Adventures In Ballet... *UPDATE*

Today, my little girl starts her adventures in ballet.

Working at the YMCA affords me an array of choices when it comes to programs for Ruby.
First, she chose 'teeny tiny tumblers'...
...which for the first 3 classes was a hit.
After that?
Well, let's just say that the Y is very forgiving for a child who does not complete all the classes paid for & gives credit towards whatever next class the child is interested in.

THANK GAWD!
Just because I work there does not mean that classes are free.
Less expensive than everyone else?
Sure.
But free?
Not so much.

So, today, as I sit here & type this, Ruby is talking to Bear about her new class:

"Bear, you not go with me honey ok?
Ruby hafta do it by self an you stay with Momma, ok?
Ruby hafta go a ballet class and listen to Miss. Darcy, Bear not go.
It ok Bear, Ruby always come back..."

The ballet room is one room down from the childcare room where I work.
Simply put, I'll walk her down to the class, hug & kiss her goodbye, wish her luck, remind her to LISTEN to Miss. Darcy & tell her I'll be back in 45 minutes...
Momma always comes back.

Yes, I have my camera.
Yes, I'll attempt a picture.
Yes, I'll post it here upon returning home at 1pm today.

Stay tuned...

Adventures in Ballet are merely hours away...
*smile*

*UPDATE*

Behold, my extremely happy little ballerina & her faithful companion, Bear:

Patiently waiting for Momma to say, "let's go to class honey."


"I know Bear, it'll be any minute, I promise!"


"What's that Momma? It's time?!"


"NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' BOUT!"


"C'mon Momma, I don't want to be late!"
"So this is the window you get to look through, huh Momma?"


"Awww Bear, don't be nervous, I'm right here."


"Momma is my skirt on straight?"


"WOW CHECK OUT THE SIZE OF THIS ROOM!"


"Momma LOOK! THEY HAVE MIRRORS!!!"

"Yep, a girl can really feel at home here!"


"Thanks Miss.Darcy, a GREEN STAR! NICE!!"


"Momma, can we come back again tomorrow?"

*Ruby LOVED IT SO MUCH she literally CRIED when I came to pick her up
after the 45 minute class with Miss. Darcy.
She is beyond DISTRAUGHT that she has to wait till next Monday to go again.
Who ever thought a weekly ballet schedule was best,
was NOT THINKING LIKE A 3 YEAR OLD!
DAILY PEOPLE, DAILY!!!

hehehe

But wait, there's more... *UPDATE*

So we're out trick or treating tonight...
and last year, we only hit maybe a half dozen houses, IF that.

This year,
she was TOTALLY into this whole 'TRICK OR TREAT' gig
and not only did we hit close to three dozen houses,
BUT my girl was NOT AFRAID OF THE SPOOKY HOUSES!
(Mine being ONE OF THEM!)

Every year I play this CREEPY ASS CD OF SOUNDS,
SCREAMS,
CHAIN SAWS ETC...
AND IT'S SO INSANE IT EVEN SCARES SOME OF MY GROWN FRIENDS!

So I sit down with Ruby & explain to her what the CD is,
why I play it and that it's "NOT REAL"
and only make believe to help people celebrate Halloween.

Ok,
she said she understood...
but the true test will be when we play it.
(ON REPEAT PLAY ON THE HIGHEST VOLUME
FOR ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO HEAR!)
Yes, I'm one of THOSE neighbors...

So, she's dressed,
we're ready and I say
"Ok Ruby,
it's time for the Halloween CD,
are you ok with that?"
She looks at me,
smiles and walks over to the CD player herself
& hits PLAY.
Then says

"Ok Momma,
time a rock & roll...
time a trick or treat night!"

No lie, I stood there flabbergasted!

But wait, there's more!
So we're making our rounds of the neighboring streets
& there's this house around the corner that,
every year,
is COMPLETELY BEYOND CREEPY!
They go to EXTRA LENGTHS to scare the piss out of ADULTS,
never mind kids!

So we're approaching said house & I say to miss Ruby,
"Ruby, this next house is kinda scary,
do you want to go or would you like to go to the next house?"
My daughter replies:
"No go a next house Momma, go THIS HOUSE!"
So, I repeat to her the gist of this house:
"Ruby, are you really sure?
This house is pretty scary and it's ok if you don't want to go."

She looks at me as if I'm brain damaged,
(which, I am but that's a blog for another day...)
and says to me, quite impatiently:
"Momma, scary house NOT REAL!
It trick or treat night! RUBY GO A HOUSE!"

Well hush my beak...
my 3 year old put me in my place faster than you can say dame bramage.

OY VEY!

Pictures to follow, have to still empty the camera... but gonna watch Kid Nation first!
Stay tuned... more later.
;)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYBODY!

*UPDATE* PICTURES!!


My little monkey with her faithful friend, Bear-O-Lantern


LOVE that all you can see in this shot is her goofy most beautiful smile!
PRICELESS!


Ok, notice how now I'm starting to get 'the look' from her?
The look that says:
"Momma, you take one more picture of me
& I'm gonna ram this banana so far down your throat... "
(baby bumble bee played by my beautiful niece,
Isabella, who didn't sting once!)


Oh, I'm sorry, you want something to take a picture of?


Here, how bout this?

Or, even better yet,
check out my ABC food!
(Already Been Chewed!)
BOGUS!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM OUR ANIMAL HOUSE TO YOURS!

SWEPT AWAY AGAIN!

BY MY BOSTON RED SOX!


WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OMG WHAT A NATURAL HIGH,
I AM SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW & WIDE AWAKE!


I JUST WOKE RUBY UP TO TELL HER THAT THE RED SOX WON!


GROGGY EYED & LOOKING MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN EVER, SHE SAID:
"go red sox *yawn* Momma snuggle?*


YOU BET'CHA BABY! MOMMA'S GONNA SNUGGLE!


JUST AS SOON AS I PAY HOMAGE TO
THE BEST TEAM IN BASEBALL!


WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO




AND LET'S NOT FORGET THE BIGGEST REASON (OTHER THAN BECKETT) WHY THE RED SOX RED HOT RIGHT NOW,

THE FANS!!


RED SOX NATION IS A-MA-ZING!


RED SOX FANS ARE AS LOYAL AS THEY COME!


WE BELIEVED FOR 86 YEARS...


GENERATION THROUGH GENERATION...


ALWAYS KEEPING THE FAITH!


AND TONIGHT, LADIES & GENTLEMEN...

THIS FAT LADY SANG!
WHAT SONG YOU ASK?

WHY, TESSIE OF COURSE!!!



CONGRATULATIONS 2007 WORLD CHAMPIONS!
OH HOW I'LL REMEMBER TONIGHT AS WELL AS 04
FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!

Now, if you'll all excuse me, I have a beautiful little girl to go snuggle-a-wrap with.

(& psst, yes... those are the pumpkins that Uncle Steve & I carved tonight in honor of our upcoming victory over the towel twirling mile highers.
Mine's on the left, Uncle Steve's is on the right... enjoy!)

Whoever Said A Onsie...

...can't be paired with a tiara,



never met my girl!

"A Green Ballerina, Momma..."

...is the answer I got when I asked Ruby:
"Sweetie, what would you like to be for Halloween?


hee hee



I think she makes a beautiful one!



Clip on earrings & all!

Oooh, and what green princess wouldn't be complete
WITHOUT HER VERY OWN HAND MADE SPIDER!
She's very proud of that one!
hehehehe

Ok, Let's See...

...Lucky Red Sox hat worn when I first saw history in the making back in 04'
&
my new scarf that I hand knit while watching the first three games? $20. hat & $5. skein yarn

&
Irish step dancing music burned to a cd? Free (thanks LIMEWIRE!) $0.

Brooms for sweeping? $20.



Knowing that tonight I get to potentially witness
FOR THE SECOND TIME IN MY LIFETIME,
the RED SOX WIN THE WORLD SERIES?

ABSOLUTELY FREAKIN' PRICELESS!

WOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Three Down...

...just one more to go.


Hell, even Papelbon knows
the fat lady's warmin' up for tomorrow night!

WOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!

FINAL SCORE:
SOX: 10
Rockies: 5

Not-So-Tricky-Treats...

CHOCOLATE COVERED MARSHMALLOWS
(ON A STICK)
WITH JIMMIES!


...ok, they're 'involved' but NOT impossible!

You will need:

1 lb bag of milk chocolate for melting.
1 pkg paper lolly pop sticks
Jimmies of your choice
(for those of you NOT from New England?
Jimmies... aka:SPRINKLES)
1 pkg plastic treat bags
1 pks twisty ties (pumpkin decoration obviously optional)
1 large bag marshmallows

Melt chocolate in a double boiler.
(it's not that fancy, I took a bigger bowl, put it atop a smaller bowl that I filled with BOILING water and constantly stirred until chocolate was a smooth consistency)

Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper &
arrange marshmallows in rows once the stick is placed in the center of each.

In a bowl filled with the jimmies of your choice, USING YOUR HANDS grab & sprinkle the jimmies over the surface of the chocolate covered marshmallow.
DO NOT make the same mistake I did and just stick the marshmallow in right after dipping as the chocolate is hot & DRIPPY and ends up ruining you whole bowl of jimmies!
(pain in the ass!)

Oh, and when dipping the marshmallows in the chocolate, be sure to take the stick and tap it on the side of the chocolate bowl to help get any extra chocolate that may drip OFF the marshmallow before you attempt to give it jimmies.

Once each marshmallow has had a trip to both chocolate & jimmies,
return it to the wax paper & place into the freezer for a few minutes.

After they're visibly solid, remove from freezer,
bag & secure with twisty ties.

And NEVER waste any chocolate and/or marshmallows!
Once I ran out of sticks & twisty ties I took the liberty of dipping the remaining marshmallows in the chocolate and popped those puppies in the freezer and have them now in my fridge.
(never know when you're gonna have a craving!)

Oh, and see THIS handsome guy?
This is James.
James and I have had 3 dates thus far:
Once for ice cream (with Ruby)
Once for GAME 1 of the WORLD SERIES
and
once for GAME TWO of the WORLD SERIES
&
I think he's wonderful.

(he's also pretty smart because he thinks Ruby is adorable!)

No rush & don't any of you jump any guns but,
let's just say that watching the RED SOX by myself is always enjoyable...
...but watching the RED SOX with James, was better.

GO SOX!!!!!!!!!!!

Two Down...

...two to go!


Curt Schilling allowed one run,
and the Red Sox bullpen slammed the door shut on a Game 2 victory.
The Red Sox lead the World Series 2-0 and are off to Denver.

*WORLD SERIES GAME 1...

October 24, 2007

Rockies lineup for Game 1 World Series

The Colorado Rockies just released their World Series lineup for Game 1 against the Red Sox. Ryan Spilborghs, a right-handed hitting outfielder, will bat in the ninth hole as the Rockies designated hitter.

And so, on a gloomy-looking but crisp-feeling autumn afternoon at Fenway Park (where we're crossing our fingers it stays dry), to the lineups we go ....

COLORADO ROCKIES

1. Willy Taveras, CF
2. Kazuo Matsui, 2B
3. Matt Holliday, LF
4. Todd Helton, 1B
5. Garrett Atkins, 3B
6. Brad Hawpe, RF
7. Troy Tulowitzki, SS
8. Yorvit Torreabla, C
9. Ryan Spillborghs, DH

RED SOX

1. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
2. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Manny Ramirez, LF
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. Jason Varitek, C
7. J.D. Drew, RF
8. Julio Lugo, SS
9. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF

SP - Josh Beckett

Rockies

1. Willy Taveras, CF
2. Kaz Matsui, 2B
3. Matt Holliday, LF
4. Todd Helton, 1B
5. Garrett Atkins, 3B
6. Brad Hawpe, RF
7. Troy Tulowitzki, SS
8. Yorvit Torrealba, C
9. Ryan Spilborghs, DH

October 24, 2007

Game 1 preview

Welcome to the World Series.

And Rockies? Welcome to Josh Beckett's world.

Whatever the reason -- Beckett hardly wants to hazard a guess -- the big righthander from Texas has been absolutely dominant in this postseason, and in playoffs past, as he works his way into the upper echelon of big-game starters alongside teammate Curt Schilling. And, having not seen game action for more than a week, the Rockies could have trouble with the locked-in Beckett.

On the other hand, this is an excellent Rockies lineup with a lefty starter in Jeff Francis (2-0, 2.13 ERA in the postseason), who beat Beckett when the Rockies invaded Fenway Park earlier this season. Not that this is the same Beckett (or the same Colorado team).

Plus there's the momentum factor, the fact that the Red Sox are coming off a 3-1 comeback over the Indians, and the Rockies have been waiting to play since they dusted the Diamondbacks in a sweep, bringing their winning streak to 21 of 22 games. They have been sitting and biding their time and, you can bet, they're more than anxious to get this game in tonight, even with the weather.

If the Rockies can get to Beckett, that would obviously be significant for them. If Beckett can control their lineup, with the makeshift National League designated hitter, the momentum is fully placed on the side of the Red Sox. With Coors Field acting as its own factor -- though that's two games down the road -- winning at Fenway Park, at home, will always be big for Boston.

With Beckett on the mound, that a good possibility for these Red Sox.

*info & photos borrowed from Boston.com