We're So Gorgeous

Diva Karaoke! You may have won the first challenge, but I, Diva Blue, issue challenge number two!
*bows* HAI!

Four Years



Subject: Vincent Retrospective
Location: All Over
Music: Don't Change Your Plans For Me, Ben Folds Five

Okay, okay, I am late at posting these wonderful pictures..... but Jeremy, Melody and I went downtown to see the famous Cherry Blossoms. We arrived at sunset, but they were just stunning!!! check them out.

This one is such a cool pic, I thought about blowing it up and making it "art" on my wall.

Okay, my big sis cannot out-do me in the mass communications department! She is just way too talented, I have to do something to show that I, Diva Kareoke, also have a little bit of creativity in me.

Last September, I added some pictures from our hurricane adventure with our Best Bud's, Todd and Sheri. It turned out it was Simon's Birthday too, so we spent it on a ship, rollin' around the Gulf of Mexico. We did end up getting on shore and spent a few hours at Carlos and Charlie's (a great place to go).


Enjoy!!! Song by James Taylor, "Mexico", James Taylor's Greatest Hits

I put this film together a little over a year ago. Diva Kareoke-style showed me how to add sound this evening ('cause she luuuvz her big sis).
I hope this works *crosses fingers*

Cookie Crisis

Subject: Vincent has a cookie crisis
Location: The Grounds Coffee Shop
Music excerpt from: Stomach & Heart by Barenaked Ladies

Easter tends not to be a huge holiday at our house. It's mostly a continuation of other spring
holidays we celebrate--everything from Ostara, at the beginning of the season (celebrating the very first hint of Spring) Holi (Indian festival of colors), Songkran (Thai Water Festival, kind of like Holi--still learning about it really) Passover (which tends to get rolled in with Easter) to Beltane, at the end (pagan fertility festival. The way it's usually celebrated is definitely not for kids, so I usually treat it as May Day rather than do anything special). Easter usually comes about mid-way. For us it's more about bunnies than resurrection, but I do review christian concepts more at this time, talk a lot more about spirituality and religion and how it all fits together. This year, we focused on how Karma relates to leading a christian life, using the example of Kingdom of Heaven (great movie! Go see it if you haven't already).

Some may argue with my methodology, but I feel a global religious education will end up closer to the mark than any one viewpoint. My main goal is to create mindful, spiritual people who can synthesize a philosophy that gives them balance and strength. Exposing them to more ideas certainly isn't going to hurt, and gives me a nice launching point to address all sorts of issues that they probably wouldn't run into much in this country. I want them to be comfortable in their own country (because I'm not) but I don't want them to become too provincial, either. It doesn't make sense for our family.

But back to Easter. It was cool and rainy here. Tristan worked the night before, so he came over early to hang with his bros and play Easter Bunny. Gareth decided he was too big for such things and opted to help the Easter Bunny. Vincent was delighted to take on the Egg Hunt by himself.
One of the neater things that happened was, the grass decided (very suddenly) it was time to grow! Yesterday, nothing. Today, new green shoots everywhere on our newly landscaped front lawn. Our new neighbors are much, much better with plants than I'll ever be. It underscored the spirit of spring (and bunnies).

After we came home, Tris grabbed a shower then crashed out in my bed for a few hours (why, when he's still got one of his own here, I don't know. All three like to steal my bed. I think it's the christmas lights in the palm tree that attracts them) .

Gareth was banished to the kitchen to finish the chores he avoided the day before.

I kept Vincent out of his brothers' hair by drawing pictures with him out on the patio. Periodically, the sugar buzz would get to him and he'd be forced to become a bunny.

This involves much hopping!

(Amelia taking a picture of Jackie taking a picture of Amelia)
(Vincent pretending to take a picture, Tristan walking up)

The Downtown Mall is a very pretty place in the spring. You can find a little bit of everything here. Once, it was Main Street. Now, it's an open-air promenade, lined by restaurants and coffeehouses, art galleries and clubs, bookstores and high-end retail shops, most topped with chic penthouse apartments. The main walk is dotted with trees, small kiosks, sculpture, fountains and frequented by strolling street musicians. On one end is a large indoor skating rink, on the other end, The Pavilion--an open-air music venue for acts large and small. About halfway, there's a newly-renovated movie house, which is now an indoor stage for big-name acts. I'm amazed how many well-known musical artists come here to play. Then again, it is very beautiful here. Especially this time of year.
Mind you, I neglected to take pictures of that, I was too busy taking pictures of my family....
Lunch itself was pleasant, with a floor show provided by a banjo-playing street musician. While we listened, a fight broke out between the banjo man and a crack addict who either isn't a bluegrass fan, or (more likely) was trying to steal tips from the banjo case. We heard a big scuffle and twang, saw the two men struggle, the banjo go flying and some one stepped in to break it up. Shortly thereafter, a uniformed cyclist flew in, took statements and hauled the crack dude off. It was all very quick, but provided a bit of excitement (sorry, no pics of that)
Tristan slighly knew both of the combatants. He seems to know everyone downtown--every where we went, someone hailed him or came by for a quick hello. As you can see from this shot, he gamely did the "guy out with a bunch of girls" thing, negotiated food trades with his baby brother (who was totally excited to see his Melia an' Tri-tin) and largely kept his mouth shut. He was having trouble waking up (he works a deep night shift).
Amelia had done some cool egyptian effect with her eye makeup. While we walked, she did the artist thing, taking pictures of interesting things, often using Vincent in her shots. Jackie also posed for several pictures. She seemed happy to be with us, showed off her new (totally amazing) figure and told me about her latest boyfriend.

Today, was a beautiful day. We went out to play and realized that our neighbors (who don't speak english) mistook our loan of Vincent's old tricycle as a gift.

Which is fine with me, really. It's almost too small for Vincent (he's had it since he was two) and they have a they have a little granddaughter who's just the right size for it.

Vincent didn't take it so well, so I checked my funds and decided a trip to Toys R Us was in order. They usually have sales this time of year.

I really didn't want to buy a another tricycle, and a bicycle seems inappropriate for a four-year old. Bikes are problematic in our neighborhood anyway--the hills here are steep and run both ways, we live on a blind curve, traffic zooms through here like it's the freeway, there aren't any sidewalks, etc. Gareth never did end up learning how to ride his bike, the combination of danger and difficult terrain was just too much for him.

Consequently, I decided it might be best to see what else was available. After some consideration, the boys hit upon what seems to be an excellent solution: scooters.

They're inexpensive, easy to learn, Gareth already has one (so they can play together), and best of all, I heard they were selling a package deal this month--toddler sized scooter, helmet and pads for the low, low price of $30. I could kill two birds with one stone!
So, off to the toy store we went. First, we stopped for dinner at some buffet place (interestingly, the front half was covered by police tape and manned by a team of uniformed hunks--seems someone had gone left just half an hour before we arrived. We tried to get details, but of course, no one was talking, so I'm going to have to wait for the evening news...).
Dinner was good. Gareth was very pleased with himself for practicing portion control, Vincent was jazzed he got to pick his own food (grapes, fried chicken, corn on the cob). With tons of choices, I somehow ended up getting salad as usual (I'm so boring, lately).

In the toy store, Vincent rode every single bike he could reach the pedals on, Gareth wandered the store, practicing calling me on his new cell phone. I had my camera with me, so we took lots of pics, took turns filming each other and generally had fun being together. Once we got home, we put the scooter together, slapped the protective gear on Vince, and went outside so they could play for a bit....




We had a good day.

The Following Day:
This is what I woke up to this morning...

Look Mom, I'm Rock n' Roll!

Tristan spent the day with us!

Although, he's annoyed with me for taking his pic when he didn't think his hair looked good.

I think it looks fine. 

Vince pulled a diva move in this shot, but I still think it's pretty good!