Weekend Wrap Up

This blog post is mostly for my family who live far away...so you know it is going to be full of my kids.  Not sure why I needed to put in that disclaimer.  You all might just enjoy them too.

Friday night was one of those nights that happen every once in a while.  Both kids had to be somewhere doing something cool at almost the exact same time.  Bella had her Sixth Grade Cotillion Dance and Andrew was performing at Viewpoint's Coffee House.  He was the bassist in the house band and his band performed an acoustic version of one of the songs they wrote and he played cello and sang a little harmony.  I got to see a bit of his house band performing after I dropped Bella off at her dance, but missed his band's performance. 

Here are some pictures of my beautiful girl.

She even makes me look good.

Andrew really enjoyed his evening.  I really think he loves performing and getting to do it with some of his best friends make it all the more sweet.

The first video is him and the house band.  The house band plays in-between acts.  They got one whole song by themselves towards the end, but I was already gone.


This video is his band performing a song they wrote.  One of my students video taped it for me because I had to leave before he got to perform.  I am so proud of him.  I think the song is amazing.  I'll apologize for the video being flipped because it is something that I would totally do. He does fix it so just give it a minute.



I'll leave you with the other thing we did this weekend...Valentine's Day cookies!!!

More Later

- A Ro

The Loveable Hodgepodge

I am joining up with Joyce this week for her hodgepodge.  I am on time this week so I am able to spur you on to head on over to her blog and do the same.  I am sure that you will enjoy it as much as I do.  Go on...try it.
1. What is something you are loving right now?
I know that I am a broken record right now, but I love my Kindle Fire.  I have a journal ap, a menu planning and recipe ap, free book and video check out at my library and through Amazon, e-subscriptions to Better Homes and Gardens, and Cooking light, and not to mention Words With Friends.
Yeah...loving that Kindle.
2. Paris, Venice, New York, and Rome are considered four of the most romantic cities in the world. Which one would you most like to visit?
I have been to New York and absolutely love it.  I have never been to any of the other cities, but the opera singer in me is dying to go to Italy.  Have studied its culture so much and loved Da Vinci Code.  I think that says it all.

3. Are you a romantic?
I love being loved and adored. I love being taken care of and taking care of.  I love sharing beautiful moments with the man I love.  I love art, music, and poetry. 

Don't love getting flowers...does that disqualify me?

4. What's your favorite love story made for the Big Screen?
I love Officer and a Gentleman.  That last scene is great.

5. Everyone loves Pooh bear and friends...which character are you most like and why? Click here for help in answering this question.
That is so funny...when I was little I loved Eeyore.  So not like me, but I just loved loving the character that needed my love the most.  I think if I had to pick a character who I was most like I would have to pick Tigger, for obvious reasons.

6. What's the best chocolate something you've ever eaten?
OK I am a simple girl...best chocolate is Reeses Peanut Butters Cups.  I enjoy Godiva but only because it spells GoDiva.

7. Share a favorite quote about love.
"And in the end the love you get is equal to the love you give" - Lennon/McCartney

8.  In Summary:  Love is a gift one has to give.  I love things, like Kindle Fires, and beautiful cities.  I love loving the man who loves me back, sappy movies and loveable characters, peanut butter cups and Beatles songs.  I mean really when you think about it...all you need is love.

More Later

- A Ro

I Could Write a Book, or At Least Read One All the Time

Tonight I was lazy.  I read my book, on my new Kindle I might add, for about an hour and a half.  Every time I looked at the clock I felt guilty for just sitting on my bed all snuggled up in a blanket reading.  Now mind you I had just had one of my busiest teaching days in our rotation, came home after Bella's soccer game, cooked an amazing dinner, cleaned up an entire kitchen, helped Bella make Spanish flashcards, and regretted that  I chose to take French in High School.
Granted I had an amazing man helped me cook and clean up dinner, in fact, I don't think I could have done either without him.  See sometimes I feel like a short order cook in my own kitchen.  Justin is on a low sodium diet, Rich and I try to steer clear of animal protein, Andrew and Sarah are pretty picky eaters, but not in the same way, then there is my Bella who will eat anything I put in front of her.  I know what you are thinking...I should just cook one meal and to heck with those who wont' eat it.  Yeah, great in theory, not so great in actual practice. 

Back to my guilty pleasure of reading a book.  I am not sure why I feel so guilty taking some time for myself.  It must be one of those emotions put upon us by ourselves once we become a mom.  Well it's crap.  I felt great just sitting there reading.  Everyone was just fine without me.  I might just have to do that every night....yeah right.

Other exciting news in our house is that Sarah is taking clarinet lessons.  She has been relentlessly asking us for lessons.  She played clarinet in Iowa but stopped, so she has a little background.  She wants to take band in High School out here so she wants to catch back up.  We are currently getting no financial support from her mom, so coming up with money for weekly lessons was a little hard, but we decided she really needed them and so I took on a couple of voice lessons to help with the cost.  She has had two lessons and is on seventh heaven.  I am so happy to see her enjoying it so much.  She is pretty good and loves to practice...yeah I know crazy.  She is a very special girl and it doesn't surprise me that she is taking to it.

Tomorrow should be a little less stressful of a day, PLUS it is jeans day at school...YIPEE.  However, it is supposed to rain all day tomorrow...sounds like good book reading weather if you ask me.

More Later

- A Ro

Weekend (or lack thereof) Update

I am a putzer.  I love to putz around my house.  I love weekends where there is absolutely nothing going on, so I can putz.  I use the weekend to regroup my house and its contents from the chaotic week that just past.  You know, get everything back in order, restock the pantry, restock the dressers, and just get everyone and everything ready for the next week of chaos. 

I sometimes also just need a breather, kick my feet up and be still.

This weekend was one of those weekends where I got to witness and share with my students a very cool event.  It was our independent school's honors music festival.  We host this event every year.  About 200 of the best music students in band, chorus, and orchestra come to our campus to work with a conductor and put together a concert of music with only about 8 1/2 hours of rehearsal.  See we rehearse Friday night until about 9:00 pm and Saturday from 9:00 - 3:00 with a concert Saturday at 4:00. 

So yours truly got to be there too, which means only one day of putzing, which means I am exhausted, which means that tomorrow's alarm clock is going to really tick me off, which means I am going to have a hard time getting up to exercise.

But you know what they say, it only takes 10 seconds of courage to get something done.  10 seconds of getting my butt out of bed and getting it done, easy right?

Not sure who the "they" are who said that.

Actually, I think I know who they are, I think that was in the movie We Bought a Zoo.

So Matt Damon probably said it.

But he is Matt Damon, a probably doesn't have to deal with too many alarm clocks.

Since I was gone most of the weekend, Rich had the kids all to himself, I heard a rumor that slave labor was used to get the house clean in my absence, but they wouldn't confirm or deny anything.  All I know is pasta was fixed for dinner, a birthday present was purchased, and the neighbor's dog was watched.  I also got a small glimpse of what it is like when I am gone because Rich butt dialed me and I had a 10 minute message on my phone. 

Andrew was with me for the weekend participating in the honors choir.  He even sat with me at dinner, well, I sat with him and he didn't get up and leave, that's something right??

I enjoyed the event.  It is fun hanging out with my students and watching them have a great learning experience with another conductor.  Afterwards Andrew went his own way, surprise surprise.  Bella went to a friends house for a birthday sleepover, and Rich, Justin, Sarah, and I went to grab dinner.  We couldn't decide where to go, we never can.  Sarah wanted Mexican, but our go to Mexican restaurant was closed...as in forever.  So we ended up with pizza, you can't go wrong with pizza.

Finally Sunday came and I got to putz, and now I must start to gear myself up for that alarm clock. 

If only Matt Damon were here.

More Later

- A Ro

Photo Friday

Happy Friday!!

So here are my few photos this week...

First of all today is Bella's half birthday.  Now I know that half birthday's aren't that important in the grand scope of things.  However, if you do the math you'll notice that her full birthday is in August.  In fact, we are both summer birthday girls and know what it is like to have no friends around for your birthday AND not be able to bring treats to school.  So we brought donuts and made a Starbucks trip this morning.

Her friends decorated her locker, she really has some great friends.

This week at dinner we played truth or dare, of course my girl asked for a dare and Rich dared her to put underwear on her head and parade outside.  She did it happily.  Goofy girl.

My last picture for the week just cracked me up.  This is in the Nordstroms window at our mall.  Really??

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and we will catch up on Monday!!

More Later

- A Ro

The Better Late Than Never Hodgepodge

I am joining Joyce for this weeks hodgepodge.  However, I am a very late in doing this.  My usual advice would be to head on over to her blog and link up your answers, but in this case I am just going to tell you to forget that, read my answers, and forgive my tardiness.

1. It's that most wonderful time of the year...tax season! Do you complete your own returns or farm that job out to the professionals?
Oh, I definitely farm it out.  Too confusing especially with all the other stuff.  Plus those guys who do numbers and taxes for a living deserve to make a living too.

2. This next question comes from Kansas Bob...he posed it in his response to something I asked in an earlier Wednesday post and I asked him if I could add it to the Hodgepodge some day. Today's the day....

Which do you think has changed you more-love or pain?
I really believe that love has a lot more power than pain.  I know that trials in your live really define who you are, but it is the love of people that get you through those trials that change someone.  I know in my own life love has certainly trumped pain in the change for the better factor.

3. Tangerine Tango has been named color of the year for 2012. Your thoughts? Would I find this color anywhere in your house? How about in your closet? If not, will you be adding this color to your life in some way in 2012? If you're not sure what tangerine tango looks like click here.
I really like shades of orange.  I have a couple of orange things in my closet, but not so much in my house.  I'll get on adding some into my life just as soon as I get few other things off of my to do list, like getting my kid into college.

4. Are you a collector? What do you collect and does it get admired, used, and/or dusted regularly?
It is hard to be a collector when you are an everything-must-have-it's-place/clutter phobic kind of person.  I do collect children's picture books that are musical in nature.  I also have a small collection of pigs (long story not relating in any way with me being from Iowa).  I had quite a cow collection (very much relating to being from Iowa) but gave it up a couple of moves ago. Again hate clutter.

5. February is National Heart Month...besides a green salad what is one tasty heart healthy dish you like to prepare?
I love to prepare healthy food and that is pretty much all I prepare.  I love baked fish with couscous and green beans.  Gotta take care of that ticker if I want to live to be 100.

6. When was the last time you had car trouble?
I had the kind of car trouble that really gets you steamed.  Went in for a dead battery came out all "fixed" only to stall down the street from the auto shop because the tech didn't know how to reset the computer system.  Trouble with that was the battery fix was real quick, the added problem not so much.  Had to get a ride to school with the auto shop receptionist so that I wouldn't miss my sixth grade class.  My accompanist would not have appreciated the no show...48 sixth graders really needs the zone defense.

7. Have you been more demanding on yourself lately or less? Is that a good trend?
I have tried to be more demanding on myself to get things in gear for second semester and so far it is a good trend.  I am tired of just being complacent with status-quo.  Need to up it a notch.

8. In Summary:  The good news is I don't do my own taxes, the bad news is I have to pay someone to do it.  The good news we have a new color to add to the palette, the bad news is Tango Tangerine probably isn't very slimming.  The good news is I am a lover not a fighter, the bad news is, oh wait no bad news on that front.  The good news is I am not a collector, the bad news is sometimes I might accidentally throw away that cotton ball duck from preschool that my daughter wanted to keep.  The good news is I am a great healthy cook, the bad news is Sarah has to eat green beans with  her nose plugged.  The good news is that I have had very little major car trouble, the bad news is now I must find a piece of wood to knock on.  The good news is I have been very demanding on myself, the bad news is not nearly enough to get this post posted on time.

More Later

- A Ro