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Friday, October 29, 2010

The Concert

Wow.  Definately wow.   The opening acts were about what you'd expect.  Both were good, but not amazingly spectacular like you get from a seasoned performer.  Still very enjoyable.  Then after a brief stage reset, we got to enjoy over an hour of Gary Allan.  THAT is one amazing performer.  Hubby and I have always enjoyed GA's music becuase it felt believeable.  You get the impression, even on the radio, that he's felt allt he things he sings about.  And I gotta say, live, its all the more obvious that he has indeed felt it all.  From the fast fun songs to the heart-wrenching sad ones, you can see it on his face and hear it in his voice that he really has been there.  When he sang 'No Regrets' he brought me to tears. 

That's a true performer.  I laughed and smiled and danced and screamed and even cried.  Amazing performer, amazing night.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Wohoo!

Tonight, the Hubby & I are going to a concert!!   The tickets we bought as my birthday present, and I've been looking forward to this show all month!  So very excited!  I'm sure you can tell that by my excessive use of exclamation marks.  (See what I did there, I controlled myself. Aren't you proud of me?)

So tomorrow I'll have all kinds of exciting things to say abotu how awesomet he show was and such. Until then. BYE!

Thursday, October 21, 2010

A poem

Feeling uninspired today, so I'm just popping on to leave my favorite poem of all time.


Acquainted with the Night

by Robert Frost

I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain -- and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.

I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,

But not to call me back or say good-bye;
And further still at an unearthly height,
One luminary clock against the sky

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Its been a while

And I really must apologise to my neglected blog.  Life got a little crazy there and I just couldn't keep up.  I'm recommitting myself to posting a little something every day, even if its just a cute photo of the boys or a quote I enjoy.

My birthday was earlier this month, and with Halloween coming *squee* October is one of my favorite months.  Dragon decided he wanted to be a ninja this year.  The costume is rather cute, and when Rockstar decides he wants it for next year, it will probably hold up well enough to do that.  Rockstar really wanted to be War Machine.  It was a bit of a fiasco getting him one.  The stores in town didn't have any left in his size.  So he agreed to just be Iron Man.  Of course he wanted the nearly $50 Iron Man with the light up CIRCLE on the chest, not the triangle Mom, the circle.  So we grabbed it to be on the safe side and Mom went on an online scavenger hunt to find a War Machine he'd like and fit into.  Turns out I combo'd some sale prices and discounts and got him a War Machine and the shoulder cannon (which he is absolutely tickled about) for less than his glowing Iron Man.  Wooo!  So Iron Man went back to the Halloween store and War Machine will be going trick-or-treating this year.  On a side note, when I ordered War Machine, I also ordered a Pac-man costume for the hubby.  He's very pleased.  Now I have to make myself a ghost costume. *sigh*  another craft project I probably won't finish *snicker*

Oh, and a tip for all you costume shoppers out there.  The costumes almost always run a full size small.  Seriously.  Rockstar is wearing a 7/8 costume.  He is just fully fitting into size 5 in clothes.  So, watch that.

Stay tuned for updates on the rag rug, mario afghan and ghost costume.  As well as maybe a recipe this week and more random stuff you don't really care about.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Black Sunday?

Because today is 10-10-10 our local grocerys tore is having a 10/$10 sale.  This sale included the 6 packs of 7up brand 16oz bottles.  This sale has made the normally decent people of my town into bargain hungry monsters.  The poor employees could barely keep the display stocked.  I haven't seen this level of shark circling and pushiness since the one year I ricked my life to attend Black Friday sales.  It was ridiculous.  What is it about saving a little cash that makes us forget the simplest of manners and decency?

Friday, October 8, 2010

Music & Emotions

Relaxing. The house is quiet, everyone else is watching a movie. I'm just enjoying a nice cold glass of sangria and listening to my rather strange collection of mp3s. Every song seems to remind me of something. Not generic somethings, specific memories. I'll be singing along and start laughing uncontrollably or blubbering like a moron. Music is very emotional for me. Its much the same way for Dragon, actually.

When he needs an escape from the world, when its all just too much and he needs to sort of reboot he will put on his headphones and my iPod and listen to his playlist. Mostly that means we get to sit around and listen to him sing Taylor Swift or Johnny Cash songs until he's feeling more balanced. Its an amazing tool he's discovered. He can tolerate any noisy insane environment so long as he has the iPod available if he needs to take a break. And its not just that it makes things tolerable. It makes things so that he can be on the verge of exploding, spend 15 or 20 minutes in his own world and its as though he was never upset. Not every Aspie is fortunate enough to find something so easy that works so completely for them. I've always enjoyed music. Its always been a part of my life (I was even a band geek in highschool!) but seeing the difference it can make in my son's life has given me an entirely different appreciation for music and those who create it.

To see him go from being limited to short outings, having to leave family events early and now be able to spend entire days out and about becoming closer to relatives and just enjoying things more has been nothing short of amazing. Major holidays used to go like this: drive 40 minutes to Grandpa's house. Spend 20 minutes visiting. Sit down and eat. Visit/play for at most an hour. Apologies‘, try to explain and head home having spent as much time there as we spend driving. This last visit we spent nearly 5 hours visiting. He played with his Aunt (who is only 2 years older than him), visited Grandpa's animals, rode 4-wheelers. It was amazing. He was thriving. Sure he had to take several breaks. But he was able to do it. He's an amazing kid and its just the sort of thing a mother needs to keep her positive and hopeful that the future really is as bright as we want it to be.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

More Rag Rug

I mentioned yesterday that I had actually started this project.  Turns out, crafting is actually hard work.  I've put in almost 5 hours so far and all I have to show for it is 2 really long strips of unevenly cut fabric. Go me!

Measuring, cutting, pinning, sewing sheesh.  5 hours and I haven't even gotten enough done to start the braiding portion.  I did take some progress shots of me doing these first two strips.  Plan to get the third fabric done today.  Then I'll braid it up and coil it to see how many more I need.  I suspect this project will carry me through my winter boredom.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Rag Rug

Finally go around to starting work on this project.  Ripped the seams out of an old pillow case, cut it into strips and am in the process of stitching the strips into a single piece.  Updates and progress photos will come soon.

Been away, have some chili!

Took a little break the last few days.  No inspiration and a lot of other stuff that needed my attention more.  Cooking is my only truly successful creative outlet so I plan to share recipes from time to time.  I'm always looking for new ideas and variations on old favorites so feel free to share too!  Yesterday's dinner was particularly successful.  All the adults liked it and 3 of the 4 kids who ate it liked it.

Kate's Awesome Chili

Ingredients:
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1/2 lb spicy ground sausage
  • 1 14oz can petite diced tomatoes with onion
  • 3-4 cans of beans (any variety I usually use red & black)
  • 1 pkg chili seasoning (use your favorite)
  • 6oz tomato sauce OR
  • 1C roasted red pepper soup (use this if you can get it)
  • 1/2C diced onion (I skip this if I use the soup)
Directions:
  1. Brown turkey & sausage together in a skillet.  Add onion to meat and cook until translucent.
  2. Drain beans and pour into dutch oven or crock pot (my preferred method).
  3. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. ( do not drain tomatoes)
  4. Cook on low at least 4 hours.  Longer is better.
  5. Serve witth cornbread.
  6. Don't count on leftovers.