"(Just Like) Starting Over"

How great is this song by John Lennon? It gives me the chills and makes me smile every time I hear it. Perhaps it's that it reminds me of my childhood (I was 8 when it came out). Perhaps that it was released right after John Lennon's death makes it even more moving. It's just such a happy, upbeat, feel-good, romantic, warm song. So hopeful. How sweet and simple are the lyrics? I guess that's what makes it so bittersweet. It reminds me how we can have so much joy in love and that it is precious because our loved ones can be taken away so unexpectedly. No matter what you think of Yoko, those two were crazy in love and that's wonderful. I love all the various influences in it and how he, 'referred to it during production as the "Elvis/Orbison" track' But mostly I love how it reminds me of John & Yoko's epic love story.

When I heard it today, I was surprised I didn't start bawling. This song really got to me when I was pregnant with Xander. I guess, it was Shirley Bassey this time.

Anyway, I saw Lennon (the musical) with my mom during that time and Jon and I went for our anniversary a few weeks after that. It was the day we learned we were going to have a boy and we found "Beautiful Boy" to be an especially touching part of the show that night. "Grow Old With Me" was also in the show and it just happened to be sung at our wedding by the fabulously talented Trish Pulido (why has Trish Pulido not hit it big, btw? She's amazing).

So Many Geminis!

I'm feeling "reflectionary" about how many great Gemini folk I have in my life. So, in honor of today's gemini's: Cassie & Jovida, along with all the other sweet gemini folk I know (Sol, Spencer, Jon, Michelle, Chris, Roxanne, Robin, Pouri, Kaveh & Bella)...I dedicate this to you:
(Yes, that is Gwyneth Paltrow.)

My New Favorite Song

I must be getting old, because "wrap your arms around my love handles" is just about the most endearing, sexiest lines to a song I've heard in a long time.

There's something about the singer's voice, but I'm thinking that Jack Johnson does add to the sexy of the song. I wasn't a big fan of his first hit (though it has grown on me and I now get the appeal), but I came to love him when he did the soundtrack to the Curious George movie. Maybe it was all those times I caught "Upside Down" on VH1 while I was nursing Xander. Something about a man that can soothe a little one and a sleep-deprived, nursing mommy. I even like his current single.

Interestingly enough, Wikipedia says ALO is from the area I grew up in. Anyway, love this song. Heard it on KFOG the other day and I think I'm going to have to get some of ALO's music. Yep. KFOG. And NPR. I'm getting old.

Anyway, enjoy:

Happy Birthday, Jonathan!

"The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes."
- Frank Lloyd Wright

I know that this is true for me in a lot of ways, and I hope it is for my dear husband...especially today. This post inspired me to remind him that our lives, in many ways are just beginning. Perhaps, it is only through our children that we are at this beginning, but we are there. I've seen how he's new in so many ways just by being a father and a husband to a pregnant wife.

We drive each other crazy sometimes and we're so different in a lot of ways, but we do fit well, match well and well, he's the love of my life.

Happy Birthday, honey.

Home

Someday Jon & I will live in a cool, modern home like this:


While I'm hoping we're going to start doing some focused dreaming, we'll be doing it while living comfortably and happily at Nona's (my mother) cozy, elegant, beautiful home.

After a 7-month job search, Nona has her first day at work today. We're thrilled for her and hope it will be a great new adventure. However, this long and arduous search really cut into her savings and, as our lease was due to come up we all decided it would be beneficial for us to combine households for a while. We hope it will help all of us sock away some money and make our little girl's arrival in October a little smoother. Not to mention leaving behind a sucky dishwasher and heinous clothes dryer. Wahoo! Nona was kind enough to move into her guestroom, enclose her office to make a bedroom for Xander and just make our invasion of her home as welcoming as humanly possible.

We had an incredible amount of help. In addition to the 3 movers we hired, our friends (Martin, Julie, Jovida, Lauren) and family (Andrew, Bree, Rob, Nanc, Jeremy) showed up to help us pack and move. My father and stepmother (Nonno & Nina) took Xander for half the day and Nona watched Davis while his parents (Andrew & Bree) helped us pack and made sure we all had clean beds to sleep in and clean clothes accessible for work and daycare today. Whew!

We still have to pack the kitchen for storage and make a couple trips to with some boxes. Oh, and schedule a GoodWill pick up! But we're in decent shape. Exhausted, but in decent shape!

Break out the pink stuff...

IT'S A GIRL!

How Did This Song Get Stuck in My Head?

Pan's Labyrinth

We finished watching Pan's Labyrinth last night (in case you didn't already know this about us, we rarely get through a whole movie in one night, we're just too dang tired!) Wow. The movie was at once harsh and gorgeous. Beautifully done ... and it will mess with your head. Guillermo del Toro might just be a genius. Or crazy. Or both. He clearly has a thing against facists (see Hellboy), but I digress. Anyway, this New York Times Movie Review describes it much better than I could. I definitely recommend it, but only for adults!

Duffy

Love this new CD, Rockferry, by Duffy. They've been playing this song, "Mercy" on KFOG and I had to check it out. She makes me think of Dusty Springfield and a cross between Peggy Lee & Dido. I'm loving the whole CD. Xander seems to really like it, too. Check it out:

Damn, this is Sexy!

I don't know if it's the actual song--which I already loved in it's original (Maroon 5 only) form--or the video, but damn, this is sexy! Now, there's no doubt that Rihanna is beyond gorgeous and sexy, but teaming her with Adam Levine...well, it might be illegal to be that sexy in some parts of the world. In fact, I'm sure it is. I always thought there was something about him, but I saw Maroon 5 in concert last year and well...he's just about one of the hottest performers I've ever seen. HOT. I didn't think the song could be improved, but this is really good:

Ebliance!

No, it's not some French word (that I know of) ...it's what my son calls ambulances. He's been saying it this way for months and if I correct him, he says "ambulance", but he always goes back to "ebliance", especially when he's excited about seeing one. It's so dang cute that I'm glad it is taking him a while to remember the correct wayt to say it.

GoFugYourself.com Did Not Disappoint

Hilarious post re: SJP's SATC Premier hat today. Love it.

2 Year-Old Watch Style

How cute is this watch that my 2 year-old son picked out for me? So cute! Doesn't it look like exactly the kind of watch that a toddler would choose (if all toddlers had watch-obsessed fathers, that is)? Yet it is still super-cute and fairly stylish! I just love it...almost as much as I love the look he had on his face when he gave it to me
He also helped Jonathan pick out this watch as an anniversary present. Jon was all excited about me having a digital watch (though it is not my first...I had one similar to this in 3rd grade). He's in charge of picking out my watches and I often get them as gifts. I love this new one, but he'll have a hard time topping the watch he gave me for Christmas. It is just so me.

Nobody writes about Mama quite like Garrison Keillor does

Often, I wonder if my husband and I are the only people under 50 that we know who are Prairie Home Companion fans. We just love the show and feel lucky when a weekend outing's drive coincides with a broadcast. I just love that show!

I haven't actually read much that Garrison Keillor has written, but Jonathan sent me this lovely article he wrote for Mothers' Day and now I know I have to add his books to my "to read" list.

Wow. He's Pretty.

Occasionally, I read this blog called The Sartorialist. I love the pictures and observations. So, I was curious about the blogger's identity.

Wow. He's pretty. And a stay-at-home-dad. It kind of makes me blink quickly.

"What's Your Bumper Sticker?" from On Balance

Occasionally, I read this blog: On Balance. I don't usually read the comments (they get a little out of hand), but this one was on bumper stickers and there were some funny replies to the "What's Your Bumper Sticker?" question. Below are my favorites:

Republicans for Voldemort
Frodo Failed, Bush has the Ring
Help! There's too much blood in my caffeine system!
Yeehaw is not a Foreign Policy
If you're not outraged, you must have voted for Bush twice
My other ride is your mom
My kid is an honor student; my president is an idiot
Be nice to America or we'll bring democracy to your country
We've been Dubya-crossed!
Warp 5 - a speed we can live with
Ribbon magnet: "I Support Whatever's Trendy"
Tact is for people who aren't witty enough to be Sarcastic (for my husband)
Instead of "Celebrate Diversity!", "Divert Celebrities!"
Visualize World Peace, because it's so much easier than working for it

I Hate Apple

My recent experience has certainly made me less of an Apple fan: I made 6 attempts to purchase an iTunes gift certificate for my stepmother today. First I tried (3 times!) to have a giftcard mailed, but they don't deliver to P.O. boxes and the recipient has to sign for it! Then I tried having it emailed and was kicked out of the system 3 times before perhaps successfully sending it. I did not receive a confirmation or anything. Their site is one of the worst I've ever used. Not user-friendly at all. Grr. I'll have to follow up with her to see if she got it. Apple sucks.

Business Time

I guess I'm into posting videos this week, but this is just too fabulous not to share. I'm officially a Flight of the Conchords fan.