Concert Update!

Hi everybody!

So Luke had his first official concert this past Monday...It went GREAT! I was so proud of him and his students! They sounded awesome and he did a terrific job speaking as well as conducting. :) Unfortunately I forgot the flip camera (of course) so I wasn't able to get video. (I remembered just as I sat down right before the concert started) But Luke did have me record it so I do have that. Well...he has that. I have to figure out how to download it to my computer then how to post it on the blog. It's not the same as seeing him in action, but you can hear all of his hard work for the past few months. It's pretty great.
Also, I have to give that guy props... I was in the choir room before the concert and boy does he have his hands full! There was a little drama before the concert with clothing, but in the end, it all went without a hitch. He's pretty amazing. It was a great, great show! :) Luke was WIPED OUT right after. I think he slept pretty well that night! Next up, Christmas concert! (And for the record, he pretty much vetoed all of my concert selections...but don't be discouraged. There is always spring and I have some ideas that involve hats and glasses and choreography!! Luke is really excited...)

As we "speak" there are two gentlemen in my basement installing our new carpet! Yea! And this time, I took 'before' pictures! So you'll get to see that in my next post. I am very excited! (Poor Kylie is so confused by all the noise. Little freaked out. And I hate to keep her in her box but I can't have her going down there with all the nails and the tools. So the poor thing is just sitting in her box while I tell her she's good and everything is ok. She'll get extra snuggles tonight!)

As for me, I am still counting down the days until my trip home. Mom and Danielle will be here the day after tomorrow! I can't wait!! I am already cleaning in preparation! Fun! Not to mention a full week ahead with visits! I'm excited about that as well! (Karen, I am so looking forward to seeing you! What night are we all going out??)

That's it for this post! I am going to make lunch for myself and continue cleaning up!

Thanks as always for reading! :)

Did I Mention I Love October??

I am taking this rare moment to post a blog because my internet is working. I don't know how or why, but it's working.

I am going to start with myself this blog because I have to admit, it's been pretty rough for me out here. I am a very social person and not having many friends or a car to get around in has been pretty tough for me. I don't want to complain or whine because I know just how happy Luke is and TRULY, it makes this all totally worth it, but it's still pretty tough. However, today is so pretty outside that I am in a very good mood. That helps!

And I was thinking today... I just bought this adorable fall decoration for my wall and I thought, in about a month, I am going to have to put up Christmas stuff. What??? It's crazy how fast this year has gone by and all the changes that it came with. But I am very excited to decorate a house with festive decorations! And to have an actual tree??? Family, do we not all remember Grandpa's Christmas shrub? Well if you recall, I too had a Christmas shrub...it was just skinner. Now I get to actually have a real tree that you can see without getting close up and squinting at!! Yea! (Not to mention, I can have a tree that will hold all my ornaments...damn you Hallmark!) I am so very excited! And from what I understand, Missouri winters are not like Chicago winters so I am looking forward to that as well!

Can you believe I'm talking about Christmas already? Yikes.

So a change of plans...not only are mom and Danielle coming out for my birthday weekend but I am going home with them as well!! So I will be home for an entire week! Luke will be up the following weekend for Gma's 80th bday celebration that she may or may not know about...no one is quite sure... and I'll drive home with him after! Perfect! I have already scheduled an appointment with the dermatologist, my Melissa for my hair and on the to do list is making a reservation with Lynne for our FAVORITE place ever, The Melting Pot!! I am also going to try to surprise my Nonna by going t visit her as well. (She doesn't know I'm coming. This I know for sure) I am so SO excited!! Looking forward to LOTS of squishy hugs!

Sadly, because she still is not 100% not pooping in the house, mom has banned Kylie from coming with me for that whole week. Hopefully after spending the weekend with her, she'll change her mind but as of right now, no luck. She'll be here with Luke. However, not to fret, family! She will be accompanying Luke when he comes for the weekend so you'll all get to meet her then! :)

More on Luke... His first official concert is this coming Monday! I am so excited for him. I know he's looking forward to it and the kids are really starting to sound good from what he tells me. I can't wait to hear them! (Again, if anyone would like to stay with us for the concert, let me know!)
And with the closing of one concert, preparation for the next begins. Which will be the Christmas concert. (Another reason I have Christmas on the brain!) I took it upon myself to pick out his Christmas program (and yes, in MO it's not a "Holiday Concert" or a "Winter Celebration", it's a Christmas Concert. Get it right.
Anyway, I took the liberty of picking the music for his Christmas concert. (Luke had a cold and was sleeping on the couch so I took his music, picked some songs and told him his program was done. He opened one eye, looked at me, and rolled over and went back to sleep. He's excited too. I can tell.) It's going to be a good one assuming he doesn't knock out any of my songs. The only problem I ran into is that I chose about 6 songs for mixed choir, 3 for women's glee and about 2 for men's glee. So... I guess there is slight room for some... input from Luke on that? But trust me, I picked some good songs. Trust me.
(Poor Luke...)

I think that's it for updates! (Oh.. I'm on the phone with my mom now and I've been informed that while I'm back in Chicago, I also have a dinner date with Karen and an invitation to dinner with "the ladies". So excited!!!

Have a beautiful fall day!!!

It's October! (I love October!)

Hello readers! Can you believe it's already October?? Time flies, doesn't it? Holy cow.

Well apparently my favorite time of year is lost on Missouri... it's still in the 80s. I love the cool, crispness of autumn and here I am in summer tops and bottoms. However, the leaves have changed and for as leafy as our area is, it's so pretty! I'll have to take some pictures. Our backyard kinda looks postcardy...I like it.

The first high school choir concert is this coming weekend. I'm not sure if Luke is conducting anything but it's still going to be fun to see the choirs! :) Then next weekend (Well, the monday after) Luke's junior high choir! I am so excited to hear the kids but even more excited to watch Luke conduct. Anyone who wants to come out and see Luke's first official concert, please come stay with us!

On to more news... We are getting some special visitors in a couple weeks... My mom and sister!!!! I am SO excited! Also, my mom asked what she could bring from home. Ready? Ready for this? I asked for...PORTILLOS!!!!!! Oh my gosh I cannot tell you just how excited this makes me. My family AND Portillos?? Oh. My. Gosh. Eeek!

As for a Kylie update, she's terrible, rotten and we love her to death. For those of you who didn't read it on Facebook, last week Kylie ran out the front door and up into the UPS truck. Twice. And about 3 days ago she pooped in our kitchen. (To be fair, I think that was my fault. I took her out, she peed and when she ran to the door instead of making her go back out, we came in. 3 minutes later, kitchen.) She has been so much better now that we won't let her upstairs or on anything that closely resembles carpet. Uuuugh....
On a side note, she's been a lot calmer these days. She'll jump up on the couch next to us (yes, she's allowed on the couch, family) and she'll nap. That is new. In fact, the other week I fell asleep on the couch and she came up and slept with me. Yeah, whoever said she's too calm and cat-like never gave her a chance. She's a nutball. But I am enjoying this calmer more cuddly puppy that's appeared these past couple weeks. Love her!

And last, a public 'thank you' to the Marzullos. They sent us a little care package of candy, Halloween soap and two adorable scarves for Kylie. She loves to wear clothes so these are right up her ally! So thank you!

I think that's all for this post. I'll post some pictures but there isn't really anything new as far as home improvements as of the last post.

Thanks for reading! :)

The new snuggly Kylie!

This is why I can never get work done with her around.

Purple monkey was her favorite...until she killed it. Poor purple monkey...