He's Not a Morganstern : Shadowhunters 2x10 Review

YA'LL.

Excuse me, please, while I channel my inner Christine [@xtinemay] here and gush over the Winter Finale episode of Shadowhunters.

To preface, let me say that if you didn't know, I am among the ranks of those who've read all the Shadowhunters books so far - which, for clarity, they aren't technically called that:

The Mortal Instruments:

... and yes, I bought these also, because SPINES: 

same books, different covers... 

The Infernal Devices: 

The Dark Artifices [at this point, Lady Midnight]:

& the author, cassandra clare

And naturally, I spent 3 months hunting down and fiiiiiinally obtaining the UK version of LM:

this was worth every day waiting & every penny. 

And Lord of Shadows has been pre-ordered. And I finished up both The Bane Chronicles and Simon's conversion journey in Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy. So we're all set.

Mmkay, mmkay, mmmmkeehhh. If you don't want the Shadowhunters experience spoiled for you, then stop reading this. If you have only watched the show so far, and have not read the books, please, please, please go and READ.THE.BOOKS. I would recommend starting with The Infernal Devices, even though they were released after The Mortal Instruments. They're intended as a prequel trilogy anyway, so start there and I DARE YOU not to fall in love with Tessa, Jem & Will.

And then read The Mortal Instruments, and I dare you then to not fall in love with Magnus. Clary's a little grating, and Jace is sassy as can be, but in the end, if you're like me, you'll love it all the way Cassandra Clare wrapped it together for us. 

That brings me back to the show. It goes without saying that the writers of season 1, at best, LOOSELY based the show on the books themselves. I feel like the conversation surrounding plot departures in general is a song for another day. Now that we're in season 2 with all of these new plot departures, I have finally accepted that that's how it is, but honestly, I'd find it hard to believe that I'm the ONLY ONE who was leary after episode 9, of how they'd pull this back together and at least make some nods to the books. 

SPOILER: The creepy clown warehouse, neither Iris Rouse nor Madzie even exist in the books [same for Lydia Branwell], Jocelyn doesn't die AT ALL, EVER in the books, and Clace don't find out they're not related until after Sebastian comes along in the books. Oh, and Alaric doesn't die that way in the books. OH, and shape shifter runes? Definitely a show thing. 

So it's been a rough ride for me and seemingly some others who hold the books dear. But that brings me to tonight's Winter Finale episode.

I.. did.. not hate it. I can't decide if I'm embarrassed for not hating it. I didn't love it the way I would like to, but if nothing else it's refreshing to watch the show and not know exactly what and when things will happen.

********And sidenote, I'd kinda started writing this with the intent of just including this show as part of what I did today, but now that I've unintentionally launched into full review mode, let's go with it... ********

I'll start with the Hmmmmeehh?!:  

- Oh heeey, kinda-recovering DOT, on Magnus' couch?
- Are we supposed to believe that Madzie is the warlock "baby" that will be eventually adopted by Magnus & Alec? She's just kinda here now, and since Iris is in Idris..... I just.. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ?
- Simon GETTING HIS THROAT CUT BY VALENTINE was exceptionally unexpected, gross and chronologically weird for me to digest. Especially given that
- JACE then uses a SHAPE SHIFTING RUNE to be Clary, and then Simon drinks his blood instead of Clary's and now Simon is a Daylighter but doesn't understand it but it happened at the INSTITUTE and that's not how it goes in the books someonepleaseexplainthis.
- Shape. Shifting. Runes. 
- And then Clary, being very Clary-ish, is all "No Magnus, go on ahead. I'll WALK THROUGH THE INSTITUTE ON MY OWN BECAUSE WHAT COULD GO WRONG IN THIS SPECIFIC SCENARIO."
- Alec got locked in an elevator by a kid warlock. MehhhIIII dunno.
- Maia's brash tantrums don't seem at all like the more calculated, precise book Maia. 

- Alaric and half the wolf pack and a handful of seelies die in the institute after Jace accidentally activated the soul sword.
- JACE JUST ACTIVATED THE SOUL SWORD. 

- Jocelyn is still dead. Again, Jocelyn's not dead at any point in any of these books. WHO is Luke going to marry now?! *sniffle.
- #RAPHSWERVE: For SOME reason, Raphael is the only one of the downworlders who went raging into the room to attack Valentine, but left just before everybody else died. Which was only like 4 seconds after they ran into the room. So did he like, U-Turn as soon as he got there?!
- So the soul sword can wipe out the entire downworld.... but only if they're in the same room?! (Mmmkay.)

- Izzy is [still] addicted to Yin Fen. WHAT IN THE ACTUAL......
- P.S. - Yin Fen is made from Vampire Venom?! For REAL?
- Aldertree: Since show you is doing whatevs you want except for knowing the password to the iPad on the roof of The Institute, please go find Izzy a cure for the Yin Fen that YOU. GAVE. HER. 

- Clary is alladasudden an expert at hand-to-hand deathblows with a seraph blade, but looks like a toddler being dragged across the room by Valentine. Plausible. *dry cough.
- Climon. I'm still cringy. Nothing to do with the acting, just... romantic Climon is cringy.
- I. Want. SASSY Jace back. Not this brooding, moody Alec-ish character. Alec is Alec for a reason.
- Who's the Assassin's Creed-looking person who strolls off with the Soul Sword at the end?! WHO IS THAT?!
- Lastly, JUST LIKE THAT, Valentine tells Jace he's not his son, and Jocelyn's not his mom and by the Angel, Maury, Clary is NOT his sister.

Which brings me to this clip. In my opinion, I thought the acting was very well done, and even as I sat wide-eyed shaking my head because Valentine would never just make it this easy, I still felt that moment, and for all intensive purposes, that's how it should be. I should feel things. 

  Poor Jace. Poor, poor broody show Jace.  Here are some things I found redeeming. Again, my opinions - feel free to agree or wholly disagree! (And share them freely, but politely). 

The Yasss Moments: 

- Maybe not in any particular order with these, so I'll start with the Simon-drinking-Jace's-blood thing. NO, it didn't happen in the institute [per books], but I got pretty stoked once it clicked in my head that THIS was the moment that Simon drinks Jace's blood, becomes a daylighter and erego doesn't die. And Jace doesn't die, either. And even though it didn't happen on the ship, this moment is a real catalyst for all the core characters......... at least it is in the BOOKS.  - Jace finds out he's not Clary's brother. Yeah, THAT part. Can we get this Climon crap off the table STAT, please?!  - MALEC. - Luke. I just.. I love Luke. Regardless of how weird the assembling of the downworlders at the institute was, I felt like the show painted Luke correctly in that he leads the pack and speaks for both Shadowhunters and Downworlders.  - Meliorn's back, making calm but snarky comments at Luke. Fun.  - Show-y plot twists that were fun to watch: i.e.: Jace shape shifting as Clary. Jace not having demon blood [sure, at the expense of accidental soul sword activation & destroying a room full of well-intentioned downworlders]. Valentine spilling that Jace isn't his son.  - MALEC.  - Aldertree's FACE on the rooftop when he realizes what a turdbag he is. And presumably also for what he did to Izzy.  - Izzy & Alec having a sibling moment, after some clear dissension over the Raphael.... thing.  - Madzie. I do and I don't know how to feel about her as a character, but if she's here to stay, well then.. ok. I did like the scene with her and Magnus, I think more so because it highlighted Magnus' compassionate, candid side.  - I liked how the writers wove this sense of unity into this episode, to tie together all the various downworlders and Shadowhunters. It's a little early for all that, if we're comparing it to the chronology in the books, but we're really not, I guess, so I'm willing to let the show stand on its own in this way. I think [hope] this sets the stage nicely for June, when 2b starts.  - And.. MALEC.
I never would've imagined myself so wholly entrenched in a book series, or so adamant about holding a candle to the show version, but here I am, and here that was, and here we go, fingers crossed looking very much forward to June and 2b.  I am not ashamed by any of this. :) 
Happy Monday!  xo | cms 

Hammock Epidemic | USWNT USAvMEX

It was a late night for Rob & Dillon last night, so I headed off for the early SonRise service solo to start the day. I missed last week, and so found myself in week 2 of a new series: Prayfull [yes, spelling intended].

Chad did an excellent job standing in for our senior pastor in his absence today, and I left re-set for this upcoming week. 

The boys were barely stirring when I returned back, so I strung up the hammock for a bit while I waited. It wasn't long before they both appeared at the front door; Dillon was packed up and ready to hit the road for the 5-hour trip back to Illinois. We sent him off with safe travel wishes; we'll be heading that way this upcoming weekend for our monthly IL visit, so it won't be long until we see him again.

I lapsed back into the hammock for just shy of another hour, before the natural urge to do something productive got the best of me. I dragged Rob with me for a trip to the hardware store and grocery shopping - quick errands out before circling back home. 

new ropes! you know what that means.... 

After lunch, we decided to put Rob's new ENO up for a trial run in my newly-claimed hammock spot. He... loved it. I'm spreading the hammock epidemic into the few unreached corners of my network, and it's pretty awesome to see the reactions ;). 

#perfect! 

To counterbalance such a relaxing day, I tuned in for the night to the USWNT USA v MEX game, to of course cheer on my favs. I thought this would be something of a routine action, except I forgot that I have Time Warner Cable. TWC is the worst service provider I've ever had, and not only did I miss the game itself as it was airing, I explicitly set my DVR to record it, only to later find that that didn't work, either.

Thank goodness for YouTube... & thanks A-HOLE bunch, TWC. >:[ 

*Sigh. There are worse things, I know.. But c'mon. Messing with soccer? Are you crazy?


At least the game was visible somehow :)

That's all I've got folks. It's back to the grind tomorrow.

Ciao!

xo | cmd

Boots & Music

Gooood Monday morning! I hope your weekends were incredible, and that you're off to a blazing start for the week like we were. My day started off alongside Carri & Dave, with a client facility tour, complete with the required on-site gear.

Oversized steel toed boots + leggings, anyone? ;)

ow ow!

Some desk-bound folks would see this as a burden in the middle of their day, but I embrace these things and probably have more fun than I should walking around warehouses and factories with my clodhopper feet and safety glasses awkwardly parked on the bridge of a nose that on my face doesn't even exist [#pinoyproblems]. Yay!

The rest of the day took something of a musical turn: I stumbled across this video by Steffany Gretzinger, an acoustic outpouring of her soul that moved me to share it with a few other people and listen to it multiple times.


^ So. Gorgeous!

Here's the part where I remind all of you that I'm heading to Panama in 2015 for the purpose of missions, and am starting NOW on the prayer part of that. There will be more details to follow on that, but for the time being, just... listen to that song and try to absorb it in the moment. Thank you, Steffany for sharing your gift with us! [#SonRisePanama2015]

Rob and I took a step into a new restaurant tonight and tried the Mexican place down the street from us [recommended!] before heading back home to let the ACC Awards carry us into the last part of the evening.

I had to share this, too, since Reba is not just an icon in country music, but truly a legend. I love the lady and realized that we're privileged to see these moments unfold; Sydni will grow up and hear stories of legends like this, but won't be able to experience them the same way we do now.

Congratulations to Reba, with love and gratitude for what you've contributed to the world of one of my favorite genres!


That's a rap here, folks. I've got Fancy stuck in my head like a broken record, so on that note, I'll call this one and pick up where we left off tomorrow!

G'Nite!

xo | cmd

Thursday Christmas Kick-Off

I am happy to report that this week provided a few of those breakthrough moments that we [and I] have desperately needed to happen, where work is concerned. There's nothing more gratifying than seeing the tangible results of the efforts invested, and with that, we were all a little rejuvenated around here.

..... SO much so that we decided to haul out the Christmas tree and get her up and going!

heeeere she comes! 

We laughed the entire time we were decorating it, mostly because none of the three of us were even close to reaching the top of the tree, which was folded over inside the bag, fooling us at first into forgetting the actual height of this thing.

haha.. shush. 

We finally managed to get our little tree fluffed, re-decorated and situated in its spot for the rest of the month, and took a little of the pre-Christmas optimism for the rest of the day - much needed, since we also had an audit today.

There are some unlikely sources of motivation out there, and in the midst of our Christmas joy today, we still couldn't avoid the reality of why we're all here, working, in this office...every day. We've been on a path uphill now for a few months and although that's created some certain hope, I struggle often to "level up," as Anna Akana calls it. I stumbled across this and couldn't help but sharing, if for no other reason than for my own review later on.

Solid, realistic stuff... and funny :).

It is almost Friday.. just a few more hours & we're THERE.
I'm off to finish up all this knitting at hand.. so that's a wrap for me.
Hang in there, friends!

xo | cmd

Finding the Christmas Music Spirit

It's almost that time of the year!

Well, actually.. it is that time of the year, and has been for almost 3ish weeks already; I've simply chosen to avoid it until after my birthday, as I resolve to do every year.

IT'S CHRISTMAS MUSIC TIME!

Am I the only one who just.... can't... get into the traditional radiocast Christmas playlist[s]? I really try some years, but I just can't. It seems so .... repetitive to me, as it usually is with radio, but that's really just hypocritical of me to say, given that I have a list of a whopping what, like... 6 songs that I actually really enjoy?

Maybe it's the fact that there are endless renditions of every Christmasy song out there. I think that's what makes it the best for me: finding artists and groups who conceptualize a song while still keeping its integrity.

Pentatonix & Tori Kelly are just a couple of those entities that accomplish just that... instead of directly post every single video of theirs that moves me, I'll share the two I saw today, which absolutely put me in quite a jolly Christmas spirit. ♥

& this one....

I'm starting to get excited about Christmas preparation! The knitting needles have started flying, and won't stop until the last second I'm sure, and we're scheduled to get the Christmas tree to the house and decorated next weekend. Our shopping is almost done, too, which means plenty of time for Christmas baking, decorating..... and of course, music! 
For now, it's a date out with the mister: sushi it is! 
See ya soon, blogbots! 
xo | cmd

Road Trip Video Blog

Rob is most incredible for a few different reasons, but the most immediate today being his complaint-free undertaking of the drive home from Norris, complete with boat-in-tow and two restless pups bouncing around the backseat.

farewell for now, lafollette! 

Between conversation, I was tasked with controlling the playlist for the drive, which isn't always a strong suggestion, since I'm easily sidetracked when something catches my ear... or eye.

Here's a couple of the gems I found en route from TN > OH.


^ Lindsey Stirling, you need to stop with all that talent. ;) Although I don't understand a lick of this [French], I love it, and judging from the brief overview of user comments, it seems as though PTX did their duty of applying just accent and annunciation to the French language. Another 5-star PTX performance!

On the coattails of that PTX+Stirling collaboration, here's Lindsey adapting one of my favorite musicals.

*Sigh. Music, friends. Music does it all (:

It wouldn't be a scattered list of videos if I didn't include one of my favorites:
Yeah, this is a disconnected little post, but the good news is, we're home, we're settled and we are NOT getting back in the daggone car until we absolutely have to. ;)  G'Nite, e-world!  xo | cmd

I CAN'T EVEN... THE SEQUEL!

Guysguysguysguys......


The sequel is here.
.. And it's pretty PERF. ;)

Happy MONDAY!

xo | cmd

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Our volleyball tournament was tonight.
We'll suffice to say this: "Next time. NEXT. TIME." Haha.

Afterwards, I accepted the challenge passed on to me by Kalyn: The viral sweep of ice bucket douses, all in the name of raising awareness and funds for ALS research. The ultimate goal? FIND A CURE.

Amidst the handful of skeptics and those otherwise reluctant to participate for whatever reason, I personally find it endearing to see the newsfeed on my preferred social media outlet -- Facebook -- saturated with video snippets of people dousing themselves or handing that favor off to someone else, in support of a cause. Is it literally every other post just about? Yeah. Does that really bother me that much? NO.

Does it seem a bit narcissistic?
Probably. Sure, we're all posting footage of ourselves doing this, but hey, here's an interesting read I found about this current phenom:

>>> What An ALS Family REALLY Thinks About the Ice Bucket Challenge <<<

This is one of the few times I really want to speak up and tell the naysayers to just... calm down.
This gal says,

"... here’s the deal: We are in for the fight of our lives with this monster, and the very LAST thing I want is for people to give quietly, anonymously, and then slink away. Raise the roof! Raise a ruckus! Call all sorts of attention to yourself! I will be happy for you and every Facebook like you receive, as you nudge ALS an inch or two closer to the collective public consciousness."

Okay. She wins. The ALS-affected win. Douse AND donate, I sure will.

And I did.


In case you can't hear, yeah, I did nominate quite a few people [someone told me the limit was 3? woops] - I guess we'll call it 3 groups of people, as opposed to just 3 individuals:

1 - volleyball team: Becky & Chad [Jessica already did it]
2 - My IL darlings: Ali, DeShawn & Tim [Marianne also already did this]
3 - My better half Rob. Not really a group on the last one... hah.

Anyway, 1, 2 & 3 - you've got 24 hours to accept AND donate. GO!

Oh, and just in case you're still one of those critics who think this too is a fad equitable to that of Gagnam Style or The Harlem Shake, c'mon.. really? Those two things benefited the greater good of mankind .... how, exactly?

>>> Here's ALS, in REAL TIME. <<<

 

Yeah. I'm on board, 100%. If we as a collective group of humans can find a cure for this, I'd say our efforts now, regardless of how funny we and our friends think the videos to be, are worth it.

 

Happy Wednesday!

 

xo | cmd

#ICANTEVEN

I saw this video posted a few days ago, and have since basically shown it to everyone I know:
The hashtaggy communication between just about everyone these days is amusing to me; I've not stayed entirely exempt, but this embodiment by Sam Tabor is one of the funniest I've seen in a long time.

Today, I viewed and printed off the itinerary and school supply list for Sydni, as she prepares for kindergarten in the fall.

get. outta here!
sidenote: 18 glue sticks?! haha...

STAAAAHP. KINDERGARTEN!?
*sigh. I'm handling this well, I would hope. I haven't cried yet, and as it stands now, the emotions I have on the matter are, for the most part sheer excitement that Sydni is finally going to have the school experience that several of the other kids at her daycare frequently share with her.

Anyway, I had a lapse in stability when I printed this thing off... and had myself a very pure moment of I.. CAN'T... EVEN. 

#ICANTEVEN

"On a scale of 1 to even, I can't."
"I am literally literalling, so hard right now."

Thank you, Sam Tabor.. this is seriously a gem.
And thank you, Mulberry Elem, for the stark reminder that I'm a total newb at the school supply shopping thing; I'm pretty excited to see how a class of let's say, possibly 20 students is going to use 360 glue sticks! Haha.. Oh, the joys of BTS [Back To School]. I'm finally joining the ranks, my fellow school-kid moms!

But still... I seriously, just.. can't....


.. even. ;)

xo | cmd

Productive Day? Not So Much..

Okayokayokay.

I've had a few more days in my time that were more productive than this. I'm neither ashamed nor proud to say that I spent a lot of my day parked in bed, burning daylight and ignoring housework.

There, I said it. Haha. Today was definitely a lazy day. In my defense, these days happen about once every... 18 months for me, and I compensate on the others by doing ridiculous things like climbing trees - or walls, playing in and on the water, etc. I'm not a sloth, I promise ;)

Ironically, as I sat doing all of nothing today, I stumbled across the footage of Kacy Catanzaro dominating at the ANW finals in Dallas. As a spectator, I'm always torn between ANW and the Crossfit Games, but I think it goes without saying that this chick deserves a huge round of applause.
 

Amiright?! She's a beast, and certainly a reference point of inspiration the next time I check in for a solid workout.

 

The upside here is that we didn't burn the entire day; Rob eventually went into boat-selling mode for some prospective buyers, and spent a few hours detailing the thing before they showed up. I took that time to do some meal prep for this upcoming week, for which I'm preeettty excited.

meal prep, let's go!



& lunch is ready for the week!

We just took taking it easy to a whole new level today, but hey - we'll make up for it this week!

 

Have a great week, friends!

 

xo | cmd

"Hoh-Hoh-Hoh-Hohhhhh" - Spider Laughs

It's no secret that I'm easily entertained.
It's also no secret that I love YouTube videos.
It is also very well-known that I'm not a fan of spiders.

HOWEVER... 
 

This video just basically defied everything anyone's ever told you about my fear and hatred of spiders. Ok, so maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration - actually, entirely exaggerated - but it still elicits a laugh from me every time as opposed to that feeling of terror and dread that usually happens..

 

I hope it gave you a smile or two, also!

 

Happy Monday!

 

xo | cmd

Backseat Sessions with Sydni : The FROZEN Edition

All right, Disney. This one is definitely stuck. I thought perhaps we wouldn't ever see the end of Tangled, but Sydni's fascination with that one faded a lot faster than I expected. Frozen, on the other hand, is still on loop at our house, and the soundtrack has basically replaced any other form of sound in the car.

I will be singing "Let it Gooooooooo," for the rest of my life, I'm pretty sure. Sydni will be singing it until you, Disney, come out with the next big hit (:

That being said, here's what the car rides home typically contain. And yes, before anyone says anything, I realize she looks like she has a mullet. For the girls out there, if you can tell me about that childhood of yours in which you didn't attempt to cut your own hair, well, I'll be impressed. In her credit, at least they're still on her forehead; when I did that, they were barely even sprigs. One centimeter is not an acceptable length for bangs. Hers are manageable. ;)




^ I love my car rides with her. This, folks, is how they have been nearly every single time since she saw the movie. If you can't appreciate a little girl singing her heart out, well, it's beautiful (:

With love from us on this NON-rainy Tuesday!! ♥

xo | cmd

Friday With My Girl ♥

Rob left around noon today to head back to Illinois for the Supercross weekend, so that meant Sydni and I had Friday night all to ourselves. These are some of my favorite nights, so there of course was no complaining.

We started off our girls night with some shopping, because well, it seemed fitting. Okay, so maybe I also waited until kind of the last minute to shop for Sophie's birthday present, so that was part of the reason we found ourselves at Target after work, too.

And, because for some reason, we didn't own this until today:

how dare i.

So now we, along with half of America, own this movie, and are currently comitting its soundtrack to permanence in our minds. I'll be singing these songs until my brain physically gives out, I'm convinced. Or, it could be because of other adult-geared trailors like this:


This made me laugh just as much as that satirical little Olaf in the movie.

Anyway, if you really must know, the rest of our night has consisted of dinner, light packing for tomorrow's outbound trip.

Oh, and I just created an mp3 collection of all the Disney songs for us to play on loop all the way to Columbus tomorrow. Haha.

Tomorrow and Sunday are gonna be big days. I can't wait!

xo | cmd

Beauty & Vitiligo

So I watched something rather captivating today. I've always been fascinated with the extreme characteristics that sometimes happen as a result of genetic composition. I'm not a scientist, doctor or otherwise qualified position to offer any explanation as to how or why this stuff happens, but what I do have is excema, and that alone gives me enough of a reason to do research from time to time.

Today, I saw this. It's a condition called vitiligo, which basically causes depigmentation of the skin. I wouldn't dare say that I have vitiligo, but I know that [on my skin at least] excema outbreaks can cause skin discoloration and yes, it's frustrating.

I've watched a few videos on this today, and thought I'd share one with my fellow blogbots.

^ This, girls [& guys!] is just a friendly reminder that you're beautiful, regardless of what your skin looks like. Beauty isn't [**SHOULDN'T**] be measured skin-deep, and I love the statement this girl is making.

Easy homework for today: Love yourself for the skin you have (:

xo | cmd

Monday: Mare & Mini-Me

I woke up this morning, a little sad that our last remaining visitor would still be sleeping when we left for work, but would be well into her journey back to VA by the time we were home again.

Or.... this message that came across this morning:

well all right then!

I don't think I was overly surprised that she'd chosen to wander around the city some more before she headed out, so I took my lunch break to rendezvous with her at Sidewinder's in Northside.

sidewinder?
no no, it's actually sheehan / cori

^ I kid, I kid. Even though I literally lived in Northside, with Becky for nearly three months during my initial transition back to Ohio, I rarely explored the little gems that neighbor one another on Hamilton Ave. Marianne of course had her camera ready to go; we took advantage of the beautiful day and trekked a short couple of blocks both ways before I had to return to work.

obey... imelda marcos? | photog cred: marianne

Yeah. So we finally said our final farewells [for now] around 1pm, snagged a couple final photos and I was off to finish up my day back at the office.

sunny day coffee lunch break with this gal.

I don't know if or when I will ever learn to stop assuming things.

Like, in this case, when I assumed Marianne would be at least halfway through her drive back to VA at 4:30?

hahaha yes!



Niiiiiiice. She's really not unlike me in that this is probably something I have done and probably will do again at some point. I can't say I complained, though. I may have laughed a little - probably a tiny cackle when I read it, but either way, I'm not mad.

 

I did however, have to put off evening plans with M&B until after Sydni's gymnastics.

Fun fact here: This little girl is built like me, acts like I did when I was 4 and is more stubborn than a mule. I've seen the pictures and 8mm tape documentation of miniature me [actual me, not Sydni] in my little leotard and shorts, perched atop a balance beam and swinging from the low bar. Aside from the hair on our head, it's nearly identical.

 

Except she's definitely going to be better:

Yes. Most definitely better than  me. It probably has something to do with the fact that I was still throwing handsprings while she was doin' her time on the inside [har har], but who really knows. I LOVE that little athletic girl of mine!

After gymnastics, the three of us headed home to change, and then right back out the door to Dewey's to meet up with Becky & Mare. It's apparently been one heckuva day for all of us; I have to admit I was definitely ready to be home in sweats on the couch.

BUT, not before a chocolate teeth picture. This is another one of those photo moments that will go on repeat for the rest of our lives, I'm sure. We were only missing Ali on this one..

26 february 2013

10 march 2014

^ Some things probably won't ever change..  haha.

We're home now.
We're spent.
We're goin' to bed.

G'Nite!

xo | cmd

Say Something..

 Welcome to the first day of a[nother] blustery winter day here in the midwest..

that's about right.

I believe I'm speaking on behalf of at least three quarters of Cincinnati when I say that I'm over this whole driving-in-snow-in-MARCH-now thing. Don't get me wrong, I love powdery snow, but I like to keep it under my board and not under my tires. //rant.... Be SAFE out there today, friends.

Good news, though - PTX has impressed again with this number. I missed them when they were on their first US tour, but I will see them. Eventually. (: And a sidenote, Avi has got to stop singing like that.. I'm developing a celebrity crush. Haha.

^ While I wish Kirsti would've done less grimacing and more smiling in the video, I am still a loyal lover of all things PTX.

What I also love is the generosity of my bosses; the day was moving at molasses speed, so they cut us loose an hour early. What I don't love is the sinus infection/head cold that's taking over my ... well.. head. I headed straight home and crawled in bed, where I have basically stayed all night. I do not handle being sick very well.

Blah. At least the sun was out today, and from what I hear, it's supposed to be on the up-and-up from here on out. Maybe we'll see some Spring after all (:

xo | cmd

Card-Making With Sydni: Night 1

First things first: Norwood is IN the Valentine's Day card-giving spirit:

.........you're* >:(

... It was sweet though. Haha.

So perhaps I'm into the mushy gushy [< is that a word?] part of Valentine's Day, but I will use it as the perfect excuse to do some extra crafting. I have the world's best assistant to help me, so it's always a no-brainer.

Tonight's mission: [The start] of Valentine's Day cards. This meant busting out everything from scotch tape to paintbrushes. It's not uncommon in our house, but it always seems just a little more fancy when it's for a special project.

mama & minime paper cutting table ♥

mama only cutting board.

[sydni] holding scissors to help me photograph ;)

my painter!

She was.. dying to get into the painting part of our little project. I gladly obliged, and soon a palet of pinks, red and purple all came together into a blended masterpiece.
^ See? She's awesome! ;)
Sure, we only got a little paint on the actual project, but there is nothing wrong with a little extra painting by small hands. I love it (:

She of course got distracted by beads. It's not like we have many of those in this house [that's a lie..], so while I finished up the assembly of our painted pieces, she made a necklace. Apparently for a giant. A giant.. necklace. It was beautiful.

crafter in the making!

Finally, we finished up our first round of Valentine's Day gift-making. This little box will be sent off to a special set of grandpar--- shhhh, it's a secret, I'm told. So here's our finished Valentine's Day owl box. We'll decide what kind of candy to stash inside it a little later, since the pieces in the picture have somehow... mysteriously ... disappeared. Hmmmm... :p 

done!

Craft night #1 = Success! Tomorrow we'll continue our card-making with the more standard cards: cutesy little sayings and all that.

*Insert shower here... *
And post-shower, we finally checked in with Mr. Rob, who had been down in the basement for most of the latter crafting doing some work of his own to the proclaimed mancave we have.

shelf hung... model cars displayed ... facing our helmet rack..

^ Yeah, we have a helmet rack. That's because we have more helmets [clearly] than we need, and no alternative home for that bookshelf as of now. Erego, helmet rack. Or shelf. Helmet shelf. Either way, it's a 3-3 his/hers display and we'll leave it at that.

basement things!!!

^ More importantly, his dart board has now found its home on the wall, and the pool table is ready to be felted! I have no clue how he got those slates up there without killing himself; those suckers are heavy, and he did it without destroying the actual table, either. He's a beast!

And to finish the night, Sydni and the dogs got to unwind all their extra energies at the same time. Good. Stuff (:

Sx3! [Sydni. Sasha. Stella]

They are hilarious. And adorable. Toddler giggles and wagging puppy tailes are the best way to end a night! ♥♥♥

It's safe to say it's bedtime here.
Goooooodnight!

xo | cmd

#TBT | Video Stuff | S&S Pibbles

It's Thursday.
In the world of all things social media and hashtags, it's #THROWBACKTHURSDAY, aka #TBT. In honor of such, here's a dedication to my mom, who saved this gloriously vintage picture of us from my babyhood. This is proof that babies can make anything look halfway cute, including pale yellow pj's. Pale yellow. We match, mom. I love it. Haha. ;) ♥♥♥

#tbt with mom! ♥

On a random note, here is an interesting video I found online; it's photoshop in motion, and I find it intriguing! I have no idea what the lyrics translate to, but it's neat to watch, anyway.

Speaking of videos, I captured a couple quirky moments from the pups tonight.
First, it was playtime with the floppy-eared beauty herself, Miss Sasha:


And then, it was apparently mandatory bathtime:

Poor Stella has turtle-like abilities when it comes to landing upside-down. She's short and stocky [short girl probs, yyyaknow...], so in some instances, flailing and wriggling does nothing to upright a turned tank. In the event there's a Sasha dog in your face holding you down to give you a bath, well... it's best to just let her finish. Hahah. Poor.. poor stocky Stella Bella. ♥

I skipped the gym tonight. Shhhh. I'm freakin' SORE from head to toe, and I haven't taken a day off yet this week, so ... uhhh.... yeah. I'll go tomorrow. Promise.

Right now, I'm going.... to bed.

xo | cmd

Post-Christmas Video Blitz

The day after Christmas is slow in my line of work. Elisa was off today, which left just me in the office along with Dave & Nancy on and off throughout the day. I honestly didn't mind the lull; I'm still a little spent from the past couple days and the road trip back yesterday.

I picked Sydni up after work, and we headed out to run some errands before heading back to the house. Rob showed up with Sasha a short while after that, and we settled in for the night. Really, it's been a whirlwind of a week so far; it doesn't look like that's going to stop anytime in the next seven days, but I'm embracing it. We sat together after dinner tonight as Sydni watched The Croods and watched some videos that came out earlier this year. I thought I'd share some of it, since it's stuff that in the midst of crazy busy holidays reminds me of the simple [& sometimes very complex] beauty around us.

1. This video of twins just moments after birth. I am so fascinated with new life that when I first say this, I had to watch it several times just to satsify my awe of it all. This. [like the other videos] is beautiful.

2. A video from the Mimi Foundation. After watching my cousin, along with a few friends wage and overcome their own battles with cancer, this melted me. I wonder what kind of courage I would have if I had to walk in their shoes. I applaud them.

3. This video went viral earlier this year; it's a couple of guys whose mission consisted simply of making the less fortunate feel... loved. Nothing in return, just loved. This is the kind of human compassion that the world needs to keep functioning. On a small scale in our own community or on a global scale, it matters, and it makes a difference.

I could go on and on, but there really are too many to list here. I'm glad we're winding down tonight and filling the brief space between Christmas celebrations with some inspirational people like these.

I hope you have all enjoyed your Christmases and are staying safe & well moving into the new year!!

xo | cmd

Movie Night with Sydni

We ran into some last-minute scheduling yesterday that postponed our movie date to tonight, but it actually worked out just as well. I'm not sure who was more excited, me or Sydni, to go see the newest Disney release, Frozen.

I snagged Sydni after work and we headed home to pick up Rob & Becky before landing ourselves in an otherwise completely vacant theater for the movie. I may be an undying fan of the classic Disney flicks, but I do have to admit that the satirical humor and creativity of the newer releases are still adorable.

While Syd's favorite character was one of the humans [I'm trying to omit as much spoiler stuff as I can!], I think mine was definitely the snowman, Olaf. I found this clip online that is more of a trailer introduction than a spoiler... so enjoy ;)

I very much appreciated the fact that we had free reign over the seats in the theater tonight; Sydni did such an awesome job of staying put during the movie that I couldn't resist letting her have some self-expression time during the closing credit reel. I give you a regrettably grainy rendition of Sydni's interpretation of the closing credits ("Let it Go" by Demi Lovato):

It also included a grappling match in efforts to get her shoes back on.. haha.

[sorry about the quality!]
miss becky, syd & mama - wrestling match!

From the theater, it was on to Graeter's for some ice cream to round off the night. Yumm!!

goofin' around with my loves... & a free sundae! [yiiie!]

ice cream monsterrrrr ♥

fun times with miss becky!

.. And now we're home, safe and sound. Sydni's tuckered out and I'm sure it's going to be a quick, painless request for bedtime ;)

G'Nite!

xo | cmd