Firebolt Envy

Yes. I am one of those weirdoes that dresses up for the Harry Potter premiere. However, this was actually the first one I dressed up for. Why, I had the perfect Dolores Umbridge style pink tweed suit in my closet, and this might be the last opportunity I'd have to wear it.

But i'm glad I did.

Because this lady won the costume contest.

But how I beat out an 8-year old Voldemort who shaved his eyebrows for this is a total mystery to me.

I suspect my muggle-born husband (who is likely a wizard in disguise) was casting imperius curses or something.

It was a wonderful, magical evening.

Lovely Summers make for Lousy Blogging

At least, in my case it does.

It is humid and warm today. A true rarity in these arid parts. It is lovely.

My Elliot will be FIVE on Friday. She wants a backpack she can take to kindergarten, and a Harry Potter cake. She is trying to plan a surprise party for herself (that kid.) And she wants me to invite her "boyfriend" Zach. He is 18 and was a senior on Blair's basketball team last year. She's already told me she's going to marry him when she grows up. (sigh... that kid.)

We spent our Independence Day in Parowan, where Blair and his incredible assistant Roy hosted a 3-on-3 basketball tournament. It was a more of a success than we'd even hoped for. But let it be a reminder for next year: Shoes should probably be a requirement. Just sayin'.

Happy Dance

Ten things that are making me deliriously happy today.

1. I cannot get enough of summer. It is beautiful outside. It is just the tiniest bit breezy, it is hot and dry, and the sky is the most perfect cloudless blue behind the bright vermillion mountains.

2. This amazing veggie sandwich from The Grind.

3. Thanks to a brilliant effort by Team Einfeldt, my house is miraculously clean (for a few minutes, anyway)

4. The sound of my daughters singing the Star Wars theme song at the top of their lungs.

5. A summer full of Blair. I really, really like having him around this much.

6. Extra ice in my beverage.

7. My nerdy anticipation for Harry Potter, Midnight in Paris, The Muppets, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, and the Hobbit movies.

8. Sore muscles. Nothing beats the feeling of knowing that you worked hard.

9. My almost-5-year-old asking for a backpack for her birthday, so she can take it to Kindergarten.


10.  Anything by Mo Willems, Mercer Mayer, or Arnold Lobel. My most favorite children's authors/illustrators. (Especially Leonardo the Terrible Monster, Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp, and Frog and Toad are Friends.) I have to read Liza Lou in the most ridiculously fake southern accent I can possibly manage. It's basically required.

P.S. Are we friends on Goodreads yet? If not, find me. It will be lovely.

If you really want to know the truth...

S o m e  .  T h i n g s 

1. I'm reading Catcher in the Rye, and I'm about ready to swear to never say "sort of" again in my life.

2. Blair is out of town this whole week at a basketball camp. The house is much cleaner and the girls and I eat healthier, but I have no one to watch Mad Men with. It's pretty lame around here when he's gone. 

3. I've tried to get into cool hipster music, (like The Decemberists, and everything my dear friend Brittni listens to) but I just can't do it. It puts me to sleep. I blame all the seriously awesomely loud (and not so loud) punk rock I grew up listening to. I mean, how could you not feel amazing while listening to this, or this, or maybe even this? And definitely this. I know this makes me sound totally old and not hip. Well, I am old. So there.

4. I hate potty training. Hate it.

5.I was going to make this a ten things, but Astoria is sitting next to me whining about playing starfall.com. "I need you to give me a turn, I need you to give me a turn. Because I need a turn. And you didn't ask me if you could play on the computer, and mommy, now I need it to be my turn "

Also, This was in my neighborhood:

Apparently, the Death Eaters have made their presence known in my town.

30 years of amazing

Sometimes people turn 30.

When that happens, you decorate the house, and eat sushi.

You also make that person wear a silly hat,

 
and take pictures of yourself making weird faces with your friends.

 
You also play games, and trade books, and laugh at your sillyness, and be all around awesome nerds.

Did you know that I married the greatest guy? Well, I did. Thanks for being born, coach. I love you so.

And a big thanks to Laura, Brittni, Joe, Amanda, Zach, and Katie for making Blair's birthday so very wonderful. 

For the times, they are a-changin'

In 2 months my professional title will change from working-mom, to just mom.

But let me back up a little bit.

The coach is celebrating adulthood this summer. Last week he was offered a teaching position for English/Spanish/ESL at a local school, meaning no more graveyard shifts, no more cramming 32 hours of work into a weekend, no more working Christmas mornings, Sundays, birthdays, et cetera. A week from today, the coach turns 30. It's kind of a big deal, I think for me more than him (partly because this means I'll be 30 soon. meh.). From this point on the "Young Family" title becomes a bit more of a stretch, and all the juggling starts to look ridiculous.

For the past 5 years, we've become masters of the juggling. Dividing our time between jobs, coaching, school, and kids; most often with little or no help from babysitters. We know the in-and-outs of switching cars/kids while on the clock, and give up dates so that we can save those precious babysitting hours for ridiculous work schedules. Through all of this my boss has been nothing short of a hero, allowing me to get my hours in when I can. Our kids manage beautifully, but the first years of their lives have been weighted with serious inconsistency. What, you mean your kids don't go to bed at 11:00 p.m. every night? Your kids are potty trained before the age of 3 1/2? Unimaginable.

So, back to my main point. I'm quitting my job.

I'm all a-jumble with joy, and fear, and plans, and terror, and calm, and whirlwinds.

I'd really love to talk with someone else who's made this transition. I'd love to think that on August first, I will have my children up, dressed, and out for some healthful fresh air in the backyard by 8:30 am, while I sip herbal tea on the back porch. I will take them on daily adventures to the park, the library, or the mountains, all while maintaining an immaculate household. I'll have time to prepare meals, which we will eat as a family at the table, and my kids will learn to try new foods. (ignore, of course, the fact that i'll still be teaching at the gym 4 nights a week, and the Coach will still have basketball from November to February and all of June) But a girl can dream... right? I know this is going to be weird. And I'd love love love any advice you have to offer.

If you're listening, Woooah-Ooohhh-Ooohhaohhh

On Saturday, the Coach was all sorts of grumbly and upset because he found out one of his favorite bands was playing in Vegas, and he was stuck at work.

A convienently-timed message from our dear friend Trent informed us that Jimmy Eat World would be playing the next night in SLC.

Oh! I have family there!

So within hours we were able to arrange for my sweet family to watch the little girls, and the Coach was able to get work off (he was originally scheduled to work a double).

At this point, I started to panic just a little. Everything was taken care of, except of course for the tickets. We could no longer buy them online, it being so close to concert time.

Now I need to explain something to you about the coach. He is a super hero. But let me illustrate this:

Superman is to Bruce Willis' character in Unbreakable

as

The technopath kid from Heroes is to The Coach.

Make sense? (If you managed to understand it through all that geekery, I applaud you.)

Anyway, he starts sending tweets to the opening band, Kinch (who is supremely wonderful, by the way) and somehow got the two of us put on the guest list.
THE GUEST LIST.

What could be better?

Well, realizing that a former boyfriend of mine works at the venue and, since I'm apparently on amazing terms with him (?), he walked us up to the front of the line guaranteeing us our choice of spots (which is upstairs, front row. Perfect view of the stage, none of the squashysweatymoshyunpleasantness )

We enjoyed Jimmy Eat World immensely.

I've said before how ridiculous it is trying to tell anyone your personal feelings on music. It just doesn't work. it ends up sounding lame. So use your imagination. It was like that.

Last of all, I ended up encountering not one, but THREE guys I used to date that night. (it's bound to happen when you are as involved in the concert scene as I once was). Weird, but dang I made a good spouse choice. A REALLY good choice.