Classic Hilton's

Meeting Nicky at Opening Night. Can I just say, I love watching this guy perform!!  Not the green one, the one hiding behind the puppet. I've been following his career for the last eight years and he just keeps getting better! He has a gift for bringing supporting characters to life in such a way that you are left wanting to know more of their story. He gives 100% commitment to his characters and his cast and crew. I also love getting all the behind the scenes dirt - who likes/cant't stand who?, how was this decision made?, was that really funny but awkward moment supposed to happen like that?  Acting is not an easy path, especially for a family man.  I frequently feel like a single parent, and h e's exhausted, juggling all these jobs (none of which seem to pay very well), his schedule is crazy  erratic , and 90% of our planning conversations involve the phrase "Well, IF I get this role then..." . I often find myself wondering, is it worth it? ...

Okay, I blogged yesterday about the great day we had, so in all fairness I guess I need to blog about the less than great day we had today. *Sigh* It wasn't even a bad day. Lots of good things happened, but there were a few incidents that really colored the day gray. The morning routine went well, despite the fact that we had a rough night with Grayson (night terrors - yuck!) and had to be up and out earlier.  Brooklyn was completely ready for her first "at school" day.  Lookin' good in her uniform! Ray and Grayson dropped her off so Madi and I could go to the doctor's office. It was birth control day, so I was a little on edge. Also, Achilles pooped in the kitchen and I stepped in it twice, so I was not a happy camper. The procedure went well. A friend of mine warned me that it would hurt, and I wish I would have brought someone with me. It wasn't terribly painful, but between the cramping and the discomfort and the anxiety I felt anyway, it would hav...

Our first day of First Grade!  Our first home day of school. Note the bare feet! I know they won't always be like this, but wow, what a fantastic day! We rolled out of bed between 7:30 and 7:45. Well, Brooklyn sort of popped out of bed. She was excited to start school. We had breakfast together - eggs, toast, and fruit. We made beds, did dishes, got dressed...it was an easy, yet productive morning. Brooklyn (and Madi) and I went down to our basement school room at about 9:00 to get started. What a treat to have Daddy home to keep Grayson occupied. In a few weeks he will be going to school himself, which I think is going to be wonderful for him and for us! So, Madi chilled on her blanket while Brooklyn and I prayed over our day. We worked through some class rules, talked about the importance of having a positive, willing attitude (Brooklyn has been going through a very contrary phase!), about respecting Mommy as the teacher, and then went over the general layout of our class...

Where do you see yourself in five years?  Isn't that a strange question to ponder? My life today is so drastically different from where we were one  year ago, I can't even begin to imagine what five years might be. Brooklyn will be 11. ELEVEN!!  Jr high! Puberty!! Grayson will be six, and tiny, newborn Madi will be five. So hard to imagine! I can only hope that Ray will be working steadily as an actor, earning enough to cover our bills, and that I will be coordinating multiple classes and shows for CYT Smyrna which by then will be boasting enrollment numbers in the hundreds and a staff of more than two. I can dream.  Why am I looking so far ahead? An excellent question. Today was my six week postpartum checkup. In some ways it is hard to believe it's only been six weeks! Anyway, the doctor gave me a clean bill of health and the nurse had nice things to say about how good I'm looking, which, even though I know it's a stretch is still nice for a recently pr...

Poor Grayson! This kid had a rough  day!! In fact he spent most of his time in bed or in trouble for all the hollaring, hitting, and general temper tantrum throwing he did. I'll say it again - Rrrough!! I have a few theories for why it was such a difficult day. 1. He is very tired. He's been very busy the last few days running a fever and cutting new teeth, and his body just reached the limit of what he is physically capable of handling. So he was in a bad mood. This theory is supported by the fact that he couldn't walk more than a few steps without tripping over his own feet or running into a corner! 2. He is 16 months old and toddler's like to test their limits. He's not called Tenacious G for nothing! As a matter of personality Grayson has always been loud, intense, and relentlessly uncompromising in his pursuit of what he wants. Someday these will be great traits that make him a strong leader. Right now they just equate to non-stop temper tantrums. Th...

Okay, I don't actually have seven thoughts, but rather thoughts about our experiement based on the book "7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess". We have completed two weeks (you can read the terms here ), so now is a good time for an update. The thing I am the most disappointed and frustrated by is the Sabbath. At about the same time we started our experiment, Ray started working seven days a week. His boost in hours is welcome and greatly needed, but it makes finding a day to rest and worship together very difficult. We did have one day that I felt loosely qualified. The basic elements were there: a nice meal, all of us together, a restful, unorganized time of play, and time spent in prayer. Even if it was a short time, it was extremely rejuvenating.  I believe the Sabbath is a gift God gives us because he knows how our minds and bodies work. He knows that we need this time of rest and connection. I'm not trying to be legalistic about this, but I do think there...

Okay, so life with three is just a little crazy. In fact I frequently find myself starting blogs that never get finished or published! As I type this fine Saturday afternoon, Ray is at work, Brooklyn is running errands with her grandparents, Grayson is napping (the's been running a low fever for the last few days, poor guy!), and Madi is practicing her tummy time surrounded by the baskets of laundry that I've been meaning to finish folding and put away for the last two days.  We are six weeks out (from the birth) and overall things are good. My wound prognosis is very good. I don't even have any more appointments on the calendar, just instructions to make sure the area stays clean and dry, and the reminder not to overdo it with the heavy lifting. My six week postpartum check up is next week and I fully expect to come away with a clean bill of health and a prescription for birth control! August looks to be an exciting month for us. Ray opens Avenue Q. He's been pra...