Father's Day

I didn’t want to post anything earlier in case the surprise would somehow get leaked, but I have to admit: Sunday was my favorite Father’s Day ever. I’m not great at giving gifts, but every once in awhile, I’ll come up with an idea that gets me so excited. That’s what happened this year with my dad’s Father’s Day present. Before I explain the gift, let me give you some background. We grew up with my dad regularly reading and telling us bedtime stories. He liked to make up stories about a dog he had when he was a little boy, a beagle named Buster. They didn’t have the dog for very long (something about his dad selling the dog for a case of beer...) but we always loved the outrageous stories. Anyway, I decided to take one of the stories he made up when we were kids and turn it into a children’s book. You can look at the finished product here

On Sunday before dinner, I had my dad sit down with the youngest grandkids around him (to whom he loves to read). I made him close his eyes and then placed the book in his hands. He seemed excited and touched and read the book to the girls (while making his own commentary like, “9 innings? That’s 3 innings too long for a little league game,” or “Cleats? We didn’t have cleats back then”). I loved it.

You know what I love?

This kid

I got this invitation from Jen for my nephew's birthday party. First, I can't believe I'm old enough to have a teenage nephew. Second, this boy is so awesome.

I've tried explaining this feeling to a couple of people now and can't seem to get it right, so I doubt this post will be any better. Lately, I've just really liked "Potter." I don't know how else to say it. Although he doesn't have a cell phone, he got an iPod for Christmas and he downloaded a texting app. I think it is so fun when he texts me. Is that dorky? Probably. But there's just something cool about having a nephew in that generation.

When I'm at Jen's house, I look forward to talking to Potter. I enjoy our conversations. This isn't to say that I don't love talking to all of my nieces and nephews, because I do. But something changed recently with Potter. It's like he's a full-fledged person. I can remember being in 7th grade, and I love hearing his take on it. I can remember my celebrity crushes from when I was his age and how fun they were, so I love when he tells me about Selena Gomez. I can remember being a brat to my parents, and it's interesting watching him enter that phase. (I'm sure Jen would use a word other than "interesting," but luckily I'm not the parent :)

Then just yesterday Jenny gave the OK for Potter to help us out in a chorus role in the next musical I'm choreographing. I've been having a negative attitude about the show. I agreed to it back before I knew I'd be taking classes this semester, and I've been really stressed thinking about the time and energy the show is going to require. But now that I know that time and energy will be spent with and on my nephew, I have a renewed desire to give this thing my all. A lot of my philosophy as an aunt is centered around the fact that I grew up without any extended family nearby. I find myself thinking, "I would have loved the chance to do that with my aunt," and that's how I feel about Potter being in the musical.

I hope it will be the wonderful and memorable experience I'm anticipating.

And now, back to your regulary scheduled programming...

After my 30 Days blogging experiment, I'm ready to return to blogging normally.

Wow. That picture is actually making me nauseated.

Anyway, I failed to do my regular New Year and Birthday posts, so I thought I'd catch up on them now. In 2010 I made resolutions to pay off a credit card, retake the LSAT, and make serious plans for law school. I don't think I've ever kept a New Year's Resolution, but I am pleased to announce that I achieved all 3 from 2010. I actually paid off TWO credit cards (though one was just a retail card with a very low limit), and as you know I took the LSAT in October and am now playing a waiting game with law school applications.

Although I'm 11 days late, I want to set some equally attainable resolutions for 2011. I want to be more organized in general, which for me will include more (1) consistent use of my planner and journal. I'm back in school (and not just Independent Study) so I'm going to (2) have my diploma in hand by May. An obvious but pretty major resolution is to (3) start law school. Since those last two resolutions are already in motion, I feel like I should make one more goal that will be slightly more challenging. I really want to be smarter with money, which is a really big undertaking. I think I'll start by making a goal to (4) track my expenses. I want to ultimately be able to live according to a budget, but I feel like before I can succeed at that, I need to more fully understand where my money goes.

Did you set resolutions this year? What are they? Did you keep resolutions from last year? What were they?

(the awesome e-vite my family got)

On Saturday I celebrated (that term is debatable) the big Two-Five. In the morning, David took my out to breakfast. But most of my day was painfully boring and lonely. I had a party planned with my family for that night, so I needed to get my apartment ready. I'm not one to clean regulary, so Saturday my to-do list included taking down our Christmas decorations (I know; Christmas was two weeks ago), washing about 7 loads of laundry, your normal chores like dusting and vacuuming, and cleaning my room. This last task was the hang-up. I never clean my room. Clothes seem to mulitply in piles all over my room--dirty ones on the floor, clean ones on my bed, and clothes that were tried on but rejected by my closet door. Purses that I've switched out cover my dresser, shoes get kicked off right inside the door, and mail--both important and junk--gets piled up on my desk. I know where everything is, but to anyone on the outside, it looks like I've been victim to some sort of natural disaster. So, I spent my birthday cleaning.

A made bed is a rare occurence for me, so I was particulary excited about buying this new bedding and having a place to put it. Please notice the adorable owls--Christmas gifts from Jen.

My family came over around 6pm. My parents brought take-out from Five Guys (founded in 1986), Jess brought the drinks (varieties from the Dr Pepper / Seven-Up corporation that merged in 1986), Ashley provided the beautiful cake (with Dr. Pepper logo on it) and cupcakes (done in Dr. Pepper colors), and Jen brought the Wii, equipped with Just Dance (borrowed from Jamie) and Just Dance 2--both containing awesome 80's songs. Speaking of 80's songs, when everyone arrived I had a playlist on, including the top 20 Billboard hits of 1986. I thought it was pretty cool, even though my nephew asked me if he could hook up his iPod and play "good music." What a punk.

We played Just Dance and had a great time. We even got Dad to play once! (If I remember correctly, my five-year-old niece beat him...)

The highlight of my night was beating Jessica on two Just Dance songs--When I Grow Up (which wasn't much of an accomplishment, since we both didn't really try. It was stupid choreography) and That's Not My Name. Jessica is a natural at the game and has always been a better dancer than me, so it felt good to edge her out at the last second. Yes, she beat me as many times as I beat her, but I don't care :)

Zipsie isn't used to so many people being at our apartment, and she fell asleep as soon as the last guest left. I'm not used to throwing parties, so I followed shortly thereafter :)