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Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Things I'm Loving Lately

- the walk into work. I don't park in the parking garage at work anymore for many reasons. My new parking situation is a few blocks away and outdoors. Now that spring is mostly here, the walk in is nice, even in the rain. Makes me feel like part of the city. No idea why, but it just does.
- Muse. Their new album, you know, from last year, is so good in every way. Rock, sexy rock, classical, some song that sounds Jewish to me (clarinets make me think of Jewish songs, no idea why. I'm weird.).
- finally feeling like an adult. Job with challenges, rewards, co-workers I adore and respect and others who are meh. The fact that I have a kid is finally making me feel like I'm in my thirty's too.
- cooking from my pantry. Taking a coupon/stockpiling break and using up everything we have.
- the sun!
- movie night!
- homemade croissants. I've been making them almost every weekend. Not good for the gut and/or butt.
- Jules and his sweet "hi-ee!" and "bi-e-e-e-e-ke".

What are you loving lately?

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

22 Months


Whoa kid, you're growing up way too fast! I went away for WGI again this year and when I got home, you looked so much like a bigger, little boy! You're tall with just a hint of baby fat, you run really fast from the living room to the kitchen and you spin in circles until you fall down laughing.

Daddy had to lower your bed to the last possible setting because you really want to climb out. We're not ready for that yet. So in you stay and we can sleep for another 20 minutes.

Throwing, hitting and screaming are a daily treat for us! We love it when you toss a car in our direction and throw a spoon at Scully and we especially love it when you slap our faces.


(Mad about something.)

Actually, we hate it, but we try really hard to be patient with you and your outbursts. You see us as both bad and good guys. Phew, because I didn't want to be seen as a mean mom!


You love to help me with chores. You like to stir whatever I'm cooking. You know where the garbage and recycling go. You know how to throw dirty clothes down the laundry chute. And you help me put clothes in the washer and dryer. I give you a high five when done and you immediately want a fist-bump too. Then you run to find Dad for a fist-bump.




Giving Lammie a kiss.


Your two babies, Lammie and Doggie.

You're getting a little more social. When someone says "Hi" you might say it back. When the boys are in the cul-de-sac playing, you'll yell at them, "HEY!" When Dad has to yell for Scully to come back, you chime in yelling for her too. But you're still shy in certain situations.

Here's to 22 months, Jules.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

What I Did This Weekend

My opinions - offended by what I say? Meh, move along then.

Instead of going over every show that was amazing (or not), I'm just going to give a rundown of the weekend. Isn't that what I do every year? I'm too lazy to look back. I've had little sleep and my brain is overwhelmed by all the groups that used versions of Radiohead's Creep and Metallica for strings, there were a lot. (I totally made that up. It's essentially a classical version of Nothing Else Matters. Classy.)

I was also overwhelmed at the number of Texas guards and even more impressed at how many made it to finals. I'm going to say at least 10 made finals. And we heard this all weekend:

The stars at night
Are big and bright
(clap, clap, clap, clap)
Deep in the heart of Texas!


Minnesota did well too. Irondale made finals in A Class with their sports-themed show and MBI (Minnesota Brass, Inc.) made finals in Open Class.

My top shows were (ha! So I am giving a run down, but it's a small list):
Black Watch - A sight to experience in person, really.
Trumbull HS - Tearjerker and beautiful. Wish I had seen it more than once.
Carmel HS - These girls are amazing. Connect the dots!
Delazure - One of the Creep shows...with Mime faces.
Beatrix - All the way from the Netherlands bringing the story of Anne Frank to the floor.

My most WOW and DID YOU SEE THAT!? List:

Zydeco
Braddock Independent
Vanguard
Fantasia
James Logan

And not for fun, but to show that I didn't like everything I saw there and I'm not afraid to admit it to the interwebs:

South Shore - I know it was a crowd favorite but I have no idea why it won.
Onyx - I get that you're World Class level, but please, don't make the show alienate the audience by your concept.

That's all I can remember or that stuck out to me as big-time hot dog guards*.

Thursday, I watched 9 1/2 hours of Winterguard at three different locations.

Friday, I watched 9 hours of Winterguard with A Class finals that night.

Saturday, I watched 10 hours of Winterguard with it being Finals for both Open and World Class groups.

That's a lot of guard in a short amount of time, but I loved it. Til next year...

*Hot dog guard is a group you don't like or want to see again and you get something to eat, like a hot dog.

Sunday, April 03, 2011

Skillz


I think I'm getting the hang of this croissant thing.