My Super Boy with His Super Cake

E's actual party was held at the Science Center. It was a perfect day for little boys to be making bottle rockets and launching them into the sky. The delicious cake made by a friend was a nice touch too, if I do say so myself.

As Good As It Gets

Me with Mike Birbiglia, part deux. I barely even made it in the picture with him in LA and this time it's not really focused and a bit overexposed. I guess he makes situations with my camera taking more awkward. Regardless, it was a GREAT show and a GREAT time. More pics follow.

He's a headliner!

Sittin' and wishin' and waitin' and hopin' the show would finally staaaaaart.

The name tags that rocked and wowed even Birbigs!

Birbigs with his own 'Freakin' Maniac' tag and the gang.

Me and the man of the hour and the man that introduced us.

Thanks Abraham Lincoln!

What a difference a year makes!

Today my little guy celebrated another turn of the calendar, another year that feels as though it has raced on by, fallen through my fingertips, flashed in a blur. He's six today. So much has changed in just a year. He's more confident. His sense of humor is shining through. He can express himself better and is learning to read. And, yet so much--thankfully so much--remains the same. He still loves to hold my hand when I walk him into the classroom. He loves night-time down time of stories, songs and cuddles, he's curious and full of wonder and his laugh always, always, always brings a smile to my face.

For the third year in a row, he picked neighborhood favorite basis new american cuisine as the location for his family dinner. Again he wore a crazy birthday hat, ordered gourmet mac-n-cheese with a side of strawberries, donned a crazy hat and contemplated wishes over a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream, more strawberries and a flickering candle. This year, however, he kicked up his apparel a notch and requested the tie and dress shirt. He couldn't look more handsome.

Happy birthday, my love.

Significant

An early birthday gift for my friend. It's her word for the year and I couldn't agree with it more. It defines what she wants 2010 to be about. I think it defines what she already is.

Photo-a-Day Game Play: What is this?

Week 4

Remnants of a Royal Celebration

Today was the 100th day of school. When the kiddos are in Kindergarten, they make it a pretty big deal. The kids all had to bring in 100 of something and I had the brilliant idea of sunflower seeds only to find that I couldn't find any and had to settle for sunflower kernels a too-small and salty mess for little hands to count. I tried to get him to do Cheerios, but he wouldn't have any of that since 3 or 4 other kids in the class were bringing in Cheerios. But, at the end of the day, it seems the festivities were a little fruity loopy, but fit for a king.

Good the the last slurp

My new Starbucks favorite ... Iced Passion Tea.

Brilliant!

Everyday Beauty. Beauty Every Day.

Homework

Making patterns...

Too Close for Comfort

AKA I know my mirror is dirty and I will wash it and my entire vehicle after the storm of the century blows over. I also realize it doesn't look stormy, but this is just a brief respite in what is to be a bit of a desert downpour all week.

Homeward Bound

Hope. Love. Peace.

This MLK day. Every day.

Sage Wisdom

You read it here first, from the mouth of my babe:

"I know the secret to winning this game."

"Really." I replied (and that's not a typo. I said it as a statement, not a question).

"Yep. It's getting good cards."

The genius is just overflowing.

The Gorgeous Steeple

...on top of the beautiful church, across the street from the Dodge Theater where Kathy Griffin performed tonight (and I laughed my big ol butt off!)

Sun-kissed Sammy

My beautiful dog, at 4:35 p.m. I always think he looks 'naked' without his collar, but am finding that his collar is coming off a lot lately. He must be embracing his inner nudist.

Custom Print in a Custom Frame of the Custom House

Boston, at its best.

Behind Schedule

It's only week to and there's so far to go...

Relief

It does and achy back good.

The Italian Pasty: In the Making

At the Cornish Pasty. It was a small contention of our book club gals hitting the east side for a reading and book signing by Jeannette Walls, author of The Glass Castle. We first had to get some grub and stopped by The Cornish Pasty where we partook in some doughy, flakey goodness. I am not a fan of salami above, so I went with the Chicken Pot Pie pasty and was perfectly pleased.

Jeannette was in town promoting her new book: Half-Broke Horses: A True Life Novel, hence the reason for the cross-town jaunt at rush hour. Our book club gang loved her debut and were excited to see what her sophomore effort was all about. Turns out, Jeannette's taken stories from a very contentious character in her own life, her mother, and interviewed her to capture the life and times of the family matriarch, and Jeannette's grandmother, Lily Casey Smith. Smith was a tough talkin', pioneerin' woman that taught school in a one room house in rural Arizona. Sounds like just the kind of book I could dig into and at less than 300 pages, it's prime for my 52 Books in 52 Weeks project!

Jeannette didn't read. In fact, what she did was so much better. She just talked to all of us. With a crowd that filled the auditorium of a local high school, she covered her background (the story of memoir The Glass Castle) and told us about her mother and grandmother. Adding to the night was the six-degrees-of-separation-small-world-freaky-deaky coincidence of a woman who had had Annie Casey Smith as a teacher when she was growing up! She stood up and told some of her own tales about Smith, the corporal punishment she applied in the classroom, and the screechy voice with with she sang by the school's player piano. The evening was just the right mix of humor, excitement, pause and reflection to have me ready to dig right in to Half-Broke Horses. It didn't hurt that Jeannette was so generous and allowed me and my gal pals some photos.

L-R: Claudia, Yumiko, Jeannette, Jonel and me.

Me and Jeannette

A Perfect Piece of Chocolate Cake

Zoes Kitchen is a favorite place for E and I to catch a meal. And on this Sunday, it was the place for an off-schedule book club discussion. I had my usual spinach, feta and chicken quesadilla and finished it off with this scrumptiously moist dessert. Yummo!

Goalie Game Face: GRRRRRRR!

Today was E's first soccer game. As expected there was a lot of hilarity on the field (it's 5 and 6 year olds) but E's team scored the only goal and my little goalie blocked an attempt by the other team. GO ZEBRAS!

About the team name:

Last night at soccer practice, the team mom asked the kids to throw in suggestions for their team name. Since their colors are black and white, she encouraged them to think of animals that are black and white. E, in a first, immediately threw out "ZEBRA!" I was proud that he stepped up and offered an option, as he's usually quieter at the start of new experiences. In addition to zebra, there was a bid for penguins, pandas and snow leopards (by a very persistent little one). They voted and Zebras won by one vote. There were some woots, some tears, and what I thought would be demands for a recount by the Snow Leopard contention.

Soccer Under a Striking Sunset

The Makings of a Super Fan

Can't beat the dollar bin at Target. Especially when the kid finds them, puts them on and nonchalantly says, "Hey mom, look over here."

I was hooked.

Some Things Never Change

My first report card came in the same envelope. As a friend of mine said when he saw my post about this on Facebook, "There's no school like old school."

Agreed.

Book 1

Experiencing the thrill and exhaustion of completing my daily project goal for the year and the December Daily album, I can't seem to get enough. For 2010, I have decided to read a book a week, every week. Yep, that's 52 books. And, I am going to blog about it on a separate blog. Rather than repeat myself, you can just check out my madness in action right here:

My initial post, and the impetus for the project.

My commitment, in writing.

I am actually pretty excited about it.

Beautiful Dish, Beautiful Gift

A perfect plate for a candle given to me by my friend Sarah.

I Want Pepper!

I couldn't pass up this tiger's cry. We all know they love pepper; it's cinnamon they hate.

And, if you didn't know that, you aren't familiar with the top comedy of 2009, The Hangover.

Let the Scheduling Begin!

I love a new year and I love a new calender. www.erincondren.com does the best fun and whimsical wall calendars that help me track all the essentials of my life and the kiddo's. It's big, has lot's of space and stickers to boot. The final touch? You can personalize it so that each month has your, your family or some statement for the month. This year, it's Our Wild and Wonderful World. Because life as a working single mama to a boisterous 6-year old is anything but calm.

Looking Forward

I am a glutton for punishment. Or habit. Or I just can't put my camera down.

Here I go. This time, whole hog: Project 365. None of these half-assed, half-year daily photo projects for me anymore.

December Daily - DONE

I decided to add a reflection page, which I think closes the project nicely. WHEW!

Click image to enlarge for detail.

Layout and date stamp: Ali Edwards

Paper: Taylor Made

Celebrate the season word art: Paislee Press

Paper and brass clip: Katie Pertiet

Tinsel Strip: Lynn Grieveson

Here are also the front cover, title page and back cover of the album that I will have shutterfly produce.

December Daily - Day 31

Click image to enlarge for detail.

Layout, date stamp and celebrate word art: Ali Edwards

Paper: Taylor Made