmer Weather, Procrastination Sets In

This week reminded me of the last day of school when I was younger. The weather's warming up, the birds are singing, and the outdoor beckons. This is the longest I've gone without posting to my blog and while I'd love to blame it all on the warm weather, there are a couple of other reasons too.

First, I recently started freelancing on oDesk and that has been keeping me busy. Writing this blog, I only answer to myself. When I'm freelancing, deadlines need to be met and so unfortunately this blog gets put on the back burner. However, I am excited about the project I am working on...so all is not lost.

Second, I am in the process of finding a blogging home. I love to blog but am realizing that I really thrive being part of a team and well, gossipMOM has a team of one. I'm hoping to gossip around a virtual water cooler soon. In the meantime, I can't even begin to tell you about all the cool people I'm meeting via under 140 character bantering over at www.twitter.com. If you decide to check it out, tweet me!

So, here's the bottom line, I'm not giving up on this blog. No way. But my posts will be fewer and far between as I explore other parts of the internet universe.

Birthday Invitations: Ain't What They Used to Be

I remember when I was a kid, birthday invitations were fill in the blank cards with Snoopy on them picked up at your local Hallmark store. Choices were limited and the invitations had the same quality as those perforated Valentine's Day cards kids exchange.
Now, birthday invitations have been taken to a totally new level. My two-year old son has received custom invitations on expensive card stock, invitations featuring a photo of the birthday boy or girl, and even invitations sent electronically. Some of my more crafty friends have hand-made their children's birthday invitations using rubber stamps, beautiful paper, ribbons, and other embellishments.
It used to be that you'd throw away the invitations after attending the party, but we've gotten so many fridge-worthy invites in the past couple years, some stay much longer, we just can't think of throwing them away.

Why I Love Each and Every One of The Real Housewives of New York City

So The Real Housewives of New York City wrapped with its season finale episode this week. I wasn't sure what to expect when I first started watching the show, but have to say, I love each and every one of them. My husband's not a count and well, I don't live even close to NYC but if given the opportunity to befriend these ladies, I'd jump at the chance.
The thing about this group of women is that while some love 'em and some hate 'em, the truth of the matter is, they kept it pretty real on the show.

Let's start with my favorite. LuAnn de Lesseps. That's Countess LuAnn. Or if you're a driver or other service person, Mrs. de Lesseps. Sure, her insistence of formality paired with her penchant for watching garage bands with her much younger, bohemian niece is a little ironic. But what I love about her is that she remains classy, open-minded, and genuine while being unapologetic about her wealth. I gave her total credit when she talked openly about her kids getting lice while overseas on national television. She's comfortable in her own skin, she loves her kids, and she keeps it real. Some of you may disagree, but I like her. Plus, her housekeeper is freakin' hilarious.

Now Jill. Jill Zarin. Gosh that woman loves her family. And she treats her friends like family too, with unconditional love. There were a few times her friends on her show did her wrong. Want examples? OK, Ramona leaving abruptly and rudely from her dinner party (yes, I even like Ramona too...more about her to come) and Bethenny threatening her with jabbing a skewer in her eye (not as bad as it sounds) to name a few. But Jill just brushed the infractions off and focused on the positive. She's not one to dice her words though. She didn't hesitate in hinting to Alex that Alex's kids' names (Johann and Francois) might get them beat up in school and that Alex might consider nicknames for them. She was also very frank with Bethenny when advising her on her relationships. Jill's pretty insightful when it comes to reading people and their actions and she appreciates her friends, flaws and all.

On to Ramona Singer. Ramona's a complicated gal and she tests the limits of her friends and family on a near-daily basis. Her husband has got to be one of the most patient souls on the planet as he's always smiling and seems quietly amused by Ramona's antics. Business woman, wanna be stage mom, and pot-stirrer I have to believe that this "housewife" has a softer side. Bethenny brought it out a little when they had a one-on-one over cocktails. From the show, we learn about Ramona's childhood and start to see why she acts the way she does: sometimes defensive, always has to be right, and constant rationalization of her brash and often downright rude behavior. However, I relate because I'm not always on my best behavior and she makes me be a little less hard on myself. She's human and has issues she knows she needs to work on...just like all of us.

Alex. Oh, dear sweet Alex McCord. She's just starting to climb the high-society ladder. Listening to her and her husband, Simon, talk about the "connectors" they want to meet and lament about the difficulties of getting their oldest (I think he's 4) into a good school, at first I rolled my eyes. And while their constant focus on joining the exclusive social circles can border on ridiculous, Alex and Simon are truly in love and while I'm glad they're still stoking the fire of their marriage, the girl should be able to go out with the ladies sans hubby every once a while. C'mon, Alex, if your friends declare a "Girls Night Out", Simon can be left behind...even if you don't see a problem with it, do it for your friends. They deserve it. Alex shows her friends she's a great listener though, especially when, at her own birthday party, she counseled a drunk, distraught Bethenny. While some may call Alex and Simon society "wannabes" now, they still have an undying ambition and let's face it, there's a lot of us, like them, trying to "Keep Up with the Joneses" whether we like to admit it or not.

Finally, Bethenny Frankel. While she's not really a housewife, she's the only unmarried woman of the crew, she's in a serious relationship with a man with kids so we'll let it slide. Bethenny's got a sharp tongue, sharper than I remember in Martha Stewart's Apprentice, but then again, this is a whole different kind of show. She had a rough childhood and uses her blunt nature and cynicism as a defense mechanism. At the same time, though, she says what a lot of us are thinking, only in the most shrewd and witty way. If her brand and business don't work out, she could definitely make it in stand-up comedy. However, with her drive and passion for what she does and does extremely well, I don't think we'll see her on ComedyCentral anytime soon.

I can appreciate that there are a lot of people who won't even watch this show because the premise is somewhat shallow and it promotes materialism. However, if you decide to tune in to the reruns, I think you will find the same thing I did: a group of women who strive to be good moms, good wives, and good friends to each other while living the double-edged sword life of being wealthy and privileged in Manhattan (oh, and Brooklyn, Alex).

Image Sources: http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com, http://www.hamptons.com, http://www.bethanybakes.com

Is Britney Back on Track?

I've avoided giving Britney any attention in this blog as she tries to get her life back together. She's had a rough time of it (to say the least) what with leary managers, pap boyfriends, custody battles, and drug treatment.

Recent news, or the lack thereof, makes me think she might be on the straight and narrow. TMZ.com reported recently about her exercising and the extension of Sam Lufti's restraining order until this summer.

I wish her the best of luck. It is my hope that she makes a comeback and repairs the relationships with her family, especially her two young sons.

Did Bret Michaels Finally Find Love?

VH1's "Rock of Love with Bret Michaels" had its season finale this past weekend and Bret Michaels of the hair band Poison had to decide between the final two women. The two women couldn't have been more different from each other. Ambre, 37,the older of the two finalists, is down to earth, grounded, and for all intents and purposes pretty normal. Daisy, on the other hand, well, she's a little....shall we say, different? While she's got a good heart, she's a tad bit immature and a wee bit sketchy? Why? Well, there's a whole season of the show to explain it but the fact that she still lives in a one-bedroom apartment with her ex-boyfriend is just the tip of the iceberg.
I was rooting for Ambre from the beginning. Bret Michaels is no spring chicken even though he likes the (practically baby) chicks. Ambre is not old by any stretch of the imagination but she's got about 10 years on most of the girls that contested for Bret's heart this season. The only thing about her that shows her age though is her maturity. She's by far better looking than half if not most of the other girls on the show. Interestingly, Rock of Love is not Ambre's first foray in entertainment. Ambre is a morning talk show host in the Chicago area and also played the wedding coordinator in the movie "Sweet Home Alabama", according to IMDb.
Thankfully, Bret made his final decision using his head AND his heart and chose Ambre. Whew! Hopefully, this one lasts. If VH1 has it their way though, it won't, because then they couldn't have a third season, right? I'm looking forward to the Season Two Reunion show...the previews show Daisy and Heather from Season One going all hair pulling, expletive slurring, Jerry Springer-style on each other. And yes, I admit, I'm going to watch it. And like it.
In the meantime, if you missed it, here's Bret making his final decision.

video.vh1.com

Spring is in the Air...Signs are in the Yards

Ahhh, despite the real estate market going down the toilet for the last year, people are still engaging in one of the most popular rites of spring...putting their house up for sale.
Driving around the area I live in, I've seen the "for sale" signs popping up everywhere over the last few weeks. Surprisingly, I've also noticed several "Under Contract" and "Sold" sign riders going up shortly thereafter. While I am not suggesting the market is warming up, we are starting to see some activity. People who are able to sell their house and salvage some of the equity are having no problem getting wooed by mortgage lenders. For a lot of folks though, this is still not a reality. Sadly, some owe more than their house is even worth. It might be wishful thinking that I will continue to see more of those "Sold" signs, but stranger things have happened in the real estate market as we've learned over the last couple years.