I'VE STARTED ANOTHER BLOG

I painted this on the wall of my office in one of our recent homes. Saddest part of getting that house ready to sell was painting over this.

22 July 2011

I've finally decided to stop denying the artistic side of myself and devote time and energy to creativity on a regular and consistent basis.
To prepare for this I've:
- Been organizing and cleaning out my upstairs/studio space;
- Signed up for an on-line art class that promises I'll be learning new techniques, etc;
- Bought some supplies for the class;
- Made on-line connections with other women who'll be taking the same class, and;
- Created a new blog just for my art. Check it out at http://thetimidtiger.blogspot.com/

I chose the name because I've been timid about creating and sharing the artistic side of myself for too long - and, a tiger is a powerful animal that, though it may sometimes appear docile, can do just about anything it wants.
I know the power to create is within me — I just need to unleash it, and train it!
My new blog only has one post so far and I don't know when the next one will be, but, now its out there for everyone to see.
(I'm being brave) :-)

WICKED!!

Bust of Kennedy in the Grand Foyer of the Kennedy Center.

Dessert at the Kennedy Center Roof Top Restaurant, offered especially during the run of "Wicked"

View of the Potomac River from the Terrace of the Kennedy Center

A display of some of the costumes

16 July 2011

We finally got to see Wicked! Our neighbors, Al and Mary Dilascio, went with us to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown DC. Because we wanted to simplify eating out beforehand, we made reservations at the Roof Terrace Restaurant inside the Kennedy Center. The meal was fabulous! And, just for the run of the play, they offered a special dessert – a pistachio mousse cake topped with a chocolate witch's hat. Yum! (Our granddaughter, Holly, saw a photo of this dessert and said, "That looks like witch pie!") :-)

And, the performance didn't disappoint in the least. It was excellent! The script had interesting plot twists with some funny and clever references to the original Wizard of Oz. And, the Music was wonderful – and wonderfully performed. Plus the sets and the costuming were amazing. Can't imagine the hours it took to create all those costumes. The detail and the beadwork were incredible.
All in all, a great evening out!

I'm now trying to convince Bob that we should go back in August to see a Chekov play starring Cate Blanchett!

SUMMER TRAVELS

At Bobby's baptism.

Isabelle helped her cousins with hair and makeup for a "fashion" show.

Then, Lucy tried her hand at applying her own makeup!

TWO SETS OF TWINS — Me and my twin brother, Bill, holding my twin granddaughters, Penny and Alice. Both sets born in November – 62 years apart. (My hair looks awful because the power went out in our hotel room right after I got out of the shower that morning and I couldn't blow dry my hair.)

Three generations of Robert Crenshaws

Headquarters of the Longeberger Basket Company, Newark, OH

12 July 2011

Just got back from a road trip to visit our daughter, Laura, and her family in Ohio, then on to Illinois to see son, Bob, and his family — and to attend our grandson's baptism. Fun times!

While in Ohio, Laura drove us to a couple of cemeteries where some ancestors were buried back in the 1800s. On the way, we went past the headquarters for the Longaberger Basket Company in Newark, Ohio. Kinda neat that their office building is shaped like a basket.

We and all the Chabo family headed out on Friday to travel to Gurnee, IL for our grandson, Bobby's, baptism. Travis had to work Friday so they didn't know if they'd be able to leave before about 3 pm. We knew the drive would be a long one, so, in an attempt to get all the girls there in time to be tucked in bed at a reasonable hour, Laura and I set out in the van that morning and Bob stayed behind so he and Travis could drive together once Travis got home from work.

It was eye opening to discover how much we've come to rely on having a GPS!! Armed with some Mapquest print outs and an atlas, Laura and I ventured forth with her five little ones, ages 6, 4, and 2, plus two 7-month olds. What we thought would be an 8 hour trip — after running errands in town before we got on the road, stopping twice for meals (fueling the car at one of those stops) and another stop for a potty break, plus having to double back a few times when we missed a turn or took a wrong turn — and our journey ended up taking closer to 11.5 hours! After we got to Gurnee and began to rejoice, thinking we were within minutes of our destination, we realized we were driving in the wrong direction and the two of us broke into hysterical laughter! (We decided if there was a wrong turn to be made, we'd take it!) We finally got there, about two hours after we had planned to have the girls in bed. (Thankfully, her girls were great travelers!!)

Bob and Travis left four hours after we did and arrived in Gurnee about 20 minutes behind us!! (We suggested that next time, we'd trade places with them. They can transport all the children, and Laura and I will take the sporty car with the EZpass and the GPS) :-)

Our older grandchildren are all growing up too fast!! Ryann is 16 and learning to drive, Isabelle is a precocious 10-yr old and Bobby turned eight last week. It was wonderful to be able to participate in his baptism! Wish we could visit with them a lot more often than once a year — but that seems to be all we've been able to manage.

OUR SUMMER BUCKET LIST

Several weeks ago, we created a SUMMER 2011 BUCKET LIST. I printed a picture of a bucket (see above) and we wrote a list of all the things we want to do this summer on the back. Then we posted it on the refrigerator so we can check them off as we do them. Here's the list, in no particular order:
- See the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at Wolf Trap (check)
- Visit the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum (check)
- See "Wicked" on stage at the Kennedy Center in DC (check)
- Visit Delaware (check)
- Visit family in Ohio (check)
- Visit family in Illinois (check)
- Have fun visiting Hershey, PA when John, Amanda and Abby visit us in August (check)
- See the sites in downtown DC when John, Amanda and Abby visit us in August (check)
- End the summer with a trip to see family in NC over Labor Day weekend (check)

Of course, we're thinking of other things for the fall, but this should make for a nice, full summer! Lots of new adventures ahead. (insert happy face here)