Okay - after a couple years of people telling me Evan should be a GAP baby, I'm going to put his photo in the casting call. I've uploaded 15 photos onto Kodak Gallery. Go on and tell me your top 3! Then we'll narrow down from there..... Above are just two of the 15 to vote on!
What came first, the chicken or the egg? Same thing applies to Neil Diamond. What came first, the Neil or the bling? My friend Kim and I went to see Neil Diamond in San Jose Sunday night (after the horse show - it was a busy weekend!). He was great. Although I will say we were some of the youngest attendees there. More canes than I care to count. More bling than these eyes have seen in some time.
The thing about Neil Diamond that I like is that he is such a showman that he doesn't need all the stage tricks that other bands use. We splurged and got 14th row center on the floor. Gotta say - the few times I make it out to see a concert, it is nice to see the performer. And perform he did. Two hours straight - no intermission.
My faves - Sweet Caroline (although he reprised it one too many times) and America. He had great film footage of him as a younger Neil and great footage of immigrants coming over to America. In a time when our country is really in the tank, it was nice to be reminded that at one time people came to America because it is the land of hope. It will be nice someday to be able to think like that again. Let's hope it happens.
Well, I had meant to join Alan Saturday night but the horse show prohibited me. We had tickets to a fund raiser for Obama in Mill Valley. Our good friends Gideon and Nancy let us know about it - Gideon was one of the co-chairs. Gavin Newsom spoke as well as others that had informative things to say.
Gideon won the prize for getting the most donated ($10,500) and overall the event raised $150K. The Obama team will need it. It's going to be a tight race.
Well, Kiira had our horse show this weekend down in Palo Alto. We did great. I think I decided to do this to see if I could push my comfort level a little and see where I was at. I have done a lot of shows as a youngster and did the intercollegiate shows (I was on the equestrian team in college) but I haven't shown since college.
If I look inside myself, I ride for fun. However, I am incredibly competitive with myself. I am not with others. But I do put a lot of pressure on myself to achieve perfection - even in those areas that I do for fun.
I was entered in the Rusty Stirrup division which is basically a division for those in their 30's and over. Fences were said to be 2' but looked smaller. Just to put things in perspective, I was jumping the same fences as the Short Stirrup group (those that are 11 yrs and under). Anyway on Saturday Orbit was being judged (hunter classes). We got a 1st and 2nd over fences and a 4th and 6th under saddle. Sunday I was being judged. We got a 1st and 8th over fences and a 2nd under saddle. All that put together made us Champion of our division. Kiira was thrilled to take over that ribbon.
Ok - here is video of our championship ribbon and the halter that I won. Mom thought she was taking a picture so bear with us here....
Kiira also did incredibly. She did leadline on Melody - a pony we borrowed for the class. There were three in the class and after a big build up of how things would be judged (age? form? fit of horse? control?) all three riders received a massive blue ribbon and a hobby horse. She looked so cute though and most important of all - she had fun.
Were it not for the incredible expense, I would do this again regularly! Alas, I think we will limit it to one A-rated horse show a year and pursue some of the (cheaper) fun shows at our barn.
All in all, I think I proved to myself, I can still do this passion and for the most part meet my inner goals. Next show though - higher fences.
Kingergarten is fun. Just plain fun. I want to be in kingergarten. Kiira is so jazzed about what she is learning and the things they get to do, it just makes my heart bubble over. In a weird way it makes me feel guilty that i haven't given her this amazing opportunity to learn before this. She is diligently practicing her letters and numbers. She repeats stories and reinacts plays. I love it.
One of the things they have done is bake gingerbread men. Although when they went to get the big gingerbread man out of the oven, he had run away!!! So....if anyone sees him, please send a postcard to us at home (528 silverado dr, tiburon, ca 94920). Thus far, the class has gotten a postcard from Samantha's grandparents who saw the gingerbread man in Tahoe. Maybe the gingerbread man has been to Australia? Or New York? Let's wait and see.....(it's a good way for the kids to learn about geography).
Mom, Kiira and I went to the DeYoung Museum yesterday to catch the Chihuly exhibit. It was amazing! And just the right length for Kiira's first museum outing. There were about eight rooms filled with blown glass. Sure, some of you are thinking a vase, a bowl etc. Oh no, the first room was a glass forest....
onto gi-gundus (pronounced jigoondus) flowers...
onto antique boats filled with intricate flowers and balls....
onto a garden of glass.
There were many other rooms as well but these were my favorites.
We first saw Chihuly's works while living in England. He did an exhibit in Kew Gardens. It was breathtaking to walk around outside to be surprised by these amazing glass sculptures. I'll try to dig up a photo of that.
My mom has come to town! In perfect time for Kiira and I have our first A rated horse show (first for Kiira, first in a long time for Heidi!) this weekend. She's back to being a horse show mom. Also - the Chihuly exhibit in ending this weekend at the DeYoung Museum and we can see that. Stay tuned.....
The race is close. I don't usually put my political thoughts out there but since Sarah Palin has come into the picture, I can stay quiet no longer. Our friend Gideon sent through a scarey fact about two weeks ago - McCain was winning the electoral votes (see new link on right for Real Politics for up to date facts - thanks Gideon!). So, if you didn't know where I stood before, you do now. Not good.
I tried to have an open mind when Palin was announced she would be McCain's VP candidate. Now, have I mentioned, I can stay quiet no longer. She is just awful! She took the money that the government gave her for the Bridge to Nowhere so it can be used for something else, she lied about how much oil Alaska supplied the continental US (she said 20%, it's really 3% - how could she not know this?), she left the town of Wasilla in millions of dollars of debt upon becoming governor and, to add insult to injury, she makes women who have been raped, pay for their own rape kit (the NY Times carried a good article on this). Also scary are the facts that she considered banning certain books from libraries and her foreign policy experience consists of being able to see Russia from her kitchen window.
My general feeling here, she is a trigger happy, leap before you think righty. Not what our country needs right now.
And for those of you who think McCain will be fine health wise if he does get elected president well, what if he's not? The actuary tables show there are a 1 in 3 change that he's not. Can you see Sarah Palin as president. Oh please, I'm begging of you all who are going to vote for McCain - our country is in enough trouble right now. We don't need this duo perpetuating many of the mistakes that have been made these last 8 years. I didn't go into my doubts about McCain but as the election draws closer, I can stay quiet no longer!
What does one do when you have a sleepover you ask? Well, Kiira is now 5 and Gwen is 4. Here's what we've done:
4 pm - Played at home - good fun 5 pm - Watched Evan get his first haircut (everyone benefitted with a lollipop)
5:30 pm - Threw pennies into the fountain
6 pm - Went for Vietnamese food for dinner
7:15 pm - Played hide and seek under the comforter
8 pm - Played on the rings/read books in bed/and chatted in bed
What does one talk about at this age when falling asleep you ask? Well, thanks to my handy dandy moniter which is still a welcome device in Kiira's room, here is the report:
- Math. They were quizzing each other in subtraction. - Pancake shape for tomorrow's breakfast. - Ponies. Our barn is having a BBQ tomorrow and we've invited Gwen to go for a ride. - Pink pigs. - The best one though ties into the first. There was quite a discussion about numbers. Gwen said that they ended at 39. Kiira said they went on forever and ever.
9:45 pm - A few jitters getting to sleep but now, finally, I think we may have two tired girls who have finally dozed off. Let's hope it lasts through the night!
Sunday, 5 am - "Kiira, Kiira". No response.
6:30 am - "Wake up, it's time to get up" (by one of the girls to the other). No response 7 am - Gwenie tossed a stuffed animal at Kiira, "Kiira!" No response. 7:15 am - I go in and get Gwenie up since she's ready 7:30 am - Kiira comes stumbling out of her room 8:15 am - Making pancakes!
It was time. The mop was turning into a fro. He handled it with poise, grace and well the good behavior that is due when one knows there is a lollipop at the end of the haircut. Well done Ev.....click below for video..
A few other sayings to note that are cute...these are by Kiira.
"Alligator" - escalator
The next one needs some introduction as not everyone is familiar with the Sound of Music. If you've never seen the movie, there is a song where they sing "Do, Re, Me, Fa, So, La, Te, Do" and back and then think up funny ways to remember the words. Kiira loves to sing this song and just the other day, Alan noticed that she has changed some of the words to what, she understands, the words to be. Now, this line goes, "Te (pronounced TEA), a drink with jam a bread", however Kiira says: "Te, a drink with Jan and Fred". That one had us laughing for days....
Well, I am surprised to say that I've been doing the blog almost a year now and there hasn't been one story to support my title. I got one for you now.
While back east, we stayed at Ann and Kent's house. A lovely house in a wooded area of Weyland with a nice circular drive. While there, Evan liked to go out for a walk which we would happily indulge as the weather was perfect. Note scene of crime below.....
The day of the service for Ed we all dressed in our best which, for me, included a black silk ensemble of pants and long tunic. I brought shoes to match which are the wedge type - so, yes, there is a heel, but as many of you know the wedges are much more comfortable than your typical heel. Now...did I mention that Ann and Kent live in a rather wooded area? They have trees on either side of their driveway which on this particular day were shedding, what looked to be, little prickly nuts.
Miraculously the kids and I were ready before everyone else so we went outside to wait. Evan at this point decided that a walk would be in order. Good idea I thought - he'll get some energy out before having to mill about later. There we are, hand in hand, going down the driveway. Quite a pretty picture I was thinking at the time. Evan in his Monday best, me in mine. Well, come to find out, these wedges are not as easy as they appear for my heal landed on one of those prickly nuts and DOWN I went. Not just down-but down and forward as there is a SIGNIFICANT pitch to the driveway. It was truly like doing a one handed gymnastics move on marbles. One handed of course because I was trying desperately in my klutziness NOT to take down my poor little 2 yr old with me (have done this in the past when Kiira was 2 yrs - not pretty - just ask Jenny!). There I was, one hand down at two year old level, one hand up in the air and a knee down to try to balance (on a prickly nut might I add). I looked like I had just dismounted from some contraption and was hoping for a perfect score. Well, just as quickly as it all happened, I hopped up to evaluate the damage, hoping that I, indeed, did NOT have a hole in my silk pants. Lady luck was on my side and although that area is now a little thinner, there is no hole to speak of.
Ahhhh....just another day....not enough sleep...too many demands...and clearly not enough brain power.
NOTE: No children were harmed in this reinactment...note prop horse to avoid any such harm. Do not attempt this at home.
Well, we have lost so many blankies now I've just started making them. Kiira and I went to the fabric store before we left for Boston and picked out soft material and some silky material. We made "Rainbow" before we left but somehow Rainbow separated from the pack.
Now we have "Stars" - small (as photographed) and large (not shown).
Despite the circumstances of being back east, the kids always have a good time with their cousins. Ann and Kent are also hosting a foreign exhange student, Johannes (from Germany) so it was a full house!
The cousins have an incredible beach near them which we thoroughly enjoyed.
Auntie Ann and Evan
Johannes does crew - that's his scull behind Evan.
I am a mom (Kiira, born in '02 and Evan born in '06), a wife, an equestrian, a musician and I am happy where I am, figuratively and literally. We live in the San Francisco area where I practice interior design in spare time from the family. SAGE design - check it out!
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