A Nighttime Nate Berkus

For those 3.5 of you who read my blog on a regular basis know that I am a crazy night time talker.

I have been known to carry on crazy conversations without remembering a darn thing.  To this I say: just be glad that I am a mere music teacher instead of some CIA operative because to get all my secrets one would not need any truth serum or torture devices, just sing me a lullaby and put me to sleep and I'd sing like a canary...to be quite truthful...just a car ride anywhere would also do the trick.

However, last night I took my night time craziness to another level.  I acutally moved furniture. 

I went to bed at a reasonable time.  I did not have any alcohol.  I did not have spicy food.  I did not watch scary movie.  I did not pass GO did not collect $200.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  However, about 12:30 am a big huge crash wakes me up.  I sit up to see my nightstand completely pulled out from the wall and all of my books, candles, glasses, phone, water bottle and alarm clock on the floor.

As if that wasn't crazy enough my first thought was "Oh mygosh someone came into my room and moved my nightstand". 

Now, obviously I was the one who moved my nightstand, but that NEVER entered my mind.

Needless to say the next morning I was very upset about what I will now refer to as "The Nightstand Incident".  I moved the nightstand back to its original place and realized that the nightstand is pretty heavy.  It took quite a bit of effort to actually move it back into place.  To think that I actually moved it in the middle of the night without waking up is still utterly riduculous. 

Rich remembers waking up to the crash, but really didn't think too much about it.  He saw that I was upset about this event and tried to convince me that maybe the dog did it.

Oh yeah...Not only did Maggie decide that she needed to rearrange the furniture, but she chose to do it in the middle of the night.  Not to mention her lack of opposable thumbs.

Thanks honey for trying to make me feel better, but I might be deemed crazier if I believed that the dog actually moved the furniture instead of me.

I just cannot believe that in my sleep I actually moved a heavy piece of furniture.  So whats next...

...wait don't answer that.

More Later

- A Ro

Weekend (or Lack There of) Highlight Reel

Not sure who I can complain to, but I feel downright cheated!!  Now I  knew this was coming but as I sit here writing this post I really feel like there is no way I should be going to work tomorrow.  Now what is all this complaining about you ask???

Rich and I both worked 75% of this weekend. 

Rich worked midnight to 6:00 am ops both Friday and Saturday night.  I worked at my schools honors music festival Friday night and Saturday until 6:00 pm.

It looked something like this:  Friday day I worked Rich had off.  Friday night I cam home around 10:00 pm and two hours later Rich went to work.  I woke up Saturday and went back to school and came home after the concert and had a few precious hours with Rich and he went to work.  Sunday he woke up about noon and we both tried to get everything done in about 6 hours that we normally do all weekend.

Quite frankly...I am exhausted.

Quite frankly...I want another weekend.

And no I wouldn't like some cheese with my wine.

Here are some highlights:

1.  Got to meet Joe Torre.  I KNOW that should TOTALLY make up for my having to work!!!  His daughter sang in the honors choir and he was at the concert.  I got to work with her in sectionals and she is a very nice young lady.  Andrew will now marry her.  I will arrange it all.

2.  I had a complete ephiphany regarding my job as a choral music teacher because of the amazing conductor the choir had at this festival.  It consists of me quitting my job and joining the circus.  The amazing things this man got a choir of 56 to do in about 24 hours takes me and my choir of 32 6 weeks to accomplish. 

maybe I'll cut myself some slack and just steal some of his ideas and keep trudging along...not sure that I am cut out for circus life.

3.  I know that me and my spleen-less self have been bragging that I never get sick so I almost hate to admit that I think I am coming down with a little something.  Headache, scratchy throat, sinus pressure...yep if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck...its a duck.

4.  The word study guide is now a curse word in my house.  It causes tears and gnashing of teeth, not to even mention what it does to my poor Bella.  When you take that cute little bundle of joy home from the hospital you fail to fully realize how you will need to relive, over and over, each of your worst days in elementary, middle, and high school.  I haven't even gotten to the mending the first broken heart yet...sigh... what I would give to get back those sleepless nights of infancy. 

ok maybe it isn't THAT bad.

5.  Super Bowl - Great comercials, crappy-don't-know-the-words-national-television-even-though-I-am-a-professional-singer-and-getting-paid-barrels-of-money- national anthem, and a pretty good game which has caused much sadness in my brothers household.  NOT to mention that my tivo-ed Glee episode is going to be cut off by 15 minutes due to the need to interview each and every sweaty overpaid athelete and listen to them prattle on about God, country, and honor none of which have anything to do with football.

OK done

6.  Sitting for 90 minutes and watching our honors festival concert holding Rich's hand after having not seen him for the better part of last week and this weekend made me appreciate him all that much more.

Now if he could only pull some strings and get me some weekend back so I could vacuum my house that would be great.

More later

- A Ro

Project 365 Week 6

Well we have moved into February this week and all I can say is that I am (sorta) glad I live in California because I think we are the only state with some "normal" temps.  Anyway take a peek at my "normal" week here in California and they head over to Sara's and check out some of the other participants weeks, I bet you'll see some snow pictures!!

Here is my week:

Sunday January 30:

Aaaaflllaaackkk

We went to the park after the library on Sunday and got out to see the ducks.  Bella thought that this one looked like the Alfac duck.  It seemed like he just wanted his picture taken. 

Monday January 31:

Rocker Dude

Today was our school's battle of the bands and here is Andrew who played bass in one of the two bands.  It was SO fun to watch him.  And I know, as my sister-in-law stated, I better watch out because the girls dig them some rock stars!!


Tuesday February 1:

Nana's Lighthouse

Bella finished her lighthouse picture today.  She will be giving this one to her Nana because Nana loves lighthouses.  We just need to figure out how to get it to her.  She is really good, if I do say so myself.

Wednesday February 2:

Another Bella Original

This picture of Bella's got chosen to be displayed in the lobby of our theater.  It is such a cool picture.  I love the diversity of the people walking.

Thursday February 3:

Fairy Princess Allie

Here is my silly girl Allie.  It was senior night for cheerleading so all the senior cheerleaders got to sport the fairy princess look.  Allie loves the magic wand and thinks she might just keep it "just in case"...

Friday February 5:

You Can Hide in the Back, but I'll Find You

This weekend my school hosted a big independent schools honors music festival.  Andrew sang bass in the choir.  It was a fun evening of meeting new people and lots and lots of singing!!

Saturday February 6:

The Culmination

Following another 4 hours of rehearsals we had our big honors choir concert this afternoon.  You can just see Andrew in the top right corner of this picture.  All my students had a wonderful experience and the conductor was just amazing.  What a great day!!

In Summary:  Talented kids, students, and a duck summarize this week...ha!!  I love that I have such talented kids, but am fearing the phrases: "Hey mom the guys and I are going to skip college and go on tour" and "Hey Mom, I am going to sell all my posessions and move into an artist colony up in Northern California...hey do you like my new Birkenstocks??"  Just kidding (sort of) I really do hope their talents take them very far!!


More Later

- A Ro

Friday Fun ala Grandpa Mike

I have been thinking about my Dad a lot today.  He died in 2003 of a sudden heart attack.  I was living in California, and to say the least, the news was devastating.  Even though I lived so far away we were a constant in each others lives.  We talked almost daily and in fact we had talked the night before he died.  I tried to convince him to go to the doctor because he had been feeling ill, but like most men he didn't want to go. 

But mostly our conversation was about the ventriloquist act Willie Tyler and Lester. 

Didn't see that coming did ya??

I had just found out that our neighbor was Willie's twin brother.  I KNEW my Dad would love to know that tidbit of information and called him right up...and yep he thought that was pretty cool.

We had the kind of relationship that always left nothing unsaid.  We always ended each conversation with an I love you, and usually some sort of warning, like "now Amy remember that you don't want your gas tank to sit on Empty too long" or "I sure hope that you are ready for that BIG earthquake...it's coming soon you know"

I was most certainly Daddy's little girl.

So today I received some pictures from sister in law today that just caused me to smile real big. 

My nephew had entered his first pinewood derby contest with the Boy Scouts.  Thankfully for Tyler, a) my Dad passed down his love for wood working to his son and b) he isn't my son because I didn't get those genes.  

Like Father Like Son Like Son (and daughter)

 Yeah...Sister-In-Law has always been a BIG Steelers Fan

Yes Tyler, Grandpa Mike is very proud of you!!

Thanks Dad. (and to all those other Dads, both living and gone, for loving your kids so much, it really does make a difference in the next generation)

More Later

- A Ro

My Girls Turn

It has been a very odd week this week.  Rich's schedule has been a little abnormal, as he has been working most nights. This means he gets home early in the morning and leaves for work around 1:00 pm.  Needless to say I don't like this set up at all.  I mean...gosh darn it...I miss him.  He has been doing whatever he can to stick to some normal routine stuff, but you can only do so much when you are tired.

So in keeping with the oddity of this week, the love of my daughter, and my new knowledge of uploading videos...(Did you know it takes FOREVER to upload a video...and when I mean forever I mean about 20 minutes)

Yeah...I like to exaggerate...just a little.

...I decided to share her dance at this past Holiday Program.  She is dancing the Spanish dance from the Nutcracker.  She worked very hard at learning to suck in her gut, keep her shoulders back, and flip her fan.

She is the one in the second row middle with the black skirt, but she keeps getting blocked by her good friend.

I mean seriously if I would have picked ANY other seat in my row I would have seen her better...yeah go figure.  

Anyway, I just love watching her dance...she just looks so graceful, beautiful, and poised.  I get a little teary everytime I see her...snif snif.

It isn't a very long video so I hope you watch it, but I know it isn't YOUR daughter so I'd forgive you if you choose to skip it and go about your merry way. 


20101211113306 from Amy Rolniak on Vimeo.

I just love her to pieces. She is an honest, sweet, loving girl who would do anything for anybody.  I am happy to show her off a little.

Plus she is a great cuddler, which makes going to bed without Rich a little more tolerable.

More Later

- A Ro

The Real Hodgepodge

It is Wednesday and you know what that means right???  Yes Joyce has saved my blog once again by giving me 7 questions to answer.  Do you want your blog saved too???  Then answer the questions on your blog and head over to Joyce's and link up.

That easy...

1. Would you rather be seen as a person who did their duty or forged their own path?
Wow a doozy right off the bat. 

I am a person who does her job very well.  I know my job. I know what is expected and I love it.  I am a very strong willed person so I have no problem forging my own path too.

How's that for getting around that one?

2. This week's Wednesday Hodgepodge happens to fall on Groundhog's Day. In keeping with that theme, if you could have a do-over of any one day out of the last seven, which day would it be and why. If you haven't seen the movie Groundhog Day this question will make absolutely no sense but that's okay....you can answer anyway.
I think I would love to have my last Saturday to do over, not because I would want to change anything but I enjoyed it so much I want to do it again.  I got to spend it with my kids and Rich and we had so much fun. 

3. Hot cocoa...yay or nay on the marshmallows?
Hot cocoa in general is not my favorite drink.  When I do drink it it can't be from an envelope with freeze dried marshmallows mixed with hot water...

yuck

It has to be with milk, real chocolate, REAL marshmallows and whipped cream.

4. Do you wear makeup every day? What are the top two must haves in your daily makeup routine?
This is one of the reasons I love my husband so much...I don't like to wear makeup.  So most weekends I usually don't put it on.  Rich tells me I am beautiful everyday...but it is the times that I am in sweats and no makeup and he looks at me and tells me how beautiful I am that just makes my heart swell.  He really thinks I am a beautiful person regardless of whether I have makeup on or not. In fact he often tells me that I make the makeup look good...I know, he's a keeper.

Now don't get me wrong, I am a diva so I do enjoy dressing up to the nines and putting on makeup... sometimes.

5. Is it more important to you in a relationship to be loved or understood?
I feel that if you are truly loved by someone that they will work hard to understand you.  So I really think being loved is the most important thing.

6. Parsley sage rosemary or thyme... your favorite?
Rosemary all the way.  I love the smell and the taste.  Really parsley has no business being in this trio, in my opinion, just a bitter pretty herb.

7. What do you do when you feel angry?
I am a very passionate person.  I feel most of my emotions deeply. I have learned a lot about me and anger over the last couple of years.  I used to just try not to be angry and dismiss it all, but that only leads to internalizing it and that never works.  I now just feel the anger, think through it, and  let it run its course.  I also have a very VERY level headed husband who is very good at getting me down off those ledges and really knows how to make me feel better and help me.

Now having said all that it takes a lot to get me angry, and now that I just feel it I don't get angry as much...go figure.

In Summary:  I am a duty understanding path forger who likes the real things in life like, chocolate and marshmallows.  I am a diva who likes to lounge around in sweats with no makeup and just be loved.  But most of all I am a person who feels emotions with her whole heart and is so lucky to have a man in my life who understands and appreciates that.

More Later

-A Ro

Mama Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Rock-Stars

So today was my school's Battle of the Bands and my son was in one of the two bands.  Now it wasn't really a BATTLE because no one won or got any sort of prize excpet the adoring screams of teenage girls.

Lord help me


He is playing the bass on this John Mayer Trio cover a of a Jimi Hendrix's song; Wait Until Tomorrow.  All 3.75 of you who follow my blog on a regular basis will remember I posted the John Mayer Trio's version on one of my Friday Fun posts. 

I know that you have slept since then and I really don't expect you to remember, but just in case you thought "hey I have heard that before" and can't figure it out, now you know.

I was so proud of him.  I am also sorta fond of the other two members of this band.  The guitarist is one of my students and the drummer I have known since the 3rd grade...they are all amazing musicians.




I have now figured out how to upload videos to youtube so beware, I have a couple more proud mama bear videos to show, but for now enjoy my rocker boy. 

I really hope for your sake that you don't have a son that is in a band because a) chicks dig rockers and I am not read for that and b) your heart will break into a million pieces when you see them up on that stage being amazing.

More Later

- A Ro