I used to take a lot less entertainment

on my recent trip to kansas city I made certain to see one of my better halves. the only half that still calls KC home and who is always up for an adventure.

upon arriving in KC I sent a text message "in KC till next thursday...play-date soon?"

I received a phone call back. "absolutely. what should we do?"

I yelled down the hall to my mom who has recently turned into KC tour guide extraordinaire "what should linds and I do?"

my mom rambled off a half dozen ideas none of which were good enough. since when did hanging out require some big elaborate hullabaloo? we used to be content to sit around and knit scarves while listening to music or create imaginary bands and come up with CD titles and play lists. we would stay up late talking about our lives or making up stories of what our lives might hold for us in the future. now we needed an event to provide entertainment? we have to go somewhere to hang out?

I want my sleep overs back. where we bake cookies or watch movies and just get all giggly. next time I'm home I'm planning it. a central point. get the girls together. no boys allowed. (ok maybe boys allowed for awhile...but then they must leave and go have a sleep over of their own....yes I know they'd call it something much more manly than a sleep over)

for this visit I settled for dinner. twice. and ice cream.

signs of old age

in high school my friend lindsey and I went to concerts on a regular basis. hours of standing, loud music blaring into our ears, waiting in line afterwards to get our CDs signed.

then there was that one fateful day when we excitedly waited in line to see a Jackopierce concert. Who is Jackopierce you might ask...and rightfully so. according to wikipedia they are an "american alternative rock band formed by Jack O'Neill and Cary Pierce in Dallas, Texas in 1988. Their style is focused around vocal harmonies and acoustic guitars" yes formed in 1988, the year I turned 4. They broke up in 1997, and released the equivalent of a greatest hits CD in 1998 celebrating nearly a decade of music. in other words....an old-people-music-snob band that I LOVED. (well LOVE since the opening notes of any of their songs still brings a smile to my face)

we entered the beaumont club, a cowboy-dance club which would double as a standing room only concert venue for all my favorite alternative rock bands (check my CD collection....they've nearly all played at beaumont) and were stunned to see chairs. rows of chairs filling the space where we normally stood on sore feet. chairs...humm.....apparently this is what old people concerts are like......I could definitely get used to this.

since then I've strived to find seats at concert venues...I dont need to be front row...my feet like to sit, or perch on stools overlooking the concert floor. we took this up one notch however when we went to see Swell Season. Lawn seats at Ravinia...aka picnic blanket, picnic feast, and laying down listening to music. (note to self...pillows next time) Done and Done. I'm sold concerts should be attended in reclined position.

2 days later we went to see Tonic, another old person band, people here however had not gotten the memo about chairs. my feet hurt. I was bored. I wanted my picnic blanket. I even thought 'perhaps I'm too old for this'. the next night we were back. free sister hazel concert. I was ready for hurt feet and tired legs. then they started playing. and I was happy and dancing. Perhaps I'm not that old yet after all.

music and memories

some of my favorite songs have become my favorite songs because of the memories that are attached to them and listening to my ipod is a walk down memory lane. where I was when I heard the song first...who I saw the band in concert with...conversations about the song shortly after it was played.

Appalachian music will always take me back to the week I spent building a trail in the mountains, Jimmy Buffett will always take me back to the boathouse (as will just about any song off the drunkin sailor or freshman ice breaker CD), matt wertz, dave barnes, guster, blue october, luce all send me back to concerts attended with linds, but sometimes there are more specific songs and memories that have become linked. for example:

whenever big stong man by carbon leaf (though its not really their song) gets played I go back to lindsey's 21st, where I was dragged on stage to lead motions through another song. the guy asked for someone who had never been there before...and since lindsey's mom had snuck her in underage, I was the lucky birthday party representative.


or eve 6 the open road song...straight back to spring break sophomore year, driving on the open road all the way to florida. and of course it gets turned up. ALL the way up.


or better than ezra's sincerely me...kerry and i practicing to make sure I knew the words to sing along when we saw them in concert on campus junior year. we played it over and over again practicing the words.

pi(e) day!

whoo hoo for pi(e) day. it takes me back to life at ND and the tuesday night pi(e) club when we would gather at the castle around 10 and make pi(e) from scratch (crust and all) to enjoy before chem lab the next day.


now all I do is make pi(e) by myself to feed to nick and I and it is not quite as exciting. though it is pi(e) so it is inherently exciting. here is my yummy pi(e) to make emily salivate it is a raspberry and cherry pi(e) with a graham cracker crust and a oatmeal crumb topping.


AND at the museum of science and industry they had a pi(e) drop.



let them eat pi(e)!

new favs+ old favs = all around good time

much needed night out last night with nickface and claires.

night started off with some new fabulous favs. Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors whom I now absolutely love. their roadie was impressed by the fact that i bought their CD before they started playing. what can I say. I do my pre-concert research and I know what I like.

of course I took the obligatory concert pics. perfect accessory for the blogity-blog.


which brings me to new fav number 2. the girl on the right. love her hair cut, love her outfit, and she plays the freakin' Mandolin. (as well as the tambourine and maracas)

I really wanted to go up to her after and say "perhaps this may be awkward, but I think you're adorable can we take a pic?" but I didnt. despite my having no problem with such behavior in the past at concerts. perhaps it was the overwelming adorableness.

add to the mix old fav numero 1. the valley kids. always a good time. even when one of them makes us miss three redlines.


and old fav deuce: dave barnes. aways a goofball, always a good time.


end result. all around good time.

welcome fall

I should have known when it took us the extra hour to get down town that this weekend would add to the list of ridiculous times that all of our adventures are.

Friday-home from work, load the car to leave...realize I've left my wallet upstairs and nick has left his sunglasses...send him up for them while I put new CDs in the car...realize one is still upstairs in my computer..oh well fate.

try to get off lake shore on Ontario as google maps instructs...we see the exit sign...then never see an exit. end up south of where we want...no biggie we'll just turn up Michigan... not. happens to be one of the streets where michigan is above. finally make it to a corner get Claires head on our way. tons o traffic later we decide to take columbus down to lake shore. and then columbus is closed. half hour later we end up back on michigan about where we started...and I am informed I have to turn left at the next light. I am in the right hand lane. traffic is stopped. we just waited three light cycles for a bus to clear the intersection I am pathetic at traffic. around the block we go so I can just turn right.

7:00 pm 3 hours later finally made it to Gary, IN. where traffic is stopped for so long my eyes are buring from the pollution before we start moving again.

Rendez-vous at Culvers 9:15 pm michigan time (thank goodness they're open till 10) eat food, ditch claires drive on to lansing. miss the turn to kerrys, fortunatly I've printed the map and not just directions, nick tells me to turn left I turn right. finally make it alive and well.
chat with Kerry and Todd, sleep, confused by why there are two sheets on our bed, up shower, food, tour of lansing, off to cider mill and corn maze.


drink a little wine, buy our tokens for the corn maze. maze...normally has an in and an out. not this one. wander around until you are tired of wandering around then make your way out. corn wandering might have been a better name. but we did take some framable pics! including one for my grandma so I can make the fridge again!


quite possibly best part of the day came next...snack bar...and apple cider sippy cups! I wanted cider doughnuts too but they ran out. sad day. bought some wine and hard cider and hit the road. two very content kids sipping away on cider on the way home


ate some dinner, forced to watch the florida LSU football game till we snuck away for bed. next day zoo adventures, and blast from the past for nick.

we thought we'd hit the zoo in the morning...too bad the animals were still sleeping as well. but again more photo opps and the sleppy animals eventually woke.


then off to nick's old house...where apparently the mortage situation has manifsted itself. forclousure notice on the window.


lunch, picture stealing (since my camera was left at home), and on the road we go. tired, full, and a little more ready for fall!