The kids have no football (or any sports for that matter), DH’s company is on “shut-down” (no work), and this weekend is the fourth of July. Naturally I wanted to be off too.
So we will be watching movies and driving down to South Carolina to hang with Uncle Will and Aunty Mem.
Today we took the kids to the theater and caught a show. The new installment of Transformers. So. Much. Action. I liked it. Optimus Prime is one bad mother… There have been mixed reviews about this one. RT critics were not too kind with their review of this movie. So I say, go and see it for yourself. You may be surprised
Uncle Will was here all last week. He drove his motorcycle all the way from S. Carolina (5 hours). Brave man. It was a nice visit. We were spoiled with his cooking. And it was GOOD!
Last week was freakin hot. This week we have some relief with weather in the 80’s. Perfect for a vacation. We may drive down to the coast and enjoy some ocean breeze….
Now for some pics:
We attended a birthday party (b’day boy with Bubba) which, thankfully, involved a pool.
I visited the library today while DH and kiddos played at the park. I picked up this. I really wasn’t looking for another book to start. I was curious and picked this up to read the first few pages. Next thing I knew, it was page 13.
Yeah.
The knitting is suffering in this heat. Nothing new to report there. Sorry.
The reach of Michael Jackson’s musical influence is an immeasurable one. On this sad day, and over the past few years, countless artists have praised the pop icon and his work, and, in memory of Jackson, who passed away yesterday at the age of 50, we share some of those comments with you.
““I can’t stop crying over the sad news. I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever. My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. God bless.” – Madonna
“I am so devastated by this terrible news. From the beginning of my career, he was my idol in show business. He was a genius and an incredible artist.” — Celine Dion
“I was so excited to see his show in London. We were going to be on tour in Europe at the same time and I was going to fly in to see him. He has been an inspiration throughout my entire life and I’m devastated he’s gone!” – Britney Spears
“I would not be the artist, performer, and philanthropist I am today without the influence of Michael. I have great admiration and respect for Him and I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to meet and perform with such a great entertainer In so many ways he transcended culture. He broke barriers, he changed radio formats! With music, he made it possible for people like Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama to impact the mainstream world. His legacy is unparalleled. Michael Jackson will never be forgotten.” — Usher
“Michael Jackson will live forever through the thing that he put all of his life energy into: his music. … Long live Michael Jackson.” – Ne-Yo
“You cannot say enough about what he has given to us musically and culturally. We take for granted people like him. … All he wanted to do was give us great music and that’s what he did.” — Jamie Foxx
“Now is not the time for sorrow or criticism. Now is a time to celebrate our lives and celebrate the joy his music and message brought to the world and what that means to each of us. The King is gone but he will live on.” –Brett Dennen
”It’s always hard to lose a friend.” –Smokey Robinson
”May you rest in peace, sweet Michael. You gave us all you had to give.” –Lenny Kravitz
“I am so grateful to have worked with the King (and always will be King) of the music industry. He was a gift to the world, he is a bright light and I wouldn’t be surprised if the world stopped spinning tomorrow.” –Black Eyed Peas’ Will.I.Am
“Michael Jackson showed me that you can actually see the beat. He made the music come to life! He made me believe in magic.” – Sean “Diddy” Combs
“The world has lost one of the most talented people we’ve all ever known. He was a hero for me as a child and his music helped my career to become known as an adult. He will always live through my turntables. Rest in peace Michael.” –DJ AM
“Michael Jackson was my generation’s most iconic cultural hero. Courageous, unique and incredibly talented. He’ll be missed greatly.” –Russell Simmons
“I am so saddened by the loss of a great idol and icon, Michael Jackson. He was, to me, the greatest entertainer of all time. He was a huge inspiration for performers across all music genres. He taught us all how to light up the stage. Wow.” –’American Idol’ judge Randy Jackson
“Michael Jackson’s personal crescendo of amazing power as an entertainer was clear and unmistakable, and has never slowed to this very day! His passing will be grieved far beyond that of any other singer, composer, producer, dancer and choreographer in the history of the world. Indeed, in my very firmest, personal, belief there will never, ever, be another Michael Jackson!” –’Soul Train’ creator Don Cornelius
“I’m shocked. He was a pioneer who transcended genre and race with the most unique talent and style the world has ever or will ever see.” — Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty
“As a child Michael Jackson made me dance dance dance like a little bucktoothed fool. May his tired soul find peace and rest.” –Bassnectar
“It is difficult to think of a more impactful loss from the passing of an icon than that of Michael Jackson. His entire 40-year career has been one of the greatest inspirations to our music. In the early part of our career, he and his brothers helped motivate us to pursue music regardless of our age. He was an unequaled talent who set the bar for how music can affect the world. We join the millions of music fans, mourning the passing of this true great!” –Taylor, Isaac and Zac Hanson
“I am deeply saddened to hear of Michael’s sudden passing. His was a rare talent that we witness once in a lifetime. One who makes such an indelible mark that for generations singers and dancers attribute him as inspiration. I had the great privilege of watching him every night doing what he did best … entertain. I am grateful to have known him for the two years that I worked for him and will mourn his loss with his many millions of fans across the world.” –Sheryl Crow
“Michael was one of the most brilliant musicians I’ve ever known. The world will be a sadder place tonight because he is gone.” –Neil Diamond
“My favorite Michael Jackson song is ‘Ben’ from the 1972 movie of the same name. It’s a beautiful song about a lonely, troubled and misunderstood boy. A boy who finds solace in an unlikely friendship with another outcast who loves him for who he is. Rest in peace Michael Jackson.” –Tom Morello
“Michael Jackson’s death is a very surreal moment for people my age. He was such an omnipresent figure in pop culture for as long as I can remember. It feels like I knew him, but on the other hand it seems like noone really did. His music makes me move. I guess that’s what he ultimately wanted.” –Ben Lee
“I grew up with Michael Jackson as my idol. It was a family affair. We would all sit around the television whenever a new Michael Jackson video would premiere. I know the feeling I had when I saw him do the Moonwalk. I can only imagine the feeling they are getting in heaven seeing him walk through those gates.” –Fonzworth Bentley
“I still remember being a kid watching Motown 25 with my family and losing my mind when he did the Moonwalk. Despite what he may have become in the end, pop music is what it is today because of him. There could be no Justin Timberlake, Omarion, Usher, Chris Brown, even Robbie Williams, without the music of Michael Jackson.” –MSTRKRFT’s Jesse F. Keeler
“Michael Jackson’s done and accomplished so much that there’s not even words to explain what he’s done to urban music and pop music. Every artist that I personally know has been influenced by him.” –Akon
“I never thought Michael Jackson would ever work with me. He actually sent for me, so that was kind of weird and cool at the same time.” –T-Pain
“‘Thriller,’ musically, was amazing. It was just an amazing time.” –Ciara
“[My favorite artist] of all time is Michael Jackson. I watched his DVD and almost cried. I would not know what to do if I ever met Michael Jackson. I would faint or I would cry.” –The Veronicas
“The controversy that has surrounded him the last 20 years is only eclipsed by the genius of ‘Off The Wall’ and ‘Thriller.’” –The Crystal Method’s Scott Kirkland
“The music world suffered a monumental loss today. Michael Jackson’s songs were loved and cherished by all. Many of them achieved true perfection. He was the biggest pop star that ever lived and he reminded us that pop music doesn’t have to compromise. We send our condolences to his family and close ones.” –A-Trak (Kanye West’s DJ)
“Michael Jackson was one of the last true legends. His music will live on in all of us forever and ever. Just like Michael once sang ‘I’ll be there.’” Orange’s Joe Dexter
“Today is a sad day for music. He was a great singer, a great artist and one of the best performers on the planet. We were looking forward to seeing him back in his full glory onstage, and now with his passing we’ll have to remember him when he was ‘Bad.’” — Infected Mushroom’s Amit “Duvdev” Duvdevani
“Michael Jackson’s legacy will live as long as there is life in music. Arguably the greatest entertainer in the world. Amazing live shows, so many smash hits! So much talent! An enigma of a man. He was an icon and a legend. The man was a true superstar that left you staring at him in awe if you ever got the chance to see him. He would leave you starstruck. This man touched so many lives through his talent, energy and his art. He contributed to so many good causes and paved the way for many artists. He inspired millions of people including me. I personally believe our souls or energy can never die so death is not something I mourn. I celebrate his life and will miss his enigmatic energy on our planet in the form of the the King of Pop — Michael Jackson. Thank you for everything!!” — Iranian musician Mams Taylor
The solo performance that catapulted him into superstardom.
Sorry for not posting yesterday. I’ve been surfing the nets and lurking around in blogworld. Trying to get inspired to organize my craft supplies / clutter in my bedroom/office/yarnroom. It’s going to be a huge job, but I REALLY want a beautiful room I can escape to/ relax in. Clutter makes me irritable and frustrated. And my bedroom is c.l.u.t.t.e.r.e.d. So after some clicking of the mouse and hours of eye strain….
Here’s what I found:
I love the white. It looks clean and bright. Like a blank canvas.
I love the clear drawers (right), the different “stations” utilizing all 3 walls, and THAT RUG!
This looks like a frugal way to add wall storage. And the mounts on this wall leave you with many options on how many shelves you want, how far apart, etc…
Great idea for the kids. I love me some butcher paper!
The website says: “You don’t need to spend a fortune to create a storage-packed hobby area. A simple piece of plywood on two painted nightstands does the trick. Drawers and bins add convenient storage below the work surface, while pullouts add additional work space.”
Brilliant.
I also like these ideas:
A plate rack! Note the buckets hanging from hooks mounted onto the rack shelf. Genius.
I love how every bit of space is used. The back of the cabinet doors in this salvaged medicine cabinet has a pegboard to hang tape, rubber bands, etc.
An armoire! Again, the doors’ inside surface is being utilized. AND you shut the doors and your craft room is out of sight and disguised as a beautiful piece of furniture.
If you have any cool, thrifty ideas for organizing a craft room, please share.
This is my little spot in the shade. I read a little and tried to stay cool (it was 98 degrees). The kids took a little break and had a shaved ice cup (after an incident with Nate’s nose bleeding from smackin it on Bubb’s face) It’s ok, Nate and Bubb are fine. They had to fill out some paperwork and test the water. Everyone was able to go back to their fun after a few minutes…
After swimming we grabbed a bite at JITB (Jack’s) then home for naps and some house-cleaning (I’ve been putting it off).
This weekend is Father’s Day. I haven’t gotten anything for my baby-daddy yet. (Except an online order we probably have to return) He wants a Lak*r jersey, BUT he wants to pick it out himself. Silly man. We’ll be doing that tomorrow. It’s so hard to shop for this guy, so anytime he says he wants something, which is rare, I’ll gladly go shopping with him for it. Because I love him and he deserves everything his wittle heart desires…
Today, I want to share with you some of the artwork we’ve been doing.
Bubba’s up first:
Sea turtle
He even did some detailing around the “frame”
Tyler:
Tyler’s hand-cast painted with tiger stripes. His friend dropped it on the ground and broke off the fingers
Sorry for my fit yesterday, the weather is better today (there was some rain and thunder this morning, but not like yesterday). Everyone’s fine. There were just reports of fallen trees and some minor damage.
Anyhoo.
The evenings here have been warm and balmy. We are spending time outside with the kids. It reminds me of growing up in Samoa. The weather, the outside play. I remember being outside more than being in. I rode my bike, ran around with the neighborhood kids (mostly boys), climbed trees (I was an expert monkey), picked fruit and ate it fresh off the branch, caught tadpoles, dug up dirt and played hide and seek, tag, red rover, dodgeball, handball, kickball… We were very active.
There was a guava tree in the front yard along with a papaya tree which was off-limits to us kids, and a mango tree on each side of the house (including the back). We would climb to pick the fruits of these trees, shake the branches, and even learned how to throw rocks to get the high ones (the good ones) to fall. Getting these fruits down was the source of alot of laughter. No one ever got seriously hurt, thank God, besides some little scratches and bruises. It was so fun.
Besides not having fruit trees, I think kids can enjoy the simple fun we had as kids. It doesn’t have to involve a lot of planning or money. Just get outside. Plant a garden, play with water guns, catch fireflies, go on a nature walk, whatever. Just unplug the xboxplaystationnintendoIpod-thingies and get dirty/sweaty/wet. It’ll be fun and your kids will remember it fondly.
The sirens outside are blaring their awful sound. Something’s coming through here. There’s rumbling in the sky and it’s really dark outside (it’s 2:17 pm). It’s so windy and now comes the rain.
This is some of the things about living here that I could do without. Tornadoes and their accompanying thunderstorms. I have a phobia.
My old boss just stepped out to the porch with his coffee to watch the developments. No thanks. I’ll stay in. At my desk, staring at this screen, pretending not to notice all the commotion outside. (There goes the siren again).
Bubba’s team won the CHAMPIONSHIP! He scored 5 touchdowns in the 2 games they played (back-to-back) on Saturday. Yay! It was an exciting day.
My good friend Cybil and her DH Jay were kind enough to give us their awesome desk. Not only that, they dropped it off AND assembled it for us. They are soooo sweet. It’s in my bedroom at the moment, but I haven’t decided where it’ll be most efficient. I’ll post pics of that later.
That afternoon, we took the kids to Wally-World to buy some waterguns and swimming goggles. We let them play with their new toys in the front yard for the rest of the day. It was fun.
Sunday was spent cleaning and a few hours at the pool. We made it home that evening to watch the Lakers win the CHAMPIONSHIP! My DH is a big fan and is VERY passionate about it.
This poster is available here and here (also on t-shirts and onesies)
Yesterday I had a little run-in with a closed gate. Literally. It was a terrible way to start the day. I was alone in the car (thank God) and there were no witnesses to my stupidity (THANK GOD). The poor suburban now dons a dent on it’s ”forehead” and a shattered bug deflector (I have since removed the remains of this sad-looking piece of equipment). I didn’t go to work yesterday intending to get this fixed, but DH called the insurance company and we are awaiting a callback on what to do next.
So, that was my Thursday….
Now on to the fun stuff.
Mom finished that dress:
Perfection.
The knitting is still crawling along. I may have to put down the shawl and pick up another UFO to finish so I can get the spark back.
But here’s what I’ve been doing:
Can you see it? This was the rough draft.
And here’s the final:
This was for a project for my brother’s CD titled (obviously) “Seahorses”. He seemed to be pleased with it. He gave me full control as to what I draw for him….
Last night, equiped with pencils, markers, and lots of paper, the kids and I sat at the dining table and drew. It was so nice to be doing something other than watching TV. And we had fun.
DH is done with the 12-hr shifts for a little while. Thank God. I’ve missed him terribly these past two weeks.
This weekend:
-Bubba’s championship games
-More drawing
-QT with the man of the house (the kids have missed him too)
-Time at the park or pool (weather-permitting).
I’m in a knitting rut. Again. For the last 3 days I have managed to squeeze out about 2 lace repeats to and from work, on the train (each repeat has 16 rows). And that’s all. I have about one third left on the shawl.
I received great news yesterday. I GOT MY WAIVER! (For those of you close to me, you should know what that means, if not, call me).
Anyhoo, that’s what’s happenin’ here at chez Lette. Not much excitement. Poor DH has been working 12 hour shifts this week and last. Bubba is attending football camp at Ty’s school this week. The little ones (Nacho and Lai) had fevers this morning. Mom is giving them motrin every four hours. Hopefully, they’re better tomorrow.
My blog anniversary (blogiversary) was on the 4th, last Thursday. For all of May I was racking my brain for a really cool/fun anniversary post. As the 4th approached I was still drawing a blank as to how to mark this milestone for my little blogity-blog. Did you notice there wasn’t even a post on the 4th? It wasn’t exactly intentional. It just TOTALLY slipped my mind. Dude.
Anyway, Happy Anniversary my BLOG! And thank you dear reader for coming back here to check on us through this last year. It’s been a blast coming up with blog posts and finding myself taking pictures of everything I deem blog-worthy. I’ve had fun deciding and putting them together for all y’all.
So here’s a little photo montage of the past year
enjoy
So much has happened. The good outweighs the bad by far. And that is an awesome thing.
Here’s to another year. One full of fun, laughter, joy, and most of all love.
I got up super early Saturday morning (6 am) to go yard-sale hopping with my mama. Nacho came with us since he was up too and we scored some awesome deals. I love shopping with these two.
Bubba had two games midday. We lost the first one and won the second (Bubba scored TWO touchdowns!). Michelle (a train friend) came out with her son Jack to hang with us at the games. Afterwards we went out to Ryan’s and then home. We sat outside for a few hours to let the kids play. It was a really beautiful day.
I didn’t take any pictures though.
Sunday we got up and did the usual Sunday activities. Then off to Franklin for the birthday party at 4:00.
Here are Ava and Cadence (the birthday girls):
So A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E.
They look like little dolls.
Daddy (Zander) and Mommy (Janine):
Grandma and Grandpa (Zander’s folks) came from Samoa for a visit.
The kids had a blast playing in the sprinklers and running around in the “playpen” (the tennis courts). Haha
It’s been a while since I’ve seen some of our folks, and they were there. It’s always great to catch up and just chill for an afternoon.
DH’s beloved cousins celebrated 20 years of ministry with a dinner last night. There was good food, good company, and lots of love. Sam, Joe, James, John and Jesse are the most talented group of brothers I know. Not only that, they are so fun, happy, loving, earnest, kind, generous, and everything many of us should strive to be. And on top of that they are very VERY humble. They never brag or hog attention. I can say so much more about these guys, but you can see for yourself. They tour all year all over the country and often take their singing international. Look up their schedule here. Please go and see them.
Anyway, last night was amazing. Here are some pics:
CECE WINANS!
Joe, Jesse, Sam(Ieti), James, and John
The whole family.
So beautiful.
Big daddy
Mira stole the show for me
It was a great night. Wish you all were there. We had a great time.
M’kay.
This weekend DH wants to go to the drive in again for the other double feature (Night at the Museum 2 and Terminator).
We have a birthday party for Zander and Janine’s twin girls (they’re turning 1!)
This is Janine at her shower last year:
Two babies in there! 6+ pounds each!
Bless her heart!
Other than that, there are no other plans. Just RELAXING. Finally.
My mom’s always been highly resourceful and shrewd in her crafty endeavors. Whether it be to make a garment “from scratch” or to hem a pair of pants or to embellish a dress, she will whip up a beautiful piece out of whatever she has on hand. I’m mighty proud of that, and quite amazed at her talent with her handiwork. I only wish I could sew like her!
So, Monday, as usual I picked up my little people from Mom’s house and my daughter was wearing this:
“Where’s the dress from, Mom?”
Nonchalantly, she replies,”Oh, it’s the one I made.”
Apparently, she had made this from a woman’s-size-small top she had bought from a yard sale last weekend. She used a crochet collar from another little girl dress and attached it to the top and embellished it with a ribbon. It was really more of a functional addition than an embellishment (she says the dress wouldn’t stay up). And she left the top as is.
GENIUS!
Cute, ya?
Mom insisted that I bring this back to her the next day. She says that she isn’t finished with the collar. I don’t see anything unfinished, but I obliged. It’s still in her possession so I do not know what “finishing” she did, but I’ll post another pic posthaste.
Here are some more pics:
(she just woke up from her nap)
This is Bubba’s first week out of school and Tyler last week in. I didn’t make any plans for them this summer. Football will be starting for Bubba in July and practices continue for Ty. I figure a month relaxing for the boys is ok. I do feel a tinge of guilt that my kids will not be participating in any summer programs this year.
So everyday after work, I’ll be making it a point to do something fun with the kids. Whether it be taking a drive to the park for an hour or playing board games at the dinner table or even watching a kid-friendly movie, we’ll be doing something together.
Lately, we’ve been playing this:
This kid is so competitive, he would not let me go until he beat me.
Good times.
Knitting:
Yet ANOTHER pair of socks
And this:
I know it looks like a pile of yarn right now, but it’ll be so pretty when it’s done. Just you wait. I’m so excited about this one.
Isn’t the yarn beautiful?
It’s going to be a lace shawl. I’ll share all the details when it’s completed.
