Sunday, Sunday, Sunday

As a parent, you do things for your kids that you never imagined yourself doing.

cue < Crazy Train>

It was an interesting event to photograph and the freestyle stuff at the end was fun, but the rest of the show was an entire commercial for monster truck jam merch with a bit of WWF action thrown in for good measure. The 4-wheeler racers, some from CLE and some from Pittsburgh, got into a "fight" after their race. Helmets were thrown, dirt was kicked up, and gums were flappin'. Exactly what we want to be teaching our children about good sportsmanship, right?!

I guess all that mattered is the kids had a good time and the only crap we came home with was a program and 2 jolly roger flags with Grave Digger Racing (in very small letters). I can handle that, as opposed to the foam Grave Digger hat filled with cotton candy that was going for $15.

Next year, (if there is a next year for us) I think I'll sit it out and have it be a twinado/Daddy/Uncle John/Sam event. Once was plenty for me.

Pictures here.

Happy Valentine's Day

I am lucky to spend the day with my two sweeties and then the evening with Aunt Deb at a library presentation about ghosts in downtown Willoughby. Romance Smomance.

Here's my Valentine's from their very first Valentine's day. I so wish for them to be that small again. Too many life-changing decisions to make as they grow up so fast!

Nolan was only 5 weeks post cranio surgery in these!

Day 27 - A Picture of Yourself and a Family Member

This was the first time Papa met the twinadoes. They were 11 days old. He was their only Great-Grandparent and my last Grandparent. He was a character! He left us this past June. I'm glad my kids got to know if a little bit.

Day 26 - A Picture of Something that means a lot to You

1979 Bally's Supersonic Pinball Machine. My Dad and I bought one of these together when I was about 18. We played it for hours. When the novelty wore off for me, my Dad still played it. He would go do in the basement with his beer on a weekend and play and play and play.

The Supersonic is now in my basement. It needs some work. Some lights are out and things aren't hooked up just right. That doesn't matter to my kids. They love it.

I know my Dad would have loved to have played it with them.

Day 25 - A Picture of Your day

Had another post-op visit. Shoulder is too stiff for the surgeons liking, so I got some cortisone. It's not that bad. Just like a bee sting. Hoping this aids the recovery. He said I should notice a huge improvement in a week.

Day 24 - A Picture of something You Wish You could Change

I always wanted an older brother. How that for something you could wish for all day and never get?! Several brothers would have been fine with me. Maybe if I had them, my kids would have a ton of cousins to play with and maybe even a place to spend the night once in a while so my husband and I could get away together.

Day 23 - A Picture of Your favorite Book

This is a hard one. I was a librarian for goodness sake. They are all my favorites. There is nothing like holding a book in your hands or fanning the pages and smelling the fresh ink and paper. I used to love to unpack the new books at the library. I'd just stick my head in the box and take a big sniff!

I do have a special place for Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe though. I loved everything about the book and, surprisingly, I loved the movie as well.

Day 22 - A Picture of something You Wish You were better at

Swimming. I love to do it. I was doing it on a regular basis at the Y before my rotator cuff injury. Whenever this one guy would show up to swim laps, I would just hang in the corner and watch him. He literally glided through the water. He is an amazingly fast and smooth swimmer. I tried to check out his form and mimic it. I'm pretty sure I looked like I was drowning!

catching up on the 30 day photo challenge Days 19, 20, & 21

Day 19 - A Picture of Your High School

A very lame picture for the Eastlake North High website.

Day 20 - A Picture of somewhere You'd Love to Travel

I want to see every last bit of it. Better get going on that!

Day 21 - A Picture of something You Wish You could Forget
Infertility. Once you go through it and are successful, you still don't forget every needle stick and month after month of disappointment. It becomes a piece of who you are.

Day 18 - A Picture of Your biggest Insecurity

I suppose this is the root of it. I don't start a lot of things for fear of failure. In school I never did things on my own for fear of failure.

I did group activities like baton corp. Things that, if there was failure, I could not be directly blamed for.

I have no idea why I was this way. My parents certainly didn't foster that attitude. It just is what it is.

It wasn't until high school that I joined in a couple of activities, with a little (OK a lot) of pushing from my friends) that I really could "mess up" on my own. Writing for the school newspaper and drama club. Back then, I didn't think I was very good at either, but it brought me out of my shell so that is what counts. I would be so nervous before a play that I would make myself sick. Afraid I'd blow my lines or miss a cue.

Over the years I've gotten better and started sticking my neck out there a little more. Doing the photography thing for me has really brought this up for me again. I am so worried that people won't like their pictures. I'm working on letting that go.

Day 17 - A Picture of something that has made a huge Impact on Your Life recently

I always enjoyed being around Jimmy and vibrant personality. With his untimely passing a few weeks ago, I have found him to be a source of inspiration for how I want to raise my children and live the rest of my life. So, Jimmy, from now on we are going to get our good shoes muddy!

Day 16 - A Picture of someone who Inspires You

My Granny Pike was an amazing lady. She raised three sons on less than a shoestring budget. She put up with a husband that drank up a lot of that household budget. She was a confidant to all the neighborhood kids. She cooked, crocheted, sewed, gardened, and had a lot of love to give. Even though she has been gone over 20 years, I still think of her several times a week.

Pappy, Granny, Me & my Dad.

Day 15 - A Picture of something You want to do before You Die

I used to work with a guy who was from Africa. His descriptions of it were pure poetry. Now that I have a daughter that adores animals and wants to be an animal vet, I think I might have a partner-in-crime for an African Safari!

Day 14 - A Picture of Someone You could never Imagine Your Life without

Of course its going to be my husband and my kids. Without them, life would not be what or where it is today.

Another person I've had to live the last 11 years of my life without is my Dad. It was, and still is. unimaginable to have to do this. He was one of a kind and I still miss him everyday.

Day 13 - A Picture of Your favorite Band or Artist

Anyone that knows me, knows I am a Duranie. Have been since I was 12 years old.

I have been fortunate to be front row center a couple of times when they reunited in 2004-2005. I temporarily lost my mind those nights. I also happened to have the blind luck to be at the Hard Rock Cafe Pittsburgh when they dropped by for a little meet and greet. Honestly, I screamed like I did February 27, 1984 when I first saw them at the Richfield Coliseum. My favorite Duran Duran related story happened that night.

Pictures from Baltimore & Pittsbugh 2005

me--->

me holding Rogers hand. He gave me his wrist band ---->

At age 12, I ate, slept, and breathed Duran Duran. When the 7 and the Ragged Tiger Tour dates were announced, I camped out at the ticket outlet (which was inside Sears at the Great Lakes Mall.) For what it was worth, I got crappy seats, but didn't care one bit. I remember thinking I'd be breathing the same air as Simon LeBon. I was sure I'd pass out. (Little did I know I was breathing the same air as one, Bill Polewchak.)

February 27 comes and NE Ohio is hit with the biggest snowstorm it has seen since the "Blizzard of '77." I remember coming home and my mom telling me we would not be going because she was afraid to drive the almost 1 hour drive to the Coliseum.

I sat on our blue tweed couch and cried my eyes out.

My Dad came home from work, took one look at me and said, "Get dressed. I'll drive you."

So he did. It was an awful drive, but here is the kicker.......

There were no parents waiting area back in those days. He sat IN THE CAR and waited for us in that freezing snowstorm.

The concert was on a Monday night. It was so bad school was cancelled for the rest of the week.

I know. I was a lucky, lucky girl.

Day 12 - A Picture of Something You Love

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. That doesn't begin to cover it.

Day 11 - A Picture of something You Hate

Yeah, yeah, I know. I live in Northeast Ohio. Been here my whole life. I know it is never going to change and there isn't a thing I can do about it.

I HATE SNOW & BEING COLD. I can't stand when the air is so cold that when you breath in, it makes you shiver inside your nose and then continues down your whole body.

Reagan got a face full of snow and was making a bad face. I imagine this is what I look like every time I have to step outside when the temperature is below 32 degrees F.

Day 10 - A Picture of your Closet

I'm allowing myself one pass in this 30 days of pictures. This is it. My closet is a mess. I can't reach to put things away properly, so shoes are out of the shoe caddy, the pile of tank tops is not neat and tidy, and there is a pile of PJ's just waiting for me to lift them onto the shelf.

I will say this; it is a very nice large closet with sliding doors and it is all mine because the people that built this house put two huge closets in the two larger bedrooms. Works out great for our room and the kids room.

This was taken when a crew of friends descended on our house to paint every surface, rip up every room full of carpet, gut a kitchen and bath, and many other projects. All in 2 weeks. In everyone's "spare" time. My closet is the one on the left that you can barely see, but you get the idea.

So glad that baby shit rug is history.

Day 09 - A Picture of your Purse (female) or Wallet (male)

Well, this isn't going to be too exciting. Back before kids, I used to have some interesting purses, it was my "thing." I had some that looked like bowling bags and chinese take-out containers. I even got hooked on Coach purses for a while. Now it is just practical "Mommy" type purses.

Vera for the Spring/Summer

and Tignanello for the Fall/Winter.

Sometimes, I wish it were this:

Day 08 - A Picture that makes you Laugh

It makes me laugh and I'm sure it will make you laugh, too. This past summer, Jan and I headed to Mexico for a few nights. We pretty much spent the trip at the swim-up bar being fed pina colada's all day by our Papi, or in a taxi cab (with pina coladas) going into town to do some (drunk) shopping.

One (well, actually two) such trips were in the pursuit of mexican wrestling masks for our husbands. We were in fact, called "the best wives ever" by two guys at the sports bar who had mask-envy.

Saturday night at the resort was mexican fiesta night. There was a mariachi band, a guy hand-rolling cigars, dancers, and a bull. On the way into the buffet, Jan and I saw the bull.

He seemed to be taunting us.

We decided we would take him on as members of the "Lucha libre"

Hey, if you are going to ride the bull you might as well do it in (some sort of) style!