Our Deck Just WHAT?

In a matter of seven short days, we have had some crazy stuff happen at our house! It has been an exhausting week to say the least. Last Friday, our deck fell off our house. Yes, indeed it did. Fell right off. All that snow we’ve had this winter, and it just caved. Fortunately, we are covered under our homeowner’s insurance policy. It was a pretty old deck, and we are very glad that we can replace it with something sturdy and new, but it still sucks.

The busted up deck - our new grill survived, though! 

Last Saturday (while Lil' Man stayed home with his favorite sitter) Jordan, myself, The Princess, Uncle Shad & a family friend took a little mini ski-trip. We all had a really great time and the weather was beautiful; it was a fabulous day! But on the way home, The Princess complained of a tummy ache, and once we got back home we soon found out why: the hard way. Our poor (bestest babysitter ever and don’t you forget it) friend Carissa got a lapful of kid barf. And it didn’t stop there. She had a high fever and was throwing up for 2 days straight, then passed the torch to Mommy (thanks, kid). I was pretty much knocked out for 2 full days as well, and after the throwing up stopped it took both of us 2 or 3 more days before we felt ‘human’ to say the least. Ugh. Fortunately, the boys managed to avoid that lovely little bug.

Sick kiddo snuggled up with Tweek on the couch.  Poor baby.

Enough of the ‘bad’ crazy, let’s move on to the ‘good’ crazy. As probably the best Christmas present in the history of all presents, my mom gave me LASIK surgery! So I had it done this week. I totally thought I’d wuss out (as did a few other people who shall remain nameless) because yes, I am a total pansy. But I went through with it and it went great – I was pleasantly surprised at how painless it was! After my 6-hour (yep, SIX blissful hours!) nap after the procedure, I awoke to pretty darn clear vision. My day-after post-op visit I had 20/20 vision! And 3 days later, my vision is crystal-clear. It is crazy to not have to even think about glasses EVER AGAIN! I wore them for 20 years so it is really strange to be without them – but I can’t help but say goodbye & good riddance!

Lookin' HOT with my sleep goggles... I'm excited, can you tell!? 

No more need for any of this junk.  EVER!

But perhaps the biggest and best event was Thursday night, when our Lil’ Man took his first steps! Oh, the look on that kid’s face when he figured out he could let go and motor ahead without us holding on to him! He was so excited, he kept diving forward and tried to do it again and again. He’d squeal and giggle when we clapped for him (oh my, not another performer!) and has been loving practicing those wobbly drunken-legged toddler steps! It is so fun watching his determined little dimpled face light up when he realizes what he just did – I get all choked up when I think about how fast my little boy is growing up!  I haven't yet been able to capture the steps on video, he won't seem to try walking when there's not a Big Person to move toward, but I'll keep trying and will post a video when I can!

Let's hope this next week is a bit more peaceful!

A Winter of Olympic Proportions

The Winter Olympics may be over, but we are still inspired by the athletes.  The weather has finally been nice enough that we have been able to get outside and enjoy some fresh air and outdoor activity!  Part in keeping with our resolution to become more active, and part because the chidren are behaving like wild bush babies from being cooped up indoors all winter, our exercise routine is now winter-sportin' it up!

A couple weeks back we drove past our favorite city park (about 4 blocks from home) which we frequented during the summer months. We discovered that they maintain these 2 really great skating rinks (plus a warming house!)  So 2-3 nights/week and usually twice on weekends, we'd bundle the kids in the snowsuits, lace up, and hit the ice!  The Princess is really picking it up quickly, and Jordan has found a new sport to love.  We've even taken Lil' Man in his stroller or toddler sled -- he loves it!  I've enjoyed skating for years but it's even more fun now that I have people to share it with!  Friday night we even took some friends from work -- one from India, one from Japan -- who had never gone before, and I think we might even have some new skating fans on our hands?! 

The kiddos on their way to the skating rink on a beautiful Saturday afternoon!

The pairs skating competition heats up...

Mom (not quite Olympic material) and Lil' Man (future bobsledder)?

But perhaps my favorite winter activity (no Seth, not sledding.  NEVER sledding.) is skiing.  We used to live 5 miles from the nearest slope, now we live 110 miles from... well, I suppose it qualifies as a "slope".  So this afternoon as part of our "girls' night" series, The Princess and I went skiing!  I was a bit nervous... I haven't skiied in 2 years, and actually, neither has she (21 months old her first trip down on skis!)  We had an absolute BLAST!  The Princess got the hang of it almost instantly and off she went down the bunny slope, 89 times (give or take)!  She was a big brave girl and decided to try one chairlift run with Mommy, too she was awesome!  We had a great run, with only one 'biff' each.  What a wonderful way to spend a gorgeous winter day with my girlie!

Watch out, Lindsey Vonn...

Hangin With the Baby Dude

I got the pleasure of spending four whole days with my baby boy this weekend!  Jordan & The Princess went to visit Grandma this weekend so Lil' Man & I spent the weekend together, napping, playing 'ba', eating Cheerios, and just hanging out.  It's been so different with baby #2, mostly because I'm working full time with this one and also because I'm not able to devote 100% of my attention to just one kid.  I often feel like I don't get to spend enough time with either kid so I really relish the one-on-one time I get with each of them.  I absolutely love watching their little personalities blossom!  We had tons of fun but I am exhausted --even though he is a great sleeper, he ran me ragged!  Pulling everything out of the kitchen cupboards is a new pastime; and crawling away to go hide from Mommy whenever she turns around is his favorite new game (of which Mommy is not exactly a fan, as it invokes a panic when she can't spot him at all times)

Anyway, here are some pics from our weekend together...

Rockin' the faux-hawk.

Top Chef in the making?

They both sortof have that same astonished google-eyed look, don't they?!

Words

Diets are boring.  -5 pounds in 2 weeks, still enjoying the elliptical, blah blah blah. Now on to much more interesting stuff:  Words.

Baby Man said his first word at a few days shy of 9 months: "ball" (or rather, "ba! ba!").  We're so proud!  But that was last week's news.  This week's new word is Dada, though I'm not fully convinced he's saying "Daddy" or just toying with new sounds!  Jordan is of course certain he is.  He also says makes a "t" sound whenever the kitty wanders by (his name is Tweek) so we're not sure if he's saying "caT" or "Tweek" but it sure is cute. I absolutely LOVE this age, where new words start to roll out on almost a daily basis.  Can't believe how quickly that crept up on me!

As for The Princess, words have not stopped flowing from her mouth since she said her first words at about the same age.  She has an enormous vocabulary for a kid her age, and is never afraid to 'test drive' new words.  For example, her most recent addition to her verbal arsenal.   But her new word is something we're not quite as excited about:  "sh*tload".  Used in a sentence:  "Mommy, there's a sh*tload of kids in that pool!"  Now, while her statement was not entirely untrue, we have advised that this is not an appropriate word for little sweet girls say and should not be repeated.  To which she replied, "Is 'buttload' okay then?"     *sigh*

Like my mom says, I totally deserve that child...

Off the Wagon

UGH.  Worst. Diet. Week. Ever.  2 offsite lunches for work and a weekend out of town with family (dining out every meal), and I'm back to square one.  Or maybe I should say "swear one", cuz that's what I've been doing since my weigh-in this morning!

But this will not faze me!  Despite this little setback, I am more motivated than ever to lose these baby pounds.  Why?  Because I saw myself in a bathing suit this weekend...and it ain't pretty.  *shudder*

On the brighter side, I am really enjoying the new elliptical.  I don't feel so sore I can't move, but I feel like the ol' muscles are getting a workout!  I'm adopting a new slogan:  "the 3 P's of Weight Loss:  Patience, Persistence, and Pass (as in "Pass-on-any-food-that-looks-delicious-because-it's-probably-bad-for-you".)"  Tomorrow marks the beginning of week 3, here's hoping this one's a lot better than the last!

No More Excuses

The elliptical *gasp* has *wheeeze* arrived *pant, pant*!! Got a great workout assembling it, maybe tomorrow I'll actually run on it...

I am SO fortunate to be working for this company!  Our "Stay Fit" benefit has allowed us to buy a wonderful piece of fitness equipment that will last us a long time and hopefully get a lot of miles put on it!  Both Jordan and I each get the reimbursement amount so that is double-super-awesome.  In addition, we the benefit renews yearly, so we will eventually have a house full of workout equipment, mountain bikes, and whatnot! 

So NO MORE EXCUSES -- we are getting active!  We really miss living in the Hills and not having season passes to the ski resort 5 miles from home...and easy access to hiking trails...and beautiful bike trails... and other great outdoor activities.  But we'll just have to find fun active things to do as a family here in the Flatlands, snow or shine!

Bush League Resolutions

I usually think New Year's resolutions are, to use Jordan's favorite term, "bush league". Everyone knows New Year's resolutions don't last, especially if you're like me, who has the willpower of a monkey in a banana store. But it's time for a change for this family! The Franz & I are not getting any younger. It's getting harder & harder to keep the same 'shape' we had 10 years ago. Our kids need good role models when it comes to health, and who better than their parents to provide a good example! While our eating habits aren't necessarily bad (we actually do sit down to a nice square meal at least a few nights a week!) our exercise habits are non-existent. Our jobs keep us tied to the computer screen for 8-9 hours a day; when we get home we park it in front of the tube or the Xbox or SIT to play or read with the kids. We need to get movin' before we become giant gelatinous blobs of nerdiness...

So last Monday (Jan 4th) our family started an "Eat Better, Exercise More" plan. We are intentionally vague because we are trying to make these goals reasonable and obtainable. Exercising 3 hours a day and eating all-organic vegetarian meals ain't gonna happen; but exercising 30 minutes a day 3 times a week and including a fruit/veggie with every meal is certainly doable! And we are cutting down our dining out allowance to ONE meal per week (none, if possible)! Hopefully this will help both the budget and the waistline!

I plan to blog our little journey so I can look back and see the progress we do (or don't) make and learn from it; I'm hoping that by making my plan public it will help motivate me to keep up the work! This will be no easy task. I've still got plenty of extra baby pounds (I think when your baby turns 1 you can't use the excuse "but I just had a baby!" to explain your extra paunch...) and Jordan has high blood pressure and a beer belly (no comment!). But I'm very glad to have a partner in my efforts! We're more concerned about changing our habits permanently than we are losing "numbers", but hopefully the numbers will reflect the changes made!

So here's my first update: Day 7 of The Big New Year's Resolution to become a healthier Me!

DIET:
We've been so busy this past week I've actually had to skip several meals -- I know, not a great way to encourage good nutrition. But on the bright side, at least I'm not stuffing my face with calories. And there really is something to be said about that "all-coffee" diet!

EXERCISE:
My exercise routine this week has been crawling around on the floor with Lil'Man and chasing after him when he runs for the stairs. We bought an elliptical trainer on Saturday but it won't be in until Wednesday; I can't wait to get started on that! I spent the weekend cleaning out our spare room in the basement, which will be the Elliptical's new home. My iPod is loaded up & ready to roll. I may or may not have a pair of legwarmers at the ready… suffice it to say, I’m actually excited for this!

Jordan purchased a kettle bell set this weekend and got a head start on me; we’re doing measurements & “before” pictures tomorrow (oh, dear God…) And NO, we will not be posting either measurements OR before pictures on the blog...

STATUS:
Down 3 pounds since 1/4/10 (woohoo!)

Rebirth of a Blog

So I found this old blog 'lying around' -- it's been over 7 years since my last post to it! Some of these old blog posts are HIL-ARIOUS.   I started this when I was taking a "Poetry of Rock" English Lit class at NDSU (I think it was part of our grade) just before Jordan & I got married.

Wow, how times have changed since that last post!

I have been wanting to get back into blogging for awhile, but never thought I had anything very interesting to say. Not that I do NOW, but I've got a few new things going on that I'd like to share!

1. For the past 15 years or so, I've had an interest in photography; I've just never had the time/money/motivation to pursue it as a hobby. My fantastic husband got me a DSLR for my birthday. I want to learn and experiment and I'd love to share my photos along the way.

2. The Big New Year's Resolution. More to come on that...

3. I have kids now. They are cute. Their cuteness should be shared & recorded for posterity. Blogs are a good place to do that, so... there's that.

Until I have more interesting things to say....
Goodnight!

APATHY

I don’t care about nothing
Nothing is what I care about
If I care about something I’ll end up with nothing
So I’ll look away and pretend not to hear
I’m protesting protests.

I hear we might be going to war
I hear the country’s going up in flames
I hear the anchors on the nightly news
And turn the channel back to MTV 2.
I’m protesting protests.

Emails from friends in my in-box
Angered by the madness at hand
I turn the other cheek to their desperate pleas
Punk rock mentality suits me fine
I’m protesting protests.

Not supposed to care, to be aware
Of the things going on in the world
Joe Millionaire and Idol closer to my heart than
Homeland security and fighter planes
I’m protesting protests

Leader dreams up words, talks of duct tape
And expects his subjects to respect him still
Not about to let my husband and brothers
Go off to fight for a man I didn’t even vote for.
I’m protesting protests.

How can my voice ever matter
How does my opinion even count
When the man in charge won’t hear all our cries
So I’ll sit and care about nothing.
I’m protesting protests.

Today it seemed this war came close
To affecting my personal space
Old high school friends leaving babies behind
To go fight across the planet in a strange new land
I’m protesting protests.

If no none stands up, no one speaks
No one makes their voice be heard
Ignorant bliss will be overcome
With consequences to great to comprehend
I protest: start protesting.

HEY EVERYONE~~~
Just wanted to let you all know that the Fargo-Moorhead Community Theater is performing "The Rocky Horror Show" from Feb 20-23 at 8:00 pm and Feb. 27-March 1 at 8:00 pm, with 2 midnight performances each Friday night (which is technically Saturday morning). There is a rush at the door for NDSU students *with student ID, which means that if you come within 10 minutes before the show's start, you can get cheap tickets (they're regularly $15, you can get them at rush for $5). This show is hysterical and a really great rock musical, perfect for all you "Poetry of Rockers", except that perhaps the depth of the lyrics leaves something to be desired (i.e. rhyming "can it" with "panic" and other greats...). Anyway, it's a fun show, come see it if you have the chance. I'm playing Janet: I'll be the one in my underwear....yikes. Hope to see you there!!

CLASS on 2/11/03
I found Dr. Saltings' visits to class to be very intriguing! He seems to know a WHOLE lot about the world of music -- not only its history, but the structure of the musical elements as well as the lyrics. We discussed the fusion of African and European influences into rock music and what each of those elements were (heavy rhythms, syncopation, modality, monophony, melodic leaps, etc.)

Dr. Salting was witty and funny, so the classes were a lot of fun! He played an amazing gospel / doo-wop song (I forget the title) that, surprisingly DID hold some of the same "rock" elements as Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (just like he said!) We discussed several artists from the "Golden Age" of Rock; Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, etc. and how, with the plane crash that killed Holly, The Big Bopper, & Richie Valenz, the music really DID die that day (the fall of the rock era)...

I've been trying to come up with some brilliant idea for our peer teaching assignment, but so far I'm coming up empty. I may have to go back and delve into my old portfolio from my days as a music education student!! :) I wouldn't even mind sharing some of the tools I find useful in writing my own rock lyrics (I have written over 15 songs that are ready to be recorded, as soon as I can come up with the cash to rent a studio for a demo tape!). Actually, finding a topic shouldn't be too difficult to do, just finding the time to cram it into my schedule that could pose a problem. Group work is usually pretty difficult for me, as I have a job, school, theater rehearsals, wedding planning, and a fiance' (yes, he takes work too!) to keep up with--setting up meetings with other students could be a real issue. I would feel really bad if I couldn't put in my all toward a group, but I much prefer working alone, as I am most productive that way, and I can work into the wee hours of the morning if I need to!

We were at rehearsal for "Rocky Horror" last night when I realized this: music is such an interpretation of the person singing it, that any particular song could be analyzed in literally hundreds of ways. Last night's example was this: as a vocal warmup, each member of the cast had to sing one chorus of "the Time Warp". EVERY cast member sang it in a completley different way: the words were the same each time, but the meaning and emotion changed entirely! This is one of the things I both love and hate most about music. If you're the songwriter, this phenomenon could make your attempts at producing a certain emotion entirely futile. On the other hand, it makes me realize that the way a person can interpret a lyric is wholly personal and can speak to everyone across any demographic. Such is the beauty of the human mind and music!!!!
TTFN, Shanna

This was sent to me by my former high school music teacher: thought it was pretty funny and somewhat relative to what we've been discussing in class.

HOW TO SING THE BLUES -- A Primer

1. Most Blues begin with: "Woke up this morning ..."

2. "I got a good woman" is a bad way to begin the Blues, unless you stick something nasty in the next line like, "I got a good woman, with the meanest face in town."

3. The Blues is simple. After you get the first line right, repeat it. Then find something that rhymes ... sort of: "Got a good woman with the meanest face in town. Yes, I got a good woman with the meanest face in town. Got teeth like Margaret Thatcher, and she weigh 500 pound."

4. The Blues is not about choice. You stuck in a ditch, you stuck in a ditch - ain't no way out.

5. Blues cars: Chevys, Fords, Cadillacs and broken-down trucks. Blues don't travel in Volvos, BMWs, or Sport Utility Vehicles. Most Blues transportation is a Greyhound bus or a southbound train. Jet aircraft and state-sponsored motor pools ain't even in the runnin'. Walkin' plays a major part in the Blues lifestyle. So does fixin' to die.

6. Teenagers can't sing the Blues. They ain't fixin' to die yet. Adults sing the Blues. In Blues, "adulthood" means being old enough to get the electric chair if you shoot a man in Memphis.

7. Blues can take place in New York City but not in Hawaii or any place in Canada. Hard times in Minneapolis or Seattle is probably just clinical depression. Chicago, St. Louis, and Kansas City are still the best places to have the Blues. You cannot have the Blues in any place that don't get rain.

8. A man with male pattern baldness ain't the Blues. A woman with male pattern baldness is. Breaking your leg because you were skiing is not the Blues. Breaking your leg because a alligator be chomping on it is.

9. You can't have no Blues in a office or a shopping mall. The lighting is wrong. Go outside to the parking lot or sit by the dumpster.

10. Good places for the Blues:
a. highway
b. jailhouse
c. empty bed
d. bottom of a whiskey glass.

Bad places for the Blues:
a. Nordstrom's
b. gallery openings
c. Ivy League institutions
d. golf courses.

11. No one will believe it's the Blues if you wear a suit, unless you happen to be a old ethnic person, and you slept in it.

12. Do you have the right to sing the Blues? Yes, if:
a. you older than dirt
b. you blind
c. you shot a man in Memphis
d. you can't be satisfied.

No, if:
a. you have all your teeth
b. you were once blind but now can see
c. the man in Memphis lived
d. you have a 401K or trust fund.

13. Blues is not a matter of color. It's a matter of bad luck. Tiger Woods cannot sing the Blues. Sonny Liston could. Ugly white people also got a leg up on the Blues.

14. If you ask for water and your darlin and you get gasoline, it's the Blues. Other acceptable Blues beverages are:
a. cheap wine
b. whiskey or bourbon
c. muddy water
d. nasty black coffee.

The following are NOT Blues beverages:
a. Perrier
b. Chardonnay
c. Snapple
d. Slim Fast
e. Diet Coke.

15. If death occurs in a cheap motel or a shotgun shack, it's a Blues death. Stabbed in the back by a jealous lover is another Blues way to die. So are the electric chair, substance abuse, and dying lonely on a broken-down cot. You can't have a Blues death if you die during a tennis match or while getting liposuction.

16. Some Blues names for women:
a. Sadie
b. Big Mama
c. Bessie
d. Fat River Dumpling
e. Caldonia.

17. Some Blues names for men:
a. Joe
b. Willie
c. Little Willie
d. Big Willie
e. Leroy.

18. Persons with names like Michelle, Amber, Jennifer, Tiffany, Brooke, Brittany, and Heather can't sing the Blues no matter how many men they shoot in Memphis.

19. Make your own Blues name Starter Kit:
a. name of physical infirmity (Blind, Cripple, Lame, etc.)
b. first name (see above) plus name of fruit (Lemon, Lime, Kiwi, etc.)
c. last name of a President (Jefferson, Johnson, Fillmore, etc.)
For example: Blind Lime Jefferson, Jakeleg Lemon Johnson or Cripple Kiwi Fillmore, etc. (Well, maybe not "Kiwi.")

20. Oh, by the way. I don't care how tragic your life: if you own a computer, you cannot sing the Blues

I am trying to figure out this blog thing, but with little success. In fact, you could say that my comptuer is giving me "The Blues..."

ONLY witty, random, and fortuitous thoughts shall be posted to this blog. Or not. More likely a few rotten ones will creep their way into my brain and somehow end up being posted to the site. Blogging. A surprisingly new and useful facet of the internet which I had not previously discovered! Nifty.

This is my first semester at NDSU. Despite the astonishingly cold weather, I really like life in Fargo thus far. My fiance' and I just moved here from Dickinson, where he graduated with a degree in Communications and English Ed. I, however, am in my 6th year of college and am still undecided as to what I want to be when I grow up! I LOVE classes in the arts: literature, theater, music, art; and despise those in math or science. I am REALLY looking forward to this "Poetry and Rock" class.

My email address is: shananigan52@hotmail.com

gettin' out of this place,
Shanna