merry late-mas.

Christmas was too busy to include any bloggery, so please excuse me as I stretch the holiday cheer through past new years!

Chapter 1 of Christma-cheer: For your viewing pleasure, "the O'Connor Family gets netted." This was exhilarating. Nothing like being hoisted through a tree-netter by a nice and burly high school student.

WARNING: We say "oh my gosh" a little too much in this family.

handy dandy.

OK, just a few things about this jewel of a gem...

1. I found this on a FB friendie's wall and as he put it, "After I watched this video I wanted to light this woman's hands on fire." so appropriately put.

2. What did Katie Couric ever do to deserve this interview?!

3. Hand models are real??? Zoolander has changed forever for me.

4. I will never again look at a nail polish ad without cringing.

buckle your seat belts and watch on brave bloggers...

grateful.

Whenever Phil and I are trying express thanks we have this little running joke.  We say "And the beast was grateful" in a funny voice. It's a Sandlot quote and it always makes us laugh.  

I love and adore Thanksgiving because eating and remembering to be thankful all day (paired with a good hearty nap) is exactly my idea of ecstasy.

I wanted to share this video. It was filmed on the streets of NYC. Everyone has someone to be thankful for, different as we all may seem.  Gratitude warms the heart.

11 days.

best thing to happen lately is definitely Otto James.

11 days...that's how long I've been feeling on again/off again sick. It started with nausea and tummy ache/fever then somehow fabulously turned itself into a mean green cold. I thought I was on the edge of "better" last night... that is until I woke up this morning feeling weak and nauseous (Nor, what's the correct word usage again?)

1. I am not pregnant, and yes I'm sure. I say that because as a mormon woman who has been married over a year that disclaimer is necessary. 

2. I have never been sick this long. I've still been able to work through it (as it waxes and wanes) but today I just crashed I guess.

3. The adorable babies I watch got the bug too, but even their immune systems seem to be doing a better job!

4. I'm skinny. Does that count as a plus?  Yes I know I was skinny before, but maybe this bug is just making room for me to eat my heart out at thxgiving. I mean, now I have to pack on the lbs, right?! (Only pro I've got, I know I'm grasping at straws here.)

5. I have decided that this sicky has different levels. I am in the 7th ring of sick right now. I've had congestion, fever, nausea, headache, ear ouchy-ness, and runny nose. I'm running out of symptoms.

Ok so basically feel bad for me/diagnose me. Onto brighter things. 

UPDATES

Phil and I are proud Uncle and Aunt to a new handsome baby boy! This is the 14th grandchild in PG's family and our 16th neph-niece (there really should be a non-gender-specific plural word for nephews and nieces). I am ofcourse sicky but eagerly awaiting a visit soooooon.

Phil is doing a fantastic job in Law School. He is a total zombie-workaholic and I am in awe of him. He just completed a legal writing assignment of doom. He is a champ.

Phil went to the World Series Game 1! He is still basking in Giants victory everyday. I'm begging him to do a guest post but so far he's been too busy and too suspicious of bloggery.

I've started nannying for a new family with twin babies (boy and girl) and three elementary school aged kiddos. I LOVE them. Work doesn't feel like work. Twin babies are challenging but they are also so cute, I die over them constantly.

I'm teaching more Kindermusik classes, now in Orinda and Danville. I feel like I'm really getting into a groove as a teacher and being surrounded by music and families is so wonderful and fulfilling! Know any kids 0-5? 

I'm also teaching voice lessons and I'm crazy about it. It's such a joy to see people improve and learn healthy singing techniques. I'm finding that all of the technical struggles I faced as a singer are giving me tools to help others sing. hurrah!

I am singing a lot this holiday season. National Anthem at the Mayor's installation in Danville, O Come Emanuel at our Stake Christmas music thingy-bopper (Dec 12), Lead Kindly Light this sunday in Alamo I at 9am, and a small solo in A Day for Dancing with the local Methodist Church (Dec 5) directed by my beloved high school choir director. It feels good to be singing. Come see me!

Phil and I both have callings with the youth at church. (In our church, members are called to do certain jobs, lead in positions, or organize and carry out activities and projects. It's all volunteer work so the members really build the church through service.) He's teaching sunday school and I'm with the young women. We feel lucky. Phil bribes everyone with candy for answers so he's pretty much a favorite.

so that's our life. I'm laying in bed with PG's basket ball shorts on eating Saltines...

xoxo

meet the bluths.

{First I must give a shout out to the fabulous party host-i who made our costume wearing possible.}

If you're familiar with Arrested Development (One of the most brilliantly hilarious and short-lived shows on TV) then above pictures need no explanation.

If you are not familiar, watch it. If you don't have time for Television the gist is this: Rich and equally dysfunctional family loses money and moves into model home made by their very own development company. 

For halloween Phil and I opted for a Mother/Son (Creepy Creepy and awesome) duo from our most favorite show. Lucille: An old rich lush. Buster: Her disturbingly codependent, frighteningly emotionally stunted son. (Who is also enlisted in the US army and loses his hand to a seal attack... I'm telling you, you've got to see this series... comedy of the absurd!)

So with all of THAT in mind...

Here's the Halloween 5:

1. It was fun being something un-cute for halloween. Namely something old mean and fabulous.

2. Phil stayed in character 100%. I was so impressed. He had the voice and the face down pat.

3. My own mother didn't recognize me. Let me tell you, it's a strange thing to see your momma look at you like she's trying to place you.

4. Wrinkles will be a frightening reality. I'm hoping my ole' friend SCIENCE will take care of that one... heaven knows I'm not contributing any breakthroughs to the cause. Anyone excel in Chemistry?!

5. I love costumes like a fat kid likes to eat in front of the TV (watching Arrested Development...plug??) I will do anything to wear a costume. Unless it's one of those mascot ones, a la guy-with-sign-in-gorilla-suit-outside-of-radio-shack. Not so glamorous...

Happy Halloween my Ghouls and Goblins!

darla.

Total heart melter.

Do you have a dream dog?

Darla the white {miniature} english bulldog is ours. Yes, we have already named her.

She's the same breed as "meaty's" tiny counterpart on MTV's Fantasy Factory.

We love her bow legs and mushy face. Isn't it so mushy smooshy and delicious?!

We don't so much like that you have to clean her rolls... We are trying to reconcile that information.

Phil is very selective when it comes to dogs. Quite frankly he strongly dislikes many dogs. There are a few exceptions, not including my own Lollie O'C.

 

We pre-adore our future family member, but she is sure to come in a billion years post a few kids and post house with backyard... OH a house avec backyard. Le swoon! 

{If we can't deal with the rolls perhaps we'll go frenchie!}

I feel his name is Peri. 

halloweekend.

night with the "ghouls."

I LOVE FALL.

I wish I could soak my body in pumpkin puree and then roll in a mountain of leaves all while holding my very own trick-or-treat bag. 

In the hopes of making the festivities of the season really last all month, we had an early halloweekend.

The mustached ghost. My favorite.

Event 1 was crafting with the Johnson-Spears ladies.  We made stout and starchy ghosts and decorated scrumptious pumpkin muffins. I'm still refining my decorative tip skills (aka I made some funny looking muffins).

"A" is for Aubrey has dibs on that yummy.

Saturday following Kindermusik (and a LONGGGGG nap) we reunited with Chad, Randi, and Dara, for a jaunt through Livermore's corntastic corn maze.

In the "carn feld." If you've lived in UT you understand.

It's been a long time since I have marched through one of those labyrinths of veggies and it was a really a fun time. The husbands tried (successfully, and not so successfully) to scare us and I graced the world with my frighteningly uncanny "Signs" alien impersonation (I really need to work on my posture). In other a-MAZE-ing (nerdy!) news, I was loving a painted poster at the maze entrance which read: "No Throwing Corn" and I kept talking about it and the funny clown on the sign... until I was whacked in the arm with a corn-pedo (that's a corn-torpedo). I can finally say "teenagers..." in a weary sighing voice. 

Husband mischief.

Sunday night we watched Hocus Pocus with sister Court and friends to bookend the halloweenie-ness of our days. I would like to nominate that movie for an Academy Award in the catagory of quintessential holiday films, thank you very much!

I am officially swept up in the season. 

I want to wear a woolly sweater (purrr-fectly prep')

read a book with good smelling pages (currently reading this one)

chug apple cider (this would also do)

...and maybe refine the glory that will be PG and my halloween costume... Just you wait! Mwahahahaha!! (Read as Thriller laugh.)

matchy match.

My sister T.

My husband P.

Separated at birth?

pumpkin muffins: the essence of fall.

picture of ecstasy via foodbeam.com

Warm burnt orange like the leaves off the trees

Sharp tang of cream cheese like that crisp dry breeze

Pumpkin muffins are the stuff of fall

Blended and baked down into a handful of bliss

{No wonder I'm craving them madly as the winds change}

remembering.

remembering a most excellent fort we built for family home evening back in UT

in the booth.

2008

2010

this is my dream house.

 I mean... my headband matches the garden motif. Made for each other.

My dream house...

The historic Shuey-Podva house, right smack dab on Hartz Ave (Danville's main St.)

Every time I drive by the building I sigh. It is the most perfect shade of grey with delicate white trim and simple black lanterns guarding the entry. It has a sensibly sized front porch and a widow's walk on the rooftop. The bottom of the building is framed with old brick. I love thinking about the history of the house and the family that once filled its walls in simpler times... I WANT THAT HOUSE.

built in 1890ish. how cool is that?!

Has my hometown love gone too far? Is it crazy to want to live on main street and have a darling shop in the white farmhouse attached to this heart-breakingly beautiful grey victorian? 

(Am I delusional or hopeful? You can vote. Phil says delusional.)

If I can't have it, maybe we can build a replica someday? Then we could have a giant backyard on a quiet street. (Please tell me someone else spends this much time dreaming.)

Me and the dream.

As I come back down to earth I realize that I really just hope we can afford lots of children (like a litter) and the money to feed and clothe them. To me, truly, a home is where love is.  Home is a place where safety, faith, learning, peace, and a little dash of mayhem all reside.

When I think of "home" I'm reminded of one of my favorite songs; Bernstein's"Build My House"...

Will you build me a house 

a house that really will be mine 

then let me give you my design a simple scheme of the house i dream of 

Build my house of wood build my house of stone build my house of brick and mortar 

make the ceiling strong strong against the storm shelter when the days grow shorter 

but build my house of love and paint my house with trusting and warm it with the warmth of your heart 

make the floor of faith

make the walls of truth 

put a roof of peace above 

only build my house of love

when I see it I hear a choir of angels singing

"aaaaaaaaaaaahhh"

Tell me about your dream home.

What makes a house a home for you?

hairspray.

My first rusty audition in 2 years... My first dance call in a very long time... about 450 audition-ees... 1 pair of character shoes... a leotard that *hallelujah* still fits after my stage sabbatical...

and...

I'm gonna be in HAIRSPRAY with this east bay company.

Ensemble.

Excited!!!!!!!!! x a mil'

SO so SO excited for...

getting back into "dance-shape" which is the BEST kind of shape.

 singing all of the songs we love, while doing WHAT I love to do.

 teasing my weave out of control big.

 costumes... yum yum.

buy tickets and see me.

mwah!

workin' at the carwash and a super-tuesday.

Chapter I: Workin' at the Carwash

The other day I decided the multi-layer bird poop collage that was starting to dominate the hood of my car needed to go. Now usually I would scrub this off myself with a little dawn and some elbow grease but sometimes dirty can just reach a level that requires machinery.

I drove down to the drive through gas station wash, punched in my five digit code and drove in for "the works."  They make it sound like so much for under 10 bucks.

As the familiar sound of grinding metal, shooting suds, and man-made rain filled the small garage, I was struck by this thought...

This is still AWESOME.

When I was little the car wash (along with going to the party supply store, eating a rare happy meal, wearing nail polish, having a friend over for playtime, and being one of the few preschoolers with pierced ears) was not just fun, it was MAGNIFICENT, magical, and a real treat.

I mused to myself about my "grown up perks" like how many cookies I can eat now without asking (perhaps not in my best interest, but sooo good), how I can play with friends whenever I choose, how I stay up way past my bedtime on a fairly regular basis... I even drive a car! (Actually, when I was little I used to have nightmares about being in the drivers seat of my mom's van as it rolled through town at alarming speeds, but that's another story.) Being a grownup is fun, if you remember how precious all the little things are.  

The car wash is one of those things. 

Now they even have multi-colored soap, how cool is that?!

Chapter II: A Super-Tuesday

So, Why was my Tuesday so super, you ask? Because my wonderful mother-in-law gave us her two 4th row tickets to Dream Girls in S.F. (!!!!!!!)

I took the bart in and met Phil who awaited me with a big cheeseburger which I gracefully downed before we ran into the theater five minutes later. (This post is making me sound really unhealthy, other times I eat brown rice and put wheat germ in my cereal so don't judge people.)

The show was brilliant!  The entire production was just drenched in talent, with only one weak link in the cast. The lights, the music, and the voices all shined. OH the voices, let me tell you something. I was teary. It was such a feel good and lively performance. Also, all of the costumes were steeped in glitter...

 ...and you KNOW I dig the sparkle. 

There is so much worth in live performance, I challenge thee to go and watch something live this month. That is my challenge, take it or leave it.

Riding home on bart, I realized how far the husband has to sojourn every day, poor pilgrim that he is. That also made me quite thankful. He's a keeper.

Truly a super-tuesday!