Laughter Knows No Limits

My older sister, Annora, tripped up the stairs to the bowling alley entrance. Alexander, as an innocent bystander, witnessed this event and proclaimed, "Ha ha! Silly Mama."

Moral of the story: you don't even need to be able to wipe your own ass to know when something is plain, flat hilarious.

Did you know?

PS stands for Postscript.

And, there is a type of rose called the American Beauty...which brings a whole new meaning to that movie.

(I got all this info in the first 20 pages of "Cat's Cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut - wish I would read, recreationally, more often.)

This Time it's a Blazer

I must give mention to the Mexican Fiesta on Thursday night. Damn, it was hot! And I don't mean the spice in the food, nor my sexy self. It was at the Lake Quivira Sailing Dock, and all would have been fine if it weren't for a few things, one I am pregnant, two the breeze did not exist that evening and three I could not drink the wonderfully refreshing frozen margaritas. But I mean it, there was nothing, not even one brief moment of the slightest air movement. Quite amazing actually...isn't it always supposed to be windy by a lake?

The good thing that came from Thursday night was a great preview for the actual wedding. It was a small KC Blazer (my club swim team) reunion. So many of my old teammates were there, quite fun. I loved the ceremony, because Jade acted completely like herself up on the alter, cute and goofy, yet elegant. This was my first time to attend a reception at the Nelson-Atkins Museum, and I hope not the last. Beautiful.
Jade & John Planchon

July 26th, 2008

21 Weeks Down, 16 To Go!

First, a few comments. I tried shoving the dog out of the photo and it made for an awkward shot, that may or may not make me look more pregnant than I really do. Also, I wanted to wear the exact same outfit as the one from week 15, but those shorts do not fit, and I got the t-shirt wrong. Oops.

Now, as for the title, I realize those numbers do not add up to the expected 38-40 weeks, but I am being hopeful. I have now had a total of 3 ultrasounds, and my original due date of November 27th has been moved up twice, now possibly being around the 21st. The doctor finally came out and said, "Well, we were either wrong about the due date, or you are having a big baby." If I am to be an intelligent gambler, and examine my cards, "big baby" definitely seems to be were the money's at. I mean, I am one of the smaller members of my family, and lets just say no one has ever used the word "Dainty" in the same sentence with my name. So, in conclusion, I have personally moved my due date up to sometime between the 8th and the 17th.

Other than all that hullabaloo, everything is going great. I am finally feeling almost normal. I have energy. I have stopped vomiting. I have an appetite. And lastly, this baby is an active one. Phew. It kicks, and thrashes and rolls around (I am assuming) all the time. But I still cannot feel this from the outside, so poor Matt just has to take my word for it right now.

Still no names, nor nursery progress.

They get their own post.

When reading the remarks from Megan's wedding weekend, I am sure your first question is, how can she forget the shoes!? I know, I almost did! They are deserving of their own post anyhow.

These are possibly, my # 1 favorite shoes of all time. They are one of a kind, couture, and very expensive (though I got them wholesale for under $50, of course), while maintaining a decent to good comfort level. I took them off halfway thru the reception and set them on the floor, under a chair, next to my purse. I had my eye on them all night. I even double-checked their presence right before heading to the dance floor for the final song. I go back, and Vamoose! ONE shoe is missing. I was in a panic (on the verge of tears - possibly due to pregnancy, possibly due to my neurosies) who steals a shoe!? Honestly? I felt people were not taking me seriously, in fact, I got the impression some people thought I was making it up...who can really blame them, I am known for a prank or two. I went to search the bathrooms and on my way back to the banquet room, I hear "SMITTY! Where's Smitty?" I told myself, don't get your hopes up...but I walk in and Anne Williams saved the day.

Now my new question, who hides a shoe? Honestly?

A Quarter of a Century

For Matt's 25th on July 15th, we just had some family and friends over for some kabobs and cake. I got the cake from the same woman who made our wedding cake, as a surprise for Matt. And trust me, this is an awesome surprise because that cake is delicious!!! (If I am sad you missed my wedding for one thing, it is that you did not get to try a piece of that masterpiece.)
My other little surprise/gift was tickets to Cirque Du Soleil: Saltimbanco for the 16th. Incredible. I really believe that some of these performers are more amazing and in better shape than most Olympic athletes. I mean, I've never seen a gymnast climb up a pole using only their outstreched arms.

Then, on the 17th we went to The Majestic Comedy club to see Doug Benson. He was 6th on Last Comic Standing, and starrs in the film, Super High Me. Hilarious.

All in all, a pretty stellar birthday week.

IU Wedding's 2008, # 2!!!

Megan & Patrick Labuhn

July 12th, 2008

The photo above may appear harmless, cute and comepletely normal, but what was happening on the other side of the lense cannot even be described in words that are printable in a public arena. Let me just say, "Sound the Alarm, it's a party" and "Chicki, chicki, chicki, Chickita!"

So, I showed up in Columbus, Ohio on the Thursday before this blessed event, because it was hundreds cheaper than arriving the next day. I did not know I was walking into what would turn out to be one of the strangest evenings, EVER. Megan had a nice little barbeque planned, at her new in-laws (which almost ruined my entire evening because of the major loss Colleen and I suffered to Kristy and Jillian in a very intense cornhole game...but I pulled it together for the rest of the night, though I am still a little bitter, obviously.) We then set out for a kind of pseudo - or maybe full fledged bachelorhette party equipt with bride and bridesmaid tank tops, as well as phallic ring pops and straws, you know, the normal party fair. Everything seemed normal, if not a little dead at the first bar: Frog Lobster Tree Horse Barn something or other (only thing of note; some attractive but boring hockey players). So it was suggested we move on to Scully's for a Ladies 80's Dance party. Apparently, drugs were required for attendance at the bar, ecstacy prefferably, but 'shrooms or acid would probably work fine (I am speculating). Stepping into this bar was like stepping through a porthole to a new dimension, or onto a movie set. Has anyone seen Party Monster? Crazy, loud, trippy 80's/early 90's music...men dancing with men, women dancing with women, fat people in little dresses, little people in fat dresses, mohawks, tattoos, frat boys, chaos to its max. As the evening wore on, I couldn't even tell that I was the ONLY sober person in the entire bar, seeing as the environment was so intoxicating. Finally, after losing 5% of my body weight in sweat, we went out for air and a ride home, which is where the aforementioned picture took place.

Thank goodness, the rest of the weekend proved to be quite a lovely, peaceful, expected wedding event. Phew, Baby O may not have forgiven me if things got any crazier.

Swimming Trials in the Midwest

The Quest Center in Omaha.

The Infamous Omaha Zoo, with Katie Yevak and Lauren Lubus.

Go Mo Valley!
An insane TYR poster of Leila Vaziri.
Omaha is only 2.5 hours away, so I decided to take some time out of my REALLY busy Summer to spectate. Thanks to my pal Susan I got a deck pass, and access to just about anywhere in the venue. This meet proved to be absolutely exciting, just as every trials is. Go USA!

What Happens when you cross the 4th of July with Dynamite:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKOt6D67Du4

The ones lighting the stick were my brother-in-law, Shawn and my brother, Timothy. The ones recording this wonderfully thought through situation were Matt and my brother, Brennan.