Wonderful Tonight

In high school, I was in a musical performing group. There were probably about 40 kids who sang and danced and then another 10 who made up the instrumental section (brass, drums, guitars, and keyboard). I played the keyboard. One of the guitarists was extremely talented--sort of an "eric clapton" musical genius on the guitar. I remember giving him a huge book on Clapton for Christmas one year. During the school year, our group would do a few concerts and the kids could sign up to sing solos. My musical genius friend would take their cds/tapes, listen to them, and then come back to the band and give us all the chords and we'd accompany the singers. Every now and then he'd also do a solo...did I mention that he could sing beautifully? Anyway, he introduced me to a lot of songs which to this day I love--one of them was "Wonderful Tonight". One afternoon while they were practicing it...I jokingly (some might say obnoxiously) told them it sounded like they were singing about me (long blond hair...beautiful...etc...etc...you get the picture right?). If you haven't heard it, go listen to it...you'll get a good laugh. Anyway, when it came concert time, he got up there and before singing--he dedicated it to me. I remember standing in the back by the keyboard, being only slightly mortified. The song was just to good to be sidetracked by a little dedication :)

So when I went took the kids to the library this week (I know...I know....Mother of the year right??? seeing as how we only seem to go once a year...) I went and browsed the popular book section and saw the book "Wonderful Tonight, George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Me" by Patti Boyd.

I remembered that my musical genius friend had told me about the love triangle between George Harrison's wife and Eric Clapton (George and Eric were best friends...doesn't this sound crazy????) anyway I was hooked and plowed through it in two nights. It was as insane as it promised to be--aside from the drug use, and mega-affairs--the music history was incredible and she ended up becoming a photographer. She had great pictures in the book and it was just incredible to put history with songs. One of my favorite Beatles' song "Something" was written by George for her; and of course "Layla" was the first one Eric wrote for her and then "Wonderful Tonight". Highly recommended...

Angel Shoes

Little Miss "M" and her shoes...(I love love love the background wall color...it's exactly like my bedroom!) We had a whole row of her mom's shoes all lined up. I have no idea why this age loves shoes, but I find myself frequently putting laina's shoes and my shoes and indy's shoes on Mac.

Last of Easter

I forgot about the Easter pictures that I snapped 5 mintues before we left for church...unfortunately...due to the camera operater--there aren't any of me (darn huh?) so...without further adieu (for Tia who will spend every day and night praying that Laina will hurry up and grow out of it) here are the Easter pictures...more importantly Laina's Easter dress...designed and sewn by the FABULOUS "Nicole M"...and so what if I'm partial to the female in the family...ties just aren't as fun to photograph! (nor do they sit still!!)

Senior "hair"

You might recognize her from my website. She was my "rep" this year and we did a quick second shoot so we could have a little different hairstyle and I love it!! I can't get over eye color...absolutely stunning. I processed these using a "vintage wash" and I'm diggin' it--kinda' abercrombie-ish eh? (don't worry Shelly...I have them normal too :) The last images were screaming (really loud) to be put into a storyboard...

Here comes Peter Cottontail-

Hopping down the bunny trail! Or the rocks behind our house :)
I was speaking with my mother Easter morning when Indy walked in and very matter of fact, said "Mom the Easter Bunny is here." I had no idea what he was talking about, so I hopped out of my chair and went outside to find this (I'm not kidding about not having any idea...I really was surprised to find a giant bunny on the back porch!):

After laughing my head off, I ran inside and grabbed the camera. Apprently the Easter Bunny traveled all the way from Phoenix to bring Easter gifts to the kids (I had done such a good job at not buying a lot of candy...but thanks to the Easter Bunny's friend "Grandpa Wade" I was thwarted in my attempts!"The letter read:

"Good morning Indiana, Laina and McLaren! You may not know this but I am a very old friend of your Grandpa Noble. We shared a carrot a few months ago and he asked if I would visit you on Easter morning-I replied "sure! As long as Laina is there"

Let's have some fun! Unfortunately, the Easter Bunny DOES NOT SPEAK but the kid that finds the "special egg" gets a special prize. Love, The Easter Bunny.

Laina was so funny....she thought it was perfectly normal that a gigantic Easter Bunny would show up hopping down the rocks in the backyard....she was like "Oh look...the Easter Bunny...hey I'll take your candy"

Things got a little crazy and mom forgot to hide the "special egg" but no one notcied and they got more than a few prizes...except McLaren did not want any prizes from this bunny....

No...he didn't want any dancing either...

No he didn't want to be touched either...(notice the arms shaking with terror...)

My favorite picture...

The Easter Bunny decided to stick to kids that liked him...The hilarious thing was, we said good-bye and the kids ran inside to eat the candy...they didn't give a second thought to where the Easter Bunny was going or how he got there....they didn't even watch him hop away... BUT McLaren did....(see the bunny in the top left of the picture?? he was skipping...)

So thank you uncle David and Cindy--yes I figured it out :) (don't worry I won't let Indy read this :) you made our Easter morning (hilarious!!!)

**Special note: Grandpa Wade only provided the candy :) It was Uncle David's "brainchild"...just thought the person with the cajones to put the ridiculous suit on gets ALL the credit!

EASTER EGGS!

We dyed eggs on Saturday morning. I thought I'd snap a few pictures...

Just after I took the first shot, McLaren struck....(much to the dismay of his sister...)

Jerome Grand Hotel

Matt asked for a quick birthday getaway...so we rounded up some friends and headed over to Jerome and had dinner at the Asylum (chatted until about 10:30pm!) and then spent the night in the "in"famous hotel...known for its paranormal activity. While we missed out on the ghosts...we certainly didn't miss out on the fire alarm at 1am (pulled by some late night inebriated customers). Shaylee (7months pregnant with twins) was thrilled to see everyone in the hallway since she doesn't sleep at night period...
We tried to sleep in...made it till about 8:15am and then we walked to breakfast. It was delicious and fun and the perfect little getaway--thank you everybody! (made possible by Grandma Kathy...THANK YOU!!)

Tatooine...just kidding...the view from our room/hotel...but it does have a sort-of "star wars" look to right?

Totally old-school, antique elevator (oldest working elevator this side of...

well...it's just really old)

With super...antiqued-looking people...good-looking antiqued people...
Yummy breakfast...

Cereal....

Before I left town this week, Matt mentioned that we were going to be out of cereal (this has turned into a capital offense at our house--along with being out of cookies), so I crammed a run to the store in among fifty other things that day...I'll admit I was slightly annoyed because we can NEVER keep enough cereal in the house (along with cookies, which I despise--cereal and cookies). I've had to think about where my growing distaste for cereal stems from---it could be that when I've offered to make my hubby a four course breakfast...he'll sit there and say "nah...I'll just have cereal"....hmmm okay; OR the amount of milk that is WASTED in cereal bowls day after day across this country...wasting a "top grocery item" (one that forces you to go to the store) has always been a capital offense in my book and since cereal is the main culprit...it has taken a bad rap.

Anyway...back to my quick cereal store run...I decided to make a silent statement and just load up on cereal--we're talking the entire cart. I dropped the bags on the counter at home and headed out of town. Later that night, I get a phone call from Matt informing me that we have plenty of cereal since he (making his own silent statement) decided to do some cereal shopping of his own before he came home.

The sad thing....this will probably last about a week and a half....

Children in the Gun Cabinet!!

Okay so Matt, in junior high, must've been forced to build something (you know...to carry on the family woodworking tradition) so instead of building gorgeous bedroom furniture (4 poster beds, dressers etc...) like his older brothers....he builds a gun cabinet. Hmmm...luckily we avoided having to "house" until last year when his mom and dad showed up and said "surprise! here ya go!"...oh joy :) so...it was pushed into this corner of the house and has since become a play cupboard of sorts...all the kids come over and like to shut themselves in it and stash food and clothes and dolls etc...McLaren has especially taken a liking to it and gets rather upset if the doors are open...(is it wrong to want to duct tape them shut while they're in there? like on a scale of 1-10? how bad is that thought?)

Laina in "classic pose" and McLaren...praying

(mis-interpretation of laina's pose)

I was only asking if it was wrong for me to want them to stay in there because... when they "get out of the cabinet" and you turn your head for approximately 4 minutes and 32 seconds...THEN your daughter yells out "MOM! McLaren's on the table!!" this is what you find....

He is currently going through more outfits than his sister per day...that is an incredibly hard task to accomplish!