I dreamed a dream of times gone by...

Back in the spring of my freshman year in college, I was still grasping at my love of music and theatre and was playing the role of Little Red Riding Hood in our school production of Into the Woods. That semester-along with playing on the girls’ soccer team, pledging a sorority, and getting mediocre grades- I was also working part-time for a local CPA firm. One day when I came back from my lunch break, which I had used for a theatre practice session, one of the senior managers laughed at me. He told me he had never heard of someone being interested in accounting AND theatre. That the combination just didn’t make sense and that I’d probably have to choose one over the other. After that semester, I hung up my acting and singing shoes in my quest to be the world’s best accountant.

Around the same time, two handfuls of students joined together at Indiana University to form an a cappella group. After graduation, they went their separate ways. Some continued in the industry by appearing in theatrical productions or wowing cruise ship passengers. Others turned to their field of study and began careers in the world of finance.

For a college reunion, they got together once more to perform. And someone uploaded a video of them singing to YouTube. And then they were approached with a record deal.

A few weeks ago I was given the opportunity to see their show at Harrah’s in Atlantic City. I had never heard of them, so I googled “Straight No Chaser.” I found their website at sncmusic.com and began listening to tracks. Not only was I an immediate fan, but I realized I HAD heard them before. I didn’t know their group name, but I was sure I had heard them sing Christmas songs in one of those holiday greeting e-mail forwards. I was lucky enough to be provided with tickets to see their show and I even got to pretend I was real press and interview the group after the show.

It’s quite unprofessional . Particularly since I was a little tipsy trying to rush the process as my camera battery was about to die. And also because I’m pretty new to the glamorous life of interviewing celebrities. After you're done making fun of my interview, please stop over at my Giveaway page to enter to win 2 tickets to see Straight No Chaser on July 30th at Harrah’s.

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Mission Complete

In regards to this post.....

it appears that my husband does love me. Very, very much.

He is miserable about it and not looking forward to it, but I have ascertained that at least he will not be divorcing me.

That being said, I think that all of our friends should reward him for his sacrifice by joining us on vacation. So he can make the most of the all-inclusive unlimited top-shelf liquor.

Give me a call or send me an e-mail and I'll let you know the dates...I'll even let you know how much it would cost for your family. With a spreadsheet if requested. Come on. You know you want to. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. You'll love it. Please!

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Touche (with a little accent on the e)

A few weeks ago, Katie was intent on getting her way. Hmm, well I suppose I should specify, since Katie is ALWAYS intent on getting her way, that a few weeks ago a specific conversation took place.

K: Mom, I’m ready to go swimming.

M: Ok, in a minute.

K: Mom, I want to go swimming.

M: I know, just wait a minute.

K: I REALLY want to go swimming.

M: Ok.

K: Can we PLEASE go swimming?

M: I am busy right now. We WILL go swimming, but I just need you to be patient.

K: Can we go swimming?

It was as if she wasn’t listening to a word I was saying. Finally I had had enough and lashed out, “Katie, that’s ENOUGH! You will NOT get what you want sooner just because you keep asking. In fact, you’re driving me nuts. Don’t ask me again.” Which of course led to, “Can we go swimming now?”

Overhearing the entire dialogue, Chris muttered – “Hmm, I wonder where she learns that from? I wonder what could ever give her the idea that may work?”

Heh. Moi?

Oh, not because I have a history of giving in to her when she badgers me to the point of exhaustion. But, because I have a history of expecting that if I badger her father to the point of exhaustion – that he will eventually give in to me.

My current project: a vacation to the Boscobel Beaches resort in Ochos Rios, Jamaica.

1. Get it into my head that I want to go on vacation during a specific week – brought on by Disney flyers for extremely reduced rates.

2. Plan out my vacations for the next 2 years in my head, remembering that I’d really love to go to an all-inclusive resort – somewhere with pretty blue water. Suddenly remember that I was interested in visiting Paradise Island, Bahamas.

3. Try to convince BFF to travel with our family during this given week. While she wouldn’t be able to go until the following year, she did provide some amazing alternative suggestions. My research into the Beaches resorts begins.

4. Casually mention my plans and timing reasons to husband.

5. Getting nowhere in my plea, create a detailed spread sheet of room costs and airfare for a variety of travel dates for 4-7 night vacations to Boscobel. Provide husband with spreadsheet, which also includes average and incremental cost per day of travel.

6. Order resort brochure. Once it arrives, have 5yo show to her daddy making sure that she appropriately exclaims in awe over the pretty water, water slides, and Sesame Street characters.

At this point, I STILL haven’t convinced him. Crazy, right?

7. Send e-mails to husband with links to the Beaches website and phrases such as – “Open me. You want to go here” and “You love your wife.”

8. Start a campaign to find friends or family to go with us expecting that if husband has a drinking companion, he will be more inclined to look forward to this all-inclusive paradise.

9. With only one day left to book the vacation at a reduced price check the prices one more time and find out I can now get it $300 LESS…but only until tomorrow.

I have yet to determine if this method really is a surefire formula for success. It has been in the past. I’m beginning to think my husband may just not love me anymore.

Of course, after our little discussion and my husband’s timely remark, I took Katie out to swim right away. Because I love her.

This is not an advertisement or endorsement. Of course, if Beaches would like to pay for my vacation it would make it so much easier to convince my husband to go and I would be willing to blog on location ;)

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Daddy and his shadow

Daddy's biggest fan has decided that he also wants to be Daddy's big helper.

I kid you not, this keeps him busy for an entire hour. He keeps an eye on Daddy to make sure that he turns in the opposite direction when he's supposed to and tries to time his moves to synch up with Daddy. And he gets royally pissed off when Daddy takes a break to empty the mower bag.

Ahh, this kid and his Daddy. His hero. His best friend. His pillow. While he increases the amount of words he says on a daily basis and has even moved onto phrases - most often we just hear: "Daddy, daddy, daddy!", "That Daddy" or "Daddy, bread?" as he tries to shove his dinner bread into his Daddy's mouth. Of course, "Daddy" is followed closely by "Doggies" and "Katie." I'm somewhere down there on the list of importance. Way down there. But that's ok - Katie tells me she love me more than anyone in the whole world and that I'm her favorite ever.

And don't forget to enter my giveaway for a signed Joanie Leeds CD, perfect for your favorite kid. Or you - if you're a dork like me.

Playing along today with:

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My niche

One of the key rules of blogging is to find your niche. Especially if you want to write reviews. I love to travel, but sadly due to a 1 1/2-year-old terror who I happened to give birth to, a real vacation is not in our imminent future (despite the MANY Disney ads and cruise ads that my inbox has recently been inundated with...sigh). I swoon over romance novels, but I don't really have the time to read lots of books. But our family loves music and I LOVE theater. So I've jumped at the chance recently to bring our kids to some events in Philadelphia.

Theater, especially of the musical variety, is my personal splurge. I have a subscription to the Kimmel Center's Broadway at the Academy series as opposed to major league sports season tickets. I dreamed that my little girl would love theater as much as I do (my love is partially fueled by the memories of my high school and college musical theater glory days). I started her out early taking her to shows with her favorite characters: Disney Live, Disney on Ice, the circus.

As Katie got older and some of her sensory-seeking tendencies began to emerge, I thought "Well, theater is probably out, but at least she'll love sports." However, last year, my subscription included "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" and unfortunately, it was for an Easter evening performance and it didn't look likely that I'd be finding anyone to go with me. So, I bought the movie for Katie. I got her interested in the story and ultimately decided to bring her to the show with me. And at only 3 1/2 - she loved it.

Last month, with only the CD of the Broadway performance of The Lion King to teach her the story, Katie went with me to see "The Lion King" at Philadelphia's Academy of Music. As she whispered to me during the second song of the show that "Mom, this is REALLY great," I smiled inside. Perhaps it's the African language that some of the songs are sang in that she identifies with. Her favorite pretend name for herself is "Africa" and the limited amount of final consonants does seem to be a little easier for her to speak. She's been singing the opening song of "The Lion King" on a constant basis for the last week. She proudly told me as she came home from school one day that she had been singing it ALL day: at daycare, at school, even on the bus. I inquired, "Oh, and did your teachers LOVE that?" She told me, "Well, they did keep saying 'Ok, Katie - that's enough. And the bus driver told me, that's enough Katie."

Last weekend my friend and I took Katie and her friend Max to see Princess Katie and Racecar Steve at the Kimmel Center. We had a great time and Katie loved how Princess Katie walked through the audience.

(ahem, Tea Collection, yes - our children would LOVE to model for you. And we'll even try to make sure Katie doesn't get blue icing all over her clothes.)

This weekend, Chris and I took Katie and Timmy to see Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights perform at World Rock Live in Philly. As newcomers to her music, she had me at "I love Sushi":

Katie initiated a mosh pit of running toddlers and pre-schoolers.

While Timmy clung for his life in the safety of his Daddy's lap.

I know he loved the music though. The whole way to the show he was singing in the backseat of the car to the band's CD "I'm a Rockstar" and dancing in his carseat. He's used to his Daddy bringing him to the basement and playing rock concerts on tv when he can't sleep, so he was just snuggling in for the show. I may have had to tickle him to get this reaction, but I know he enjoyed himself.
After the show, we got to meet the lead singer, Joanie Leeds, and she even let Katie interview her for my review page.



So yeah, I think our family found a niche to explore. Of course, we don't intend to limit ourselves, but I couldn't be happier. And we were very excited to find out that Joanie Leeds will be back in our area on June 5th to perform at the Philadelphia Zoo. I'm giving away a copy of the new Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights CD "I'm a Rockstar" over here. Please check it out and enter. It's a really fun CD.

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Generations

To all of the mothers who give so much of themselves on a daily basis,

To all of the grandmothers who lovingly spoil their grandchildren in true grandmotherly fashion,

To all of the greatgrandmothers who beam at a visit from the youngest members of the family,

And to all of the caring little girls who will someday meet Prince Charming
and be a mommy themselves,

I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day.

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Ten dollars well spent

The Other Boufs enjoy their first experience with a slip and slide:

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