Thursday 4/28/11 Procter and Gamble World Headquarters!

Molly and I got up early to hit the gym in the hotel. Molly got on the elliptical and I was setting all the settings, we had flipped on the little TV on the machine, and when I looked up to check on her, on the screen were the running feet! Right at that moment the commercial came on..it was surreal, unbelievably, bizarre, you name it! I took a couple of great shots of her working out with the commercial on! To Cool!
We were picked up at the hotel by Jim O'Connell, the VP of External Relations for P&G, and taken to the world headquarters. The company has 2 beautiful towers right downtown, and we were greeted and taken up to the breakfast room. We met many important P&G folks, some great PR and marketing type folks, and most importantly, 5 other great Moms and athletes from the local SO team.  We also met Jay Bruce, and we sat at the VIP table with him and the president of the company,etc. Wow! At the end of the presentations(they showed the commercial!) I was able to speak for a moment, and say the thank you speech i had written. It was well received and made me very happy. We then moved on to the larger employee event, in the auditorium. The employees got box lunches, and were able to learn all about what their amazing company is doing for Special Olympics. I love that each person has ownership of the great, generous  corporate spirit.
We then had photos with Jay Bruce and others, Molly autographed the brand saver going out this weekend, and we grabbed our lunches and headed back to the hotel.
Chilled and ate, then explored Cincinnati. It is a beautiful city! We went to the underground railroad museum, walked across the Roebling Bridge( designed and built 3 years prior to the Brooklyn Bridge by the same architect) all around a cool neighborhood, back across the bridge, through a rainstorm, got RED nail polish so we will be set for the game, and returned to our home base. We were picked up and taken to dinner at 7:30 at a cool place called The Precinct. It is in an old police station from the '20's. We had an amazing dinner, and my friend Randall and I toasted Dad over our steaks! side note: 2 ft. high pepper mill ground onto the blue cheese salad=go Dad!
We got back from dinner at 11pm. needless to say Molly was whipped! But what a day! The world is full of good people!

Cincinnati, Ohio Home of P&G

Well Molly and I are on the road again!! Today finds us in Cincinnati, Ohio in the historic Cincinatian Hotel downtown. The place was built in 1850 or thereabouts and has doormen in full uniform,coats and hats, a bellman who escorted us to our room and a concierge to deliver a coffee maker to the room when I said I couldn't find one! Service with a capital S.  Waiting for us was a beautiful flower arrangement, and 2 big goody bags of food and product treats! We feel spoiled! Molly and I landed late, so we headed out to dinner right away. Found a place a short walk away called The Cadillac Ranch- and got in with 10 minutes to spare on the happy hour menu. 3 words- Onion ring tower!!
Now we are ensconced in our bed, watching the A's come in and work over the Angels in extra innings.tomorrow we will work out early, then meet the president of external relations for P&G who will pick us up and take us to their headquarters. Cool beans!

Molly's commercial!

Bowling with Cops!

Too Funny!

Okay, I'm not even fifty so it's not a senior moment, it was more of a "blonde" moment!  I invite Jerry and my Mom to go to the movies yesterday afternoon. " Let's see an historical fiction movie about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the trial that followed..I saw a trailor and it looks great!"  So all set to get our history on we head to the theatre and go in to see The Lincoln Lawyer!
First clue that something is amiss....RAP MUSIC in the opening credits and artsy shots of the front grill of a Lincoln Continental!  Hmmm, this doesn't look like the 1800's....maybe there is a flashback? I think hopefully??!  How about MAYBE YOU'RE IN THE WRONG MOVIE KERRY?!!  Oops! my bad!
Luckily the movie was excellent, with some of our favourite actors, William H. Macy, John Leguzamo..
Stay tuned for my review of  The Conspirators..the real movie about John Wilkes Booth et al! Never a dull!

The Eighth Day

Happy Easter! This is the Eighth day, the one that Jesus made for us by rising from the grave.  GOD made the world in 7, and Jesus gave us the eighth day, now we need to live in it, and show we are Christians by our love and actions! So I'm going to try!  Jake called this am, and we all talked to him, which was great! Since holidays are all about eating....
We had sausage, coffeecake, juice and melon for breakfast, an,d at 2pm we ate a full Easter dinner, ham, mashed potatoes,beets, pineapple, green bean casserole and rolls. Fancy cheesecake for dessert! Mom, Jerry and I went to see  The Lincoln Lawyer, with Matthew McGonehey and Marissa Tomei. It was excellent! We took Mom to see the condo, and are working on her to come out for a month in the fall to stay at the condo and see how it is to live here. She says she'll think about it. Finished off the night with some deep laughs with I love Lucy. I feel very blessed that we had such a great day.

Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil

Well after a terrible forecast, we are surprised by a beautiful day! Finally a good day for track practice and we all enjoyed it (except for Danny who was sleeping in!) Molly was really put through her paces by PJ, who got her to run an 8 minute mile! Jerry and I ran too, even though I didn't want too!
I did a bit if shopping in the afternoon and got Charlotte a sweater for her new dress, and Molly a new dress and sweater to wear for Easter. Mom and the girls went to see Soul Surfer together, and Charlotte was in heaven!
The vigil begins at 8:30, right at sundown. Jerry and Danny are ushering and we get great seats. My favourite is the singing of the Exodus reading, just gorgeous! At 11:30pm Charlotte, Mom and I head home, and the other guys go on to the reception.  Meatballs at midnight! They help set the basement for the overflow crowds expected on Easter Sunday.  Baskets set and sleeping by 2am!