Sunday, April 26, 2009
Remains of The Day
Here's some shots from the balance of the Birthday. Fun was had at T-ball and with friends at Dave and Busters.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
On The Six
This is what we looked like six years ago. Happy, sleepy, and judging by the diameter of my fingers--swollen! It was a long day waiting around for that slow poke woman in front of me to hurry up and get her baby out so that the doctor could come do my C-section. How rude of her to delay your arrival. I literally cannot believe that it has been six years. I remember my own sixth birthday. Its scary! Well, here we go:
Happy 6th birthday to my little man,
What sweet joy you bring,
As you sing, jump, and slam.
The brain inside your cranium's,
like uncontrolled uranium.
You sizzle.
You pop.
We can't make you stop.
Nor would we wish it,
to ever be so,
The most fun we have is watching you grow.
You test us.
You best us.
You never sit still.
Your life will be rich due to sheer force of will.
Thanks for reminding us every day,
That the true joy of life comes when you play,
When you laugh, when you dance, when you take life by chance.
Just like we did when we had our kid.
Even though some days I'm flipping my lid.
Here's a toast to our boy with wink and a smile,
We love you so much --as wide as a mile.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Prom
Prom season is almost here. I've had another reason to dig through my photos lately - I hadn't looked at them in a very long time. I found these and they absolutely cracked me up.
1985-Senior Prom. That's me and my boyfriend at the time, Jim, who was a year younger than me. I notice that his tie and cummerbund are tartan plaid--a bold choice for a high-school Junior. I don't remember being involved in that decision. My hair is scrunched up. I'm pretty darn sure that was Aussie Sprunch Spray in there. The dress was a great choice and pretty classic. Not many girls wore black dresses back then --as is evidenced by the other two chicks who are drowning in hideous gunne sax lace. I don't even know their names. They were the dates of the other boys who were actually my friends. A pattern of me being better friends with the guys than the girls that continues to this day. And you have to admit that fur stole certainly demonstrates some bold confidence! If I could just get those upper arms back.....
Next week there will be a Bob Tate prom photo.....brace yourselves for the power of POWDER BLUE.
1985-Senior Prom. That's me and my boyfriend at the time, Jim, who was a year younger than me. I notice that his tie and cummerbund are tartan plaid--a bold choice for a high-school Junior. I don't remember being involved in that decision. My hair is scrunched up. I'm pretty darn sure that was Aussie Sprunch Spray in there. The dress was a great choice and pretty classic. Not many girls wore black dresses back then --as is evidenced by the other two chicks who are drowning in hideous gunne sax lace. I don't even know their names. They were the dates of the other boys who were actually my friends. A pattern of me being better friends with the guys than the girls that continues to this day. And you have to admit that fur stole certainly demonstrates some bold confidence! If I could just get those upper arms back.....
Next week there will be a Bob Tate prom photo.....brace yourselves for the power of POWDER BLUE.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Overheard Tonite In The Kitchen
Bob (speaking to me): I talked to my mother and she may not be able to spend a day with us when we go to Florida.
Dianna: Why not?
Connor: 'Cause she's on AIR!
My mother-in-law is on oxygen.
Dianna: Why not?
Connor: 'Cause she's on AIR!
My mother-in-law is on oxygen.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
My First New York
For the past two Christmases, my mom has gifted me with a subscription to "New York" magazine. Not "The New Yorker"--but the magazine about what's happening in New York every week. You can check out the website here. I love it because its this odd mashup of popular culture, things to do and see, and great, just fantastic journalism and writing. There are truly insightful articles and investigative reports. This week's issue includes the stories from 30 prominent New Yorkers about their first time living in / seeing the / learning about the city itself. It got me to thinking about my first memories of the city.
As a child....I remember two things. First, seeing the city from the deck of my father's tug boat as we chugged around the island of Manhattan. I can't remember the occasion, probably just a day at work for him or a Saturday outing where my mother would have a hairy conniption at the image of her baby girls traipsing over some plank of wood that bridged the gap between the dock and the deck of the tug. Below was always some litter, scum laden water---you know, the kind with that beige frothy foam like you see on root beer float--but disgusting. What I remember most about it is that when viewing the city and its skyline shooting up from the water, you can actually see/perceive the curvature of the earth. I remember distinctly asking my dad about it and him explaining in the simplest way that you could see it because the buildings are so tall and the tops of them are so far away from the earth. I recall thinking that Columbus was right! It was as if I had personally disproved the Flat Earth Theory.
As an adult....okay, a teenager....the first trip I made into the city without my parents was when I was around 15 or 16 years old. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY MY MOTHER LET ME GO. But she did. I took a bus into the city for a matinee show (I think it was "Show Boat" but I can't recall) with my friend Dwight. I don't remember being nervous or concerned at all. We got off the bus at Port Authority and took a taxi to the show. I remember walking down 5th Avenue and stopping at St. Patrick's Cathedral and Tiffany's. To this day when I go to New York I feel oddly compelled to go to those two places. I just associate seeing them both with the place itself. The pious and the commercial places of worship in the center of the city. The only other thing I distinctly remember about that day was a woman that Dwight and I saw on an escalator. She was verging on elderly, but she was spry. The problem was her hair. She had vainly attempted to retain a youthful strawberry blonde, but the results of her effort had rewarded her with a bouffant the color of oven baked salmon. A big, puffy salmon souffle. For some reason, we found this incredibly uproariously hysterical and we laughed about it for years.
I don't love New York. As a young person living near it, I thought it was the center of the known universe. I was sure I'd live there at some point. Sure I'd be part of it somehow. But now, I'm glad I'm not. I love cities and I could easily become a city dweller. But it wouldn't be in New York. For me, its too big. Too insurmountable. A monolith. It reminds me of the Death Star in Star Wars. Its this big thing with all of people moving around it, through it, and in it. And it can't be for any good, common purpose. And like the Death Star, as you draw closer to it its enormity and complexity is shocking. But it can be magical and I understand its inevitable pull for people--especially young ones. Like the song says...if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. I just don't want to.
As a child....I remember two things. First, seeing the city from the deck of my father's tug boat as we chugged around the island of Manhattan. I can't remember the occasion, probably just a day at work for him or a Saturday outing where my mother would have a hairy conniption at the image of her baby girls traipsing over some plank of wood that bridged the gap between the dock and the deck of the tug. Below was always some litter, scum laden water---you know, the kind with that beige frothy foam like you see on root beer float--but disgusting. What I remember most about it is that when viewing the city and its skyline shooting up from the water, you can actually see/perceive the curvature of the earth. I remember distinctly asking my dad about it and him explaining in the simplest way that you could see it because the buildings are so tall and the tops of them are so far away from the earth. I recall thinking that Columbus was right! It was as if I had personally disproved the Flat Earth Theory.
As an adult....okay, a teenager....the first trip I made into the city without my parents was when I was around 15 or 16 years old. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY MY MOTHER LET ME GO. But she did. I took a bus into the city for a matinee show (I think it was "Show Boat" but I can't recall) with my friend Dwight. I don't remember being nervous or concerned at all. We got off the bus at Port Authority and took a taxi to the show. I remember walking down 5th Avenue and stopping at St. Patrick's Cathedral and Tiffany's. To this day when I go to New York I feel oddly compelled to go to those two places. I just associate seeing them both with the place itself. The pious and the commercial places of worship in the center of the city. The only other thing I distinctly remember about that day was a woman that Dwight and I saw on an escalator. She was verging on elderly, but she was spry. The problem was her hair. She had vainly attempted to retain a youthful strawberry blonde, but the results of her effort had rewarded her with a bouffant the color of oven baked salmon. A big, puffy salmon souffle. For some reason, we found this incredibly uproariously hysterical and we laughed about it for years.
I don't love New York. As a young person living near it, I thought it was the center of the known universe. I was sure I'd live there at some point. Sure I'd be part of it somehow. But now, I'm glad I'm not. I love cities and I could easily become a city dweller. But it wouldn't be in New York. For me, its too big. Too insurmountable. A monolith. It reminds me of the Death Star in Star Wars. Its this big thing with all of people moving around it, through it, and in it. And it can't be for any good, common purpose. And like the Death Star, as you draw closer to it its enormity and complexity is shocking. But it can be magical and I understand its inevitable pull for people--especially young ones. Like the song says...if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. I just don't want to.
Fear The Pinch!
Yesterday was Dulles Little League's Opening Day. This occasion is marked with a team parade from St. Theresa's to Crittenden Park, an opening ceremony with first pitch, and a "Fun Fest" which includes many moon bounces. The parade was great. Our only girl player, Carly, and her mom made this awesome banner with the kids faces as the BlueClaw face:
And I spent a few nights this week making these BlueClaw props for the kids to carry. They had blue glitter paint outlining the shape--I told Carly that I used the glitter for her! I didn't march with them, but another parent told me that the claws were a big hit with the crowd. Nobody else had props!
And finally, here's our player. Up a tree. And note, no games have been played, yet the knees of the pants are wrecked.
And I spent a few nights this week making these BlueClaw props for the kids to carry. They had blue glitter paint outlining the shape--I told Carly that I used the glitter for her! I didn't march with them, but another parent told me that the claws were a big hit with the crowd. Nobody else had props!
And finally, here's our player. Up a tree. And note, no games have been played, yet the knees of the pants are wrecked.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Here Comes Peter Cottontail!
We did some exciting egg coloring yesterday and we'll be having egg salad for breakfast today as a a result! We used a PAAS kit, a Dudley kit, and regular food coloring. And its Masters weekend so we went with the plastic grass tablecloth to control our messes!
This morning at the crack of dawn I was up icing that egg cake. Couldn't pull it together this year to make that spectacular chocolate bunny that we had last year. Plus, no one in this house needs a cake made with 3 pounds of butter. So, the egg cake is from a box and in a flavor that Connor will love (strawberry) but that Bob and I can resist.
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