loving the limelight

i included the play limelight in a recent 'things i love thursdays' post
because i am obsessed with this play that recently ran at the la jolla playhouse.
it wasn't enough to just include it, i have to devote an entire post to it.

i saw it with christopher first a few months ago. we are season ticket holders at the ljph
and this was one of the 6 shows in the season. i was looking forward to it as i'm a big fan of
musical theater and this was one of the 2 musicals in the series.

admittingly, i knew nothing about charlie chaplin other than his character in his black and white
silent films was known as 'the tramp'. that's really all i knew about him. i don't recall even
watching an entire movie of his.

after having seen limelight, which is based on charlie's life,
i am fasinated with his rags to riches story.
his story is both interesting and inspiring.

it helped that there was a PHENOMENAL actor playing charlie, robert mcclure,
a talented cast, amazing dancing and music that i still can't get out of my head.
of the hundreds of plays (musicals and non) i have seen in my lifetime,
limelight is one of my top 3, maybe even my #1.

i can't think of a single thing to improve in the performances i saw.
it was perfection to me. i can't remember the last time i was so excited over a play.

after i saw it, i instantly wanted my sister jen to see it because i just knew she would love it too.
she had a birthday coming up, so i bought her a ticket the next day and
a few weeks later, we enjoyed it together.  i think she loved it almost as much as me.
so here's how obsessed i am with this play.

c and i went to see notes from the underground  a week or two after seeing limelight.
it was playing at one of the other theaters at the la jolla playhouse,
limelight was still running and playing right next door to the theater we were in.

after watching a very dark and disturbing play by dostoevsky, i was feeling pretty down.
(i'll share that several folks walked right out of the theater during the show because of graphics/violence). it was extremely difficult to watch.  c and i walked out of the theater without speaking a word to each other -we were both just drained emotionally.

as we walked by the theater where limelight was being having it's final performance,
i heard the music being played on the outdoor speakers. i stopped and couldn't help but smile.
limelight is a complete contrast from what i had just seen.
there are some melancholy and reflective songs,but most are upbeat and hopeful.
i needed to hear that music again so i insisted we just stand and listen.

as i was listening, i peeked inside the lobby.
i saw the live performance was being shown on a screen in the lobby. i was ecstatic!
i asked c if he'd be willing to go sit in the lobby and just sit and watch the show.
he had an 8am meeting the next day and it was already 9:30pm with yet another hour left of limelight.

he refused.
i begged him.
he still refused.
i told him it might be my last time EVER to hear the songs -
especially if the show doesn't make it to broadway. 
he thought i was being a bit dramatic and reminded me he had to get some sleep.
he said i was being unfair and unreasonable. how dare he!

here's the embarrassing part, but i'm going to share anyway.
i started to tear up in frustration and anger (i wasn't kidding when i said i am crazy about this play).
i briefly and very seriously considered telling c to go home without me and i would take a taxi home AFTER
i listened to the rest of the play, but in the end, i decided i should end our 'date night' with my husband.

but there you have it, a glimpse into my passion for live theater and music that moves me.
limelight did this - in a BIG way. i am hoping the show goes on to broadway.
with the cast we saw perform, it's hard to imagine it won't. it's so deserving of it.
my fingers are crossed and i am hopeful...

HERE is a clip interviewing the amazing christopher curtis, the composer for limelight.
i learned from his website that he has been working on the musical score for 16 years!
if this play comes to a theater near you, you MUST see it. i can't say it enough.
limelight is a musical you don't want to miss!!

things i ♥ thursdays

i ♥ cupcakes
and lucky (or not so lucky) for me,
my coworker has been on a baking frenzy the past few months
and cupcakes have been her thing.
today she brought in about 3 dozen all decorated in the halloween theme.
i'm kicking myself for not taking a photo because they were Absolutely Adorable.
her little whipped cream ghosts with faces that sat on atop mini cupcakes were my fav!
(i found this pix on the internet, my coworkers' were equally as cute)




















i ♥ costumes
i wish i could sew and make amazing costumes but since i can't,
i am relegated to working with fabric glue which limits what i can make.
with some help from my sister jen,
this owl costume is what i've been working on for the past 2 weeks.
i found it on-line on alphamom's blog.

it's not difficult to make, but it is a bit labor intensive.
i was starting to question if it was worth all the trouble
when finn came up to the kitchen table last night.
i was glueing fabric pieces (feathers) to the t-shirt and he said
"you've been working hard on my costume mom. i saw you and aunt jen
cutting out all those feathers. there's like a billion. i really really love it."

those words made me forget all about my achy fingers and my glue covered hands and table.
my sweet 6 year old noticed and expressed his appreciation.  
what more could a mother want? for me, not much.
grateful kids is at the very top of my list.

i ♥ oreos
i know they are horribly unhealthy
but they are oh so yummy.
when i walked by the double stuffed orange creme filling halloween
ones at target last weekend, i couldn't resist buying a bag.
i've been putting 2 cookies in the boys' lunchboxes every day this week.
it's a rare treat and they know to always eat their sandwhich and veggies first.
i mean honestly, who doesn't like oreos?! *wink*

i ♥ rollerskating
YES, i'm referring to the old-school skating
where you rent the ugly beige boots with the orange wheels.
you know them well if you were a teenager who lived at the skating rink (like me).
i went to a skating birthday party with finn a few weeks ago and we both had a blast.
i told my sister, leslie, all about it and she really wanted to go when she visited.
no arm twisting was necessary, i was in!!

so this past saturday afternoon, i got a sitter for 4 little boys and leslie, jen and i
rollerskated are bootays off for a few hours at skateworld. 
we had a blast and leslie and i even participated in the limbo contest (and lost).
we were all a little sore the next day but in a good way.
this was a reminder for me to get out there even more and do something
outside my norm ever once in a while.
not only was it fantastic exercise,
but it was a fun and different way to enjoy time with my sisters.
we will definitely be doing this again in the future.
(pix to come)



i ♥ this picture of the cousins
it was taken this past monday at legoland,
right after the boys got off the kiddie rollercoaster.
as they were running to get back in line to ride it again.
this was soren and scoutie's first time ever on this rollercoaster and
when i asked how they liked it, they all turned and gave me this:

legoland 2010: scout (3), finn (6), soren (4)



things i ♥ thursdays

i ♥ bigger bathrooms
i had forgotten how wonderful it is to spread out.
our temporary home has big bathrooms with long very long countertops
and double sinks in both the master and the boys' bathroom. *bliss*
we have little step up stools for each of  the boys and it works so well.
a bigger bathroom is a luxury we've NEVER had (even in my home growning up)
so i'm feeling like a queen these days.


i ♥ the limelight: the story of charlie chaplin.
i'm going to dedicate an entire post to this musical
i recently saw it (twice) because it was that good!
i am obsessed with this play, and if you saw it, you would understand.
everything about it was PHENOMENAL!!


i ♥ my droid x
i can't say it enough.
and the screen resolution is amazing (hi-definition),  i often listen
to pandora over the speakers and the quality is great.
it's all just wonderful.
ok, it has one flaw. voice texting isn't perfect but everything else makes up for it.
there's a good argument it's better than the iphone.
i won't argue it, but i know several tech folks that will. 
i'm just happy i found what works for me!


i ♥ my family
despite the occasional drama (or not so occasional at times),
my family is a part of me and my world.
i wouldn't trade 'em for anything.
i am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my sis and her 2 sweet boys this weekend!
they fly in from berkeley on saturday morning.
as always, LOTS of fun things planned.
i think i'm excited as finn and scoutie.

made entirely of flaws

i can't remember where i came across this image/quote, but i saved

on my desktop because it seemed to have been written just for ME.

 

the sound of silence

today's blog title comes from paul simon and art garfunkle's song with the same title.
i had the cd playing in the car today and it made me think of how rare silence is in my home.

then i thought of something my mother said when she was visiting about 8 years ago.
this was during c and i's pre-kid days and we lived in a condo in pacific beach.
we were the typical d.i.n.k. couple - busy with social events, eating out, and travelling
whenever we got the chance.  our home was rather quiet then.

after arriving home from work one evening, i found mom sitting on our couch reading a book
(or maybe it was a house decorating magazine). she greeted me with a big welcome home and
shortly after she said "your home is SO quiet angie." i think that was her way of saying it had been
a long day by herself and it would be nice if she'd have been spending it with grandchilden.

she never came right out to say it, but she wanted to see me as a mother.
she wanted to spend time with her daughter, in that role and with her grandchildren.
she wanted to hear pitter patter of feet on our hardwood floors.
that wasn't the first time she had hinted she'd like c and i to have kids.

we always wanted children and told our families this, but they were probably starting to wonder.
we were married married for years already and i think some were losing hope.  c and i told
everyone we were taking our time and having a little bit more fun before we had to share each other,
but i think mom half believed me. *wink*

now when mom visits my home, her days are no longer quiet.
we try to get her out to california any chance there is a week or two break from school.
she helps out and the boys just *love* having grandma here.
they are forever asking her to read, build, color, or make them a pb and honey sandwhich.

i will venture to say that mom's visits to san diego are more enjoyable now that she has grandchildren here.
i remember her saying "there sure is alot of life in your home." 
again, her gentle way of telling us this was exactly what we needed.
and as i sit here, i can't help but think she was right.
call it a mom's intuition but she knew exactly what i (we) needed.

my heart is full tonight and i feel very blessed to have my three.
(even though it's rare i experience the sound of silence)

and since all posts need at least one photo, i included this one of finn taken by kelly at bubba-loo.
kelly snapped finn in all his goofy glory. that's my boy!

image: finn (age 7)

celebrate endings

celebrate endings - for they precede new beginnings.
- jonathan lockwood huie

i spent some time tonight searching for the right quote to post
as a tribute to my sister who has one chapter of her life over today.

i love the perspective this quote gave me and i hope it brings her
comfort and peace and reminds her to look ahead to all of the wonderful
and exciting things that lay ahead.

and since i can't be with you today to celebrate this ending in your life sis
i am sending this celebratory cake to you across cyberspace.

love love love you leslie!!!  XO

three types of tourists

i came across this article about travelling and found it fun and thought i'd post tonight.
basically it categories 3 types of tourists:

1. the recreational tourist - the person who is looking to get away from it all, unwind, and slowly recharge their battery.
2. the experiential tourist - the individual who is looking for new experiences within new cultures, always increasing their knowledge base. they are energized by exploration.
3. the experimental tourist - this person is not only willing to try new things but almost actively seeks them. they are willing to try (and perhaps fail) in travels to new destinations rather than not travel at all.

i found this so interesting and i immediately knew i was #2.
i think my other half is a combination of #2 and #3, but more #3.
he goes out of his way for an adventure - off the beaten path and will drag me into a family's home if they invite us to dinner or talk me into riding local buses full of chickens and grade school kids going to school.  i love this about him.

it makes our travel experiences much richer and we always come home with fun stories.

so travel has been on my mind as i was planning a solo trip to florida this fall to visit my nephew (who should arrive towards the end of this month) and my girlfriend's new baby boy!  after much thought, we decided to bit the bullet and bring the entire family.  this way we can all see the babies, visit the shappard crew and finn and scout could get some quality time with grandma and grandpa, something they don't get to do often because of us living on opposite ends of the country.

i believe that true 'quality time' between grandkids and grandparents isn't spent in the company of mom and dad looking over their shoulders.  there is a different dynamic when parents muddying things up. so while the boys are having fun with gma and gpa, c and i will be getting some quality time together too.

we aren't sure where we are going, but since the carribean is so close to florida and fairly affordable, so we are considering it. neither of us have been so we need to do some research to see what's there.

i'm envisioning touring old spanish forts, eating lots of island/local food, hiking through jungles and seeing (or better yet) swimming under waterfalls. ahhhhhhh!! 

i pulled these pictures from google. all are places in the carribean. oh so lovely.

miss maddy is 16

yes, you read correctly.
madison gerber is now 16 years old - crazy to think!

so everyone knows that i LOVE taking photos.
my sister refers to my camera as my first child
and it's kind of true.

i'm not one to put a big emphasis on material things and my camera
isn't top of the line by any means, but it is important to me and i go to
to protect. simply put, it's my tool for capturing what's meaningful to me.

my niece maddy is special to me and i wanted to capture a few photos
of this this special time of her life. she just celebrated her sweet 16th birthday
and lucky for me, maddy was happy to let me photography her pretty face.

this past saturday, i picked her up at her home before shooting, we enjoyed
a yummy breakfast at the living room, a cafe in the new neighborhood.
we ate, sipped on our cup of joes and talked alot (as always). *wink*

afterwards we headed to bear canyon for an outdoor photo shoot.
maddy was such a trooper.  she followed me around as i trekked on and off
the trails to find places to shoot. she was extremely patient and just easy to
photograph.  unlike me, she is a natural in front of the lens.

i couldn't resist sharing just a few photos of maddy tonight.
these  are straight out of the camera - no image editing was done.
aren't they beautiful?  i thought so too!
(miss m agreed to let me photograph her in an urban locale next - can't wait!).

happy belated birthday miss maddy!!
XO auntie a

really loves robotics

finn brought this home from school yesterday and it was no surprise to see what
topic he chose for a classwork assignment - robotics engineer.
his passion for robots hasn't waned a bit over the past year.

can you make out what he's trying to say?
my coworker did a pretty good job figuring it out..

i'll give you a little help with the first column.
tools:  batteries, wires, motors, circuit board (can you see it?)

sometimes finn carries letters from the same word down to the next line.
when he notices i'm a little perplexed when trying to read things he writes,
he reminds me he's only 6 and that his teacher, mrs. hawke, can read everything he writes.

i want to remind him she's had 15 years of experience reading what 5 and 6 year olds write.
mom is pretty new to this! *grin*

way beyond

way beyond is a new indoor children's health and fitness center
that opened up in the UTC area of san diego a few months ago.
i hadn't heard of it until my very thoughtful coworker sent me a link
to a special that was running for discounted tickets for their 'date night'
which is offered every friday night.

i had never heard of this place, but one look at the pictures on their website
and i got excited about it. seriously, the place looked like a giant futuristic
playground - super cool!

when i learned they accept 3 year olds that are fully potty-trained,
i couldn't resist. i reserved two spaces for the boys immediately,
sent christopher a calendar request for a friday evening,
and shared this photo with finn:

his reaction was similar to mine.  he was in awe!
almost daily, he'd ask me if today was our date night.
finally the day arrived and he could barely contain himself.
when i got home from work, the boys were ready to go. 
c and i dropped them off and it couldn't have been any easier.
they barely acknowledged us as we said goodbye to them.

c and i snuck off to dinner at el torritos, which was literally just around the corner.
we walked here, maximizing our time out together.  we asked for a boothe that was
tucked away and luckily we got it. we spent our entire 'date' drinking, eating,
and just catching up with each other's lives.  it was exactly what we needed.

a few hours later, we picked up two happy and very tired little boys.
on our drive home, we all agreed we should do this again!