I’m Beautiful Like Me.

The weeks have been crazy hectic. I have looking forward to Jugband Jubilee 2009 since last year! I finally got word last week about the date, but had already committed myself to the department for which I work’s annual picnic. Hell, I planned the thing! In any case, we decided to attend the picnic first and then head out to the Waterfront Park to the Jugband Jubilee. Last year, I took Joy and went with Penny and her girls. This year, Husband and Buddha joined us. It was an amazing time.

The crowd this year was much bigger!

 

 

 

 

The Cincinnati Dancing Pigs

Just today, they erected this memorial for Earl McDonald, a Jug Band Pioneer. His lovely granddaughter gave a short speech of thanks at tonight’s performance.

 

 

 

 

These fellows are a Japanese Jugband and this was their first American appearance. They were very fun, extremely entertaining and, of course, amazingly talented. They are the Old Southern Jug Blowers. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And of course, I had the opportunity to play with my new camera!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joy was particularly photogenic today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buddha made a new friend (with a VERY fancy camera). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Louisville by day and by night….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

School is still going pretty well. I’m enjoying my classes quite a lot and am only finding myself stressed about scheduling issues instead of the actual work. Come to think of it, it’s usually always about finding the time to study outside of class than getting to and from class and understanding the material! Why should this semester be any different?!

Husband and I took our extra school cash and moved last weekend. We paid our deposit and three months rent in a first floor apartment that is more than double the size of our last apartment. It’s so nice and roomy. There’s an enormous front porch, a basement, a little yard and it’s within walking distance to the Black Loop (where I catch the bus to school). The family is really enjoying it. I enjoy all the extra space, the boy loves having his own room and the girl is digging her monster-sized closet. Husband is giddy over the basement and garage. Whether or not he wants to admit it, I believe he is enjoying the challenges of living in a house that’s nearly a hundred years old.

Moving has been a huge stressor this week. We have managed to get 95% of our stuff out of the old apartment as well as the stuff we’d been storing at my mom’s (my books are home!!!) over the long weekend, but a lot of it is still packed in boxes throughout the house. I took Tuesday off from work in order to take care of getting the utilities switched over and the last big load moved but had to get back to school and work and the usual grind come Wednesday, so getting the new place in order is pretty much at a standstill. The most awesome part is that even with all of our stuff here, there is still so much room. Once I get everything out of boxes and into it’s rightful place, I can finally invite people over to have dinner, to watch football games, to entertain and not feel claustrophobic!

The new camera arrived on my birthday and it’s farkin’ fabulous. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I’ve enjoyed playing with it and I haven’t even begun to understand all the amazing things it can do. I will take some time in the (relatively near) future and read through the field guide that came with it so I can maximize it’s potential. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with this one. Be well!

My beautiful kids, 8/31/2009

My father-in-law called at the last minute and invited us to meet him and my sister-in-law, Rebekah at Aunt M’s place in Smyrna, Tennessee. Rebekah has orientation at college today and they had some free time last night and wanted to visit with us. Husband had made other commitments, it’s been a year and a half since he’s seen his dad. Originally, Husband declined to meet his dad and sister. I had tried to finagle and work out some sort of plan so he could see his family and keep his commitment, but it just wasn’t possible to do both. He reluctantly broke his previous commitment, we picked Joy up from school right at 3:15pm and drove the three hours to Smyrna.

Husband drove most of the way. He’s looking a little scruffy. Both kids fell asleep in the car. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I always get excited about the state signs.

 

 

 

 

 

We arrived at around 5:30 (Central Time). Grandpa welcomed us by giving the kids water-weapons.

Lucky us.

Especially Aunt Bekah.

(I threatened to "forget" them there. Unfortunately, Joy was on to my plan and made sure they made it into the car.)

 

 

Aunt M’s two daughters and their respective husbands and children accompanied them. I had met four of the six of them briefly before, three at brother-in-law’s wedding and the fourth when Aunt M visited us with her granddaughter. It was nice to see and meet everyone.

Aunt M and Husband’s cousin prepared quite a feast. Husband cooked the marinated steaks on the grill, there were mushrooms, onions, potato salad, garden salad, pasta salad, cole slaw, green beans, and ice cream cake in honor of the college-bound girl.

Aunt M’s place is really kid-friendly and the kids had great fun ripping through her house and yard with water-weapons and self-propelling cars.

At around 9pm, Husband’s cousins (and families) left and it got pretty quiet. Husband, his dad and Aunt M chatted in the dining room for a bit while I hung out with Bekah and Joy. Buddha was too busy playing with all the new toys to have time for anyone. He really had a blast. We were invited to spend the night, but since Bekah and Father-in-Law had an early morning, we opted to drive home. I admit, I prefer sleeping in my own bed. I got one last (super-great) photo before leaving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three generations

We made it home safely around 3:30am.

I’m really glad we went.