Red as a soft cherry.
Orange as a juicy mango.
Yellow as a sour lemon.
Green as a crunchy grape.
Blue as the wide ocean.
Purple as the color of my tent.
Jack
First Grade birthday party
Jack asked to have some of his classmates over to celebrate his 7th birthday. I didn't know it was to be a Mario costume birthday party until the guests began to arrive and Jack began BEGGING to wear his Mario costume. Then of course, the boys sat around and played Mario brothers games.
A 7th birthday cake any birthday boy could envy made by John Owen himself. Good job, daddy-o!
Everyboy loves cake!
Before I left for NY, I told John he was in charge of Jack's birthday party because I simply couldn't take on one more project. He did such a great job that I have handed birthday party planning over to him. (I did say I may have a few ideas to throw his way, but I'm not going to plan the things. This leaves me free to mingle and take pictures: my favorite part!!!
A 7th birthday cake any birthday boy could envy made by John Owen himself. Good job, daddy-o!
Everyboy loves cake!
Before I left for NY, I told John he was in charge of Jack's birthday party because I simply couldn't take on one more project. He did such a great job that I have handed birthday party planning over to him. (I did say I may have a few ideas to throw his way, but I'm not going to plan the things. This leaves me free to mingle and take pictures: my favorite part!!!
Seven. Did you say Jack just turned SEVEN?
Melanie & Mark brought the gang down to have a little impromptu birthday dinner for our strapping 7 year old.
John and Wyatt joined in the fun with chocolate fudge cake.
She may not look it, but Mel nearly had her eye put out by that fork Jack was waving around like a crazy kid.
My clever sister made this wrapping paper by using red paper, then printing out Mario & Luigi characters on the computer. She carefully cut them out and glued them onto the packages. I have never seen Jack open presents so carefully. He DID NOT want to risk tearing Mario or Luigi. We still have these bits of paper fully intact at the house.
Noah did not want to go home and so did not want to be in another picture either. I had to trick him by asking for sad face pictures.
Rock Star faces, kids! (Wy has a fantastic Rock Star face/pose, don't you think?)
John and Wyatt joined in the fun with chocolate fudge cake.
She may not look it, but Mel nearly had her eye put out by that fork Jack was waving around like a crazy kid.
My clever sister made this wrapping paper by using red paper, then printing out Mario & Luigi characters on the computer. She carefully cut them out and glued them onto the packages. I have never seen Jack open presents so carefully. He DID NOT want to risk tearing Mario or Luigi. We still have these bits of paper fully intact at the house.
Noah did not want to go home and so did not want to be in another picture either. I had to trick him by asking for sad face pictures.
Rock Star faces, kids! (Wy has a fantastic Rock Star face/pose, don't you think?)
O-Ver-Due!
So what have we been up to since January?
We have registered Wyatt for Kindergarten. WHAT? I said Kindergarten. He turns 5 in May and heads off with the big kids come August.
Jack has been continuing his piano lessons and is staying active in the Cub Scouts. The boys started soccer practice while I was in NY. And yes that means Wyatt is now playing soccer.
When the games are over, the parents form a tunnel and the kids all run through like champions whether they win or lose. (The kids seem to enjoy the tunnel run more than the game.) I caught Wy just as he was entering the tunnel for his very first tunnel run.
We aren't sure if he is going to continue to play soccer or not. At his first game the coach put him in, Wy burst onto the field with plenty of energy. He grabbed up two fist fulls of grass and threw them to the sky. He looked up and saw the beauteous splendour of the heavens and laid down on the field - legs spread wide and hands behind his head. Another little boy thought this was a good idea and joined Wyatt. They lay there with me yelling for them to get up as a herd of boys hurtled down the field toward them. Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Jack and I joined the Cub Scouts for the annual Lakeside Nature Center clean up. Jack was "tired" from the start. His legs were tired. His hands were tired. He had no energy to pick up trash. He did though have enough interest, I mean energy to ask to be the fella who stood by the side of the road with the hazard sign warning drivers to be watchful of the volunteers. He could not understand WHY I refused to let him be the dude holding the sign.
I came away with a large inflamed swipe of impetigo across my face due to poison something along the wilds of 63rd Street near Swope Park. Thank you, Kansas City!
We have registered Wyatt for Kindergarten. WHAT? I said Kindergarten. He turns 5 in May and heads off with the big kids come August.
Jack has been continuing his piano lessons and is staying active in the Cub Scouts. The boys started soccer practice while I was in NY. And yes that means Wyatt is now playing soccer.
When the games are over, the parents form a tunnel and the kids all run through like champions whether they win or lose. (The kids seem to enjoy the tunnel run more than the game.) I caught Wy just as he was entering the tunnel for his very first tunnel run.
We aren't sure if he is going to continue to play soccer or not. At his first game the coach put him in, Wy burst onto the field with plenty of energy. He grabbed up two fist fulls of grass and threw them to the sky. He looked up and saw the beauteous splendour of the heavens and laid down on the field - legs spread wide and hands behind his head. Another little boy thought this was a good idea and joined Wyatt. They lay there with me yelling for them to get up as a herd of boys hurtled down the field toward them. Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Jack and I joined the Cub Scouts for the annual Lakeside Nature Center clean up. Jack was "tired" from the start. His legs were tired. His hands were tired. He had no energy to pick up trash. He did though have enough interest, I mean energy to ask to be the fella who stood by the side of the road with the hazard sign warning drivers to be watchful of the volunteers. He could not understand WHY I refused to let him be the dude holding the sign.
I came away with a large inflamed swipe of impetigo across my face due to poison something along the wilds of 63rd Street near Swope Park. Thank you, Kansas City!
Yew Nork!
Before we get started I need to tell you that Wyatt is to thank for the "Yew Nork" business. Before leaving for NY we all agreed we would try to connect by phone three times a day (a bit much yes, but it was a goal.) I called after bedtime (to talk to John) around day 3 of my two week stay and Wyatt was still awake. My conversation with Wyatt turned into an hour and a half ordeal. He didn't want me to be in "Yew Nork anymore." He asked me to sing, which I did. This was a mistake. He started crying. I started cryting. Nothing I said or sang was helping anyone. I finally had to tell him I loved him but that I was getting off of the phone and he was closing his eyes. And so New York is now Yew Nork to me.
As far as my experience in NY, all I can say is it was very stressful getting there, but our hard work and hours of preparation made the install and process run like clockwork. I had a hard time sleeping in a new place, but mornings went much easier with my beloved NPR. It made me feel like I was at home and that I was heading off to a normal day. It helped me to settle down and remember that I actually stage manage things EVERY DAY and I could do this even on 42nd street!
And I decided early on that if I was not in the actual New Victory Theater, then I was going to be on an adventure. That is exactly what I did. I caught 6 shows (DO NOT TELL MY HUSBAND.) The War Horse was the most amazing piece of theater I will ever see. The Best Man was an amazing collection of actors and a very tight show. Newsies was full of fantastic dancing and the set blew my mind! Mary Poppins was unbelievable! I cried when they flew the kites, I nearly fell out of my seat when Burt danced up the side of the proscenium and then upside down across the top of it and finally down the other side. Avenue Q was great with such tight puppeting work. It is amazing how long it has been running and it is -tight-. The Book of Mormon was irreverent and funny.
I went to the Empire State Building, The High Line in Chelsea, MOMA (and cried when faced with Monet, van Gogh, Picasso, Matisse, Gaughin, Cezanne, Pollock, Chagall, Dali and my head was swimming). (I could have touched The Starry Night. I could have gone to jail afterwards, but I could have touched it.) Grand Central Station, St. Patrick's, Radio City Music Hall, went to Henry Krieger's apartment and touched his Grammy's, listened to him sing songs cut songs from the Duck show, list to him debut the song he just wrote for Glee "Big Girls Got It Goin' On", had a drink at The Duplex, dessert at Sardi's, stopped by the AEA offices, checked out Strawberry Fields in Central Park, Saw The Dakota where John Lennon was shot, saw one of the Naked Cowboys, ate the best seafood soup on the planet at Farmer's Rotisserie, met actors from Avenue Q & Book of Mormon and talked puppet shop, checked out Macy's windows, Chinatown, Brooklyn Bridge, Battery Park, Ground Zero, The Federal building, Trinity Church, met Mary Rogers, saw Judith Light hanging out, passed Aaron Carter a time or two, was nearly crushed as Evit was letting out due to folks trying waiting for Ricky Martin to leave through the backstage door, took the Ferry to Staten Island and met Clark & Richard (my two favorite New Yorkers and now a cherished life long memory for their kindness), cried when I saw the Statue of Liberty from the ferry and I have lost track of all my little excursions.
It was quite simply an amazing two weeks. I would love to go back and drag John Owen all over the place and it will be great that one of us would know where we were going! Plus I want to see the UN, the Met, check out the Bronx, spend more time in Central Park
So, if you would like to skim though some of the 400+ pictures I WHITTLED my trip down to for the album, go over to my sidebar and under Linky Dinks - follow the link to my Shutterfly. You want the Yew Nork, Yew Nork! It's a wonderful town! album!
http://owenlandparkproductions.shutterfly.com/
Much love and blessings to you all!
amy
As far as my experience in NY, all I can say is it was very stressful getting there, but our hard work and hours of preparation made the install and process run like clockwork. I had a hard time sleeping in a new place, but mornings went much easier with my beloved NPR. It made me feel like I was at home and that I was heading off to a normal day. It helped me to settle down and remember that I actually stage manage things EVERY DAY and I could do this even on 42nd street!
And I decided early on that if I was not in the actual New Victory Theater, then I was going to be on an adventure. That is exactly what I did. I caught 6 shows (DO NOT TELL MY HUSBAND.) The War Horse was the most amazing piece of theater I will ever see. The Best Man was an amazing collection of actors and a very tight show. Newsies was full of fantastic dancing and the set blew my mind! Mary Poppins was unbelievable! I cried when they flew the kites, I nearly fell out of my seat when Burt danced up the side of the proscenium and then upside down across the top of it and finally down the other side. Avenue Q was great with such tight puppeting work. It is amazing how long it has been running and it is -tight-. The Book of Mormon was irreverent and funny.
I went to the Empire State Building, The High Line in Chelsea, MOMA (and cried when faced with Monet, van Gogh, Picasso, Matisse, Gaughin, Cezanne, Pollock, Chagall, Dali and my head was swimming). (I could have touched The Starry Night. I could have gone to jail afterwards, but I could have touched it.) Grand Central Station, St. Patrick's, Radio City Music Hall, went to Henry Krieger's apartment and touched his Grammy's, listened to him sing songs cut songs from the Duck show, list to him debut the song he just wrote for Glee "Big Girls Got It Goin' On", had a drink at The Duplex, dessert at Sardi's, stopped by the AEA offices, checked out Strawberry Fields in Central Park, Saw The Dakota where John Lennon was shot, saw one of the Naked Cowboys, ate the best seafood soup on the planet at Farmer's Rotisserie, met actors from Avenue Q & Book of Mormon and talked puppet shop, checked out Macy's windows, Chinatown, Brooklyn Bridge, Battery Park, Ground Zero, The Federal building, Trinity Church, met Mary Rogers, saw Judith Light hanging out, passed Aaron Carter a time or two, was nearly crushed as Evit was letting out due to folks trying waiting for Ricky Martin to leave through the backstage door, took the Ferry to Staten Island and met Clark & Richard (my two favorite New Yorkers and now a cherished life long memory for their kindness), cried when I saw the Statue of Liberty from the ferry and I have lost track of all my little excursions.
It was quite simply an amazing two weeks. I would love to go back and drag John Owen all over the place and it will be great that one of us would know where we were going! Plus I want to see the UN, the Met, check out the Bronx, spend more time in Central Park
So, if you would like to skim though some of the 400+ pictures I WHITTLED my trip down to for the album, go over to my sidebar and under Linky Dinks - follow the link to my Shutterfly. You want the Yew Nork, Yew Nork! It's a wonderful town! album!
http://owenlandparkproductions.shutterfly.com/
Much love and blessings to you all!
amy
