Short & Sweet

I would like to say “Thank you!” to my babysitter last night for showing up and allowing me to have a very spontaneous night out with family and friends in Hammond.  I had a great time and was glad to leave Hammond behind when I was done!  It had been a very long time since I haunted the bars in my old college town… and not much has changed.  There are new faces, new clothing styles, but everything else has stayed the same. 

After returning home to the reality that is my life, I was able to sleep late.  I sort of blew my diet yesterday evening with drinking and food.  I was at about 900 calories by the time I got home from work Friday night and took TomTom to get a treat for getting good behavior all week in class.  We went to the Shiver Shack in Mandeville on the Trailhead.  I had previously bought a groupon so I figured I would treat him and reward his good behavior.  He picked a “Birthday Cake” snowball.  It was yellow cake batter flavor and wedding cake flavor with condensed milk and sprinkles on top.  I chose a pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw on it and a “Doberge Cake” snowball.  It was yellow cake batter flavor and chocolate cream flavor.  I asked for condensed milk on it too.

The sandwich I ate was excellent, considering I bought it from a snowball stand.  The snowball didn’t come with the requested condensed milk so I figured the diet gods were on my side on that one.  And I didn’t think the snowball was all that great.  When you got down to the middle of it there was no syrup on the ice.  We have pretty high expectations on snowballs over here.  Overall, I will stick to Papa Sams for future snowballs, but if you are at the trailhead the Shiver Shack is probably your most convenient place.

After my off-the-diet dinner and about four beers and a shot of tequila later…. I woke up this morning and decided to step on my worst enemy…. THE SCALE!!!  I pulled it out of the closet and got on board.  To my utter excitement and a look to the heavens with a big THANK YOU I lost about 3 more pounds. 

Could my theories be correct?  Was I not eating enough calories for the past three weeks and therefore not losing any weight on the scale??? So far, my theory has proven itself correct.  I have been struggling to hit my 1600 calories a day, but have managed to do it before I hit the bed every night.  And to be sweetly rewarded by a 3 pound loss is more than I could have ever asked for!!! Thank you again to the diet gods!!!!

And though this blog wasn’t as short and sweet as I expected... I am short and sweet.  And I find that a perfect line to end on.. until next time!

FMX Motocross!

This weekend we ventured over to New Orleans to attend the FMX Motocross.  Santa Claus gave both TomTom and myself tickets to the even for Christmas.  I thought the show started for 7 and the print outs I found online said doors opened for 6:30 PM.  We were on a very limited budget for the evening.  Thomas went with seventeen dollars, an accumulation from his Paw Paw and the tooth fairy.  I went with twenty in cash.  According to online information parking would only be ten dollars so with that amount I figured we would have to make a night of it.

We went to Texas Roadhouse in Covington for dinner and used the gift card I received from Santa for Christmas.  It is one of our most favorite restaurants in the area.  I love the Grilled Chicken Salad, and Thomas likes the steak bites (and that they offer applesauce as a side dish).  We both sing songs of joy when they give us the fresh baked bread and cinnamon honey butter.  We think we have both died and gone to heaven as we finish off every bit of it before our meal comes.  It was at the table that I got a really good view of the new missing tooth.  Tooth #3!  Thank goodness, now Tooth #2 has room to finish growing in!

With stuffed bellies we journeyed across the Causeway bridge to the big city and got to watch the sun set on the way over.  It was beautiful with all the pretty colors, the clouds, and the still water.  I think the Causeway is one of the better places to catch a sunset in New Orleans.



We made it to the Superdome parking Garage by 6:15 and started walking up to the New Orleans arena.  As usual I am the last one to know the event is sold out.  There is a huge line forming at the downstairs door and upstairs door waiting to get into the arena.  We got in the line that stretched over the bridge and wrapped around the Superdome.  We made it inside by 6:50.  TomTom decided he wanted to spend his money before the show started and we found the nearest stand and freaked out because of the prices.  There were no shirts under $20 for boys.  They had useless stuff for $5 and $10, nothing he was interested in and they didn't have checkered flags this year, only pirate flags????  He settled for a FMX beanie with a skull on it (his latest trend) that was $20.  He paid ten and I gave him the other ten I had on me.  He wore the hat all night.

We made it to our seats at about five to seven and I looked at the tickets again and saw the show didn't start until 7:30.  We decided next time we need to bring binoculars so we can people watch while we wait in our seats.  The show came, and by the end there were a few scares that the guys were going to fall off their bikes and slide across the pavement.  Luckily no one was harmed, even after one or two slips, and the show was a success. 

Thomas wanted to wait for autographs.  We went to stand in another line.  After about thirty minutes of waiting the guys came out and they each signed a promotional booklet and the beanie.  We left the arena and I realized we were the only ones out there walking to our car in an empty parking garage.  I freaked out inside my mind.  When I am out having a good time in the city at all hours in the night I am never stressed out, but involve my kid in a possibly scenario when he can be hurt, and I turn into Nervous Nellie.  I decide inside my head we will never wait for autographs again unless we have a larger group with us.  There were a few family members walking about a half a block ahead of us and I grabbed my sons hand and walked at full speed ahead.  Soon they were in the garage and we were walking the streets alone and I realize we have to go in and down to the first level of the garage.  I also realized that there were hardly any cars in the garage.  We headed straight to the car at top speed and I had my keys out ready to get in and lock doors.  I knew TomTom knew I was freaking out about something but I kept it to myself for later conversation.  We got in, locked doors, started the car and took a deep breath because we were home free!  I explained to TomTom that we were a bit careless in our city safety and the many reasons we should have not waited for the autographs and many scenarios we could have put ourselves in, etc. 

We stopped by Micky D's for late night snacks and the bathroom in Metairie.  It was 10 minutes to 11 PM.  I spent the rest of the money we had on that gift card and had to put up some cash to finish off the totals.  As usual with every Micky D's I go to lately, there are no shakes or ice cream available... what is up with that??????  Then after waiting too long for our order I got to witness the manager tell the cook not to give us the blackened and burnt burger patty that had been on the heater for too long.  She demanded he make us a new one and he couldn't understand why??  After fussing at the cook for this and that I think she asked him where his mouth was because he wasn't responding... some times I just miss Metairie, right?  After we got our order and made our drinks I went back to the counter to ask for ketchup.  One of the male employees walked behind the counter from one end to the other, made eye contact with me, and was smiling at me as I asked "Can we get some ketchup?"  Yes, ladies and gentleman, after smiling and making eye contact, he just continued to walk out of view as if I didn't even exist.  The lady next to me heard me, and I heard me, I wasn't sure what he heard??????  Finally the manger lady came back and she heard me ask and got me the ketchup!  Amazing!

Finally we were back on the Causeway, and after two minutes of singing to the radio and getting into that toll-bridge-zone I heard silence in the back seat.  My son was completely passed out and hunched over his seat belt. 

Can you see the signatures on the beanie???

Sweet Lil man, he's still just a baby, ya know???  He is 3/4 of my length and lugging what the scale says is 60 lbs (I say it is closer to 80 lbs dead weight) out of the car and into his bed was the final ending to my Saturday night.  He slept so hard he didn't even sneak into my bed later that night.

The Pirates of Penzance!

There is a new group on the north shore, a performing arts group for children of all ages located right here in Covington.  We heard through the Boy Scouts grapevine that they were doing the Pirates of Penzance and I figured, what the hay??  TomTom's first play!

I grew up watching a few musicals when the Beverly Dinner Playhouse was around in New Orleans.  And I was luck enough to live close enough to the Saenger that I got to see all the Broadway shows as they toured through our city.  I know many crazy facts about many crazy musicals because of this.  I also know one too many show tunes and this tends to annoy my co-workers and my son, but I press on!  Anyway, TomTom's time had come.

Tickets were only $10 because it was the first show of 2011 so it was a steal!  I invited a local friend who I knew enjoyed live theatre and it was a date.  I bought tickets online not knowing what we were getting in to the Friday before the Saturday showtime.  The tickets said they would ship, but I knew there was no time for them to get here.  I tried calling the office, but could not get in touch with anyone and left a message.  No one returned my call.

The night of the show we left our house at 6:15 and arrived in the parking lot at 6:30, the show was starting for 7 PM.  The parking lot was completely vacant, save one other vehicle, and I had doubts as to if we were in the right place.  We got out and went inside.  I saw my name on a card as our "tickets" and knew all was well in that department.  Then we sat and waited because they weren't ready to seat us yet.  Since we ordered tickets online our seats were all ready marked out inside the theatre according to the card.  I also saw that my friend had ordered online and was much farther down the row from us.  I asked if this could be changed since we were the only one there, but this seemed like too much of a task for the young girl at the table so i just told her not to worry about it.

Around 6:45 PM my friend showed up with husband in hand and I felt bad because I realized how far off Broadway this production was going to be, but it was all children so at least it would be fun for Thomas.  My friend told us she had invited some of her friends too.  I was excited they were coming because I hadn't seen them in awhile, but would have preferred it be over a cold beer instead of a play full of children.  I secretly cringed over this news because I knew these were young outgoing people that had no idea what they were getting into.  And the fact that the guys were going to be there, the good ole sports loving guys that they were, it just seemed miraculous that everyone was on board with this so I smiled to myself and my friend.

They finally let us go to our seats and there were maybe three or four rows of folding chairs as the seating area.  We were in the first two seats since we took care to pre-order and avoid the crowd of twenty that showed up for the night.  My friends were down on the other side of the theatre.  I didn't want to disturb any of the fans that showed up so we decided to stick it out on opposite sides of the audience.  While we were waiting for the show to start, my son was so excited to see his first play that he couldn't look up from his DS to say HI to friends or look at the stage.

The facebook comments my guy cousins left me were of the following nature...
"Poor TomTom, how could you do that to him?"

Then the show started and Thomas was an avid watcher.  I don't know if it was the fact that the kids were on stage and a hairs breath away from him or that he was just exhausted from a long day, but he was very quiet and observant.  It was hard for me to sit through.  I was glad I was supporting the community, but it wasn't anything close to the Pirate Movie I watched and sang to in the '80's (a spoof of the Pirates of Penzance). 

Intermission came and I scooted over to the other side of the room to visit while TomTom went back to his DS.  It was at this time my friend told me there was an alcohol smelling homeless type person in the row behind her that was making her nervous.  He didn't seem to know anyone there and I was worried we had a Chester-the-molester on our hands.  Intermission ended and we were back to our seats.

My friends left as soon as the show was over and TomTom wanted to stay and grab something out of the treasure chest as he was invited to do by the hostess of the evening.  We got to see the cast take a photo from their performance that night.



He grabbed a doubloon from the treasure chest and we sang our way home by way of Menchies!!!!  The next play I will take him to is "The Music Man", one of my absolute favorites!!!  I hope it is at least three steps closer to the sidewalk that leads you to Broadway than this gem of a play, but kudos to the kiddies that got up there and performed!

Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination

This Sunday I took a minivan full of friends to the Lafayette Science Museum to see the exhibit, Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination.  I spent most of the time on the drive there explaining to my unsuspecting friend how Star Wars is a glorified love story with light sabers and blasters so that guys will watch it. 




The kids in the back of the van were watching Star Wars episode III, the highlight (I think) of all the Star Wars movies that shows what a mad love story it is and of course the birth of Darth Vader. 

Yes!  He did it for love everyone!  Anakin was trying to save Padme from dying during childbirth.  He has this horrible premonition of the event and knows he cannot live without her.  Mr. Ugly Ole Palpatine uses his jedi (or shall I say sith) mind tricks on poor weak Anakin (yes, Yoda told him long ago that attachments make him week AKA his mother and now Padme)  and basically tricks Anakin in coming over to the dark side.


Palpatine promises Anakin that together they can discover the secret to keep their loved ones alive.  Anakin at this point says he would do anything to save Padme, so off he goes to kill all the jedi children (very morbid) and anyone else that gets in his way.  Poor Padme tries to track Anakin down to see for herself that the rumors are true and red-eyed Anakin thinks that she has turned on him because Obi-Wan sneaks out of her ship. 

It's a horribly tragic scene and yes, it brings me to tears every time.  And the score, the music, it is so awesome as Anakin changes and then massacres and Padme tells him through tears "Anakin, you're breaking my heart! You're going down a path I cannot follow!"

Later, Palpatine rescues Anakin - who is now known as Darth Vader - on the verge of death without an arm or legs, and burned to a pulp.  At this point you bring on the big black suit that keeps Darth Vadar alive, and our sweet little Anakin returns to consciousness.  Here he finds himself in a big suit, and that after everything he did Padme still died in childbirth.  And the big burly scary Darth Vadar screams "NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"


And there you have it!  Why in the hell do I know all of this????!!!!!!  I think I asked myself that a few times while I was explaining it to my friend and tried to ignore the crazy look she was giving me!  Ha!

Anyways, we get to Lafayette and every other parent in the area has decided to do the same thing on Sunday because the line wrapped around the building and to the end of the block.

It took us about forty minutes to make it up to the front of the street where Thomas posed for a photo with the Darth Vadar poster.  You can see me in the reflection and his light saber is strategically placed across my body (no pun intended) as if it were my own.  I told you the force was strong with me!

By the time we made it inside we could see a sign that read "Millennium after 5 PM".  This basically meant that the Millennium Falcon Experience ( a five minute.. ride??? or something) was only available after 5 PM and you had to buy separate tickets for that.  This was the area where you got to see the Falcon's cock pit and all kinds of other cool stuff, one of the many reasons we drove two hours to the event.  By the time we made it to the ticket counter, it was sold out :(  I'm still upset about that. 

However, we did get to see lots of amazing props from the movies like Luke Skywalker's land speeder....

And my favorite part was when we saw the show at the Planetarium and learned all kinds of cool things about our Sun the star!  The seats in there were all cadillacin' back and I wished that the seats at all movie theaters were like that. 

All in all it was a great day and I would do it all over again, but the next time I will buy tickets in advance through Ticketmaster and see the Millennium Falcon Experience!



The Weekend is Here!

This weekend is sure to be a super busy but fun one!

Saturday - Pinewood Derby for Thomas.

Sunday - Lafayette Science Museum for Star Wars Exhibit!!!!

I can't wait!!!! TomTom is practically freaking out!!!

I will update with photos as soon as possible.