Well, for those of you who might not have realized it, my little dude turned 11 just over a week ago. He is such a funny guy, quirky in his own way. I can definitely not say that is "just like other kids." Last night was a particularly humorous evening for me (with him) and I just had to share.
First of all, one of his Christmas presents from me was a Toys R Us gift card. Now, he never really asks for toys, since he seems to want to live his entire life with some electronic device, so I would never go out and pick toys on my own for him. But I thought there was this slim chance that if I bought a gift card to a toy store that he might actually choose to get TOYS instead of wandering into the electronics section to get a video game. Those of you who really know him are thinking "yeah right." Which, I must say, was sort of what I was thinking. But he surprised me! After making a full scan of ALL available toys (yes - I mean all), he ended up choosing these dragon toys. I don't even know what they are called but they come in different sizes and they have dragons and fighter guys. The best part was that they were on sale, so with his gift card he was able to get like 14 of these things in various sizes. So we get through the checkout line where he is grinning from ear to ear as the cashier puts all the toys into a giant bag. We arrive home and he quickly heads upstairs, dragging the bag of toys behind him.
He is up there for at least three hours, only stopping to come downstairs for dinner. I checked on him a few times and his bedroom floor is covered with toys - apparently these dragons require assembly. So he is diligently working. At one point I went in his room to put away laundry and he asks me if I can come help him assemble. I tell him that I will finish what I am doing and if he still needs help, I will be there. A little later he comes down to see if I am ready to help. I am confused on why it is taking him so long to assemble these so I ask if he is doing other things at the same time (like playing on the computer). This is where he informs me that he was commenting on a blog. This is the dialogue from there...
ME: Commenting on a blog? What kind of blog? HIM: Well not a blog. It's a forum. For Roblox (this online lego game he plays). ME: Well what are you commenting about? HIM: Well, the developers did an update to the software and now you can't build anything unless you pay the membership fees. Which is dumb. So we are all commenting about how dumb it is because it is supposed to be a FREE game, and you only have to pay to get extra stuff. Not to just build. So its kind of like a protest. ME: A protest? HIM: Yeah, like we are protesting the update and hoping that the developer will take the update away if we all protest enough. ME: Wow. HIM: Yeah. I mean, if you look at the URL of the website, it says right there... FreeGames.Roblox.Com (or something like that - don't quote me on this part). So how can it say that on the URL and then charge you to do anything?! It's dumb. So anyway, the forum has reached its comment limit so we can't protest anymore there. So now I am just building the dragons. So, are you going to come help me? ME: Umm... yeah.
I am not kidding you! The dialogue went exactly like that! That kid cracks me up! So anyway, I go upstairs, we build the rest of the dinosaurs and then as I am leaving the room, he asks if it is okay for him to close his bedroom door. I say sure. I head back downstairs, sit on my couch with a book and that's when I hear it. He has plugged his iPod into the computer speakers and is jamming to the song "Youth of the Nation". Not just once, but at least 20 times. It would end, another song would start playing for about a minute then there would be a pause... and there it was again... "We are, we are... the youth of the nation..." Catchy tune...
So I sat downstairs, smiling at the fact that my 11 year old was above me, caught somewhere between a kid playing with dragons and a teenager jamming to rock music. And possibly working on becoming some sort of protesting journalist for all I know.
I have known for about six months I was going to be traveling to Chicago in December for work and I was very excited about it. It wasn't until about a week before I was scheduled to leave that I started really absorbing how cold it was going to be there and how NOT prepared I was for that type of weather. I would check the forecast every morning and see the highs in the teens and the lows as low as five degrees. Brrr. Everyone I talked to said "layer, layer, layer" so that is what I did. I packed leggings, double the socks, long sleeve shirts to go under everything I was going to wear, and the warmest coat I had - a mid-thigh length wool coat. Add to that gloves and scarves - and I was as ready as I was going to be!
Tree in the hotel lobby (too tall to get the whole thing!)
I landed on a Tuesday morning and had to head straight to the convention center to meet up with a couple of co-workers to set up our booth. We were exhibiting at the Midwest Clinic (an educational clinic for high school and college band directors from all over the world). Once setup was done, I checked into my hotel - the beautiful Hilton Chicago which was right on Michigan Avenue - a shopper's heaven - and was greeted by a 40-foot Christmas tree when you walked in the front door.
I joined my coworkers for dinner that night - we had some fantastic seafood at Shaw's Crab House where we had crab cakes, lobster bisque, grilled scallops, asparagus, grilled potatoes, and a small cut of steak. It was all so delicious and we all left completely stuffed.
The next day was a full day of work. It was a productive day where we talked to close to 500 people and I met people from Australia, Canada, Japan, and all over the US. I even met the band director for a Lafayette, LA high school and later met a marine (who was there exhibiting as well) who was born and raised right outside of New Iberia! It was a crazy coincidence and we had a nice chat about the folks back home and how much we miss the good food, the daiquiri stands and the laissez faire attitude of everyone there. After work that day, a smaller group of coworkers headed to Gino's East in Chicago for some world famous Chicago-style deep dish pizza. Oh my. I wish I was better at describing food so that I could accurately tell you how delicious this was. The picture does it no justice. I was only able to eat one piece of the pizza - I was so stuffed. It had pepperoni, a full layer of italian sausage, onions, peppers, mushrooms, and jalepenos. Oh how I wish I could have had another piece of that before leaving the city. YUM!
Gino's East Deep Dish Pizza
On Thursday I woke up excited because Nick was flying in to meet me that day so I knew that I would get to get out and walk some of the streets of old town Chicago and enjoy some of the beautiful sights. Another full day of work and I hurried out of there and back to the hotel to meet up with Nick. He surprised me with an early Christmas present - a Marmot coat, a fleece jacket to go under, and ear warmers! YAY! I could now bundle up appropriately and head out for a night on the town. In true Chicago style, we walked through the various streets, ending by heading back up Michigan Avenue. It was snowing for a good part of the walk and so for the first time in my life, I got to walk down the streets in freezing cold weather while getting stung in the eyes with snowflakes. Sounds pleasant, right? I can't explain it - but I loved it! I tried very hard to not look like a total tourist but I did have to stop for a typical "tourist" picture.
I don't look cold at all, right?!
Nick and I enjoyed dinner at a German-style restaurant called The Berghoff where I enjoyed a delicious Reuben sandwich and a french onion and tart apple soup (which was really good!). We also made a stop in Macy's for some Frango chocolate mints - and that place was just beautifully decorated! It was five stories of shopping in just this one store. We didn't do any real shopping, but it was fun just to look around (and thaw out a little!). We made our way back to the hotel, swung into the hotel lounge to meet up with a couple of coworkers and enjoy an Irish coffee and then headed up to the warmth of our room. Oh - I forgot to mention the view from my room... take a look at this!!
Sunrise from my room
Sunset from my room
The courtyard right below my room
On Friday, I had my final day of work - a long, slow moving day - and while I was there, Nick went out and did his own sight seeing and made a stop at the Field Museum, which he hadn't been to since he was a kid. He took some cool pictures and really enjoyed the visit. I wish I could have seen it as well, but there just wasn't enough time in the day. That night, Nick and I teamed up with the only remaining co-worker still in town and we headed out for a steak dinner at the famous Gene & Georgetti's. This place was small and crowded, but not in an unpleasant way - in a way that made you feel like you were part of something extraordinary. The dining area was split between upstairs and downstairs, all hardwood floors, Chicago-style art on the walls, an ambiance that you just don't find everyday. It claims to be the "oldest steakhouse in Chicago" and let me tell you - there is a reason it has lasted so long. I had a filet Mignon that practically melted in my mouth and Nick enjoyed a t-bone that was so moist and full of flavor it made your mouth water just looking at it. We wrapped up the night and headed back to our hotel to get ready for our road trip to Indiana the next day.
Saturday morning, Nick and I hopped into a rental car and headed to South Bend, Indiana to visit some of his family and give me a tour of where he grew up. After a two hour drive along toll roads lined with factories, we arrived in South Bend and began our tour. Nick took me through his old neighborhood and showed me the house where he spent a good part of his childhood. The snow covered streets, the old brick roads, the colorfully painted fire hydrants - they all led to a very quaint feeling of a Midwestern neighborhood. It was nice to get to see a little of his past and now he says that I have to take him to my hometown for the same tour!
Me & Grandma H :-)
We pulled into an abandoned parking lot that was covered with snow where Nick gave his best effort at showing me the joy of doing doughnuts. He was disappointed in the lack of "doughnut ability" of the rental car we had but I still enjoyed the spinning that we were able to do. From there we headed to visit one of his grandmothers. I know a lot of my followers here knew both of my grandparents - so when I tell you how much his Granny reminded me of a mix between both of my grandmothers, I think you will understand. This woman is 96 years old, living on her own in the same house she has been in for at least 50 years. She still gets out and shovels the snow every day and she greeted us with fresh baked goodies (it is Christmas season, after all!). We spent about an hour and a half there that day, listening to her stories about when she was a young woman, how she met her husband (whom she was married to for somewhere in the vicinity of 60 years), how she learned to fly planes when she was 18 years old (and crashed on her first solo flight!) and so much more. Nick and I were both enthralled with her stories and I was reminded how very much I miss both of my grandmothers. I am so glad I got to spend the time with them I did, but there was so much more to spend. Several times during our visit, I had to blink back tears as I listened intently to this vibrant, humorous woman who was so full of life and yet questioned why she was still here on this earth. We went back the next day to visit some more before heading back to Chicago to fly home and before we left I was able to get a picture with her. Of all the sights I saw during my time up north, these visits probably affected me more than anything else. I am definitely glad that I had a chance to meet her.
We spent the night at Nick's uncle's house and the two of them stayed up WAY later than me talking about old times, family, cars and just about everything else. But before going to bed, Nick and I did venture out to pick up take-out pizza from a place called Bruno's which makes more of a New York style pizza that was just flat out delicious. The crust was soft and foldable, the sauce was rich and flavorful and the toppings were fresh. It was quite a delicious pizza which I was glad to finally be able to try. Nick has been telling me about this pizza for at least three years!
Bruno's Deliciousness!
The next morning we had breakfast at The Original Pancake House (another favorite of Nick's) with his other grandparents, his great aunt, his aunt, and his cousin and family. It was a nice breakfast and everyone was really sweet. It was a little difficult for me to talk to everyone just because of the seating arrangements, but Nick was able to catch up with everyone and I know they were all glad to see him.
That's me, I promise!
From there, we headed down to the campus of Notre Dame (because I am a dork who likes to see legendary college campuses!) and we even got out of the car to go into the church there (gorgeous!) and snapped a picture of me in front of the the golden dome (that's real gold!). Everything was covered in snow, so it was difficult to see the true beauty of the campus, but it was very nice to see nonetheless.
After the afternoon visit with his granny, we headed back to Chicago, had a beer in the airport and boarded a plane for home. By Sunday night at 11pm, we were home, laying in bed, and reminicing about our trip. I don't know when I will get to go back to the Midwest for another visit, but I am really glad I got this opportunity and I really did enjoy getting to see the sights, meet some really nice people and enjoy some delicious food.
Oh - and for the record, the day after I returned home, I was out doing Christmas shopping, wearing a thin long sleeve t-shirt and sweating. Gotta love Texas!!
Well, I thought now would be a good time to make a post and let you all know I am alive here in Texas. As usual, I have been spending a lot of time balancing my hectic schedule but I did make the exception for what I think is my favorite holiday - Thanksgiving! This holiday is all about good food and good people and good football (Geaux Saints!).
So I wanted to let you know that your ever so studious law student did not go hungry this Thanksgiving. I spent it at Nick's where he dominated the kitchen (again) and made quite a delicious spread of food including a fried turkey, his delicious sweet potatoes, a first time ever crawfish and cornbread stuffing, collard greens with andouille sausage, homemade cranberry sauce, homestyle mashed potatoes, and burnt rolls (see... even he is not perfect in the kitchen!). Everything was fantastic - and we threw the burnt rolls into the fireplace which surprisingly, didn't smell horrible. He invited those without family nearby and he had a nice turnout.
I felt full and happy at the end of the day which is always a positive sign for a successful Thanksgiving. I hope everyone else had a good day as well. More updates to come soon - I am heading into finals right now (tests are this week and next) so wish me luck!
Oh - and here is a picture of the beautiful fried turkey fresh out of the fryer! So Yummy!
Surprisingly enough, I didn't get any other pictures of the food. So you will have to take my word for it.... it was beautiful and delicious.
Breigh and I spent the day at the Texas State Fair a couple of weeks ago with my brother and his family (our annual fair friends) and this year our surprise guest was my sister and her husband who made the drive all the way from Tickfaw, LA (yes that’s a real town!) to spend the day at the fair with us.I suppose I should have one of themwriting this blog because I think they would be suited to say if the fair is worth the 8 hour drive.Our drive was about an hour thanks to the ever heavy fair traffic but once in the gates, we were overwhelmed with the smell of fried foods and money being spent.
For those of you who have never made it to the Texas State Fair, I must tell you that the highlight of the fair is making the trip around the fairgrounds to find the winners of the annual food contest.Categories such as “Best Taste”, “Most Creative”, etc are awarded and it although it’s not a written rule, it does appear that the foods that are awarded must meet 1 of 2 criteria… “Fried” and “On a Stick.”This is why I always go with my brother… he is the only person I know that truly enjoys the glory that is eating a ridiculous amount of calories within one day on overpriced food.We also split everything – which essentially means we eat half the calories that we would if we went alone!
This year however, I felt the new foods left something to be desired.First of all, the “Most Creative” prize went to Fried Beer.This was disgusting.This is the first thing that Robert and I both agreed should just be thrown away.Iwas not even able to swallow the one that I tried.The best way to describe it is really salty, under cooked pretzel dough shaped like a ravioli and then filled with beer that tastes like really cheap, flat, warm beer that has been gargled with and then spit back into the ravioli.Yeah, it was THAT bad.
Probably my favorite of the “new” foods was the Fried Club Salad which was essentially a club salad wrapped inside of a spinach tortilla and deep fried long enough to give it a crunch.It was served with your choice of salad dressing on the side.Very yummy but the salad portion of it almost felt like I was not doing the typical “fair food” justice.It had a hint of “healthy” to it… that’s just absurd!
In addition to the food tastings, the kids rode some carnival rides… and so did the adults – but only one. And no one puked…. But for a moment – I think my siblings came close!We also stopped at the Birds of the World show which is an annual tradition.You get an up close view at a lot of really beautiful winged creatures.After the show, Breigh and I had our picture taken with an owl.Yes the owl is real… when I turned my head, he was staring right into my eyes, which I will admit was a little daunting.But he didn’t bite my ear (thank goodness) and we got a good picture out it!
So, that’s our State Fair day in a nutshell.As always, the part I look forward to the most is spending the time with some of my family.In our busy lives, as distance separates us, it seems all too common that many months will pass before we are together again.So I love that, for that one day, we are close, we remember how alike we are, and we have fun.Life is Good.
Last weekend Nick and I went to Roller Derby for the second time.I have a friend who just started skating in it and she invited us to go and now I am hooked! I wish I had more time on my hands because I would SOOO lace up my skates and hit the rink!Think about how much I have always loved roller skating (been doing it since I was 3) and combine that with how much I loved martial arts (beating people up).In roller derby, I get to roller skate AND rough people up!I mean… it’s like peanut butter and jelly!As of now, however, I don’t have the time in my schedule to attend the mandatory practices that would make me a successful roller derby girl.Boo! :(On the flip side… I am really thinking of making Roller Derby Girl my Halloween costume.I have been looking for a reason to buy new roller skates anyway. :)
It's the one thing he didn't inherit from me! Haha!! Seriously though, he went to his first orthodontic appointment this week and it appears he will be getting an "expander" put in this month that is basically attached to the roof of his mouth and his two back teeth and once a week we (either his dad or I) will be using a tool of some sort to turn a screw that is going to slowly expand his upper jawline. The process takes about a year or so and then after that the braces phase of life begins. The doctor believes he will be in braces for at least 2 1/2 or 3 years. So that means somewhere in high school he should have a metal free mouth again. Poor kid. Oh well... when I was in school, braces were cool... maybe they still are now? For those curious minds who wonder what in the world the "expander" is... click here!
I was told once that my current method of writing here may come off as "bragging" or being self-centered. Those of you that really know me, know that I would never do it for those reasons... well, sort of maybe. After all, I do use the blog as a way to communicate what I am up to without having to call or email people individually on a regular basis. I can do what I am doing now... watching football, waiting on the dinner that I know is going to be delicious to finished being cooked for me, and write at the same time. So yes, in that way I guess it is a little "selfish". But nonetheless, I am going to try to switch it up. I am going to try to use it a little more regularly, with smaller snippets of my days, a little more random writing about things that make me laugh and still try to throw in some updates that I think are important enough to write about. Hope you all enjoy it. And maybe some of you will get to know me a little better. Get to know who I really am on a regular basis. Not just the girl who swings in to town to visit from time to time. I sure hope you all like the "me" you come to read about.
Well, somehow I blinked and finished my first full year of law school! Wow! I remember getting ready to start last fall and thinking that I would be lucky to finish the first year without having a nervous breakdown and here I am on the other side of that year and not only did I survive… I enjoyed it and made pretty good grades! I am taking one class this summer – Professional Responsibility (Ethics). It’s a lot of fun… my professor is a federal judge and his substitute (because he has to miss classes as a result of his judicial duties) is an assistant US Attorney who works as a prosecutor for the Department of Justice. Pretty freaking cool. The class is very entertaining and is a good reminder of all the things I look forward to doing once I am finished with law school (or better yet... the things I shouldn't do!). I am taking a FULL class load in the fall so I know things are going to be hectic… so in the mean time…
I am trying to enjoy some summer time!! I bought season passes for Breighton and I for Six Flags and Hurricane Harbor so that we can get outdoors and have some excitement this summer. I am not sure how much Breighton is really going to utilize the Six Flags pass… he’s still a little leery of the big roller coasters, but he LOVES Hurricane Harbor. That boy definitely loves the water. So, when we are not standing in line at one of those parks, we are looking forward to spending a lot of time by the pool this summer.
On the note of Breigh, that super smart kiddo of mine finished 4th grade with flying colors and is excited about heading into 5th grade. I, on the other hand, am a little freaked out. I remember 5th grade. I had my first “boyfriend” in 5th grade. I got my first kiss in 5th grade (innocent kiss, but kiss nonetheless!). I started sneaking and wearing makeup in the 5th grade… and shaving my legs! And I am sending my son into that?!?! Ugh. Luckily, he is still showing no interest in having a girlfriend yet so I am hoping that sticks for awhile longer. His wisdom to me in the form of girls thus far has been… “I try to be nice enough to them that the like me, but not SO nice that they love me.” Haha! And then his more recent nugget of wisdom, “I think that it’s not so hard to GET a girlfriend, the hard part seems to be KEEPING them.” Oh, so true little man… oh so true! He got his grades from the TAKS test which is the standardized test (like LEAP in Louisiana). So on this test… the kiddo missed THREE questions on the whole darn thing. That child is crazy smart.
Okay, so enough bragging about my kiddo…
Other than all of that, life is moving along. I have done some reading for pleasure (a much missed luxury during the past year) and have even watched a few movies! CRAZY! I don’t see any big vacations in my future, but I do have a couple of trips to San Antonio planned for the month of July for work so maybe I can squeeze a little fun in there. I am also going to make the trip to Savannah, GA to visit my favorite little brother :). I am excited to see his school and maybe meet some of his artsy friends while I am there. I have this feeling that I am going to blink and the whole thing will be gone before I know it. So, on that note… its time for a margarita and a pool… It’s summer time folks… get outdoors!!
It's Sunday, at 3pm... do you know what I am doing? Sitting in bed, listening to football in the background and trying to not think too much about the crazy pace my life will have once again starting tomorrow. That's right, classes start again as I enter my second semester of law school. I do feel pretty good about the time I have had between semesters. I think I did a good job of having some fun, hanging out with friends, reading books for pleasure, spending a lot of time with Breighton and even visiting family back home. It was a very full four weeks and I can't really say it "flew by" because, truthfully... it didn't. Mentally, I am ready for classes to begin. My mind feels relaxed and refreshed and ready to absorb some new concepts in the field of law.
I have been asked the question recently if I thought this semester was going to be as difficult as last semester. The answer is, in a very small way it may be slightly "easier" but at the same time, more stressful. Let me see if I can explain that. It will be easier in that I know how to brief cases, I have a better grasp of how to read law books and outline the necessary information. I don't have the fear of being humiliated quite as badly as I did the first semester (although there is still a little there). Also, a big factor... I have some friends there now. I am not walking blindly into the first day of class, trying to figure out where to sit, who I want to spend my whole semester sitting next to and worrying about whether I will find a study group. I get to walk in and see my study group right away, touch base and fall comfortably into a routine of bantering about current topics, professors, and fellow classmates. Now, for the added stress I mentioned. For those of you who don't know, I got a couple of grades in for last semester (I am still waiting on one) and I did well. In my Legal Writing class, I ended up with a B+, which I was very pleased with because of all the classes, I felt that I gave that one my least amount of effort and I sort of rode on my confidence in already being a decent technical writer (something I really am going to make an effort not to do this semester). In my Torts class, the one I most feared yet ended up enjoying more than any of the others, I made an A. In law school, you can actually get an A+, so this wasn't the highest possible grade for me, but it was still fantastic. I will not pretend to say that I was not shocked and excited. I really had set myself up believing that if I ended up anywhere in the "B" range (from B+ to B-) I was going to be thrilled. I really never expected to have an A. So that's the good news. The bad news... now I know it's possible which means I am going to push myself to do it again this semester. Last semester, I didn't play around. I was focused, I was regimented, I didn't have a lot of leisure time... and the bottom line is, it worked. I got the grade. So I am going to do the same thing again this semester and knowing me, I will inflict a little extra stress on myself. But it is all part of the experience! Either way, I am looking forward to the new semester and seeing what there is out there for me to learn that will make me a successful lawyer someday.
On another front, work has thrown me another curve ball. About 3 weeks ago, I was notified that my supervisor was being transferred back to our sister company and that I was being "promoted" to her position. So I am going from managing "customer service" to managing general operations. The good news is that I am excited about the job activity. It is a chance to really stretch my creative thinking, use some of my marketing and research skills and really help launch our company to a great 2010. I am a little nervous about the additional stress this new role may put on me, but I have received a lot of positive feedback from my superiors that they are going to continue to be very understanding of my school schedule and the associated time that I will need for finals preparation every semester. So wish me luck... if I am any good, the company should have in excess of $2.5 million in sales in 2010, which would be amazing since we just launched in August 2008.
Breighton had a nice holiday break. He really enjoyed his trip to Louisiana, he even didn't complain about all the time we spent driving from house to house and the constant change thrown upon him. I was so proud!! He spent New Years with me where he assumed the role of lead singer in a night full of Rock Band. Our band is called the "Ragin' Cajuns" :) and he sang his little heart out until 2:30. It was one of the cutest things I have seen in a long time! I would never have guessed that he would do that based on his usual tendency towards shyness and being such a "mumbler" but he really came out of his shell with the microphone in his hand... go figure! He turned 10 last month... so he is now officially in the double digits... I can't believe it... He is staring down the face of teenage years and that blows my mind. He is still such a little kid in so many ways, I can't imagine that in a couple more years he will be heading into middle school, going to dances, and ... eeeek.... having girlfriends... Ugh. Everyone says the transformation from kid to teen happens overnight and I am so scared to look in his face and not see the sweet innocence that comes with childhood. I just hope he is a late bloomer!
Well, I think that covers all the major developments of my life over the last couple of months. Everything else is pretty much the same. Thanks again to everyone who has been so supportive of me over the last few months. Your caring, patience, and words of encouragement mean more to me then I can express... Talk to you all again in about 16 weeks!! :) (Kidding... hopefully it won't be THAT bad!)
Sometimes it's the story of my day, sometimes it's the story of my year. Sometimes it's just a ramble. Inconsistent and unreliable is the best way to describe this blog. Unlike me... I hope.
