Maddie Can-Can Dance!

Maddie's dance recital was held over the weekend. (It was titled "We Can-Can Dance," hence the title.) It was a crazy, crazy weekend, to say the least.

Thursday night was the leotard rehearsal, and the thing that stands out most to be about that night was the way all of these parents of these kids just let them have free reign over the Opera House. Toys and food were everywhere...kids were RUNNING up and down the aisles. It was amazing and depressing at the same time, knowing that there are parents who just don't teach their children to have respect for anything anymore.

Friday night was the dress rehearsal. All the kids were so cute!! Everyone was contained to dressing rooms the entire evening, so it was a much calmer night. However, our dressing room was located on the 3rd floor - no elevator, no air conditioning. No fun whatsoever! My poor legs would cramp up the second I would start walking up those stinking things! I can walk a mile every night, and it never bothers me. Give me stairs to climb....all bets are off.

Saturday night was just beautiful. I've never been so incredibly proud at any moment in my whole life as when my little girl took the stage to dance. Her and both of her classes did so wonderfully and did everything they were supposed to.

It was just so emotional for me - I miss dancing SO much! Watching all of those girls - young and old - reminded me of when I was young and dancing. I remember being on that very stage all dressed up and smiling under the bright lights. I guess maybe it kind of reminded me of how old I am and how I don't move well anymore. Whoa is me moment? Maybe. But I was happy to have the opportunity to experience this all with my daughter.

Anyway, here are a couple of Maddie's pictures that she had done the Tuesday before the recital:

Baby Ducks (ballet)

Boogie Woogie Piggies (tap)
And finally, this is when she was getting ready to go out on the stage one last time for the grande finale on recital night:
That's all from now...

Signed, Proud Mama!

Been Awhile...

Gosh, the last time I posted was on May 14th! Let me see if I can catch up on everything as quickly as possible.

First of all, Maddie graduated from Preschool on May 21st. All of the kiddos were SO cute, and I am going to miss seeing them all every Friday at drop off. But my goodness...I have a Kindergartener now!!!

Maddie is getting ready to be in her first big stage recital next week with Jane's School of Dance. She gets to be a piggy for her tap routine, and she gets to be a baby duck for her ballet routine. Bad part is that she and I have to be there Thursday night for the leotard rehearsal, Friday night for the dress rehearsal, and of course the recital on Saturday night. It's going to be REAL fun dealing with 20 four year olds back stage all night! Of course, I'll post pictures...

Mackenzie potty-trained herself in two days this past week. We've been sitting her on the potty for quite some time, mainly because she just wanted to sit on it like Maddie did. We were never actively pushing her to potty train, though. Well, the other day, she actually peed in it, and that's all it took. Now, we keep her stool next to the potty, and when she needs to go, she runs in, climbs up, pulls down her pants and sits down. I'm absolutely 100% amazed. It took Maddie 2 years to potty train and Mackenzie 2 days.

My absence, mainly, has been from working on replacing our floors. This project has been almost a month in the making so far, and we're still only about 1/2 done. Here is the most current picture of what's been done:
We still have to remove the spacers from the wall and install quarter-round trim all around it. I'm also going to be finding new area rugs to put under the table and between the couches. I'm so thrilled with how it looks, though!

Nothing to report health-wise, which I guess is a good thing. I still have the same annoying little things that go on, but I'm used to them by now. For the most part, the drug combination that my Neurologist has me on is working very nicely.

I think that's about it. Seems like there's a million other things that I needed to say, but in true ME fashion, I have forgotten...

Mommy's Day!!!

Mother's Day 2007 is in the books now, and it was a GREAT one.

We had been planning to go out to lunch somewhere nice, but everything was either too pricey or booked up. I decided to just have the Mothers come over to my house for lunch, instead. This worked out really well. The night before, I had made Gazpacho and Salad for us to have (so that I wouldn't have to cook that day), and Mom picked up a bucket of chicken for the guys to eat. The weather was PERFECT - very sunny, 70 degrees, slightly breezy - so we spent most of our time outside.

My Mom gave me a $25 Mastercard gift certificate and some Oolong loose-leaf tea (ie, Chinese tea - my favorite), a tea ball and a new tea mug.

Phil did EXCELLENT and scored MAJOR brownie points. He had a book made for me with pictures of Maddie and Mackenzie from birth through now. It's a really nice leather-bound book that has the pictures laid out and printed on the pages in the book. When he gave it to me, he handed me the giftbag and said, "Here's your gift...I'm going to McDonald's now to get your breakfast." He KNEW that I would sit there and cry while looking at the book - and I did. I think I've already looked at it 50 times...it's just such a wonderful gift!

I spent the day talking with my Mom, Mother-in-law and my Grandmother and playing with the girls. I couldn't have asked for a nicer day! Then, to top it all off, I got to watch the Survivor: Fiji finale and reunion show all night last night!!! YAY! What a day!! : )

Everything else is well...work is steady, I'm feeling fairly well, no one is sick right now, etc. Oh, I DO have to share what my dear little Mackenzie got into on Friday.

Yep...that's my lipstick...all over her face, her hands, my carpet and my walls! Fun times.

Also, a few other things...Maddie's preschool class had a Mother's Day tea on Friday, and it was SO nice. The kids served refreshments to their Mommies, we got a little gift (a hand-painted clay pot with a flower in it), and we heard a story that brought us ALL to tears ("I Love You This Much" - the kids sang the tag line in the story to us afterward, which was incredibly sweet!).

We are getting ready to dive into a whole BUNCH of home improvement projects, so I'm sure this blog will turn into my place for before and after pictures. We bought Pergo laminate (like wood) flooring for our downstairs, and it was delivered yesterday. I can't wait to get it down!! Also on the list...expanding our deck out back, painting Mackenzie's room (Soft Lilac), painting our master bathroom, and tiling our master bathroom.

Whew...I'd better get busy!

A "Grumpy" Monday Funny

Just a little funny that I got via e-mail over the weekend. Thought it would be a nice "Monday" thing to post:

9 Things I Hate About Everyone

1. People who point at their wrist while asking for the time.... I know where my watch is pal, where the hell is yours? Do I point at my crotch when I ask where the toilet is?

2. People who are willing to get off their ass to search the entire room for the T.V. remote because they refuse to walk to the T.V. and change the channel manually.

3. When people say 'Oh you just want to have your cake and eat it too'. Damn right! What good is cake if you can't eat it?

4. When people say 'it's always the last place you look'. Of course it is. Why the hell would you keep looking after you've found it? Do people do this? Who and where are they? Gonna Kick their asses!

5. When people say while watching a film 'did you see that?'. No Loser, I paid $12 to come to the cinema and stare at the damn floor.

6. People who ask 'Can I ask you a question?'.... Didn't really give me a choice there, did ya sunshine? 7. When something is 'new and improved!' Which is it? If it's new, then there has never been anything before it. If it's an improvement, then there must have been something before it, couldn't be new.

7. When something is 'new and improved!' Which is it? If it's new, then there has never been anything before it. If it's an improvement, then there must have been something before it, couldn't be new.

8. When people say 'life is short'. What the hell?? Life is the longest damn thing anyone ever does!! What can you do that's longer?

9. When you are waiting for the bus and someone asks 'Has the bus come yet?'. If the bus came would I be standing here, dumbass?

Hee Hee!!! :)

We're Finally Having FUN!!!

Whew!

The last two weekends have been a complete whirlwind. So much fun, so little time. Here are the highlights:

• Last Saturday (the 21st), I met up with Jessica and Amy from the OvuSoft boards. They are both just completely awesome!! We met at Jessica's house in Louisville...the kids played...us girls talked incessantly like we were childhood friends catching up from a lifetime of happenings. It's amazing how you can obtain such valid and incredible friendships from an online message board. I have found this to be true time and time again. We are planning to get together again very soon - and often!
• Also last Saturday night, Phil and I attended the Mercy Me/Audio Adrenaline/Aaron Shust concert at Rupp Arena. It was an awesome concert. Now, if you have read this blog long enough, you may know that I am a MASSIVE Audio A fan - have been since they started WAAAAAAY back about 16 years ago. Well, they are "retiring," so this was the last chance I would be able to see them. I was a bit disappointed because 2 of the band members were MIA and were replaced with IMPOSTERS, but it was still good to be able to see them one last time. And yes, I was a complete AA GEEK and cried when they sang their last song, "Goodbye." Mercy Me put on an unbelievable worship show...Aaron Shust was great - the whole thing earned two big thumbs up!
• This past Saturday night, Phil and I had the complete honor of going to see the Lion King play in Cincinnati at the Aronoff Theatre. IT.....WAS....EXTRAORDINARY!!! If you love the Lion King movie or not, I highly recommend seeing this if you ever have the opportunity. I mean, there just are not enough words to say about it. The costumes were SPECTACULAR. The singing was AWESOME. The stage set was PERFECT. I just didn't want the show to ever be over with, it was THAT GOOD.
• Yesterday, we took the girls to the Cincinnati Zoo. I hadn't been there since I was in elementary school sometime. It was a perfect day - 70's/sunny/breezy - and it was just a lot of fun. Highlights were the white tigers, the manatees and, of course, the penguins. Of course, Mackenzie was overtired and threw what was probably the BIGGEST, ugliest temper tantrum that she's ever had in her whole life, but once she was able to take a little 15 minute catnap in the shade, she was good to go.

That's about it. I have been feeling pretty decent, and I have one last big work-related event coming up tomorrow. Once that's done, I'll be FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!! Gosh, it's so great to look at my calendar here on my desk just to see blank, white spaces. That means nothing to do!!! (And coincidentally, can you believe that tomorrow is MAY 1ST???)

Now come the home improvement projects..... *sigh*

It's ALL OVER!!! Woohoo!

Tax season 2007 is in the bag. How thrilled am I? Let me count the ways...

• No more staying up 'til the wee hours of the morning.
• No more binge drinking of coffee in order to keep myself awake.
• No more kids screaming at my feet for attention...now I can give them the attention they deserve.
• I get to have a life again!!!

Things with me are status quo. I've still been thinking seriously about finding a new Neurologist. The more I read and hear what others have to say, the more I wonder why he refuses to perform certain tests that *could* be definitive as to a diagnosis (lumbar MRI and spinal tap). It's certainly not that I WANT those tests done, but if they can give me a definite answer, why can't we do them? I have to think, then, that it's all a money thing for them.

Anyway......

I really have been happy to be able to spend more time with my kiddos. I look at them and realize how quickly they are growing. I mean, my gosh! Maddie will be in KINDERGARTEN next year!! And my baby will be 3 soon?? It just goes by so quickly.

We've started a new nighttime routine where at bedtime, we all (me, Maddie and Mackenzie) go into Mackenzie's room, turn on only the nightlights, and we sit there and rock and sing songs. They both LOVE to sing - guess they're taking after their ol' Mom a bit. ; ) It's just so nice...such a bonding time.

Oh yeh...I have to share another "Mackie-ism" with you:

Bathing suit in "Mackese" is "baby soup." Hahahaha!

I'm SO pumped for this weekend!!!!! I'm meeting up with a few friends from the OvuSoft board - Jessica and Amy. Amy is the widow of Captain Jeff Clay who was piloting the Comair Flight 5191 that crashed in Lexington back in August of last year. I just cannot wait to meet her face to face finally. We have all talked on our board and over e-mail for quite some time now, and despite what she thinks, Amy really has been such an inspiration to us all. She's a prime example of how to continue on living despite having such a tremendous loss!

Finally, I have to give some love out to my honey. Today is the 10th anniversary of the first day that Phil and I met (and fell in love). I cannot believe that it has been 10 years already!! Time sure does fly. And 10 years later, I love him just as much, if not more than that very first day!

You know, I had all kinds of funny things that I wanted to get on here and talk about, and now I can't remember one of them. So goes my life... *SIGH*

I'm thinking that it probably had something to do with the girls because my life sure as hell ain't funny. Well, to me it is in a weird, twisted way, I suppose.

I guess you don't want to hear about how many tax returns I've done and how I'm all giddy with delight because I did my very first Trust tax return (Form 1041). Exciting! I learned stuff...and stuff. I suppose it would be boring to learn all about how my fatigue drug isn't doing much to help so far or how I'm being plagued with Vertigo at this very moment.

I do have one bit of information that may or may not be useful to you: EASTER CANDY MAKES FOR GOOD BARGAINING WITH THE KIDDOS! Did you know this? I'm learning Supernanny techniques now, and they're working! It goes like this...kids are making a mess of their rooms and are screaming loudly at one another. Mom (that's me) walks in and says, "if you don't pick up all of these toys and stop screaming at one another, you can't have a piece of candy tonight." Almost as if it were a miracle made by God, the room is spotless and the kids are hugging and singing "Kumbaya."

Now...I haven't quite figured out how to make the messes and fighting stop AFTER the candy is given. I mean, there's that period of time between when the candy is given and time to get in bed that they just go hog wild. Hmmmm...I'll have to think on that one and get back with you all.

Now if I could just make Spring come back, we'd all be happy campers! I don't know what I said or did...maybe I need more deoderant or something, but apparently I offended Spring and it just left. I mean, how else do you go from 80 degrees one day to 30 degrees WITHIN 24 HOURS?!?

End of rant for the day.........