SYTYCD 2008

I have been waiting, impatiently, since last year's performance of So You Think You Can Dance when Sabra won and toured.

This year Joshua won, all participants were better dancers, the show was at a bigger venue, and it was again an amazing performance.

I will break it down for you (no pun intended) hopefully in a way that won't make you roll your eyes too much. I am exploding with pure excitement, joy, admiration, music and moves for these dancers and choreographers. This will carry me until next year, for sure.

To begin, it took us 40 minutes to drive the one mile from our hotel to the Arena, but we were in Atlanta and that's normal and all. I loved this sign

as we queued up with texting teenage girls, their moms and dads, and the random 30-40 year old population into which we fit. There are LOTS in that third category, I am proud to say.

We screamed through the introduction and clapped our hands off. Deep down, under all my screaming for Twitch (who is from Montgomery, AL and will easily get a dance job anywhere - AND I bought the t-shirt with his name on it) and Joshua (season 4 winner and most versatile, by far), I really love Mark the mostest.



After the intros, I was stressed as my camera only holds about 20 photos so I had to be strategic. At one point I could see all the thousands of other fans holding up their cameras, but there was no flash. Later I realized they were holding up pictures of flickering flames on their iPhones and swaying back and forth. What??!!? No more lighters are concerts, people. That is so last year.
For the set list highlights:

Joshua & Katee's opening Samba number:




Kerrington & Twitch Convict Hip Hop:




Will & Jessica's Contemporary:




Mark and Comfort in Detention:




The Group Bollywood Routine:




THE DANCE group dance choreographed by Mia Michaels:






Katee & Twitch and the Door...also choreographed by Mia:




Comfort and Twitch's "Forever" Hip Hip:




Chelsie & Mark's Bleeding Love (skip to 4 minute mark for the best parts).
I did have to join the teenagers on this one, knowing every word and move and all. I admit it. This is, however, the one dance I photographed with my camera on the wrong setting. Aaaaaargh. Not to worry; I am still affected.




Katee & Joshua's Hip Hip - No Air:




And the final group routine from "Hairspray":




Whew.
Those are only the numbers I photographed (lucky for you)...there were many more.
We had a great time together:
Me with my double chin, Mer looking photogenic and Carol, who was so blown away by the show that her bangs parted.



Until SYTYCD 2009...

When Your Son Finds Your Daily Sudoku

...and makes it his own...



I think he solved it, in his own way.


(Neda, thought of you on this one particularly. I hope he gets your mad sudoku/crossword skills)

My Knight, Winking In Shining Armor

A Few More

I tell ya, I can't stop...

Never Too Early to Sew a Christmas Stocking

Some friends and I got together last weekend to brainstorm some stockings.
We got inspired here and here, then got to clipping and measuring and pinning, etc.

There's nothing like good friends, red wine, Christmas music, and a project to make a weekend night perfect.

Here are some of the works in progress:

















I'm sure I'll have more to post soon since I can't stop making these...it's addictive...and a great way to thin out your fabric stash.

Crop Walk '08

Henry, Svea and I participated in a Crop Walk this past Saturday to raise money and awareness about hunger around the world.

It was fun to see so many people there, eagerly participating as I had never even heard of a Crop Walk before Angela participated in one last April.

Since I've been pretty fired up about Bread for the World this year, and then the whole Obama campaign, it just made sense to raise some funds and go. It did not make a whole lot of sense to be out in the cold wind, pushing 70 pounds of children in a double stroller. But we weren't hungry, and out of that gratitude, we walked.

First, we got stickers and had an apple.



Then Henry and Svea ran in circles.






I guess it's a fitting metaphor for how futile it can feel to eradicate hunger in Evansville, the US...and the world. I think that's what Henry and Svea were getting at here.




This picture looks like it was taken at the end of the walk with Henry's head hidden and Svea's lack-of-enthusiasm face. It was, however, taken before we took one step.



Maybe next year will be easier to teach advocacy and activism.
In the meantime, we are grateful to have full bellies and warm homes.

Painting Blur

They have been more interested in painting lately, which is abnormal. I'm trying not to freak out with affirmation fearing I'll squash the groove again.



My camera was on some blurry setting, as you can see, though Henry and Svea would say "Bluh" instead of "blur" as they are on a British accent kick thanks to Charlie and Lolah.

Svea would only speak with an accent Tuesday morning at breakfast which had Brian and me giggling and shaking our heads.

She also said, "Crackin' rice cake, Mum" just like Wallace from Wallace and Gromit.

This was about the same time that I kissed Henry good morning and he said, "I'm not mad atcha, Mom, but your breath is not very good for me."

Continuing tally:
Picking a good snack for Svea = gain 1 point.
Morning breath + first cup of coffee = lose 2 points.

Music Party

To prep for the election results we had a little music time in the doggy room.



As Henry rocked the guitar, Robin Hood style, Svea could hear the dogs whispering to her.


If being the President doesn't work out, maybe she'll be a dog whisperer.

Gobama, Gobama, Gobama, Go

A friend texted me last night, "Oh yes we did!" and I couldn't put my feelings any better.

What victory, what hopeful relief, what wonderful work we have now to do.

Some students pulled out their homework last night as we watched election results come in, so Svea pulled out hers:



I think she could be the President someday, too.

Rocking OUT

Hollister & Co. Style.

Svea's all, "That dude is wearing a necklace."

Henry's all, "So? This dude doesn't have a head. But he does have a bum."

Svea's all, "Oh. Poop. Potty."

Henry's all, "can't talk because he's laughing so hard at Svea's clever potty talk."



We are at the mall, of course. With an elderly audience who thought they could walk their laps in peace.



But the headless mannequins and the cologne-sprayed entrance booming with pop hits had another idea:




Children Dance Fever.
Fame! I'm gonna live forevah...

Very Fun Night

Halloween Candy Dilemma

Please vote on the poll on the sidebar and solve the candy dilemma in our house.

Happy Halloween '08!

Love,
Spidey and The Penguin

My Little Quotables

Henry told me this morning over breakfast that he was full of Whines and he left his Thank Yous at somebody else's house.

That got me thinking about all the conversations I have fantasized about having with my kids, and ones I still imagine for when we are teaching them to drive or moving them out of the house. Somehow, Henry and Svea always come up with questions and scenarios that I could have never dreamt.



For instance, the other morning Svea came waddling into the play room, stark naked and said, "Look Mom! I'm an elephant!"
Then she turned around and she had her purple pajama pants wedged in her bum crack as her tail.



Then there's the potty humor that I find so disarming like when they ask for a piece of poop in a bowl for a special treat and then explain through giggles that they really mean a Little Debbie Swiss Cake Roll. Who wouldn't laugh at that?

Henry came up to me the other day and say simply, "Smell my finger."
I had to explain that as a general rule, I just don't do that.



Then he got frustrated with me the one when dinner was taking too long to cook and his hair hurt and it also didn't look pretty when he took off his hat (all his words), then upon hearing me giggle at his trauma he yelled, "Mom, I don't want to hear another peep out of me!"
At that moment, I couldn't agree more.

Look what came in the MAIL toDAY!

Oh, yesssssssssssssss.

Seeking Balance

We're all just looking for a little balance around here. Even Patches the Horse.

Belonging, Obama Style

It is a known fact to all those within a 50 yard radius of my family's existence that Henry is a huge football fan. Just a general, love-of-the-game fan. He mostly attaches to the University of Alabama's team, but occasionally substitutes South Carolina or Auburn or those good ole Florida State Cinnamon Rolls.

From a before-walking age though he has fixated on this sport with intensity. It looks like brainwash material from that 50 yard radius. I will defend myself that we have not exposed him to football more than exposure to other things like painting, cars, blocks, princesses or "Charlie and Lola." Football is just his thing.

His father has the gene too, but not as pronounced. For the first 3 years of Henry's life, I stood one room over in the house while he and I,Husband embraced Game Day (which includes up to 11 hours of football and commentating) with commitment and determination. From where I stood, I could not understand the love of this game, of course, but more so, I could not understand wanted to belong to one team or group so much.
So what was wrong with me?
I didn't want to wear a certain team's colors all the time or dedicate an entire season of the year, not to mention a portion of the family budget, to any one thing. I didn't get the belonging part of football.

Until this presidential campaign.

I think I finally understand what it means to get sweaty armpits wanting a debate or interview to go my way. I understand now wanting to put signs on my car and wear certain clothes. I understand having a conversation and really hoping that the other person brings up a debate or the latest NYT article or the clever political cartoons that are being forwarded to everyone's email inboxes - have you seen them too???

When I drive with my Obama sticker, I feel myself trying to be a better driver. When I know I'm going to the campaign office one morning, I dress a little nicer. When I see or hear people discussing politics, I feel less shy and have a renewed interest in clear-headed research about election issues. Supporting Obama is making me more aware of ways I want to be better. And I want to belong to Better.

So Go Team Obama.
Beat the Mavericks.
Bring Joe Sixpack, all Hockey Moms and Joe the Plumber to the game. I'll proudly be in the Obama stands.

War Eagle Weekend

Here it is:
Our annual Auburn football game. Some of us were there to see Aunt Brooke cheer, some of us were there for the actual game, some just wanted to high-five Aubie...and some of us were at a wedding in the north Georgia mountains and felt fine about that (though we did miss seeing you, Brooke!).

Here are some pictures of the good times on the Plains:







Woops...having a hard time getting these to load.

You can see all of them here.

Indecision '08

Henry has been stressing out and needing to talk about his Auburn football jersey lately. He can only talk about this when iDaddy is at work, so I get the ear-full during the day.
We had the jersey, we just had to discuss, for 2 weeks, what numbers would go on it.

First it was 18, then he had his heart set on 11, then he saw the pack of numbers and wanted 80-something.
I showed him some pictures on-line of players in various games this season, and he decided that 11 was THE number.


For the front.

And 87:



For the back. Good thing there are only 2 sides to a shirt.


During all of this, Svea thinks it's awesome that her horse can smell the basketball goal. Get it, Mom? He can SMELL it.



hahhahhaahhahahahhahhahahahhahahhaha!
I don't think i ever really got it like she did, but her laughter was too contagious.

Last Night

I'm not quite sure how Svea managed this one, but we walked in our room last night and found her on Brian's pillow like this: