composers and confessions

happy birthday, mr. william schuman!  wait?  you haven't heard of him?  i confess.  i hadn't learned of him either.  

*hangs head in shame*  

in an interview with bruce duffie, mr. schuman said, "One of the things I don't have to do is evaluate my work as a composer. I don't lack for people who do that."

*giggle*  can you relate to that?  i sure can.  although we can be our own worst critic, there's a bit of pressure from others, too. *sigh*

let's not beat ourselves up over what we've missed in our own educational journey.  we can learn it together!  my new motto.

so, without further ado, i give you a shaper of american music and musicians, mr. william schuman...

you might take comfort in knowing that, initially, mr. schuman was drawn to baseball and seen as a class prankster.  there is hope for our young {seemingly-distracted-from-serious-study} students.  i'm sure he would always be thankful to his mother for encouraging him to see arturo toscanini conduct the new york philharmonic orchestra.  that was his turning point.  between the ages of 16 to 21, he wrote over 100 songs.

gotta love those mamas!  and a father who didn't squelch his passion.

personally, i love that mr. schuman wasn't one to hoard his gifts, but had a passion to educate, as well. 

my upbringing was far from classical.  my music exposure was limited to 4 years of unsuccessful piano {the only song i remember how to play is "oh, how i love jesus"}, all-state choir, church choir, fine arts, a lil' theory in college, and worship team.  composers and symphonies?  not so much.

i'm hoping to change that a little for the littles.  it's important, y'all.

music study builds self-esteem, teaches patience, exercises thinking skills, encourages self-discipline, advances social development, and diligence. 

ummm... no pressure. 

we were lucky enough to take the girls to their first symphony recently.  this is the view from our $1 seats.  it twas high up there, y'all.  but oh-so-lovely.

my symphony experience would not have been complete had i not heard the symbols.  you know, the guys who sat motionless beside their instruments for 2 entire songs.  the anticipation left me in suspense.  

then i heard it... tchaikovsky - maybe you'd recognize that name more from composing the nutcracker ballet?  that caught gracie's attention.  our lil' dancerella, you know.  oh, my lil' dancer might also be interested to know that mr. schuman was president of juilliard from 1945-1962.

where was i?  oh, yes...

duuuuun-dun-dun-dun-duuuuuun-dun-dun-dun-duuuuuun...
then the *clash* of the symbols, which made us all jump in our seats.  be still, my heart.  *swoon* 

oh, and if you're in the nosebleed section at the symphony, take note that there might only be 4 stalls in the women's restroom.  but there might just be a comfy sofa for your wait.

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if a symphony is not within a reasonable driving distance, i especially encourage you to take advantage of the wealth of information that can be found online.

classics for kids is a wonderful source for introducing kids to classical music.  i've been known to play samples of music from their site while we paint.  sounds relaxing, yes?

new york philharmonic kidzone offers engaging information with online games.  kids have an opportunity to learn about the soloists with the orchestra and the conductor, including short biographies of how each person got involved in the the field of music.  children can also assemble their own instrument.  

for older kids, who don't mind less fluff, keepingscore.org has a unique presentation.  you are able to actually observe a video of the orchestra perform, as you watch the musical piece being played.

for education on the go, there's a plethora of musical apps.  if you're like me, free is the favored budget.  what do you think of the mso learn app?  this should give your student a beginner's knowledge in the collaboration of the beauty of the orchestra.  classics for kids also has an app {wguc public radio}.

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A Chance to Win! 
*giveaway now closed*

maybe you have a hands-on learner?  i'd love to invite you to sign-up for the knowledge box central newsletter, then leave a comment letting me know that you'd like to win a lapbook on classical composers and instruments. i'm walking my girls through this very same lapbook!

*now the business side of this fun*  the winner will be chosen august 7th.  i will contact you, so please make sure i have your 411.  you'll have 48 hours to reply or another winner will have to be chosen.  *sigh*

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"If the student truly absorbs the concept of free inquiry in the field of music, unimpeded by blind adherence to doctrine and tradition, he will bring something of this approach not only to other fields of knowledge but to the conduct of his daily life."  ~William Howard Schuman, August 4, 1910 – February 15, 1992  

to read about other famous and fascinating birthdays in august, head over to iHomeschool Network.

july ~ week 28/29 {snuggling, symphony, sonlight}

hello, y'all.

things have wavered between busy, discouraging, and oh-so-absolutely-inspirational around here.

the mom-{driving-dad's-car}-taxi-service has been keeping busy between theater, piano... and all those miscellaneous tasks that leave you tired {but then you look around and wonder what was actually done}.

our current piano teacher and her husband team-teach.  she has degrees in vocal, taking the younger piano students, while he has degrees in music that sometimes call upon him to judge throughout the world. nator has been told that she now qualifies taking from her husband, to keep excelling.  it's bitter-sweet, really.

motherhood often has me tiredly whirling about from task to task, but taking in moments... truly taking them in, helps me to reprioritize.  that's a sweet way of saying that it holds my sanity together, yes?

listening to nator play piano, while gracie massaged my hand.  she drifted off for a quick power nap.  my heart swooned.

jazzy only wishes i would keep her away from the vet.  and let her go on more car rides.  me, too, jazzy.  me, too.

mama grabbed a few moments to window shop at hobby lobby, while waiting on mardel book store to open.  hobby lobby has pretty crosses, but not as pretty when they're not on sale.  i was more excited to purchase vocabulary workbooks on sale anyway.  did i just say that? #imahomeschoolmom ;)

thrift stores are fun when you send your girls in one changing room with a stack of clothes you've pre-picked... and let them 'have at it.'  only the strong survive.

a dentist visit...  that may have sent mama in a whirlwind of worry.  how are we going to afford needed braces for these two girlies?  if i think of future vehicles, collage, etc... you might just find me rocking in a corner.

snuggling with my littles... the best.  hahhh... that puts it back into perspective.

juicing... because my littles were a tad under the weather.  the theater kiddos could have not shared their sniffles, you know.  thankfully, juicing works wonders.

anyone else start cutting those plastic soda ring thingies after watching happy feet??

yummy meals were made.  and we survived when we ran out of paper-plates.  i think we spent more on water and electricity, running the on-its-last-leg-dishwasher.  yep.  that's our story. 

i only bring you the most exciting news around here, you know.

we made a rare-treat memory, attending the symphony in the big city.  and more every-day memories, tucking in lovable girlies for the night.  

grass weeds are outta control, y'all.  it's been raining.  grass threw a par-tay.

i know it's hard to see, but on the way home from piano, the girls and i saw the brightest white cloud in the midst of a sea of darkness.  we had to pull over so mama could snap a quick pic.  i'm sure there's a lesson in that.  

thankfully, {deep sigh of relief} some funds came through {white cloud} and we were able to order our sonlight curriculum.  our first box day!  the girls were SO excited that they couldn't wait for mom to get organized to start.  so our first day on the schedule is already done.

mama better get organized soon!  

story of my life.

celebrations

family helped us celebrate our sound of music actresses with a 'surprise' visit to watch their performance.

we celebrated at nator's piano recital - a high score on her music guild results, rewarded with a trophy.

and hugs.

the girls and i took a moment to capture the space shuttle... floating on water. that's cause for celebration, yes?  i mean... how many times in one's life will you see a space shuttle on water? 

we won't mention how texas was jilted with a pretend shuttle... or the crazy traffic this attracted.  nope.  won't mention it at all. 

the girls and i celebrated with a lil' shopping.
great prices on two cute dresses found at marshalls and ross. 

...in order to celebrate their annual daddy-daughter dance in style!

i have to confess.  
they came back with some pretty jazzy mementos. yes?

we celebrated when the city pool opened.  
water-slides are the bomb dot com.

what are you celebrating?

may ~ week 20 {art, piano, turtles, keurig, theater}

what's the expression of... we've spent two full days together and i'm not ready to go back to reality, so please don't leave me home alone?   jazzy's face says it all.

while the girls were at theater practice, i seized the opportunity to pick up some mom gifts.  apparently, this mama has forgotten how to shop for herself.  this mama didn't get a thing.  oh well.  shopping is overrated anyway, right?

i took the girls through hobby lobby to find props for their much-over-do-photo-shoot.  if $100 were pocket change, i would have grabbed that wagon down there.  loved it!  we left with a much smaller wagon... and a few other things. ;)




painting props begs more painting.  nator painted a picture, naming it 'world peace' because, in her words... "it's a place of peace.  no one can get hurt or hurt other people.  people cooperate... just as the world should."  love that kiddo.   



we dropped daddy off.  he and his boss were headed a lil' north.  hubs was speaking at a conference. 

nator played her 10 pieces at our local collage campus.  just her, a judge, and a piano.  nervous mama stood outside the door.  we went out to an early dinner.  her fortune cookie said relax and enjoy yourself.  great advice.

while out of town, hubs went to the texas rangers game, sitting behind phil mickelson.  (ummm... yeah, i had to google him.  sorry, pro-golfer, phil.) <= i think google should be a verb.

while at home, mama was doing her sane best to keep the home front moving along.  the keurig was not cooperating.  see the sweet pic of the keurig ready to go for me early in the week?  sweet hubs.  by the end of the week, the keurig waved it's white flag, went wonky, and died.  just outside of warranty.  we called the company.  they were of little help.



at least mama remembered how to boil water for tea.  mama needs tea.  and quiet.  so... this lil' activity to take a vow of silence in our history lesson was quite tempting.  gracie just laughed.  yeah... it wasn't going to happen. ;)

if you felt sorry for jazzy... don't.  she currently sleeps on 4 thick layers of memory foam taken off the girls' beds after their room makeovers, waiting to be turned into dog beds.  do i even need to say how much she loves it?



theater practices always look like a hot mess 'til just before performances.  *crossing fingers*  that it will all come together.  just a nervous mama talkin'.

my little liesl is excited about the swings on stage.  one for each von trapp child. cute.

maria {sound of music} singing her last note.  some of these songs are hard, y'all.

surely, i'm forgetting something from this week, but... this mama is taking pictures for the public school cast tonight.  public school cast is usually much more... chaotic?  i mean no offense.  pray for me. ;)

all for the love of our kiddos, right??  in a world where every day is "kid's day." ;)  <= because on mother's day, gracie wanted to know when kid's day was. ;)

{CMA} ramblings

{otherwise titled: what one does when one's husband is out of town - when one really should be sleeping}

footloose.  interesting choice.  country awards, right?  it's okay, i suppose.  i like blake.

brad paisley & carrie underwood.  love them.  i still think carrie was the best thing to come from american idol. 

if i die young.  really?!!  i still don't get that song. 

faith hill and tim mcgraw.  such a beautiful couple.  3 kids later.  no fair.  what's their secret?  you know... besides the fact that they work out in the gym together, eat healthy, and possibly have access to several age-defying-procedures?  

keith urban and nicole kidman.  make such a lovely couple.  even if he's a little shorter.  happy for them.

sara evans.  something looks different.  sounds off.  not a fan of the ladies twirling in the air.  no cables?  has anyone ever fallen from those long curtains? country meets circ du soleil? aren't you getting dizzy?  i need to go to the gym.  personal trainer.  chocolate?

miranda lambert.  baggage claim.  i'm glad it's not the house that built me.  are you wearing an over-sized wrestler's belt?  something's on fire.  be careful pretty lady.  you and blake make a great lookin' couple!

kelly pickler.  oh, girl.  here.  have some of my chocolate.  song of the year... if i die young.   are you kidding me?  *sigh*  is it even a country song?  am i the only one who doesn't get this song?

okay, bring it zac brown band.  georgia.  awesome.  how did you know i was from georgia? ;)

rascal flatts.  love those harmonies.  awwww.... Natasha Bedingfield.  you look lovely dawling. oh, wait.  are you wearing a carpet?  nevermind, you guys sound great together.   i'd love to have your range.  *sigh*

actors?  what's the connection to country?  hmmm...  vocal duo is... sugarland.  you needed some great news. 

eric church.  are you in witness protection?  take the sunglasses off, please.  singing... all you gotta do is put a drink in my hand?  that may explain a few things.  i change the radio station when songs like this come across the satellite radio.  can't have my 9 yo singing that.  shame.

thompson square.  i didn't know your name, but have heard your 'kiss me or not' song a lot.  are you guys married?  i've always wondered how that worked with unmarried duets. 

chris allen.  you sound country.  and we can see your face.  thank you.  awe.  you have dimples.  sorry... i'm already happily married.

taylor swift.  i appreciate your modest simplicity.  you almost make me want to play the guitar.  i can't have my girls singing your lyrics though... you always sing of not listening to your parents when in the thralls of puppy love.  why must you do that?

whoa, carrie underwood.  where did that outfit come from?

luke bryan.  i wasn't a fan of that song before... now i'm really not.  i won't be shakin' anything for you.  how much are personal trainers??  fast-forward.

miss piggy.  fun.

lady antebellum.  heather looks pretty next to her new g-q beau.  wait.  is she pregnant?  *googles*  apparently not.

world series mvp?  cool.  not sure what he has to do with country.  but cool.  announcing album of the year... jason aldean.  that'll do.

kenny chesney.  you and tequilla make me crazy.  catchy tune, but it makes me crazy. 

wow, carrie.  who is picking these outfits??

apparently, there's a lot of beiber rumors in the headlines.  i don't watch the news.

little big town, lionel richie... oh, wait!  bring little big town back!  i want to hear boondocks!  guess we'll have to settle for darius rucker.  now we're adding rascal flatts.  interesting song.  where's the country in this?

awe.  country is working to keep music in schools.  gotta love that.  chevrolet and the cma.  maybe i need to buy a chevrolet? ;)

the band perry.  fast-forward.  wait.  i like the classy look of this red dress and back-ground.  but i must. fast. forward.

leann rimes.  wow.  did everyone get extra-extra skinny for this shwin-dig?  vocal group of the year... lady antebellum.  yeah!  it's not the band perry.

sugarland.  is this guy your boyfriend?  where's your usual duet partner?  he has a nice voice, but has a garage band look.  oh... there's your partner.  hi.

brad paisley and carrie underwood sing.  finally.  remind me.  beautiful.  love this dress.

new artist of the year goes to... the band perry.  ugh.  i may need to go on a cma strike. 

scotty mccreery.  at least you're keeping it country, right?  jason aldean.  i think i like this song.   hello, reece witherspoon.  you look comfortable on stage.  and male vocalist of the year goes to... blake shelton.  good for him. 

martina mcbride.  hey, i know her.  well... i attended one of her concerts, anyway.  i'm sure we made eye contact.  i'll take her vocal range, too, please.  a white suite?  she normally wears all black.  she's skinny.  she can wear all white.

a tribute to glen campbell.  sweet.  maybe we shouldn't do a closeup on vince gill's glasses, mkay?  awe.  this is sweet. 

faith hill.  she could be a model.  her makeup is a bit cat-woman-ish tonight though.  i'd like to have her vocal range.  i think my vocal chords are tired from listening to all these ranges tonight. 

more actors to announce female vocalist?  miranda lambert.  really?  deja vu anyone? 

wow.  that's the strangest dress, carrie.  that wardrobe person should be fired.  reba announcing entertainer of the year... taylor swift.  look at that teenage excitement.  cute.  writing names on your arm?  cuter.

i am clearly no longer a teenager, thus mama needs some zzzzz...  that's a wrap.

did your faves win?  {if you love the band perry, please disregard this post and chalk it up to delirious ramblings.} ;)

changes

i thought when the girls were little
that as they grew older...
things would get less busy.

go ahead.
you can laugh.

i've come to realize over the years that things simply...
change.



instead of poopy diapers, middle of the night feedings, foreign objects in mouth, bulky car seats, and abc's...

i'm scheduling activities, shuttling the weary mom-wagon to and fro, discussing presidents, mending hurt feelings, and sore feet.

all with a side of insomnia to boot.

it could be hormones... or the schedule.
all i know is that a dose of melatonin has done wonders.
hubs suggested it for me.
you know, since your body makes less of it as you have more birthdays.
he uses sneaky wording.



this young lady.
our a-nator.
{only we never call her that name.}
has seen many changes in her piano ability these past 11 months.

she was so excited to show off her private work in public at the end-of-year-recital.



we couldn't be more proud of our girlies.
they keep us on our toes.
but we wouldn't have it any other way.

we hold these moments close to our hearts.
one day... these girlies will be on their own.
giving this mama a whole new set of things to think about...
before the melatonin kicks in.

"a beautiful day"

that's what this sweet 11 year old announced monday would be...
a beautiful day.
she dressed herself in anticipation of the day before mom exited her pillow.

it was filled with running errands.
and her long awaited music guild.

"nervous-excited."
10 short memorized pieces.
just her...
and the judge.
a poised young lady.
complements and manners.

her imitation of the statue of liberty.
she wants to see it one day.
and go to washington, d.c.
as much as she wants to go to disney world.
proud parents.



dad made it home in time to come along with us.
then we headed to the airport to drop him off.
it twas a little house on the prairie evening for the little ladies and myself.

dad should be back this evening.
crossing fingers.
we are taking the week off of school.
except for reading and math.

the house needs to recover from the garage sale.
we're calling this week "operation clean-up."
with a splash of re-decorating.

and there's lots of dance hoopla to get ready for.
and family coming in town.
yea!

now...
if only i could stay off of ebay.
garage sale money went toward an early christmas gift for nator.
samantha.  a retired american girl doll.
with 3 outfits and all her books.
we're not above 'slightly used' items.

{i'm hoping to find an awesome deal on kirsten.
another one of nator's faves.
maybe felicity and elizabeth, too.
for gracie.
i have high hopes, yes?}

shhhhhhhhh...

the day she sees it will be another...
beautiful. day.

*giddy*

i'm off to spray-paint anything that's sitting still.
these kiddos better get a move-on! ;)

team work

we picked hubs up from the airport on friday... sandwiched between gracie's hip hop class and preparing for a garage sale.

i know.  i never thought i'd have another one.  it turns out when you procrastinate long enough... well, eventually you'll end up with too much to haul to the salvation army.  no worries, though.  my mom-wagon is loaded with left-overs for the cause.

where was i again?  oh... yes, hubs.

he keeps quite the schedule.  i know that i was not built for his schedule.  i do well to keep up with the one i have.  and although we gals like to do things, we long for the stay-at-home days the most...

most days.



hubs.  he was taking a business call at midnight last night.  my heart doesn't skip a beat with middle-of-the-night calls anymore since he's been in this line of work.  it's just par for the course.  tech-savvy jobs are always on call.

don't get me wrong.  having a tech-savvy husband has its perks, too.  i know who to call if there's a glitch.  he's usually great about not making me feel completely silly if the solution was something obvious.  umm... to him, that is.  ;)



i've informed him that he's in charge of teaching gracie's guitar lessons and all computer courses.  you know, since i'm in charge of teaching them how to read, write, solve equations, learn from history, the function of dendrites, and the everyday daily grind. ;)

he works hard, but squeezes in quality time as best he can.  like here.  he taught gracie the g chord before leaving out of town.  she was oh-so-proud to show nator and me all week.  sweet girl.

we are all looking forward to the next lesson.  you know... another chord.  ehem.



just excuse the glowing bella eyes and piles of mess.  soak in the tender moment instead.

we do sort of a tag-team garage sale.  mama organizes and prices.  dad works the sale.  he's much better at saying good-bye to our things.  they're just things, i know.   hubs has to remind me that we're not selling the memories.  see?  he's much better at this.

i love having him home.

not only did he get to help with a garage sale...

he got to kill a bug, too.

hahhh...

life is good.

relationship: the reason for the season

He had no servants, yet they called him Master. 

Had no degree, yet they called him Teacher. 

Had no medicine, yet they called him Healer. 

Had no army, yet kings feared Him. 

He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world. 

He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him.

He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today. 

I'm so thankful it was never about sin for Him, but about...

relationship.

{if this doesn't give you goose-bumps, you're goose-bump maker is broken.} ;)

Thinking on good things.

God, and His greatness.

Happy Easter!

on growing up

I've mentioned it a time or twenty that I'm not a huge fan of our girls growing up so quickly.  Turns out, they haven't listened to that instruction well.  *sigh*  Did I happen to mention that we've even paused the 'teeny-bopper' shows in our house?  There's been no Hannah Montana, Suite Life, Wizards of Waverly, Shake It Up, Good Luck Charlie, or Sonny With a Chance streaming through our television for several months.  No offense to those who allow their children to watch it.  It's just our choice.

And you're asking yourself why we let the girls listen to Justin Bieber?  ha!  Truthfully, they're not allowed to listen to the overly boyfriend/girlfriend songs repeatedly.  On their iPods, they have Never Say Never, U Smile, Pray, Born to be Somebody, Baby {I guess that's the exception}, and Somebody to Love {because that's what is being used in Gracie's hip hop class right now}.  And for the record, I'd never want the girls to truly crush on someone like him in real life.   He's waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much of a flirt with all of the ladies.  Seriously.

I suppose it's our way of pushing the 'pause' button on growing up so quickly.  For now.  We didn't see the need for our 8 and 10 yo to watch shows {and listen to music} catering to boyfriend/girlfriend relationships.  We'll be there soon enough.

Nator would rather listen to The Sound of Music songs on her iPod, anyway.  Love it.  She's a sweet, old soul.  *sigh*  When Justin Bieber's name is mentioned, she sort of just rolls her eyes.  ha!

With each new group of friends that we adopt, Gracie always finds a new crush.  It's been that way since she could talk.  While boys were playing with dump-trucks in the nursery, she was expressing her desire to, one day, marry {you fill in the blank}. 

Nator {now} quietly expresses her crushes, too.  And the realization that she thinks deeply about her future emerges when she grabs my hands and asks me if I'll help her pick out paint colors for her house, decorate it, plan her wedding, bring a baby into this world, and buy baby clothes.

*big, huge, deep sigh*

Girls.  We're just weaved together differently.

I've given speeches about how I'd like for them to be independent and not find themselves completely dependent on a man to care for them, but Gracie will hear nothing of it.  She wants her Prince Charming to sweep her off her feet and take care of her.  Remember, she's the one that said scrubbing toilets was not in her 'happily ever after'.  I'm sure we all wish it weren't in ours.

Real life is messy.  And it doesn't come with a manual.

Raising girls is a delicate balance of teaching true beauty in a world in which meaningful values are seemingly upside down.

Within reason, we do our best to filter everything the girls are doing, and try to anticipate what will come.  But we're not perfect.  And neither are our girls.  Shocker.  I know.

For now, we're holding on to 'pause' for as long as we can.  A new season in this parent/child relationship will be here soon enough.

For those who were interested in a video of the Bieber... This is my favorite.  About prayer... but the video shows him being love extended, too.  Sometimes, I think that's better.  ;)

conversation through a window

I worked-out today.  As in, exercise.  I know.  Kinda shocking.  Hard cardio.  40 minutes.  Elliptical.  Varying resistances and speeds.

The last time was a week and a half ago. 

I was breathing heavy... during my warm-up.

There's a {sweet} older gentleman who often tells me that he has had the search party out looking for me.  He misses me.  He's just a southern gentleman.

Sometimes, I miss my days of running.  It was easier to stay committed to exercise then.  People were running all around me today.  {jealous much?}  There was the expected New Year's crowd.  I broke a sweat, to prove myself to the rest of the room.

And I must tell you, my iPod dilemma has long been resolved.  I just made your day, huh?  I get bored with songs, sometimes needing to change them mid-way.  Enter... Pandora.  Thank you, iPhone, for the free app!

Endorphins were pumping.  I wiped my two beads of sweat and realized I was faced with two choices.  The girls were not finished with dance class, so I had a few more minutes.  Do I go home and try to shower quickly... or run through Starbucks with Jasmine and enjoy a quiet moment in the parking lot?

Hahhh... Door #2 just sounds much more inviting, yes?

Him:  "Welcome to Starbucks.  May I take your order?"  {something like that}

Me:  "Yes... I'd like a grande, chai tea latte', non-fat, extra-hot, with one pump of sugar-free hazelnut, please."

{i waited for the typical reaction.  questions.  it seems our order is a bit too customized for many.  it would be for me.}

Him:  "What size did you want again?"

Me:  "Grande."

Him:  "Okay.  So you wanted a vente, chai tea, with lots of fat, ice-cold, and lots of syrupy sugar?"

Me:  *giggle*  "You got it!"

I pulled up to the window and everyone was laughing.  Including me.

He took one look at Jasmine and offered puppy foam before I could mutter one syllable.

Everyone took their turn, peering through the drive-through window, to peek at Jasmine.  She wondered why all of these strangers were looking at and talking to her.  She began to shake.  She's nervous like that.

I was once pulled over by a young, female officer.  Jasmine growled at her from the moment I rolled down my window.  Picking up my vibes, I'm sure.   *giggle*  The officer positioned herself out of Jasmine's line of view.  *giggle*

She's not nervous when it counts.

For the first time, she was too nervous to drink her puppy foam in front of these strangers.

Starbucks man and I shared more conversation and laughs, then I pulled away.  There's something about someone's genuine smile that puts a little pep in your step.

I pulled in the parking lot, waiting on the girls to finish dance.  Jasmine drank her milk and was especially excited to finish my foam.  She likes hazelnut, too.

Then, I noticed this work of art on Jasmine's cup.

They are not only friendly, but artists, too!

Then, I played my turn on Words with Friends with hubs.  We both use wineverygame.com.  We're both okay with that. 

Door #2 served me well... and confirmed that my Starbucks addiction is back, as well as Jasmine's.  And that our pets have almost taken over this family blog.  {i should be writing syrupy valentine posts.}  And that it's hard to write a blog while watching HGTV {which house will they pick?  i would pick #2!  how do people afford these international vacation homes? i'd love to win the dream home.  'selling in new york' is just craziness.  how do people afford this stuff?}. 

Husband needs to come home.  His business trips are aging me.   #mamaneedsmoresleep  #hipsneedlesschocolate   He will be here soon.  I should introduce him to Starbucks man. 

Oh Brother!

 "I need to run to the other room so I can scream!"
That's what the girls said when we revealed the news of the big surprise!
Off they ran...
Loud 'school-girl screams' could be heard through the bedroom door.

Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato concert!
The girls may have been a lil' excited!  *grin*
This was a sold-out concert... but there's a reason DK's co-workers call him to make all their travel plans.  He knows his way around the internet and managed to find us great seats, without paying an entire arm and leg.

We loaded up the team and made our way to the Texas rodeo, where the concert was being held.
These 3-wheeled taxis thought they had the right-of-way, riding between lanes, coming within mere inches of moving vehicles!  Crazy!

DK found a parking spot, while us gals found our way to the door.  After a minute, I realized we must be standing in the wrong line.   I asked an employee and he said that line was for relatives or contest winners... all waiting to meet the Jonas Brothers.  When I told the girls I had to be honest, one of them may or may not have said that I could have lied!  {mental note:  ramp up lessons in virtue!}

We {finally} made it indoors only to realize that we had 2 hours of rodeo watchin' before the concert was to begin.  {Oi. Why must they continually post a concert time if the concert doesn't begin at that time??  At least we were seated close to the restrooms.}  Maybe it's to draw a crowd for the rodeo?  I mean, I'm not into watching... much less, participating in, events that  injure animals just for the 'sport' of it all {See why}.   Oh well.  This is not meant to be a soap-box post.  ;)  We made the best of it... between pizza, peanuts and iPhone apps.

Have I ever mentioned the time that we were nearly trampled at the rodeo a few years ago?  No?!  We were walking down each ally, admiring the horses, only to see that a 'baby' bull had gotten lose and was running down the ally headed straight for us?!  {And by 'baby', I mean something that was at least 3-4 times my size!}  It took a second or two for my brain to wrap itself around this vision before I could react!

As DK and I each grabbed a child, we had never been so happy to see a restroom in our entire lives.  We found safety in the entrance to the restrooms, standing between the rooms labeled men and women.  Within seconds, the bull rushed by us, as if running for its life!  Followed by a {screaming} female security officer, almost a dozen cowboys rushed by on horseback, twirling lassos.  One of the cowboys managed to catch the run-a-way at the end of the ally.  {I'm still not sure what the security officer thought she was going to do if she managed to catch the poor thing.}  It was something out of a movie.

Where was I?  Oh!  I must say that the kids riding sheep = completely. adorable.  They were so good at it.  It almost makes up for our girls witnessing a bull-rider nearly being trampled to death.  I would like to know what was on the pizza that sparked the idea of this becoming a sport... I know, let's make a bull 'mad' and see how long we can ride 'em.  Seriously??

Gracie was so excited to tell Nator she witnessed one of the Jonas Brothers coming out to catch a glimpse of the rodeo.

It seems we were not the only ones ready for the concert to start...

And this is when the {near} deafness began.
Lots. of. little. school. girl. screams.

Loved when these Texas natives broke out the country tune, complete with cowboy hats.  ;)

Demi Lovato was okay, but it was really about seeing the Jonas Brothers...
and the look on our lil' girl's faces.

On the way out, we traveled in a 3-wheeled taxi back to our car...  and lived to tell about it. 

I think the girls enjoyed that almost as much as the concert.   At least I think that's what they were saying... I couldn't hear anything. :) 

Hows about a lil' {ipod} confession?

Alternate title:  The Post in Which You Lose Any Respect You Had For Me
But I thought that title a bit long... and presumptuous.  I mean, are ALL of the songs in your iPod 'goody-goody'?

I admit it.  I used to be extremely black and white, but I've relaxed a bit.  Maybe it's some of life's experiences that have changed me?  Maybe it simply comes with age?  I suppose many would say the two go hand in hand.
 

Here's the scoop.  I can NOT do a {good} cardio workout withOUT my iPod.  The beat determines the level of intensity.  I have skipped going to the gym when my iPod was not charged.  Of course, I suppose any ol' excuse would do, eh?   Let's just say that if my gym clothes are not layed out, ready to go first thing in the morning, I've used that as an excuse as well.

After seeing a young man {not much older than myself} going from weight to weight via walker, I have no excuses.  Yes, he was very young. ;)   Don't get me wrong, sometimes I really have to do a lot of self-motivation.  Why?  Let's just say that some things will never change without the help of a plastic surgeon.  Big pregnancies were not kind to me. {Sigh}  But, of course, my babies were worth it.  It's all about health... with a little vanity thrown in for good measure, right?

Back to the iPod...
Oh, yes, I have many church-approved songs on my ipod.

But when it comes to my workout playlist??  Well, ummmm...

Here are my iPod confessions.
{i know.  a few of them are... ummm.... inappropriate.  what can i say?  i can thank my hubs for introducing those beats to me. ha! the slower songs i use on a high resistance with the elliptical.}

There and Back Again... Chris Daughtry

What I Want... Chris Daughtry

Shining Star... Earth Wind and Fire

Up All Night... Hinder
{ummm... i know}

Geek in the Pink... Jason Mraz
I'm Yours... Jason Mraz
Curbside Prophet... Jason Mraz
Waiting on the World to Change... John Mayer
{most of his other songs are used for cooling down after my workout}

Walk Away... Kelly Clarkson
Miss Independent... Kelly Clarkson
Happy Girl... Martina McBride
This Ones for the Girls... Martina McBride
Ride... Martina McBride
Smooth... Santana
And Ummm... some Nickelback songs, but let's not go there...
He obviously had relationship issues.
Two Princes... Spin Doctors
{I use another Spin Doctor song as well, but I just realized it opened with a yucky word... oops}
This is Your Life... Switchfoot
Mustang Sally... Eric Clapton
On Our Side... Chris Tomlin
Alright... Darius Rucker
La La Land... Demi Lovato
Yeah, I can thank my girls for that one... among others, like...
A Night to Remember... High School Musical
Why Don't We Just Dance... Josh Turner
{This is one of Gracie's personal faves! So funny to watch her stop whatever she's doing when this song comes on. The child can cut a rug!}
Biggest Loser... Sports Anthems
{I have other Biggest Loser tunes as well, but let's be honest... Much of it is cheese. I usually don't stay on one song long before I skip to the next one.}
Everybody Dance Now
{can anyone really sit still to this song?}

Whew!  Those are many of the songs I've listened to repeatedly during my cardio workout.  I'm ready to give many of them up in exchange for some newer tunes.  Any suggestions?  What are your faves?

Did I lose you at 'work-out'?
Hello?  Are you still there?
Did you just un-follow me??

Love Deposits

Fancy nights like this don't happen often around our house, so when they do... well, of course you have to blog about them. I told hubby that we needed a date night. I missed him... Remember Alaska? He'll be headed to Chicago soon.

So, he took it upon himself to make reservations at Perry's Steakhouse AND make the arrangements for a babysitter (big brownie points there). You did good honey!



My salmon (on a bed of warm spinach) looks yummy, no? :)

We went to Perry's for our 10 yr anniversary over 6 1/2 yrs ago. It's one of those restaurants where there's a live band of instrumental music and the waiters 'sweep' the bread crumbs off of your table between courses. Mama is not used to this kind of service. Seriously. I'm still waiting on the cleaning fairy to help with laundry, garbage, dishes... etc...


Next, I really wanted to listen to some Jazz music... at Sambuca's. Since we had already eaten, (and as to NOT offend the waiter of our table) we ordered a dessert. GASP! I know, but we shared it. I figured I better not linger on how many calories or Weight Watcher points this was when DK said, "I am not having dinner with Jillian Michaels tonight."


Ok, I'll just enjoy the brownie (minus the points) & the music. :)

The band & singers were awesome. They did everything from classic Jazz tunes to Kiss by Prince. Seriously... if only I had a range like that!

We already have plans to go back with friends. They actually know people in the band. It should be fun.