"Braaaiiiinnnssss!!"

Jason and I joined a few hundred strangers and headed to the Delmar Loop for Zombie Walk. Basically you get dressed up and walk around in character to entertain yourselves and the eclectic folks in the Loop. I have to admit, it was fun! After the walk, we headed to a bar to watch the Cardinals in the World Series.

Our Rocker!!

Today is Rock n Roll Day at Rory's school, and thanks to Grandma Cam's Christmas gift from last year, Rory was ready!!

(For some reason the preview looks sideways, but it plays correctly.)

Who needs an alarm clock...

...when you have Rory?  She is singing the Lion King theme from her bed right now.  Not sure I have written before about our chronic early riser, but 5:45-6:15 is her prime wake up time, seven days a week, no matter how late she goes to bed, since she was born. The good news...she wakes up as the happiest human on earth, usually singing!  We can't help but smile through our heavy eyelids.

However, for those of you who don't understand why I seem to NEED coffee, hopefully this has shed some light on the mystery.

This is not candy corn.

Do not be fooled. Don't let anyone tell you that you can make homemade candy corn.  Brachs, you are geniuses and we bow to you.

Waiting for the Tooth Fairy

Rory has her first loose tooth, so our preparations for the arrival of the Tooth Fairy have begun. To make sure she could find the house, we made her her own fairy-sized door to get into Rory's room. Now we just have to wait for that tooth to wiggle it's way out.

Lunch Packed with Love

There is nothing like a lunch packed with love.  This morning, I heard a lot of action in the kitchen as I was getting ready for work.  When I came out, Rory handed me the lunch she had packed for me.  And here it is (clockwise from bottom):

• One cheese stick
• A gazillion carrots (I detest carrots)
• A leftover chicken sausage
• 3/4 of an apple
• 3 blue corn chips
• A plum (I don't like plums)
• A pear/apple (I don't like pears)
• 2 Great Pumpkin cookies (VERY generous on her part)
• Grapes, already washed
• OH, and a note that says "Hi Mommy, are you having fun?"

Notice the lovely giant lunch bag I carried into my office this morning.  

Thanks, Ro!!

An Ode to Steve Jobs

I feel the need to write on our blog tonight, for historical purposes, about the news today that Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, has died.  I am typing this on the first Mac I've ever owned.  I may have had my frustrations with this computer over the years, but man, it's still sexy.  Sitting next to me is my Google Android phone, which looks a whole lot like the original iPhone.  On this computer, the majority of our storage speace is chewed up by Jason's enormous music collection in iTunes. 

Like the moment Barack Obama was inaugurated as president, I'm struck about how different Rory's life will be than mine.  Rory, now 5, knows how to use this computer, my phone, and Jason's iPod.  She will never know a world where they didn't exist.  While we have seen what trick this magician, Steve Jobs, has pulled out of his fancy imagination every year when he donned his black turntleneck and jeans announcing the newest innovation by Apple, these things will seem archaic to Rory.  The iPod will be to Rory what the 8 track player is to me.  Amazing.

Steve Jobs made that happen.  He was our magician, our rock star.  Our Henry Ford, our Alexander Graham Bell.  He created this world of digital information, photos, sharing, and apps.  He dreamed it, created it, and found a way to make it not only so useful, but damn sexy and simple.  It's strange to think about the fact that he created SO much of the world we live in, and now he doesn't live in it himself anymore.  It was a very special time for us to be able to live through, to watch the way the world has changed in the last 20 years, probably more than any other 20 years in history, very much in part to Steve Jobs.

My thoughts are with his family and friends.  I hope everyone takes a brief second to stand in awe of what this man contributed to our world.  I'm off to feed the fish on my phone now.

The Big K Day

After weeks of waiting, today finally came! She took her lunchbox, waited while I put in her pony tails, checked I had added apples to her lunchbox, made her bed, stood patiently for pictures, and hauled that new purple backpack onto her eager back.  Once we arrived, she saw her teacher, asked where to put her lunch and her backpack, and basically couldn't wait for us to go.  Quick hugs and smiles... and then kindergarten began!  I can't wait to hear about her day!

Extended weekend

Jason and I both took extended weekends off work for my birthday since family was in town.  Want to see what Jason did with his time off??

Yes all of these were taken this weekend.

Sweet relief with the Tooheys

Yesterday, to escape the heat index of 110, we headed over to swim and grill with Erin, Ross and Chloe.  Yay!

The hit of the party

Forget about the birthday girl, the hot dogs, or the great friends and family.   The hit of the party for my birthday was our new swing! I wish I had taken more pictures of all the little kids (and not so little kids) taking it for a spin.  Thanks to Guy Mott at Adventure Tree Climbing for creating this AWESOME swing for us!

Moving into app world

Jason and I finally did it... we joined the world of apps. We now are the proud owners of phones smarter than ourselves.  Interesting note as a parent when it comes to new phones: I am realizing that the first thing we always have to do is teach Rory how to make an emergency phone call. Now that she has learned that, she just has to be able to FIND one of our phones in an emergency!!

Daddy is home

Jason was in San Francisco for a few days. Rory is glad to have him home and reading her new book, Black Beauty, to her before bed.

Why Rory Likes Me Better

Rory first mentioned this at Thanksgiving, but brought it up again last night, so I thought I'd tell the story from Thanksgiving now.

We spent Thanksgiving in New York City with Ella, and joined some of Ella's friends in Brooklyn at their apartment for dinner.  After dinner, Rory was laying on the floor with her head on my lap.  She looked up at me and whispered, "Mommy, come here.  I have something to tell you."  I leaned in and she said, "Do you know why I love you just a little bit more than Daddy?  Because I came from your tummy, so I knew you first."

It took me a full minute to respond, and a full day to share it with Jason.  It was too wise to keep to myself. 

Ode to the Sheridans

I am a bad niece.  Several wonderful aunts loaned me pictures several months  a year  over a year and a half ago and I'm finally returning them to them.  Aunt Charlotte and Aunt Nancy, they are sitting here next to me ready to go into tomorrow's mail, I promise!  Thanks for letting me borrow them.   Here is an ode to the Sheridans:

Mid Life Crisis

This is what I'm calling my Mid Life Crisis Hair.  Keep your eyes open at Halloween for my awesome Billy Idol costume!

Rory in a Nutshell

Last night I walked downstairs to move laundry from the washer to the dryer and was greeted by a puddle of ink-black sludge on the basement floor.   Rory walked down the stairs and said "Mommy!  It looks like a HEART! Come see!"

That is Rory in a nutshell.  Looking at a literal pile of stinky sludge, she sees a pretty heart.  I love that kid.

No Sleep Tonight

Moments ago, while sitting at dinner, Rory asked if she could see my rings.  For the first time, I let her hold my wedding ring.  She slid it on her finger and was talking about how pretty it was.  Then, smiling and staring at it, she said somewhat to herself, AND I QUOTE:

"I hope I get these when you die."

Followed by...

"When you both die, everything you own will be MINE."  I was waiting for the maniacal laughter that would indicate that she was quoting some movie, but there was none.  Nada.  Totally her own original thought.

Jason and I simultaneously did jaw-drops and reached for our cell phones to call our respective moms.

Suffice it to say, we will be taking shifts sleeping tonight.

Manual Labor

What do they charge these days for shoveling driveways?  I'm putting this kid to work!  She even sings while she shovels!  (No, this isn't our house... it's my friend, Erin's.  She's pregnant and hubby is out of town, so we didn't want her walking through snow.  Our driveway is, of course, still covered in snow.  Maybe I'll get Ro out there after her nap.)

A little video clip:

A Spot of Tea

We went to the London Tea Room with Mike & Olivia Eggleston.  Rory was, as always, happy to have tea, and Olivia looked adorable walking around wearing wings and a crown!  Plus, Ro had her first "sausage roll" (said in a British accent).  Here, Ro is reading a book to Olivia.

Post Christmas Sleep

Quick picture from the drive home on Dec 26 from my parents' house in Iowa.  Yes, I was driving and snapping photos at the same time!

Icetration

Icetration, n. i-STRAY-shun:  When you go ice skating and you keep falling down and get mad.

- From the Rory Lustberg Dictionary

Out of the blue, she came to us a couple weeks ago and asked if we knew what "icetration" was.  We said no, and she explained.  Now it's becoming a bit of a game, making up new words.  LOVE IT!

The Dancer(s)

First, let me thank Jen for the amazing ballet recital dresses her daughter retired and gave to Rory!  As you can all see, Rory adores them.  This is the last of SIX videos I shot like this of Rory.  I think she stood in front of this mirror and flitted about for half an hour.  BTW - this was shot on my phone, which is why it's grainy.

Trip to Texas

For a weekend away, my Houston friend Iska and I went to a Manic Mommies Escape.  It's a weekend away with a bunch of other working moms escaping their children.  The Escape was in San Antonio and we had a great time being together.  Not only did we have fun in San Antonio, I got to make a quick stop in Houston at a couple favorite spots, including Iska's house!