Ahhhhh, summer!

Technically it's not summer yet, but with all these storms it sure has felt like it! Speaking of storms, I got some real cool photos of a front line moving into the neighborhood the other morning. Liv and I were the only ones up, so we sat on the front porch watching it move across the sky. I think I might send these to Tom Skilling!





Father's Day was kind of a wash out, but we had lots of fun outside the day before. We went on a long bike ride and then busted out the old slip and slide while we were grilling out in the backyard. Olivia wasn't a big fan, so we'll have to see how she likes the water when we finally make it to the pool. But she sure looked cute in her suit!!



Ethan and Abby were having a blast as usual.....







We also have another reason to visit the backyard! Six baby bunnies! Kevin was just about to mow Saturday morning when he noticed one hopping around. Thank goodness he found the nest before he started to mow! They are so cute and fluffy! Most have left the yard already as of today, but I think there are still a couple of them back there hopping around by the fence. The kids have had fun watching them and putting out carrots. Ah, summer! You gotta love it!

What A Day!

Abby might totally kill me for this, but I HAD to blog about it. Yesterday was one of those days. You know the one, moms. The one where NOTHING goes right no matter what you do. The kids are fighting, you can't seem to accomplish anything you've set out to do, there isn't enough coffee in the world - and you feel like you want to go back to bed, get up and start over again. Please tell me you've had one of those days.

Kevin ended up having to work a little later yesterday and it was Abby's parent day for tumbling. He said he would just meet us there. So I decide I have enough time to vacuum upstairs (where there is still carpet) because it's looking a little shady. I notice this black craft pom pom on Ethan's floor that the vacuum didn't pick up. I tell myself I will go back in a pick it up when I've finished vacuuming because I don't want Olivia to get it. But I forget because something else distracted me. Big shocker, right?

So I get Abby's tumbling leotard on her and change Olivia's diaper and all that jazz. While I am packing the diaper bag, I hear Abby having a regular sneezing fit in her room. I ask if she's okay and she tells me she feels like she has something up her nose. I think nothing of it and tell her to get a tissue and blow it. She does. A few minutes later, more sneezing. An outrageous amount of sneezing. Then all of the sudden I realize that, HELLO, she's sneezing because there's something up her nose. I try not to panic before I get the real story.

"Abby, did you PUT something up your nose?" To which she blinks at me and answers, "I sniffed a fuzzy up my nose." I feel my extremities go numb, but I remain calm. "Abby, what kind of fuzzy was it?" She smiles at me. "A little black fuzzy. Only now it's up there and it won't come out. It hurts a little, mommy." AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I screamed in my head.

Then I'm all, "Abby, we HAVE to get it out or I have to take you to the walk in care." Shouldn't have told her that last part because then she started crying and SNIFFLING. So I try to keep her calm and help her blow her nose. Nothing is coming out. I am asking her which nostril it's in and tell her to farmer blow. She lets out a big one and the little ball of evil shot out - WHERE? Right onto poor Olivia's top!!! You probably think I am making all of this up, but let me tell you folks... you cannot make stuff like this up. You just can't. Lulu was right in the line of fire because she was worried about sissy's loud crying.

So like any good blogger mom, I took a picture of the culprit. And here it is! It's small, about the size of a large green pea..... gross, huh??



On a happier note, here are some other pics from AFTER the incident. I didn't get any good shots of Abby in the gym because they didn't turn out and also because I had to take Olivia out. She wouldn't stop running over to the equipment.


Doesn't she look like a little gymnast??


All of 'em...




Me and Ab - this is the first actual picture of me in quite a long time! I am always behind the camera, but I'm trying to remember to get in some of the pictures. Otherwise the kids will think they didn't have a mom!!


Ab with Daddy


Lulu Beans

Well, that's all for now. Hopefully the weekend will be much more uneventful!!!!

Molly's Music for the Week, June 13

Keane. They are my pick for this week. Love them! Keane is a three man band from East Sussex. What I loved immediately about them was that they use an old, distorted piano as their lead instrument. Not guitars. Cool, right?



They had lots of trouble getting any recognition and finding a label to sign them for quite some time (why, I don't know - they are sooooooo god) until Simon Williams (dude that discovered Coldplay) attended one of their gigs in London. Williams got their first single 'Everybody's Changing' released and things just got better from there! 'Hopes And Fears' is the first album and is loaded with amazing, thoughtful tracks.



'Hopes And Fears' was released in 2004, won them lots of recognition and even a few awards. It was the second biggest selling album of the year in the UK. Another thing that is so amazing about this band is the way they give back. They performed at the Live 8 concert as member of the Make Poverty History foundation. During 2005, Keane got major props in the US due to their extensive touring and a series of gigs opening for U2. Not too bad, eh??? Here are a few of the singles released from 'Hopes and Fears.' My favorite has to be 'Everybody's Changing.' It's about how at different points in your life, you just feel like the square peg in the round hole. Everybody is doing new things, moving on and you just feel stuck like you don't fit in anywhere. I'm sure most of us can identify with that feeling during at least one point in our lives. Take a listen.....



Here is another single called 'Somewhere Only We Know'



And here is 'This Is The Last Time'



'Under The Iron Sea' was Keane's next album and it is VERY different from 'Hopes And Fears.' They use guitars!!! But it's still just as cool. The idea behind this album is 'sinister fairytale world gone wrong.' See, you like it already! The artwork on this cd is super cool...



'Crystal Ball' was the first single released, I think. And then 'Is It Any Wonder' where you can totally hear the U2 influence. 'Crystal Ball' just talks about how you're trying to figure yourself out and get your crap straight. How you sometimes wish that you had a crystal ball to tell you what the future holds and just reassure you that you're not messing up too bad and that everything is going to be okay. Check it...




Love this song!


So, I hope you will run right out and buy these two albums. Rumors are that a new one is scheduled to be released in Sept of 08. Be on the look out for that! That's all for this week. Next week I have to blog about a girl band (or at least a band with a girl singer) because it's been all dudes thus far. Who will it be??? Come back and see!!! Peace!

Don't Just Stand There, Bust A Move

I did it. I signed up for a dance class. It's been years, but I couldn't take it anymore! Something is missing from my life and I think it's dancing. I'm starting out with an adult hip hop class on Tues nights from 8:30-9:30. It's a well known studio in the area and I hear the instruction is amazing. I am so stoked! There will be a recital as well, so I will let you know when that is if anyone wants to come. They have a wide range of classes - adult lyrical ballet & jazz, jumps & turns and even belly dancing!

Basically what prompted this whole thing is watching 'So You Think You Can Dance' on Fox. I didn't realize how much I missed dancing until I started watching this show. I asked myself, "why am I NOT dancing?" I just lost ALL the friggin baby weight from all three kids (so to speak - 5 more lbs to go, but we'll see if I can actually maintain it) so I can't use the out of shape excuse, my nights are pretty open and this place is literally right down the street. I couldn't come up with any reason not to do it!

Wish me luck (that I don't hurt myself) and I will let you know how it goes! I'm checking out the class/instructor tonight and the next summer session begins July 7. Until then, I will be watching SYTYCD and drooling over all of the beautiful choreography and looking forward to busting my own moves!

So You Think You Can Dance!

Woot woot! My favorite show is back! But will it be as awesome as last season?? I don't know - it's too soon to tell. This season there seems to be a LOT of contemporary dancers, where as in previous seasons there was much more diversity. Last season was amazing. They had an insane cast! For those who didn't not watch it, I HAVE to post a couple of my fave dances!

Well, my favorite girl dancer from last season had to be Lacey. She was the younger sis of the previous season's winner Benji. They are the talented spawn of the king of swing - Buddy Schwimmer. Lacey is kick a$$ because she's obviously an amazing dancer, but she's super funky, has a rockin body without being scrawny thin AND has a great personality. Here are a couple of my fave dances with her in them.....

Lacey and Danny - dancing the Samba



Lacey and Kameron - dancing contemporary



I will be trying to blog about each show this season and some more of my faves from the previous three seasons, but we'll see what happens. For now, enjoy these videos and keep watching the show!! It's so good!!

It's Potty Time!

I did NOT think I would be blogging about this so soon, but I am so proud!! We have been putting Olivia on the potty here and there since she was about 16 months old ust to get her used to the concept. We talk about it and I just bought the VERY annoying Elmo's Potty Time DVD for her last week. She watches it all the time and talks about using the potty. So funny!

So this morning she had to boo boo and I tried sitting her on the potty, but she wasn't having it right then, so we just kind of moved on. Then tonight after dinner, she was saying how she had to boo again. So Kevin just took her up and she DID it!!! I know it's premature to be this excited and she is just 20 months old, but we are so happy! Yay, Olivia! Time to go get us a potty chart, stickers and some tiny littles skivvies!

Molly's Music for the Week - June 6

I didn't have a hard time with this weeks pick!! Jamie Cullum! We went to a Cub's game last week with our friends Joe & Becky and we were telling them how great he is. He's jazzy/blues, but in an offbeat sort of way. We came across his live show on Direct TV's free concert series one night a couple of years ago and have been hooked ever since!



The first album we got was 'Twentysomething.' It was released in '03 and went platinum - making it the #1 selling jazz studio album in the UK. It's such a cool album. Basically he has a few of his own songs on it, but most are jazz remakes of some VERY cool songs by other artists - Wind Cries Mary (Hendrix), High and Dry (Radiohead) and Frontin (Pharrell Williams) just to name a few. He even does some songs with his brother Ben, who he claims to be one of his biggest musical influences.

One of the coolest things about his live shows (tho I've never been to one YET) is that he doesn't EVER have a set list. He improvises and most of his shows last over two hours. He's super fun to watch because he doesn't just sit still at the piano - he's jumping around, using the top of the piano as a stage AND a drum. He's from London, 28 years old (young talent is awesome) and stands at barely 5'4'' tall!!!

Here is his awesome version of 'High and Dry' by Radiohead - cooler than Radiohead I think!!



Here are a couple of other faves....







"Catching Tales" was released in 2005 with the major single 'Get Your Way.' I like it equally as much as 'Twentysomething' but for different reasons. He did some more songs with his brother and Pharrell Williams, so it's quite jazzy and super fun to listen to. Take a little listen to 'Get Your Way.'



You can always find out more about Jamie at his website: http://www.jamiecullum.com/
I will NEVER get sick of listening to these two albums, but I think he's due for another one soon! Hint hint, Jamie!!

Stay tuned for next weeks music pick! I don't know what it will be yet!