My Prodigy

I think our son has a real future here....

Believe it or not, that was an original composition. Impressive, huh?! ;)

Cool Dude!

My mom and I went shopping yesterday and while we were in Target I saw these neat sunglasses for kids that wrap around their heads and Velcro in the back. We hadn’t gotten Chase sunglasses before because we were sure he would just yank them off and throw them (throwing IS his favorite pastime, after all), but when I saw the Velcro glasses I thought they might be a good solution to that anticipated problem. So I tried a pair on him, expecting him to hate it. He LOVED them. He got mad when I took them off. So he wore them all over Target, just smiling at people like a big goofball. A couple of big, burly guys walked by at one point and said, “Is that his Harley parked out front?” Ha ha! Chase was so proud of his new shades!

The picture posted here I took with my cell phone so I apologize for the poor quality. My mom took some better photos with her digital camera, so as soon as I get them from her I’ll replace this photo with a better one.

Step 1 Complete!

So we figure our move is a 5-step process.

Step 1: Move out of our townhouse in Chicago
Step 2: Move in with my parents for a bit
Step 3: Move in with Brian's parents for a bit
Step 4: Move into temporary housing in Texas (for a bit)
Step 5: MOVE INTO OUR NEW HOUSE IN TEXAS!

There are mini-steps thrown in there (like a couple out-of-state weddings we are in next month, jobs/school to start, etc.), but those are the 5 biggies as far as moving goes.

Yesterday we accomplished Step 1. Woo hoo! We are 20% of the way there!! Chase stayed with my parents all week while Brian and I packed up and moved out. We are now in the midst of Step 2 (until May 5th). If we can keep our focus on the steps maybe it won't seem like such an insurmountable task. HA!

Brian would like me to add that Step 1 was probably the hardest step (*knock on wood*) and I have to agree. It felt really good to finally see an empty townhouse after all the hours we put into packing and all that jazz this week. Ahhhhhhhhh....

But of course there's the sentimental part that I wasn't really expecting.... Seeing Chase's empty room that we decorated just for him (complete with the wall mural I painted myself), the beautiful floors we both put in ourselves.... It was our first house and it holds a lot of memories. It will be nice to move into our new place that we're so excited about, but I think 1824 Bridle Post will always have a special place in our hearts.

Goodbye Carly

This week America said goodbye to Carly Smithson. In the midst of our move this week our cable was shut off and I missed both the performances and the results show. I am very upset about it because I never miss an episode! So, anyway, I won't be able to comment on the performances this week (*grumble, grumble*) but I can comment on Carly overall.

I was surprised to see Carly go home so soon. In my opinion she was the best female singer in the competition, hands down. But she lacked a little of the "likeability factor" and I think Simon was right on when he said a few weeks back that she needed to work with the stylist more. Maybe that's what killed her. That and she always looked angry/serious when she sang. But I have no doubt she'll go on to perform in some capacity after this show.

Update 4/27/08: I just watched Carly's final performance on americanidol.com and I have to say it was nice to see another side to her. She sang very well (as usual) but you could tell she was also having fun and not quite so serious! She went out on a very good note. All the best to her!

New House Update

We got all excited this morning when we got updated pictures of how our house is coming along in Texas, but then this afternoon we got some bad news. We thought the house would be done by the end of May, which was pretty good timing for us to start school (Brian teaching classes and me taking them) June 1st. But as it turns out, the house will not be done until the end of June.

Ugh.

We move out of our townhouse here Thursday. That means 2 months living out of suitcases. Lovely.

Can you buy sanity at Wal-Mart? I think we're going to need a couple crates of it.

Goodbye Kristy Lee

This week we said goodbye to Kristy Lee Cook. I have been waiting for this moment for awhile now. I think Kristy was a sweet girl and she had a good voice, but she didn't have star quality. She wasn't natural on stage. But I have to give her props for hanging in there and giving it her all when she knew she was on the chopping block every week.

Welcome to the World, Conor Warren!

I had the privilege last night of meeting Conor Reid William Warren, the beautiful son of one of my best friends in the whole wide world, Nicole (and her husband Bart)! He was born yesterday afternoon and was 6lbs 4oz, 19" long. He is such a sweetie! I am so thrilled because this means I will get to spend time with him before we move to Texas!! Nicole and I were both so afraid I wouldn't get to meet him if he came late. Thanks, Conor, for being 3 weeks early!!

Bart took a picture of Conor and me at the hospital yesterday, so whenever he gets around to sending it to me I'll post it here.

Goodbye Michael

Sorry I'm late in this posting. I'm finally back to work after the flu bug took its toll on our house. Phew! We're still not at 100% but doing much better.

So last week we said goodbye to Michael Johns. I was totally shocked. I mean, I didn't think he'd win the thing but I thought he'd go further than this! I liked his voice and you have to agree he's a cutie, but he was a little awkward to watch for me. He didn't move well on stage so I always watched him with my brows furrowed and my head cocked. Though he did provide entertainment watching him try to master the simple "step touch" moves during the group number's choreography. Ha ha!

Bit by the Flu Bug

When I got back from Raleigh I was met with the news Brian's dad was hospitalized for chest pains while he was up in Chicago last weekend (don't worry, he's fine... they didn't find anything major wrong with him and he's home now), and Brian said Chase had been coughing all weekend. I picked the little guy up from the hospital after my plane got in and by Monday morning he had a fever and was a big ol' snotty mess! I took him in to the doctor and he was diagnosed with the flu. They couldn't believe it... they thought the flu season was over! Lucky us. The next day Brian came down with it and today it's my turn. It's NO FUN... especially since we move 2 weeks from tomorrow and have not started packing! We cannot afford to be sick right now! Ugh.

I'm off to bed....

Fun Weekend in Raleigh!

I spent the weekend in Raleigh catching up with old friends! I'm the Matron of Honor in my dear friend Amanda's wedding next month and I had a shower and bachelorette party to get to! It was SO wonderful catching up with Amanda and her adorable daughter (my "pseudo-niece") Kathleen! It had been way too long. Here is a photo of the two beauties at the hair salon where Amanda was playing with bridal hairstyles:

We had a great time at the shower, where I got to meet Amanda's fiance briefly as he worked his way through the guests! After the shower we started the bachelorette party at The Melting Pot:

The girl in the back row on the far left is another one of my dear friends, Shannon. It was wonderful getting a chance to catch up with her again, too! And, as always, she provided some of the evening's entertainment! Here she is trying to confiscate what was left of our desserts after we were too stuffed to dip them in chocolate anymore:

After The Melting Pot we had a good old-fashioned slumber party, complete with games and teen magazines. We marveled at how little we knew of teen pop-culture (!), but are now proud to say we are experts. Ask us about Miley Cyrus (who we now know IS Hannah Montana... we were so confused!) or the Jonas Brothers... we know it all.

Well, not really. But at least we know their names now.

Goodbye Ramiele

I have been ready for Ramiele to go home for a few weeks now. That girl has amazing pipes but she has had trouble picking good song choices for her voice the whole time she's been on the big stage... and she lacked that "star quality" / stage presence. However, I give her mad props for singing her final song (after she was voted off) as well as she did. In the state she was in I couldn't have done it. She went out with style. Good for her. She seemed like a sweetheart and I'm sure she'll have fun on tour.