Why I like gift cards...

So getting a gift card for someone seems impersonal.  It doesn’t require much effort on the buyers part which doesn’t give you the satisfaction of knowing that you spent time thinking of the person you’re buying for.  HOWEVER, my thoughts about being on the receiving end of a gift card are quite the contrary.  Not that I don’t appreciate a hand-picked gift, but a gift card has infinite possibilities.  Getting a gift card starts my mind reeling about all the things I COULD buy that I wouldn’t normally buy for myself.  For instance, last year I received a Target gift card.  I could have used it to buy necessities like shampoo or detergent or whatever.  Instead, I said “No, this is a gift just for me and I can get whatever frivolous thing I want.”  I ended up getting an electric water kettle and a popcorn popper like we had when I was a kid.  It was all for me!  And no guilt for spending money I didn’t really have on myself.  That’s the best part.  Food cards are nice too because it’s like a special treat whenever I want.  If I’m low on cash one day, but really don’t want to eat at home again, I can whip out my gift card!  It’s a free meal!  Right now, I’ve got a Sephora card and an Occasionally Yours gift card burning a hole in my pocket.  I can use some of it now and some of it later if I want.  It’s a gift that keeps on giving.  I can use it all year long.  Plus, (not that I would ever do this) it’s not inappropriate to re-gift a gift card.  It’s just money passing hands, really.  I sincerely use up my gift cards, but if you have one you don’t want, feel free to pass it along my way.  I’ll find some use for it.  I do remember when someone gives me a gift card and think of them when making my purchase...though I may not remember what occasion it was for, but that doesn't make any difference to me.   Last year either for Admin. Professionals Day or for my birthday, my team gave me gift certificates to Milano's - one of my favorite food places.  I used those certificates many times.  I was even able to pay for a friend's lunch that wouldn't have been able to pay herself.  So I even "payed it forward".  My good deed thanks to your good deed.  Win-win for everyone.

What's in a name?

Addison is in her trying-out-names phase. Both for herself and for us. Lately, she’s been calling Greg and I “brother” and “sister”. It feels a bit like I’m walking around in a convent or something. And it’s usually just “Brother, can you zip my dress?” or “Sister, can I have a snack?”. Very strange. Yesterday she was telling me that daddy was her brother and I was her sister, so just to see what she would do I said, “Are you my brother then?”. She looked at me like I was the dumbest person in the world and basically chastised me for being so ridiculous. I got a lecture on how only girls can be sisters and only boys can be brothers. DUH! As for herself, she will announce on her way to daycare that she is no longer “Addison”. A few times she has tried on the name Kathleen. Sometimes she makes up a name that sounds kind of German or Russian…lots of hard consonants. I could never repeat it because I can barely understand it. Forget about spelling it. I’m sure it’s short of vowels. Sometimes she will have a secret name that no one can know. This makes it very hard to ask her to do anything because I never know her secret name. It’s a secret after all. Once or twice she has called us by our proper names. It’s very weird to be called my name by a small child, especially when it’s your own. I understand when people will introduce adults to children as Ms. FirstName or Mr. FirstName. I would hate to be called Mrs. Linard. Nobody calls me that. Calling me by my first name is just a little too casual for a child though. Kind of funny when it’s my kid. She’s so serious when she does it. I swear something possesses her from time to time.




Names are a strange thing. There is so much meaning behind a name and how you address someone, but it’s really just a name, right? Why is it so complicated? There are rules about addressing letters and envelopes. Other rules about addressing people in authority positions. Rules about how you address people you know well and don’t know well. And it’s so easy to offend if you choose the wrong one. Wouldn’t it just be easier if we called each other by our given names? Who decided we needed to add a Mr. or Mrs., or Doctor or Judge? We live in a weird world.

The new daycare

We switched Addison to a new daycare mostly because of issues we were having with the old one and Addison’s general unhappiness there. She cried and clung to me when I dropped her off and seemed glad to be going home most of the time. It was a battle every morning. We took a break over the summer, and perhaps she matured over the couple of months she was home, but I’d like to think it has more to do with her just being more stimulated and nurtured at her new “school”. She calls the old one the “Black Daycare” because they made all the kids wear all black pants and shirts. She’s excited to go into her classroom and talk to Ms. Beth. I only had an issue where I had to drop her off early and she had to have breakfast in the cafeteria and she had a fit about that for like, a second…and we had an incident last week where another student in her classroom got mad and pushed Addison which resulted in her face-planting into a chair. No injury other than a red mark which lasted the day and some hurt feelings, but I felt like they handled it appropriately and I was just relieved that a) it wasn’t her that was doing the pushing and b) they actually told me about it and wrote up an incident report. The other girl got a time-out from the group and her mom was going to get told. Ooooh! So glad it wasn’t me. Addison relayed the story to us several times and said how next time maybe she and the girl could put the doll away together so the other girl wouldn’t get mad. Who is this kid of mine? Anyway, her teacher is awesome and they encourage family to come to read to the kids, do projects, bring snacks or have lunch. I’m very excited to see her progress this year. She’s starting dance at the school on Fridays and if they attend consistently they’ll be in the Spring Program in May! How exciting!

P.S.  Greg reminds me that she also called her old daycare the "Bad Daycare" because they yelled at her.  You know, now that I think back on this, it really makes me mad because I thought she was being a bad kid...when in reality she may have just been getting yelled at for nothing...and really, no one needs to be yelling at my kid but me.  Especially someone who is supposed to be mentoring young children.  Thanks Greg. 

Costa Rica - Day 7

We're heading home today.  We got up at 4am to get the rest of our things together and grab our 5am taxi.  When we went to the front desk to turn in our room key, there was a hotel shuttle waiting.  The driver asked us if we needed a ride to the airport and we said yes.  He had 2 other guys he was taking and offered to drive us.  I told the guy at the front desk and asked him to cancel our taxi.  Didn't make sense to have to take 2 vehicles to the same place when there was clearly plenty of room.  The hotel guy got mad at the driver and basically told him not to do it again.  This didn't make much sense for many reasons.  The main reason was that the day before when we ordered the taxi, we were told that the shuttles don't run until after 6am.  Another reason was the hotel guy told me that the shuttle had been ordered.  So why did they order it for those two guys and not us too?
Anyway, we made it to the airport and just as we're walking away, the guy stops Greg and says the hotel doesn't pay for the transport.  So, Greg hands him a $20 and asks for change and the guy gives him $2 back.  Sheesh.  Taking a taxi would have been cheaper for sure!  We walk into the airport and have to pay our $26 tax to leave the country.  You have to do this before you can even get your plane tickets.  We wait in a relatively long line to get to the Delta counter.  Lucky us, we're picked for a random security check for our luggage.  Lucky again, they pick the worst bag to go through because it had all the rest of our food and was the most unorganized of all 3.  Apparently it met standards because they let us go through.  Then we stand in another security line where we have to go through the metal detectors.  We make our way to our gate and wait.  The Delta check in desk closes an hour before boarding and we weren't sure why until we saw all the same people show up to do boarding and perform another security check.  We had to have all our carry on bags checked, then went outside to be patted down, then got on a bus to get to our plane on the runway.  (It's a very small airport)  Finally we were up in the air heading to Atlanta.  We made it on time.  We then had to go through International check-in, pick up our bags and take them about 100 feet to drop them off again, go through customs and all that jazz, then we made it to our gate.
Off in the air again heading to Dayton and it was the bumpiest ride I've been on in a long while.  They had to stop drink and snack service because we were practically flying out of our seats.  They resumed service 20 minutes before we landed.  Finally we were home.  I'm glad to be home, but miss being on vacation and being in Costa Rica.  It was an awesome trip.

Slideshow of Costa Rica

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Costa Rica - Day 6

Sad day. It was our last day at the most gorgeous place on earth. No more chirpy geckos, no more howling howler monkeys, no more ocean view, no more sloth eating his mid-morning snack in a tree near the spectacular pool. We head back to San Jose today. Greg, Addison and I will be heading home early tomorrow morning.
After our last meal from Stefan (banana pancakes and fruit), we had our last ride with Juan. Juan was our driver, mangrove tour guide, and waiter at one point. He was amazing. He passed us on to another driver who took us some wacky way back to San Jose but got us there in plenty of time for mom & dad's tour of the city. Little did they know the tour of the city that the rest of us would get later.
After we arrived at Country Inn & Suites, Greg arranged through the concierge for a driver. Rather than a taxi, the Hotel contracts with a company that will drive you wherever you want to go for free. Can't beat free, right? Well. Maybe you can. The deal is two stops for free then you have to start paying. We loaded up in the van and headed for our destination. Or so we thought. Pablo, our driver who claimed he didn't speak very good English took us on a mini tour around the city. He showed us their Central Park and some other highlights of the city. He told us what to watch out for and seemed generally helpful. Then the fun began. We drive though some back streets and end up on some very shady looking, not heavily trafficked streets. He points out his parents house and says he lives right next door. Ok. This is getting weird. He said he knew of a place that he was taking us to - he's sure we'd be interested and not to tell ANYone because he could lose his job. This place, he says, has no signs an looks like a house from the front but inside is worth it. "Oh, God. This is where we make headlines" I thought. Sure enough, we pull in front if a double-gated white house and we get out of the car. A too-beautiful girl greets us at the gate and we walk into the house. If I wasn't nervous before, I'm certainly nervous now. We walk into a gallery of jewelry and. knock-off paintings. Two girls in this tiny house waiting to pounce at the slightest bit of interest. He explains to us how gold is made, then we have to watch a video. My skin is crawling and I want nothing more than to leave right now. I even considered just walking out the front door to wait outside, but I couldn't trust what was out there any more. They offer us free drinks - which thankfully no one took him up on and any slight interest in anything they were practically dressing us with it. I disappeared to the patio out back with AJ, Addison and Molly until everyone was ready to go. Then I made a beeline straight for the van.
Our next and final destination was the city. On the way Pablo takes us down a street where some guys were just walking up to cars begging for money. He says they are druggies and not to get mixed up with them. As soon as the sun goes down, they apparently get volatile and start using weapons. Ah, nice. Can't wait to get of this street. He drives us down a few streets instructing us to stay on this street and not go down this other street because of robbers and such. He apparently told Molly and Laura that they could leave their cameras and jewelry in the van if they liked but he had other people to pick up. Huh? Plus he had already pointed out the taxis to us indicating that we'd need them to get back. The whole thing was bizarre. Nobody ended up leaving their things, we took a very short walk through the city and found pretty much nothing but shoe stores everywhere. Greg and I got a taxi back to the hotel and thought Laura, Jim, Molly and AJ would be right behind us, but apparently they didn't get a taxi as easily as we did. Eventually we met up again and went to the cheesy souvenir shop we were looking for - only we walked there...and back. We got everything we needed, ate, showered, and packed. We're ready for our early morning flight and I pray for no troubles.
It's been a crazy day. We're almost glad to be going home mostly because we can't wait to get out of San Jose. Yucky! We're certainly not in Kansas anymore.
It's been a wonderful experience that I can't imagine ever doing this on our own. It was great to spend time with family and I had a blast. An experience of a lifetime that I'll never forget. Thanks to Brian & Kathleen for planning everything and making us feel like royalty and thanks to mom & dad for making it all happen.


-- Post From My iPhone

Costa Rica - Day 5

Today we awoke to the sounds of howler monkeys practically right outside our room. They are quite loud and ominous sounding. 5 am is when they get up in case you were wondering. They really should institute daylight savings time here. The sun comes up around 5 and sets around 6, so while you try to adjust to the time difference, you really can't because the sun is telling you otherwise. The geckos in our room making their silly kissy sounds are the sounds you hear before bed and when you awaken. This sounds like it would be a comforting noise - being kissed at, but if they are loud enough to hear then they are somewhere close. Like in your room, and I didn't find that very comforting.
Anyway our morning started with delicious French toast and fresh fruit...to be revisited later. We were leaving mid-morning for a boat tour near Manuel Antonio park. There was a lovely lady waiting for us when we arrived. She offered everyone motion-sickness pills (maybe that's why I call her lovely) and on a precautionary move accepted her offer. I thought "oh, I shouldn't need it, but just in case...cause it would suck to be sick on a boat". Our hosts greeted us cheerfully and immediately offered us drinks. Ah, another good idea. Perhaps if I load up on alcoholic beverages, I certainly won't get sick. I start off with a Piña Colada. I didn't get much further than that. I declined the next round and wondered if I was actually feeling queezy or if my mind was trying to psych me into thinking I might be sick. I'd soon find out because as everyone went to one side of the boat to watch mating turtles, I ran to the other side and rid my stomach of the yummy breakfast I had. Oh joy. To top it off, I think the driver was laughing at me. I don't speak a lick of Spanish, but even I could tell he was chuckling and telling the other guys. Mr. Drink-maker immediately came over and offered some Ginger ale and the other guy instructed me that if I laid down I wouldn't feel so bad. After I did, he gently rubbed a cold washcloth over my forehead. Such a simple gesture and yet it was such a comfort. Poor little Addison said her belly hurt too, though I couldn't really tell if she was having sympathy symptoms. She laid next to me with her head on my arm and she fell asleep while I dosed in and out of consciousness. We missed a lot of the boat tour, but honestly I didn't care by that point. We woke up when they anchored the boat for swimming and snorkeling. Everyone got in the salty water. Surprisingly bouyant! I mean it takes very little effort to stay afloat.
I felt better, but certainly not well enough for the fish and shrimp they prepared. I could hardly handle the smell.
After everyone finished eating, the boat guys wanted to try to sail. I've never been so glad for no wind. Since the sail couldn't catch any wind we boated back to the dock.
Thank God for dry land. We came back to the house and I tried to nap off the effects of the Dramamine, but woke up fuzzy and still with my sea legs, so everything STILL is in motion. I'm afraid I'll have boat rocking nightmares tonight.
It's our last night in the house. We head for San Jose in the morning.





















-- Post From My iPhone

Costa Rica - Day 4

We decided to stay at the house instead of going ziplining today. As much as I think I might have liked ziplining, we've learned over the years that (especially with a little kid) we need some down time with no expectations and total relaxation. It was quite rainy so we started with scrambled eggs and fresh fruit that I made. I thought I nearly ruined the pan because: a) French chef, I am not... And b) I don't think I've ever used a gas stove let alone one that is clearly designed for a professional, which clearly I am not. We saved the pan however and the eggs were good anyway. After breakfast, we went to the cinema room and watched a movie - or most of one. Very cool and Addison loved being able to go right up to the wall where the movie was being projected and followed the lines of animation with her fingers and touched Ariel and danced with her shadows. We continued our morning pretending the house was ours by just wandering room to room and chilling wherever we wanted. The cleaning people were there so we tried to stay out of their way as much as possible.
I did take a video tour of the entire house which is quite challenging when you're trying to avoid the staff. I actually didn't get the main level done until everyone arrived back at the house. Then the skies cleared and everyone was in the pool at once. For lunch, Stefan made a delicious salad with chicken, corn, black beans, cilantro, an assorted other brightly colored and finely chopped vegetables. I really need to start incorporated black beans into more of my foods. At dinner he prepared the fish that the deep-sea fishermen (Molly, Jim, Brian and dad) caught. I believe it was mahi-mahi.
Although we didn't have the fun ziplining stories that everyone else had, we had our own private bliss in a house way never get to experience again. For a few hours, we owned that house and no one else will have that experience.


-- Post From My iPhone

Costa Rica - Day 3

Day 3, we woke up early to get ready for our trips. Dad, Brian, Molly and Jim were going on a deep sea fishing excursion. Mom, Laura, Kathleen, AJ, and the three of us were going on a boat trip through a mangrove forest. It was quite leasurely and we saw a snake right off the bat. A little while later we saw white faced monkeys that came right up to the boat looking for food. One even got on the roof of the boat and looked each one of us in the eyes to see if we might have a scrap of food to give him. They are quite cute and expressive (until they bare sharp teeth). We saw some birds and the smallest anteater species sleeping in a tree. Finally we came back to our starting spot and I got some pictures of a lizard before we left.
Next we ate lunch at a little roadside stop that had awesome smoothie kind of drinks. Addison got a banana one which she devoured.
After that we came back to Casa Fantastica. Kathleen drove Greg and I into town with her so we could check into a couple souvenir shops. While on the way back we saw a sloth hanging off of a telephone wire. It was very cool to watch him slowly scratch his head and look around at a pace so incredibly slow. We then came back, enjoyed the pool and had a lovely dinner and went to bed at a relatively normal hour. Although, Greg did jump at a certain point thinking something had joined us in bed. I made him turn the light on to check and instructed him never to do that again.

-- Post From My iPhone

Costa Rica - Day 2

We had a delicious breakfast of French Toast casserole, fresh fruit and local chicken sausage then our driver came to take us to Manuel Antonio which was about a 4 hour drive. We stopped at a place called Crocodile Bridge on the way. This is kind of a touristy place which was a long narrow bridge with very narrow walkways on both sides and very fast moving cars and busses. You look over the edge and can see crocodiles hanging out in the murky water or sunning themselves along the river's edge. Kinda creepy with all the crocodiles, I think we saw about 7 or 8 of them. Plus it's a little harrowing to try to cross the bridge against traffic adding to the element of danger. We all piled back in the van and were off again to Manuel Antonio.
Next stop was a restaurant called El Avion. Right off the bat we see a spider monkey following along with us up the stairs. Soon, more show up and I think I counted about 6 of them. All looking for a morsel or two. One thing I notice here is that nearly everything (especially eateries) are open space. I haven't eaten anywhere yet that has windows.
El Avion is a restaurant designed with an old C130 that was shot down during the Reagan administration. Something like that anyway. So they've converted it into a restaurant and bar. The meal was pretty inexpensive too and I was a little thrown when the waiter gave me my change back in colones. I got something like 3,500 colones back. I used it for our driver's tip.
Finally we were on our way to the most beautiful place I've ever seen and might ever see. Our new home for the week was Casa Fantastica. It is absolutely amazing. It's like somewhere you'd see celebrities stay. 7 amazingly huge bedrooms each with it's own beautiful bath, a theatre, recreation room, exercise room, huge kitchen (with chef), bar/lounge area, and a gorgeous infinity pool with solar hot tub all overlooking the ocean! Heaven. We ate dinner, swam, and rested.















-- Post From My iPhone

Costa Rica - Day 1

Our flight was at 6am so we had to awaken at some ungodly hour. I think the only other time I had to get up that early was when we delivered papers. My body does not like me at that hour.
We got all our stuff together, fed the child and were on our way. Now, normally I am the one who gets hung up at security check points, but not this time! Yay me! It was finally Greg who loads up his bag with every electronic device invented. This time, it seems it was an issue with the camera, but after a LONG time, it was resolved and we were on our way.
We arrived at the gate very near the end of boarding, so little time to spare and I think my parents thought for a moment they may not see us.
The flight was fine (about an hour?) and we landed in Atlanta safe and sound to catch our next plane c-l-e-a-r across the airport. Why does it always work out that way? The gate was originally in the terminal in which we landed, but they changed it last minute according to Greg and his iPhone app. These things are ridiculously handy.
The next leg took about 4+ hours. It was quite bumpy! I left my seatbelt on for fear of getting knocked out into the aisle! Lucky me got stuck behind a man who immediately reclined his seat and left it that was the entire flight. This makes everything challenging. I got to read my People magazine VERY closely - literally. I made sure to bump inti the seat appropriately so he wouldn't remain too comfortable.
Finally we arrive in Costa Rica. Wow. Now I'm completely in a different country and I can tell. Everything looks different an I can't read anymore.
We get our bags and as we're leaving the airport and there are lots of men pressed up against the window with signs and such. Looked like drivers, but also looked like a place you wouldn't want to get stuck in. We went across the street to the predetermined pick up spot but didn't see our driver. I offered to go look for our driver and dad came with me. Somehow we ended up with like 5 guys pulling our bags. Apparently these guys just wait for tourists and have a smooth way of acting like they are the person you need. One guy even wrote our B&B's name on a paper and came at us acting like our driver. Then you have to tip them all.
Finally we made it to our bed & breakfast Casa Bella Rita. Note: the driving down here is harrowing to say the least. Crazy drivers and no rules! Anyway, the B&b was beautiful! In our room Addison had her own bed in a little nook in the room. It was awesome. Not much longer and the rest of our crew joined us.
The time difference is 2 hours. I think it's the first time (besides being sick) that I went to bed at 7:30!













-- Post From My iPhone

3 restaurant reviews all at once.

I’m so behind on restaurant reviews! I need to catch up.

So, a few weeks ago my mom and I went to Oregon Express. There was a band playing downstairs and it was quite loud, so we decided to go upstairs to the patio because it was much quieter. Normally, on a cooler day I imagine the patio wouldn’t be so bad, but it was warm and it had been raining all day, so the bugs were out in full force. It took quite a while for the waitress to come and acknowledge us and give us menus and all that jazz. It seems they are more used to the seasoned customer who knows where to get things, not newbies like us. We finally got to order and we went with the pepperoni pizza since they claim to have the best pizza in Dayton. Drinks were not filled as often as I would have liked. I can’t even remember if I got a refill at all…granted it’s been about 4 weeks. I just remember very slow service.



The pizza was good. I’m not sure it’s the best in Dayton, but it was good and I would gladly eat it again. It IS pizza afterall. How bad could it be, really? Oregon Express isn’t a place I’d crave to go – though I might crave the pizza and would be likely to get it to-go, but it’s not a place I’d choose to go to sit down and eat. I’d rather get the pizza and sit somewhere else to eat it. I’d go again, but as my mom says “only if someone suggested it first”.

Blind Bob’s. Oh, Blind Bob’s. I’m so confused by your door! When approaching Blind Bob’s there are two doors. Which one to pick? Which one? Oh, I’ll pick the WRONG one. Luckily (or not) our future waitress was right behind us as I picked the wrong door and directed us to the right one. Seriously. Is this a test? I get it. Blindly try doors until you find one that opens. It was pretty empty so we had our choice of tables. It’s a seat yourself kind of joint. So we picked close to the door so we could find it again.  No, really it was close to a big window and I preferred that to the dark bar-ish feel of the rest of the place. They had a pretty big stage, so I imagine it gets loud in there too with a live band.



We ordered the fried pickles to share and the ¼ pound burger. The pickles were soooo yummy. I had a taste for them for weeks afterward. Not as good as the ones you get at The Pub, but it is a very close second. The burger was not much. I mean, literally it was small compared to the giant bun they put it on. I was definitely eating more bread than burger. It might have been a 1:4 ratio of meat to bread. I’d try something else before I got that again. They did however have tasty looking “stuffed” burgers on the menu that I might try if I had a little extra time (they required more cooking time). Anyway, we both got the homemade chips on the side and a special dip – which was a sour cream and onion kind of dip. YUMMO! Just give me a plate of that and the pickles and roll me out ‘cause that’s all I needed. This is a menu that needs further exploration for sure…if not just to get the pickles again.



Last week we went to Franco’s. This is an Italian restaurant just across from the library and across the street from the Oregon District, but I think it’s still considered O.D. I occasion Franco’s. Like, I think I’ve been there 4 times in my life so I think that speaks of my opinion of it. I forget that I’m never blown away by it. I had the pizza (surprise, surprise) and my mom had spaghetti. We shared garlic bread. Nothing was spectacular. The spaghetti was just spaghetti, the garlic bread was just garlic bread and my pizza – while good and probably had more flavor than the spaghetti – wasn’t amazing. I remember now why Franco’s isn’t my first place to go. We did arrive late, but the check took way too long to get back and nearly made us late to the movie even after we asked for it. The staff was very prompt at taking our plates away though, which I appreciated. Nothing like a plate of uneaten food staring you in the face and tempting you to eat more. In my opinion, Franco’s is way overpriced for what you get.

It'll be a few weeks before the next installment of restaurant reviews because we won't be going to the movies for a few weeks...so until next time...(I'm not going to say bon appetit 'cause that'd be cheezy).

What's that smell?

So I'm talking with a co-worker about my frustration over the copy machine not working. Suddenly she's holding her nose and says "Oh my God. Do you smell that? It's so strong it's making me nauseous. I feel like I want to throw up!". This is pretty much verbatim. A little nervously (since we're the only two in the area) I say "No, I don't think so...what do you smell?". Still pinching her nostrils she says, "that cologne! The copy guy that just left had way too much on and I can't get it out of my nose! It's making me sick.". I say, "Huh. I don't smell anything." as I discreetly step back. She says, "Seriously, you don't smell anything? Must be my allergies making me sensitive.". "Maybe that's it.", I reply. Then I give her a sympathetic look, act busy and back away trying not to blush. I quickly slink to the bathroom to wash my hands because I realized she was talking about ME! I had just put on some hand lotion which apparently has a very strong cologne smell.
I wish that were the end of the tale, but it's not. She comes to my office a little while later and almost immediately pinches her nose again. Christ, I can't get this crap off my hands!! It's like friggin glue. My scarlet letter. "Oh wow. It's over here too. You really can't smell it? It's everywhere!". Now you might think at this point she might be obviously sending me a message, but she's not the type. She would be as mortified as I was if she knew I was the one carrying the offensive odor. But geez, let it go already. I moved out of the line of my desk fan so as not to blow the stench further in her direction. I'm dying partly of embarrassment and partly of laughter because an officemate of mine to whom I had revealed my mortification was snickering as she walked by when I was talking to the offended. I just sat there and giggled inappropriately to my co-workers odiferous woes and vowed to get rid of the lotion that has caused me so much grief. All this over some dry hands. I'd rather have cracked knuckles than go through that horror again.
In case you're wondering, it's B&BW's Breathe/Energy, Exhilarating Ginger Verbena. Ironic, wouldn't you say? I still think it smells good, just be warned you should only wear it in a breezy open field about 10 miles away from humans.

-- Post From My iPhone

Restaurant Review - Boulevard Haus, Oregon District

My mother and I decided that we were going to eat “around the Oregon District” this summer before our weekly movie night. We’ve also decided to not go to every Victoria Theatre movie this summer because some just really didn’t interest us at all, so we won’t be going out to eat each week…so this is a some-Fridays restaurant review.

The first place we ate was Boulevard Haus. This restaurant was formerly the Café Boulevard, which was a French restaurant. I had been there and the décor has not changed a great deal from the original place except I think the patio may have been expanded, German decorations and there is a little bit of a clearer view of the kitchen which I always appreciate. I think I like a view of the kitchen because it shows they really have nothing to hide…with the exception of Submarine House on Brown St…I’d rather I didn’t see that mess. Anyway, the menu has changed from French to German. You will find things like brats, sauerkraut, wienerschnitzel and cabbage rolls. And burgers. YES, burgers. They advertise traditional and contemporary German food, which I interpret to mean American Fare with a German influence. I thought a lot of things probably wouldn’t be found in a traditional German restaurant (which was fine with me), and they’ve even carried over a popular French dish from Café Boulevard onto their menu. Galettes – which they claim is made with a French/German buckwheat pancake. French/German? Oh, kay.  Must have been harvested right at the border.

Mom ordered sauerkraut balls for an appetizer and I will admit they weren’t bad. Quite rich, but not bad. Then she ordered some kind of bratwurst something or other. Basically grilled brats with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut. Just what you’d expect (from a German place, not from my mother).

I decided to go in a completely different direction and ordered the Pretzel Burger. Not to be confused with the very American Americano Burger which was probably pretty traditionally a typical American Burger. The Pretzel Burger on the other hand had crispy German onions, sweet German mustard mayo and served on a German pretzel bun. Delish. Of course, complimented by very tasty German Pommes Frites.

This is definitely a place I’d go back to. Perhaps explore more on the menu – although that burger was very good.  :)  The staff was very friendly, it's relatively quiet (inside anyway), and I never felt rushed.  Rating: A+.

Addison's new tricks

This is a video of Addison's latest ISR lesson

The grass

This is my new favorite picture.  I think it encompasses what Summer, childhood and being a girl is all about all rolled into one.

American Idol - Who will it be??

The entire show last night was overall unimpressive. I wasn't nearly as excited about it than last year. However, Crystal and Lee both did their best and it didn't leave me irritated at anyones poor performance. Who do I think will win? Let me start with who I'd like to win which would be Crystal. She is the most talented in my opinion. I also recognize the motions you have to go through afterward can be grueling and I'm not so sure she'd enjoy that part - making all the media rounds, performing at every awards show, etc. Maybe I don't want her to win because of all that. I think that Lee will win it. It seems like my favorite usually gets runner up or kicked off even before the final two.

Tonight should be a good show. Wonder if they'll do something special for Simon. I will miss him as a judge. It will be interesting to see who they pick as a judge.


-- Post From My iPhone

My birthday TEA

My co-workers surprised me for my birthday and took me to a delightful "tea" lunch at Basically British near downtown.  Here are a few pictures I took with my iPhone of the meal.  Each person gets their own pot of tea that you can pick from a menu book about 8 pages long.  This allows for sharing.  The embiance was lovely in a renovated old building.  The setting was fairly intimate with only 6-8 tables more or less, but a huge window floods the room with natural light.  The scents are fantastic with all the different kinds of tea leaves and spices mingling together.  It was - just lovely.

The only thing I didn't eat off that menu was the cheddar onion sandwich because my co-worker said it was very oniony, so I didn't touch it with a 10-foot pole.

Grandma and Addison

This is a picture of Addison with her great-grandma Louise.  She doesn't say her "L"s, so it comes out like Moo-eez.

This is another picture that makes me smile everytime I look at it because I know the sound that accompanies it, and it's delightful.  They were having a giggle.  The only way we could get Addison to smile for these pictures properly was to say "WEEZIE" as goofy as we could.  It finally got to her here.

This was also the day she told great-grandma Louise that she couldn't talk to her because she was too distracting.

Smashburger and blowers

I realized that I haven't recently posted any pictures of my ever-growing preschooler.  At her last doctor's visit she was exactly 36 inches tall and 31 pounds.  That puts her in the 10th percentile for height which basically means she's short.

About a month ago we went to Smashburger for the first time.  I would recommend it.  You can't leave without Smashfries.  I have to say I went back and ate in the restaurant recently and the fries are way better fresh and hot.  Rosemary and garlic and a little olive oil...mmm.  Makes a good fry.

Anyway, Addison is a bathroom explorer.  Just about any new place we go, she has to go to the bathroom.  Takes everything I have not to get skeeved out by some of the nasty ones we've seen.  Oddly, one of the worst is at T.W.I.G.S where she has her ISR (swim) lessons.  It's also very hard to hold 30 pounds up to wash her hands.  These places are NOT kid friendly bathrooms most of the time.  I've seen cute little urinals in the boys bathroom for little guys, why can't they put a little toilet in for the girls?  She's holding on to dear life to not fall in while she uses the HUGE potties they have in public bathrooms and since she's terribly independent, she wants to do it on her own which results in her fingers being wrapped around that nasty seat.  I need little seats and step stools or lower sinks.  Come on people!

Along with bathrooms, come hand blowers.  (I swear I'm coming full circle here.)  One of the most powerful hand blowers I've seen so far is the one at Smashburger.  It's a giggle to watch her startle every time you hit the button - even when she's expecting it.  Here's the picture.

AI: top 6 boot off

Well, a little too early Siobhan got voted off. I haven't been as impressed the last few weeks with her, but I certainly didn't think she was at risk for going home. Her farewell was kind of sad too. And yet, we still have Aaron and Lee who I always forget. Ah well.


-- Post From My iPhone

AI: Top 6

Simon ought to be loving this night since he loooves country music so much.

Lee, oh Lee. I really think it's time for you to go home. You're gonna torture me.

Mike - good song choice. I almost didn't recognize it and I think it was wise to pick a song that wasn't so mainstream as some of Shania's other songs. Good job!

Addison recognizes Ellen on the show since we watch the Ellen show. She says "she's not at her other home". Silly girl.

Casey - anyone notice that these interviews with Casey involve a sunny day and breezy winds blowing through his golden locks? Corny. The song wasn't bad, but it wasn't a favorite of mine. I don't think he'll go home for it this week.

Crystal - what a weird song choice for her. Not my favorite, but she'll be okay, I think (I hope). This bordered on trainwreck, but I guess they all have bad weeks.

Aaron - I'm still surprised he's made it this far. This is one of my favorite songs "you've got a way"... But I think it may send him home.

Siobhan - really? That's a Shania only song or at the very least a Karaoke performance. I only liked the end, but the rest was terrible.

New judge thoughts? I think Katie Perry would be a good Simon replacement, but then Randy would be way outnumbered. Any other thoughts?

-- Post From My iPhone

A most disagreeable child

At 3 years old, Addison can be the most disagreeable and argumentative person I've ever met. You could say the grass is green and she will vehemently argue otherwise. Case in point: we were at the grocery store last weekend standing in line with our food on the conveyor when a man joined in line behind us. Addison rather loudly informs me, "there's a lady right there". Of course I have to turn around to see and was faced with a fairly obvious male. I discreetly leaned over and whispered in her ear, "that's a man, not a lady". "NO, THAT'S A LADY BEHIND US. SHE'S IN LINE.". Okay then. End of discussion. I cannot argue with her at this point and cause a scene, so I guess she won.


-- Post From My iPhone

AI boot off

Okay, I am mourning the loss of Andrew, but I guess I knew he wouldn't last much longer. I'm glad to see Katie go --- but WHEN will Tim go? Jeez.


-- Post From My iPhone

Video of Addison playing in the "rain"

She wanted to play in the "rain" so we dressed her up in her rain gear and let her have at it until her teeth were chattering.  She had a blast.

Addison wanted to play in the "rain"

AI Top 9

Aaron - that was the longest song ever. He just doesn't blow me away. Kara says at this point you have to be great and he's not.

Katie - I didn't find it as fabulous as everyone else did. I mean it started out much better, but she brought her Katie sound into it and I lost interest.

Andrew - I LOVED IT!

Mike - not my favorite performance of his, but I like the song, so I could kind of overlook it.

Crystal - great! I actually think her cold made it sound better.

Tim - damn you teethy Tim. I actually liked it. Grr.

Casey - he really seemed to get into that song. It was very impressive.

Siobhan - willl she scream or be mire conservative? Guess she went conservative, but man, that was weak! That was just weird. She might possibly be in the bottom 3 tomorrow. Hopefully it's not time for her to go home yet, but I didn't care for it.

Lee - not bad and I love Hey Jude. What was the point of the bagpiper though?

-- Post From My iPhone

AI: top 10 boot off

Now we have to watch movie promos during the show?!? Brother.

Really? Didi over Tim and Katie? I don't know if I can take another week of Tim.

BTW, the beauty of DVR'ing the show and watching it back is that I'm not subjected to nonsense like PDiddy and his Dirty Money.


-- Post From My iPhone

Top 10: AI

What IS it with Kara and Simon?

Siobhan - oh dear. That was pretty terrible. She's been knocked down a couple notches on my list.

Here's a perfect lesson... Ellen = real tan (she was just in Orlando taping her show)... Kara = spray tan. Just in case you don't know the difference.

Casey - not bad! I thought it was great and one of his best yet even though he seemed a bit nervous at first. I liked it and it was the perfect song for him.

Big Mike - he did a great job too. I worried because it was a slow song and that usually kills the contestant but it was good.

I don't get the celebrities wearing shades inside. How can they see?

Didi - am I the only one not surprised that Didi cries nearly every night? Poor Usher. Looked like he was slowly backing up from the weeping chick. Okay, so that was pretty good though it seemed measured so it was a bit boring near the end, but I think she mixed it up enough to make it alright. Siobhan did worse tonight in my opinion. I'm confused about why she wouldn't say what the song was for. Weird.

Tim - I'm so over you Tim and your goofy faces and too white teeth. Boooooorrrrriiiiiinnnnnnggggg....zzzzz. Huh? What? Sorry, I think I fell asleep. Timmy, go home.

Andrew - I love Andrew and I loved this song. I would totally buy an album of his. Nice.

Katie - I knew before it started that I probably wouldn't like it. When she tries to pull of the girl-power, strong female she comes across as a little girl playing dress-up. I didn't like her outfit either. Nobody is looking good in those shorts jumpers. Trying to look more mature she ended up looking younger.

Lee - not my favorite. He did okay and is probably getting closer to his "sound". This is his genre. He might do well to go the country/rock route.

Crystal - heels? What have they done to you? I still love you. It certainly was a different performance for her. It was good! I was a little worried about the piano - seeing as how the whole point last week was about getting out from behind the instrument, but she got out from behind the piano and surprised us all.

Aaron - it was good, but didn't blow my socks off.

Fun fact: Simon is allergic to lambs wool.

-- Post From My iPhone

Top 11 boot off

Admittedly we are watching both yeaterdays episode and tonights all at once. We got busy and by the time we looked at the clock the whole evening had gone.

Tim and Paige in the bottom 3...sounds appropriate.
How odd that Miley Cyrus is a mentor...but surprisingly I wasn't as annoyed with her as I thought I'd be. She acted like a professional and had valuable criticism.

I thought Didi sounded pissed and frustrated. I'm also surprised that Aaron wasn't in the bottom 3.

What the? I totally disagree with Katie being in the bottom 3. I think this might be a case of people thinking other people are voting for her. Usually when this happens I think it opens the fans eyes and they truly start voting properly.

The Jonas/Demi Lovato song was true to the Disney saccharine of a lot of their Disney kid collaboration songs. Cheesy.

Yay! Paige is gone! I don't even need to hear her sing for redemption. I already know! But what a blow for her to NOT be able to sing it. Yikes.

-- Post From My iPhone

The lady at the bus stop

I saw a homely looking woman waiting for the bus last week. Don't get me wrong, because around here the bus transport does not have a good reputation and those that use it are not looked upon favorably even if it's a choice. Anyway, back to the lonely woman. There she sat on a sunny, clear almost Spring day. Waiting. She was dressed relatively poorly - trousers too short for her tall frame, baggy shirt and jacket and a large bag holding any number of treasures. Even her shoes had seen better days. She wasnt particularly attractive. What struck me most about this woman was the sponge curler smack dab in the middle of her forehead. All I could think of, or wonder about was who was that curler for? She obviously had to have had it in for some special occasion later, right? She could have taken it out before riding the bus, but this seemed purposeful. Some big occasion that she'd patiently wait for her bangs to curl over her forehead. Was she planning on a romantic interlude? Perhaps just meeting with an old friend. Maybe even just visiting with family. So, here I am wondering what she did later and wishing it was worth her efforts to look pretty and hoping that someone else noticed.


-- Post From My iPhone

American Idol Top 12 boot off

Orianthi - she really rips on that electric guitar.

Not surprised about Paige and Tim being in the bottom three, although I was a little surprised about Aaron NOT being there.

Ke$ha - boy, I thought the 90's produced the worst decade of music so far, but with artists like this and Lady Gaga, this decade may take the prize. Whew.

Grrr. Another week with Paige. Alright America, let's get serious here. Sorry to see Lacey go.

-- Post From My iPhone

Top 12: Rolling Stones week

Rolling Stones is kind of a strange choice of musical groups, but whatever I guess.
Michael did okay.
Didi I wasn't so crazy about. Maybe it was the song?
Casey - maybe this was a more appropriate challenge for him. He's done better than the previous two and I liked the guitar. He looked so nervous and soo excited.
Lacey - it was interesting, but I'm not sure it was good enough.
Andrew - I didn't like the song choice. Wasn't impressed, but I still have love for Andrew.
Katie - not bad. I think it might have been one of her best. Not my favorite. She reminds me a teensy of Kathrine McPhee only not vocally as good.
Tim - hmmm. He makes goofy faces. He seemed off a bit. I liked the song and the arrangement, but he was kind of pitchy to me. Maybe I don't know the song.
Siobhan - quirky little Siobhan. She was gorgeous! The song lingered at the beginning but I think it got better toward the end. Not a personal best for her, but she's a strong singer. He always ends well. Is that an Edward Gorey tattoo on her right arm? Sorry mom, but that's cool.
Lee - am I repeating myself every week? Maybe I'm contradicting, I don't know cause I'm not looking back. He's not my favorite. I'm sure I've been pretty consistent about that. That said, he did pretty good. I liked this performance more than any of his past ones.
Paige - if she doesn't go home this week...I'll be disappointed. She just can't sing those lower registered. And it was a stupid song for her. She struggled with her voice this week? She struggles with it every week. Seriously. They'll think differently when they hear it back.
Aaron - oh yeah, I forgot about him. He's got a ways to go. I think with age he'll get better but I don't think he's better than anyone else performing.
Crystal - amazing! And how cute was her dad?!

-- Post From My iPhone

AI Top 16 boot off

Who went -
I can't believe Paige made it through! Not that Kaitlyn did any better, but that means somebody else will have to leave that may not have deserved to go.

Todrick - I'm not surprised. I also realize that when the guys get kicked off and have to sing they usually do the best job ever. The girls - well, not so much. And they are just a blubbering mess!

I would have been very upset if Andrew hadn't made it through I did feel a little bad for Alex. He's just a shy guy. Maybe he'd be a better recording artist and not so much a stage performer.

So back to the girls. Katie and Lilly. I knew this was going to happen when Paige made it through. Neither of these two deserve to leave and I think they both had more to show. When it came down to it though, I'm shocked it ended up being Lilly. Seems like she was surprised too.

Now we have our TOP 12! This will be interesting!


-- Post From My iPhone

AI Top 16 boys night

Lee - hmm. He actually did pretty good! It was a good song choice. I believe he'd be a decent country singer.

Alex - again a pretty good performance. The boys are kickin' it tonight! So, about Alex. He's not my favorite because he's a nose singer. He doesn't consistently impress me.

With Paula gone, Kara actually makes a good judge. I think Paula sucked her smart brain cells out. I find that she gives the most helpful and constructive criticism. She actually sounds like she knows what she's talking about...usually.

Tim - one of my favorite songs. Didn't blow me away, but it wasn't terrible and he's cute, so I think he'll be okay. Nobody does it like Jason Castro did (swoon).

Andrew - Christina Aguilera, huh? Interesting. My favorite of the boys. I'm glad he went back to his roots, kind of. This was weird to me though. Not sure why but I think maybe it sounded kitchy or something.

Casey - it was okay, but it wasn't the best of the night. Too slow and I'm not sure I liked the arrangement.

Aaron - yuck. I think he pulled a Paige. He let his nerves get to him. Certainly he'll get kicked off. And what was with his jerky movements?

Todrick - I think it was too much. It sounded too much like a gospel song and his runs were all over the place. I'm sure somebody would like it. Not my kind of music.

Michael - I didn't like it. The beginning was weird. He picked it up in the middle, but it was weird to me.

-- Post From My iPhone

AI Top 16 girls night

Katie - oh wow. She was so flat for most of the song. It really was not a good song. She's got chops, but she might not make it through this week. I thought it sounded pretty bad.

Siobhan - looks like the wardrobe department got to her! She looks good and I thought she did a great job especially since it was mostly acapella. She's got talent and great control.

Lacey - a Brandi Carlisle song is the perfect choice for her. That said, I was a little underwhelmed by her and I'm not sure many are all that familiar with Brandi Carlisle. Maybe I'm wrong. I agreed with Randy that it was her best performance so far, but I dunno. Was it good enough for her to make through?

Katelyn - Carole King reincarnated (well, except for the fact that Carole is still alive AND she sounds nothing like her). I didn't think it was great. She's in the running to pack her bags and head home this week. And ew! The head tilt! Stop it!

Didi - she reminds me of Ingrid Michaelson. That's who I've been trying to remember. It was decent but I was hoping there would be more to it. It was safe though and I think it showcased her style and her voice.

Paige - what? That was simply terrible. I think she knew it too.

Crystal - no one could have pulled that off but her. Awesome!

Lilly - a little weird. I usually really like her, but I didn't like this much. Maybe I'm still reeling from Crystal but it was strange.


-- Post From My iPhone

AI top 20 boot off

I said it before and I'll say it again - Fox, you are insulting me by showing me a lip-synched performance by a bunch of amatuers. I will not watch the group performances if I can help it. Booooo!


First to go - John Park (I'm not sure he was the worst if the boys)
Next up - Jermaine - not surprised

Girls
Michelle - I'm kind of surprised by this because I'd thought she'd stay a few more weeks anyway, but I'm not totally surprised since her performance wasn't stellar yesterday.

Haeley - oh my GOD! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I was starting to form an ulcer over her. Whew!


-- Post From My iPhone

American Idol Top 20 girls

Crystal - she's great. She's original. She's refreshing. I'm glad she's back.

Haeley - of course she's singing Miley Cyrus. You can't see me but I roll my eyes continuously while she's talking, singing, breathing. Blehhh. She blew it anyway.

Lacey - better than last week but she started out rough. It did get much better at the end so I hope people can look past the first part. She is very nervous.

Katie - I thought it was great. The advice she gets is inconsistent and confusing. If that's her style, that's her style. There aren't many good young artists for her to emulate.

Didi - hmm. The arrangement was very weird. I'm not sure I liked it.

Michelle - it wasn't the best. Not the best of the night and not her personal best. Kinda disappointed. And she had some bizarro gloves on.

Lilly - I still love her. It was a strange song choice, but it was okay.

Katelyn - I had my doubts with a Coldplay song, but I thought it was good and showed a different side of her. Her head tilting when people are talking to her reminds me of a curious puppy. It's kind of annoying.

Paige - I wasn't watching her sing, so by not seeing her I thought she was identical to Kelly Clarkson. It was good but they are always talking about being different and not sound like the original singer and I think she could have been an impersonator.

Siobhan - she has a different style for sure. And she's a little odd. I am so over this song. "think" and I don't think it was her best. She hit the high notes well, but it wasn't all great.

-- Post From My iPhone

American Idol Top 20 boys

So rumor has it Crystal B is suffering from diabetic complications. We'll see if that's true.

Mike L. - pretty good! I like that he went a little bluesy tonight. It actually made more sense to me than last weeks performance.

John P. - the song was sooooo sloooow, which I think hurts the performers because they have such a short time to sing and we feel like we don't hear much, but I think it sounded pretty good. I thought it was better than last week.

Casey - hmm. What was the whole thing with the box. Grr. I hate surprises. Not the best performance of the night...though I liked the guitar bit. He didn't impress me tonight though.

Alex - it was nice. He has a bit of a Jason Mraz sound about him. He still looked nervous as hell.

Todrick - I didn't think it was better than last week. He sounded a little off. Seriously? They booed Ellen? There's a reason we have judges.

Jermaine - what the hell happened to your hair, bro? Don't do that again. Okay, so he's not my favorite guy, but it wasn't terrible...well not like nails on a chalkboard, but if I could, I probably would have changed the channel. I think he might go home. He was a little sharp I think especially at the beginning. And NObody, but nobody can do Marvin Gaye but Marvin Gaye, so don't even try. I better not hear any Barry White either.

Andrew - love him! He's one to beat (or not!)

Aaron - that is a 16 year-olds song. Bleh.

Tim - I wanted to like him, but I can't. Listening to him sing is disappointing. He's cute, but he's not singing well and certainly doesn't stand out at all.

Lee - I've said it before, he sounds too much like anyone else. I would not buy his albums. I don't think he'll go home, but I don't want him as my American Idol.

-- Post From My iPhone

Top 24 kick off night

In case you weren't watching, this is who got booted:
Janell
Ashley (was surprised by this, I thought there were others that did far worse)
Joe
Tyler

Why, oh, why America must you put me through such torture to listen to Haeley another week.

I don't agree with most of these, but it's alll about the votes and we all know that America makes weird decisions.

-- Post From My iPhone

AI top 24 night 2

Todrick Hall - I'm not much of an R&B fan, but this kid has a way of rearranging a song like none other. I like him. He's brilliant. I think the judges were totally wrong. In one breath they are telling contestants that they have to make the song their own, and the next breath they are saying it was too much. Where is the happy medium? I agree the runs were a bit much, but I can overlook that.

Aaron Kelly - didn't blow me away, and if you wear braces or a retainer or whatever, you really need to have it removed during competition. That slight wet, smacky sound I hear is like nails on a chalkboard to me.

Jermaine Sellars - this kid is cocky and needs to watch it. He didn't impress me much either. The beginning was weak. The rest he screamed. No thanks. He definitely thought he did better than he did.

Tim Urban - who got cut? Hmm. I'm going to have to look into that. He's a cute kid. He'll have to do a lot better if he really wants to go further. I think he may get cut tomorrow though. And there is something weird he does when he's singing to the camera.

Kara ~ honey, somebody overdid it with the bronzer tonight. I'm just saying.

Joe Munoz - ok, when he started singing I thought he was singing in another language. He could probably do well, but he was verrrry nervous and you could hear it.

Tyler Grady - he's a little different, but I think I like him. I like that he brings a retro taste. Vocally probably not the best, but I want to see more...just cause.

Lee Dewyze - oh yeah, I remember him. Props to those who can play an instrument and sing at the same time. Needs work on the vocals. He fell flat a lot when he was holding a note. I don't think it's time for him to go home yet. Be careful about sounding like Daughtry and Nickelback, Chasing Cars and all those bands that kind of sound the same.

John Park - didn't hear anything special from this performance. His runs were all over the place and he wins the prize for worst song choice of the night. He's cute though. Maybe he needs another chance.

Michael Lynche - he's still here. Gotta love the media blowing things out of proportion. I truly think they make things up sometimes just to see how far it will go. Anyway, I want to like Michael. He sings okay but it's a little too much in his nose. He also has really weird song choices. Not wrong necessarily, but not anything I'd expect him to be singing.

Alex Lambert - a mullet? Please don't bring that back. The plastic sunglasses are bad enough. I didn't hate it (the performance). He seemed a little terrified. He also looks way older than 19 to me.

Casey James - no fair trying to make him laugh Kara. I think it could very well have been the best of the boys. I wish my hair looked like that.

Andrew Garcia - I've heard better from him, but he might be my favorite male performer.

-- Post From My iPhone

AI Top 24 night one

Paige Miles - I don't remember anything about thus girl in auditions. Did they even show her? Well, don't get used to it, I think she's going home. I think the nerves got to her. Here's a hint; don't clap on the mic, it drives the sound guys nuts. And I think if the judges heard it back, they'd change all their minds. I thought it sounded terrible.

Ashley Rodriguez - she could be a Jordin Sparks look-a-like. She's got an amazing voice. And nit nearly as annoying as Jordin was. Not sure it was a great song choice...but I think the sound was off too. She also doesn't take criticism very well. I think she's going to be fine.

Janell Wheeler - wasn't great, but she's good. I think these first few weeks are the worst because they really tone back the band so all you're hearing is voice and that's hard.

Lilly Scott - how do you get your hair that color? The song seemed slow at first, but she really showed herself, which the others haven't done yet. She stays true to herself so it's a matter of whether America is going to like her since she's so different. I think she's one of my faves.

Katelyn Epperly - good performance, maybe best of the night, but this is not the kind of song she'll be singing, so I feel like it was a safe choice just to keep her in the game. She's smart.

Haeley Vaughn - oMG!!!!! Make it stop, please. Lay off the glitter too. Please. She's precocious. Please put me out of my misery.

Lacey Brown - not many people can pull off "Landslide" and I'm not sure she did. It was okay and got better as she went along, but as far as originality, I think Lilly did better. She's cute though. I'd like to see her again.

Michelle Delamor - she looks like Leona Lewis and Alicia Keys. I'm not sure that was a good song choice just because she seems more of an Alicia clone. She did awesome though.

Didi Benami - good song choice for her. She knows what to sing. She's original, and has a great voice. Reminds me of a certain blonde haired girl from a previous year that I was pulling for, only better.

Siobhan Magnus - I hate this song. I hated it a little less, but it was terribly dull and slow. I hope she makes it through. She won't win the whole competition I don't think, but she's got potential to make it far.

Crystal Bowersox - I love her, but I question whether she can appeal to the masses. She's committed to music, you can tell that, but is not committed much to the show and I have to wonder if she can handle the stupid tours and commercials and stuff. I love her voice. She does seem a bit out of place here.

Katie Stevens - she's mature for her age. I'd never know she was 17. I like her. She'll be hard to beat. She's the whole package.

-- Post From My iPhone

American Idol picks Top 24 part two

Janell Wheeler - You know, everyone says "this means so much to me" "this means the world to me" "this is what I'm meant to do" or "this is my life" etc. etc.  I wonder if people really think they are the only one who believes that.  Whatever.  This girl really needs to step it up.  She did really well at the beginning, but got worse as it went along.  I hope we see better from her.

Tyler Grady - He's quirky.  Acts cool.  Weird look about him.  I dunno.  We'll see.  Frankly, I'm a little surprised he made it through.

Lacey Brown - she's cute.  A little different.  I don't remember her singing though.  I don't remember her from last season either.

Ashley Rodriguez

Alex Lambert

Joe Munoz

Crystal Bowersox - I really, really really like her.  She definitely needs to do something about her teeth though.  I can't wait to see more from her.  I think she might be my favorite.

Katie Stevens - Another of my favorites.

I'm kind of glad that chick with the super weird glasses didn't get through because she would totally grate on my nerves with those things.  Who thinks that's cool?  Bleh.

Lilly Scott - I really really like her too.  She has a unique sound and I think she'll do well.  I'd like to see her go far.

Paige Miles

Shioban Magness

Michelle Delamore

Jermaine Sellars

John Park

Tim Urban

Haley Vaughn - Oh, holy hell.  What are they thinking?  What are they doing?  For everyone's sake, I hope she doesn't last long because I find her even more annoying than Jordan Sparks.  She makes my brain hurt.  I can't watch her, I can't listen to her.  Oh please please please make her go soon.  Unfortunately she's too young and pure to to have any kind of hidden pending convictions or surprise dismissals, so JUDGES, I BEG you - get rid of her before my brain starts melting.  Anyone who has to wear that much glitter and sparkle is too young and not ready for this competition.  And STOP SMILING!

Thaddeus - even though he didn't make it, we may just see him again since BIG MIKE's (from yesterday) dad couldn't keep his mouth shut and may have gotten him eliminated.  But, I'm not sure I can take his weeping again.

Andrew Garcia - Yay! 

American Idol Top 24 picks part one

Here's my breakdown of the top 24.

Michael Lynch - big guy. He's a good pick. Don't see him making it to the top 12, but he's alright for now. Oh, and he looks kind of funny with a guitar cause he's so huge.

DiDi Benami - I like her. She's got a good voice, good potential. So far shes picked perfect songs and i think thats part of the challenge. She can go pretty far, but again, I don't think she'll take it all.

Katelyn Epperly - she doesn't stick out for me. Her hair is cool, but that's about all I ever remember.

Casey James - he reminds me a little of Jason Castro only not quite so airheaded. I kind of like him. Let's see what he brings.

Aaron Kelly - meh...I'm not impressed yet. He's a kid.

Lee Dewyze - again, not impressed. He sounds like every other deep throated singer on the radio right now.

Todrick Hall - he must be good if he was on Broadway, right? Was it broadway? I haven't seen much of him, but he's a'ight.

Okay, I likes the Jessica chick t the end - until the end. Wow. That was uncomfortable.

-- Post From My iPhone

Pre-school

Addison started in the pre-school class at her daycare when we returned from Walt Disney World last week. The first day (as expected) was rough for drop off since she'd been out for 3 weeks because of her hospital stay, then we kept her out the following week because of holiday and leaving for vacation and then we were in Florida for the week after that. She worked herself up into a frenzy of nerves and anticipation about going back to daycare. We were greeted with a new routine when we arrived: new room, new place to put her coat and shoes, etc., but her teacher came over with her as well as a few girls from her toddler class so I think there was enough familiarity to not be so overwhelming. Since she couldn't see me after I left the room she stopped crying almost immediately.


So, she liked pre-school class except for the fact that she keeps saying she doesn't want to go back to the pre-school class. Trust me, she likes it. She practically leaps into the center now and is excited to turn in her homework. Yes, she has homework. The first day wasn't so bad and seemed age appropriate to me. The other days it seemed way too advanced and she didn't have fun with it. In fact, it was frustrating to her because she didn't know the answers we were trying to help her come up with and we were frustrated because we're not teachers and don't know how to help her. To me, that does not make a good homework assignment for a 3 year old. It should be fun, not like homework. She's just 3. I get the whole concept of getting the parents involved in the whole learning process of a child, but I think we all felt it was a little too much. At this stage learning should be fun.

The other thing is they make them wear uniforms. We got 1 long sleeved black shirt to last the whole week. She has to wear solid black pants too. It's quite boring and dull and it makes me think that they look like an urban militia or gang or something. I try to liven it up a little with bright hair bows and crazy socks, but in reality it's just a drab black uniform. They're not even going anywhere, so I'm not sure why they have to wear the uniform. Maybe it's my fault. Maybe Addison was looking too darn cute for everyone else in her cute outfits that they had to tame everyone down and make them all look the same. This seriously stifles our creativity...hers and mine and limits her decision making about her appearance in the mornings. I think it's time to find a new daycare. We need choices and we need to look CUTE! Black is not flattering. Even Clinton and Stacy would agree that head to toe black looks terrible.

NEW American Idol season

How excited am I that Ellen DeGeneres is the new American Idol judge? I can't even tell you. What could be better than my favorite comedian and my favorite show all wrapped up in one? I think she's going to be awesome and bring an element that has been missing. With Simon leaving (allegedly) next year, I think this will be a welcome change - if Ellen decides to do it again next year. I was afraid she'd be funny all the time and wondered how she would be able to give honest feedback when she's such a "nice" person, but I think (I hope) we'll all be surprised. I've watched her show for years now and I know that she can bring a serious note when it's necessary. She has a great reputation among her peers, so I think with her connections and all the other judges connections, we'll see more celebrities making appearances on the show. I suspect that all the celebrity judges at the beginning of the show was a precursor to Simon leaving anyway. I like that part and hope to see more of it. This show needed re-vamped and that's what they're doing. So far, so good.




Just a side note, I can already tell which people are going to drive me nuts this year. :) Hopefully most of them won't make it past Hollywood week.

Addison's New Mickey Sunglasses

These were Addison's new flip out Mickey sunglasses that we got at WDW.  She was so cute, but didn't want her picture taken, so I had to take her by surprise.

This is Addison's 3 year picture. She's looking so much older now!

ECard Picture from Disney

First Season 9 American Idol blog

Not much to say about it yet, but SKII BO SKI?!?! Are you kidding me? Why do they do this to me? And the big, black, angry "la la" guy---might have been the funniest thing I've seen. I loved all the big bald guys swarming in from the woodworks to chest-bump him out and down the elevator. Nice. And "Pants on the Ground" will haunt my brain. Props to a 62 year old dropping to the floor in near splits. How many of you can do that AND get back up? Yeah.


-- Post From My iPhone

Addison getting her breathing treatment

Addison's first hospital admission...

We ended up taking Addison to Urgent Care all the way out in Springboro on Monday night because they took the UC out of Dayton Children's (which is about 5 minutes from our house). We thought she had the flu or something, but her breathing was bothering me and the fact that she hadn't eaten for 2 whole days and was barely drinking. Well, they ended up transporting her over to Dayton Children's because it turns out she's got RSV.  She was admitted Monday night and we're here to stay for awhile. She's hooked up to oxygen and IV's, still not eating and barely drinking. She sleeps all day and when she's not, she is barely alert. She has (infrequent) bouts of wanting to tear everything off - who wouldn't?, but for the most part she's taking it all like a trooper. She has come to hate all the people touching and staring at her and she looks pathetic. She may have a touch of pneumonia which may contribute to her rapid breathing and we're teetering on having to admit her to ICU. They are trying everything to avoid that. Greg got a touch of it too, but it reared it's ugly head as the flu. Now he just has laryngitis to my surprise and delight! He's sore from coughing and - well, all the stuff that came before that, but he's a big boy.

Anyway, here we remain in our single occupant room. Yay for being contagious, right? And because of her severity we got to move to a nicer room. Gotta find the good in it I guess. The other good thing is that the oxygen makes a sound like the bubbling pond outside her bedroom window at home and her new antibiotic pump has a whistling like a windy day. That must bring some comfort, although I find myself having to pee more often.

Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day and she'll perk up a bit.  We're all a little tired of this scene.  The staff here at Children's has been nothing but stellar (although when a 2 year says she has to pee, we don't have 5 minutes to wait for a nurse to disconnect her from everything - poor thing, she's still giving it a good effort).  That's my only complaint.