Won't you be my neighbor?

What a fun filled weekend we have been having in Pittsburgh with my brotha Chad and his girlfriend Allison! We got here Friday night and did our huge tourist gig yesterday. Chad took us to Point State Park which is in located on the merging of the 3 rivers: The Monongahela, The Allegheny, and The Ohio.

There was so much to see at this park that we could have spent all day there walking around and seeing the sites. You could see - 

• PNC park (where the Pirates play)
• Heinz stadium (where the Steelers play)
• Carnegie Science Museum
• The Duquesne Incline 
• a gorgeous city scape of downtown Pittsburgh
• and so much more.....

While playing Frisbee (ok I only watched and took tons of pictures) and seeing Heinz field was really cool yesterday we actually spent the most time at a statue/memorial dedicated to children of Pittsburgh complete with a statue of Mister Rogers

Did you know that Mister Rogers neighborhood was produced and filmed in Pittsburgh. It is the second longest running show (next to Seasame Street) on PBS. The statue was opened in November of 2009 so if you have not been out to Pittsburgh in the past year and 1/2, you are missing out on seeing this magnificent piece of art work commemorating a man who had a huge impact on children all over our nation. Whether you watched the show or not, you probably know his trademark sneakers (that he took to wearing because it allowed him to walk around quieter on the set) and cardigan. 

I loved seeing the sites at Point Park yesterday, but hands down I think we enjoyed Mister Rogers the most. I think we were at that statue for a solid 20 mins yesterday just taking any possible picture combo you could think of. Enjoy!

Allison

Mister Rogers is taking Chad for a walk

Now a piggy back ride

Maddy is sad to leave

Give him a big ol' kiss

We love you Mister Rogers

 

side note: see that pairs of legs sitting on the back left hand side of Mister Rogers in our group picture. Yeah, there was this woman talking on her cell phone the entire time our whole fisaco was going down. She didn't even blink an eye. Does that make us weird or her? haha



I am a band geek!

Ok, right now I seriously feel like I am a kid in a candy store or that it is Christmas Morn
Let's back up a moment. Madeline decided a couple of months ago that she would like to continue twirling her flag in high school (something she has done for two years now) and become a part of the band ("Hallelujah")
Back up even farther (actually at least a decade) - I was a band geek myself. 6 years, baby :-) Trumpet for marching band, silks (aka color guard, aka flags) for marching band. My dream: to have my own kid become a "band geek" herself! Yeah, fast forward to the present and my dream is coming true. (sometimes, it doesn't take much folks haha)
Tonight, we had our parent meeting of incoming freshman band members. I sat there like a good little girl diligently taking notes (I don't want to miss ANYTHING and I want to copy my notes for Gabe's mom cause she is unable to make it to the meeting) and I just keep getting more and more excited. Oh, band games, pep rallies, bus rides to football games: band made high school worthwhile for me. Maddy is seriously going to have the time of her life. When the meeting is over, I have signed up to help out each day at band camp (what do I have better to do with a summer off of work?!?!) and to talk to the current secretary to see if I am interested in taking an officer position since she is resigning. Excited? Oh, I can barely contain myself. The "cherry on top of my ice cream sundae" for the evening's events: wait for it............

talking to another band mom (her daughter will be Maddy's captain on the color guard squad next year) and not only are we fellow past band geeks, but she spend a few years of her teenage life stomping around the grounds of Leighton! "It's a small world after all" Finding someone who knows where Tamaqua is on the map is in itself a high point of ANY day

Now I just need my "Band Mom" sweatshirt and picture of my band kid pinned to its front LOL

RIP Viola

5 years ago, Maddy picked up her 1st viola and learned how to play. She was a little uncertain at first but quickly got into the groove of music (like she always does) and she was off and running. We went to the parent meetings where the orchestra director said "Brace yourself for some interesting sounds to come out of your child's bedroom for the next couple of weeks." I remember thinking - So this is what my parents had to endure when I first picked up the trumpet.  Dan had played the violin when he was Maddy's age and we were both excited to see his daughter follow in our musical footsteps (we both picked out different instruments for her to play though in our minds haha)

Last night, she played her last evening concert. 

Verbally Challenged

So, as long as I can remember I have had issues using incorrect words for what I really mean to say. Oh, when I try it is pretty close to the correct pronunciation & word that I want to use, but it is just a little off. And God love my husband and child, but they are pretty good at translating what word I really want to say (now that is a useful talent!)
Dan's favorite example of one of these such goof ups was when we first started dating. We were driving home to visit my parents for the weekend and I was pointing out local points of interest. We were driving down Hometown Hill just past Keich Motors and Dan pointed out the trailer parked in the empty lot on the right hand side. I proudly announce, "Oh that is the rotary"
"The rotary, oh yeah?" Dan asks (he knew I didn't have exactly the right word at this moment) "And what does the rotary do?"
Again, without missing a beat "It rotarizes stuff.......(after a very long pause and a super cute boyfriend who was trying his hardest not to laugh at me)...."I don't have the right word do I?"
"Nope, sorry babe - It's a NOtary"

Yep, that's my word disease. Along with MANY other examples.......

Well recently I have noticed that I think Maddy is becoming a product of her environment....oh yeah!
Just this week:
We are trying to set up a double date movie night with Maddy, her boyfriend, Maddy's BFF and her boyfriend. Maddy's boyfriend, Gabe's parents will be out of town this weekend so he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to go. The ensuing conversation is what took place:
"Mom, Gabe doesn't know if he can go to the movies cause his parents are going out of town"
"Oh, really? Where to?"
"Someplace that starts with a D"
(wow, thanks Captain Vague) "Umm, Delaware?"
"No, no, that's not it. I think it is........Denmark. Yeah, I think it Denmark."
"Are you sure?!?!" (can you imagine what kind of questioning look my face now has?)
"Yeah, Denmark"
"Ooooook" (gotta pick your battles, right parents? But, honestly, Lord only knows maybe it is Denmark and they going on a loooong weekend)

Last night, we are trying to figure out the details of our movie night on Friday and she says:
"Oh, Gabe's parents are going to Denver"
"That is no where near Denmark!" (phonically or geographically)
"I was close! I got the first letter right!" LOL

Maybe she isn't verbally challenged, maybe she is geographically challenged
All I know is - it happens to the best of us....

Useless Knowledge

OK, I have an obsession for acquiring useless knowledge. In fact it is always like an addiction.
For example, did you know that a dime has 131 ridges along the edge?
Or that porcupines float in water?
It is like a hobby for me and thanks to my Aunt Viv I am now full of a whole bunch more

Like....

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the fellow Mommas out there. I am blessed this very day for being a Mom, having a Mom, and being loved by a bunch of other fantastic females who have acted like Moms to me throughout the years!

Oh, the pomp and circumstance

Well, it is official - I am college grad again. This time? A MEd (Masters of Education) in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in early childhood education. (and it only took 3 years - not too shabby!)

 

Mom's 50th

A big event happened this afternoon: I successfully pulled off (with the help of SO many people it is crazy! Thank you ALL <3) a surprise 50th birthday party for my Momma on Sunday afternoon some of her best friends and our family.

She was totally clueless to the event that was being planned and loved every single minute of the celebration. Her real birthday is Monday, May 9th (make sure to flood her that day with birthday wishes! hehe)

It was so great to have everyone over to celebrate :-)

Mom & "Aunt" Debbie with the GORGEOUS cake

"La la la la la"

My apologies for not blogging in awhile. Unfortunately, grad work has to come first and if I wanted to walk on Friday I had to pick chapter reflections over blogging :-( But, I'm back - my work was handed in this afternoon, I am ready to walk on Friday and ready to catch you up on life in Ship for the past several days...

Last Friday, Madeline had her chorus concert. I charged the battery on the video camera and was set.