American Idol, yardwork and other random thoughts

In TV news, American Idol was really boring last night. A tribute to Andrew Lloyd Weber. He may be a genious at composing songs for theater, but I don’t want to hear theater songs on American Idol. Also, I don’t want to hear songs from the 60s, songs from the 70s, 80s or 90s while we’re at it. Here’s an idea – while you’re doing a search for today’s next relevant popstar, why not have them sing current songs? My husband has a theory that it’s just too expensive to buy the rights. Is that it? Doesn’t the show make gazillions of dollars? Isn’t it the top-rated show so they charge prime prices for advertising? And then make money off the kids’ record contracts too? I don’t know, but it’s frustrating. Anyone remember Rockstar INXS? They sang current songs. And it was fun. Anyway …

Ella has a new lease on life with this new thing called sunshine. I thought for sure she would start to be more tired at night from all the fresh air and running around she’s doing during the day. But nope. She even went to the park with the babysitter yesterday and her friends there, which makes me very happy. Then my husband and I walked her to a nearby park last night for a while, then we played in the backyard for a while after that. And she did seem tired, but when I layed her down a little after 7, she was not happy. After 45 minutes of listening to her rustling around and babbling I got her back out of bed. She was so happy. And she ran around the house like she was making up for lost time. And Aunt Sara was there. I think she was excited about that.

She’s also very into her new baby-stroller these days. I found an $8 toy stroller at toys ‘r us this week for her. I remembered how much she loved the one at the doctor’s office. The $40 junior slide I got her, not so much. I was hoping I could lure her away from the tall dangerous slide in our yard. Not happening. You win some, you lose some, I guess.

So, while Ella and I played outside I couldn’t help but look at all the work that needs to be done. Our lawn needs fertilized and mowed. We have a gravelly area for a fire-pit that needs weeded and recovered in gravel. We have a screened in porch that badly needs cleaned. And we bought a new patio table that needs to go in, replacing the old dingy one. The sandbox, or I should say, giant outdoor litter-box, needs cleaned out and refilled and COVERED this time. The garden area needs tilled before we can plant the vegetables. And this is just the backyard.

It’s worth it though to have a whole new area to run and play in though and enjoy fresh air. I just hope the summer isn’t half over by the time we get it all done. So, I got started last night by nearly emptying out the screened-in porch. Tonight I’ll finish and do some vacuuming in there. One step at a time right?

Well that’s it for now. Sorry if the post was really boring today. If it makes you feel better, there’s going to be a good fashion post soon. My friend Karly said she wanted to see all these clothes I bought for Ella recently … I don’t want to disappoint one of my five readers!

A $50 pizza and some bushy eyebrows

My husband and I are idiots.

A few weeks ago we ordered a pizza, as we do every Friday, from a place we’ve only ordered from a few times. Usually we pay with credit card over the phone, but for some reason we decided to pay with check. So, when they got there, I was busy with Ella, my husband gave them a check and we happily dug in.

Days later I would receive a call saying my husband had forgotten to sign the check, so they needed one of us to come in and sign it. I said yes, of course, I would do it that night. Well, any mom knows an extra errand isn’t always the easiest thing to work in especially spur of the moment. Our nights are pretty full as it is and after a day of work and playing with Ella then bathtime … I’m exhausted. So, I procrastinated and didn’t go in that night, thinking I would the next.

Well, the next day the pizza shop owner called again. I apologized and assured him I would be in that night. And I was, I quickly signed the check and hustled next door for my hair appointment. Luckily they’re in the same plaza.

Nearly two weeks later, last night, I realize I’ve left my cell phone in the car for a few hours and I play the four messages I’ve missed. It’s the pizza shop owner again. He says the check was written on an account that didn’t exist anymore. D’oh! We had finally closed one of our checking accounts we had from when we lived in Michigan and had written a check from that account. The pizza shop owner was not so polite anymore. He said that after two days he will turn the case over to a prosecutor. Yikes. In Steve’s defense he swears I set out the checkbook for him. In my defense, maybe Steve should have looked at the check and perhaps signed it even. Uugh.

Next message: “Erin you had a 3:00 appointment to have your eyebrows done. Just wanted to let you know.” OH NO! This was the THIRD time I’ve missed. I’m such a jerk. For some reason I keep forgetting. I have never ever missed an appointment for anything else. In fact, I’m usually early. And for some reason, I keep standing up my poor, nice esthetician at my salon. Crap. I’m so embarrassed. My only defense is that she did say there would be a reminder call. And I honestly thought I would check the time on my appointment, but remembered I was supposed to get a reminder call this time. Guess they forgot too? Or maybe that was a joke when she offered that? Anyway, still my fault.

So I humbly filled an envelope with money, making up for the three missed appointments and three good tips. I asked Steve to drop it off at the beauty shop while he was next door paying the pizza man, who charged us an extra $30. Hmmm. A $50 pizza and $50 for three eyebrow appointments I didn’t go to. Well done.

Anyway, I’m sorry Doris at the salon. I won’t make any appointments for awhile and I’m sorry pizza company. We will use a credit card from here on out, but please, don’t look at my eyebrows.

First zoo trip of the season

Ella’s been to the zoo a few times, but today was the first time she actually payed attention to the animals. And she was really into them. Here are a few photos from our visit.

Date night, at last

You may have noticed I’ve mentioned getting a babysitter a few times lately. Haven’t I? I’ve at least thought it. I was totally ready. My husband and I haven’t had a night to ourselves for several months now.

I didn’t think we’d be able to do anything this weekend, but my husband got back early from his business trip … so I e-mailed my dear mother for a favor. “Sure,” She said. Oh, what a good mom. Those awesome Sunday dinners and now giving me a night off! I’ll repay the favor to Ella someday.

We were so excited to eat at Granite City, a new restaurant and brewery by Target. I had heard so many good reviews.

The plan was to eat at 6, be at the movies by 7:30. We needed to leave at 5:45. It was 5:45 though and my husband swore there was just two more minutes left in some game. Ugh. I wait. Then he says “let’s take my car.” His car is nice, and mine has become sorta the mom mobile full of toys and jackets and strollers … A minute later he says “Help me clean out my car real quick. It’s a mess from the trip.” “This isn’t how real dates start,” I tell him.

We finally leave. It’s almost 6. It’s going to be so close to eat and get to the movie on time. And if Steve misses a preview – well he won’t miss a preview, I think he would refuse to go.

We get to Granite City and as soon as we see the full parking lot and people standing out front, we know we’ve messed up. Yep, it’s a 50 minute wait. Shoot. We were so looking forward to going to that place. I forgot that the rest of world still goes out on Saturday nights.

Then I remember there’s a new Mexican restaurant by Coldwater theater, called Agave. We’ve heard good things about that place too.

We head over there and get right in. It’s a neat place. A really cool old-looking all wood bar. And we sit at a bar table – which is fun, because my days of sitting in the bar are seeming long gone. We order jumbo margaritas immediately. And I get fajitas and Steve gets the burrito special. Our food is there so quickly there’s no worry about being late for the movie, and my fajitas are really good. I still haven’t been able to find ones as good as at La Casita in the Coachella Valley in California, but these are pretty good.

We hit the movies next. The movie, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” is really funny. I forgot how much I love going to the movies too. You can’t just sit at home and watch movies. It’s not the same thing at all. Sitting in the huge theater staring at the huge screen and being surrounded by the sound, there’s just no comparison.

After the movie, I call up some old college buddies who I knew we’re in town – watching the Fort Wayne Derby Dolls compete. They say they’ve just finished eating at Club Soda. Great, we’ll join them for a drink. I’m already tired. It’s 9:30, embarasssingly past my bedtime. But it’s date night!

Club Soda is in really, cool old building downtown. We join them in the backroom where there are lots of parties and we can hear the jazz band upstairs playing. Lots of young people there. Wow, I miss going out sometimes. Being with friends.

We sit and talk. My husband and Brent reminisced about the good old days, while Rochelle and I talked about our jobs and kids. I had an awesome mojita. Rochelle and I commiserated on how early we have to get up and go to bed at night, and finally she says “Well, did we decide that we’re old and we need to go to bed?” “Yes!” My thoughts exactly.

Our date was really fun. A nice little break from reality. But I was ready for a good night of sleeping and I would be glad to pick up Ella in the morning.