Random...I just don't get it

I feel like I'm getting old.  I've moved into the line of thinking of I just don't get the young folks these days mentality.  For example,

Technology freaks me out. I'm pretty sure that soon some tiny "live" robot will be burrow its way in my head to keep me connected with what's happening now, friends, etc.  This will eliminate all natural boundaries, but result in zero meaningful relationships.

Lady Gaga...I just don't get her.  Her music is okay to me--I get that.  It's catchy, makes you want to dance, but what is up with her?  It's like circa 1989 Madonna spawned a love child with circa 1986 Michael Jackson with a little help from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  I just watched part of her Edge of Glory video (I say part b/c I can never stand to watch more than about a minute of her videos b/c they really go nowhere).  All I kept thinking was what was that thing on her cheek?  Beauty mark, tatoo, geometric code for the holy grail? 

My ability to focus has been reduced to about 1hr per day.  If I don't have myself a list I would probably sink into the recliner with the laptop never to be seen or heard from again.

I can't think of anything pop culture that I know about anymore.  That's a sure sign you don't and won't ever "get it" again. 

School time

This morning was a BIG day for a BIG 3 year old.  We made it extra special by photographing him all morning (secretly he loved it).  He was so excited to go, but had to make time to play with his transformer.  He did pretty well, but it was a bit overwhelming.  The biggest hurdle--he was not having anything to do with wearing his name tag that went over his neck.  He had a little trouble sitting and listening through the whole circle time, but some of that was excitement I think...and knowing I was in the room somewhere.

waking up for the big day

on his way down to breakfast with his transformers book and boombox robot

breakfast he asked for: strawberry pancakes and sausage (I promise he didn't eat even half of that syrup, I got carried away pouring it.)

posing in front of the house

in front of the preschool

waiting to be taken back to the room

circle time.

his current job for his class: door closer.  i'm thinking he will excel.

Growing up

Little man is on his way to being a really big boy:

tomorrow is his first day of preschool (though it's a half-day accompanied by a parent)
he is getting so big and tall
he transform the transformers better than me.  he worked on one all day while we were home today.

 He could wear this outfit last year, and it was so big.  Now it just fits!

starts out a robot

fold those arms in

then the legs and pull over the handle (which i can't do)

voila!

Corn fest pics

Finally got the pics uploaded from Sunday.

i love his expression.  like he's saying, "where's the corn?"



Relaxing weekend

We've had fairly relaxing weekend.  Friday night Scott went out with a couple of guys to a beer festival in Bloomington.  While they were off having fun, the moms and kids came to our house so we could entertain our kids together.  It was a fun, easy, relaxing way to spend the evening.  I think all the kids were worn out by the end of the night. 

Yesterday we just chilled around the house mostly.  We went to check out the tent sale at a local bike/running store, and saw there was a festival going on in Uptown Normal--sweet corn and blues.  We also took my friend Bree with us so she could buy running shoes.  We headed back home, and thought we would go to the festival after C's nap only to discover it closed at 6--which would have been awkward with dinner.  So we grilled out, ate outstide, and then went up to the soccer field to play soccer as a family.  We came back and started watching Votron with C.  He's addicted.  I loved this show when I was litte, but now I think it's pretty awful.  He's enjoying it though.  All 5 of our family members have been assigned a lion by C.  I'm the green lion, Scott's the red lion, C's the blue lion, and the dogs are the black lion and the yellow lion.  Scott has done nothing but fallen asleep anytime he sits still yesterday and today.

After church this morning and lunch at home we headed to the festival.  Scott and I tried some a piece of sweet corn.  C was thrilled with the Marvel and DC comics figures outside the comics store.  We walked up and down the vendors (it wasn't great for a 3 yr old--his attention span wasn't really having it).  Then we went to Emack and Bolio's for ice cream.  After C's nap we're headed to our church's annual b-day party at a nearby park.  The weather has been so nice, we've been trying to spend as much time outside as possible. 

Dear Blog

Dear Blog,

I'm sorry I haven't been to see you in a while.  Life is busy, but I don't really have an excuse.  I'm afraid we might be coming to the end of our relationship (at least temporarily).  I think I might have lost my funny button.  I just can't think of anything to write about b/c I feel like I'm just surviving.  I "might" have overcommited myself in about 100 ways, and I'm feeling the effects.  I hope to get things under control and see you soon.  Wow, my story has changed just in the time it's taken me to write this. 

Gina

Unusual excitement

The following things made C ridiculously excited

1.  Getting a marvelous mama shirt (for my mom's group).  He loved it is for him, and what it says on the back.

He has asked to put it on every day since he got it. 

2.  Making me paint his toenails after I finished painting his.  He thinks it's hilarious we match.

3.  Going to day camp.  Yesterday he went to his first preschool daycamp.  He was there 2.5 hours w/no parents--just workers and 20+ other preschoolers.  It was a campout theme, and he LOVED it.  He told me how good he was and about all the fun things he did.  It was great to get some me time, but it went by so fast.

A little train ride

C and I had a fun adventure on the Amtrak today.  We met some other friends from our mom's group to take a 25-30 min ride to Pontiac.  There isn't really anything in Pontiac, but there's a cute little park right across the street from the train station.  It was perfect to entertain the kids for the 40 minutes or so that there was to kill before the train going south came by to pick us up.  The kids were great, and the outing was the perfect time for 2-4 year olds. 

on the train

de-trained.  he loved it!

A little food post: Gazpacho and a Tomato Tart

One of Scott's favorite foods is gazpacho.  He always hounds me each summer until I make it at least once.  I finally obliged after I got my hands on some really good tomatoes from a girlfriend's garden and cucumbers from the farmer's market.  The only ingredient I was missing was the water from grandma's canned tomatoes, so I had to use tomato juice--which makes it saltier, but it was still good.  The tomato tart was a Paula Deen recipe that I cheaped down--no manchego cheese, no fresh herbs etc b/c I didn't have any and I didn't want to go to the store.  The result was tasty, but a bit too dense for the crust b/c I used grate parmesan instead of a shredded cheese.  Next time I'm going to try it with shredded parmesan since it's so much cheaper than manchego.

the bare beginnings--isn't it pretty!  tomatoes, cucumbers, yellow peppers (you can use any sweet pepper), vidalia onions (with a couple purple hidden in there)

 add a little garlic (well, a lot), hot sauce, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper (I should have omitted the salt since I used tomato juice--in my opinion)

all mixed up

now the tomato juice/water mixture is added (I watered it down b/c tomato juice is too thick and canned tasting)

then i take 2/3 of the veggies and blitz them in my food processor, and then I add it back to the rest of the unprocessed soup

last step: add bread crumbs.  I added more since it was saltier than normal--and I added a lot of garlic (oops). these were fresh bread crumbs, so they weren't salty at all--it was just 2 or 3 pieces of bread thrown in the food processor

the finished product--and one messy bowl on one messy counter

the beginnings of the crust before it was cooked. it has to be precooked and then you add the filling--mayo, parm, mozzarella, bread crumbs, herbs, and really soft cooked onions. then you layer it with tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil and bake

the finished product...delicious! it would have been prettier if i'd had a variety of colors in the tomatoes, but taste was great.  

Picture Day

first time he's worn the cape I made him for his bday

Team Green

So C loves to match you know.  Here he is excited to match daddy's workout clothes w/an old Seattle Sounders jersey and some blue athletic shorts.  So cute--they had to go play.

switching to frisbee

k dog with his huge stick

A little catch up

Last week C got to jump off the diving board in swim lessons. 

Here are some pics.

getting used to the vest

waiting in line

going out...so brave here



on the edge, starting to hesitate.  He ended up needing someone to stand behind him to give him confidence and help him off, but he really wanted to do it, and he did.

that's all that caught him--that noodle thing and his vest

He finished lessons last week, and I'm really proud of his progress.  He has almost no fear of the water.  He really needs to try to straighten his legs to do his flutter kicks and blow bubbles from his nose, but otherwise he's got it down. 

Manchester United's Newest Player

Introducing Chichacolinarito, the youngest Man U player.  We recently got C his very own ManU jersey.  He wanted the brand new blue away jersey set (which I have to admit is super cool even if it isn't Man U red).  He was so excited that his "outfit" and sometimes "costume" was coming all the way from Manchester, England (since we actually ordered it from the club store).  He couldn't wait for Scott to get it on him.  He wore it for all his meals, naptime, and he asked to put it back on this morning.  I told him no b/c it was all kinds of sweaty after last night.  He actually started crying during his nap yesterday b/c his sock had slipped down.  He needed help. He also couldn't wait to go play soccer with daddy after dinner.  Scott took him up to the local school, but the gate was locked, so they had to go to the track.  I walked the dogs up to find them after I'd cleaned up dinner.  Unfortunately they had already quit playing soccer by the time I got there, but he was into playing on the playground. 

hot out of the package

i guess he needed a rest after getting all ready

just hanging out with daddy

so sweaty.  i'm ready for this humidity to break

i love this of him.  it is so hard to snap a photo of him looking at the camera when he is on the move

showing me his running skills

playing in his "spider web"