random ramblings

It's been a pretty good week so far. Tuesday, I went grocery shopping, and in an amazing twist of fate, I got through the store really quickly, I got every single item on my list, and there was no line at the checkout! It was truly wondrous. That alone made my day. :)

Yesterday, I got a haircut. I'm not sure how I feel about it. The woman ended up cutting it shorter than I originally wanted. I'm not sure how it happened - I think we just both got a little carried away. So, it's hard to get used to, though it is pretty cute. I'm just used to having more hair on the sides, and it's suddenly short there again - I don't have much going on in the sideburn area anymore, and it's above my ears again. I still have length in the front, which I like. So, right now, I'm just kind of feeling *eh* about it. We shall see if it grows on me. Well, it WILL grow on me, literally, so I just have to wait awhile, and I'm sure I'll like it more. :) Hair grows - I just keep telling myself that. Why is it so hard to achieve the perfect haircut?

This morning I had a MOPS meeting. I ended up being in charge in a very last-minute fashion, after our coordinator's son threw up shortly before the meeting and she had to skip it. Our mentor mom leader was gone, too, so another mentor mom (Donna) and I just took charge and ran the meeting. It ended up going very well. Not much structure - we just worked on a craft and visited - but it was very enjoyable for everyone, I think. We have such a great group of ladies! The main thing today was that we all brought desserts we had baked for the Thanksgiving dinner at Genesis House, a local shelter for battered women and children. We had a great number and variety of desserts, so I think our contribution will really enhance their dinner. I made my yummy, decadent gooey cream cheese bars. And the craft we did was actually centerpieces for their tables, which I hope they'll like, too. I always enjoy MOPS meetings, and only wish they happened more than twice a month.

This evening, we went to parent-child night at Nick's preschool. There was lots of incredibly yummy potluck-y food, which I overindulged in, of course. That was pretty much a foregone conclusion. :) In observation of Native American month, they had this Cherokee guy named Chad Lookinghorse there, and he told the kids some Cherokee folklore and did some dances. And can I just say that he was H-O-T??? I mean, I know I sound like a total trollop, getting all turned on by a guy at my son's preschool function, but he was really, really good looking. I was talking about it with some of the other moms, and they were in concurrence. It added a nice little frisson of enjoyment to the evening. Good food AND eye candy!

So, that's my week thus far. How is yours going?

oh, BTW

I took my measurements this morning, and I have lost 5 more inches in the last three months. I have now lost a grand total of 45.5" (OMG - that's almost 4 feet!) all over my body, including 2 3/4" from each arm, 7" from my bust, 9" each from my waist and hips, 5 1/2" from each thigh, and 2" from each calf. Wow!

what a scream!

So, last night was our MOPS Moms' Nite Out, and we met at Pizza Hut for dinner, because they were having police officers wait tables, with all tips going to Shop-with-a-Cop. We figured we could have fun and be charitable at the same time. Of 19 members, only 8 of us came, but boy did we have fun! We got there at 6:00, and five of us were still there at 9:30! We talked and ate and laughed and laughed and laughed, and it was just a wonderful way to spend an evening. I love my MOPS peeps, and I hope we can organize another Nite Out in January, because we all need more of that! Here's a shout-out to my partners in crime: Angela, Rebecca, Katherine, Susie, Glenna, Casey, and Mary - I had a total blast last night! Thanks for coming.

the best-laid plans of mice and men...

To put it simply, my weekend was a complete and total bust. The entire trip to Springfield ended up being ill-fated and pointless. Don't worry - I'm over the horrible foul mood I was in yesterday, so I can now look upon it with a modicum of humour. Yesterday, though, you would NOT have wanted to cross paths with me!

Let's start at the beginning. On Monday morning, Brian had noticed that the valve in the basement that controls the water coming into the house had a slow drip. He told our landlord about it, but our landlord, in typical fashion, didn't do anything about it all week. On Friday at 4:30 p.m., we were completely ready to leave the house - the car was packed and running, people! We thought it wise to shut off the water, lest the drip turn into something more while we were gone. So, I went down to the basement to do so, and when I turned the handle, it came off and water started spewing from the pipe! OMG. Long story short - our landlord came and called a plumber, and we ended up making him stay until it was fixed, so that we could get on the road. We left an hour late, but made it to Springfield by 7:00. To sum up this part of the story, when we got home today, the pipe and valve were fine, but our landlord had left the basement lights blazing and the water turned on all weekend, even though he had told us over the phone that he had turned both off. Sigh.

So, off we went to Springfield, and when we got there, we had pizza and retired early. By this point, my voice was completely gone, and I was 99.99% sure that I would not be able to sing at church on Sunday morning. Because of this and the water issue, I was in a bad mood, and Brian and I were snippy and bickering with each other. Let's just say that when plans go awry, I don't handle it well, and when I get upset about stuff, Brian doesn't handle THAT well. It doesn't make for a good time. I did, indeed, have to cancel my gig, which totally sucks, because I was really excited about singing the song I had chosen, and we could really have used the money! Aarrrrggghhhh. That was the first time I had ever had to cancel on a paying gig, and I hated having to do that. But, as you might recall, we still had reason to be in Springfield, because we had a family portrait scheduled for Saturday morning, and we had brought our dressy clothes with us, planning a very fancy picture, indeed. Can you guess by now that something derailed that, too? Oh, yes.

See, Nick has this habit, this self-soothing mechanism, if you will, of banging his face against his mattress to put himself to sleep. When he was younger, we were all worried that he was autistic, but doctors assured us that since he only does it in bed, we didn't need to worry. It's just his way of putting himself to sleep. Odd, yes, but mostly harmless. Occasionally, though, he'll really go to town and end up abrading his nose - giving himself sort of a sheet-burn. And, you guessed it! When we went into his room Saturday morning, he had a doozy of a red, raw, oozing abrasion on his nose. And that was the straw that broke the portrait camel's back. Don't get me wrong - I would have no problem with going ahead with a portrait if he had, say, a little scratch on his face, or even a small bruise. But this was a big, honkin' red, oozing sore right on his nose. Add that to my already foul mood and the fact that I could barely talk and wasn't feeling well, and I pretty much lost it. Which led to more strain between me and Brian. What a fun morning! We cancelled the portrait, and I proceeded to sulk mightily for a few hours. I finally left the house and went and vented to Tim for awhile, and then went for some lunch with him. After eating, I went to do another thing that I had planned for the weekend, thinking "Even if everything else has gone to hell, at least I can do the shopping I had planned to, so the weekend will not have been for naught." I had various coupons to redeem, and items to seek. Remember that I was in a foul mood and didn't feel well. Also know that I can't handle an uber-crowded mall during the holidays. What was I thinking? It was Saturday afternoon in mid-November! I walked into the mall and almost immediately regretted it, and it only got worse with every step I took and every store I entered. I ended up being there for all of 20 minutes, during which I hastily bought something at one store, and then I hightailed it out of there. I just couldn't handle it! So, I had all these coupons that went unused, and I didn't buy anything on my list. I slunk back to my Dad's house, completely defeated, and spent the rest of the evening watching TV shows that I had recorded. That was fairly comforting, and helped to calm me down a bit.

Yet another plan of ours went unrealized, which was to go to the Titanic attraction in Branson. To be fair, that was completely our decision, because there was no reason we still couldn't have gone on Saturday after I returned from the mall. I was just so down and felt so grumpy and pathetic that the last thing I wanted to do was drive to Branson and battle crowds, so we opted out. In retrospect, it was probably a wise decision. I can't imagine I would have enjoyed myself much at all.

So, to sum up for you: spewing pipe, lost voice and cancelled church gig, cancelled portrait, aborted shopping trip, and no visit to the Titanic. We were batting 1000!

This morning, I did the ONE productive thing of the whole weekend, which was going to the church between services to talk to the music director and get the music for the lessons and carols service I'll be singing in on December 14. That took all of 30 minutes, and if not for that, there was absolutely NO need for us to be in Springfield this weekend. We headed home early, and got here by 1:00. And here I am. Thank goodness this horrible weekend is drawing to a close; I can only hope that the coming week is better!

off for the weekend again

We're heading out again this evening. Tomorrow morning, we'll be re-donning what we wore to my cousin's wedding, to have a family portrait done at JCPenney. I hope it goes well! The weather is supposed to be very raw and cold tomorrow, so it won't be fun having to leave my Dad's house in the morning in my scanty dress. :) While we're in Springfield, I (as always) have various mall shopping objectives, and many coupons to help me retain my bargain-queen status. Tomorrow evening, Brian and I may head to Branson to take advantage of the free Titanic pass I won on the radio. I would never pay full admission to see this attraction/museum, but I would definitely check it out for free! And Sunday morning, I'll be rising very early and heading out into an even colder morning (mid-20s!!) to sing at church. I'm somewhat concerned about this, because I've been fighting off a cold, and my voice is somewhat compromised. I haven't gotten full-blown sick, but every evening and morning, I have a phlegmy cough, and it has made me rather hoarse. I can only hope for a miracle on Sunday - wish me luck! We'll be back Sunday evening, and you'll hear from me next week. Have a great weekend, everyone!

the price of gas

Some of you might find this rather boring, but I thought it would be interesting to ask everyone to share the price of gas where you live, just so that we can see how it compares around the country (and even in England - Christie?). Here, I can fill up my tank right now for $1.97/gallon. How about you?

that boy!

So, Nick and I were in the car today with my friend and her 2-year-old son. John was being somewhat petulant, and shrieked at his mom, and Nick said "John, how dare you scream at your mother?" It killed me!

post of the day

First of all:

Happy Birthday to you;
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday, dear Jutta;
Happy Birthday to you!

AND:

Happy Anniversary to you;
Happy Anniversary to you!
Happy Anniversary, dear Greg & Gayle;
Happy Anniversary to you!

(and many more, to all three of you!)


Today, Brian had the day off, so I decided to head up to Rolla for some shopping. I got a really cute bracelet for $5 - a total impulse buy, but sometimes ya just gotta have those, no?

So, even though I was all set with a "little black dress" to wear for the Army Band Christmas concerts, I had started to think that a "little red dress" would be even better - what an impact it would make for me to walk out on stage in bright red for a holiday concert! So, I went to JCPenney with the idea that I would just see if they had anything. And of course, they did. I ended up getting this totally hot red dress (in a size 6!!!) - it was originally $70, but I paid $29, so you can't beat that with a stick. And then, I just had to get some silver high-heeled sandals to wear with it (You can follow that logic, can't you?), so I found some at Payless - originally $23, I paid $14. Yay! Now, for under $45, I have a totally smashing, much more eye-catching Christmas concert ensemble. (sigh of contentment)

That sums up the high points of my day! Tomorrow, I'm going to check out the local Veterans' Day parade, unless it's raining. Are you doing anything special?

nick's quote of the day

Our good friend Mike came over tonight, and as always, Nick proceeded to be very crazy and spastic, throwing himself at Mike, poking him, prodding him, flailing in his general direction, and basically pulverizing him to within an inch of his life. (OK - that may be a slight exaggeration.) After Mike left, as Nick and I were headed to the bathroom to brush his teeth, he said "You know, he's a very nice man, but sometimes he just gets too rough!"

seriously???!!!

If you have not seen this frightening new toy for girls, I suggest you check it out and share in my horror. Click here to see the Tini Puppinis at Toys R Us.

2 completely unrelated questions

1. Which song would it most surprise people to learn that you like? I'll go first. :) Mine is "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-a-Lot. I absolutely love this song! I know, I can't believe it, either, but it's one of my guilty pleasures. Maybe it's the clever, titillating lyrics, or the kickin' beat, or the fact that it celebrates the non-skinny female, but whatever the reason, every time this song comes on the radio, I'm in heaven. In fact, I just downloaded it to my computer, so I can listen to it whenever I want! I must admit that it kind of makes me want to "dial 1-900-mix-alot" for a "triple-X hoedown", even though he would surely find my "back" quite lacking by his standards - definitely not the "juicy double" he's looking for! His anaconda probably don't want none. :)

2. Which Thanksgiving dish could you absolutely not live without, if you had to choose just one? Mine would be my Mom's sausage stuffing, which my sister still makes every single year (Thank you so much, Mary!) I can't wait!

I look forward to your answers...

zumba report

In my opinion, the class was just 'ight. But then again, maybe I'm just too picky. For one thing, the music was way too loud - I think I'm overly paranoid about my hearing because I'm a singer, so I'm really concerned about exposing myself to loud music. Secondly, the floor was sort of slippery, which sucked. Thirdly, the class was sort of large and impersonal compared to what I'm used to, and fourthly and most importantly, the instructor didn't really explain anything or slowly demonstrate moves, so if you were a first-timer, you just had to kind of try your best and hope you could figure everything out and keep up. I did pretty well, but had my moments. Parts of it were definitely fun, but because of all the reasons I just mentioned, I may not go back. Also, I noticed that while I did sweat some and get my heart rate up to an extent, I didn't get nearly the workout that I always get at my gym. I'm usually dying by the time one of my regular classes is over, especially step and kickboxing. So, I would have to give the Zumba class a "C."

My new friend Katherine went with me - she's one of the new instructors at my gym. It was fun to do the class with a friend, and afterwards, we went out for coffee. It was such fun! We are two people who could talk forever and never shut up, and no topic seems to be taboo. :) It was a great way to spend time, and left me feeling warm and fuzzy. Of course, I just met her and she's moving away in 3 months - it's the story of my life. I'll tell you what - I can't wait to live in Springfield, where I can actually make friends who will be sticking around! Living in a military community really sucks in that respect. :(

When I'm done on the computer today, I'm going to go gather up a bunch of stuff to donate to Goodwill. My friend Rebecca has really galvanized me - she came over last night to try on my shirts and sweaters, and she took a bunch of stuff. The best part, though, was that she very generously offered to take whatever she didn't want and donate it to Goodwill, along with some of her own stuff that she was planning to take there. Getting all of that stuff out of the house (it was a LOT!) has just made me want to get rid of more stuff! The floodgates have opened, people.

Hope everyone's having a good weekend...

you lose some, you gain some

Well, I'm back up a pound this week, which really doesn't surprise me after the way I ate in St. Louis. :) I'm still pretty OK with where I am. The thing that worries me is where I'll be after the holidays. I really don't want to creep towards 150 again, and I'm afraid that will happen. I guess I'll just have to really try to control myself as much as possible, and most importantly, keep working out as often as I can.

Speaking of working out, I'm going to try a new class tomorrow at the fitness center on post, and I'm looking forward to it! (If you had told me, a year ago...) It's called Zumba, and it's apparently a cardio workout that incorporates Latin dance moves. Sounds like it's right up my alley! I'll let you know how it went.

I'm inching ever-closer to becoming a certified group fitness instructor. For me, it's a matter of timing and overcoming my fears. I'm thinking of doing a certification workshop at the end of January. I just need to get some more info first, and do some soul-searching. And I need to get my CPR certification first.

It's a sunny, cold day here. How about in your neck of the woods?

thank god it's over!

The election, that is. I was so sick of the commercials and the DAILY phone calls we were getting. Whatever your feelings about the outcome, at least you don't have to deal with all of that advertising anymore! Now, we can all worry about more mundane things, like what we're going to make for Thanksgiving, and what we're going to get people for Christmas, etc. :)

i have a question

If 18 different people have voted in my president poll, then how come there's only like 2 people that ever comment on my blog? Come on, people - let me know you've been here! I would love to know who's actually reading my blog - just a friendly "hello" would even be appreciated. So, speak up! :)

i have only two things to say:

1. It is sick and wrong that they're already playing Christmas music in Walmart!

2. Please go and vote tomorrow!

more pics!

Here are some pictures, as promised. The first one is of Nick's very first self-portrait. Isn't it cute and whimsical? I'm just so charmed by it. I actually framed it and hung it on his playroom wall. :)

The next three are of my Dad and us outside our hotel before we left for my cousin's wedding, and the last one is of my cousin and her new husband.

a wonderful trip!

We got back from St. Louis yesterday around 6:15 p.m., and I've been a busy girl since then. I still have a ton of stuff to do online, but I wanted to take a couple of minutes and tell you about our trip. I have a few pictures, which I'll post later after I've had a chance to process them. We left around noon on Friday, and stopped in Rolla on the way so that I could use a JCPenney coupon before it expired. :) I got a really cute shirt for just $3! Our drive went without a hitch, and we arrived at our hotel around 3:00. My sister and her husband arrived at almost exactly the same time, and my Dad got there about 45 minutes later. We stayed at a Holiday Inn Express, and it was nice. The rooms were large and even had couches and coffee tables! And we got welcome bags with a bottle of water, an apple, and Oreos. Nice touch. We got all settled in the room and then ordered some pizza so that we could fill our tummies for the evening, since the reception wouldn't even start until 8 p.m. We got all gussied up for the wedding, and boy did we look great! Brian always looks handsome in his dress blues, and Nick was just so incredibly dapper in his little pants, shirt, vest, and tie. Seriously. I can't get over how darling he looked. And if I may toot my own horn a bit, I thought I looked pretty stunning in my little black dress, sexy shoes, and fancy jewelry. The halter top of the dress really accentuated my arms and shoulders, which I consider among my best features now, and the dress and shoes served to show off my rather sculpted calves. OK - I'm done tooting my horn now. :)

We all caravanned to the church - Our Lady of Sorrows. It's a beautiful Catholic church, and was the perfect setting for a lovely wedding. It was nice to see some of my relatives before the wedding started. It was a wedding Mass, so it lasted a little over an hour. Considering this, I was very impressed with Nick's behavior - he really did very well, and when he felt that he just had to say something, he whispered. He was the picture of restraint! He also said many cute things all evening. For instance, when my Uncle Jim was walking Jessica (his daughter/my cousin) down the aisle, Nick turned to me and exclaimed "You didn't tell me she was marrying Uncle Jim!" And then when Jessica was standing on the altar with her fiance (Brian), Nick said "You didn't tell me she was marrying HIM!" See, Nick fancies Jessica his girlfriend, so he was quite chagrined that she was marrying anyone at all. The ceremony was very nice, and included three vocalists. Jessica is a singer like me, so she obviously wanted lots of music in her wedding. The most notable vocalist was her best friend, Mikey. He sang "Panis Angelicus" during Communion, and his voice is just gorgeous! I'd heard a lot about him over the years, but had never met him or heard him sing. It was very impressive.

After the wedding was over, we all caravanned again to the reception. It was held in an historical building that had an old freight elevator - that was how we got up to the third floor for the reception. The decor and ambiance was very nice, and the buffet was scrumptious (not to mention the open bar). Our table was next to the one with a branch of my family named the Crowleys, and I had a great time talking to Maureen and her daughter Katie, and catching up with them. They're such nice people! Nick proceeded to completely charm them (and others) - he was just so loquacious and personable to everyone! The best moment came, though, when the bridal party finally arrived and lined up behind their table. During a moment of relative quiet, Nick shouted "Jessica - don't do it!" Several people heard him and busted out laughing. Poor kid - it was too late! It was also absolutely precious to watch him dance with his little cousin, Claire, who's the same age. They were so cute together! As far as I'm concerned, the highlight of the reception was the wedding cake. It was from this amazing bakery in St. Louis called Lubeley's, which makes sinful gooey butter cake - my favorite. The wedding cake was chocolate with the most amazing, rich frosting I've ever tasted. I can honestly say that it was the best cake I've ever had. We visited, ate, and congratulated the bride and groom, but we had to leave by the time the dancing got underway. By then, it was after 10:30, and poor little Nick had had it. He was so exhausted! We were all in bed by 11:15, and went right to sleep. (We heard later that the reception had gone strong until midnight.) When our wake-up call came at 7:45, it was very unwelcome! But up we rose, to start another day...

We got ready and checked out, and then we all headed to this really old restaurant called Uncle Bill's Pancake House, where we met my Aunt Joanie (my Dad's sister) for brunch. It was nice to see her and spend some time together. Aunt Joanie, who is 78, reminisced about eating at Uncle Bill's when she was 17, after a school dance. After that, my Dad and sister headed home to Springfield, but Brian and I went to a shopping center to hit Trader Joe's and World Market. I was in complete heaven, and was only sad that I can't shop at these stores more often. I got several yummy snacky foods and cereals at Trader Joe's, including chocolate meringues and freeze-dried banana slices. At World Market, I bought a few Christmas presents for friends, and a cute Christmas tray and cup for Nick. I just love that place! I really enjoyed looking at all the foods, candy, and drinks from foreign countries, but I didn't buy anything edible this time.

We left the shopping center and headed to Uncle Jim and Aunt Karen's house for an open house party - a sort of continuation of the wedding celebration. Jessica and Brian were there, since they weren't leaving for their honeymoon (in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic) until today. There was more totally scrumptious food and yet another cake from Lubeley's - this time it was amaretto cake, with the same amazing frosting. I definitely overindulged, but I just couldn't help it! Nick had fun running around outside with Claire and her younger brother, Evan. We finally said our goodbyes a little after 4 p.m. and headed home, and here we are! It was such a lovely trip, and it was nice to eat good food, shop, and visit with relatives. I hope we get back to St. Louis again before too long. Stay tuned for pics!

happy thursday!

I've managed to keep pretty busy this week. Tuesday, Nick and I had his final music and movement class in a 7-week series. This was a nice little class that involved singing songs, keeping beats, and using different little instruments, like egg shakers, maracas, drums, etc. During this final class, Nick impressed the teacher by keeping a nice, steady beat on a washboard while we sang the ABCs. The boy definitely has an ear for rhythm!

Tuesday evening, we tuned in to "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" while we "made" Halloween cookies. (I had to put "made" in quotes because these were the completely ready-to-bake ones that you literally just put on a cookie sheet and bake. I did sprinkle on some colored sugar, though, to give them my own personal touch.) :) It's funny - when I was a kid, I watched the Charlie Brown Halloween show every year and just loved it, I guess because it was animated and had kicky music. As a grown-up, though, I just have to shake my head at it and go "Seriously? World War I stuff in the middle of a Halloween show? What's up with that?" I mean, it's supposed to be a show about kids and Halloween, but most of it is about Snoopy, flying around on his doghouse and getting shot at in France. It's like some sort of acid trip.

Yesterday, Nick and I met Brian and our friend Mike at Pizza Hut for the lunch buffet (Don't even ask about my eating this week - you don't want to know!). It was nice to see Brian in the middle of the day, since he had class last night and was gone until after 9 p.m. I managed to keep pretty busy all day and evening, doing stuff around the house. In the evening, Nick came with me to the gym, and after my class, we went and visited Rebecca, Cooper, and Jack for a while. Nick and Cooper were rather combative with each other, so it wasn't the most relaxing visit! It was nice to see them, though, and to eat one of Rebecca's moist, delicious Halloween cupcakes (See? I told you!).

This morning, I shot up to Rolla while Nick was in preschool and bought him a few garments (Gotta love the KMart 2 for $8 Wonderkids separates!), and got back to school in time for the little fall party. It was so nice! The teachers had covered the tables in orange paper, and moms brought food and supplies. We had PB&J, potato chips, succulent fresh fruit, and yummy cookies. It was a nice little gathering, and the kids were all really cute. Now, Nick and I are chilling out at home, and I have exciting plans - laundry, etc.

Tomorrow, we're off to St. Louis for Jessica's wedding, so you probably won't hear from me until after that. I'm looking forward to getting all gussied up, and to seeing my various relatives. I'm also excited about hitting one of the Trader Joe's stores there.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

october pictures!

To see my latest online photo album, click here. Here's one to get you started, of Tim and me before we left for our gig at Drury University on Friday:

Hope you enjoy the rest of the pics!

amy's back in town

Hey, peeps! Nick and I are back home after our weekend in Springfield. As usual when I'm in Springfield, I did a goodly bit of shopping - I got a few things for myself and some Christmas presents for Nick and Brian. Nick is really into the planets lately, so I found him a cool book about the planets and a planet mobile that we can put together and hang in his room. Tim is going to try to find him some of those glow-in-the-dark stars and planets for his bedroom ceiling - he'll love those! And I also found him some space PJs, in keeping with the theme. I also went to a music store and got Nick a selection of little instruments, since he's really into music and rhythm. I got him egg shakers, a drum, a harmonica, an ocarina, rhythm sticks, and a tone block. I think he'll love them, and I got them all for around $30! I also got him a scarf and slippers, both of scrumptious fleece. For myself, I found a jean jacket and some fleece PJs.

The main reason for this trip to Springfield was the singing gig that Tim and I had at Drury University on Friday evening. We were hired to sing some musical theater numbers at a fancy Board of Trustees dinner, and it went really well! First of all, we looked smashing. Tim wore a nice suit with a tie that perfectly coordinated with my dress. The dress was lent to me by Angela (Thank you, girl! It looked amazing!), and consists of a celadon green, satiny under-layer with a black lace overlay. It has a black ribbon that ties around the waist and looks very elegant and sort of 50s-ish. I wore it with hot black peep-toe heels (also courtesy of Angela) and pearl jewelry, and the overall effect was quite nice. Our numbers (all sweet love songs) went really well, and we got lots of kudos afterward, which is always much-appreciated. It was nice to see some people we know and to just enjoy the fancy evening.

On Saturday evening, Nick, Dad and I went out to dinner at Cafe Roswitha, a nice little restaurant that has German dishes on its menu, in addition to other fare. The chef is a nice German lady with whom we visited at length. I had chicken salad and Nick had a PB&J, but Dad indulged in Rouladen, as he really enjoys German fare. It was all delicious, and we capped it off by sharing a piece of blackberry pie. Yum!

So, that mostly sums up the weekend. The downside to going to Springfield is the lack of exercise, but I'm going to be back at the gym tomorrow to start making up for lost time. I no longer believe that I'm going to be able to get down to 140 by Thanksgiving, but if I just hold steady where I am, that will be OK, too. I can always try to drop a few more pounds after the holidays! Hope everyone had a good weekend, and have a good week!...

so, i lied

It turns out that my last post was not, after all, my last post before I head to Springfield. I forgot to tell you guys about the most zesty pendants that I found on Etsy! If you haven't heard of Etsy, it's a really neat website where people sell their handmade products, like jewelry. You can find really cool, unique stuff, and some of it is very reasonably priced. I found this amazing store on there called HomeStudio - they make pendants out of real Scrabble tiles, and they are the cutest, most whimsical things you've ever seen! I double-dare you to visit the website and NOT fall in love with these pendants. There are tons of designs, and they would make wonderful gifts for girlfriends. The best part is that they're totally reasonable: each pendant is $6.95, or you can even order a set of any four you'd like for $25 (you can get chains included with the set for an additional $10). Right now, they're offering free shipping, too! This offer ends on Halloween, so check it out and order soon if you're going to get any. And let me know if you love these as much as I do. I ordered 4 pendants (I can't say which ones, since some of you might be receiving them as gifts), and I'm totally in love with them. OK - now I'm really signing out for the week. :)

i guess i owe you guys a post :)

First of all, here are a couple of pictures for your viewing pleasure. The first is of me and Nick getting ready for the hayride out to the pumpkin patch during his preschool field trip yesterday. The second is of the three of us at the Great Pumpkin Patch in IL earlier this month:





Now, on to my post. After being chastised by my friend Rebecca today for not having posted in a while, I have realized that I guess I should post, especially since I'm going to be gone this weekend. It's weird - it's not that I haven't been doing anything this week (quite the contrary); the spirit just hasn't moved me to blog. It's sort of like cleaning the house or trying on clothes - I really have to be in the mood, or it's not gonna happen. :)

Highlights of this week included getting our flu shots (which, for Nick, was a MAJOR trauma, though quickly forgotten once he had three Thomas stickers in hand), Nick's preschool pumpkin patch trip, and my MOPS meeting today. The pumpkin patch trip was fun - good weather, though a bit too breezy for my taste! The kids had a lot of fun jumping from straw bales, checking out the petting zoo, and taking a hayride out to the patch to pick their very own pumpkins. The most interesting moment came when the male donkey in the petting zoo decided that he needed some lovin' and mounted the female with his stuff right on out there for everyone to see. The reason we could see it was because she kept moving forward, so he could never actually do the deed. We adults laughed at this, while the kids seemed to be blessedly oblivious. It certainly shook things up! :)

MOPS was nice today. It was a low-key meeting with lots of yummy food and convo, and a game whereby we learned very unique facts about one another. Among my MOPS peeps are a lady who has been on a professional women's football team, someone who has met Olga Korbut, and someone who can bend her thumbs behind her hands. Who knew? Very interesting stuff. The interesting fact that I supplied (which turned out to be not-so-interesting, compared to the others!) is that jobs I have had include newspaper obituary writer, medical assistant to a podiatrist, and Girl Scouts administrative assistant.

Tomorrow, I'm off to Springfield for my gig at Drury University with Tim. I'm going to get some shopping done while I'm in town, and will return Sunday. I'll try to get a picture of me in my gig finery and share it on the blog! Have a great weekend, everyone!

it's been a nice, but busy, week!

Hello, everyone! Sorry I haven't been blogging this week. I've been busy and just not inspired to blog. But, my week has been good. Midweek was fairly uneventful, but things perked up on Thursday, when I went to my friend Brigitte's house for a "singing party." Brigitte is a German woman who loves to entertain and also loves music and singing, and she likes to invite people over to eat and then sit around the piano and sing hymns and, in this case, Christmas carols (in October!). Her gatherings are always very "international" - she has this way of collecting friends who happen to be from all over the globe, and then bringing people together so that they can all benefit from knowing each other. She's at her best and happiest when entertaining and hosting friends. This time, there were several Germans, along with a few of us Americans, a Spanish woman, and a British woman. All lovely people! We ate delicious brunchy fare and then sat around the piano and sang, and it was really fun. I was sad when I finally had to leave to pick up Nick, and the party was still going.

Friday, Tim came from Springfield and arrived just in time to accompany me and Nick to the 399th Army Band chili cook-off and fundraising auction. What fun we had! We met Brian there, in addition to the rest of the band and many spouses and kids, and availed ourselves of the delicious chili - there were 12 batches in all, so there was no way one could try them all. My chili didn't win, but I didn't really expect it to. It's good chili, but isn't particularly exotic or "different." There was also cornbread, tortilla chips, various toppings for the chili, and dips. And, of course, there was a dessert table. Yum! (groan). After the eating, there was an auction of stuff we had donated in order to raise money for the band. There were some funny moments as people's "junk" was auctioned off - or, in some cases, virtually given away for free. :) All-in-all, it was a really fun afternoon of good food, good conversation, and laughter.

Yesterday evening, Tim and I went to the commissary together for some grocery shopping, which was fun because, well, pretty much anything Tim and I do together is fun! There's always all manner of ridiculousness, hilarity, and public embarrassment. :) It's all good.

After we were home for the evening, we worked on the duet that we'll be singing next Friday at our gig at Drury University - we hashed out the song itself and also our staging, and it's going to be really cute! It's a love song from The Fantasticks. Then, we spent some quality time with Nick, eating popcorn and turning off all the lights so that we could turn on our Halloween shadow lamp and ooh and aah at the effect. Nick loves that thing, and it has become an October tradition for us.

At almost 10 p.m., Tim and I went for a late-night snack at Wendy's, and then we almost got Tim his first tattoo, but the artist was working on someone already, and it was going to be a long wait. By this time, it was after 11, and we were tired, so we gave up. :(

This morning, we worked on our song again and then had a "fashion show" with my various dresses, shoes, and jewelry so that Tim could help me pick which stuff to wear for our gig, my cousin's wedding, and the Army Band Christmas concerts. Tim is so invaluable when it comes to these things, and I honestly don't know what I'd do without his input!

Tim has gone back to Springfield, and the rest of the day will be devoted to domestic chores, exercising, and just bonding with Brian and Nick. Tomorrow, I'm doing the usual Sunday Walmart trip, and in the afternoon, I'll be accompanying my friend Mike to the local high school choir concert. Should be fun!

Another busy week starts Monday, with flu shots, a pumpkin patch trip, MOPS, and my trip to Springfield!

monday, monday

It's a gloomy Monday here in central MO, but I'm happy to be back home and back into my routine. I hate the fact that I haven't worked out for four days in a row! But, I worked out today, and should be working out every day through Saturday, barring any unforeseen circumstances. And, I'm back to counting calories. Let's just say that I didn't eat very responsibly during our visit to IL. :) But, boy, did I enjoy what I ate! It was nice to eat at a couple of our favorite restaurants, and to see friends Carrie and Patty. We had beautiful weather for our pumpkin patch visit, but it was way too hot - mid 80s! Where art thou, fall? Nick really enjoyed staying in a hotel and sleeping in his own queen-size bed, and I rather enjoyed it, myself. I always like staying in a hotel. It feels so luxurious, and there are no chores to be done! All that I need to do is sleep, eat, bathe, and watch TV. That's the life!

So, I hope everyone's week is off to a good start, and hopefully, I'll have something worthy to post about very soon....

just busy!

I feel guilty for not posting in several days - I guess that means I'm a real dyed-in-the-wool blogger now, huh? :) I've just been rather busy, and really haven't felt compelled to blog about anything. Nothing major has happened - just life as usual. We'll be going out of town this weekend, so I probably won't be blogging for several more days, either. Sorry! Rest assured, though, that I'm alive and well (but not living in Paris). And if you get that obscure reference, then kudos to you!

BTW, did you guys watch the presidential debate last night? Very good stuff! If you haven't watched any of the debates, then you should really try to catch the last one (I think it's the last one) next Wednesday. And be sure and weigh in on my sidebar poll...

my son is a creepy stalker.

So, Nick is quite the ladies' man, and usually professes to have one or more girlfriends at any given time, most of whom are actually adult women. His latest obsessions have included moms of his classmates, my fitness instructors, etc. Well, we went to St. Louis recently and spent some time with my cousin Jessica, who is 28 and is, incidentally, about to be married. Since then, Nick has decided that Jessica is his girlfriend. (Let's face it - he's too young to understand the incestuous implications there.) Today when I was processing pictures, Nick saw a picture of Tim and Jessica standing together, smiling for the camera. He looked at it solemnly for a second and then said "Why is he standing next to her? He can't do that." When I asked him why, he explained "Because she's mine." (cue creepy stalker music) :)

new pics!

I just processed my latest digital pics, and now that I've pretty much lost all the weight, I thought I'd share a few that show the new me:

This pic was taken on the campus of Drury University in Springfield, when we were there for Alumni Reunion Weekend. We had a lovely stroll around the campus, enjoying the beautiful weather!





These were taken outside my dad's house as Brian and I got ready to leave for the alumni brunch on Sunday morning. (My dad babysat Nick for us!)

And here is a shot of me vogueing and showing off my buff upper body. :)

disappointments/new goal

I've had a couple of disappointments the past couple of days. First of all, I found out that the Army Band clarinet quartet gig at MSU will most likely have to be postponed until next semester, due to scheduling problems with the band. I was really looking forward to performing that Mozart aria with them! Oh, well - I just hope the gig does, indeed, happen next semester. Also, I found out last night that my friend Amber won't be coming today to visit. She's in St. Louis with a friend who is about to have a baby - Amber went there to help her out with the birth. They expected that she would have had the baby by now, but she hasn't, so Amber won't be leaving St. Louis today after all. Hopefully, the day she does end up leaving will work out for a quick visit here - she's going to keep me posted.

I was also a little disappointed to have gained a pound this week, since I feel like I've eaten pretty well and have worked out quite a bit, but that's OK, because it has galvanized me to set a new, very do-able goal: I would like to lose 6.5 more lbs. and get down to 140 by Thanksgiving. That's less than a pound a week, so I should be able to do it if I buckle down. I have chosen 140 because I think it might be a little low for me to maintain, so my thought is that if I can get down to that before the holidays, that will give me some leeway to gain a few pounds during the holidays without worrying about it. I think I'm going to end up leveling out at 145, so I just want a little wiggle room! Or I might end up deciding that as long as I'm somewhere between 140 and 145, I'm good. Anywho, here is how I'm going to lose 6.5 lbs. by Thanksgiving:

*Start really counting calories again, limiting myself to 1400 calories at least 6 days out of the week
*Start using www.my-calorie-counter.com again to keep track of my calories and to also make sure that my fat, sugar, fiber, and protein intake is desirable
*Continue working out for an hour most days of the week, maintaining a good balance of cardio and strength-training
*Start adding more jogging to my exercise routine, by jogging a mile after class as often as possible and using my treadmill at home

If I stick to this plan, I'm sure I can achieve my goal!

Have a great weekend, everyone.

sometimes ya gotta make a choice...

I'm feeling a little guilty, because I have decided to drop out of the Rolla Community Choir this semester, after having already attended a few rehearsals. The reason is that I was just offered a lovely paying solo gig for the very same day as the choir concert. And when one weighs a paying solo gig against a non-paying choral gig....well, the choice really isn't that hard to make. So, I shall have to go to next Monday's rehearsal to tell the director and turn my music in. Another plus of this is that I will save a ton of money on gas, since I won't be driving 50 miles round-trip each week for choir rehearsal!

I have realized that in the next 3 months, I have 5 gigs that I know of (3 of which are paid!), which is quite unheard of for me in recent years. The pickin's are usually quite slim for me, living in these small towns, but things seem to have come together for me this fall. On October 20, I will be singing a Mozart aria with the 399th Army Band clarinet quartet at their concert at MSU in Springfield. On Oct. 24, Tim and I have been hired by Drury to sing at a dinner - I'll be doing a Broadway solo and duet. On November 16, I will be singing at National Avenue Christian Church (NACC) in Springfield (not sure what I'm singing yet). In December, I will be performing two solos with the Army Band in their Christmas concerts ("The Man with the Bag" and "O, Holy Night" - what a dichotomy!), and on December 14, I will be singing again at NACC in their lessons and carols service - probably Messiah stuff, since that's sort of my "specialty". What an embarrassment of riches! It's going to be busy and stressful, but I say "bring it on!"

ode to october

October is here, and I am joyful at its advent. I'm not sure exactly what it is about this month that I love so, but it is absolutely my favorite month of the year. Perhaps it's the fact that I was married in October, or the fact that Halloween is in October. I think that for me, fall seems to really begin in October, you know? September is sort of like this odd limbo betwixt summer and fall, but come October - bam! Autumn is just HERE. And just as October is my favorite month, autumn is my favorite season. Also, I just love the way the word "October" sounds - it really rolls off the tongue, don't you think? (OK, OK - I know I'm bordering on the ridiculous here, but it's truly how I feel!) This weekend, I'm going to put out my fall/Halloween decor, and I'm looking forward to the cozy autumnal atmosphere it will create in my living room. (sigh of joy and contentment) Happy October and happy fall, everyone!

P.S. Just in case you were wondering and didn't feel like having to count, I used the word "October" exactly eight times in this post. :)

gee.....

...it's so annoying when someone who won't even reveal his identity asks nosy questions and not-so-subtly passes judgement on me and my life! Don't you hate it when that happens?

a nice weekend/the virus lingers

My weekend in Springfield was really good. We got there Friday evening, and my brother and his family came over to my Dad's house, where we all had pizza and visited. I don't get to see them that much, so that was really nice. Saturday morning, we headed to Drury, where we dropped Nick off at a kids' science activity. While he was doing that, we hit the bookstore, where I found cute Drury shirts for both me and Nick. After gathering Nick back up, we strolled around campus. It was a beautiful day, and Drury is such a pretty campus. We took a few photos, which I'll share someday, when I get them processed. :) Tim and my Dad met us at the Alumni Center for a yummy picnic (The vegan burgers were really good, and the amazing cookies and brownies were my undoing!), where Nick got a balloon "sculpture" of a dinosaur riding a motorcycle, and also got his face painted. And I scored a cool free Drury mug and pens. I love swag! :) The best part of the picnic, though, was seeing a couple of classmates for the first time since college. My friends Annie Stewart (now an RN) and Aubrietta Jones (who is now the Rev. Aubrietta Jones!) were there, and it was absolutely fabulous to see them again and get all caught up. They have both grown into such beautiful, capable women, and I'm full of admiration for them. Aubrietta actually gave the sermon at the special chapel service on Sunday morning (I didn't go to this, but I hear she did a wonderful job!). After the picnic, we headed over to the music building for the dedication of a new student lounge. I went to that mainly to get a chance to visit with my old choral director, voice teacher, and friend Allin, who is now the head of the music department. We lingered for quite a while after the dedication, just chatting and laughing, and that was really great. And as we were walking out, we ran into my niece Caitlin, who attends Drury and was leaving after a rehearsal of her string quartet! What a happy coincidence. Even though we were completely exhausted at that point, the day didn't quite end there. We left Drury (finally!) and drove to the Rutledge-Wilson Farmstead - it used to be a working farm and has now been taken over by the Springfield parks department. It's really neat! They have a huge corn maze, pick-your-own pumpkin patch, animals, and some really neat areas for kids to play and explore. Our visit was pretty cursory, since it was hot and we were so tired. We declared that we shall have to go back on a nice crispy fall day.

On Sunday, Brian and I left Nick with my Dad and went back to Drury for a really nice brunch, complete with blintzes, mimosas, and custom omelets. We met Tim and my sister and her husband there (My sister is also an alum of Drury), and we all enjoyed the good food and good convo. After that, Tim and I did a little shopping. Most notably, I got a really cool insulated stainless steel water bottle. I love it - it really keeps the water cold, and I feel good knowing that it's safer than plastic. Then, it was back to Dad's to get ready to come home. And here we are.

The other thing that happened over the weekend, sadly, is that this virus I'm fighting took a stronger hold on me and has really been doing a number! I'm congested and exhausted, and worst of all, I've almost completely lost my speaking voice. My singing voice is totally gone, which freaks me out a little since I've got gigs coming up in three weeks. Please wish me luck for a very speedy recovery!

last post until next week!

This evening, we're off to Springfield AGAIN, but I'm really looking forward to it. Tonight, we're going to have pizza at my Dad's house and watch the presidential debate. Tomorrow, we're partaking in various events at Drury University's Alumni Reunion Weekend. There's a fun activity for Nick, a picnic, and the dedication of the new student lounge in the music department. I'm also planning to hit the bookstore to see if I can find a cute Drury hoodie for Nick, and one for me, too. Sunday morning, we're heading back to campus for a yummy brunch, complete with custom omelets and mimosas! I really loved attending Drury, and have a fair amount of "alumni pride," so I like participating in this stuff whenever I can. Plus, I must admit that I'm looking forward to the shocked look on some people's faces when they see the "new me." :) I hope everyone has a great weekend!...

i met a hero today.

Her name is Kellie, and just a few short months ago, her 2-year-old son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. At the time of his diagnosis, his blood sugar was over 1000 (normal is under 100)! The doctors couldn't explain why he wasn't comatose or dead at that point, but thankfully, he wasn't. Since then, Kellie and her family have been thrust into a nightmarish world of giving her son multiple injections each day, constantly struggling to control his sugar level, and vigilantly monitoring every morsel that enters his mouth while trying to balance his insulin dosage. Kellie came and spoke to my MOPS group today about juvenile diabetes, and she told us how before her son got his insulin pump, she had to give him as many as 8 shots a day. She said he never smiled or laughed. Since getting his pump, he has become a happier little boy, but the pump is not without problems. She told us of a time when they were in Walmart with a full cart when his pump malfunctioned. She had to abandon her cart and rush him home, and had to give him shots for the rest of the day until she could get the pump working correctly. I asked her if the pump and glucose monitor he has makes it easier to keep his sugar level in the desired range, and she said "No. It's almost impossible to keep him in the correct range. I'm lucky if he hits it a couple of times a day - the rest of the time, he's swinging between levels that are too low or too high." It's a constant struggle for them, with no break. They must be ever-vigilant, never letting their guard down. Even something as "simple" as sending her son to preschool is fraught with problems - she has had to find a teacher willing to deal with his disease and has spent hours educating this teacher on how to care for him. Her son's pediatric endocrinologist is over an hour away, and is hard to get an appointment with, since he treats so many children. They have to deal with his disease, his equipment, his sugar levels, and the accompanying problems and malfunctions on a constant basis, and Kellie never gets enough sleep. My life is a complete and total cakewalk compared to hers. For someone in her position, it would be not only easy, but totally understandable, to just circle the wagons around her own son and her own family and not worry about volunteering or reaching out in any way. But Kellie somehow finds the strength and the time to come and speak to groups like my MOPS group, and to work with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to raise funds for research towards a cure. She is responsible for organizing a 5K here this weekend to benefit the JDRF. She amazes me. She is my hero. Before she left today, I gave her a check and a hug, crying while I told her that she is so, so brave, and her son is lucky to have her as his mom. Just thinking about it now, I'm crying again.

Type 1 diabetes is on the rise. In recent years, the diagnosis of this disease in children aged birth-5 has skyrocketed. Here are the warning signs:
*extreme thirst
*excessive urination
*drowsiness or lethargy
*increased appetite
*sudden weight loss for no reason
*sudden vision changes
*sweet or fruity-smelling breath
*heavy or labored breathing
*stupor or unconsciousness

Unlike type 2 diabetes, which tends to develop slowly as a result of lifestyle, type 1 diabetes strikes suddenly and can have dire consequences if not caught right away. Kellie said that the only signs they had before her son's blood sugar had risen to possibly deadly levels was a week or two of frequent urination and excessive thirst.

It can be hard to spot the signs in young kids, but if you have any reason at all for concern about your child, get to the doctor right away for a blood glucose test. And if you know another mom who mentions these symptoms in her child, please share this information with her. If you're interested in making a donation to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, go to http://www.jdrf.org/. And give some extra hugs and kisses to your precious children.

i'm a winner!

So, I was driving to Rolla for choir rehearsal, not even paying attention to the radio, when a quiz question caught my ear. The DJ wanted callers to tell him what "CD-ROM" stands for. I dialed, and after one guy gave the wrong answer, I got through and won a gift certificate to a restaurant! Whoo hoo! It was pretty neat, because I've never done that before, and it just happened totally out of the blue. Made my night...

addendum

The most wonderful thing happened today - my Jutta-friend called from Germany, and we had a nice, long chat! It made me very happy. She called while we were in Springfield, and I was so disappointed when we got home last night and I heard the message on the answering machine. So, when she tried again today, I was elated. I miss her so much, and it was so good to hear her voice and get caught up.

a productive weekend

On Saturday, I literally shopped from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Whew! It was a veritable marathon. But, it was very productive. I got another dress possibility for myself, a very handsome outfit for Nick to wear to the wedding, dress shoes for both me and Nick, shape wear (not Spanx, but I think it'll do), some miscellaneous shirts for me and Nick, jeans and cords, a bracelet, Bath & Body Works stuff, etc. And of course, I got great bargains on everything. :)

I also got my desperately-needed haircut, so I'm a much happier girl now! There's nothing quite like a fresh new haircut to put a spring in one's step.

Not much else to report, really. The weekend was pretty much all about shopping. Now, it's back to reality. :)

off for the weekend

Hey, peeps! Well, I'm back up 1.5 lbs. this week, but I'm OK with that. To be honest, I haven't been the caloric stickler that I need to be lately. I'm planning to resume that with a vengeance next week, to see if I can lose a few more pounds before my various upcoming gigs and my cousin's wedding. I went over to the home of my neighbor and friend, Angela, last night to try on her various and sundry fancy dresses (girl has quite the wardrobe!), and I actually left with a couple of strong possibilities. Both would fit better, though, if I lost just a few pounds. While wearing formal-wear, the importance of being able to breathe cannot be overstated! I'm really frustrated by what I call my "C-Section pooch." I'm really happy with my body now, and I'm so proud that I've lost all this weight and become a size 8. But when I try on dresses, even though I think they look great everywhere else on my body, I can't help but zero in on the pooch, which sticks out rather noticeably in a dress, particularly a shiny one. Grrr! People have told me to buy some Spanx shape wear, and I might have to look into that, though I hate shape wear about as much as I hate pantyhose. It's so unfair how uncomfortable it is for a woman to dress up properly! A man just gets to stand around in a suit being perfectly comfortable, assuming his collar isn't too tight, but we have to be all trussed up in hosiery and shape wear, trying desperately to keep our stomachs sucked in and smooth, all the while tottering on heels which are killing our feet! The inhumanity! :) OK - I think I'm done ranting about that now.

We're leaving this evening to head to Springfield for the weekend. I'm bound and determined to get up tomorrow morning and take a walk around my Dad's (punishingly hilly) neighborhood, after which the rest of the day will be devoted to shopping for a frock, among other things. Tomorrow night, we might head to the beautiful Jordan Valley park to enjoy an al fresco symphony concert. Sunday morning, we're heading to Cider Days, which is an outdoor street festival, after which I will go to my friend Tracy's house for a desperately needed haircut. I can't wait! Should be a nice weekend. I'm really looking forward to spending some time with my Dad and my Timmy-friend.

I'll be back on the blog next week....

it's that time of year again...

.....so I'll share one of my favorite fall snacks with you. For a quick, delicious, vitamin-packed autumn treat, scoop a snack-size vanilla pudding cup into a bowl and stir in some canned pumpkin. If desired, top with Cool Whip and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Yum!

awesome idea, and so cute!

If you're planning a visit to a large, crowded place, or if you're ever in a situation where you worry about your kids getting lost, you've got to check this site out! These are adorable temporary tattoos that are customized with your phone number. They were invented by a mom - ingenious!

more shopping goodness

It's funny - I've noticed that often, a day I end up categorizing as a "really good" day involves shopping. Specifically, bargain-shopping (but then, I don't really do any other kind). Today was such a day, to be sure. I dropped Nick off at preschool and then headed to Rolla, where I had an appointment to take some stuff into a used kids' clothing store for cash. Anytime I can hand over some of Nick's outgrown clothes and be handed a check for $50 ten minutes later is fine by me! So much easier than a garage sale. But, I still need to have one of those before we leave this place. I'm saving the bigger-ticket items for that, since I can get more money for them that way. But, I digress.

Check in pocket, I headed to JCPenney, that mecca for bargain-hunters. I left with a cute fall shirt - orig. $22, I paid $11; jeans for Nick - orig. $15, I paid $6.80; a dressy outfit (pants, shirt, vest, and tie) for Nick to wear to my cousin's wedding - orig. $33, I paid $21; and a dress possibility for me the wedding and various upcoming singing gigs (must keep my options open!) - orig. $50, I paid $34. So, not bad! At Walmart, I got myself yet another :) cute pair of shoes for $9, and at KMart, I got Nick a pair of cords for $4. But the best, most serendipitous thing of all happened at Big Lots. Later this fall, Nick will need a plain white sweatshirt for some art project they'll be doing at preschool. I've been keeping my eyes peeled, but it's surprising how very hard it is to find a white sweatshirt! Much harder than I would have thought. I walked into Big Lots and found an aisle where there was a messy hodge-podge of various sweat items, mostly in men's sizes. Well, buried amongst all of this was one lonely white sweatshirt in a size that will fit Nick, for $4! I couldn't believe my good fortune. Whoo hoo!

I picked up Nick and home we came. During his nap, I have been paying bills and catching up on online business. This evening, I have choir rehearsal, so the good day isn't over yet! I hope your day has been this satisfying...

a low-key weekend

Didn't do a whole lot this weekend. We kept expecting great rains from the hurricane, but they held off until last night. We did get a goodly bit of rain overnight and this morning. Just a blah, gloomy weekend, and a good one for staying in for the most part. Yesterday, I got out briefly and rented the first disc of the TV series "The Riches", with Minnie Driver and Eddie Izzard. So far, I like it!

Today, I had a long Walmart trip during which I spent way too much money and was frustrated, as usual, because they were out of a few things I needed. I did get a couple of cute new fall shirts for Nick - they have the faux short-sleeves layered over long-sleeves look. I think that look is so cute on him! But then, I think everything is pretty cute on him. :) I also discovered that there is actually an Equate night cream with retinol that is way cheaper than the expensive Roc night cream I bought - yay! It's nice to know that I can save a lot of money on that.

Tonight, I sang through some music and talked to Tim on the phone; we bandied about some ideas for our Drury (our alma mater) gig next month. We've been commissioned to sing for a hoity-toity donor dinner. We'll each do a Broadway solo and then one duet. I'm probably going to do something from either Music Man or My Fair Lady. Should be fun! I also worked on learning some of the music for my community choir. The director has picked some really pretty Christmas music!

All-in-all, a nice weekend. I'm ready for another week to begin - let's pick up the pace a little! :)

a good day

The first MOPS meeting went well, I think. A couple of the new people who had come to our registration carnival and registered and paid didn't show up today, which I thought was somewhat disheartening, but there were a couple of totally new people there, which was great! We all talked and ate and bonded, and my muffins were a hit. Everyone is really nice, and we all seem to feel comfortable with each other. So, I think it's going to be a really good year.

After that, I stopped by the band hall to see Brian and chat with the band guys I know, and I was able to get rid of the rest of my muffins there. :) I gathered Nick from Brian (Brian had picked him up from preschool), and he and I proceeded to the hospital, where I got my long overdue tetanus shot, in addition to the first of 3 Hep. A/Hep. B shots. And boy, did they hurt! The shot chick warned me that my arm will probably become quite sore, so I'm really looking forward to that. :) But, it's good to know that I'm going to be all up-to-date on all of the shots one needs (finally!).

I just had a one-hour nap, and am now using the rest of Nick's nap to catch up on a few chores and online TCB. Brian has a gig this evening, so he won't be home until 8:30 or 9. I think I'm going to use the time to do the dreaded task of pulling out all of Nick's fall clothes and having a try-on session. The poor kid hates it, and I don't blame him! Wish me luck...

yummalicious!

Tomorrow is my first MOPS meeting of the school year, and I just baked these muffins to take to the meeting. I got the recipe from a magazine (Patty - I think it was Wonder Time!). They're really good! Thought I'd share:

Easy & Delicious Banana-Blueberry Muffins

3 bananas, mashed
1 egg
1/2 stick butter, melted
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup frozen blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350, and grease a 12-muffin tin or line with paper cups.
2. Add egg and melted butter to mashed bananas and stir together.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, and salt.
4. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture and stir until just combined. Add blueberries and stir until just combined.
5. Spoon batter into muffin tin - it should come almost to the top of each cup. If desired, sprinkle with cinnamon and/or sugar.
6. Bake on center rack for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into centers of muffins comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool in pan for a few minutes; carefully transfer to a cooling rack. Makes 12 muffins.

headless chicken

Today has been one of those days that makes me feel like a chicken with my head cut off! I am just now, at 6 p.m., chilling out for the very first time. I got up at 6, got ready, got Nick ready, and took him to preschool. I went to kickboxing class, sweated my butt off, and then rushed home to have a snack and change before picking Nick up. Then, we rushed home (again) to eat lunch and brush our teeth before heading out to the dentist. We got home from the dentist (We both have fabulous teeth, in case you were wondering.) just in time to receive a phone call from an appliance repair guy from whom we'd been waiting to hear back about fixing our washing machine. He said he could be here in 10 minutes! I hurriedly got Nick in bed for his nap right before the guy arrived. After he left (to the tune of $80, only $28 of which, of course, was for the actual part the machine needed), I had just enough time to send some time-sensitive emails before heading to my first PTO meeting. I went to the PTO meeting, picked up dinner on the way home, and now here I sit. (long, slow exhalation)



I have an inkling that I'm going to be feeling like this a lot from now right on through the holidays. I'll admit - some of it I bring on myself, and is totally unnecessary. But some of it is just the natural busyness that happens this time of year, with school, etc. The next couple of months are just going to be crazy, though! What with MOPS starting up again, my choir in Rolla resuming rehearsals, working out, yoga, preschool, etc., I'm going to be very busy. And I don't mind being busy, to an extent. It's sort of nice to have things to do and places to be. But, I'm also easily overwhelmed, and sometimes I need to remind myself to just stop and breathe, already! I'm also going to have lots of traveling coming up - several trips to Springfield (an hour and a half away) for various events and singing gigs, the 25-mile drive for choir rehearsals, a trip to IL, a trip to St. Louis for my cousin's wedding, etc. Whew! I hate to think of the money I'll be shelling out on gas alone these next few months.



But, I'm grateful that I have a full life and have the health and wherewithal to be a busy, productive person. Wish me luck on this merry-go-round!

my baby's in REAL school!

It's really hitting me this week that Nick is in school - I mean, REAL school! See, his preschool is at an elementary school, so we're getting all of these experiences that most kids/parents don't have until Kindergarten. I mean, today he had his first school picture taken, and if I want to, I can join the PTO (What happened to it being called the PTA? PTO just sounds weird.). There's all sorts of fundraising, coin drives, BoxTops for Education, bake sales, etc. There's a fall carnival, and each grade is putting together a basket for a raffle. The preschool's basket theme is "bath time fun," so I have to go and get a couple of appropriate items. But the piece de resistance, in my opinion, is that I get to do Scholastic book orders! People, do you remember being a kid and getting those Scholastic fliers, and begging your parents to order cheap-o books for you? Well, now, I get to do it from the parental angle, and order books for Nick! What fun. I can't wait to turn in my first order. I know - I'm such a total dork. I just love all of this "schooly" stuff. I'm eating it up. I was a little disappointed that Nick didn't need much in the way of school supplies this year - that won't really kick in until Kindergarten. I just can't wait until I have to get him pencils, glue, folders, etc. I just love the look, feel, and smell of brand new, shiny school supplies, and I'm not ashamed to admit it! :) Ahhh - school days.