Happy Birthday Matthew!!!

Before the day gets away from me.............

Happy Birthday Matthew Steven!!!!!!

How crazy is it??

I simply haven't had the time to blog ----

I am currently doing "a week in the life" with Ali Edwards --- I'll try and blog about it tomorrow. I am excited to see how this comes out.

and the beat goes on..............

Went to the Doodlebops today!!! had a blast --- will post more later -- I am proofing 7 gigs of pictures!!!!!!

Let your freak flag fly............

If you have just asked yourself.......Is Stephanie smoking crack??? Has she been drinking wine again???.....or, What the heck is she talking about all this freak flag talk............

YOU ARE NOT ALONE:)

Our Seats.............Not bad..........
One of the "perks" of Jeff's job is occasionally we are offered a great deal on theater tickets (we were able to purchase Diego live tickets before even the pre-sale). Jeff's firm offered tickets to the pre-broadway show "Shrek, The Musical" --- It is slated to open on Broadway December 14. Brendan didn't want to go --- Whitlee was WAY WAY excited and I wanted to see what it was all about...................................

Brian d'Arcy James as Shrek

Sutton Foster as the "adult" Princess Fiona

They had 3 different people playing Princess Fiona. A young Fiona, A teenage Fiona and the adult Fiona. --- they were AMAZING!!!!

Christopher Sieber as the WONDERFUL AMAZINGLY FUNNY Lord Farquaat!!! Seriously!! This guy performed on his knees!!!!!!!! We LOVED the scene where Lord Farquaat was taking a bath --- "Magic Mirror" was scrubbing his feet and was fighting hard to keep it together --- Let's just say "Magic Mirror" laughed his ass off!!! We LOVED IT!!!!!

Sadly, I couldn't find any photos of Donkey --- LOVED HIM!!! What a freaking voice!!!!! and the woman who was the dragons voice --- WOW!!!!!!!!!! she blew me away!!!!!!

My 2 favorite songs..............Donkey Pot Pie (sung by the dragon) and FREAK FLAG!!!!! LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!!!! They have not recorded the soundtrack yet.........they are waiting until they get to Broadway and it will be available in January -- I am SO getting it!!!!

Here are some shots of Whitlee Jane -- Brendan was having NOT PART OF THE PICTURE TAKING!!!!! For a boy who DID NOT want to go it said it was probably his favorite (even higher than RENT) YIKES!!!

It was AMAZING!!!!

Whitlee during intermission --- love how she winks at my cellphone camera!!!!!

If you have the chance to see this show............RUN DON'T WALK!!!!!! It says that it isn't for small children........If your child has seen the Shrek movie -- no problem............

It was to put it simply "AMAZING"......oh, wait!! I have already said that. Let's see...engaging, fun for parents as well as children. The music oh the music --- we all had favorites

As if it couldn't get any better..............What they had PINK GLITTER SHIRTS!!!!! We got one for Whitlee and she exclaimed............(Ready Amy:))............

FAB---LEE---US!!!!!!

It was so fun!! I am thrilled that my kids love the theater!!!! Jeff even enjoyed himself but held back when I asked if it was better than watching a football or soccer game???? He said it was better than watching the Seahawk/49er game today..............That being said I'll close with this.....I saw the last 3 minutes of the game........LOVED IT.......(but than again I am a 49er fan:) :) :))

little brothers...........

they get older.............Mine is 37 today!!! That's right

37 years old!!!

We are getting ready to go out to dinner --- The Grand Buffet............Steven has a thing about an all you can eat place!!

How can he be 37 and be my little brother.............I'm only 30:)

Happy Birthday Bro:)

Whitlee's BIG GINORMOUS Day!!!!

So, now don't go thinking that it's just Brendan...Brendan...Brendan!!!! Whitlee had a HUGE day today!!! She and I had been talking about this for awhile now --- she really doesn't like her hair in braids or ponytails all the time -- she wants it loose ---well, when you are 4 and your hair hangs past your bum and it as thick as a...Well, it's THICK!!!......what do you do???? Your mom puts it in ponytails and braids to cut down on the tangles. I think -- NO I KNOW --- I had more of an attachment to Whitlee's hair than she did -- she has no awful mom hacked off a braid to get the gum out of it story. She just wants to look in her words FAB*LEE*US!!!!

Now, we see Angie......At her salon they call her Angela....Since she in the only one to cut Brendan's hair ever (OK there was the one time where we didn't know where Angie was and the lady cut his ear BUT we don't count her!!!) the kids call her Miss Angie. We have followed Angie from Tacoma (when Brendan was one) ALL over the greater Seattle area -- While some say I am crazy I don't mind driving the hour to get to her -- I trust her without a doubt!!! I don't have to worry she will go all spider monkey and do something crazy with the kids hair....and there was the time when I tried to convince her that I LOVED the permed 80's look and I missed it:) She just shook her head and said NO WAY!! She has been wanting to cut Whit's hair since...well, FOREVER -- all I have done is let her trim 1/4 inch off the bottom ONCE and trim her bangs. I just wasn't ready!!!! I WASN'T READY (stomping foot on floor!!) Whitlee was ready - she was MORE than ready!!! this morning when she woke up she said "Good morning starshine! Today is hair cut day" Whitlee wanted to donate her hair to locks for love -- she wanted to help kids who we sick and had their hair fall out. Sometimes............well, it is so hard to believe that she is only 4 1/2!!!

Without further ado.....

Miss Angie combing out all the tangles!!!! She made 3 braids and then...........
Officially there is now no going back!!!!!

Snip....Snip....Snip (then Angie asked if I needed a tissue -- she knows me SO WELL!!!!)

Look at the smile on Whit's face!!!

She is SO PROUD!!!

The braids............

A silky wash my Miss Angie.......

Getting a good look at her hair....

Sit still very very still...........

Whitlee exclaims... "I LOVE IT"

A view from the back

Very serious....

Something must have been very very funny.

Seeing that joy is the best.

She has a great idea

looking good sister!!

Making faces at mommy:)

Time for a dry -

The....I got a hair cut dance for all to enjoy!!!

Whitlee and Miss Angie.........

The REAL Whitlee and Miss Angie!!!

I got my hair cut also!!! I love it!! But, today was about Whitlee!!!! Thanks Angie!! We simply love love love you!!!! -- You did an amazing job as always -- Whit is just OVER the moon!!! She says "Miss Angie helped me look FAB*LEE*US!!!!!!!!"

Welcome To 7th Grade And Traditions................

So, 7th grade welcomed you with open arms..........girls flocking (Yes, I said flocking) -- it is interesting to watch you from afar -- you are not aware............So, grown up -- searching to find your way. I should not have worried you had it totally under control. I look forward to what this year has in store for you. It is going to be a GREAT year!!! You make me proud every single day. Have a wonderful year my son!!!

Out the door....On the way!!!!

AFTER school is out and the buses have gone -- you show me your locker:)

Mom can turn anything into a photoshoot!!!!

Now off to Starbucks for our yearly tradition of talking about your day.....
This year's drink of choice.....Strawberry and Creme' Frap....Please

Yum...

I simply love it when you laugh -- you hold nothing back!

I often refer to you as "the thinker" this is why

We know how I LOVE the chairs in Starbucks --- this year we went to a "new" one --- AWESOME CHAIRS!!!!! Thanks for indulging your mother and my impromptu shoot!!

And of course no shoot would be the same without Whitlee:)

Meet Baby.....................

NO!!! Not that kind of baby!!!! THIS kind of baby:). We welcomed this beautiful new addition to our family..............OK, truth be told!! It's MINE!!!!!! Although, I'd like to mention here that I got baby on a Friday and the following Saturday AND Sunday Jeff had his fantasy football drafts and I let him take baby!!!!

We still have the "beast" I am taking it in and having Best Buy fix a bunch of things......that's why you buy the extended warranty correct!!!! When we get the beast back Steven said he'd put the whammy on it for me. The plan is to give it to Brendan so that he and Jeff can be on the computer at the same time. Baby processes all my photo stuff SO MUCH FASTER!!!!!! What literally took overnight on the beast takes less than 5 minutes on baby.......you gotta love baby:)

Welcome to 7th Grade...............

....sniff.....

Brendan started 7th grade today ----- He has been at school for an hour now ---- I think he was excited although he was being very cool about it. He missed his friends:)

I took about 100 shots this morning but will take some more after school and at Starbucks today --- I'll post more later:)


7th grade......................YIKES!!! Where did the time go????

Back to school shopping................

Check!!

Yikes!!! This year was the year...................Usually our back to school shopping plays out like this.............

ME: Brendan, its time......
B: I don't want to.....
Me: I know!! I promise I'll keep it quick....
B: I still don't want to.....
Me: I'll have you home in an hour.....
B: I DON'T WANT TO!!!
Me: Get your shoes on and get in the car NOW!!!!
B: FINE!

then we travel to the mall --- he tries on a pair of jeans so I know what size he wears. Then he picks out some shoes - I take him home - he is happy - and now I go back to the mall and shop for him...........................Jeans - blue --- CHECK, Sweatshirts - hooded & Pull-over (no zippers MOM!) --- check, t-shirts - a variety --- CHECK, long-sleeve t-shirts - a variety --- CHECK -- assorted underwear (jockey shorts please) and socks (calf lengh please) -- to replace the gross ones.

This is how back to school shopping has happened since Brendan started school. Last year he sprung on me that he wanted to just "check out" a store called American Eagle Outfitters -- I hadn't heard of this store before -- hum............because of his size there were very few things that fit him -- although, he did find that he liked the "man spray"

I bought him a can -- he wore it a few times and then it just sat on the counter in the bathroom - until towards the end of the year when he started wearing it daily -- he would bathe in it before school and then would re-apply (although he didn't need to) once he got home from school. He also decided that he wanted to wear contacts.....that went VERY well.

My assumption would be that back to school shopping would follow the same pattern as years past..................I was WRONG --- he is trying to find his style -- and while I think he leans more to the "preppy/jock" style I can see influence of some friends with a skater-type style --- so, on Tuesday we went shopping -- he had a list - this is a sample of what he picked ----

I noticed that his color scheme consisted of browns, burgundys, blues & whites. There are a few other colors thrown in here and there but basically he is sticking with these colors. They look REALLY nice on him. He also let me buy him a piece of "man Jewlery" -- ok maybe, let me buy isn't being totally truthful --- basically I black-mailed him:) ok, not black-mail but urged really strongly -- I know that he will like it once he wears it. He looks very sharp in his clothes --- I can't wait to do a photoshoot or two or seven with his new clothes!!!!! Don't think that Whitlee was left out ------- she has gotten some new stuff for "school" but that is a different post :)

I made a first year memory album of Rick ---- the store where I teach at wanted to display it -- it shows that with love you can scrap a difficult time.

I have also finished a project I have been working on since January -- While at Rick's memorial service his kids(Teressa is included in this term) made these photoboards of random photos that Rick had --- I was able to scan these photos after the service (Thanks Auntie Kim!!!!) I am burning disks of the photos for my family --- but I have been working of a side thing for them also. It's taken a long time -- Really much longer than I thought it would -- but I could seriously only work on it for maybe 5 minutes at a time. My plan is to start sending them out this next week.

Anyhow, I am off............Jeff has had this week off and we are de-cluttering the house --- I am getting rid of all the crap I kept in the garage from my moms house. That stuff hasn't been touched in 9 years -- no need to keep it.

I'll be back later with a Whitlee post.