Need someone to...

Clean up massive amounts of throw up?

I'm your gal

 (two kids at one time, in the car yesterday).

Kill fruit flies by the dozen?

You've got her, that's me!

Sing a Broadway Show Tune, on stage in front of an audience?

Hmmm...

Harrison:  "Uh, mom, that's a little loud"

Mom:  "Really?"

(I have this tendency to forget I'm not in a group of 35 sopranos trying to be heard over the DSO's trumpet section)

Now what have I gotten myself into?!!

I heard about a vocal competition about a month ago that I thought it would be fun for SP and I to sing a duet in.  Thing is, the competition was for Broadway Show Tunes, and for soloists.  I don't sing Broadway Show Tunes.  I sing classical choral music.  And, I don't do solos.  I do duets and larger (MUCH larger, my choir has 170 people)  (-:  What was I thinking then?  Well, we have old Cole Porter books around the house that we like to sing/play from and it turns out that though the music is from the 1920's-1930's, they're also all from Broadway shows!  I figured we could just do one as a duet and if they didn't want a duo, we had fun trying out and that's that.  So, yesterday around 4:00p.m. we picked out a song and tried to learn it with all our little monkeys jumping and running around the house, made a last minute call to SP's sister to drop the kids at their house and headed over to the auditions at 5:30p.m. (they ended at 6).  Turns out we passed the audition and now we advance to the final competition at a jazz club in town!!  Big problem...they don't want our duet (amazing, check the playlist to hear our choice, "Let's Misbehave") and they want us to sing SOLOS!!  Shall I reiterate... I don't do solos, and I don't sing Broadway Show Tunes!! (-: 

(Personally, I think they had a light turn out for the auditions...)

First of all, I can't believe this uploaded!!

I found this little dandy a few weeks ago on my camera. It's 2 minutes/6 secs long and I can't believe I got it to download. Now, saying it's 2 minutes/6 secs long, you might want to think twice before clicking, it is not the most compelling video. However, it gave me a good glimpse at the kinds of things going on in the house under my radar. All I can say is that after the 2 minutes/6 secs I'm glad the cinematographer decided to bring a halt to the two-year old's tooth brushing extravaganza!
(seems to me that should have happened sooner than 2 minutes/6 seconds!)

Misc. Friday This-n-That

After dropping by the in-laws to snag some tomatoes for salsa (mine are ripening at a snails pace), I was treated to a slow-roasted red pepper that was OUT OF THIS WORLD! So, I decided the salsa will wait and today I'm slow roasting tomatoes.
The kitchen smells amazing!

I know they're not pretty but I'm still enamored with the fact that I grew some great eggplants. I didn't end up baba ghanoushing them (-: instead, I grilled them and made fresh mozzerella and basil pesto "sandwiches" out of them (sprinkled with grated parmigiano reggiano).

YUMM!!
(I'M NOT KIDDING, NOT PRETTY, BUT SOOOO GOOD!!)

Psst, Mom...I think you need to paint this...
(I love the purple and the yellow)

Harrison's latest invention

Have a great weekend!!

FYI

For all the wheat crackers, tomatoes and roasted veggies I eat, it is taking an awful lot of willpower not to eat ALL these cookies I made for a new mom!!
(-:
(yep, there were supposed to be a dozen...)

I still relish in their beauty

We've officially entered fall which makes me want to drink in the beauty of my garden (well, parts of my garden (-:) as much as possible.  The clock is ticking...snow is right around the corner...

And then Jessie showed up

Jessie

Before we get too far away from Harrison's creations I thought I better show who I discovered hanging out on top of the buffet this afternoon (nice work, Lara (-:).  You never know what the kids will come up with on our "no t.v., no computer" days.  Believe it or not, we've had a few of those days established each week for the last few years and they don't beg me to do either the t.v. or computer on those days.  (though sometimes I'm ready to pull my hair out as they spaz around the house...it all evens out in the end)

Leaf Bug

I'm sure he has a more official name than "leaf bug" but I don't care to do the research right now. (-:  He is the perfect example of being able to camouflage oneself for protection.  Too bad his expert abilities at camouflaging  are going to waste on the black leg of my picnic table!

Bag Puppets

I found these guys stacked on Harrison's dresser tonight.

Mom: What are all these?
Harrison: Puppets.
Mom: What are you going to do with them?
Harrison: Make a puppet show.
Mom: When?
Harrison: When I have enough!

One can only imagine what puppet show this child is envisioning in that head of his!

Since I'm up and the kids have gone to bed on the early side...

I might as well post one other Macy's Adventure Pass we really enjoyed.  Over the summer we went to the Cranbrook House and Gardens and though we had to skip the house part of the tour (75 minute guided tour of tapestries and woodworking with three little boys?, I think not!) we all had a lot of fun traipsing through the gardens. 

Off we go

 One of the many winding paths in the 40 acre property.

Now this was just weird.

The kids would jump on a 3x3 slab of concrete and this guy's eyes would squirt!!

They LOVED it!

The house we couldn't tour

(-:

Herb Garden

The Bog

I really can't believe I haven't had any children fall in things like this while we've been out and about on our trips.  Just this week we stopped at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens on the way home from school and William was found walking on the foot wide ledge of a fountain pool!!

A secret stairway

Would have loved to swim a lap in that pool

Back through the woods to our car

just look at those hydrengeas! 

Now that I look at this set of pictures I realize that one of our favorite gardens and secret wooden door didn't even get uploaded here.  You've got to head on over there and explore for yourselves.  I'm sure it would be great on a sunny, fall afternoon.

Another Macy's Museum Day

Today we learned (well, I'm not sure we all "learned") about the important and influential people throughout history that had anything to do the with automobile and the automobile industry (not just American auto/industry).  Another great museum for kids believe it or not, just enough interactive stuff to keep them engaged and a GREAT looking and well designed museum to boot.   The Macy's Museum Passes have been extended for another year (through Oct 09') so get on out there, great stuff to see!

Tricky for me to take this picture of a picture in the dark hall with William running around but I really liked these ladies in their car.  When I put it over in my iPhoto I noticed the reflection of the American flag on the left, cool!

The kids enjoyed designing their own hot rods (Lara had a friend along).

Didn't quite catch why this flying car was there, the kids were fighting over who could turn the wheel to make the wings flap, but it looked cool.

Crank that engine, Harrison

Good Time!

What's for lunch?

For Mom:

Basil and Tomato from the garden with slices of fresh mozzarella on a Wasa cracker.

Yumm!!

For the kids:

Bread rolled out by the kindergartner with a rolling pin, spread w/ PB & J and rolled up.

Hmmm...

Something I've learned as a mother of four

I can outwit, outlast and outplay a two year old!

The thought came to mind tonight as I crawled out of his room on all fours quite like an army trainee running a combat drill under a path of barbed wire (if they even do that, sorry military folk). In any event, I made it out avoiding the possible gaze of an eyeball cracking open and I got past the creaking door!

Little Pooh Bear AND Big Pooh Bear HAVE to go with us in the car?
No Problem, strap him in is what I say!

Not satisfied with my cup OR bowl choice in the morning?
Sure take them all and have at it, let me know if you're ready by lunch!

Wanna play out in the rain? Here, take an umbrella!

We'll have to see how well my "survivor" skills work when I get to the teen years!

The sound that haunts me to this day

Can there possibly be a sound (a "sound" of all things!!) that could haunt you from your childhood and greet you again with a big smile on it's face as you try to keep control of your 37 year old self?

Oh - yes - there - can

The sound of digging and scrapping through a lego box!

As a kid our legos were kept in a large cedar chest.  I would often be accompanied by the sound of giant armloads of legos being scrapped and piled through that chest while I practiced piano.  Now, thirty years later, the cedar chest has morphed into a VERY PORTABLE plastic tub that has the ability to follow me around the house all day!!!

Fun With Curcuits

This little guy never ceases to amaze me. The big three pulled this circuit "toy" out yesterday afternoon and had some good fun (locked in my bedroom and away from William). So,today after 1/2 day kindergarten, Harrison had free reign with it and took off (no pun intended, you'll see (-:). Couldn't believe what he figured out!

This pic is supposed to be at the end, but alas, wouldn't load that way and didn't want to redo all the uploading. What he figured out after a while was that although the directions called for using "switch S2" he could replace it with "switch S1" and not have to hold the button down! That's what the third clip in this series is.

I wish I knew someone named Lola...

Because I found ANOTHER super cool song and NEED to post it today, it's perfect for a rainy Saturday of cleaning, and I have nothing to tie it into.  It's a remix of "Whatever Lola Wants" originally written for the broadway musical "Damn Yankees."  So far my last two "super cool" remixes I found listening to 89.9 CBC Radio.

Met some friends for shopping this morning

Found these gals in the greenhouse portion of the fabulous Italian market, Colasanti's, after my swim this morning.  Perhaps I'm spending a bit too much time in the water??

Mornin' girls.

This way to the ferns.

Yes, you too Millie.

No Francis, I'm not getting a spider fern instead of this fairy fern.

See ya, ladies.

Same time, same place next week? 

You never know what entertaining things you'll find on the internet...

You Are an Ice Cream Cake

Surprising, unique, and high maintenance. You're one of a kind, and you don't want anyone to forget it. You're fun in small doses, but it's easy for people to overdose on you!

What Kind of Cake Are You?

Time for a haircut

This boy heard that I'd be cutting the big boys' hair a few days ago (picture day at school coming up) and INSISTED he go first.  He also kept saying "buzz"  "I want buzz cut."  To which I flatly refused but he wouldn't get off the stool.  So, I got the electric clippers and let it buzz his neck hair a little.  He was satisfied and I yet again conquered the two-year old mystique!!

Clocks

(see playlist)

My Kitchen Clock

Why, you ask? Because I recently found a GREAT new song (new to me) that gets me moving in the morning and inspires me ("The Garden" by Cut Chemist also does that for me) to tackle parts (never all (-:) of the house. The one I love is the first "Clocks" song posted that the singer from Cold Play, Chris Martin, is singing with the Buena Vista Social Club on their album "Rhythms Del Mundo." I'm a little lame (perhaps?) that I really don't know popular "pop" music (if that's what Cold Play is), I really listen to such an eclectic mix, but I posted both the original song with Chris Martin's real group (Cold Play) to compare the difference (perhaps you could take a moment now for a "popular music" music theory comparison lesson and listen to them back to back (-:).

Also

I wanted to find the name of the store that I bought the clock from in Howell, MI and when I googled the owner's name I found THIS! P.S. my oldest child was baptized by her husband.

I'm simply at a loss for words

Could be because I'm shot and can't think of a title (2a.m. bedtime last night after finalizing the biggest part of reunion details!) but I'm just thrilled with how my first quest into rose growing has turned out. So nice to clip a few and set on a clean table (especially when the rest of the house is in disarray).

Break Time

Taking a break from "20 Year Reunion" planning (man, the details involved...whew!) and thought I'd throw a little series of photos from our annual "1st day of school lunch at Big Boy."  I entitle this,

"I've learned not to linger over my soup."

(-:

O.K., back to work I go...

I wish I had this sign...

See playlist

Saw this on a hike at Lake Michigan and recalled my ongoing battle with the plant on our property.  I am slowly but surely eradicating it with the help of both Round-Up and Ortho Poison Ivy and Brush Killer.  Works like a charm!  And this is one herbicide that I will use with a clear conscience (environmentally speaking) because I had poison ivy two years ago and it was pretty much THE most awful affliction I've every experienced!!

Can you even believe none of the kids have gotten it yet?

It climbs up trees.  I've even seen leaves a good 10 inches long and 5 inches wide!

  Horrible.

I will conquer!