Are You Watching Nashville?

Are you watching Nashville?

Image Credit: Craig Sjodin/ABC

It's only a few episodes in so you still have time to catch up!  It's a great TV drama about an old country singer (think Faith Hill) and a new up and coming country singer (think Carrie Underwood) that are fighting for top billing in the music industry.  There are also a couple secondary story lines of a young girl that just wanted to write poetry getting discovered and the old country singer's Daddy (that's what you call him in the south) bing an evil doer and getting her husband to run for Mayor.

Daddy....is played by Powers Boothe.  You might not know that name because you aren't into old guys like I am but he always plays a bad guy.  I think he's fantastic as Lamar.  You get to learn some of the back story about why he and Rayna are always at odds.  A revelation that she doesn't make for 20 years!

All of the actors and acctresses on the show are doing their own singing and you can buy the songs you hear on iTunes the day after it airs.  I've already bought several of the songs but my favorite one is If I Didn't Know Better by Sam Palladio and Clare Bowen.

Nashville is one of the only shows that my sister also watches so we love discussing the show.  A few weeks ago, we were texting about it and I discovered that my dear iPhone (his name is Vern) doesn't like the word whore.

So You Want An iPad Mini?

So do I!

I think I have my dear Apple loving husband convinced that I need one since my children have claimed my first generation iPad as their own.

Here's what I use my iPad for....when I can get my hands on it.

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Angry Birds
Reading books
Updating books I'm reading on Good Reads
Checking the weather

All of these things are great activities for the iPad Mini.  I don't watch movies or TV on the iPad so the small screen size will be perfect for me.

In the keynote, they mentioned that the iPad Mini is as thin as a pencil and it's 53% lighter.  It has a 5 megapixel isight camera and you can face time with it.  FUN!

Now....iKeith did tell me that it does NOT have retina display like the other iPads so it won't be a clear as they are.  I'm fine with that.

Here's the price.

16GB $329
32 GB $429
64GB  $529

I'm also very fine with this lovely case that I found on Etsy by Iris and Lily.

Gratitude {5}

Every day at 3:20pm, I stand outside the building.  I chat with other Moms and check my watch. Like clockwork, the door swings open and I watch her walk out.  She's quite a bit younger than me and she wears the cutest outfits.

One by one they shuffle out the door with their giant backpacks that they will grow into soon enough.  I study each child's face....anxious to see the one that makes my heart sing!  There he is.  Normally, he spots me almost immediately and raises his hand to be dismissed.

Today, he's gazing at her....waiting for her to acknowledge him. She looks down and he wraps his arms around her....just for a second.  They smile at each other and he finally raises his hand and looks at me.

She is the other woman.

I knew this day would come someday.  I couldn't be the only woman in his life but I didn't expect him to become so attached to her.

He runs to me and tells me that it was the best day ever!

I'm so thankful that when my precious treasure is away from me, he's being taken care of so well.

This week....I'm grateful for the wonderful teachers and staff at my kids' school.

Ninja Training

Two days in a row this week we've gotten an email from our school principal alerting us that there have been attempts to abduct children nearby.  The first one was several miles away but the last one...at a park that we take the kids to all the time.

I'm thinking of buying a firearm.

I do have some experience with guns because I used to live in the country.  But I don't have formal training.  I'm looking into it.

Last night was our first real PTA meeting and I think many of us where enjoying the small break from our kids.  I don't know why PTA meetings get such a bad wrap!  Ours are fun and we laugh a lot.  Mostly because I use it as an opportunity to practice my stand up comedy routine.

In light of recent events, there was discussion about forming a watch dog group that would consist of Dads patrolling the school and grounds.  I know so many Dads that are worried sick about their kids right now.  I bet they would love the chance to be the protector at school.

The other topic of discussion was safety training for the children.  Everyone agreed that it would be a great idea and thought it would be well received and attended.  Our principal misunderstood how many classes we could have and suggested that we have a lottery drawing to make it fair.

I immediately pictured a scene from the Hunger Games with our principal pulling numbers from a hat to determine which of the students would learn how to escape from an attacker and which ones would not.

It made me laugh.  If my kids don't win the Elementary School Hunger Games, then I'm signing them up for Ninja training.

Models of Courage

Adrienne and I went to school together but we didn't know each other.  Our paths crossed a few times because we both sang in the choir but we were never friends.

Eight years later, we met officially and bonded over our love of food and Melrose Place.  She introduced me to fancy food and the proper way to set a table.  Every Monday night, I'd go to her house and watch our show. I'd bring wine and she'd make a great meal.

It was during this time that I learned that her Mom had breast cancer.  Her Dad was out of the picture and she was dealing with this alone.  She never really talked about how her Mom was doing but would share memories of her childhood with me.  Her Mother taught her to cook, sew,  set a table and how to serve a proper english tea.  These were the things that Adrienne had been teaching me!  Somehow I felt like I knew her Mom too.

On Christmas Eve of that year, Adrienne gave me a teapot and tea cup for Christmas.  Every time I use it, I think about Adrienne and her Mom and I hope that she is still a breast cancer survivor. It also reminds me to do my monthly exams and stay healthy.  I don't want to just be a memory to my kids.


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 This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Ford Warriors in Pink. The opinions and text are all mine.

Necessary Evil

I started the weekend grateful for no plans and two full days of building legos, eating snacks, watching the food network and naps.

Two hours later, I was grateful that I had a down comforter because I found myself sick in bed with the stomach flu.  Keith kept the kids quiet with movies and popcorn while I slept.

The only good thing about the stomach flu....is the weight loss.

Saturday night, my world was ripped apart with news of another attempted abduction of a child the next town over....just 7 miles door to door.  I sat up in bed obsessively checking twitter because the grandmother of the victim had managed to snap a picture of the car with her cell phone.

I finally had to go to sleep....I was delirious with fever and fear.  But sleep didn't come easily because I was angry that my children aren't safe.  I tweeted that my kids were never going outside again....and I was only half kidding.

Sunday brought a beautiful Colorado day.  A perfect day for playing outside with friends.  Mallory asked to go outside but we had to say no.  Poor thing had a sick mama and a daddy on a deadline trying to work and take care of kids at the same time.  There wasn't an adult to go out with her...which is the new rule.

The new rule.

We have a bunch of new rules now.  You can't run ahead.  I have to be able to see you at all times.  Don't talk to or take anything from people you don't know.  Adults don't need kids help so if someone asks you to help them find their puppy you need to scream and run.  Run fast.

I hate the new rules.

But they are a necessary evil because there is evil among us and I can't have blind trust that they will be safe.  You all know me.  I'm pro-active and I can't sit and do nothing.  You know damn well that if someone harms ONE hair on my kids' heads that I'd go ape shit crazy.  Some of you think I'm already there.

With all of this said.  The one thing I could find to be thankful for this week is....Law Enforcement.

Bless them for all they are doing and have done to try to keep my community safe.

And Rest in Peace Jessica Ridgefield.

Helicopter Parents UNITE!

I wanted to tell you about a great new TV show that I watched last night but I can't.  I have to re-watch Nashville for a few reasons.  1.) iKeith wasn't home to watch it with me.  He was working late on a deadline.  IT'S APP SEASON, BABY! 2.) I cried through most of it.

There's been a lot of sadness in Colorado this week.  Friday morning, a 10 year old girl left for school and disappeared.  I've been watching twitter and facebook and the news like a hawk each time there is a press conference.  I've held my kids tighter and watched them closer.

Last night, they found a body. 

I considered sleeping in my kids' room last night.  Unwilling to let them out of my sight. Tears in my eyes and a heavy heart.  I tossed and turned until Keith finally came home.  I was uneasy until my family was all under one roof.

And now I sit here, coffee in hand....awaiting the 6:30am press conference.  My heart hurts for Jessica's parents and family.  I'm sure they didn't sleep at all and won't for awhile.

Please, if you can...say a prayer for Jessica Ridgeway's family today.  Keep them in your thoughts.

And hold your kids a little tighter.

If you need me, I'll be sitting in the lobby of my kids' school.

Helicopter parents UNITE!

Update:  Westminster PD will not confirm that the body they found last night is the body of Jessica.  They are still searching.  I'm feeling very uneasy.  

A Prince at Halloween

Once upon a time in 2006, a baby was born to a couple who didn't think they would ever have kids.

He was the first grandson for two families that prayed for him (and later...his sister) for years and years.

Never! Underestimate the power of a praying Mama.

On this boys first Halloween, many aunts and uncles were excited for him to wear a costume and packages arrived to the state of Utah bearing gifts.

A pumpkin from Texas and a cow from Colorado.  Mommy and Daddy bought the lobster!

This is the life of the heir of a family name and fortune.

I imagine this must have been what it was like for Prince William too.

Gratitude {4}

This weekend, we went to Black Hawk and stayed as guest of my brother in law at the Ameristar Hotel and Casino.  My kids love this place for two reasons:

• The 34th floor roof top indoor pool.
• The Crab Leg Buffet

I enjoy a few things:

• Starbucks
• Quiet time alone while they swim
• Crab Leg Buffet

This time we also got to watch fireworks from our room.  As you may recall, Colorado was on fire over the summer and many communities didn't have their fireworks displays.  Blackhawk rescheduled their Boom Town Fireworks for yesterday.

It was a blast!

This morning, I enjoyed a cup of Starbucks coffee, CBS Sunday Morning and quiet time.  I'm so grateful for little pockets of quiet time!

That's Amore

A few weeks ago, we went to the Belmar Italian Festival in beautiful downtown Lakewood!  It's always so much fun to go to this event because it usually falls around my birthday and I like to celebrate for several weeks.

I'm a princess, dammit.

One of the cool things about this event is the flag throwers.  These guys in tights and beautiful jackets come down the street with flags and when they get to the center of town, they throw them at each other and into the air.

As I watch these beautiful men and their talent in tights, I'm really drawn to the one in blue.

I tweet this picture with the caption...My next husband will be Italian!

Then a few days later, I was going through old pictures and I realized that I've had a thing for this guy for a while.

It appears I took his picture the year before.

I think it's fate!

When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fazool
That's amore
When you dance down the street with a cloud at your feet
You're in love
When you walk down in a dream but you know you're not
Dreaming signore
Scuzza me, but you see, back in old Napoli
That's amore

Disclaimer:  I'm not running off with or in love with the nameless Italian guy in tights.  Let's call him Giovanni.  Yeah, I am NOT running off with Giovanni.  I love Keith every much.