Birthday boy considered "well into thirties" by 40 yr old wife

Today was a special day for a certain young man in our house.

He's finally lost his youthful curls

And now he's all grown up!

And super ninja tough!

But he's also pretty sweet

That's why he's wanted in several counties for just being so dang awesome!

Happy 37 dear husband!!

We love you much!!!

Love Out Loud-numero deux

The Love Out Loud show was such a fun experience! Friday night tons of people came and got totally rock-us and silly with us. I was so concerned I would freeze up on my keyboard solos, like the one scarring time in high school when asked to accompany our football king and queen's coronation ceremony (Barry Manilow's 'Mandy' has NEVER been so unrecognizable since- I pa-romise you!). I just couldn't entirely relax and enjoy myself until I knew my hands wouldn't betray me.

On Saturday night (since there was obviously no turning back) I decided I was just going to have fun no matter what happened. What happened was the arrival of an entirely different audience! One where in between the contained claps and the next song, you could hear yourself swallow. Gulp. But, not blaming this country/folksie crowd for not easily adapting to techno, we motored on through and had more fun than ever. If I can get a snippet of something presentable(no not the facebook vids) I'll find it for you and post it.

Meanwhile, please enjoy the muppet-esqe video made especially for the opening song played each night. Jamey made a video for all 11 songs we performed, but this one we all got in on. I,unbeknownst to me at the time, literally was in almost every shot-which was not my desire considering I hadn't a stitch of makeup on. J had to photoshop bricks over my head for most of the song.

(That would have been a strange q and a had someone asked what he spent his Sunday night doing. "Oh, just bricking out my wifes giant head all evening. You?")

Jamey is a wealth of creativity and talent, and I enjoyed practicing along to all the subtleties of his music. How his brain comes up with it all and how he executes each instrument in his songs, I have no idea! I had fun being a part of it this time though.

Here are some more snaps from the event:

Herva

Trish and her fabulous purses

Fool For Now from Saturday night(So beautiful!)

Rick's handmade journals and Dean peering over

Freedom and Nancy(the hosts)with an artist whose name escapes me-oops.

Herva donning masks just because we go all the way for our fans. ;)

If you wish to hear the hubby's latest songs and some of the ones we sang for L.O.L., you can find him here.

A Vegas sized post

Most of what happened in Vegas is very clearly going to stay there because I have waited way too long to make it any kind of pertinent news to my poor neglected readers. As many of you know, I've never really had an elephant sized memory, so if it weren't for photos, much of our trip would have no doubt sloughed out with the altitude change in the airplane. Fortunately for us(that's what your feeling right?) I was armed with my camera and will now present my findings in a series of pics and videos.

We had just one full day to get an eye full of Vegas because the other two days were eaten up with travel and plane delays. We got there late Tuesday and I quickly got my fix of gambling done with one major losing session. That's five dollars I'm just never going to get back-sniff.

Here is where I retreated after losing my lunch money in those stupid blood sucking slot machines. Marble floors and free upgrades are very consoling. The bidet, not so much.

The next day when we finally got up and out we spied these things:

fountains and casinos....

Lady Liberty and an inner city roller coaster...

Idols of all kinds..

Food for a very hungry JC...

olives for me Me ME!

Chocolate fountains...

mosaics a-plenty(for Katie)...

Chihuly glass for Dean...

escalators for Trisha...

night life for the rest of you(to keep the post length down-you understand.)

and one well celebrated birthday girl!

Thank you Sweetheart for such an exciting adventure!

And Happy 13th Anniversary to us today!!! I feel like the big winner here whether Vegas agrees or not!! :D XoxOXo

When FORTY sneaks up on you with loud clicky heals

I was born in the sixties. Barely, but I like how that sounds to the ears of the young. Yes, in just one short day I am expected to turn forty. I've been fitted for my new glasses and will no doubt be the envy of all those below me when I strut these babies out amongst the people .

Why not wear it loud and proud all over your face, eh? Word.

When you turn forty, you slow down a hair and sometimes need more than a day or two to celebrate. I've just gone ahead and claimed the whole week for this metamorphosis to fit in all the naps and such that will no doubt be needed as I gain my mid-life zero.

Here's what some special girls and I did Friday to celebrate.

First we stuffed ourselves with Mexican food.

Then went to Jenna's house-o-fun, which was royally decked out for the party! The players left to right: Jenna, Sara, Becky, Trish,Lori, Moi, Arlynda

Then this happened....after the photo, I carefully side stepped off and went in and changed into proper swimwear like the forty year old I have become.

Here's where I was trying to coordinate the girls into a synchronized swimming spectacular. That never really panned out olympic style.

Somewhere in this post I was planning to list all of the wise and observant things I have learned up to this point in my life journey. But, not tending to be a deep or deeply organized person by nature, I haven't really succeeded at jotting down my most poignant (if fleeting) realizations that have hit me thus far.

I did manage to dive through a and wedge myself into a small ring at Jenna's pool. It only took this young and agile thing a few short minutes (and some huge thigh-flops) to wriggle myself free from the floatation device. It occurs to me now though that there could possibly be a metaphor of my life summed up in this very picture.

Don't see it? Let me help you. Though at times I appear to be floating mindlessly around in the carefree security of my youth, there are unseen struggles both in my actual mid-section as well as the mid-section of my days on earth. I push and pull to get loose from the things that bind me, all the while trying to contain my ridiculous juxtaposition between laughter and tears that swell and groan between the deep and shallow. I am wizened- but only halfway. There's a lot left of this vessel yet to navigate.

It's like English lit class all over again. If you can't find the meaning-just make it up! There, now back to the festivities....

Play some 80's friend montage music in your head to look at these next few.

Yes, friends are friends forever, and I got the most thoughtful gifts from these dearies. Here is a picture the talented Trisha painted of me to remember my glamorous side. Can you even believe her? :D

I shall remember this party as long as my memory actually holds out!! Thank you girls I LOVE YOU!!

And now I must move on to phase two of this bang up birthday party. JAMEY'S TAKING ME TO LAS VEGAS TODAY!!! Who knew I was this special?????

Stay tuned as I celebrate my official birthday in the city lights! I could get used to this.

You know I'm Trippin'!

Sorry once again for straying from my land for far too long. It's been a fast paced whacked out summerpalooza of sorts around here. With one in summer school(and having a terrible go of it) and the other on a dead run toward friends and activities at all times, a special sister/friend in town from oversees visiting and tons of little trips in between. I've gone and gotten my hair all mussed and myself internally flustered in the process! How's this low energy gal to handle all this?! My nerves have literally been shocking themselves and my heart and head have taken to pulsing spells.

Yes, it IS quite pitiful. I'll give you that. I actually thought I was having a nervous breakdown one weekend! Then having the genius idea my thyroid meds were messing with me, I popped in to the doctor to check it. Turns out it was the first thing. I needed nerve pills for Pete's sake! What would I actually do if real problems came along? pfffft. Apparently, I don't begat from a long line of hearty stock when it comes to the old mental stamina. I'm a delicate. I've always told my oldest that I'm breakable so that he won't practice his Tae Kwon Do moves on me, and my youngest so he just won't whack me in general, but I guess I failed to realize how my psyche was right there in the squishy department as well! Oh bother.

But, neither of us need to dwell on my rattling marbles, so I'll show you a collection of pictures from our recent trip up to Illinois. The first week in July, all Jamey's family took the trip from Arkansas with tents ready for some grand camping and fishing on Granny's farm. There were 16-20 of us there in all with 8 kids age 11 down to 3. There were no cries of boredom from anyone. In fact, we thought the children had turned a little wild after the first few days. They stayed in a pack and grunted around a lot in the tall grasses.

J's brother and sis-n-law

J's dad and nephew

Brother in law and youngest boy

Jamey's sis and Mom(and camp cook extraordinaire)

Miley the only giant dog I love

Our lil' gipper

Proud fishermen J and the Ratchet

Rainy day kids gathered around a six inch t.v.

He's a loner, a rebel.

My tent looked much like this and was in a neighboring town. Did I mention I have anxiety issues? ;) Well, I slept the sleep of the heavily drugged when I made it here each night. Sweet sweet camping times for me. I DID get some unexpected company from my boys in the middle of one rainy night. Their tent leaked and they headed for the inn at 2:45 in the morning. They are probably lucky I wasn't packin' heat startling me at that hour!

And here's a little video that shows a rounder of where we were. It's not really entertaining but it gives the lay of the land to help make up for my short supply of pictures. Yay for peaceful and relaxing(finally- thanks Dr.)times with family.

P.S. Though there are 0 pictures of yours truly, I could almost swear I was there for some of it...oh wait, that is me making the boring video comments. Yep.

Hopefully, I'll get some more reports on my summer visitations going soon now that I've broken the freeze on the manage blog post page again. I hope you haven't all stopped visiting me all together! Until next time friends and fam! :D