My oldest has left for college!

Can you believe it's September 1st?! Aside from the jet lag after our trip to Asia that sort of put us in a sleepy slow motion for a week or so there, the rest of August was a complete blur! From Japan to home, an evening in NYC with some book club friends, a couple of beach days, some bike rides, our 20th wedding anniversary, a weekend getaway for two to Boston, and getting Maria ready for college, it was one awesome month! Well.. the part about Maria going away to college is awesome for her..... not so much for mom and dad. I mean it is.. but you know. Our baby has flown out of the nest.

We helped Maria move into her college dorm yesterday. What a milestone! I'm so proud of her for so many reasons and excited for her as she stands at the cusp of this new life experience that will further shape her into the person she is meant to be. Then there's this other part of me that's crying NOOOoooooo! DON'T GO! Mostly I keep that one to myself, knowing that the time is right for her to go out on her own (more or less) and discover herself and the world around her. I just can't figure out how we got to this chapter in our story so darn fast and I'm trying to not to think that my job is more or less done. I know she'll still need us for quite some time .. both financially and for guidance and emotional support.. but it's kind of different now, you know?

Anyway, here's a fun video I made using the iphone app Flipagram that pretty much shows what August looked like through my eyes, squeezed into one minute and two seconds. Don't blink!

Hope you liked it. : )

How was your August? Any changes in your life this September? 

Wrapping Presents

Right now I'm wishing I had several hours I could pull out of my back pocket. How about you?

I have a lot of last minute things to do today for Christmas--mostly food preparations, tidying the house before guests arrive and wrapping presents.

Doing my best to do it all merrily!

Speaking of wrapping presents... check out this adorable video on How to Wrap a Cat for Christmas.




Merry Christmas Eve!  ^_^

About Rainshadow Road {A video from Lisa Kleypas!}

I'm so excited to share this new video with you from Lisa Kleypas. In this short video, author Lisa Kleypas shares her thoughts about her upcoming new novel, Rainshadow Road, the first book in her  Friday Harbor trilogy.  Look for Rainshadow Road in bookstores in February 2012.




I posted this video for my readers as part of "Lisa's Divas" - a group of select fans who share info & content related to Lisa's novels and get sneak peeks & swag in return. But please feel free to grab the link, post the video and basically spread the word about Lisa's upcoming Friday Harbor series to your friends, too!

If you think you'd like to be one of Lisa's Divas, there may be room for a few more fans in the Lisa's Divas community. Visit this site for more information and how to sign up.

Merry Christmas!

May your Christmas be joyous and bright! 

The following stop motion video was created by my fifteen year old daughter using iMovie and approximately 150 still photos that she took with her Canon Rebel XT. Her camera was set on a tripod, and with the camera remote in her hand, she snapped photos every couple of minutes while we decorated our Christmas tree. She captured plenty of smiles, a few funny faces, a lot of hugs and even a few kisses. Enjoy! :) 

Merry Christmas! from Mylacuna Flickr on Vimeo.

Ten Things I Love About The Trailer for Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn

I've never been swayed to buy a book based on it's video until I watched this one for Julia Quinn's latest book Ten Things I Love About You that releases TODAY.

I think that book video is just adorable.

In the spirit of Ten Things, I made a list of reasons why I think the video adorable.

Ten Things I Love About The Trailer for Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn:

1-It's a list! ... I love lists!
2-Delightful hand drawn artwork.
3-The music is fitting.
4-Narrator's voice is purposefully over the top, in a fun way.
5-It's witty
6-and a little bit silly,
7-but very charming
8-and romantic.
9-It ends with a cliff hanger!
10-It made me want to read the book!

Want to know more about Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn? Check out this list of Ten Things You Should Know About This Book.

All these fun lists have me literally and figuratively counting on this book being just as delightful and charming as its video and lists.

Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn releases today, May 25, 2010.

You can visit Julia Quinn at her website at http://www.juliaquinn.com/.


Have you ever been swayed to buy a book based on its book trailer?

Clowning Around with 2 Kids and a Dog + Giveaway

A few weeks ago, I was introduced to a new-to-me blogger and YouTuber named Alexia through Kwana of Kwana Writes. I then spent the better part of an hour watching Alexia's videos and literally laughing out loud. I think you would too!

Here's a little background. Alexia is an American woman who lives in Rome with her Italian Sicilian husband and their two kids and a dog.

Alexia and her family make fun, quirky family calendars every year for their family and friends and recently decided to entertain the world with behind the scene videos of their escapades in capturing the perfect family photo. So much fun!

Please meet Alexia:



And for some clowning around :o)

... and teamwork O_o





I won a 2 Kids and a Dog Calendar from Alexia over at Kwana's blog --it's VERY cute, by the way-- and would now like to pay the fun forward and giveaway a calendar to TWO of you. I know, I know ... you probably already have your 2010 calendar by now, but you gotta see this fun and quirky calendar for yourself. Hang it by the water cooler at the office and stimulate some fun conversation.

Just leave a comment and I'll select TWO winners at random next Friday, April 30.

Giveaway open to everyone. :o)


2 Kids and A Dog blog

2 Kids and A Dog YouTube channel

"Empire State of Mind" . . . Loving Alicia Keys

Kwana recently posted the YouTube video of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performing their awesome duet "Empire State of Mind" live at the World Series final game the other night. It reminded me just how much love Alicia Keys. Listening to her sing, hearing her lyrics, feeling her music and the passion she puts into her songs simply sends chills up my spine every time. And yeah, she's even made me tear up a few times. Have you listened to---not just heard, but really listened to her 2007 hit single "Like You'll Never See Me Again"? And that's just the song. Be prepared to bawl if you watch the video. Okay, let's not go there.

Anyway . . . after watching and listening to the live performance YouTube video of "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys in Yankee Stadium from the other night on Kwana's blog, I hopped over to YouTube in search of the official video for the song. I loved the song from the first time I heard it on the radio weeks ago and I turn it up every time. And every time Alicia Keys belts out that first "In New Yoorrrrrrk . . . " I get the chills. She moves me. She really does.



Having lived my whole life in the New Jersey suburbs of NYC, I think this song appeals to me not just because it features Alicia Keys, but also because it has a certain familiarity to it. I'm familiar with the beauty, magic, power, and also the sadness and tragedy the city holds. I wonder how this song moves people who have never been here before. Does it move them the same way? Do the lyrics and the images in the video seem foreign?

Alicia Keys has a new album coming out in December called The Element of Freedom (12.15.09). Her single "Doesn't Mean Anything" can be viewed at her official YouTube Channel HERE. She's such a beautiful talent.

Check out "Check Mate"

Remember the fun video "Shake It" that my daughter and her twin best friends made? Well, they're still having a blast making YouTube videos. For a long time, their "Shake It" video was my favorite, but I've got a new one now. Here's their latest and greatest video yet. Check it out!

Shake It!!!

I just had to share this fun and energetic video starring my teenage daughter (ack!) and her twin BFFs. It is a video response set to the pop hit "Shake It" by Metro Station.  Be forewarned... the song is frighteningly addictive and will make you want to get up and SHAKE IT!   

My kid is the one in the middle wearing the white sweatshirt and then in other scenes wearing the white miniskirt.  So silly, but oh so cute.