Weekend highlights
Grinnnnnnn - that was fun!
Z--- is working on a calendar project, and drove out to my place to shoot two subjects. We found GREAT places for them in my favorite garden (Indianapolis Art Museum) and spent the rest of the time schmoozing and playing with the kids. The weather was almost perfect - good temperature, not too windy, overcast so we didn't have harsh light or shadows (or too many other pedestrians), and the rain held off until we were done with the second subject. Yay!
Other highlights:
-- With guests fast approaching, I clicked into Cleaning Frenzy mode. It's not Mom-level clean, but it's guest-friendly clean.
-- Artichoke chicken in the crock pot for Saturday night, turned out YUMYUMYUM and even the 11-year-old liked it.
-- Got to visit S&S and hold the new baby. She's the tiniest, most precious adorable thing.
-- Did alot of kid-wrangling, and had fun doing it. One of my super-powers is NOT being with the kids 24-7, I'm not already worn out or irritated by them, so I can be Favorite Auntie, spoil them and distract them for the day, and let Mom get a few breaths and do the other thing she's trying to do.
-- I say this to alot of moms on mother's day, especially my own mom, but I honor and commend all Moms who take the time and patience to raise Good Kids. Z---, I may have earned some angel wings for a weekend of entertaining the wee ones, but you're a hero in my eyes, with the mountain of patience and love you show your kids. I wish there were a million more like you.
-- They brought me the most tasty (and giggly!) pink gummi piggies, and it's been hard resisting gobbling them all up at once!
-- The cheapie $1 diamond kites from Meijer fly amazingly well. Mind-bogglingly well.
-- Wally-world has Terracycle kites from upcycled candywrapper sheets, but they need serious adjustment to fly at all.
-- Bubbles are fun.
-- Q'doba has tasty, almost-healthy food, but the sit-in dining area is loud and echo-y, and not very conducive to schmoozy conversation.
-- I love that one of R---'s favorite books is "There's A Hair In My Dirt!"
-- Got to chat about some really cool audio/production geeky stuff with Z. It's cool to start understanding there are REASONS why X sounds good and Y doesn't sound so good, and it's often got nothing to do with the melody or the vocals or a dozen things I'm used to looking at.
-- Samoa was GREAT with a houseful of guests, especially the 4-year old and 11-year old who very very much wanted to play with her and pet her. Bonus points - they listened carefully when I told them "Look at her ears: when they're back like that, it means she's not happy, so we back off for a little and let her alone. When her pupils get big and dialated like this, it means she's happy and wants to play." Double bonus points, she never bit or scratched either of them.
-- Watched "Into The Woods" on DVD from Netflix. Still one of my favorite Broadway musicals ever. Confirmed that Anne Hould-Ward did the costumes. She also got a Tony for costuming Beauty And The Beast. Theatre geek points for me!
-- Finished "Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Sea of Monsters." I'm lovin' this series! Totally different feel from Harry Potter, which might be the difference of a male author vs female author. But they've got alot of the canon correct. I do have an objection to Athena having offspring, but I see it as fairly necessary plot point.
-- Finished "The Other Queen" by Phillipa Gregory, about Mary Queen of Scots. Somehow, this one didn't grab me as much as her other books have. But it does make me curious to read more about Mary.
It was just plain fun connecting with Z for the weekend. I don't get to see her nearly often enough. We're starting to plan a girls-only weekend sometime soon. Pajama Day! Hang out in PJs eating waffles and watching goofy movies.
Z--- is working on a calendar project, and drove out to my place to shoot two subjects. We found GREAT places for them in my favorite garden (Indianapolis Art Museum) and spent the rest of the time schmoozing and playing with the kids. The weather was almost perfect - good temperature, not too windy, overcast so we didn't have harsh light or shadows (or too many other pedestrians), and the rain held off until we were done with the second subject. Yay!
Other highlights:
-- With guests fast approaching, I clicked into Cleaning Frenzy mode. It's not Mom-level clean, but it's guest-friendly clean.
-- Artichoke chicken in the crock pot for Saturday night, turned out YUMYUMYUM and even the 11-year-old liked it.
-- Got to visit S&S and hold the new baby. She's the tiniest, most precious adorable thing.
-- Did alot of kid-wrangling, and had fun doing it. One of my super-powers is NOT being with the kids 24-7, I'm not already worn out or irritated by them, so I can be Favorite Auntie, spoil them and distract them for the day, and let Mom get a few breaths and do the other thing she's trying to do.
-- I say this to alot of moms on mother's day, especially my own mom, but I honor and commend all Moms who take the time and patience to raise Good Kids. Z---, I may have earned some angel wings for a weekend of entertaining the wee ones, but you're a hero in my eyes, with the mountain of patience and love you show your kids. I wish there were a million more like you.
-- They brought me the most tasty (and giggly!) pink gummi piggies, and it's been hard resisting gobbling them all up at once!
-- The cheapie $1 diamond kites from Meijer fly amazingly well. Mind-bogglingly well.
-- Wally-world has Terracycle kites from upcycled candywrapper sheets, but they need serious adjustment to fly at all.
-- Bubbles are fun.
-- Q'doba has tasty, almost-healthy food, but the sit-in dining area is loud and echo-y, and not very conducive to schmoozy conversation.
-- I love that one of R---'s favorite books is "There's A Hair In My Dirt!"
-- Got to chat about some really cool audio/production geeky stuff with Z. It's cool to start understanding there are REASONS why X sounds good and Y doesn't sound so good, and it's often got nothing to do with the melody or the vocals or a dozen things I'm used to looking at.
-- Samoa was GREAT with a houseful of guests, especially the 4-year old and 11-year old who very very much wanted to play with her and pet her. Bonus points - they listened carefully when I told them "Look at her ears: when they're back like that, it means she's not happy, so we back off for a little and let her alone. When her pupils get big and dialated like this, it means she's happy and wants to play." Double bonus points, she never bit or scratched either of them.
-- Watched "Into The Woods" on DVD from Netflix. Still one of my favorite Broadway musicals ever. Confirmed that Anne Hould-Ward did the costumes. She also got a Tony for costuming Beauty And The Beast. Theatre geek points for me!
-- Finished "Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Sea of Monsters." I'm lovin' this series! Totally different feel from Harry Potter, which might be the difference of a male author vs female author. But they've got alot of the canon correct. I do have an objection to Athena having offspring, but I see it as fairly necessary plot point.
-- Finished "The Other Queen" by Phillipa Gregory, about Mary Queen of Scots. Somehow, this one didn't grab me as much as her other books have. But it does make me curious to read more about Mary.
It was just plain fun connecting with Z for the weekend. I don't get to see her nearly often enough. We're starting to plan a girls-only weekend sometime soon. Pajama Day! Hang out in PJs eating waffles and watching goofy movies.