Plausible Deniability

I could tell you where I went today.
I could tell you who I was with.
I could tell you the projects I witnessed.

But then I would have to kill you...

There was that whole Halloween thing...

This year's jack o'lantern brought to the masses by Diva Princess. She designed it and even helped with the scoopage. Of course, I did all the carving...bleh.

Zombies and angels. 

This year I attempted to make my son a semi-convincing undead gamer...not too bad but he complained the.entire.time.I was putting on the makeup. Next year, he does it himself or he has to come up with a costume that does not require it.
My girlie girl was easy. Just let her put on a bit of shimmery eyeshadow and lipgloss and spray her down with a crap load of glitter and she was good to go. The glitter spraying got out of hand around here. Since my costume also required the sparkly stuff (duh) and it was raining during dressing time, our living room is looking fab.u.lous!

I swear we did not plan this...

So, The Kiddos and I arrive at our family Halloween shindig and the first person I notice is my mother...dressed as a devil! Holy crap. We have talked more than a few times over the phone leading up to this day and we never discussed our costumes! Not once! That was way too funny...and creepy.

It's like my mom is psychic...

Pirates, clone troopers, the main characters from Twilight, and golfers.

Unfortunately, my brother Bug wasn't there (pesky employment). My family was great in letting me set up a makeshift backdrop (thanks Reesie for letting me borrow your comforter!) and snap pictures. They all turned out pretty great. I would share them all but not everyone gave me their okay to post their pics. I'm trying to be more considerate...except for my immediate family.
Sorry. You just have to deal...haha!

Angelic, no? Yeah, I didn't think so either...

No Paul, you ask? No Devoted Husband, you inquire? Mouth agape in wonder?
Yeah, no. My Beloved does not do the dressing up thing. I did talk him into it one year...he wore all black and a mask. He got a ration of crap for his lame attempt (and it was kinda lame) and has not participated since. The next closest he got was a t-shirt I found that said "This is my Halloween costume". Whatever. I did suggest he could carry around a plunger and some toilet paper and be The Party Pooper...

Our family get-together was the first since losing Grampa. While we all smiled and joked a bit, there was definitely a change. Gramma smiled for her picture (no costume) but she was quieter. And no one even suggested a game of cards...just too soon.

Now Halloween is over. I still have a living room that sparkles and a crap load of candy I am trying (unsuccessfully) to stay away from. Do food banks take candy?

Scary times bad

The timing for this was just weird. Giving the family a scare right before Halloween?

Not funny, Dad.
I am very glad you are okay but seriously, no more scares.

And Now for Family Pride!

Hello?
Is this thing on?
Are you still out there, Devoted Readers?

*crickets chirping*
*silence...*

Well, I'm gonna continue anyway. I may be talking (or typing if you prefer) to myself...

I believe I have mentioned before how talented my baby brother (also known as CB) is.  Talent runs in my family...at least in my brothers...
The second of my younger brothers Justin, known to his fans as Skeeter, is also wicked talented.

He puts together awesome slideshows, he's funny and he is the only one in my family I trust to touch my camera. Skeeter has been involved with some pretty awesome projects through a friend of his from college. Short films, commercials, music videos, film festivals...I should get some of those things on here!
Most recently, he was part of the crew for an award winning entry into the Windows 7 72 Hour Film Festival. Every team had only 72 hours to put together their entry with a few requirements. Skeeter and the studio he works with have done these types of film festivals before and I just love what they come up with. And this time, YouTube has kindly provided the world with the video for all to see!



Thanks to Sterner Studios for the continued entertainment! And for your inspired choice in the actor who played Bill Gates!
And a big thank you to Skeeter for letting me gush like the sappy big sister I am.

Illnesses and Eight Year Olds

I know this is way overdue but since I have not been well for over a week...

Parents say this all the time of their kids. "I just can't believe how fast the years have gone!"
Doesn't mean it's any less true.
I still vividly remember being pregnant with my daughter. Once again, Paul knew I was pregnant before I did. I should just defer all future diagnoses (is that how you spell/say that?) to him.
I remember how excited I was to find out I was having a girl. Growing up with no sisters, I was rabid for a daughter. And I wasn't the only one. I can't speak for others in my family but considering all of the stuff I got for the new baby once she was born...and all very frilly and pink.

My Diva Princess is my humbler. My mom has always said that everyone will have one child that makes them question their decision to become a parent...and whether they truly want any more children. I love my daughter but she can definitely be a handful.

She has made life so interesting. I'll take the arguments and the drama. Things are never boring with her around. She is so passionate about everything, whether it's sports or Barbies. She is incredible outgoing and smart. Sometimes I wonder who her real mom is because I'm pretty sure it's not me.

For example, her recent birthday party. Every other year, we let the kids pick a place to invite some of their friends to celebrate their birthday. They can pretty much choose wherever they want. I was thinking we would be having a party at her gym or at the pool...but she chose roller skating. She's only been roller skating one other time...and she doesn't know how to skate very well...I kept saying she could go other places, do other things that she was more familiar with. But she wanted to have it at the roller rink. Never mind that she can't skate very well. That didn't even enter her mind as a deterrent. And it certainly didn't slow her down come party time. She was fearless. And it was awesome.

Did I skate? Hell to the NO! Putting all this bulk onto eight tiny wheels?! What do I look like, a sadist? Besides, I had pictures to take. And there was no way I was going to risk breaking both my camera and my ass. Combine that with the cold that was starting to creep into my head...the one that I am still fighting along with possible ear problems. Why does the pain come and go? Yesterday, I was fine. Today, it hurts again. Do I have an infection or not?! I have plans that do not include being housebound for another week!!

Happy Anniversary Monty Python!

Anyone who knows me even a little knows I love Monty Python. Loooooove them! And it was 40 years ago today that the world was first blessed with their presence.





And I have just learned that there is another stage show in production. I loved Spamalot and this looks like it is going to be hilarious!



Oh please oh please oh please let this come to Seattle! Because Heidleberg and I will be there, dead parrots in hand.

Summer 09 Retrospective Part Two

The sun is still shining, it's still warm and it still doesn't feel like Fall at all. So more summer recap!

The oldest of my younger brothers, Bug, turned the big 3-0 this summer. And yes, that is a package of Pull-ups in that picture. That was my present to him (along with a DVD that he wanted) because he is a Big Boy now! Someone baked him a boob cake...I have spared you that picture...But it was a great celebration. It is a rare occasion when all of my brothers and I are able to hang out. Even my pseudo-bro was there! There is a reason he is known as my pseudo-bro but I will go into that another time...

Of course, there was more swimming. Skeeter invited us to his place for an afternoon. I have spared you a picture of me in the pool.
You are most welcome.

We enjoyed more diner food. The Kiddos have a new favorite pose when I break out my camera. You'd think with all the food they love to shove in their faces, they would have gained some weight. No, they just grew an inch or five. They are both still skinny as hell. I'm pretty sure that people who see my children and then see me think I steal all of their food.

My birthday was at the end of the summer. If we had more time and money, the weekend would have been spectacular! But we just went to The Folks' Beach House and cooked good food. Shish-kebobs and fondue. Oh wow that was good.

Then there was PAX, the Penny Arcade Expo. This takes place every year during Labor Day Weekend. This is the weekend that I like to go camping for the last time in the summer. This year, Paul really wanted to go to this convention. I thought it might be okay. I mean, I like video games. I consider myself a bit of a geek.
Nope. I'm not at the level of those people who attend those things. Granted, I wasn't in the best frame of mind to try to fully enjoy what was there...but even looking back, PAX is just not my cup of tea. I just don't care enough about gaming to want to pay to go to a huge convention center and smell b.o. for an entire day. But I did have a brush with fame...

I would have taken a better picture of Mr. Wil Wheaton but someone took my camera and didn't even take a bunch of pictures of the panel that he went to or of lots of crazy geeks in costumes.
And I did score an awesome gift for my baby bro, CB. He is a big fan of Jonathan Coulton, who was performing and signing autographs. So, I got into the line for Jonathan Coulton's table (which was right next to Wil Wheaton's table, hence the picture) and scored an awesome poster with an autograph for my baby brother. And Jonathan Coulton was really cool and made it personal for CB. Definitely worth the 5 bucks.
But I'm pretty sure that I will not be attending future PAXs. Paul had a decent time and wouldn't mind going again but he needs to go with Bubba Dude. I got a constant stream of questions from my son about what I saw and what I did. He was disappointed in my lack of enthusiasm for the experience and the fact that I did not demo any of the games. So, if Paul decides to go next year, he can take The Boy.

And that was Summer 09.