Weekly Recap

Between A-Rand being sick earlier this week and various activities and such, we haven't had much time to post this week. I did capture a couple pictures of the boys that I wanted to share.

Both boys have been enjoying the spring weather of late (when it's not raining, that is!). G-ram has been happily playing with this cheap-o golf set (really, it cost maybe $3) we got a couple of years ago. He was especially cute playing with it this week because after donning his hat and sunglasses, he stated "I look like a real golfer now, Mom!"


G-ram felt the need to take a break from his golfing adventures and I snapped this cute picture. I felt the need to share it with all of you. Enjoy!



A good friend and I were delegates to our regional Democratic convention today. We spent the whole morning sitting around (and talking of course!) only to find out we weren't needed. We did find out that we are also alternates for the upcoming state convention, so we are hoping to get seated for that when it occurs. It has been a lot of fun to get more involved this year in politics and feel like you are making a contribution to what happens in this country (no matter how small).

When I got home, A-Rand was telling me how G-ram and C-man were walking loops around the house together, holding hands. I was then able to get a watch them do it myself this evening. It was so adorable and I was happy to be able to catch a few pictures of that to share with you all too.



I like this last picture in particular because C-man is looking up at G-ram with such brotherly adoration in his eyes. That look says "This is so much fun and I love my brother!" I hope that feeling lasts forever. They are such great kids and they really get along incredibly well.

A Rocking Good Time!

Many of you know that I am a HUGE fan of the band Bon Jovi. I had the extreme good fortune of going to their concert Sunday night and it was just an incredible experience! A-Rand stayed home with the boys while my sister and I went to the concert. We had fantastic, 23rd row, floor seats. :)

Daughtry was the opening act and they did a great set. I just kept thinking how unreal it had to be for Chris Daughtry to go from an unknown to American Idol to now opening for Bon Jovi in sold out venues acress America.

Bon Jovi put on an incredible show. It is very high-energy and the technology behind their concerts is amazing! CNBC has a great video segment on that, if you're interested click here.


What made the whole concert experience over the top though was my sister and I were on stage for 3 of Bon Jovi's songs!! One of the local radio stations had a contest where if you somehow wore or displayed the station's logo that night you might get to go on stage, and we were chosen! It was just amazing! We got to be in a little section on the left of the stage with about 10 other women and to be that close to my favorite band was out-of-this-world! I have been a fan of Bon Jovi since I was about 10 years old, so this was definitely a dream come true!

Here is a pic of my sister and I in our winning outifts:
And here is a pic from on stage. You can see me on the right, my hands are clapping. And yes, they made us wear the sunglasses on stage! It was goofy but it got us up there so I don't care!
And here is a picture I took on stage...one of the few that turned out. Many of pictures were blurry, though I did get a few short movie clips with my camera that came out fairly well! I like this picture though, because it shows you just how close we were to the band!
This was an experience of a lifetime and I'll never forget it! And thanks to my sister for sharing in it with me!!

When You Give a Kid a Camera

Presenting the G-Ram Cam!!!



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And I Sit At a Desk by a Computer...

We got new neighbors today - two doors down. Yes, in the drug house, if you recall that incident (still wish those pictures had come out). I haven't talked to them, but my next-door neighbor did. They look promising, though they are still renting. A couple, with an 18-month old and another on the way in June.

So my neighbor goes on to tell me that the guy is a corporate pilot, for NetJets. And he doesn't even fly out of DSM that much. So basically, he gets assigned a job, they send him a ticket to wherever he is flying from, he goes there, pilots a plane to the destination and back, and then comes back home. And as the title says, I sit in front of a computer at a desk.

It's not that life is unfair, because at some point most of us had a world of opportunities. I like my job and all the trappings of suburbia it affords. But man, does that sound cool or what?

Thank You!!!

A special thanks to Mrs. A-Rand (a.k.a. "H") for the tickets tonight.

A-Rand and Glen:


A-Rand and Jonathan:


A-Rand and Jonathan's shoes (don't ask, my friend Erik is silly):

G-Ram's Art and Words

The last two days, G-Ram has written out to-do lists. It is really cute - he writes down things he wants to do that day and then crosses them out when he gets done. Yesterday, he and I sat down and worked on the list, sounding it out and me helping him with spelling. But this morning he surprised me - in the time it took me to run upstairs and do something (a minute, or two at most), he had written out his entire day's list! Now, for a 4.5 year old, I thought it was fairly well done. Obviously he doesn't have the spelling down well, but everything else on this was done by him:

If you can't read it, it is as follows, spelling corrected as applicable:

1. Color
2. Wii
3. Baseball
4. Cash Register (his toy, not a real one)
5. Play a Game
6. Lincoln Logs
7. Play in my Room

He did a really good job, I thought. And it motivated me to scan in some of his recent art work. One of his favorite things to do is recreate the books he has, especially his current favorite, Richard Scarry's, "A Day at the Airport". Below I've posted the original and G-Ram versions of the cover and one of the inner spreads. For 4.5 he does a pretty darn good job; better than I could do, probably!

Original Cover:


G-Ram Cover:


Original Inside Pages:


G-Ram Inside Pages: (I'm especially impressed by the airplane-car on the bottom-left)

Bacon!!!

This morning was H's turn to sleep in. As such, I get to hang out with G-Ram, CTR and Pooch for breakfast. Breakfast this morning included just cereal, milk and a waffle for CTR, so he was done, off and playing in the living room.

When G-Ram woke up, he started to come downstairs but was a bit hesitant, so I said, "G-Ram, it's bacon time!". Bacon is revered in our family. My dad, my brother and I are all huge bacon fans. When we all get together, my mom makes a wonderful plate, or should I call it a tray, of bacon. So there are some family genetics working for this next paragraph.

From the living room comes a little green flash of pajama. Never thought a kid could move that fast - CTR covered the 30-odd feet in about the time it takes light to travel from the computer screen to your eyes. Accompanying this land-speed record was the single solitary CTR-word:

"B!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

(Yes, that is apparently "bacon" in CTR-speak.)

Kids Do Say Funny Things

So we went off to the local mall to pick out some new glasses today. H got some really cool new frames, they are kind of purple. She doesn't think I like them, but shhh, it's a secret: I really do. I just got new lenses, since although I got new frames last fall, the lens prescription is already out of date. (i.e., my eyes are getting even worse).

Anyhow, G-Ram cracked us up on our way back. We were pulling out - a left turn on to a busy street. From the back, we hear: "Oh my goodness - have you ever seen such a busy street? They have busy streets in this city".

H and I both just burst out laughing, and the only reply we could think of was: "Heavens, no! They are quite busy!"

H is the Best!

Well, if you are actually reading this blog, you probably have some inkling that there is this guy named Glen Phillips out there, who used to play with Toad the Wet Sprocket. I liked the band then, and I like Glen's solo stuff now. Glen is coming to Des Moines next Monday night with the very talented Jonathan Kingham, so of course I already had tickets.

But today I get back from a marathon meeting at work, and there is an excited voice mail from H. She had entered a content (without telling me of course) and won. What did she win, you ask? Only 2 tickets and Meet and Greet passes to the show! So now, not only will I be going to see and hear Glen and Jonathan - yeah, I'm on first name basis with them ;) - but apparently I will get a chance to meet and talk to them. I cannot express how excited I am! I am bringing my camera, so hopefully I can not only get a couple pictures in show, but perhaps even a picture with them!

And since I know H is one of the only people who reads this - just so you know, I love you!!!

Winner's Dog!

The pooch got home from his trip today. Two shows in Wichita, KS - and he won Winner's Dog both days! For the uninitiated (as I was about 2 months ago), Winner's Dog means that out of the non-champion dogs (which are called Specials, I believe) Pooch was the top dog. And yes, dog as opposed to bitch.

So what happens is the dogs go and then the bitches (or I have that in reverse order), and the winner in each is named Winner's Dog or Bitch. They then go up against the Specials for Best of Breed. Or at least, I have that somewhat close to the truth. If you are interested, you can check Wikipedia's Best of Breed page or Dog Show Hierarchy image for more. I think this gives him 3 points. They need 15 to be a champion, which needs to include 2 major wins (Pooch currently has 0).

So anyhow, G-Ram, CTR and I were home when Pooch got back; and all were quite happy to see him return. H got home later and we both gave him some good hugs. But the funny this is that whenever Pooch is on a trip, he returns home literally (excuse the pun) dog tired. He gets home, greets us, runs around the backyard to stretch his legs (and other stuff) and then flops. He is currently curled up under my big chair sleeping.

Super cute - I'd take a picture but I just can't bring myself to disturb him.

Sunday = Sick Day

H has been sick for the last couple of days, not really sure what it is, but not something I'm hoping spreads. So today she is in bed most of the day, leaving me to take care of things around here. The primary goal of which is, of course, playing with G-Ram and CTR.

We've done quite a few things - played outside, swinging on the swingset, and of course breakfast and lunch. They are such good little guys - even as I type this now, G-Ram is making "tortilla rolls" with the blankets and Speckles.

The highlight of the day has to be that G-Ram sat with me and watched almost an entire Cardinals game! Thanks to the magic of DVR, we were able to take breaks, but we really did watch almost all of it. This was the first time that has happened, and it was fun and rewarding. I taught him about the on screen display (balls and strikes, runners on, outs, etc.), and other baseball terms.

He even asked about going to a game at Busch sometime, to which I said I thought we might - and that we could even see the hospital where he was born. I think he was excited! We started our afternoon actually watching the Red Sox, during which we called Uncle John and told him as much. Though UJ was headed to a play, he seemed to enjoy the call and the news.

(FYI - he just "found" Speckles. Apparently, the tortilla rolls double as an archaeological dig!)