Friday Fun

So I have been thinking a lot about what fun thing I can put up on my blog today.  I have had a sorta crazy week due to the fact that I have had a sick girly girl.  She missed school on Tuesday, went for her band concert on Wednesday morning, but then came home, and then today she tried to go to school and made it until about 1:30 came home and slept and I hope she will be OK tomorrow.  One thing about being a music teacher is you usually don't get a sub who can get done what you need to get done.  I have an AMAZING accompanist for my choruses, and she is always more than happy to sub for me, and as much as she does a very good job at reading my mind I can't expect her to throw herself into rehearsing new music.  So needless to say my groups are a little behind.  I see most of them tomorrow so I hope to get back on track as we have a concert in early March.


worry much??

So back to my fun Friday.  I have this alumni student named Hannah DeRemer.  Ever since the first day I met her I knew she was something special.  She had this amazing voice, vivacious spirit, and a general love of life.  She worked hard, never let disappointment get her down, and did everything with graciousness.  When she went to college she joined this a cappella group at Emerson called Noteworthy, fell in love with a boy who arranged songs for her group, lost that boy to cancer, graduated, and is now back in LA working on a singing career.  She has a show tomorrow night and I think I might just surprise her and show up to give her some support. She is also Melissa Manchester's daughter.  She has always tried to build her own life and career outside of her mother's shadow.  She is that kind of girl, doesn't want any handouts.

This video is one of her last performances with this group.  It is one of my favorite songs and always brings a tear to my eye.  Hannah is on the very end on the right side of the screen, it is obvious to me that this song is also special to her and all that she has lost.  In Hannah, loss becomes conviction to move on, and be stronger.

She is the middle soloist at the end.  I know this isn't really all that "fun" of a song, but it was what came to mind for me on this Friday.



She is beautiful.

She is strong.

She is loved.

She is missed.

She will always hold a special place in my heart.


More Later

- A Ro

The One Where I Give You Too Much Information

So I have written about 390 or so posts over the course of two years so if you have heard this one before forgive me.

I have no spleen.

Yep I am spleen-less, not to be confused with spineless which I am definitely not.

About 13 years ago I noticed this huge lump in my abdominal area.  I had Andrew about a year before that and I just assumed that I might have a hernia.  So I went to the doctor and he ordered a cat scan, and they saw that my spleen was the size of a football.  Every doctor I saw just assumed that I had a form of Hodgkin's lymphoma and we went from there.  I had numerous blood tests, employed a new team of doctors, had some bone marrow removed from my hip, completed rounds of immunizations and was scheduled for surgery.

A real fun couple of months. 

I never thought it was cancer...not once.  However, I read lots of books and was prepared to full on fight it.  I turned into a vegan vegetarian and was bound and determined to beat it.

Well, they took my spleen and found out that it wasn't cancer but some cystic disease...basically my spleen had been slowly overtaken by cysts.  The pathologist didn't even know what it was but it most definitely wasn't cancer.

Thank.God.

I always thought that one didn't need his or her spleen as an adult.  Which is sorta true, our bone marrow takes over most of the spleen's immune system jobs (which is why they had to take my marrow to make sure it was healthy...that whole procedure I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy...don't worry I won't go into details).  Even though we can live without it, our spleen still has some role in our immune system.  So now that I didn't have one I had to take some extra precautions with regards to my immune system.  I can't catch a particular strain of pneumonia or I'll die (I know dramatic) so I get immunized for that (which isn't a fun thing either) and I am more susceptible to illness so I need to have a supply of antibiotics on permanent order at the pharmacy in case I get a fever of over 102, and I have to get a flu shot every year too.

Whatever.

OK finally the point of my post.  I am the one person in my house that is supposed to catch every bug that comes around, but oddly I never get sick.

So Bella has been home the last two days being sick.  Andrew was sick last week.  Rich has had a cold this past week too.  Not me.  And I am not even careful.  I need to take care of my kids which in my book means cuddling and holding and getting really close (not so much Andrew), and Rich and I have been married less than a year so daily kisses are still a must.  Still I stand...the strong one.  My doctor is very surprised by all of this.  He says that I am the healthiest person on the edge of disaster.  I have no spleen, I am TB positive, and I have fibrocystic breast disease, but my blood pressure is excellent and my resting pulse rate is about 40.  I exercise regularly and eat basically a healthy diet.  So I must be doing something right, or all these years around middle and high schoolers has really boosted my immune system. 

This isn't, however, all it is cracked up to be.  When every one else around you is sick and you aren't you end up being the permanent care taker with no pay backs.  Now I must say my family handles sickness VERY differently.

Bella wakes up with a fever stumbles to her dresser gets dressed and comes into my room to start her plea to go to school.  "Mom they need me for my soccer game"  "Mom I can't miss math" "What will my friends do without me".  Andrew on the other hand wakes up with a sniffle and can barely lift his head to take an Advil, and you would think he wasn't going to live the 6 hours until he gets his next one.  It isn't that he really wants to stay home I think he really cannot handle being sick.  Rich is usually a healthy person, and his sicknesses are really just a pain in the butt, nothing serious, but he falls into the Andrew camp of being sick.  Just miserable.  As for me on the rare occasion that I do get sick, I just buck it up and get it done.  No moping, no whining, no stopping.

Being spleen-less apparently does not equal ticket to sympathy. 


More Later

- A Ro

Are You Ready for Some Hodgepodge??

It is time for the weekly hodgepodge sent over from Joyce at From This Side of the Pond.  She comes up with the questions (sometimes with a little help) we answer them on our blog and then link up to share a little bit of ourselves.  It is fun.  So do it.

1. Will you watch the Super Bowl? If so who will you root for? If you are outside the USA what is the 'big deal sporting event' in your own country? 
I will be watching the Super Bowl.  I am usually not a fan of professional sports.  I love Major League Baseball, but really nothing else.  Now I LOVE college sports especially college basketball.  However, my sister in law (Hi Stacia) is a HUGE fan of the Steelers, I'll probably watch and root for them for her sake.  Now don't tell her but I was secretly wishing that the Bears would have made it and would have won it all.  Oh well when you have a wimpy QB like Cutler what do you expect...but don't get me started on the QB for the Steelers...puhlease...it just might make me want them to lose.

2. Is ignorance bliss?
I think ignorance is bliss unless it directly affects your life.  I someone doesn't like me and I really don't care about that person then don't tell me.  If my best friend has an issue with me I want it out on the table.  If I am making a HUGE fashion faux pas...I need to know because it directly affects my life...I mean really who wants to go out in public looking like a freak.  If you are one of my students and don't care for a piece of music we are singing...keep it to yourself.

How's that for straddling the fence??

3. Which of the seven dwarfs are you? (and just in case your Disney is a little bit rusty, here they are-Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, and Sneezy)

I think that I would mostly be Happy.  It takes quite a bit of gloom and doom to get me down.  I have such a blessed life that I am usually happy.  Sometimes I can slip into Doc mode and just want to take care of everybody.  As long as I get to have Snow White clean up around my house...I'll be which ever dwarf you want me to be.

4. When you are riding in the car with another couple how do you organize the seating? (Men up front? Women up front? Couples sit together?) And thanks to Lori at Mountain Woman at Heart for the question! Everyone go say hi to Lori.

hmmm...we in California rarely drive TOGETHER with another couple.  Everyone is so far apart that usually we just meet places.  I would have to say that I think that the ladies should ride in back simply due to the fact that most men have longer legs and would be more comfortable up front...especially in CA when you have to sit in your car for an extended amount of time to go anywhere.

5. What is beauty?

I wish I had some ethereal definition of this word.  Beauty to me has really nothing to do with looks, it isn't only skin deep, it is deep within a person's soul.  It is a basic attitude of kindness, generosity, and graciousness. 

phew...

6. If someone asks you to bring an appetizer or a dessert to a party in their home, which would you choose?

I think I would bring an appetizer.  I have hosted parties that have been just appetizers and I just love all the different kinds you can do. 

7. What is your crowd pleasing go-to appetizer? 
My crowd pleasing go-to appetizer is my homemade guacamole.   I love guacamole and it seems to be something everyone else loves too.

8.  In Summary:
I am ready to party...got the guacamole and am headed over.  I can even join you for a super bowl party and won't be one of those people who doesn't care about the game...I would actually watch, and maybe even cheer for those Steelers.  I, for the most part, feel that ignorance is bliss unless you are my wonderful husband telling me I'm beautiful each and every time he talks to me, and I know he doesn't just mean how I look...I must be doing something right to deserve that honor.

More Later

- A Ro 

The Next Mrs. Universe...Not

So my husband has always been sort of a workout fiend. 

He can seriously lift some weights. 

He takes this part of his overall health very seriously.  He is a retired Navy man and a high school football player (hunky high school football player I might add) so most of his life he has been weight lifting. Ever since we became reacquainted he has tried to get me to do some strength training with him in addition to my running/cardio.  I have always bucked this idea.  I know it sounds crazy that I wouldn't want to go to the gym and a) figure out all those crazy machines that look like torture devices b) work around and with all those crazy muscle men who look like they might torture me if I get in their way and c) walk around and look like an idiot because I don't have one of those belt thingys and matching gloves. 

Basically I have no idea what I am doing AND it isn't the most loving and kind environment to learn in.

Anyway, Rich was on bodybuilding.com (one of his favorite websites) a couple of weeks ago and found this 12 week diet and exercise program he wanted to try and asked me if I wanted to join him.  I really needed to think about it.  The hang up I had was that I don't to diet.  I realize that people do it all the time as witnessed by the billion dollar diet industry, but I can't live my life on a diet.  I hate counting calories, measuring food, and keeping track of everything I put into my mouth.  It makes me live an obsessive food drivin life style and I just can't do it.  I prefer to follow a more humane eating plan.  Eat things that are good for me and make me feel good, eat when I am hungry, and eat until I am full.  I also don't like myself very much when I am in the "I am not happy with my body I need to lose weight mode".   Seriously, I am a very healthy person, my husband thinks I am beautiful and sexy...why do I need to be some certain size, why can't I just be happy with the way I am.  So, whatever. 

I looked into this program and the diet part did NOT include those things that I hate. It was basically the way that I want to be eating; protein, good carbs, fruits and veggies.  The strength training would be something that we did together early in the morning (so no meatheads...at least not as many), and it included some cardio too.  The drawbacks were that you didn't get a day off (you did some sort of weight training and/or cardio every day) and you were supposed to weigh yourself weekly.  Yeah...the scale and I have a love/hate relationship for obvious reasons.

I really wanted to support Rich and do something to help me out too.  So I agreed.  We are on week 3 and so far so good.  I am feeling stronger and healthier and getting up every day at 4:15 to work out has really had a positive affect on my day.  I am less tired (believe it or not) and I feel like my metabolism is in full gear.  I love spending that time with Rich and really working towards living a long life together.

So for some reason all of this "healthy lifestyle" mumbo jumbo has got me thinking about coming up with a new running goal...and a half marathon jumped into my mind.  Actually the New York marathon jumped into my mind first, as Rich has never been to New York City and it is one of my most favorite places...so makes sense huh?!?  Well now that I think about it it doesn't make all that much sense.  I mean I love New York so lets run a marathon...yeah not too much sense.

Anyhoo...I did some research and it is hard to get into the New York Marathon, dang phew.  So I had to rethink my "great idea".  I asked around and one of my colleagues told me about a half marathon that runs through Santa Barbara's wine country. 

Yeah...great poster huh???

This 12 week program has a strict no alcohol rule, and well...I am already a light weight but 12 weeks without a glass of wine.  Let's just say that I am glad that I won't be running this race until next year.  I'll need that much time to...ahem...train.


More Later

- A Ro

Weekend Highlight Reel (List)

Alas the weekend is over and it is back to work tomorrow.  They just seem to fly by.  This weekend was a kidless weekend for me and no work for Rich...woohoo!!  Don't get excited it was a normal weekend...here are the highlights.

1.  Rich has a really cool job.  He is an air traffic controller by trade but works at the local Navy Base as a Range Control Officer.  He controls a range of air space and works ops that include weapons testing.  It is a pretty cool job for a dude as it involves watching things blow up.  Most of what he does is top secret and sometimes it calls for wierd hours.  Well Friday was one of those times.  He had to be into work at 5:00 am so our morning workout routine had to be postponed until after work.  Sooooo.....we drug ourselves to the gym after a long day and got it done.  Truth be told it felt good and we rewarded ourselves with a (healthy) dinner at our favorite BBQ place Bandits (thanks Roger!!).  We ended up at the mall to replace a watch battery and enjoy a cup o joe.  Now a trip to the mall usually means some serious shopping but we were beat and a trip to the Fossil store for a watch battery was all we could handle.

2.  Saturday started off with our workout, breakfast at Corner Bakery, and grocery shopping.  The norm.

3.  As we were out and about I got this Facebook status report from Bella: "I watched the social network. 38% was good 13% was people having parties 11% was the guy talking 48% was confusing" then she commented that she didn't know if her math was right or not. (Probably would not have viewed that movie had she been in my care...but whatever.   

4.  We were going to see a movie Saturday night as I have an AMC gift card burning a hole in my pocket, but neither one of us were in the mood to go anywhere so we cuddled on the couch and watched my Netflixed Modern Family first season episodes, I'm telling you that series cracks me up.  I did a lot of lol-ing.

5.  Trip to the post office to mail a baby gift and a long awaited ker-prize for a special boy.  I live right down the street from the post office so why is it that I can never seem to get anything mailed in a timely manner??? I mean seriously, the post office makes it SO easy with their flat rate boxes AND automated postage machines.  It's so sad.


6.  Cleaning and laundry seem to always appear on my to do list for the weekend...could they just take a break for once???


7.  We got our Sunday workout done early so we had a yummy breakfast together and read the paper.  For Rich this means actually reading the paper.  For me it means I start my Sunday crossword...and maybe peruse the ads.  I know...you wonder how I can be so on top of my current events.  If it isn't on the front page of MSN on-line it isn't a current event.


8. We made Grandpa Mike's chili and some Cooking Light corn muffins.  It wasn't snowing or even cold here, but that chili and corn muffins hit the spot.


So this was a perfect example of a normal easy going weekend.  I really love those.  However, I am sure that weekends will not always look this way, in fact, I foresee busy ones just up ahead. 

But I am sure one thing will always be present...a date with a vacuum.


More Later


- A Ro

Project 365 Week 4

Happy Sunday!!

It has been a great, normal week around here...phew!!  Head on over to Sara's and check out everyone else's week.

Here's mine:

Sunday January 16:

 Christmas Toys

I broke open my new food processor today!!  And as a good daughter of Mike Andrew I read the instructions which included watching the DVD.  Thankfully now I know not to touch the moving parts and I will not be at risk of losing any of my fingers...phew.

Monday January 17th:

Results of Breaking out the Food Processor

Today, on my day off, I made apple spice muffins.  My new food processor made the shredding of the apples so much easier.  Rich's Christmas present is a success!!  They are low fat/low calorie and a Cooking Light recipe.  Hey...I haven't put up any recipes lately...hmmm, might need to get right on that.

Tuesday January 18th:

Red and Yellow and Green....

First rehearsal today for our high school production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  (Do you underline or italicize titles??) I am very excited because the music is very good and I love working with these kids!!  Not so fun is the late afternoons, but it is all good.

Wednesday January 19th:

Bento Boat??

We decided to try a new sushi place tonight.  Bella thought this was the coolest thing...a sushi kids meal.  She loves white rice and shrimp almost as much as she likes making silly faces for me...that's my girl!!!

Thursday January 20:

A New Project

Rich decided we needed a new blanket for our cuddle time on the couch.  So we went to Michael's and he helped me pick out some new colors and a pattern.  Now I know that you are thinking this is sort of a small blanket, but you knit 5 long strips and then sew them together.  I am excited to have a new knitting project.

Friday January 21:

Fabulous Students

We had a dance and blocking rehearsal today.  We got a lot done and Scott wanted to take a picture with all his "Dreamgirls"...they are a hoot.  I love my students!!

Saturday January 22:

Another New Toy

I used a gift certificate to purchase a Magic Bullet.  My mom has had one for awhile now and she loves her so I decided I should get one too.  We bought it at Kohls and preceded to take it right back after we opened it and found it to be missing over half the pieces...geez.  Thankfully we now have a complete package!!

In Summary:  A nice and normal week!!  Lots of fun rehearsals and new projects.  Now with that I have some new cooking toys I can't wait to try some new recipes...maybe I'll post some, but don't hold your breath.

More Later

- A Ro

Friday Fun

Since it is Friday and Fiday always means fun...right?? I thought I would share this video with you. This video makes me happy. This video makes me glad to be alive. This video is so much fun. This video makes me want to dance.

My son Andrew told me about this video...he thought I would like it.

Just the fact that he still thinks about me...let alone talks to me...was enough to make me watch it.

Boy I am glad I did...

John Mayer is most known for his solo stuff, but he is also in this trio and it is his work with this group that impresses me the most. It is a Jimi Hendrix cover and it ROCKS!!



Please turn up the volume, shut the door (and the windows) and just DANCE!!!

Have a great weekend. I have a kidless weekend and lots to do, but a great partner to do it all with. I am assured a very good weekend.

More Later

- A Ro