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I'm not going to lie; Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays. I enjoy the romance of it all, and I especially love the gifts that I am spoiled with. Romantic dinners, a flower delivery to the office, wrapped presents and quiet music for slow dancing is the absolute perfect recipe for a unforgettable Valentine's Day. Not only do my husband and I want to share a special day of love with each other, we also want to share and express our love for our family. Why does Valentine's Day only have to be for lovers? It doesn't!

When it comes to family, Carl and I put that above everything else. We always say, Nicholas first, the rest of the world after. So this Valentine's Day, we plan on making it a family affair. On February 12-13, families can celebrate Valentine's Day at the Casino Theatre in Mount Pocono.  The Casino Theatre is offering Chocolate Lovers Weekend, which is designed to get the family together and celebrate the holiday of love. Chocolate Lovers Weekend will include an ice cream sundae bar, a candy bar that will feature a chocolate fountain, hand-dipped chocolate treats, and homemade biscotti, scones and fudge. Not only will you enjoy delicious treats, but everyone can take part in family fun contests all in the comfort of this 50s retro malt shoppe.  

On a side note, I still hope to enjoy my wrapped presents, my flowers and a romantic dinner; but I hope to share it with my family. Until next time... Celebrate family, friends and traditions.

If you're ready for some great outdoor winter fun this weekend, the Pocono Mountains is most definitely the place to be!

The Pocono Lake Region Chamber Of Commerce will be holding the 20 Annual Ice Tee Golf Tournament at Ehrhardt's Waterfront Resort in Tafton on Sunday on top of the beautiful, frozen Lake Wallenpaupack! Tee times run from 9am until 2pm, and there will be two challenging courses!

I'm sure that both the most avid golfer and the inexperienced golfer alike will have a fantastic time! I myself am by no meaning of the word a golfer, but I'm planning on having plenty of fun as a spectator!

If you enjoy golfing you won't want to miss the Ice Tee Tournament! The Green Fee is only $15 in advance or $20 the day of the event! Each participant will be given a colored golf ball, score card along with a map of the layout of the course and will be allowed to use only two clubs and one putter.

When you are finished golfing or while you are waiting for your tee time, make sure to try your luck at the "Closest to Wally Contest"! The prize for this contest will presented at the awards ceremony which will begin at 3pm. There will also be plenty of other great prizes awarded including one for the best cart/sled, the wackiest hat and many more!

I'm sure that a day spent in the chill of the winter air will give you an enormous appetite! I plan on having a delicious dinner at Ehrhardt's Waterfront Restaurant. Their menu offers dishes that the entire family will enjoy. A children's menu is available, and they have an awesome ice cream sundae bar to tempt your taste buds into having dessert!

For those of you looking to enjoy an entire well deserved winter weekend get away in the Pocono Mountains gorgeous Lake Region, please visit http://www.800poconos.com/visitors/places-to-stay.

As always, I would like to hear about your winter weekend plans in the Pocono Mountains! I hope to see you at the lake and the 20 Annual Ice Tee Golf Tournament!

It's only January 24, and I'm already counting down the days until spring. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the snow, but this negative degree weather we are experiencing is not the most pleasant for my little guy to go outside and play. This weekend we experienced a case of cabin fever and it was not fun!

While lying in bed at night, curled up in my thick blankets, I thought about all the fun things that we will be doing with Nicholas this spring and summer. Scenic boat rides at Lake Wallenpaupack, a train excursion through the Lehigh Gorge, a leisurely walk through one of the many parks, camping at the wonderful camp resorts and swimming at one of the many swimming beach areas. Just the thought of warm breezes, bright sunshine and birds chirping automatically put me in a better mood. Before you know it the daffodils will start to bloom and new grass will start to peak from the soil.

But as for now, I will just have to enjoy the beauty of the snow and try to come up with some creative activities for my little guy, just until it returns to the double digits at least. Until next time... Celebrate family, friends and traditions.

This past Sunday were the Golden Globes which means one thing, award season is here! Everyone studies the glitz, the glamour and the fashion all the way up to the grand daddy of them all, the Oscars. And while I'm not walking that red carpet this year, I will be walking another at the Oscars of the travel industry on January 31.

The HSMAI Adrian Awards honors outstanding achievements in advertising, public relations and digital marketing in the travel industry. This annual affair recognizes the crème de le crème and fortunately we were privileged enough to win two awards this year, a silver for our NBC Philadelphia Partnership for the Winter Games and Gold for our creative online ads for our summer co-operative advertising campaign. A special thank you to HSMAI for recognizing our talented team!  

The best news is because we have already won gold, we are in the running for a platinum award that evening. So keep your fingers crossed because we are hoping to win big! So I'm off to Dawn of New York on Main Street in Stroudsburg, who has fabulous evening wear, because I need to rock the red carpet. Look for me; I'll be with the team holding the platinum award! Did I happen to mention I'm mildly competitive?

"I Have A Dream..."

In 2011, the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s voice is still bellowing throughout our great nation as it did some 40 years ago. It is because of this man, my children and grandchildren, my nieces, nephews, and extended family will have the freedom to speak, WRITE, and travel as they please without backlash. It is with sad regret that some people try to take away these freedoms, but Dr. King's fight prevails. As a mother, daughter, sister, friend, and fellow American, I think it is my job to celebrate the freedoms we have and to teach our children about the brave hero's that this country was bestowed. 

In honor of Dr. King, I suggest you introduce your family to things that you typically wouldn't try. Within the 2,400 square miles of this region, you can find diversity and culture around every corner. From historic sites, art galleries, museums, and an array of ethnic restaurants; visitors can learn more about society and most importantly about themselves. 

With that said, enjoy your Martin Luther King Jr. Day and appreciate all that is around you. Until next time... Celebrate family, friends, and traditions.

Even if you are not an avid reader of my blogs, you know I have a birthday obsession! I just love the feeling of celebrating milestones in people's lives, even if they aren't mine. Just last week, our fabulous Socialista blogger celebrated her birthday and I think I was more excited than she was! (Just in case you want to wish her a Happy Birthday, she just turned 25!)

But this week's birthday isn't one you hear about every day, it's a centennial. Yes, you heard me right centennial which means 100!!! Don't we all wish we could see our 100^th birthday? Well, how about your 100^th birthday minus all the wrinkles? Well lucky for the Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort that they don't have any, so they are proudly celebrating this anniversary with a bang!

From a Centennial Ball where attendees are encouraged to wear period dress to room rates at $19.11 on certain dates, mass vow renewals, birthday celebrations, ice cream socials, winter carnivals and the list goes on! You name it, they probably have it planned. Their golf pro shop is even heading back 100 years and sporting knickers for the year.

Be sure to check out their website shawneeturns100.com to find out how you can assist in their celebration, I mean you have all year! So get out your period dress and head to Shawnee on Delaware. It's a once in a lifetime event and unless you have lots of luck, you probably won't be around to see their 200^th celebration. Can you imagine the wrinkles then?! They're going to need to make some serious advances with Botox in the meantime.

Happy 100^th Anniversary Shawnee and cheers to many more years of success!

My football season has come to an abrupt end. My team lost and many people are gloating about it; that goes with the territory of being a sports fan. So now that I am done yelling at the TV, gorging on football food, and dancing a victory dance with Nicholas; I have to move on, until next season of course! In the meantime what should I do? Seriously! Every Sunday consisted of Carl, Nicholas, and I dressing up in our football best and cheering on my team. Now we have to come up with a game plan of our own.

I think a good idea would be to "distress". Between Carl getting a headache from my yelling at the TV, me having anxiety attacks over a football game, and Nicholas running around the house screaming touchdown, I think we can all use something a little less... ummmm crazy? This weekend it might be a good idea to get outside and play in the snow and laugh. Since Nicholas is only 20 months, my snow sport options are limited. But for those of you who are able to get out and enjoy the freshly fallen snow, here are a few ideas:

• Cross Country Ski at Pocono Environmental Education Center. Join PEEC for a free winter hike.
• Take part in the Woodpecker Walk at Monroe County Environmental Education Center. Start with an indoor talk followed by a walk on the trails at the Kettle Creek Wildlife Sanctuary.
• How about a package program that provides a discounted lift ticket for the family and includes a lesson for Mom so she can ski with the kids? Visit Ski Big Bear for the Ski Moms program.

I'm starting to relax just thinking about my weekend, too bad it's only Monday! Oh well, at least there is plenty of snow for us to play in after dinner. Once Nicholas is older we can do some midweek snowtubing or perhaps some ski or snowboard lessons. Until next time... Celebrate family, friends, and traditions.

So let's take a trip back in time. Thirteen years ago to be exact on a trail called Turkey Trot at the base of Camelback Mountain. This is where I decided to give in. A perfectionist at heart, I had taken my first fall in the snow on a school ski trip and I have put the poles away ever since. I've always had a desire to get back on the slopes working in the Pocono Mountains but for some reason, I had a fear.

A fairly athletic individual and not usually fearful, I decided this year was the year. It is 13 years later and what a better time to get back in the groove than January, Learn a Snowsport Month. So this past week, I headed back to Camelback Mountain and faced Turkey Trot one-on-one and let me tell you, it was PHENOMENAL!

I started off in the kiddie corral making pizza wedges and within the hour I was heading up the mountain (no, not the bunny hill) turning with the best of them. Ok, maybe not the best but I was happy to successfully make it down a novice trail within an hour after not being on skis more than twice thirteen years ago. The cool, crisp mountain air was so freeing and exhilarating; I can't wait to go back!

I cannot attribute this all to my awesomeness, I have to give credit to the great staff at Camelback Mountain! Morgan so-called the "queen of the five year olds" was a great teacher and corrected my little quirks within minutes. From toddler and after school to adults and adaptive, Camelback and the seven ski areas in the Pocono Mountains have you covered.

So whether your story is exactly like mine, you've never tried it or you've simply not been in awhile, January is your month to get out on the more than 185 slopes in the Pocono Mountains and enjoy the winter season. Be sure to check each mountain's individual website because many are running exclusive deals with lessons included in celebration of Learn a Snowsport month. I hope to catch you on the slopes and I apologize in advance if I spray you with snow. I was working on my hockey stops the other day and if I do say so myself, I'm quite good!

We are looking forward to a wonderful, prosperous and happy 2011 for everyone in the Pocono Mountains! 

Personally speaking, I have decided to plunge into the New Year by going retro with a blast from the past on Saturday! You will be able to find my friends and I at Mount Airy Casino Resort as they present The Lovin' Spoonful at 9pm in the Gypsies Lounge and Night Club!

I was only four years old in 1965 when the American Pop Band Lovin' Spoonful was formed. I still remember listening to all of the music of the day including the hit songs of "The Lovin' Spoonful" with my teenage aunt as the British musical invasion took over America!

If you like listening to the sensational sounds of yesteryear, I'm sure that you won't want to miss this fabulous concert. Tickets are only $20 and can be purchased online or by calling 1-866-468-7619.

Two of my favorite Lovin' Spoonful tunes are "Do You Believe in Magic"  and "Summer in the City".  I still have these 45's and can just imagine how great it will be to hear them performed live while sipping a few cocktails!

If you're like me, you are already planning to make an entire day of it by arriving early and playing the slots as well as trying your luck at a few table games! I am also planning to have dinner in one of Mount Airy's fabulous restaurants before the show. 

You may also want to indulge a little after the show with a cocktail or two at Mount Airy's Glass Bar or perhaps grab a bite to eat and a drink in the intimate relaxing atmosphere of red's Bar.

Mount Airy was awarded with the AAA Four Diamond rating for 2010 and is the very first casino resort to have earned this prominent award! So, after trying your luck at the slots and table games along with a wonderful dining experience and The Lovin' Spoonful's unforgettable show, I'm sure that you will want to treat yourself to a fabulous night in one of Mount Airy's luxurious spacious accommodations!  Visit http://www.mountairycasino.com/stay/accommodations.cfm to make your reservations.

As always, I wish you a wonderful weekend in the Pocono Mountains along with my best wishes for a very Happy New Year! I hope to see you at Mount Airy Casino Resort in The Gypsies Lounge and Nightclub!

We are in the third day of 2011, and I already screwed up my resolution and am in need of a vacation. How can someone do this in three days? Trust me it's easy! Now I am not going to divulge into my personal life, but I am however going to tell you how I am going to get back on track. Here is a quick rundown of everything:

My Resolution: Stress less and laugh more. 

Status of my Resolution: Monstrous Failure

Solution: Indulge in a ton of private time with my husband and son. Some of my options include the following:

• A dinner at one of the many fine dining facilities.
• A couple's massage at one of the luxurious spas.
• Shop at one of the many retailers.
• Satisfy my families sweet tooth - a trip to Callie's Candy Kitchen is in order!
• Load up the four wheel drive and take a winter cruise along Route 6.

Maybe my resolution is not too much of a failure since I am laughing at this while I type. The fact that I am typing about this topic at all is a very good sign. However, seeing that I made a list of things that I would like to do (and the list is really awesome), I might as well go ahead and do it. I'm just thankful that I have an amazing husband and son to share this list with. Happy New Year! Until next time... Celebrate family, friends, and traditions.