The Sunday to Beat All Sundays

yes two posts in one day. Try not to faint. It was a very full and fun weekend but Squahz needed its own post.

So yesterday Jason and I had our usual lunch at Gannon's and blabbed with the bartender about high school and what not, (1000 DAYS! that's for Jason). Then we met up with Matt and Anne and their seriously, PAINfully sweet little girl, Elizabeth. We hung out at our place and listened to the Cubs win and played washers but mostly we walked around with E, who is JUST about ready to let go of the hand and walk on her own, but her favorite walking partner was Jason. She would take a one minute break and sit by me then reach out for his finger and start him around the block again.

I really can't remember a better Sunday in a long time. Perfect weather, great friends, cans of beer and my best friend in the universe......Calaban....JUST KIDDING...I mean Jason of course.

Although Calaban DID try and join the yard party but got outside and instantly freaked out knowing he wasn't supposed to be there so luckily the day didn't end with a runaway tabby. Speaking of cats, the neighbor's cats hung out with us via their porch window. Look at how smushed they are !!! I love them.

SQUAHZ!

So the Katzfeys and the Prahs may have come up with the world's coolest (kewwwwlest) game ever. On Saturday night we all had to attend what we only knew as "a musical theater review tour at Waukegan High School". The reason we were going was because a dear friend of ours who lives in Nashville was in said review.

Anne and Matt picked us up and we had about 1.5 hours in the car to kill. (I mean killing time...not animals or people or anything....after this horrible shooty weekend I felt I needed to qualify). We started discussing what we might see in the show that night and came up with the greatest game of all time.

Musical Theater Cliche' Squares (pronounced Squahz!)

We ended up with a pretty complex points system and had side bets on ticket prices and what not. Essentially all we needed were the basics. We all had 9 squahz to fill out. We did this silently and then compared notes. Most of us had things like "presenting hands" and/or "jazz hands" but then all of us ended up with some really wonderful goochers that were unique to each of us.

Here is my squah.

I was able to cross off everything except for Russians (the dance move OR the people....hey wait....does the Fiddler solo count????). Jason won, of course. He even was able to cross out "Military based monologue". He also was the first to complete a row AND the SECOND to cross something off. It all happened pretty quickly. I walked in (we were late) and while we were waiting for the guys to park I peeped in and saw a longing eye hand holdy duet! Matt and I had to excuse ourselves to the lobby for a second when the minute we all walked into the theater together Jason exclaimed via loud whisper "BAD ACCENT!" and crossed it off his game board. Another highlight was Anne almost dying of the giggles at, what Jason calls, candalography during a Phantom Medley. She said it less Phantom and more Star Wars and at the end of Christine's solo she said "So is she a Jedi yet?".

I must say...you have to try this. Jason said as we started the long drive home at midnight (after beers with our friend in the sickest Days Inn hotel room EVER) "Man. I bet this makes us see a LOT more theater."

Work Pile!

I just finished up this work pile. I took this picture last night to remind myself to buckle down this a.m. and I did. It may not look like much but trust me, G, it was. I have a splitting headache to prove it...or show for it....or whatever. I have a splitting headache is all.

Last night I had a nice little happy hour with two good friends. Two very smart women who are experts at interesting conversation and making me laugh.

What else.....hmmm...the other night I dreamed I was taking Indian Classes. That's what they were called. The consisted of going to this super tall, bald, gay guy's apartment and doing some weird very light aerobics and tai chi and then he'd ask me questions at the end. Questions like; "What do you do when someone asks you for the truth?" and I'd answer "tell them" and then he said I was a natural and moved me to the advanced class and asked me to remember to bring $1.75 next week. Totally worth it. That was a great Indian Class.

WAIT!!!!!

When I said "best meal I've had in awhile" I meant by Jason. Jason's meals are always great but his meatballs really spoke to me.

ANOTHER of the best meals I've had in a long time was the night before at Matt (pictured cheering on the Cubbies) and Anne's! Matt made an amazing vodka tomato sauce with a pasta I've never had before. They look like ruffley trumpets.

So in conclusion, I've had TWO life changing meals this week both cooked by boys.

Jason's First Meatball

Sorry for all the Jason posts but he's my muse since I got my new phone with the awesome camera in it. Although he needs to watch more ANTM because he isn't good at holding his poses. He giggles too much. And if he wants a real career in this industry he's going to need to start taking some GD direction and take this job SERIOUSLY!

Anyway, he makes a mean meatball. Last night was his first attempt and it was truly the best meal I've had in awhile.

I love the state of disarray the kitchen is in. Open cupboards, bowls everywhere.

See what I mean about the giggling? I gave him a simple direction...."Hold the spoon to your mouth and look sexy while making sure the cook book is held right and don't let the towel fall off your shoulder".

This is a little better.
And here are the meatballs before they went into the oven. I meant to take a picture of the final dinner but was too excited and just started eating.

See? He's almost giggling again in my very important sepia art pic!

The Art of Jason

Happy Thursday Everyone! Here's a fun game. Try and spot Jason in the following three pics! The second one is tricky!

QUALITY!

Come on. Check out the picture quality of my new camera. I love it sooo very dearly. I mean I wasn't even STEADY when I clicked this pic of the right corner of my desk but you can still see my fig lotion and Rosie The Riveter doll!

Things are feeling much more normal today all around. The darkness......she has passed.

mood swing.

Two things that really made me feel better.

1. Delivery Notification Dear Customer, This is in response to your request for delivery information concerning the shipment listed below.
Tracking Number:

1.30 Lbs
Shipped/Billed On:

04/03/2008
Delivered On:

04/08/2008 2:10 P.M.
Delivered To:

CHICAGO , IL , US
Signed By:

PRAH
Location:

FRT DOOR

and

2. via instant message "You are seriously the best friend ever."

Those two minor things took the edge off and then some.

that is all. i'm going home to have an awkward first date with my new phone.

My Evil Twin.

Something is majorly wrong with me. I have been in a bad mood for like 5 days. I can't shake it no matter how hard I try. There are a few things stressing me out but NOTHING major and certainly nothing I haven't dealt with a million times before.





1. Hormones. I'm truly hoping this is MOST of the issue and that is passes today sometime and I get back to my positive outlook self.





2. Money. I think this might be most of it maybe. I'm just so sick of taking a step forward then falling like a canyon's worth backwards. Will it EVER be easier? It really doesn't seem like it.





3. Fat.





4. I miss my new phone that I haven't even met yet. It's been delivered to my apartment TWICE but no one has been there to get it. I just WANT IT!@!!!!!! GOD!!!!





5. People telling me what to do. Now this is a tough one because my entire JOB is based on me doing what I'm asked but I'm in no mood for it I tells ya....NO mood.





6. My own stupid self! I'm so annoyed with how snippy and mean I feel that I wish I could send myself on an errand for like three days just to get a break from myself.

7. The disgusting salad I ate like two bites of for lunch. Stupid Quiznos and stupid me for not listening to Hixx and John! http://chicagosaladdaze.blogspot.com/2007/07/quiznos-classic-cobb.html

Okay that's a little better. Sometimes I just need to list shit out to get perspective. That's right I just swore in my blog. This is the new angry for no reason me. Hopefully she'll go the frig away by tomorrow because this is the craps.

Noodles & Bus Rides & Hot Tubs

I'm kind of a zombie today (slow moving "BRRRAINS" kind of zombie not super fast eat your face kind of zombie so don't be too scared. You have time to get away as long as you stretch first).

I will just catch you up via pictures. Also my phone has died forever so if you were trying to call or text me this weekend it just went into the strange abyss that is what we are now calling my DOS Phone. Because all that shows up on the screen is this weird robo DOS looking writing that says "Boot Loader". You heard me. And don't tell me how to fix it or to call t-mobile. I did all this. No one understands what illness has taken my young phone in her salad days but God is a mystery. His is not mine to question.

SoooooOOOooooo a new phone is on the way and should be here by tomorrow so I'll feel more myself then, maybe.

anyway, pictures.....tell my stories please.

Easter Sunday. Left to right. Brother-in-law, me, middle sister's boyfriend, middle sister, oldest sister, husband. It was snowing but you can't tell. There's nothing like hot tubbing in a snow storm. That sounded sarcastic but I really mean it. Again...that's just my zombie 'tude shining through.

This is from Saturday. My Dad's b-day part at Two Lakes. The world's most awesome Italian Supper Club in a small town in central Wisconsin EVER! We've been going there since I was a baby and I will love it like kitten until I am no more. It's so great. You have to wear BIBS! Come on. So up my ally. Look at that relish tray! That's just the beginning! Sadly the Two Lakes have actually dried up. I just noticed that on Saturday when I started to get all nostalgic about walking down to the lakes with my godsister and then looked for said lakes. They weren't there. I'm over in the corner with the bib between my dad and nephew. In case you are playing Where's Waldo with me.

THREE swim suit pics in ONE post? Hold on to your pants everyone, it's going to be a chubby ride. Anyway, this is me after shooting down the water slide in Arizona. I was the only one who was cool enough (read: immature enough) to actually make use of the water slide. It was freezing water but come on....water slide. Here we all are in Arizona. By the pool. *sniff* I wish I could relive that weekend again this very instant. It was so fun and warm and hilarious. Also those sunglasses already bit the dust. I can't have nice things.

Infection!

So I spoke too soon. I have an infection. My mouth got more and more swollen last night and then at about 3am went into intense pain mode. The dentist hooked me up with meds so I'll be fine by tomorrow hopefully. But dang. It was going so well.

The beer tasting was fun even with my chipmunk face and throbbing jaw.

Wait...I take two things back.

One...I'm not depressed. F that. I finally faced a financial issue that has been keeping me scared and embarrassed for YEARS. Literally years. I made the calls and followed through and now am on the road (albeit SLOW road) to paying it off. That took guts on my part and facing that fear really takes a load off.

TWO...my face does kind of hurt sort of badly now....but only when I smile or open my mouth so I can live with that.

Here's to facing things and all things face.

So tonight I'm going to go to a beer tasting. Maybe I will be brave there and try something dark and bitter even though I'm feeling a little light.

Does your face hurt? Cuz it's killing me!!!!

Actually my face doesn't really hurt that badly at all. The procedure was way less of a big deal than it was made out to be. My jaw hurts a lot today but I can deal with that. Plus I got French food for dinner so I am lucky.

Part two of bravery week is done with too. It wasn't great news and kind of depressed me BUT I faced it and am working on it and am really no worse off than I was before. Plus half my mouth is totally clean and awesome.

Here is a man we made out of onions last night after dinner.

Here are my delicous snails.

It's a shame that Calaban is so uptight and doesn't know how to relax.

Gum....gum...gum...gum........GUM!!!!!!!

So the day is here. At 3:00 today I will get a needle in my gums!!! WHY GOD WHY! I kid. I think I'm really onto something with this whole National Bravery Week...I mean I'm the only celebrating that I know of BUT it's really got my spine nice and sturdy.

I will report back tomorrow on the horrors of gum scaling.

BE BRAVE MY CHILDREN!

I Declare Next Week Bravery Week!

So I'm declaring another holiday. Just go with it. I have more power than you know so you best hop on board.

Okay I had a horrible nachtmare about my upcoming "deep teeth and gum cleaning". It was terrible. Some random guy from a dental school was brought in to do it and had no idea how to! I woke up extra nervous about next Tuesday. BUT I decided to declare it Bravery Week and I'm going to do a couple things I've been putting off in honor of the holiday. I figure if I can get through the *shiver* gum scaling I can do a few other things that have been weighing on my mind for...oh the past three years. Nothing major, just some financial stuff I've ignored for too long.

So I encourage you all to join in and do at least ONE thing you've been putting off due to fear or something next week. Let's all celebrate a holiday I made up!!!! If you are so inclined post your brave deed in my comments!

Calaban gives it one leg up!!!! HI YA!!!!

It's Too Bad Jason Hates Beer so Much.

Here is Jason trying the ten beer sampler at The Great Dane in Madison this weekend. We were there for Easter but mostly for my sister's 40th B-day. She was kind of depressed but we still had fun. Also my other sister had to put her cat down the night before we got there so she and her boys (huzz and son) were pretty blue. Understandably. It's been a bad year for cats I know.

But a good year for Jason with a beard pics.

Snowbody Knows....

...the blizzard I've seen.....snowbody knows my sorrow....

Just kidding. I can deal with this late season blizz because it's winter's swan song. Mark my words.

The man and I are heading up to Wisco this weekend for not only Easter but also for my sister's 40th b-day. Should be a fun weekend of lots of food, drinks and laughing at inappropriate things.

Have a safe and happy weekend everyone!!!!!

Pub Quiz Whiz!

"whiz" might be too strong a word, but for my first try at Pub Quiz I think it was okay because.........we won $10! Here is Megan with cerfificate (that's how the guy said it once....too many beers or whatever) before we applied it to our tab.

Annnnnd....because I made friends with the guy running it and he gave me this awesome *Harvey Porter/Where Is Waldo scarf that I had been eyeing and wanting all night long!!!! I give this scarf two hammer thumbs up!

So way to go us. (Tony, Emily & Megan!) Next week we will do much better. I'm still fuming that I forgot where the Sugar Bowl was.

*Harvey Porter is what Jason calls Harry Potter for no good reason.

Numb Gums Prah

Okay so no cavities!!!! Thanks be! I was really worried about that. BUT I do have to go back in for some horrible "gum scaling" procedure to get all cleaned up. It's a two parter too. I guess they will numb my gums but it's still mildly daunting. I figure as someone who's bit off her own tongue, (by accident not ala Million Dollar Baby), broken her face, ruptured her intestines....etc....etc., I can certainly handle a little....*shiver*....gum...scraping.

*faint*

Bleeding Gums Prah

So Arizona was amazing. Just beyond the greatness I ever expected. It was so weird and wonderful to visit with those three girls that were such a huge part of my childhood. They've all grown into really smart and strong and fun women and I'm proud to know them and even prouder that we all reconnected. We plan to go every year now!



In other news....dentist. Today is dentist day. I've put it off for so long that I'm like freak out nervous. And today is just the x-rays and exam not even the cleaning yet! I'm so worried that they'll find a cavity because I've never had one and if I have one now I just don't know what.



Plus I know I'm going to hear it about my gums. I just will be so relieved when it's over with. I might even blog about it.



Anyway, here's where I wish I was....were....are...whatever. That water slide really made me happy.


That's not me, but it is my waiter. This is right before I ordered some beer. Sigh.

Arizona!!!

I leave at the B-crack of dawn tomorrow for my girl's weekend in Phoenix! It's going to be me and three of my best friends from high school. We always talked about one day being married and scattered across the country but then taking this trip together and we are actually doing it! How cool is that!? Answer - very. Very GD cool.

One of said girls left me a voicemail last night saying how she couldn't wait to see me in a mere 42 hours and how excited she was. I usually feel this way but it was one of those moments where I thought, you know I've screwed up a lot but one thing that I've done right is made friends. I have such amazingly amazing friends and to have them really be excited to see me just makes my life because I'm sooooo excited to see them too.

I will report back on Monday with pics and stories I'm sure.

All that you really need to know is that the resort has a 110 foot water slide. Come on. It's like a dream for me.

I'm BAAAAAAAAAd at cards.

So I learned how to play Sheep's Head last night. It's like Euchre only harder. At least for me. I played it in high school with my boyfriend's parents but anything involving numbers pretty much exits my brain faster than (insert topical joke about someone leaving someplace super fast...yeah I know. I'm lazy today. I'm also cranky so don't mess with the bull or you might get the horns and what not.)

Anyway, Jason was a great teacher and the guys we played with were all super nice and patient with me but the same thing happens that always happens when I play a game like this. I got all sensitive and embarrassed for messing up and ended up yelling at Jason (sort of in a funny way...sort of in a "Why is your wife being so come on?" way). He knows me well enough that he was able to laugh it off thankfully.

However! I really did have fun and want to be good at this stupid game. So I'm going back next week. I'll try to stay calm this time, but man...I'm telling you....there is some weird part of me that gets so worried about being bad at something new that I totally FLIP out and become the opposite of how I want to be. I think it goes back to childhood (doesn't it all?). I would BEG my sisters and/or mom and dad to play a game with me...ANY game but my family isn't really big into games so the rare times they said yes I put all this pressure on myself to be good and for it to be fun for everyone. Inevitably I would do the opposite just by being so keyed up and over invested and after one round everyone would all of a sudden have something pressing to do.

Wow. Speaking of things I'm not good at. You should have just seen the results of my spell check on this post. Yipes.

ALL POINTS BULLETIN!

So get this. I'm actually DOING something. Like with my life sort of. I'm writing a real actual thing and having meetings about it and working with a friend in L.A. on it! I won't go into what it is here because I don't want to jinx anything but the fact that I actually sat down and knocked out two scenes (now you know it's not a cook book) today and sent them to my partner makes me feel so much less like a lazy buttface. I know it might not sound like a lot to those of you who write tons of stuff all the time but you have to realize I write tons of stuff all the time too but never have the nuts to put it out there so this IS a cool big deal for me.

Also, I'm going to learn a new card game tonight at this sheepshead tournament Jason is taking me to. He's been going for a few weeks but he wants me to meet the guys (I think they are mostly old dudes from Wisco) and is going to teach me to play. I predict bad card playing but a fun night.


ALSO I got my new converse sneakers today. I plan to do a lot of sneaking in them so watch your back.

IN CONCLUSION, I'm going to Arizona on Friday!!!!

My Cat Rulz & Happy Birthday Elizabeth!

I don't mean like rules for my cat (i.e....Rule 1 - don't pewp on my head...2. don't claw my face...etc.). I mean he rules the world. I love him so much. I was sick for three days and he spent almost every minute either on my lap or on the chair next to me. I'm much better now but would like to make today Calaban Prah Day. Just because he deserves it. OH wait. But it will have to be tomorrow because the world's OTHER cutest being has her first birthday today! A one Miss Elizabeth K. So today is for her and tomorrow is National Calaban Prah Day.

FOR JADY!!!!

Jady all but ORDERED me to post today so I can't let her down. Some randomness.



Lost - Best episode ever last night. I had nightmares all night which is the TRUE sign of a great ep.



My new sweater - We almost could have been magic together until I noticed those weird professor elbow patches AFTER I bought you. Now we are icy at best.



My feet - I need some serious tennis shoe time this weekend. My dogs are barking. Painfully barking.



Friday - This is how we do it. All hands are in the aye-ah. It's the freakin weekend ladies and germs. I plan to eat, drink and be awesome.



Jason - Okay. This weird sleep talking/laughing thing has got to stop. It's freaking me out because I can't tell if he's awake or asleep. Usually he's sound asleep. The other night he said "Crescent. You're the village frown." I am not.



Last weekend - My sisters came to town and brought some Stephen King-ian type influenza that struck Kendra down mid-night. We got to my apartment and she kept asking for blankets and Tylenol. So they had to leave at the crack of dawn on Saturday to get her on the bed rest she needed. She's fine now. I have managed to NOT have it yet but every time my throat tingles the leeeetlist bit I freak. With all the vitamins I'm on I think I have a chance. Stay tuned.

OH and I went to the Shedd for the first time because Kendra (middle sister) is a marine life NUT. The best part was the sting ray that looked like he was smiling with his million tiny teeth and closed eyes. I could recall that memory in the middle of a root canal and it would STILL crack me up.



Scariest part of the Shedd????



FROGS!!!!!!!

Fronchness

Last night I went to La Sardine (loosly translates to "The Sardine") with Jason and some friends of ours. I had snails. I can't spell it in Fronch. They were very magical and I wish I had them again right now.

Jason had blood sausage (loosly translates to "Barf Barf Puke Barf"). I couldn't bring myself to take a picture of that although Jason swears it was really really good. Hey I ate slugs...who am I to judge?

We drank this delicious wine.

And I had sorbet. Can you guess the flavors? Answers are at the end! Don't cheat or you will have bad luck for a thousand days.

Ahhhhhhh LA SARDINE you enchant and amaze moi. Merci Bonapart for a Fronch night.

SORBET QUIZ ANSWERS: Banana, rasberry (i think) and I forget the other one....I wanna say mango....but I kind of always want to say mango.

Insults and Injuries

I fell down some stairs again. My morning started pretty great besides having nightmares about that horrible school shooting. So disturbing and depressing and horrible. But I woke up counting my blessings and feeling positive about my day. Calaban didn’t drop a football size-nose hair burning deuce while I was watching the 6:00 am news FOR ONCE, I actually did my hair, my clothes were ALL fresh out of the dryer, my face was looking slightly less fatty fat fat after my attempts at good eating and it was Friday after all.

I headed to the train and on the way LITERALLY helped an old lady with a walker get across some dangerous ice patches causing me to miss my train but to feel like I was starting my day off right. Then things started to turn sour. The train took forever to arrive and was packed. I was standing next to some dewd with NO sense of personal space. (I realize it was packed but come on…do we have to spoon?) Finally arrived at the Adams stop and start trotting down the stairs in a rush and that’s when it happened. My boot heel got caught in my jean cuff and I sort of slammed into the railing with my arm and just kinda hung there like someone had freeze tagged me. I thought I might be able to recover but my forward trajectory or whatever that word is was too far forward. I made the slightest move and down down down I went. All the way to the bottom. Those of you long time Crescent fans will recall this is the THIRD time I’ve fallen all the way down the train stop stairs and the FIFTH time I’ve fallen all the way down a flight of stairs period.

No one helped THIS little old lady either. Everyone just got out of my way and I could be wrong, but I really think I heard a few snickers. Bastards.

Then I got to work and instantly F’d up like three things because I was so shaken.

Good times….great oldies.

What, pray tell, is the stupid Brighter Side of falling down the stupid stairs? Um….well…let’s see. It hurts to type and do things because my right arm is all tenderized? No no…..that’s not bright. Um…..my new clean jeans are all scuffed up? Nope nope nope…that’s not very positive. OH! I’ve got it. Somewhere out there in Chicagoland Matthew K. is laughing it up like a champ and marking his Captain Gravity log with one more tick mark.

Jason at the Jukebox

I took this picture because it is, without a doubt, the quintessential Jason. Playing a song in his railroad cap on a Saturday in his dad's old shirt. I love it so very much. I wish I could remember the song he played because I'm sure that would be perfectly J as well.

Come on.

I had to post this pic my friend Gena took of me and Jason last Friday night. I love it so much I want to marry it.

Beef.

I'm ate way too much beef this weekend. Yipes. BUT it was all pretty good.

My personal contribution to the lost weekend of beef was this. My first attempt at Stroganoff. It was okay. Not the best but okay. I also made ceasar salads with anchovies for Jason. God those things look gross but he loved them.

Tonight I'll probably be eating left overs of beef. God. I hope I don't heart attack.

pics.

Here is Jason's pork loin. (don't be scared. It's literally pork loin.)

Here is my cake I baked.

Don't Delete Me!

I'm sorry for the BIG gap in blogging (three people who read this and Matt) but my new job is all new and joby. I love it! Things are great. Jason is great. Work is great. My new grey pants are great. The Packers are SUPER great. I'm just very happy and actually also kind of healthy for once.

One new thing is I'm determined to learn how to cook some things. I started with a cake for my sister. It was from a box but I don't think you understand the ineptitude I offer the culinary world. BUT it turned out great. (there's that word again)

Jason has been trying some new stuff too but he's good at things right out of the starting gate. That's just how he is. So he made this. Pork loin and veggies and mashed potatoes. It was.........you guessed it! Great.

That's about all and I have to get back to work but I promise to blog more now that I have my routine down here a little better.

OH so yeah I'm going to try and make Monique's green chicken soup for the Packer game on Sunday. (that's not what it's called, it's actually green chili chicken soup, but I accidentally called it that last night and I think it's funny. PLUS if I tell people that's what I'm fixin them they won't have high expectations and then might just be WOW'd right out of their socks. We'll see. Stay tuned for updates.

Happy Holidays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's my last day at work. So weird. I've had a really good time at this job but am ready for the next step in my journey to have a life.

Last night I had dream after dream about my new job. Mostly it was me oversleeping the first day and not showing up until 11:00 and then having jeans on when there is a no jeans policy. BUT by the end of the run of stress dreams I was only having a small problem matching blue shoes with a brown dress. That's progress. Good thing I have 11 days off to prepare for the new gig.

Jas and I head to his parents tonight and then to my parents on Sunday. I will be eating more than is recommended by a medical professional and I don't care.

Also, I'm not going to lie......PRESENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay it's out of my system. I know the true meaning of the holiday and all that. Don't worry. I just get very excited about presents. So do you....don't lie.

HAM AND PRESENTS!!!!!!!!!!

ooops....that one slipped out. Excuse me.

Love and best wishes to everyone!

Regina Paraknockas

5:00 a.m. Jason and I both wake up to pee and get a drink of water. The following is almost word for word the conversation we had.

Jason: I dreamed an entire musical! Everyone was singing in French!
Crescent: Were they like "du day von pew don see swa..." (NOTE: not real French)
Jason: No they weren't singing in French.
Crescent: You just said they were.
Jason: I mean French accents.
Crescent: Ohhh...well you said French but whatever. I've dreamed musical numbers before like the other night when I had that dream about the kids that time traveled back to their dorms and sang that song called "It's All Here."
Jason: Whoa. Yeah that was weird.
Crescent: Don't you wish they made dream recorders?
Jason: If they did I would have a smash hit on the West End. (pause) Or the South End. (pause) Or maybe the rear end. (laughs hysterically)
Crescent: That's what your musical should be called "Zee Rear...End"
Jason: Keeps laughing. (pause) Zee Rear......End. (laughs more...gets up for more water and walks into the living room)
Crescent: Where are you going?
Jason: To write down my ideas!!!! (comes right back to bed and is chewing something) Just kidding. I needed a Tums. (pause) Zee Rear.....End.
Crescent: I only have an hour more to sleep so stop making me laugh.
Jason: Zee Rear.........End.

(5 minutes pass. I'm JUST falling back to sleep)

Jason: (laughing even more hysterically)
Crescent: Dude.
Jason: What if.....(laughs)...what if....there was a Greek woman named Regina Paraknockas??? (hysterical laughter again) Regina.....(laughs)...ParaKNOCKas!!!! You have to say it!!!
Crescent: Regina Paraknockas. Why is her first name Regina?
Jason: (still laughing) Because....she's Regina Paraknockas!

Needless to say I've pretty much been up since 5:00 a.m.

Notice!

I got the official offer last Friday and gave my official notice today! I am so excited! I start at my new job on Jan. 2ND. I have to get a ton of new clothes since my current job is a jeans and t-shirt place and my new gig is biz cazzz. I am honestly so happy and excited about the job I'm doing and the company that I keep forgetting I'm ALSO gonna be making more money! Then I faint or kick off a shoe or something to celebrate.

We had a hilarious party at Fred's on Friday night to celebrate. Here is my favorite moment of that night. I can't remember what they were doing but that's why I love it so much. I think maybe it had something to do with puppetry. I hope so. I just remember having to stop my guitar battle with Slash due to how hard I was laughing.

take stock...THAT'S AN ORDER!

Just a quick post. So one of our dearest friends mother's just passed away last week. A favorite professor passed away a few days ago leaving behind a wife and kids. And a wonderful woman and good friend is in the process of saying good-bye to her Dad. I just can't imagine and it makes my heart hurt so much for all these people and their pain and loss. It also makes me admire them and how strong they all are.

So everyone take stock today and bask in the ease and comfort of a normal day. Kiss someone you love. Most importantly don't flip a lid over tiny things that don't matter.

That's all.

Love,
Crescent

J-Toven's 5th

Jason is growing a beard and I'm so excited! I just got on a beard kick lately. Like the really short but kind of late 70's early 80's type. The things that guy will do for me when I ask him. Some of it has to do with the fact that there is a beard contest going on at work (I didn't enter.....THIS time) and so beards are everywhere.

Oh and my sister started calling Jason J-Toven on Thanksgiving because he did all the dishes and the steam made his adorable curly hair like three times its normal size. Now we all call him that.

I'll have some Thanksgiving pics up soon but just know that I think we may have had the world's most perfect T-Day ever. It just ruled in every way. I can't wait for Christmas!!!!

Love,
Mrs. J-Toven

busy and a little bit sad bee

I'm alive I swear. My sweet cat Ava, sadly, is not. We had to put her down on Wednesday and it was sooooo sad and hard, but the right thing to do.

I will post a pic of her once I can look at said pic without bawling. I'm just not ready.

Other than THAT things are great. I've lost 8 lbs. We are slowly but slowly getting out of debt. There are some job prospects on El Horizon. If I ever open a Mexican breakfast joint I'm naming it that. COPYRIGHT!!!! There...that makes the idea legally mine.

J and I are heading to my sister's for Thanksgiving and can't wait. We are having Kentucky ham (salty and awesome not wiggly and sweet like they do hams up here) AND turkey. Maybe it will be like Thanksgiving of 2000 when I ate so much I literally puked. I hope so. That was hilarious. (just kidding barf gods. I don't want that to happen again. It hurt.)

So there's my update for now.

Here's a picture of me and Jason at the bon fire in Michigan a few weeks ago. I love our weird green and orange color scheme. It's so circa '81 Sears living room.